Spring into Crossfit Challenge

[Athene]

Hey all, like I said in '2011 New Year Challenge' blog, I wanted to try something different with some new goals, so here it is: I want to adhere to Crossfit workout and nutrition principles for the Spring/Summer period of April 1, 2011 - June 30, 2011.

I don't know if I'll log food every day, but maybe I'll try, just to add that extra layer of accountability. I'm working out at the Crossfit gym 3 times per week, so there will be entries for those, and I'm also biking to work for the first time and will start that right away, so that's another way I will stay active on rest and/or recovery days.

A kind of sub-goal I have related to food was inspired by Michael Pollan's book, In Defense of Food. It's a really interesting read and I would like to make an effort to eat more plants and switch to locally raised meats. Farmers' markets are starting up this time of year, so it shouldn't be difficult to find organically grown, local meat and produce for the duration of the challenge.

Here's what happened at 6:00 this morning:

Workout of the Day
AMRAP - 30 minutes
250 m row
20 parallett hop-overs
20 double-unders (skipping rope)
20 sit-ups
20 hip extensions (on machine)
= as many rounds as you can in the time

I burned out after 2 hard rounds of this, but I ended up doing almost 6 rounds in the time. I felt sick and really overwhelmed afterward and I just couldn't recover - it was really intense. Afterward I started to tear up while attempting to stretch - I just couldn't do anything, I was completely spent and really emotional for some reason. I haven't felt that way in a long time after a workout, but everyone was really encouraging, which helped.

[feelin-great]

Is this something that you do on your own or is it a class you take? Is it something that can be followed at home or do you need a gym? I am just looking for things to spice up workouts because I am getting bored - and when I get bored with workouts it is harder to motivate myself!!!

[Athene]

What Allison said - the website has great demo videos.

[Athene]

Recovery Day

I took an update photo of me flexing ( favorite thing to do, even though muscles are pathetic!) and it made me feel happy with the progress I made in first 3-month challenge. It reminds me that I still have a lot of work to do, too. The photos I took from the rear view are not included for a reason.... I still have a lot of fat to lose in lower body for sure, and it's a sore spot for me. Oh well, bring on the lunges and the squats - I can do it!

[Athene]

Workout of the Day

AMRAP ('as many rounds as possible') - 10 minutes
7 kettle bell swings
7 full lunges
7 burpees

I did almost 7 rounds. All of the 35 lbs kettle bells were taken so I used a 25 lbs dumbell instead, which was a bit awkward.

[Boss Man]

Recovery Day

I took an update photo of me flexing ( favorite thing to do, even though muscles are pathetic!) and it made me feel happy with the progress I made in first 3-month challenge.

Be proud of what you have achieved because you have earned the right to be. It's all a case of time and being patient with yourself. In the end the true believer finds the right way(s), to achieve what they want and doesn't just give in.

You're not in bad shape at all and you are trying to make up for a layoff for quite some time, which means also readjusting to lifestyle habits and knowing you can't just jump into the same levels of exertion, as you used to use, so it is a slow readjustment and reattainment period, but eventually if your body is physiclal capable of getting back to a certain point and beyond that, then it will and in time you will become even more of a person than you believed possible.

I'm glad you're happy with yourself. The more positives you can get from all this the better .

You're doing a superb job and you have the evidence to prove it, so no worries okay .

[Athene]

Thanks, Boss : )
The community here has made the difference, and you're a big part of that.

[Boss Man]

Hey, you've become a great part of this community too and it's great when you see people who have been injured not giving up and settling for a "second best" lifestyle that prolongs and stays as is, because that could happen to people who let injuries ruin their mindset.

[Athene]

Recovery Day
Even more sore than yesterday. All three of Crossfit workouts this week will be consecutive, Wed-Fri, which is not good but is just the way things happened this week due to schedule and the way I prioritized sleep. I went to the gym on Sunday to mix things up, but it just bumped whole schedule back for the week!

Here's the food situation at least:

Nutrition
Breakfast - whey shake, 1 apple, 1/4 cup pecan halves.
Lunch - 2 cups veg, 1 cup chicken breast, 1 tsp soy sauce, 250 ml black coffee.
Dinner - 1 orange, 3/4 cup tuna with lemon juice and ground pepper, 2 cups black tea.

[Athene]

Things have been so crazy with last two papers that I have been sleeping only about 3 hours per night, so working out has just been really difficult to fit in this one week, but I do have a bike now and am commuting to university and work.

Workout
10.6 km/6.4 mile commute by bike on the lowest gear (I didn't know how to change the rear gear, this was excruciating!)
RPE ("Rate of Perceived Effort") 10

Nutrition
Breakfast - 1 apple, 1/4 cup pecan halves, 200 ml black coffee.
Lunch - 1 tin smoked oysters, 1 apple.
Dinner - 1 cup diced chicken breast, 2 cups chopped red pepper/mushrooms/carrots/sugar snap peas, 1/2 cup coconut milk with curry powder.

[Athene]

Workout
10.6 km/6.4 miles of commuting by bike
RPE = 6 or 7

Sorted out the gear issue completely so it was higher resistance and a faster pace. Biking is hard! Not too mention painful - butt is killing me from the seat! I'm not used to it yet.

Nutrition
Breakfast - 1 whey shake, 1 apple, 200 ml black coffee.
Lunch - 1 tin smoked oysters, 1 orange.
Dinner - 1 cup stir fried chicken breast, 2 cups veg, 1 tbsp soy sauce.
Snack - Break during a study session led to "cake" - 1 slice sprouted whole wheat bread, 2 tbsp crunchy peanut butter, drizzled with honey, and 2 cups of black tea. Not "Paleo", but delicious.

[Boss Man]

You might need a cushion for the saddle

[Athene]

You might need a cushion for the saddle

Haha, yeah! I think I'll just get used to it. I don't want to buy a fancy bike seat and then have it stolen.

Workout
1000 m swim - technique, not for time. Really hard staying streamlined.

[Athene]

Workout
EMOTM (Every Minute On The Minute) - 30 mins
3 pull-ups
6 push-ups
9 air squats
= completed all 30 sets without failure. Took 34 seconds in the beginning, 48-52 seconds by the end.

Getting some compliments that feel pretty good. One was from triathlon friend who said I looked "taller", which I think is awesome, and the other was more funny, this older guy from Crossfit gym said "Karrie you look sleek like a panther." LOL He was being really serious, which is what made it funny. I think it was the shiny black Underarmor that made me seem panther-like.... maybe what he meant to say is "Karrie, you are dressed like a panther"?

[Athene]

Recovery Day