Want to be Motivated?

How about being able to Clean and Jerk your body weight 30 times?

At the ripe old age of 14 years old, Kallista Pappas (103#) shows what it means to be (have, exude..hard to describe) what Kohashi sensei would have called “senshin”.  Sensei described it to me by flooring me with a jo because I was loosing focus and messing with my grip instead of finishing a kata.  I’ll describe it to you by presenting the video above (taken at the 2008 CrossFit Games).

Pay attention to the girl in blue in the background of the opening shot.  She actually falls hard on the press and takes the bar on her shins…gets back up and finishes her last 7.  She finishes despite the pain, not losing focus, and giving everything she has to complete her task.  Senshin.

I know that I’m not tough, but now I know just how not tough I am. 

WOD - 04/14

Warm Up
(3 rounds of 10-15 reps after run)

• 400m
• lunges
• Sit-up
• Back-extension
• Pull-up
• Dip

Fifty of Each, for time.

• Sit Up


• Overhead Squat


• Pull Up


• Burpee

Now that I'm looking at it, I suppose that this is a 1/2 Angie with an added overhead to the squat.

WOD - 04/11

Union City Challenge
5 rounds for time of:

7 Pullups
7 Thrusters
7 Burpees

Vid 1
Vid 2
Vid 3

In the vids they are using a women's elite competition weight of 75lbs on the thrusters. I personally won't be doing that much weight.

"Check your ego at the door"
UPDATE: 16:18

WOD 04/10 - Chuck's Day Off

I'm heading home today and won't get home before dinner, then it's eat, take care of my daughter and spend some qt with my wife.

Tomorrow it'll be WOD with some running in it since the Y has a nice indoor track, though the corners will slow my time a bit. I would head down to the middle school, but it's supposed to snow a bit in the morning(isn't it April?!?) so indoors it is.

I also need to work on my Deadlift positioning, so I will probably work out and then spend some time after with some light weight to work on it.

WOD 04/09 Crossfit Leg Day

3 Rounds for Time
- Walking Lunge 100ft
- 50 Squats
- 25 Back Extensions

Update: 9:32

My knees HURT. My legs are SOOOOOOO out of shape. I think I'll be doing leg centric WODS with a little more frequency to improve this situation. I need to strengthen my knees in general, and to take care of the fact that I'm exceptionally behind there because of my injury.

WOD 04/09 Crossfit Leg Day

3 Rounds for Time
- Walking Lunge 100ft
- 50 Squats
- 25 Back Extensions

Crossfit

I've been depressed about my inactivity.

How stupid is that?

I investigated a fitness method alled "Crossfit" a while back and was fascinated. My trainer at BBY has led me through a couple of the workouts, but I need to be willing and able to do it myself. I've taken that fascination to a new level.

Today, I'll try and start with Baseline.

Run 400 meters
40 Air Squats
30 Situps
20 Pushups
10 Pullups

Though I might just have enough issue with the warmup:

3 rounds of 10-15 reps
----------------------
Samson Stretch
Overhead Squat with broomstick
Sit-up
Back-extension
Pull-up
Dip

UPDATE: 18:24

Stagnant

What a horrible couple of weeks.  Five days of travel (driving and driving and driving…), living in hotels on fast food… Birthday parties with gourmet cupcakes (but damn were they GOOD cupcakes).

I feel like I’m starting over.

228.25

I broke the 230 mark pretty solidly this week. I weighed in today at 228.25 (down 9.25 pounds), which is better than I expected, given a crummy work-out week last week.

I put my weight bench back together finally and inflated the exercise ball (which Rachel simply went nuts over) which means that I can work on my Ridgeline Fitness exercises (some of them are seriously mind blowing) and lift at home rather than having to find time to peel away and go to the gym.

So, all-in-all, a pretty good week.

I lifted upper body today and saw some improvements in my chest and shoulders, and a small decline in my biceps. I did, however, work my shoulders and back pretty hard, which probably burned them out sooner in the workout, so I'm not too worried. I'll pay closer attention to my diet and supplements on Friday (I stuck to today's plan, but I might need a few more calories now) and see if that doesn't improve things.

Total of Six Pounds

I was down a total of six pounds on Monday, but this week was extremely high stress and poor workouts.  I’m still eating well, but with my lackluster presentation in the gym this week, I have anxiety over what Monday’s weigh-in will bring.

Wish me luck.