Wow...apparently I've been sandbaggin'!

Yesterday was a very interesting day.  It started bright and early with a 730am workout. OY!  The workout was a new one. 
3 rounds for time of:
- 12 pullups
- 12 jump squats (35#)
- 12 ring dips
- 16 kb swings (24 kg)
 Pullups were kipping in a red band and a mini band, Ring dips were using a blue band.  In retrospect, I probably should have gone with a lighter band on the dips...in fact, Jonathan pretty much said as much.  I went with the blue because I had recollections of doing multiple dips with a red band and getting through it - barely and half assed.  So I went with the blue, thinking full range of motion - but it was modified too much - I'll admit it.  I finished in 12:10 I believe.

Upon arriving home, my phone rang - it was the Doctor's office, wanting to know if I could come in early...HELL YES!  Less time to think about this whole procedure thingy and let my nerves take hold.  I took a quick shower and we headed to Louisville, for my, now 10am appointment.  I'm not sure what I was expecting, but I don't think it was quite the surgical looking room that I got.  Then as I sat there, I was hooked up to blood pressure moniters, heart rate moniter, EKG, an IV, and oxygen (which actually kind of smells bad!).  It was very surreal.  As they injected the drugs - the "conscious sedation" drugs (which apparently means that I was awake and helpful during the whole procedure, but have zero recollectioin of the whole thing.), the said I should start feeling dizzy in about 30 seconds.  I laughed, and remember stating "30 seconds??  I'm feelin' that now"  End of memory.  Next thing I knew I was in the recovery room, Sean was there, and I was hiccuping like mad.  We got home and I slept....ALOT.  Other than a sleepy afternoon - no repercussions.  End result - nothing conclusive- not enough damage to make a call without the biopsy results.  So, another 7-10 days before we know the truth. The good thing is that at least I can take the gluten and crap out of my diet -  I no longer have the excuse that kicks the door open.  Gluten was my gateway drug to pizza and ice cream - now it's gone....whether for good or not, we'll just have to see.

Today we did Diane - 21/15/ 9 reps of Deadlifts - 155#, and Handstand pushups.
Deadlifts were no problem - I did the 21 in a set of 15, and 6, the 15 set I did in 10 and 5, and the 9 set was unbroken.  The handstand pushups were bar assisted. Not sure how I broke these up.  But, again, I was told we need to make 'em harder.  oh yay.... Not sure what that means other than trying to really do them...ZOIKS!  I finished in 9:19? ish....something like that.  Overall not bad, just not sure what Diane will bring next time she comes around in the handstand pushup department!!

So, 2 thing in two days that I went too light on - guess I have some sandbagger in me too!

Dips and "The Chief"

Sumo Deadlift High Pulls 65#/Ring Dips  10 reps of each for 7 rounds.  Hmmm...I can't remember how I did on this one.  I want to say 14 minutes and some odd seconds, but I'm just not certain.  I know the high pulls were cake walk, probably took a total of about 3 minutes. The vast majority of time was spent on the dips.  I did them on the bar, the first 30 in the red band,  the last 40 blue band assisted.  My shoulders were not diggin' on these, while doing them.  But they got over it.  Not my best time - I know it increased by a couple minutes, but the band assist is a bit  more difficult than the box assisted. There is no pushing up with your legs on it, and you have to go ALL the way.

Yesterday was "The Chief".  3-95# power cleans, 6 push ups, 9 squats.  AMRAP 3 minutes, 1 minute rest, for 5 rounds.  I have to say, this one is really high up on my list of favorites.  Why? you may ask, it includes the dreaded cleans!!  I think I really like the 3 on 1 off thing.  For the first time that I can really remember, I was able to "keep the intensity" throughout the entire workout.  First round, I got in 3 complete rounds.  Last round, I got in 3 complete rounds.   By the end, I usually fade away, so I feel like I totally kicked this one. Whether or not it's true, I don't know, but I'm quite happy with total of 15, especially for the first time ever doing it. It was definitely an ass kicker, but a really good ass kicker.  I don't think I've been quite as happy with my performance after a workout in a while, darn tootin' close to proud, I think.  So, YAY! Good one Patty!

UGH! with a bit of pain and frustration thrown in

Again, I fall behind.    So, here's a plethora of days.

Thursday - Back Squats - 5/5/5/5/5

I feel like I haven't done back squats in forever.  My knees aren't achey at all, they haven't snap, crackled or popped in weeks.  So, I was kind of looking forward to these, but also wondering how they would feel.  Silly question.  Heavy.   That's the answer.

165 - was ok

175 - ok - but my knees were going wonky, yes, that is a technical term!

185 - heavy - I banded my knees to try to stop the wonkiness.  Not sure if it worked or not...

195 - really heavy....super heavy...uber heavy..still had the banded knees. 

195 - ok this set - was really heavy - but not as heavy as set 4....not sure how that happened.

Overall - not bad.  Not fantastic, but not too bad.

Friday - a new one:  21-15-9-rep rounds of:

Dips -  I did with the red band assist.   I did learn - do not stop, keep on dipping until you can't dip anymore. Once you stop, the next one is 12 times harder, even if you pause before complete depletion.

Box Jumps 20" box - I jumped up, but stepped down - my ankle has been feeling good, and I didn't have the best bouncing shoes on, so I didn't want to risk aggravating it again.  But stepping down is completely legit - not as fast, but still counts.

Pullups - Again - red band assist.  Someday I'll be able to do these freakin' things!

Deadlift - 155# - These were fine - no problemo.

I ended up finishing with a sad, sad time of 21:36 or so.  Primarily because of the dips.  Once you stop to refresh your arms a bit - it's a slow progression of one or two at a time.  

The time didn't make me happy.  Definitely not as good as I wanted.

Saturday - another new one - timed stations, based on the person doing the plate push.

I started with Ring Rows.   I think the most I got in was about 8 or 9 because Rich flew through the plate push.

I then moved to the plate push.  This is where you have to push a weight across the floor.  Hands on the weight (35#), feet on the ground...ass in the air.  Although if your ass is too high, the plate doesn't move.  Sounds simple enough.  but I personally ended up on my knees a couple times. I never stopped. Just dropped.  Then hoisted back up again!

Supermans - after the plate pushes, it took me a bit to get my breath and work the supermans, but got in quite a few.

Kettlebell swings 12kg - I could have cranked these out, but Jimmy flew up and down on the plate drag so I had a mere 30-45 seconds to get in as many as I could.

Pop presses - weird jumping jack things.  Fortunately I was able to get quite a few in, despite Lisa moving swiftly on the plate push.

Overall - I scored about ..306???  I think I broke 300....barely.   Not stellar - but not horrible.

Tonight was frustration central.  3 attempts at a 1 rep max Snatch and Clean and Jerk - for an Oly Lift total.

My snatches were wretched.  I seem to be only able to do them, and do them well if we have to do 75 of them.  When it comes to singles - form goes to hell.  

On  the snatches I did:

75 - pulled too soon

85 - pulled too soon -moved too slow

back down to 65 - still pulled a bit too soon.

Can you say "ARGHH!!!!!!"

Onto Clean and Jerks.  For me - the easy part of these is the jerk. I can jerk a whole lot more weight than I can effectively clean.  Because I've been "greasing the groove" this week with 95 lbs.  I started there.  I should, in theory, be able to clean the 95 lbs, as I've been doing and jerk it on up.  Not sure how that first round looked, but it went.  Next round went up to 105.  This was a mess.   No other way to describe it.  I got the bar up on both, but to say it wasn't pretty would be a vast understatement.  I knew this, and didn't even have to see it!  Third round I stayed at 105.   Apparently, this was my best clean of the night.  So, I guess my scor would be.....190?  I completely forgot to write up the clean and jerk score.  

Like the pullup, someday, I'll get these suckers.

dipping and punching with my eyes closed....

So - in 2 days, I've found 2 things that I don't do so well.

Yesterday was 7 rounds of 10 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls 65#/Ring dips.   Last time I did this one, I was on the bars for the dips.   What a difference the bars make!  I feel like I have pretty good range of motion on the bars with the foot assist - if not all the way there, pretty close. This is unlike doing the dips with no foot assist!! I can semi-do them, but there's a limited range of motion, and trying to do 70, they would end up as elbow bends, this...I know!  So last night I did them on the rings, with foot assist.  Overall, I would say I achieved somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 range of motion.  I don't think I was close to going all the way, the stability thing on the rings adds a very large degree of difficulty.  I ended up finishing in 11:10.  Longer than it took last time on the bars, but understandable.  The high pulls were no problem, did all 7 sets non stop.  I think I'd be happier with this one, if I thought my dips were something to be proud of.  They aren't quite there yet.

Today was Fightin' Helen - 3 rounds of 200 heavy bag punches, 21 KB swings 16kg, 12 pullups. I completed this in 10:23.  Pullups on the high bar with 45 lb weight beneath - more bounce per ounce!   My punching bag form is not so good.  I would compare it to my running form, when we are doing sled drags.  Anyone who witnessed that can attest to the fact that it was all over the place.  I've come to the conclusion that, apparently I don't have much of a truly aggressive streak in me - the punches to the bag, would not have cause a guinea pig to bruise.  Not to mention, I think I had my eyes shut each time I actually hit the bag - I know I was blinking a heck of alot!  Apparently I do have my girly tendencies!