Filthy Fifty at Sixy Percent

Todays Crossfit WOD was the "Filthy Fifty". Since I had taken 3 days off due to feeling a little under the weather and a slightly pulled back muscle, I thought I'd ease into it by adapting it to the "Dirty Thirty"; that is, just 30 of each exercise, with some exceptions.

I don't have a proper pull up bar, so I did 30 pull-ups - not jumping pull-ups. I don't have kettlebells, so I swung a 50-pound bag of sand. I don't have a bar to push-press, so I push-pressed the 50-pound bag of sand. I don't have a weighted ball nor a high wall to wall-ball it against, so I just skipped that one. Finally, I can barely jump rope, so 30 double-unders became 60 jump-ropes.

I gave 110% to the 60% scaled "Filthy Fifty" and finished in 19 minutes.

A Lotta' Tabata

Today's Crossfit WOD was a killer. I alternated pullups between wide grip and underhand close grip - which as it turned out didn't make much difference. I resorted to some girly-style pushups by the last 2 rounds. I did different sorts of situps - crunches, alternate side to side - which account for the vast differences in quantities between rounds. Finally, the squats actually let me recover a bit and I finished strong.

Exercise	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	Total
Pullups	15	10	5	3	3	3	2	3	44
Pushups	25	20	12	10	9	8	8	9	86
Situps	17	10	14	16	6	19	12	13	107
Squats	14	15	15	14	15	15	17	18	123

A Nice Clean Workout

I skipped Tuesday's Crossfit workout as I couldn't make the gym and I didn't have 185 pounds at home to front squat. Instead, I did it slightly modified today.

I did seven rounds of 150 pound power clean and press for 3 reps and 7 L-pull-ups. My time was 16 minutes and sweat output was at a maximum after 2 rounds.

Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get Me Down (for working out!)

I did the Crossfit Workout of the Day today. I had to improvise a little as I can barely jump rope; nevermind double-unders, and my basement doesn't have kettlebells.

First modification was 60 jump ropes instead of 40 double-unders. Next, I used a ladder - second rung at 25 inches - for my box jumps. Finally, I swung a 50 pound bag of sand for a kettlebell. Given that the bag was much harder to grasp and I didn't want to rupture sand all over the basement, I did only 15 swings per round.

That said, I completed my 5 rounds in 16 minutes. I was gassed at the end. Actually, I was gassed at the beginning of the second round!

Crossfit Cross-Post

I did the Crossfit Workout of the Day today.  My times weren't all that good nor was my performance - but I did just start training the Crossfit WOD this week.

Exercise	Time
1 mile run	6:20
60 pull ups	7:45
180 push ups	12:15
250 squats	9:55
1 mile run	8:00
	~45:00

My first mile run was not surprising, I tried to take it slow but knowing it was only a mile, slow equaled a 6:20 pace.

Pull-ups were tough. I don't have a pull up bar so was using 2x4 door-jam braces in my basement that ran parallel; thus, I had to use a palm-to-palm grip, which was less than efficient at a wide grip. I did sets of 10 - although for the first 2 sets I felt I could do more. I did 30 with little problem. I switched to a close underhand grip for the next 10, which were difficult. The next 20 were made up of groups of no more than 6 at a time. When 58, 59 and 60 had to be done as singles, I figured it was time to move on.

I started push-ups in sets of 20 and managed 100 with little problem but considerable burn. I continued in sets of 10 to 150. By then, my arms were giving out. I admit I switched to girlie-style to squeeze out my last 30 and when my wobbly arms threatened to drop me face first into concrete around 175, I finished 180 and moved on.

I probably could have done all 300 squats, but called it quits after 250 in alternating sets of 10, 15, 20 and even 30. I varied stances but always brought my but the to box I was using to ensure my legs were parallel at the bottom of the movement.

I brought the dog on the last mile run. 4:15 out and 3:45 back. I expected to - and did - recover some on the run. Running is my 'sweet spot' so by the time I was back home (8 minutes) I was feeling a little loose and could actually swing my arms again after the amassed blood from pull-ups and push-ups had dissipated (even if only a little).

Type O Personality

I gave blood last Wednesday with the alterior motive of getting my blood type - I didn't know it. It turns out I'm O-, which according to the Red Cross is the 'universal donor'. I can give blood to anyone; however, I can only receive type O- blood. Which goes a long way to describe my life - I can help everyone, but no one can help me.

Fenway Hockey