Monday

Tabata and Deadlifts and Burpees. Oh my!

We hit the highlights on the last workout of the year.

Part 1
Elliptical Trainer Tabata
1 min warmup @ 65rpm
4 min of Tabata Protocol
  (8 circuits of 20 sec @ 85rpm + 10 sec @ 55rpm)

Part 2
Deadlifts
5 @ 135#
5 @ 155#
5 @ 185#

Part 3
Burpees
5 reps every minute for 7 minutes

Part 4
Abs
Long Crunch x 20 (on Swiss ball, touch floor over head)
Russian Twist x 20 @ 10# (medicine ball)
Long Crunch x 20
Russian Twist x 20 @ 10#

The elliptical Tabata has gotten less difficult. Ramping up the rpm.
It has been a while on the deadlifts, so we were cautious on weight. More weight.
The Burpees followed the Crossfit Open Workout: Max Burpees in 7 minutes. We spaced them out. More reps.
We were so exhausted after the Burpees that I cramped up on the crunches. If I cramp up, it's a win.


Sunday Morning Comin Down.

Felt sluggish and decided to get in another run.

Nike tells me it was 39°.

I did a mile by 220 yard sprints/walking.

220 yd walk
220 yd run
220 yd walk
220 yd run
220 yd walk
220 yd run
220 yd walk
220 yd run

My time was 12:49, which was actually faster than the last mile I 'ran' two weeks ago.

Friday

This is winter (and a quick run).

Running, just to stay alive.

Walked 220 yards.
Ran 880 yards at a steady pace.
Walked 220 yards.

Cold.

Monday

Bringing SDLHP's Back

8am, Monday Morning, Christmas Eve

In preparation for all the food that will be consumed over the next couple of days, we made sure to get one in this morning.

Trying to make sure we keep changing, I pulled the Sumo Deadlift High Pulls out of the bag.

Four Circuits
Feet-Up Pushups x 15 (on 55 cm ball)
Long Crunches x 25 (on 55 cm ball)
Sumo Deadlift High Pulls x 10 @ 65#
Knee-ups x 10 (Captain's Chair)
Farmer's Walk x 50 yards @ 50#/50# (100 lbs!)

It was taxing, but we were able to move through the twenty sets without much difficulty. There was little rest between sets, and no more than a minute between circuits.

This was not as tough as I expected. Our conditioning is much better, but I need to consider how to ramp up the intensity without simply extending the time we work.


Friday

Something Completely Different

Biceps & upper forearms were still sore from Monday, so we aimed to make sure we worked in very different ways from pushups & pullups.

Four Circuits
2-Hand Kettlebell Swing x 15
Bicycle Crunches x 30
Machine Dips x 5 @ -100
Russian Twists x 20 @ 10#
Triple Lunge x 5/5 (front, side, back)


Monday

Crossfit Cindy

A meeting led to a late start, so we went with a modified Crossfit Cindy today.

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
Machine Pullups x 5 @ -170
Hand-Release Pushups x 10
Air Squats x 15

We made it through 8 rounds today, which means 24 sets in 20 minutes.

It got the job done, and the recovery took longer than the workout.

Somewhere, about circuit six, a young guy with a knit cap and a scruffy beard started to offer me advice. I patted him on the side and said, "I've got another set to do, and I've got a master's in Human Performance. Thanks though." I think he did 4 sets of bench during our entire workout. Pick it up, son.


Saturday

20 Minutes

Thursday's workout.

We had a limited time, so we moved fast, trying to get done in 20 minutes.

We did three exercise ball sets without stopping, and rested alternately during the dumbbell set.

Two Circuits
Feet-up Pushups x 10 (on exercise 55cm ball)
Jackknife x 10 (on exercise ball)
Long Crunch x 10 (on exercise ball)
2-Hand Dumbbell Clean & Press x 5 @ 35#/35#

One minute break

Two Circuits
Feet-up Pushups x 10 (on exercise 55cm ball)
Jackknife x 10 (on exercise ball)
Long Crunch x 10 (on exercise ball)
2-Hand Dumbbell Clean & Press x 5 @ 35#/35#

One minute break

One Circuit
Feet-up Pushups x 10 (on exercise 55cm ball)
Jackknife x 10 (on exercise ball)
Long Crunch x 10 (on exercise ball)
2-Hand Dumbbell Clean & Press x 5 @ 35#/35#

We did twenty sets in under 20 minutes and were done.

The Jackknife is an abs killer by itself.
Doing the pushups first and then moving straight into the Jackknifes definitely worked the arms & shoulders.

The dumbbell clean and presses are an old standby, but in this combination they really worked our backs & biceps.

Not exhausted, but sore all over.


On Wednesday we played.

Soccer.

Two on Two on a 25-by-17 yards field with 5-foot-wide goals.

We've done this a few times, and have increased the length of the field over time.

It was cold, in the 40's, but we had an amazing time and were breathing hard for more than an hour.

A fun and effective workout.


On Tuesday we raced.

We are about the same size, speed, and strength, so this made sense to try.
One mile, half walking & half sprinting.

Walked x 220 yards.
Ran x 220 in 55 seconds - our warmup sprint.
Walked x 220 yards.
Raced for 220 yards - I finished in 43 seconds.
Walked x 220 yards.
Raced for 220 yards - I finished in 45 seconds.
Walked x 220 yards.
Raced for 220 yards - I finished in 54 seconds.
- and did 10 pushups for losing that one.

I was more exhausted and slightly incoherent for a longer time than I have been after a workout in months. The full speed racing was intense - it pushed us harder and over a line. Exactly what I had hoped.


Wednesday

29 Minutes to Done

Our basic plan is to use high-intensity strength-building exercises as conditioning.

If we do it right we will build muscle, burn fat, and improve our aerobic fitness - in line with Crossfit ideas about metabolic conditioning.

Monday we focused on this by doing sets that took 30-40 seconds and then resting the remainder of each minute. After each circuit we rested another minute - so we did 25 sets in 29 minutes.

Five Circuits of:
Plank x 45 seconds
Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift x 5/5 @ 10#/10#
Bench Dips x 5 (feet on ground)
Burpees x 6
1-Hand Kettlebell Swings x 5/5 @ 35#

The Bench Dips were new and too easy. More reps, then feet up.

The plank has been off the list for a while, but went better than expected.

Hammys & butt are definitely sore from the SLRDL, and felt them on Tuesday for the 220's, and still feel them today for soccer.

This one was worth the effort. The hurt was put on.


Monday

Easing Back In

Two Circuits of
220 yd run @ 7.5 mph
2H Dumbbell Clean & Press x 5 @ 35
Long Crunch on Swiss Ball x 20
Reverse Rows x 10
Russian Twist x 20