Workout 12/7/2011: 603PTP Day2

Intensity! That's what this 603PTP Routine feels like so far. It's crazy when the cash-out segment blows your top. But it brings back CrossFit memories like you wouldn't believe. I'm enjoying the pain though. It's a productive pain...muscle soreness I should say. I get excited when muscles I forgot existed remind me that they are still there and working. It reminds me what I am working toward...general fitness.

Workout: 603PTP Day2

Buy-in: Dislocates, 20 Squats, 20 Push-ups, 20 Sit-ups

Deadlift: 5 @ 180#; 2+1 @ 270#
Shoulder Press: 5 @ 72.5#; 2+1 @ 107.5#

Cash-out:
5 Rounds of...
10 Dumbbell Cleans @ 35# (5 Left, 5 Right)
10 Dumbbell Swings @ 35# (5 Left, 5 Right)
10 Burpess

*I should have been doing dumbbell snatches instead of cleans, but I forgot to educate myself before going to the gym. Oops!

Rest = Goal Setting

I'm in the middle of a recovery week. I have been fighting two distinctly different colds, nursing a sore lower back, and quizzically staring at a scale that is being nasty to me. It was very clear to me that if I did not take this time off, I would end up in a bad situation. So, rest has become my focus. And in these moments, I have had the chance to look at the current status of my health and the upcoming year of fitness goals.

I mentioned that nasty scale because it is evident from that little piece of machinary, that my body is changing. After reaching a low weight of 178# right after my last marathon in October 2007, my weight has slowly creeped up. Now, of course my body has changed too with my focus on strength training through CrossFit, but I don't think all of that weight is new muscle. Sugar, ladies and gentlemen, is my weakness, and The Zoneis my answer. I have attempted The Zone before, but I have never stuck to a strict Zone diet. One of my favorite movie quotes is when Bill Murray talks about "Baby Steps" in What About Bob? So I am going to start taking baby steps to break this sugar addiction. And what better time to do it than during this season of Lent.

My mind has also been occupied with what I want to accomplish this year in the fitness realm. The past three years have been focused on marathons and half-marathons. There is something extremely satisfying about running and finishing a marathon, but the training is so time consuming. So this year's focus is going to be on shorter races and the continuation of CrossFit. The plan: 1 marathon with minimal training, an assortment of 5Ks (my goal is to break 24 minutes), 1 Urbanathlon, and 1 more year of CrossFit training. I plan on working on Level Two of the Level4 Challenge produced by CrossFit Seattle. So, wish me luck, and pray for me!*Photo courtesy of Carrie Klumpar at CrossFit Seattle. Maybe I'll adopt that motto for the year!

Workout 11/12

Yes, my muscles are sore. Yes, I am tired out. Yes, I am going to workout! Does that sound crazy? To some people, yes. To me, no. Sore is far different than pain. Sore just tells me that my body is trying to work through its weaknesses. I find that I experience this soreness in many different areas of my life. I may be "sore" from work when I try to become a better, more organized teacher. I may be "sore" when I try to have a disciplined walk with Jesus Christ. My stomach may be "sore" when trying to change some bad eating habits (sometimes my brain is sore through this process too). So when my muscles are sore from working out or training, I just realize it is part of the process. Now if I were in non-functional pain...that's a whole different story.

CrossFit Workout:
CF Warm-Up x 2
As many rounds in 20 minutes or:
3 Assisted Handstand Push-ups
6 Assisted Pull-ups
9 Walking Lunge Steps
(I completed 10 rounds...I was rushing that last round to fit it in...whoa!)

*One example of an assisted handstand push-up courtesy of CrossFit London