Cross Fit- Week 7 - Day 2

I have missed so many Cross Fit workouts since I started 7 weeks ago, that I'm not even sure which week for me this really is- I'm guessing I'm on my 4th week technically speaking--but today I was BACK!! I did have full intentions of getting back yesterday to do the "Murph" workout--but was at the Emergency Room Sunday night with my brother until 3 A.M. Fortunately, he is ok and I'm happy that I was there to help him out in his time of need. He wouldn't ask for help unless he was really in pain--so I know he needed to get to the hospital.

Today it felt so good to be up at 5am (yes I know that sounds crazy)- but I had a great sleep last night, woke up before the alarm, enjoyed a little cuddle time with the furry child and then got to Optimal Fitness on time even!

Started out with the normal stretching, using the foam roller, then 400 m run followed by sit ups, lunges, shoulder discs and some squats.

Today's WOD was similar to one we did two weeks ago, with a change up of one exercise.

3 circuits:
Rowing: 1000m/750m/500m
or Run: 1200m/800m/400m (we only have 3 row machines)

Wall Balls: 21/15/9
D-Ball Slams: 21/15/19
Kettle Ball Swings: 21/15/9

My time today on this was: 21:49...I finished 2nd in the time amongst my peers. I was fortunate to always get a row machine- so my workout was all rowing.

We finished the workout today with ab work- forget what the first thing was called- but we
hung from the pull up bar and used abs to bring your knees to elbows (ah that's what it's called "knees to elbows") - that was tough, we only did 5 of them..
Then Scissor Kicks, Flutter Kicks and Planks.

Really had a great workout!! My legs will feel it I'm sure- all of the exercises involved squats-
wall ball, you squat and as you come up throw the ball to the wall and catch it. D-Ball Slams, you have the medicine ball over head, as you come down in the squat you slam the ball down, Kettle Ball Swings- again squatting with the kettle ball in hand.

I have 2 spin classes to teach today- this should be fun!! Happy Tuesday and I hope to get to Cross Fit the rest of the week! I hear we have a birthday WOD on friday for one of the team. Rumor has it the # of reps is equal to the birthday person's age! Let's just say that most of us in the group are probably in the 30's and 40's!

Cross Fit ~ Week 5 ~ Day 4

Yeah, weekend is almost here! Today's workout was pretty decent, not too hard overall. After our stretching and warm up drills we went for the 400 meter run and then back for the workout.

Today's WOD consisted of 3 circuits:

Rowing Machine 1000m/700m/500m
D-Ball Slams 21/15/9
Kettle Ball Swings 21/15/9
Sit ups 21/15/9

Because there are only 3 rowing machines- we had the option to go for a 400m run instead of the row if there wasn't an open machine when we needed it. So for my 700m row, I did to the 400m run instead.

Followed up with stretching. Many of our group had to leave early today, so we didn't do group stretching or abs at the end. Very low key.

My time on this workout: 19:35

Now- the awful part of this morning- while I was at Cross Fit from 530am-630am, I was supposed to be subbing spin at PSC from 6-7am. I completely forgot. Because yesterday was my anniversary- I wasn't "glued" to my Outlook Calendar like normal and really didn't look at my cell phone once we got home last night- which if I had looked I would have seen this morning's commitment!

When I came out of Optimal Fitness I had a message waiting for me and actually did rush over there to teach the last 20 minutes. Fortunately, one of the students had her ipod, hooked it up and they were happily spinning on their own. I felt so bad, but they were very forgiving! :(

Sure hope the rest of the day doesn't follow suit. I'm in a good mood and want to have a good day! I plan to go to Zumba at 1230pm because I am having major withdrawals!! Then I am subbing spin at 530pm tonight ~ not sure why that one is in my mental calendar, but the other wasn't.

Cross Fit ~ Week 5 ~ Day 2

Ah, that sore feeling when you wake up the day after the "Murph"- I didn't expect to be that sore today, but I was. Sigh. But I got up, and out the door for another punishing workout. Jeff was back from Israel today - so that was a plus!

We did our stretching as always- basic warm-up drills and then off for the 400m warm up run...not bad- just hard to get the legs to wake up and perform...

Then the WOD:

Each Circuit included:
400 m run
Burpees
Dips
Lunges
1st round = 21 reps, 2nd round = 15 reps, 3rd round = 9 reps

Let me just say that Burpees are the work of the devil!!! I can't stand them and I especially hated them on the 1st round with 21 reps! Still hated them when I had 15 to do...and yes still hated them when I had 9 to do- but 9 felt so much like the home stretch!!

This was a timed workout and my time today was 21:20

I did each of the 400m runs and my leg wasn't bothering me- there is still a sore spot on my left upper shin, but I'm not entirely sure it's the start of shin splints...almost feels more like a bruise. Still have to get inserts for my running shoes- the store I went to yesterday was out of my size. Will try another store today!

Not sure if I will make it for tomorrow's WOD- celebrating 3 years of wonderful marriage with my husband Bill and we are both taking the day off of work...plan to get my manicure and pedicure, go out to lunch, take a walk or hike, evening massages and then pick up dinner from our favorite Italian place and enjoy a bottle of wine while watching "So You Think You Can Dance". No phones, no computers...just together time!

Cross Fit, Week 4, Day 2

Well today was very interesting when trying to get out of bed. I was so sore from yesterdays workout, it was unbelievable. Everything hurts! But I mustered up my courage and got myself out the door to the workout today! It was a "nicer" workout vs. yesterday's "murph" ~ thank God!

So Stretch, Run 400m, then some more warm up exercises on the shoulders and then some sit ups.

The WOD today consisted of 5 circuits, 7 repetitions each
Pull Ups
Squat Thrusts (this is the squat and come up with overhead press)
Burpees (yes, they returned today...we have not had burpees since Day 1 of Week 1)

I completed this circuit in 10:05

The first set of Pull Ups were tough- mainly due to having done so many yesterday- but I managed to push through!
Burpees- well I'll always hate them, but because of everything else we've been doing, I felt stronger doing them. I'm sure I still look pretty lame...but it's progress. Rome wasn't built in a day!

We finished up the day with our ab workout- which today was a bit of everything. We worked with medicine balls and a partner. First was the medicine ball toss back and forth to each other...then we did the same thing with a much heavier medicine ball (ouch)...we then did sit ups facing each other with a medicine ball toss on the way up from the sit up...and then obliques by standing back to back and rotating our torsos to handoff the medicine balls to each other...

...a good workout today- not sure if I'll be sore from it, at this point I think I'll be sore from yesterday's workout all week long- so heck, what's a little bit more!!

I am scared- tomorrow's workout is a 5K run....I have not ran 3 miles consecutively since I did my sprint triathlons 6 years ago...yes I did run 2 miles yesterday- 1 at a time....but I'll do my best, come what may!

Cross Fit- Week 4
(but for me really week 3 due to my cold and crazy schedule that followed)

Well, hello Monday, hello 5am alarm clock - was tempted to not get up and continue to cuddle with the kitty. But I got up, and made it to Optimal Fitness for the WOD. (Workout of the day)

Robert was there, but no Jeff today (he's off in Tel Aviv for a week)- so we had Ben taking his place and just as the workouts change daily- when you have a new leader....that changes things up a bit also.

Warm Up was a little different- we did our stretching and then 50 jumping jacks, but he challenged us to engage our brains while doing jacks. Criss-Cross the feet each time, change how your hands meet above your head (fists, thumbs, open hands, back hands, etc.)- of course the only problem with that is nobody was counting!

Then we did little jumps with feet together, from there a "cross-country" type motion and then adding a torso twist to the movement.

After that, we started the WOD. Ben explained that June is "Murph" month. He told us why:

In memory of Navy Lieutenant Michael Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y., who was killed in Afghanistan June 28th, 2005.

This workout was one of Mike's favorites and he'd named it "Body Armor". From here on it will be referred to as "Murph" in honor of the focused warrior and great American who wanted nothing more in life than to serve this great country and the beautiful people who make it what it is.

THE WOD IS THE FOLLOWING:

1 mile run

100 pull ups

200 push ups

300 squats

1 mile run

So after the warm up- off we go for the run, into two groups - those who think they can run a 1 mile and those who think 1/2 a mile is all they can manage. I told Ben, I'll give the mile a shot- but don't worry if I drop off. I ran my mile...then we returned inside to tackle the rest. We paired up and could manage the tasks anyway we saw fit to do. Brien and I were teamed up and we decided to do 10 sets of 10 pull-ups, push-ups and squats. Well we failed to read completely and thought we were supposed to do 100 of each task- but anyway- we figured no problem once we did the 100 of each, then we'd finish up the push ups and squats. Well, we ran out of time. We got through 9 sets of 10, then off for the final mile run. I thought I was going to DIE!! We were back at 630am after the run, and did some ab work: planks, flutter kicks, scissor kicks and then we were done.

The idea behind this workout though is time based and ideally I think you'd want to do the entire workout and see how long it takes you. I've read on the Cross Fit website discussion board some people doing the entire workout in 17 minutes. Well, I'll be a long way from that kind of time...hell I run about a 12 minute mile. I did have quite a few problems with the pull-ups. I was not using the assist machine that I'm used to- but instead using a bar with the elastic suspension- well it would take me a flippin' minute just to get in the elastic - oh and getting out of the elastic was not a pretty site. Once I went onto the pull-up assist machine I felt more productive on that task.

I would say that overall- Brien and I completed 9 sets of 10 ..so we did 90 pull up, 90 push ups, 90 squats and ran 2 miles- in what I would think was about 40 minutes. (***ok, update ad of 6/2/09...I just found out today that because we were teamed up, we were supposed to "share" the workout: i.e. 50 pulls up each, 100 push ups each and 150 squats each....I think we would have completed it all and would have been much easier without as many pull ups- that was bringing me down!!)

So, how do I feel? Ha, ha, ha...well I am sorry that I didn't get in there last week, because after being away from Cross Fit for 7 days- (3 days from week 2 and then 4 days from week 3)...I'm hurtin' for certain! I'll be lucky if I can get up the stairs tonight after an evening on the couch! LOL Add to all of this a sunburn from yesterday- I'm a mess! But "I will survive"...I always do, it's in my nature!

I will say though 1/2 the battle is really the mental game. Having the ability to put mind over matter and push yourself. I was a wimp- when we went for that first mile run and I gave my "disclaimer" about maybe dropping off- wimpy wimpy wimpy!! When we went out for the last mile run, I didn't say it, but I thought it to myself "well if I only do 2 laps that'll be ok". But after I did the 2 laps, I did the 3rd and really thought ok, "I'm done"- but then the mental game comes in and I'm thinking, "only one more lap- you can do this, take your time and just do it". I remembered back 6 years ago when I did my two sprint triathlons and ran 3 miles- which is really not a BIG deal at all...but when I was doing that race and on my way back (it was a loop course), I so wanted to give up and then there were kids on the course, running towards me (starting their run portion of the race) and yelling, "you can do it, keep up the good work, you're almost there". It's amazing what words of encouragement can do for you.

On the last lap today, Ben paced with me. The thought of "nobody runs alone" and "we run at the slowest runners pace" and then when we saw the finish, he pushed me to give a little more, to push a little harder....and that brought me back to 6 years ago when I saw that finish line and how I couldn't wait to get there.

If I understand correctly, this will be the Monday workout for the month of June because Ben was commenting about how lucky we are to have 5 mondays in June! We get to honor Navy Lt. Michael Murphy with his favorite workout 5 times this month! HA!!!

Cross Fit- Week 3

Well here it is Wednesday of week 3 for Cross Fit and I have not been there this week. Between the monday holiday and two days where I just couldn't get up at 5am. I'm assuming it's my body talking to me saying that I need to rest more to get the last of this cough out of me. I have been going to bed early like a good girl.

However, I did weigh myself on Tuesday and I'm down another pound- could be part of the cold with lack of eating- but we did have a big birthday weekend with my mom's 80th, and lots of cake. See if there is birthday cake in the house, I will have it for breakfast, lunch or whatever! :) Only birthday cake though- yes I'm a strange one.

I have not been totally inactive- since being sick last week, I did teach my spin class on Friday and we went out dancing Friday night (but not as full force as normal), I took Zumba saturday morning before all the birthday celebrations and then taught line dancing on Monday (holiday), taught spin yesterday...so I am still getting some activity--but I MISS the Cross Fit "kick my butt" workout to start off my day. I MISS being productive and getting so much done before 10am!

Tomorrow! I will be there tomorrow if it kills me!

Cross Fit - Week Two!

Getting out of bed today was a bit of a challenge after yesterday's Zumba workshop- burned almost 3800 calories yesterday! Woo hoo! Got on the scale this morning and was just shy of down 2 pounds: 1.8 for last week. So off I go to Optimal Fitness Lifestyles Center for week two of "please kick my butt" workouts!

Not feeling creative- so not going to make up a name! My only disappointment with this program still remains that each workout doesn't have a specific name! LOL ;)

Anyway, typical stretch to start things off and then that awakening 400m run around the parking lot a little more warming up with squats, lunges, abs, back extensions (all about 10 of each) Blood flowing and time to start the circuits:

We had 3 circuits:

Tricep Dips
Push Ups
Medicine Ball Slams
Wall Ball (medicine ball in hand- deep squat, come up and toss ball to wall/catch and squat again)
400m run

(yes with 3 circuits- I ran 1 mile today- 400m x 4, once in the warm up and three times in the circuit)

Our repetitions decreased each time and they were weird numbers: I think it was 29 the first set, 15 the second and 9 on the last. I'm sure about the 15 and 9...but think the 29 could have been 28.

My time on this workout today was: 16:47
I felt like I was getting stronger on the run, which was good!

The wall ball was probably the most difficult. The Medicine Ball Slams are really tough if you have a ball with no bounce...I'm always liked tricep dips and don't really mind pushups- I just hate them when I'm out of shape and have to do them...but now we've been doing them for almost every workout as either part of the warm up or part of the circuit- so it's getting better!

We finished with ab work:
Leg Flutters
Scissor Legs
Plank
Oblique leg extensions

Stretch and we were done under the hour!
My philosphy on this CrossFit is that "It's a good day if we don't have burpees!!"

Thanks to Susan for helping me "keep the pace" on the run; she makes it look so easy and then she confesses that she was dying- so at least we "die" at the same pace!

Cross Fit Journey - Day 3

First, I will start off by saying that what you do the night before most certainly has an impact on how the workout feels and how you feel. I didn't go to bed until 11:15pm last night (had to see the Biggest Loser finale)- so I did not have the amount of sleep my body requires for recovery after these workouts. Live and learn and it really was no surprise. The kitty really tried to meow me out of going this morning as he curled up on my pillow at 445am! He was cozy, I actually felt him jump when the alarm went off- it startled him.

Anyway, onto the workout - the good news today is that we were only doing everything ONCE!
I'm going to try to be creative for a name on this one, but being tired- I'm not sure- "Just Once" workout.

Of course we started with the pre-workout stretch and then the warm up with that 400m run, then walking lunges, 10 overhead, 10 shoulder dis, 10 push ups, 10 sit ups and 10 back extensions.

Now onto the workout:
We did each thing "just once" as the name implies:

50 squats
20 medicine ball slams (called dumbbell slams- but we used medicine balls)- this is where you squat and slam the ball on the floor and catch it really quick while keep your torso upright.
25 sit ups
400m run (again!)
30 Dumbbell overhead presses
50 rotations of jump rope
30 Dead Lift
500m Row

My time on this workout today: 12:44

Then we finished off with doing ab/core work and stretch.

I will say that the workouts seem to go very quickly and the trainers (Jeff and Robert) really keep you focused, watch that you're doing everything correctly and offer support while you're doing everything.

3 days in and I am loving it! Now to get my day going- I have a little relaxation coming with my manicure and pedicure at 10am! And as much as I'm sore, I am going to get my butt to Zumba at 430pm! I need to break in my new shoes before my certification class this Sunday!

Cross Fit Journey "Day 2"

So sad to report, but not all workouts have a "cool" name like yesterday's "Hanson workout"- so guess I'm going to have to be inventive - let's call this one "PushNPull" (you'll see why).

Today was my first weigh-in and body fat testing along with pictures to document this experience-sad to say that as "in shape" that I am for keeping active, I register at 41% body fat! (welcome to the norm for American population) My goal (still) is to lose about 30 pounds and I'll get there, when I get there- but this year!!

So onto the workout:

Stretching upon arrival, then that lovely 400m run - which was much easier today, getting a longer night rest definitely helped with that.
We went over what the circuit was going to involve for today:

3 circuits with varying reps - decreasing each time. Decreasing reps is a GOOD thing!

1. Rowing machine: 20 calories, 15 calories, 10 calories (for those that don't know Rowing machines register your workout by a variety of ways, but since we are timed on our workout, we are given a goal in this case of calories burned)

2. Squat thrust/presses: Dumbbells in hand resting just above your shoulders- squat and then on the way up trust/press the dumbbells into an overhead press. 15 reps/10reps/5 reps

3. Pushups: no-brainer here. 20 reps/15 reps/10 reps

4. Pullups: again- no brainer. 15 reps/ 10 reps/ 5 reps

My time on this circuit workout: 13:50

Then we finished off with ab work: scissor kicks, another kicking exercise (can't remember the name of it- but basically kicking straight legged up and down with abs right) and then kettle ball situps. We did 10 reps of each of these.

Final stretch and DONE!

So far so good, I felt much better today- it was a tough workout, but I didn't feel as lame as I did yesterday with those damn burpees! Funny side note: last night my husband said "so what are burpees anyway- you gotta show me" So I said, "ok, I'll show you and I'm only showing you one time, so pay attention"- then after I showed him, I said "now give me 10" and he did 5 and said "ok, point taken, that's enough" - LOL I told him, "I DID 50 OF THESE TODAY"- so as sucky as I might have been on burpees, hubby would have probably sucked more! :) But I still love him to death!