March 1 2008
100 push ups
100 sit ups
100 pull ups
100 squats

13:20 sec

YEAH BUDDY!! I did it. Believe it or not, I have had difficulty sticking to a program ever since I finished University Baseball. And even then, the occasional "bender" got in the way but this past month the only thing that got in my way was a little stomach flu but I stuck to it. I'd like to thank Chris for the challenge, crossfit for the challenges, mike for chirping, and God.  I will re-evaluate
- vertical (22 inch)
- weighted chinup (25 lb 3 times).
- 5 K row 23 min

My clothes are fitting tighter up top and looser down below, and I've managed to weigh in at 194 lbs yesterday. 

I will continue to participate in crossfit, maybe not as religious as this past month because I would like to explore other workout regiments, but I can't walk away from those daily challenges forever!

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca

Friday Feb 29, 2008

3-3-3-3-3 Back Squat

Feb 4th I recall doing the exact same workout.  This is great because I get a chance to see how much I improved.  Last time I did 255 for 5 sets of 3.  Today 255 for 3, 265 and then a 270.  I feel really powerful in the glutes and my squat flexibility has increased noticeably! Tomorrow is the last day of this one month project.....
But I may be hooked on a routine.

Thursday Feb 28

10, 95lb sumo high pull
10 ring dips
7 rounds.

6 min and 35 sec. This kind of felt like a vacation from the last workout I did.  Although those sumo high pull do a number on the old glutes!

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca

Tuesday Feb 26, 2008

 

5 Rounds for time:

400 m

50 squats

30 back extensions

 

My time: 33 min

Now, reflecting back on just a couple days ago, I recall running 5 800m.  And here we are, Tuesday and I'm running 5 400m laps.  I didn't have access to the George Leach track today so I substituted a 1min 30 sec 15 meter shuttle run.  Basically, I took the time it would take me to run 400 m.  I felt great right up to the back extensions.  I've had trouble trying to do these in a circuit once before and once again my lower back was totally ceased after 2 sets. I spent about 10 min totally lying on the floor trying to loosen up the death grip on my lower back.  I eventuallly substituted in reverse hypers and then finished up the last two sets on the hamstring curl machine.  I feel great now though!

 

Monday Feb 25, 2008

 

1-1-1-1-1 Shoulder press  I lifted - 145

3-3-3-3-3 Push press                 - 155

5-5-5-5-5 Push jerk                    - 135

 

A nice upper body strength and power day.  I loved it.  It's a great feeling to lift heavy ass weight over your head.

 

Sunday Feb 24

 

5 Rounds

800m

30 70 lb db swing

30 pull ups

 

WHAT! The longest workout so far. (47 min...aprox)  It you have a spare hour and don't just want to go for a boring jog, try this little number.  You might want to bring a friend along....to drag you home.

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca

Sat Feb 23

 

I would like to give a shout out to all the new Crossfitters at Catalyst Fitness. They were working HARD today, a rest day, and I friggin loved it.  I'm looking forward to working out with them soon!! Welcome aboard mates!

 

Friday Feb 22

Five rounds for max reps of:
Body weight bench press
Pull-ups

 

I had a goal coming into this one because Chris had made someone do it already and they posted a total of 32 reps.  In the spirit of competition I was pumped up to crush that record.  I was a  little worried though because I have not benched in a while and I wasn't sure I was going to manage my new body weight # of 190 lbs. I was also determined to use real chin ups for this to evaluate my progress in this department. My first set I blasted outed the starting gate with 12 bench presses and 7 pull ups.  I was impressed. Then I dropped a bit did 10 bench 6 pulls. When I was done I blasted out 56 total reps between bench and pull ups! 36 bench press and 20 pull ups. Still, I do want those pull ups to get up there but I'm finding I'm putting on mass on my legs and trying to pull 190 lbs up there is a tough task!

 

Thursday Feb 21

Four rounds for time of:
Run 400 meters
50 Squats

 

It was so nice and sunny out today, it was perfect timing for an outdoor running day. For the 400 m run I used google maps pedometer to estimate 400 m.  It was a shame I didn't have Mike's yaktraks to wear on my shoes cause it was slick out there.  I've never worked so hard in the cold before and the chest was burning! My legs were swelled out after the first round and it felt like I was running with permanant lactic acid. 15 mins later I was gased and loving it.  I felt so good that I pushed myself to do this exercise outdoors.  I can only imagine how fast I'm going to be come the summer time and dry roads! 

- couldn't double up after today....

 

 

Wednesday Feb 20

3-3-3-3-3-3-3 Hang clean and squat

 

Well we're getting back on track. I started with Wednesdays WOD 7 sets of 3 on the hanging clean and front squat.  I was surprised at how strong I felt after 3 days of food coming out of my mouth rather than going in.  I used 145 lb for all 7 sets. Feeling good afterwards I would choose to double up on one of the WOD I missed so I called out "Annie"  50 40 30 20 10 double unders and sit ups.  I was flying through this gal with more energy than the first workout and posted 12 min 23 sec.

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca

Feb 18 2008

Well I'm behind 3 days due to some weird stomach flu.  I'll be surprised if I finish this blog without running to the bathroom.  The past few mornings I woke up and checked the WOD and was feeling envy towards those that were going to be able to push themselves today.  Because I've only eaten a couple pieces of fruit in the last 3 days maybe I'll be able to crush out a full set of pullups when I feel up to it!
I'll also be looking forward to doubling up for a couple days to get back on track.

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca

February 13 th
75 lb snatch for 75

Lucky number 13 brings me an intense workout.  75 lb snatch, for, wait for it...... 75 reps.  I knew I needed a game plan and wouldn't be able to live through this workout without one.  I broke it up into 5 sets of 11 and 2 sets of 10.  I tried to keep the breaks short, anywhere between 20 - 40 seconds. 6 min 5 seconds and it was all over.  By far the most intense 6 mins I've put myself through!

February 14th
95 lb thruster and pullups for 21 15 9

Happy Valentine's Day! I could into how I feel about this day but this isn't the right blog for that. I was excited about the pullups because i thought maybe, just maybe I'd be able to do a set of real ones.  Well not yet.  I don't know if it was the forearm breakdown from yesterday or what but I had to resort to body weight rows again.  The workout took me 7 min 26 sec, another short yet intense workout which is proving that workouts don't have to take an hour and a half. I just know there's going to be a long  workout peeking around the corner.  My question to crossfit; When is the yogo/massage workout day?

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca

Feb 12 2008
 
2 muscle ups
4 Hand stand pushups
8 Db swings w 65lb
 
As many sets in 20 mins.
 
God I loved chalking it up, literally.  After every completion, I swiped the floor with my sweaty hands dipped in chalk across the floor.  By the time i was done there was 15 swipes and I felt each set taking it's toll on me.  I modified the muscle ups by adding a little jump to help.  The hand stand pushups, a lot harder than I even thought. I used the wall to hold me upright and it's all I could do to keep my face from becoming part of the floor.  I don't want to look like I ran a 100 m race in a 90 m gym.  I'm starting to feel bad during rest days now. Yesterday I joined the boys in a little deadlift action. Why the hell not!! There's no traffic on the extra mile! Can't wait for tomorrow now!

---

Feb 10 2008
7 max effort sets of Deadlift

Big pull day today and I made the effort to come in today even though the City shut down again.  I was lifting alone today, no one else was in the gym.  No Mike to yell at me for complaining about the workouts or Christ to throw out a Yeah Buddy during the workout.  For the Max Effort day I wish I would have had someone else there to push me a little bit.  My first pull I started at 325, then 375, then 395 for 2, then 400. My personal best is 430 and I couldn't get 410 off the floor today.  So I finished up with 2 more 400 pulls and called it a day. 

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca

Feb 9

Run OR Row 5 k

You know running with your thoughts is a lot easier than rowing with them because there's no scenery.  But after the row I had a nice long stretch and I feel really loose and relaxed. It took me 22:08 min, a little slower than I was shooting for which was to keep a pace of 4 min per 1000 m but it's something to improve on.   
Thank you crossfit for the option today.  And thank you Catalyst for having a row machine. 

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca

Feb 8

Feb 8 2008
I finally topped hurting when I woke up this morning and I am starting to feel stronger already.  I'm noticing fat loss and size in my upper body from the million and 1 rows and pull ups.  Todays workout can best be described like this: "It's like someone took a notebook full of exercises, loaded it into a gun and pulled the trigger."  I was like a bee trying to find nectar, running around the gym to do each workout.  Looking at all these exercises people ask me what the hardest one was.  Shockingly, the sit ups were tough because i've never done situps with a heart rate so dangerously high before.  But the hardest one for sure was the substitute rope climb exercise.  Apparently,  1 rope climb is worth 15 towel pull ups.  Wow, grip work.  If you're looking for a pair of vice grips, you can find them on the end of my arms.

For time: My time 22:41
25 Walking lunge steps
20 Pull-ups
50 Box jumps, 30 inch box
20 Double-unders
25 Ring dips
20 Knees to elbows
30 Kettlebell swings, 65 lbs
30 Sit-ups
20 Hang squat cleans, 35 pound dumbells
25 Back extensions
30 Wall ball shots, 12 pound ball
3 Rope climb ascents aka 45 towel pull ups

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca

Feb 5^th – I learned something today. 1) Don't listen to Chris when he says the workout doesn't look too hard today.  I had to resort to the ring pull-ups again. Even though I'm noticing an improvement already in pull-ups, I'm nowhere near ready to do 136 of them.

I ended up doing 3 sets of 7 for the dips and split the snatches into 1 set of 11 and 1 set of 10.  Nearing the end of the workout by lower back on each side were spasming hard due to poor form.  As I began to wear down, the weight was drifting further away from my body causing me to use a little more back than necessary.  So moral of the story, keep your mind sharp when your body has no jam left. 

 

February 6 2008

7 sets of 3 Push-jerk 175 lbs

 It's a Hercules type day and I was looking forward to it.  The workout was short but powerful. My inspiration to really improve on this lift comes from playing for the Steelers.  It has now become tradition after a win, at the social, for a lineman to pick up a wide receiver and overhead press him while everyone in the bar is shouting out the number of reps.  Boyish? A little. Cool to watch? You friggin bet.  Maybe by this summer I'll lift up a lineman…….

The Ball Starts Rolling...

It was Thursday and Chris asked me the question that kicked off this horror show.  "What is your workout schedule like right now?"  Well other than the days I would workout with Mike and help him reach his goals I would be focusing on sport specific lifts for football season.  Apparently Chris heard that as "doing nothing" and asked if I would do Crossfit for a month.  Hey why not! Those workouts are fun, challenging, have a good variety of anaerobic circuits and I'd even get a chance to improve on my pull-ups, which come in waves of about 3 to 5 a set. Friday February 1^st  would be my Crossfit debut.

 

February 1, 2008

Run 10 k

I came in this morning eager to check the website to see what my workout would be.  Deadlift with pull-ups? Chinups and squats?  Something cool and challenging for sure I thought.  A burst of laughter came from Chris and then he gave me the news.  Run 10 k.  Are you sh#*!g me?  The closest to running 10 k I've been was the 1 mile test back in University.  For you math majors out there, running 10 k would be like running 6, 1 mile tests.  Yeah buddy.  Chris gave me the option of starting the next day but procrastination is something I left behind in 2007.  1 hour and 9 minutes later, I couldn't feel my legs and I didn't feel like me a Crossfit were going to get a long.

 

February 2, 2008

Tabata

-Pullups

-Pushups

-Situps

-Squats

Crossfit and I didn't start off on the right foot and I was hoping it would make it up to me on Saturday with an apology and a fun workout.  I didn't get an apology; I got a tough workout, which meant that this was going to be a "tough love" relationship.  Tabata style 8 sets of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest. Pullups, pushups, situps and squats.  Because of my lack of ability to do sets of pull-ups I had to resort to rings, which punished quite the same I feel.  I completed 8 sets of the following exercises: 

8 Pull ups       

13 Pushups

11 situps

14 squats

 

February 4 2008   

255 5 sets of 3

 

Feb 5 2008   3 rounds    - 26min 25 sec

21Right hand snatch

21 Pull ups

21 Left hand snatch

21 Pull ups

 

Catalyst Fitness Inc.
498 Queen St. East, 2nd Floor
Sault Ste. Marie
(705)253-0011
www.gocatalyst.ca
www.catalystfitness.ca

Here we go! Starting February 1, I'll be doing Crossfit religiously!