I’ve been doing modified weight training programs since injuring my shoulder last October (and the subsequent corrective shoulder in February), but feel as if I’ve been spinning my wells as far as overall fitness. So instead of butchering another program to accommodate my shoulders, I’ve decided to change gears and take the athletic approach.
Thinking back, I realize I was in the best shape of my life while working as an aborist during summers off from high school and college. The constant climbing of trees, cutting wood, and manipulating logs really developed an overall fitness level I haven’t replicated with conventional weigh training. Since I won’t be quitting my desk job for one requiring intense manual labor, I’m hoping CrossFit gets me closer to my goal.
Current stats:
5’8”; 153 lbs with 16% body fat; 35 years old
Goals:
Get below pre-injury BF of 14%.
Increase overall endurance and strength.
I don’t know how frequently I’ll be posting, but it seems the easiest way to keep track of the numerous workout variations Xfit generates.
i wrote up several days worth of logs while waiting for access to the Training Log section, so i'll just post them now for the record.
Monday Oct 31
Prescribed WO
Five rounds for time:
135 pound Bench press, 21 reps
Run 400 meters
I’ve only just started barbell pressing again, so I used 95 lbs and substituted floor presses for the BP. Finished all reps for each set and probably could have gone heavier. I hadn’t measured a 400m course yet in my neighborhood, and guesstimated the distance. After measuring last night, it looks like I was pretty damn close and probably ran between 400-425m during the sets. Stopwatch is broken, no time.
Prescribed WO
Clean squat 3-3-3 reps
Run 2000 meters
Clean squat 3-3-3 reps
Used 135lb for the clean squat on all six sets. Probably could have gone heavier since the clean was relatively easy but I wanted to focus on correct form. Only managed 1,600 meters for the run. Definitely need to improve my running ability.
Completion time: 30:45 min
Pull-ups: 16,6,8,6,8,8,7,7,7,7,7,7,8. 15:30 min
Pushups: 30, 25, 25, 20. 5:00 min
Sit-ups: 25, 25, 25. 5:30 min
Squats: 50, 50. 4:45 min
Kuri’s pull-up numbers really kept me focused here. I’d say I really didn’t start kipping until half way thru the sets, even then it was only for the last two reps of each. That was a really tough on the lats. The push-ups were fairly easy, but I was really disappointed with the sit-ups. I did the first set and about half of the second set unanchored, then changed to the anchored version. I thought I would have done much better on those. The squats started out good, but my pace really slowed toward the end. Definitely felt pumped when it was all said and done.
Hey hard-rox, looks like you are doing really well with the CF routines. 100 pullups in 15:30 is very impressive, and you were doing a lot in each mini-set.
Welcome aboard! Looking good so far. Those pull-up numbers are impressive, and the rest between mini-sets will come down fast. I will enjoy watching your log.
Good start, Greg. I'll be watching this too. Jeez, I guess this means I'm gonna have to start a log one of these days ... can't let you get a leg up on me, can I?
__________________
"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right." - Henry Ford
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss
"Life is no brief candle to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw
Great to see your new log Greg. It's already providing some motivation.
Excellent numbers too! You really kicked some buttocks on Angie. You've obviously got good pulling and leg strength already so you should do real well on Xfit. 2 sets of 50 squats on Angie is better than I could do!
I look forward to seeing more.
__________________
Working "hard," or the perception of working hard, doesn't really mean anything. Sweating, vomiting, and breathing hard could be a good workout or a tropical disease kicking in.-Dan John
Thanks for the support, guys and gals. Now that i'm back from travelling, hopefully i'll be updating the log more regularly. Until then, here's the last few days worth of data.
Friday Nov 5
Rx’d WO
Snatch 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps
Completed:
3x3 at 85 lbs
3x2 at 95 lbs
1x2 at 105 lbs
I kept the weight low since I’m not familiar with this lift. For whatever reason, I envisioned the hardest part of the lift to be getting under the bar. Turns out the limiting movement for me is the overhead squat. I need to work on the technique more to keep the bar over/behind my head so I don’t come up on the balls of my feet. Also noticed I was absorbing the weight with my shoulders after the bar hit the apex, rather than with my legs. The right shoulder gave a twinge on the last few reps with the change in bar direction.
I was fighting a head cold Saturday, so opted to skip workouts for the weekend. I flew to Orlando on Sunday afternoon for a 3-day seminar and as a result was limited by the amount of equipment available in the hotel gym. Fortunately they had some DBs and plates, but I was forced to use a Smith machine . Decided to do box squats using a 16-inch high bench. The DLs were more for the stretch than anything.
Even though today was a Rx’d rest day, I concentrated on shoulder rehab exercises since I’m still not feeling 100% from the head cold. The drinks in Downtown Disney last night didn’t really help either. Gluts are sore from the box squats yesterday.
I'll be getting in after midnight tonight, so i doubt i'll be working out Thursday morning.
Excellent log, Greg! Glad to see you back in the saddle. Keep up the great work, and hang in there with the shoulders, but be careful with the overhead lifts. Those can really be killers for a previously injured shoulder.
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Gifted SmartAss Master Class Graduate
Thanks for checking on my log. Great to see another Cross Fit convert. I'll be checking your results regularly. I think that a little healthy competition is a good thing. Hopefully we all push each other to achieve better results. By the way, you really did a number on Angie. My only advice would be modify the WODs as needed so as not to strain your shoulder. Some of these high rep work outs bother my knees and elbows. I went out too hard on some early workouts and still feel it.
__________________ 'I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. ' ~Frank Sinatra
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you are tougher,
smarter, faster and better looking than most people.
Jamie & Bill, thanks for checking in. I'm definitely not going to be doing anything that will perturb my shoulders. Exercises like handstand push-ups (HSPU) and push jerks are out for the time being. On less stressful days i'm doing rehab exercises, but haven't been logging them as i should.
Friday, Nov 12
Rx'd WO
50-35-20 rep rounds of:
Handstand push-ups
Pull-ups
Substitutions: Reverse push ups on swiss ball = pullups
Incline pushups on rings = HSPU
Completion time: 16:25
I like doing pull-ups, but I want to keep my focus on the upper back so I substituted in reverse push ups. I usually do reverse push-ups on the rings, but didn't want to have to change the ring height between the exercises. For the incline pushups, my feet are about 3 ft above my hands. the hope is to slowly transition those into HSPU once my shoulder allows it.
I'm glad to hear that your'e still keeping up with shoulder re-hab exercises. Those will seriously help you in the long run, bro! Sounds like an awesome workout, btw. I'm jealous that I can't do something this along with ya. There's no way my shoulders will ever be able to handle that kind of stress.....ever! Sucks sometimes....
__________________
Gifted SmartAss Master Class Graduate
This routine looked fun............on paper. The first four sets seemed to go on forever!! Probably could had finished faster if I didn't use just one bar. For whatever reason i didn't think i had enough weights to use both the BB and my trap bar. There's always next time.
I was hoping to stick with 85% of the prescribed load, but realized after the first set at 195 lbs that i wouldn't get thru the routine before lunch time (started at 5 AM). In hindsight, could have done bodyweight for the bench press (did floor presses) and finished the last three sets at 155 lbs. The cleans killed me and really slowed my pace. Bumped up the weight to 135 lb the last two sets just because i got tired of switching plates.
You were smart to adjust the loads as you did. I went with too much weight on the DLs and it took 30 minutes longer than you.
As far as I've read on Crossfit they usually advocate going conservative on the loads in order to keep a high pace and max power output. Next time you do 'Linda' you should be able to up the weights.
__________________
Working "hard," or the perception of working hard, doesn't really mean anything. Sweating, vomiting, and breathing hard could be a good workout or a tropical disease kicking in.-Dan John
__________________
"Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right." - Henry Ford
"UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." - Dr. Seuss
"Life is no brief candle to me. It is sort of a splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations." - George Bernard Shaw
there seems to be role reversal going on, the bad shoulder is now good and the good shoulder is now bad. the soreness/inflammation of the right shoulder hasn't decreased much over the last few weeks, so i'm inclined to request a cortisone shot from the doc. I'll be seeing my GP tomorrow, so i'll ask for a referral to the ortho that just signed off on my other shoulder. the cortisone shot in the left shoulder really took care of the residual post-operation inflammation and i'm hoping it'll do the same for the current problem. I looked into local ART practitioners too, so that's an option if I can’t get to the ortho in a reasonable time.
It appears Sunday's Linda routine exacerbated a condition I've been dealing with the last few months and as a result i have to take 2 weeks off from any strenuous activities. Or to use my doctor's words, "Don't do any exercises that require you to hold your breath." Since that pretty much takes squats, deads and Oly lifts out of play, and by extension most Xfit routines, I'll be doing shoulder work and HIIT for a while.
__________________ 'I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day. ' ~Frank Sinatra
WARNING: The consumption of alcohol may create the illusion that you are tougher,
smarter, faster and better looking than most people.
. Decided to do box squats using a 16-inch high bench. The DLs were more for the stretch than anything.
Since that pretty much takes squats, deads and Oly lifts out of play, and by extension most Xfit routines, I'll be doing shoulder work and HIIT for a while.
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