back in the saddle

Saturday was a FANTASTIC day!! We did one of the all time funnest workouts ever, yes, that would be  the redneck fantasy workout of  Yoke walkin' car pushin' & tire flippin'!!  Pure fun! After playin' around a bit, and testing each one out, we did the course for time!  Before going into how I did, let me mention a couple things: 1. The yolk walkin' course is longer and 2. Although you can't see it, there is definitely more of an uphill on the car pushin', and I believe it might be a hair bit longer.
Believe me or not about the uphill and distance, fact of the matter is, I as well as everyone else, added a good 2 minutes to our previous times. Yoke walkin' I did with a 24kg kettlebell attached to each side.  Although the distance was longer, I think my time for that was still ok, probably a little over a minute.  Then came the car pushin'.  From the post to the last cone - first direction - not so bad, a bit long, but not terrible.   Then the other direction. This is where the shoe drops, and those very large hills, invisible to the naked eye, come out to play.  Car pushin' is where I spent the vast majority of my time.  I actually had to push the opposite way, with my butt on the car  for a while. OY! It really was a sleeper hill - you don't know it's there until it jumps out and grabs ya!  Tire flippin', I did the girl tire -2 up 2 back - not a huge issue.  Total time was 5:04.  Yep, just checked, at the old place, I finished in 3:02 - that is definitely a full 2 minutes added, not to mention, that I only had to do 2 tire flips each way this time instead of 3.  I'm telling ya - the level of difficulty was much higher on the car push!!  Either way - this workout still rocks!! 

Monday - Heavy Helen.  I LOVE this version of Helen. The weighty girls are so much better!
Heavy Helen is 200m run, 15 KB swings 24kg, and 9 pullups weighted (ok, for me in the bands, go figure!!)  3 rounds for time.  I did this using a mini and a red, probably should have gone a bit lighter, I just wasn't certain about my strength with the tail end of this cold and not having done pullups in a week.  The run was ok....my heel/plantar fascitis (my diagnosis) thingy was hurting a bit so I was running like a lopsided fool.  But I did it, then I powered through the swings - on these, I went to my happy place, so that I could just get through 15.  Then came the pullups. I did them in sets of 3 or 4.   I ended up finishing in 9:25, taking a minute off my last time.  So this was good - but I think I need to take some of the bands off for the pullups next time.

Today was Powercleans.  The uber frustrating powercleans.  I started slow on these, because form is always an issue.  I concentrated pretty hard on the "keep  your arms straight" part, trying to avoid the whole "you're pulling too early" thing that I usually hear.  I started at 75 - and heck if I didn't get a "pretty good"...huh?  really?? ok - so that was a light weight.  Next 95 lbs.  What did you say?? Do I need to clean my ears out? because that sure didn't sound like "too early"....Holy moly, what is this wave coming over me?? This fabulousness that says "by George, I think she's got it!!"???  I knew that feeling for a fleeting moment tonight.  Then we added weight, and I jumped right into 115.   Apparently my first one was ok - but it was heavier than I anticipated, and I acknowledged that weight.  That's when the weight beat me.  It got in my head and after several attempts, I managed to knock out 2 more really messy ugly ones.  Next round - went back down to 100 - these were good.  Then back up slowly - 105, I got in one decent one, the next two, I did some weird landing.  I think I need to start working these at 105 now.....since that seems to be where I lose form.   On the plus side, all of the 95 lbs Thrusters, Cleans and everything else I've been doing seem to have helped the form overall.  So that's good!!

ouch, ouch, fun, fun!!

Renegade Rows - 7 sets of 10, 3 count.    Sometimes, its a bit of a curse being a bit on the stronger side.  I looked at what I did previously on this, and basically muttered several not so nice words under my breath.  I had to do at least as well.  I did 20 lb, 25 lb, 12 kg kettlebell, 30 lb, I tried the 16kg kettlebell - failed miserably, it was actually rather humorous, then went and finished off with the 25 lb dumbbells.  After that, I did the remaining sets at 35 lbs.  In the end, it was the exact same weights as last time, just different order.

Deadlift - 15 sets of 3.  The main point of this was go as high as you can while still maintaining good form.  I started at 215, 225, 235, 245, 265 - did this one for 2 rounds, then went to 270, did that for 1 round, 2nd round...I did 2.  Why did I only do 2??  Well, I can't remember clearly exactly what happened, if it occurred on the up part or the down part of the lift. I think, I felt myself rounding over, and tried to fix it by pulling back....and that's when it happened.  One of the funkiest sensations ever.  I felt my back muscle pull......it wasn't painful, but it was bizarre.  That was it, I wasn't going to finish the last one of that set.  I needed to move around and make sure I didn't do anything really bad.  Nope, wiggling and moving was fine..I could foresee some back pain in my future though.    I dropped the weight and did the remainder at 235.  Afterwards we went to play in the park, messing around on the playground- the playgrounds are much better than the ones I grew up with!!  It was a fun, fun time!

I took Monday off - turns out, I probably did pull or strain my back muscles - Melissa said the mid back section was a bit of a knotted mess (not exactly her term...).    She worked miracles and today all is good - a tiny bit of stiffness, but about 95% back to feeling normal.
Today we did Functional focus - tire flippin' Yoke walkin, car pushin'.
What pray tell is Yoke walking?  Check out the pic of Patty up above. Yep, it's carrying around a bunch of hanging weight on your back.  The final "timed event" was Yoke walking, tire flipping (3 up, 3 back), and pushing Patty's jeep up and back.  I used the 24 kg kettlebells (53 lbs each), the 60 lb bar, and the chains which I think were around 15 lbs each.  So, I think my total weight was somewhere around 200 lbs. The hard part was the weights on the chains making you walk around like a drunken sailor.  After that, came 6 tire flips with the girl tire, then pushing Patty's car.  Pushing her car on the slight uphill grade made your thighs burn.  The downhill, was not so bad.  I finished with a time of 3:02...and some major oogly legs.

BAWK, BAWK, BAWK!!!

Monday was a Functional Focus type day, we worked on Box Jumps and Tire flips. I started with the 16" box - no problem, but I did NOT have on my bouncy shoes!! Then the 20" box, ok, again not too bad. Third round - Holy CRAPOLA! My mission was to try the 24" box - the big, whomping, huge box - you know the one - it goes all the way up to your hips. A very high surface for a lead-footed mid-westerner to pounce on! First jump, I walked up - jumped on the 20" to be sure I could do it, then strolled on up to the 24" and jumped. I actually landed it - yep. me. jumped onto a two foot box!! Woo-Hoo! Oh, wait, I have to do 4 more?? In order to land these, I did a weird mini-hop before the big leap....I did it 3 more times...then balked. Not once, not twice, but over and over and over. To put it one way, I "pulled a Patty". Although, I must say, the way Patty knocked out the 20" box like it was nothing, that phrase needs to change, she doesn't "pull Patty's" anymore!! In the end, I let that box get so far into my head, that I had to go back and do the 20" box again, before I could do it again...but, at least I did it. Next, we went out back to play with the tires. First round was 2 flips each way on the girl tire. I tried to make it look as easy as the boys do, which in retrospect, may have been a bit of an error in judgement. Next two rounds were on the boy tire - the big kahuna. 3 up, 3 back. I did it - but that is one heavy sucker. Usually, after tire flippin', everyone else gets these big glorious bruises all over their arms and thighs. I have never gotten them...until now. I must say - they look rather silly. One bruise on each arm - in the exact same spot. It looks goofy.

Tuesday - 3/3/3 Power cleans from hang, Power cleans from floor, Full Oly Squat cleans.

Yay - cleans - that's sarcasm in case you didn't guess. Cleans are a bit of my nemesis - if the weight gets close to a respectable level, I just pull the thing with my arms - I lose the vast majority of hip drive. I can't figure it out. We started with power cleans from the hang. If I'm doing all of my math correctly, I started at 85, 90 95. For the first time in.... I can't tell you how long, I didn't hear the "too soon" "pulling too soon" . I don't think I knew how to react to that. So, I continued on up for the power cleans from the floor. 100/105/110 - still nothing...perhaps a bit too soon - but not like I have been doing. Hmmm.....well, now let's move on to the full squat clean....115, for the first time, I heard it - "you're pulling too soon". I knew it, I felt it. But I got one good one in. So we move on - and here is where I believe I made my mistake. I got greedy. Rather than moving up 5 lbs at a time, as I had been doing - I moved up 10. I went to 125. I did one sloppy one. Then it happened again....I suddenly got in my head and couldn't even do a single thing! I tried to do that same clean about 6 more times, but aborted each one. It was ridiculous. I ended up having to go to Cheri's bar - which had 95 lbs on it, to get in some good ones, before I could start round 3 - which was back down to 115. UGH! Why can't I do cleans without getting uber-frustrated?? Cripes, the worst is, that I know in my head, rationally, I am strong enough that I should be doing at least 150 lbs. Freakin' cleans!! They're as annoying as pullups!

Wednesday - Heavy Fran - 95# Thrusters/Pullups - 15, 12, 9. Well, after the last two days, I needed something to kick into gear. I think this was it, although while doing Heavy Fran, I didn't think I was doing that well. Turns out I completed this in 10:02, taking 3 minutes off my previous time. Who knew?? The thrusters felt heavy and messy. I did the pullups with a red band and a mini - last time I used 2 reds. Next time, sounds like I'm down to a single red band. ZOIKS! Overall, I was happy with this, especially considering I hadn't done many met-cons in the last 6 weeks, while getting ready for the competition.

Thursday - Bench Press - 5/5/5/5/5. I have decided - I need to go heavier, earlier. I did this one, 115/125/135/145/135. When I did the 145 - I only got in 2 or 3 (can't remember for sure). I suddenly have this goal of getting to 200 sometime in the ......semi-near....future - which means, I have a long way to go!!

Now -looking back, what the heck happened to me this week?? Seemingly out of the blue, I suddenly couldn't control the normal reservations and fears that I have - but can usually squelch, and carry on. I think it was a combination of things. Hormones?? perhaps, I am a woman after all. Lack of sleep?? good possibility, the family's in town, so I'm not getting my usual amount of beauty sleep. Now, comes the part that I really hate to admit....but I am becoming convinced alot of it is food. UGHH! Did I really say that out loud??? Here's the thing, the last couple of weeks, while getting ready for the competition, and trying to duck under that terrible thing called "the heavyweight division", I have been eating super-uber-healthy. Probably better than I ever have in my life. Of course, then the family comes in town, and the looming possibility of a definitive celiac diagnosis...and my diet loosens a bit. First of all, I can't take the gluten out of my diet completely until I get the diagnosis - otherwise the test can be incorrect. I hadn't been eating alot of gluten, and I probably need to get a bit more in my system for the test. So, my diet changed a bit -not horribly, but definitely not what it was. Much as I hate to admit it, I felt it. Overall, I just have seem off, mentally, emotionally, and even a bit physically. Ironically, I think I'm looking forward to getting the diagnosis part over with, so I can just do what I need/want to do. Much as I have been kind of fighting the whole 30 day paleo thing that's all over the place, after the last week or two, I may try it, because I am becoming convinced that what you eat makes a difference in how you feel. The one thing I really can agree with, is that you don't know how something makes you feel, until you take it out, and live without it for a while. I guess, I'll have to wait and see, hopefully in the next week or two, I'll know for sure about this whole thing.

Mish Mash of fun!

Tuesday: Functional Focus - Slosh Pipes, Tires, Rope Climb

This was low key - super fun day.  Almost like those old gym classes from grade school, but more fun.  Slosh pipes are PVC tubes partially filled with water that you have to balance overhead.  Sounds easy and simple right? HA! Not quite as simple as it sounds. Although, I probably could have/should have gone with  one that was a bit bigger/heavier.  The one I used was pretty light - and relatively easy. The next one up though, was a huge pipe, that my tiny little hands couldn't get around very well.  Unfortunately, I couldn't even really try that one  - the boys were using it.  Except Luke - he went for the mambo-super jumbo pipe.    Next we climbed the rope.  All I can say is that I tried.....   I was looking at it with dread, knowing in my heart that if by some miracle, I actually was able to climb the silly thing, I would probably freeze up when I looked down.  Ok - definitely not the mentality to go in with.   I'll try almost anything -but when it comes to heights, I know what they do to me - refer back to the Hawaii trip if you need a reminder!  So, I gave it the ol' college try.  Wrapped my feet, held the rope and kind of jumped a bit so I was off the ground.   Then, it came time to try to actually climb, so I go to move my hand up the bar. Disconnect. The hand would not let go of the rope. It downright refused.  Somewhere in it's pinky finger of a brain, it knew that if it let go, I would fall to my imminent death. My hand did not realize that I was MAYBE 1/2 an inch off the ground, and death from that height would be downright close to impossible.   I guess I need to work on the release mode!  Tire flipping was good -they are some big ass tires.  I can't quite get the correct motion - it's a two step process for me, but I can do it.  I was a bit bummed, and this sounds strange, but Patty and Cheri R had some big bruises on their arms from it.  I got nothing, strangely I felt a bit ripped off.  Wonder what that means?

Wednesday: Lynne - Bodyweight bench press/Pullups - Max Reps, 5 rounds

The point this time was, if you are not able to do bodyweight bench press, do a weight that in the last round you will end up with 3-5 reps.   I've been doing these at 125, and getting in 12-7.  Knowing the huge differential 5 pounds makes on the bench, I went with 135, to see how that would go.  It's 20 lbs less than my 1 rep max.  On Bench I did 7/6/6/5/3 - that last set, I probably could have/should have done more, but I didn't set myself correctly, and didn't realize how off  I was until I had started. Trying to correct with 135 bar above you - kinda difficult.   Pullups, I did kipping in the red bands.  I believe I got 10/11/10/10/9 one of those rounds may have had another 11 in it, I'm not certain. Last round I was going for 10 - but then Tricia made a comment about how the bands made my boobs look good (???? must have lifted and separated???) - and that just ended it.  I busted up! So only 9 the last round.  I have to say again, though, I'm jealous of her pullups - they are probably some of the prettiest in the gym, even if she is still using the bands, it's all muscle!

Thursday:   Double under Doody! (yes, as in poo-poo, ca-ca!)

I'm not certain what got in my mind, but I wasn't signed up for this one, was quite ok with it for the most part.  Then came that tiny little guilty part of my mind, bursting on the scene, telling me I was being a big old wimp.  So, what did I do??  What any rational, sane person would do, I posted my mental dilemma on Facebook, so someone could help me decide - to go or go ahead, take a day off !!  Now really, what did I really was going to happen???  Shockingly, I was talked into going.  Here's the gist of the workout.

50 double-unders- these weren't good, but weren't terrible, I got in 30 to Joe G's 50
50 box jumps 16"- these took a while....I was stepping down trying to coddle my ankle a bit.....
50 double-unders - started these when Joe G was starting his 3rd round of DU's - I was at about 27 to his 50.  slowing down.
50 situps - these were fine, although I did have to pause more than usual.
50 double-unders - slow.  I think Joe G finished when I was working on these...
50 supermans - these were slower than you would have thought.  I did the back extensions on the GHD thingy.  Had a lot of back and hammy crampage.
50 double-unders- there were about 3 or 4 minutes left before time was gonna be called.  Trying to do DU's, with back muscles cramping and hamstrings aquiver, is a bit of a disaster.  I attempted it though.  Did about 25 single missed attempts before landing one.  Needless to say, this is where I ended.  Time was 26 minutes and more than 30 odd seconds.
200 m run
50 double-unders
Didn't get to the run (not that I would have been able to run anyway, as locked up as my back was!), or the las set of DU's.   I probably would have been more bummed about that if I didn't need to immediately stretch the crap out of my back.    Once I did that, all was fine with the world.  I think I'm the only one that has back muscles cramp up on them, it's kind of peculiar.

Friday: "Diane"  21, 15, 9 reps of Deadlift 155#, Handstand pushups.
The goal of this one was, no matter what the modification on HSPU's - full ROM.  Did I accomplish that??  not really.  I did them with feet hooked on the bar.  Here's the scooper:

21 rep set: Deadlift - no problem, a little difficult because my back muscles were sore from yesterday, but that didn't affect anything.   HSPU's - did about 6 or 7, full ROM - then had to upright myself for breathing purposes.  After that they came slow, a couple at a time.  I have to admit, there were a couple lame ones in this set.  

15 rep set - again DL's, no problem.  HSPU's - got the first 5, then it came slower.  These were better than the 1st set.

9 rep set - DL's fine.  HSPU's - Did a set of 5, then 4 - these were all good.

I think on the first couple I wasn't setting my hands correctly - because the last set of 9, where I was doing the full rom, felt alot better than the post first 5 or 6 in the first two rounds.  I'm almost positive that played into it...but I could be wrong.   Completed this is 13:27?? 13 minutes, again, not sure about the seconds, but it was a good 4 minutes longer than last time.   I would say on average, overall - I would rate myself at about 90% range of motion. Some were 100%, some, not so much.

Overall - a good week.