The prettiest thing on earth....

How busy? Well, not quite THAT busy

Well to say I've been a busy bastard, would be an understatement of biblical proportions. I have been balancing quite the little pile of bowls... Job/Family/Life....

With that said, I know, that I have been neglecting the blog, much to the chagrin of the loyal readers for some time.

But I will try to keep updating:

What's the prettiest thing in the world? Well I would say you can make a pretty sweet case for a Sweat Angel.

When you are laying on the ground and rendered useless to the point where you are heaving and sucking wind and dripping like a ( insert any funny descriptive thing here) - you know you gave it your all... and in a world of small victories... that's one for the good guys.

I guess, what I've learned over the last couple of months at the crossfit gym is; that it's easy to cheat reps and not give all out effort, but in the words of Mark Twight - Why bother?

Do it right, or not at all.

That means those friggen burpees should be all the way down, all the way up, clap in the air with as much force as possible.

Pacing, is, as they say, for our feline friends.

A few workouts to try...

Badger:

30 cleans @95

30 Pullups

800 Meter Run

3 rounds

How much it too much?

After going for my 6 month checkup with my doctor, I received a scary call from my doctor's office.

"Jamie, the doctor would like to speak with you"

Naturally I thought the worst.

"Um..... Jamie... your creatinine kinase levels are off the charts"

"really"

"Have you done any strenuous exercise lately?!?"

Jamie: Well... On Sunday I did

"1000"

100 bench press

100 Chins

100 Situps

100 push press

100 Squats

100 deadlifts

100 Step ups

100 Side Raises

100 Bicep Curls

100 Tricep press down

And then, played 1.5 hours of basketball, then the night after Ultimate Frisbee.

That to me was normal, but when I said it out loud to him he said....

"Slow down; Have a great night!"

Yeah, I'll take his advice. Maybe ;)

Workout for Monday:

Rippetoe Starting Strength

Squat 5x5

Bench 5x5

Deadlift 5x1

Then

"Karen" 150 wall balls, 20 pound ball, 1o ft target

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Po4FXN-jWpM&feature=related

Imagine trying to run, with your arms like that for 400 meters...

I guess, when you think of it, operating under serious stresses while at the gym can only lead to building up your resolve when things in real life and sport creep up...

As I drove to the crossfit gym, gum chomping and fueled by 2 cups of the strongest Arabica coffee, I was almost… cocky.

You see….

This was the first time; since I’ve been there that the “dreaded by most” 400 meter runs were involved in a WOW (Workout of the Weekend) - You see, I usually destroy running based crossfit workouts and actually if you can imagine like them… Usually I can hang with any veteran if there is more than one 400 meter run...

Sometimes though, what you think is easy - can be easily changed by removing a factor

The workout on the board was:

Run 400
21 Deadlifts @ 225 pounds
21 Pullups

Run 400
15 Deadlifts @ 225
15 pullups

Run 400
9 deadlifts @ 225
9 pullups.

I thought, running and deadlifting, two fortes of mine …. I will destroy it.

Yeah….


Not so much.

First Run 1:30 seconds. Great.

21 deadlifts… ok… this is interesting… WTF did that black tunnel come from?
21 pullups… more like 9,5,3,3,1

In my mind, I can’t wait to start running to make up the time for the lousy pull-ups…

“Cue the scene”

Hmmm….that’s interesting…. Why the F wont my arms work!?!?!?!

Try running with your arms at your sides… It’s not easy… and I looked ridiculous.



It this type of stress that can really change the whole damn thing...

It took me 2 minutes and 45 seconds to complete that lap…. And as I rounded back into the gym (you run outside) the looks on the faces were of bewilderment and laughter...

“Kinda hard to run when your arm’s wont work eh?”

And to further rub salt in the proverbial wound, another xfitter there, whom I had just met btw, started giving me the business.

1: “That’s the worst drop off ever! A horrible middle round!!”
2: “Stop being such a pu$$y and get up and finish your pull-ups!!”

I should mention, this was a woman, who just finished the same workout in 11 minutes
( deadlifts @135)

Well the last lap, was perhaps the funniest looking thing ever… I think maybe it could be “loosely” referred to as running…

But it looked more like a kid who has been scolded and running to their room with their arms straight down in anguish…


The workout itself took 13 minutes and 28 seconds…

The recovery, on the other hand, took at least 20 minutes… I literally couldn’t drive or raise my hands to save my life. Even now, as I sit here typing, my hands and forearms are really not happy with me.

Oh well,
I may just head back for a second session of pain… Yep, I a bit sadistic like that some times