Day 455..."bAsiC bArBeLL tRaiNiNg"...

Today...J and I went to the first day of Barbell training with Coach Mark Rippetoe. This was a certification that I really wanted to attend...but it was also one that I was nervous about. Coach Rippetoe is an expert...a published author...a man that has been both practicing and teaching these lifts for over 20 years. It was scary today. To say that doing those lifts under Rip's "watchful eye" is intimidating...would be an UNDERSTATEMENT. I wanted to please him...to do well...to learn. I learned alright. I learned that I've been doing A LOT of things WRONG. At one point I was feeling a bit discouraged internally and a little defeated, but soon it passed. I realized that as much as it sucks to hear constructive criticism...I'm glad to hear it...to have the tools I need and the opportunity to change and become better..stronger...more efficient in my lifting. I have some work to do when I get home.

BARBELL CERTIFICATION
BACK SQUAT
45 LBS X 5
45 LBS X 5
65 LBS X 5
85 LBS X 5
105 LBS X 5

SHOULDER PRESS
45 LBS X 5
55 LBS X 5
65 LBS X 5
75 LBS X 5
80 LBS X 5

BENCH PRESS
45 LBS X 5
65 LBS X 5
85 LBS X 5
95 LBS X 5
105 LBS X 4 (1 FAIL)

DAY 454...i wAsN't LaZy tOdAy!...

Ahhh...this video is of the workout called "The Filthy Fifty"...50 reps of 10 exercises...it's a brutal Crossfit workout...but also one of my faves. I'm feelin a little nervous about going to a certification this weekend so I figured the best way to deal with my nerves was to head for the gym and hit it hard! J wants the class to do this one today, so I thought I would do it as well.

It was as brutal and unforgiving as I remembered...at times I thought I would pass out or puke. Actually I was chokin it back towards the end. It is pure suffering and punishment...but I hung in there and got it done in 37 minutes (slow by some people's standards, but pretty fast for me). It would've been better done with another person. It's hard to keep going like that alone. And when I was done...I was shaky and exhausted. I was on the floor for a few minutes...hurtin...wondering why I put myself through this...day after day. Really there's no fancy answer. We do what we choose to do...I believe there are no accidental choices or coincidences in life...good or bad...we choose...and I choose to punish my body...not abuse it...punish it...to make it stronger and to gain mental toughness at the same time. I LOVED working out today. I loved every gut wrenching, painful, endorphin filled moment of it!

"PUNISH YOUR BODY TO PERFECT YOUR SOUL." ~Mark Twight

"FILTHY FIFTY"
50 BOX JUMPS (24 IN)
50 JUMPING PULLUPS
50 KB SWINGS (35 LBS)
50 LUNGE STEPS
50 PUSH PRESS (45 LBS)
50 GHD BACK EXT
50 WALL BALL (16 LB DYNAMAX)
50 BURPEES
50 TUCK JUMPS (SUB FOR DOUBLE UNDERS)
TIME: 37 MIN
50

Day 453...tiS tHe sEaSoN tO be LaZy...

Oh the holidays...it seems we spend all our time eating...buying...partying... We make time for all these seemingly important things...but the things that REALLY matter...namely our health...gets put on the back burner. I have never had a problem working out during the holidays. For the past 2 years...I've had a personal trainer and I didn't have to think about it. I had an appointment...a set time and I showed up. This year has been much more difficult. This week I've gone through some serious family drama and I've struggled to get ready for Christmas but still take care of myself. I'm ashamed to say that Christmas is winning! The funny part is that I'm not even in the Christmas spirit. I've been a Scrooge all season.

Today I thought my entire day was full. I THOUGHT I had an appointment at the school...a hair appointment...and a doctor's appointment. I showed up at the school and opened my notes to double check the room...time...etc...ONLY to find out that my meeting AND my hair appointment are on TUESDAY!!!! NOT TODAY! I called my husband to lament and his response was..."Hey....guess what?...There's this really cool thing called a calendar! You should get one!" Poo! No sympathy there. I'm left with open time..I have a million things to do, yet I feel lost. I only did 35 minutes on my elliptical at 6AM because I thought that I didn't have anymore time for anything else...now I sit here...feeling guilty...thinking "Should I just workout more and get ready all over again?" I guess I'll just "power walk" my way through more Christmas shopping. I know ONE THING...next week, I have to do better...

MONDAY=NADA!

TUESDAY
4.5 MILE RUN

THEN:
185 LB TIRE FLIP AND JUMP DOWN PKG LOT
20 WALL BALL (16 LB BALL)
20 KB SWING (35 LB)
20 SLEDGEHAMMER HITS (10 EA ARM)
500 M ROW
3 ROUNDS

WEDNESDAY=ZILCH!!!

THURSDAY
35 MIN ELLIPTICAL

Day 449...yOu gOttA cOmmiT...

My client was very frustrated when she was not able to come in on Friday to workout. She was "having a day" and it just was impossible. She asked me in a text tO let her know if I could figure out a way that she could workout. I said, "Come tomorrow morning." She agreed. When she came in, she expressed her frustration over trying to be committed but always facing obstacles. I reminded her that it will NEVER be convenient and with kids and a job..it will take real commitment and dedication. I also told her that I'm happy to reschedule when she has conflicts for another time/day.

I talked a bit about my weight loss journey and the phases I went through a little over 5 years ago. She asked how I've been able to consistently workout 6 days a week. I said, "It's easy. I treat it like a job. There is no option not to do it. If my kids have an awards ceremony, then I move my workout time and give up lunch with a family member or an afternoon of shopping. I DO NOT give myself an out. NOT working out...is NOT an option." I told her that it has not always been easy. Many people have judged me when they ask me to do something and I say, "I can't. That's when I workout." The don't see commitment. They see me as shallow and self-absorbed. But I also explained tHat being committed to being healthy and fit has given me back my life...and has changed me in ways that are incredible..not just physically, but spiritually and mentally.

I was REALLY glad we had that conversation Saturday. It reminded me how important it is to be truly committed to working out.

SUNDAY=REST DAY

Day 448...hEaVy wEiGhT pLuS pHonEs dOn'T miX weLL...

I wasn't sure what to do this morning. I trained my client, JE that came today because she wasn't able to make it yesterday...and then it was MY turn. Hmmmm...what to do!?!? I thought about the fact that I hadn't done heavy back squats lately so I figured that I better do some today. I worked my way up nd then at 165 lbs...I failed...I couldn't stand up once I got down. Luckily, we have bumper plates that can be dropped...so I "dumped" the weight behind me and went on to the next movement. Unfortunately, I left my phone on the floor from when my Mom called me...and I didn't know it at the time...but the barbell landed on it when I let go and broke it...well shattered the screen to be more exact.

"Oh S*&#!!!"...that's what I said when I went to find my phone to go home. I was so mad...I KNOW better than to leave my phone on the floor especially right by the rack when I'm back squatting! So I put in a call to the insurance and I should have a new phone on Tuesday. Dammit! I love my new phone (G1)...I'm gonna HATE being without it, but I'll just have to be patient and wait for my new one (not my strong points). Until then...I'll be "detoxing" and going through texting withdrawls...

LEGS
---------
1 REP MAX BACK SQUAT
45 LBS X 10
65 LBS X 5
95 LBS X 1
115 LBS X 1
135LBS X 1
155 LBS X 1
165 LBS...FAIL

Day 444...445...446...447...cAn'T kEEp uP...

I have always LOVED writing and posting. In the past I had a couple of family members that regularly read and a few friends. Interest has fizzled...but this is not a guilt trip should it be come across. It is merely an affirmation to me that I do this for ONE person...ME. I don't care about having a fancy page or how many "followers" I have...in fact, I'm pretty clueless about how the blogging community thing "works". Again...not putting anyone down that does write for other people. I think it's amazing...so cool to take that much time out for friends and strangers alike. I mean I know I personally really enjoy reading other blogs, so I'm glad that most other people are not quite so selfish in their motives as I am. This is MY diary...and these are MY struggles...and MY accomplishments...and MY memories. I just so happen to leave it "lying open on the table" for ANYONE to read. I miss it when I don't write...it's just that I've been so busy with the impending holiday and some other personal (internal struggles) issues that I won't share...that I keep getting behind. I just can't seem to keep up. So...once again...I'll play "catch up"...because I don't want to forget even one crazy moment.

Day 444...TUESDAY......sOrE bEyOnD bELieF..."LEGS...HURT". My arms, chest, butt, hamstrings...all just fine...my quads were another story. I don't know that I have EVER had muscle soreness so concentrated in JUST ONE place on my body...ever. The funny part was I was feeling so tight that I almost felt like I was walking like Herman Munster...which is strange because my knees were bending ang working just fine.

I was still determined to workout. I went to the gym and did some upper body work and then I decided to go to the trail that I normally run on and just walk...no not a typo...I really did WALK. It's great to use "active recovery" when muscles are sore, but the problem that I had was that I chose too long of a distance. I got 2 miles away from my car and realized that my legs were done and it was a painful 2 miles back to the car. I made it, but it was tough.

UPPER BODY STRENGTH
4.5 MILE WALK

Day 445...Wednesday...bEttEr bUt sTiLL sOrE...mY aChiN bUtt...
My quads were still really sore. I had to cover the 6AM class for J and he wanted me to come up with the workout. I figured everyone was as sore as me so I chose a workout that was free of legs. I also had to train my client at 4, but once we were done, I stayed to do the workout with the guys in the PM class. It is always fun to chase R..to try and beat him...knowing that I can't. It pushes me to go a little faster...a little harder.

It was full of sit ups...200 to be exact...I almost caught R, but in the end he came out about 20 seconds ahead of me! Doing 200 situps is great on the ABS..and HELL on my butt. The constant rubbing made my crack RAW...graphic and gross I know...but true. That was an unfortunate side effect, but I had a great time with those guys anyway.

WORKOUT
------------
50 SITUPS
25 PULLUPS
50 SITUPS
25 RING DIPS
50 SITUPS
25 SHOULDER PRESS (55 LBS)
50 SITUPS
25 "SUPER MANS"
TIME 17:30

Day 446...Thursday...dEcEiviNg...
They say looks can be deceiving...that was true of Thursday's workout that J created. It was low rep...body weight exercises...seemed easy enough...even if it was for 20 rounds. Oh boy! When you only have 5 reps to do...you don't pace yourself...you just go "balls out" for the lack of a better description. The pullups were my demise as always, but I made it through and it was a nice lesson to be reminded tht the most basic functional movements can kick your butt just as well as a complicated Olympic lift can.

5 PUSHUPS
5 PULLUPS
5 SQUATS
20 ROUNDS (19:37)

Day 447...Friday..."i HATE "mAnmAkeRs"!!!...
I wasn't gettin much done. Finally, I realized that I needed to get to the gym, because my clients would be there waiting on me in an hour. So, I jumped on the elliptical and did a fast hard 30 minutes and ran out the door to the gym. Once I was done with my client, I was going to do the workout that the guys were gonna do in class that night. My client decided she wanted to stay and keep my time for me...no pressure. From the moment I started...I knew this would be a fight til the end. "Manmakers" are BRUTAL. They wear you down and make you use every part of your body. At one point I was freaking out internally...thinking I couldn't finish...afraid of looking like an idiot in front of my client. I survived...made it to the end...but it was AWFUL. My shoulders were ON FIRE! I've decided that "Manmakers" are the worst exercise on the planet!...and doing "Divebombers" with them was like double pushups...PAINFUL! I was trying to channel David Goggins...but I was pretty weak. That was one that I was glad to see end!

CARDIO
-----------
30 MIN ELLIPTICAL (HILLS)

WORKOUT
---------------
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
"MANMAKERS" (2-20 LB DBs)
KTEs
"DIVEBOMBERS"
TIME-34:23

Day 443...dAmN tHoSe nAvY sEaLs!...

Oh boy...where to start???... So, I love the holidays, but I'm feeling a little "Scrooge"-ish. This morning, I was also feelin the weight of "the Monday morning after a holiday weekend". So I was STILL sitting in front of my computer wearing PJs when I got a text from my friend, J. He was telling me that he was gonna do a workout off the "Navy Seals" website. It looked really hard, but...being the crazy person that I am...I wanted to do it. He said he would wait for me, so I threw on workout clothes and headed to the gym.

Once we got started, we decided...well J suggested...that we should do 1 rep max shoulder presses first. I was feelin a little weak, so once I failed at 2 attempts at 90 lbs...I decided to take my 85 lbs and be done. After all that, we started the workout. I knew it would take us a LONG time...I was thinkin maybe 1 hour tops. J joked that it would probably take us an hour and a half. I laughed. I thought that was ridiculous. He was right.

In the end, it took us 1 hour and 35 minutes to complete. We were exhausted and our strength was drained when we were done. In fact, halfway through we were both eating a Zone bar...WHILE we continued to workout. J was takin a bite and then doing a box jump and at another point, I was cramming a bar in my mouth WHILE continuing to squat. I think it was BY FAR the LONGEST Crossfit workout that I have ever done. Wow. Damn those Navy Seals!!!

SHOULDER PRESS
----------------------
1-1-1-1-1-1-1
65-75-80-85-90 Fail-90 Fail-85


WORKOUT
-------------
100 THRUSTERS (me=45 LBS / J=65 LBS)
100 BOX JUMPS (20 IN)
100 PUSH UPS
100 SQUATS
RUN 1 MILE
50 THRUSTERS (me=45 LBS / J=65 LBS)
50 BOX JUMPS (20 IN)
50 PUSH UPS
50 SQUATS
RUN 1 MILE

FOR TIME (1 HR 35 MIN)