Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

No More Fear

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    No More Fear

    So, I turned 29 last week. This scares the shit out of me for many reasons, but in particular because I look like this:



    Actually, looking like it isn't really the thing I mind. It's that I'm as out of shape as I look. For the last year I've spent far too much time working and eating poorly; and far, far too little time working on my health and well being. My membership in Ben Dunne was due to expire next week and I was going to renew it like a lemming but happened upon this set of videos on youtube that made me think twice:

    CrossFit is the world’s leading platform for improving health and performance. In the 20 years since its founding, CrossFit has grown from a garage gym in Sa...


    It's a bit cringey and is very much a Crossfit marketing ploy but it certainly made me wonder about things. There are many valid criticisms of Crossfit out there it seems, but let's face facts: as an out of shape 29 year old I don't really need to worry about the high end athletic merits of Crossfit. I'm under no illusions that this is the be all and end all of training, etc; and I get that the main site daily workouts and literature is total bullshit a lot of the time. But I need something in terms of guidance and motivation so...

    I took a look at the local affiliate (which is just down the road from me) and spent a few days reading up on how much they tailor the program for individuals and filter out the bullshit. It was hard to find anything other than positive feedback.

    So I gave them a ring and went down this morning. From talking on the phone, I was genuinely worried that they might say I'm not able to partake in the group sessions and would need private training, etc to get me up to speed. Facility is a converted unit in Sandyford Industrial Estate and is full of functional equipment, squat racks, pull up bars, etc. No banks of cardio machines. Met two of the lads who own the place and they seemed to be very nice and full of interest and sage advice. After a good chat, they took me over for a starting workout:

    500 metres row at level 6 resistance
    40 bodyweight squats (full depth - he placed a small ball behind me as a guide)
    30 sit ups
    20 push ups
    10 pullups (with a heavy assistance band for myself needless to say)

    as fast as you can

    There was an emphasis on getting good form and doing full movements and when he was satisfied I was approaching each one correctly I began. Wanted to die during the pushups and found them incredibly difficult (proper form pushup when you're 140kgs is tough). Struggled through in 12 mins 36 seconds. But the coach reckoned I moved well enough for me to partake in the group sessions from the get go - so no private training!

    Needless to say, he talked to me for a few minutes afterwards about nutrition. Doing the workouts will help, but if I really want to make a change I need to sort out what's going into my mouth. Cook more, less cheating, less carbs, etc. I'll need to study the info he gave me and figure out a proper plan.

    It's not cheap, but if I'm unwilling to invest ~2k in my health over the course of a year what is the point? And doing some reading really convinced me that you do get what you pay for with this stuff. Obviously we have some very fit and motivated people on here who just need a space and some equipment to make progress. Lurker23 doesn't need a coach!! But I do, and like anything else if you want the benefit of quality expertise you need to be willing to spend a few quid.

    Anyway, I'm going to stick the workouts they have me do in here. I'm quite excited, they seemed bang on and seem to have the requisite level of knowledge to scale things down to my level and coach me through the lifts. Hopefully I'll have the discipline to make a proper go of this, we'll see.
    "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

    #2
    A friend of mine has been raving about that crossfit thingy for ages.

    Looks good and I could sure do with losing some beef so might look into it a bit more closely.

    Good post and best of luck with it!

    Raiser

    Twitter @theroyalraiser

    Comment


      #3
      Good luck with it Lloyd. Any weight loss target or just an unspecified 'feel good' amount?

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by 5starpool View Post
        Good luck with it Lloyd. Any weight loss target or just an unspecified 'feel good' amount?
        Just feel healthier and lighter Dom. As I said, my appearance has never really worried me that much. Even when I was super fit and healthy I never looked great! Just the gradual realisation that I am as healthy as I look has scared me a little.
        "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

        Comment


          #5
          I'm all about the new innovations in fitness and love to see something different to the norm and CrossFit definitely fits the mould.
          I haven't read much but a personal trainer uses the gym I'm currently doing my placement in and from what he has told me, the concept seems interesting about the use of these exercises increasing the metabolic rate immensely and burning fat really fast.
          He mentioned how ripped people using it are getting!!

          However in saying that, I've read a few bits about them being in trouble in the US over poor safety and poorly trained staff. I'm sure it's better in Ireland but I know a guy who instructs CrossFit, who is in excellent shape himself and was already a qualified gym instructor before but he was telling me, he had to pay either 1 or 2k to do the course over 1 or 2 weekends.

          Not 100% sure of the details and haven't seen the training 1st hand so can't say it's good, bad or indifferent but it is quite expensive, Waterford is one of the cheaper ones I'm told at 90e a month which is alot, but if it works and your motivated by them, it's a small price to pay in the greater scheme of things.
          Be great if you put up your progress and details of program as it advances!!

          Best of luck!!

          Comment


            #6
            Fair play Lloyd if you stick with it the weight will fall off you.
            You have a powerful build so you never will be skinny.

            You write well and hope this thread does not go quiet after a few weeeks.

            As regards spending money on your health long term count the cost of illness, drugs
            and loss of earnings due to premature death.

            The fear is not to bad of a decade a hot widow gave me her number last night never happened in my 20s best of luck.

            Comment


              #7
              Originally posted by SICKPUPPY View Post
              Fair play Lloyd if you stick with it the weight will fall off you.
              You have a powerful build so you never will be skinny.

              You write well and hope this thread does not go quiet after a few weeeks.

              As regards spending money on your health long term count the cost of illness, drugs
              and loss of earnings due to premature death.

              The fear is not to bad of a decade a hot widow gave me her number last night never happened in my 20s best of luck.
              Yep - that's the big thing. Starting something for a few weeks then doing nothing for months on end has me where I am. The trainer this morning was really pushing the idea of 75 training sessions in six months. 75 hours out of 4383. Sound easy eh? That's the hard part - seeing stuff like this through.

              As for the last sentence, I've heard us men are supposed to become more attractive as we age a little. That would want to be true!
              "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

              Comment


                #8
                As the old saying goes .... 'You too could have a body like mine' ... I say that too but add in words 'when you're not careful!' at the end ... :-) ... I think this is a good idea. Going to google and see if there is any Crossfit going on near me ... Raiser.

                Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk 2

                Twitter @theroyalraiser

                Comment


                  #9
                  You should definitely set goals/target weight, seeing the number on the scales going down is a good feeling and helps you stay focused. Also it doesnt just feel like your going to the gym every week for eternity when you have a date in mind, gl with it.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by LuckyLloyd View Post
                    I've heard us men are supposed to become more attractive as we age a little. That would want to be true!
                    Confirmed

                    gl with this LL
                    "We are not Europeans. Those people on the continent are freaks."

                    Comment


                      #11
                      As you say yourself the merits of one fitness program or the other is largely unimportant to you at this stage. The key is to start and get moving. Resistance training is absolutely paramount. Even bodyweight resistance as it would seem that they are doing with you.

                      By far the most important thing on your and everyones journey is nutrition. You need to get a handle on that as a priority. Can't be emphasised enough. Theres plenty of info out there but the 2 basics are 1) reduce your calories below what you expend during the day 2) reduce your carbs intake so you body begins using fat as a fuel. Totally reduce any sugar based carbs - watch out for "hidden"sugar such as fizzy drinks, fruit (inc. fruit juice) - only liquid in your mouth should be water.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Crossfit is great, with the proviso to "keep the form". Pretty sure you spoke about lifting before so hope you have experience with the correct way to lift, slight spinal curve etc.

                        Crossfit done properly is both addictive and rewarding. Eat yourself into health too though. Eating properly will help you have energy for training and also reach your goals faster.

                        I definitely agree with the poster above about defining goals and aiming to get there (short medium and long term).

                        Gluck gluck, you have the big heart!

                        Comment


                          #13
                          ...
                          "We're not f*cking Burundi" - Big Phil

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Workout 1, Sun 27th 10:00am

                            Warmup

                            Some shuttle runs, stretching then 3 rounds of five shoulder dislocations with a PVC bar, five overhead squats with the PVC bar, and five wall slides I think they are called. Was a good warm up, felt good to go after it though my shoulder flexibility is very poor (can't comfortably place the back of my hands and arms flat against a wall)

                            Strength Movement

                            Deadlifts @ 80kgs

                            So the idea was to warm up a few then do two every 30 seconds for six minutes with bands @ 60% of one rep max (resetting with the bar on the ground for each rep). The coach told me to forget about the bands and the time component and just focus on doing a few solid ones with good form on a moderate weight.

                            I managed 15 before I felt a small strain in my back and the coach said stop. My form taking the bar up is apparently okay, just got to focus on getting into a good rhythm before each attempt and keeping my chest higher. The problem is the way down. Was sloppy putting it down and was bending over too much past the knees. After the session was over he went through a few pointers with me on the movement with the idea being that I need to keep everything tight and focussed down to the knees and just drop it from there if necessary.

                            Back was fine a few minutes after I stopped so it could just have been tiredness from doing a movement I haven't done in a looooong time.

                            Metcon

                            16kgs kettle ball swings AMRAP for five minutes
                            Skipping for five minutes
                            16kgs kettle ball swing AMRAP for 2.5 minutes
                            Skipping for 2.5 minutes

                            Kettle ball swings are tough! Was able to get the idea down fairly quickly though which is good.

                            Skipping is simply an art it seems. Try as I might, I struggled to get more than five in a row done - though it was a good workout trying. The co - ordination is tough.

                            Gassed after it and very tired now. Next session is Tuesday night. Were four people to a main coach so plenty of individual feedback and pointers. Good stuff.
                            Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 08-03-13, 20:59. Reason: Yeah, it was 80 rather than 70 now that I think of it
                            "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Best of luck Lloyd
                              Pining for Wa'erford

                              Comment


                                #16
                                Lloyd, re: form. Get a single non-Crossfit PT session if you can.

                                Can't stress enough how important it is to learn how to lift correctly if you want to make any progress without hurting yourself.

                                I'm teaching someone at the moment and I won't let them lift anything heavy until they learn the form properly.

                                Especially Deadlifting and Squatting. Probably pay something like 40/50quid for a session with someone who'll just watch and advise you lifting an emtpy bar a few times.

                                http://www.gymjunkies.com/fat-loss-secrets-videoCheck out my free video that reveals 3 "health foods" that are secretly making you fat. This brand new video...


                                http://www.gymjunkies.com/fat-loss-secrets-videoCheck out my free video that reveals 3 "health foods" that are secretly making you fat. This brand new video...

                                Comment


                                  #17
                                  Ive been a fairly avid gym goer for the last two years ago and have only recently been doing cross fit(last few months). Its the business. But what Ive only realised over the last 6 months or so, that diet is one of the largest things in training. I obviously always realised it was important. But Ive really been strict on it and my weight is staying the same(as ive planned) my strength has increased, and my body fat has gone way down. I have one cheat meal a week which really keeps me going and something to look forward to. As for crossfit, form is everything. I thought I had decent form until i started crossfit. With my old technique I was deadlifting for a triple 140kg which i was pleased with at 75kg body weight. However, I have cut back on the weight significantly to ensure form is correct and to strengthen glutes, lats and hamstrings all of which play a huge part in the deadlift. (Using assited lifts, good mornings etc) If I were you I would really concentrate on the diet. Your trying to make a lifestyle change and not a quick fix so you need to eat often and a combination of Carbs, Protein and Fat. If you want any info on nutrition PM me. I dont claim to be an expert but Im doing a personal training course at the moment and beginning a masters in nutrition in september so I know enough to shed some light on frequency of meals and portions etc if necessary

                                  Comment


                                    #18
                                    Originally posted by drive56 View Post
                                    Ive been a fairly avid gym goer for the last two years ago and have only recently been doing cross fit(last few months). Its the business. But what Ive only realised over the last 6 months or so, that diet is one of the largest things in training. I obviously always realised it was important. But Ive really been strict on it and my weight is staying the same(as ive planned) my strength has increased, and my body fat has gone way down. I have one cheat meal a week which really keeps me going and something to look forward to. As for crossfit, form is everything. I thought I had decent form until i started crossfit. With my old technique I was deadlifting for a triple 140kg which i was pleased with at 75kg body weight. However, I have cut back on the weight significantly to ensure form is correct and to strengthen glutes, lats and hamstrings all of which play a huge part in the deadlift. (Using assited lifts, good mornings etc) If I were you I would really concentrate on the diet. Your trying to make a lifestyle change and not a quick fix so you need to eat often and a combination of Carbs, Protein and Fat. If you want any info on nutrition PM me. I dont claim to be an expert but Im doing a personal training course at the moment and beginning a masters in nutrition in september so I know enough to shed some light on frequency of meals and portions etc if necessary
                                    Where you doing the masters in nutrition?

                                    Comment


                                      #19
                                      Thanks for the tips lads.

                                      @Emmett: to be fair, I was being coached today. They offer private training sessions (expensive mind, €75 an hour) though and it may be an option to take them up on for a specific squat and deadlift session

                                      @drive: thanks for the offer of additional help. A bit overburdened in literature to get through at the moment, but have a basic idea of what's required. To be honest, the first step for me is a few weeks of no take aways, pizzas, coke, etc and just start cooking whatever I'm eating. That would make a big difference.
                                      "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                      Comment


                                        #20
                                        Most importantly - the best of luck of this.

                                        If you a bit of research round the 'net - two things more than any others significantly increase your chances of success - a) Doing some kind of 'public' progress keeping report [which this thread would represent, and b) Keeping a track of what you eat each day [a number of free sites/apps for this].

                                        This time last year I was in a similar position to you, albeit at a higher age category [] - 12 months later my weight is near where I want it to be, my body fat is almost there and my fitness levels have gone way up.

                                        Not going to bore you or anyone else with what I did, but two things in particular were game-changers for me -

                                        1) The realisation, after research, that it's not just exercise that is important, diet [in the sense of what you eat rather than the amount], is vital. Figures around the web vary from 50:50 to 80:20 [in ratio of diet:exercise]. This was a shock to me as for years before that I'd assumed that just getting the exercise right would cause everything else to fall into place.

                                        You've chosen your means of exercise, at least to start off with. I don't know your trainers, but they may not be nutrition/diet experts also, and thus you may need to do some work/research in that field yourself. Which brings me to my second game-changer ...

                                        2) The realisation that the generally recommended healthy eating type things [food pyramids etc...] are a disaster.

                                        This article is by an Irish guy, a sports nutritionist. [ http://optimumnutrition4sport.co.uk/...s-bad-for-us/]

                                        What he says is a summary version [essentially], of an award winning investigation published by the New York Times in the 1990's.

                                        The follow on to that NY times article is the host of 'paleo' type diets [ including "whole30" and "primal living"].

                                        An hour or two flicking through those kind of things will speed up your progress no end, firstly because they work in the sense of weigh loss/muscle gain, and secondly because they speed up the body's recovery process from the new/extra exercise you'll be doing.


                                        Just my 2pence.

                                        Good luck.

                                        Comment


                                          #21
                                          Month of feb; no sugar, no wheat, no take-aways, you will melt away!

                                          Comment


                                            #22
                                            Crossfit? Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!

                                            Ah seriously though, you've definitely made the right decision. From what I hear, the guys down there are fantastic and will put you on the right track in terms of nutrition, goals, form etc. I'll add that if you feel you need a specific squat/dl/bench session you can always come up and train with me for free if you like.

                                            One thing that's overlooked is the mind imo. Try your best to focus on nothing but your session for that hour. Nothing else matters. Furthermore, over time you'll get used to the movements and will instinctively know whether your form is correct.

                                            Same logic applies to what you're eating. It's hard to go wrong if you have a food schedule made out with everything you will eat during the day and at what time. Routine is important as we're creatures of habit. Take the thinking out of your eating.

                                            Learn about foam rolling, trigger point therapy and dynamic stretching drills. Will save you a lot of hassle in the long run.

                                            Lets be honest, you're going to be absolutely ploughed with information both at CF and on here. There's so much conflicting information in the fitness world it'd make you're head explode. Above all, baby steps. Keep it simple stupid

                                            Comment


                                              #23
                                              Originally posted by Lurker23 View Post
                                              Crossfit? Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!

                                              Ah seriously though, you've definitely made the right decision. From what I hear, the guys down there are fantastic and will put you on the right track in terms of nutrition, goals, form etc. I'll add that if you feel you need a specific squat/dl/bench session you can always come up and train with me for free if you like.

                                              One thing that's overlooked is the mind imo. Try your best to focus on nothing but your session for that hour. Nothing else matters. Furthermore, over time you'll get used to the movements and will instinctively know whether your form is correct.

                                              Same logic applies to what you're eating. It's hard to go wrong if you have a food schedule made out with everything you will eat during the day and at what time. Routine is important as we're creatures of habit. Take the thinking out of your eating.

                                              Learn about foam rolling, trigger point therapy and dynamic stretching drills. Will save you a lot of hassle in the long run.

                                              Lets be honest, you're going to be absolutely ploughed with information both at CF and on here. There's so much conflicting information in the fitness world it'd make you're head explode. Above all, baby steps. Keep it simple stupid
                                              That's a very nice offer, you may regret it!!

                                              Overwhelmed! And yeah, the first challenge for me is to get a couple of weeks of consistent training and non terrible eating in. Walk before you can run, etc.
                                              "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                              Comment


                                                #24
                                                Couldnt agree more with Lurker. Space between your ears is the weakest part of your body for most people. It always tries to give in first.

                                                I posted that Killing the Fat Man vid in the BBV a while ago. The guy is infectious. Really good watch despite the obvious marketing tendencies.

                                                Also, watch the vids I posted with Owen Franks the kiwi prop and his Oly coach. Pure gold in terms of crossover and transfer skills and technique.

                                                Most of all, fair balls to ya dude. Keep it lit from the beginning and you will be so so so suprised at how much you can do.

                                                gogogogogo
                                                This may or may not be an original thought of my own.
                                                All efforts were made to make this thought original but with the abundance of thoughts in the world the originality of this thought cannot be guaranteed.
                                                The author is not liable for any issue arising from the platitudinous nature of this post.

                                                Comment


                                                  #25
                                                  Originally posted by jack90210 View Post
                                                  Where you doing the masters in nutrition?
                                                  Doing the masters in excercise and nutrition science via University of Chester. Its a 2 year part time masters

                                                  Comment


                                                    #26
                                                    Workout 2, Tue 29th 7:30pm

                                                    Preparation far from ideal. Was ill last night and actually threw up. Food poisoning of some sort I wager. Got barely any sleep and stayed at home working on the laptop rather than going into the office. Held some food down in the afternoon and come 5pm I had a choice of getting an hour or so's kip and going or cancelled. Demonstrated the big heart and went.*

                                                    Warmup

                                                    20 minute walk up the hill to the gym after some glute and back stretching at home beforehand
                                                    Warm ups in gym were light High Bar Back Squats to work weights and some Hang Cleans to try and get familiar with the movement

                                                    Strength Movement

                                                    High Bar Back Squat @ 60kgs

                                                    So the idea was to warm up then do 3 sets of 10 with very brief pauses at top of the movement. I managed:

                                                    10 @ 60kgs
                                                    7.5 @ 60kgs (had to drop bar behind when coming out of the hole on the eight rep)
                                                    10 @ 50kgs

                                                    Was good to hear that my form was okay to start. Squats are super tough when done properly though! Gets so hard to force yourself up and you really need to concentrate on getting air in and keeping things tight before going down.

                                                    Metcon

                                                    5 rounds for time with a 15 minute cap of:

                                                    4 Hang Cleans @ 30kgs (would have been Power Cleans @ 80% of 1 rep max)
                                                    8 Push Ups (would have been 8 Hand Stand Push Ups)
                                                    40 Skips (would have been 40 double unders)

                                                    The Hang Cleans were a disaster. Super technical movement and, needless to say, I made a total meal of it. Something to stay super light on for a long time and work on form.

                                                    Skipping was much improved from the other night, timing much improved. Push Ups were solid.

                                                    Overall I managed three rounds + 3 Hang Cleans in the 15 minutes. Totally gassed after it.

                                                    Feel tired now, but glad I went in the end.

                                                    *i.e. I'm dumb as a bag of rocks
                                                    Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 08-03-13, 21:00.
                                                    "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                    Comment


                                                      #27
                                                      Best of luck with this Lloyd. Crossfit gets a lot of criticism, but its mostly aimed at the main site and the nonsense HQ comes out with. Anything i've read regarding CrossFit Ireland has been positive - they do a great job of filtering out the BS by the sounds of things.

                                                      Given your NFL interest you might like http://www.crossfitfootball.com/ also.
                                                      A branch of CF that build up a good rep by distancing itself from HQ.

                                                      Comment


                                                        #28
                                                        Workout 3, Sat 2nd 10:00am

                                                        Was very sore for a a few days after Tuesday night. Squats had properly kicked my glutes in their proverbial balls. Work / poker was hardly ideal activity during the intervening period. I also realised on Thursday night that some of the pain was a strain of some description above my left knee. Irritating, but given that today's workout wasn't going to unduly pressure that area I saw no reason not to go down.

                                                        Also got a call yesterday morning from one of the coaches who has been assigned as 'my' trainer. Gave me his number and email and noted that I could fire on any nutrition or training questions and, as part of the membership, he'd get back to us as soon as possible. That's pretty cool needless to say.

                                                        Warmup

                                                        20 minute walk up the hill to the gym
                                                        Great Warmup: two minutes skipping; shoulder dislocates with pvc pipe; wall slides; lots of dynamic stretching. Felt good to go afterwards.

                                                        Benchmark Metcon

                                                        'Helen'

                                                        Three rounds for time:

                                                        500m Row (would be 400m run outside of Winter)
                                                        21 Kettlebell swings @ 16kgs (should be 24kgs for men but want to get comfortable with the movement first)
                                                        12 Pullups (black assistance band at slot 14 - was slot 10 last Saturday)

                                                        Struggled through in 22 minutes which is not a good time. Did the first round straight through (1:50 for the row; all 21 swings; all 12 pullups) and then the second row and it became a real struggle from there. The coach made the point to me after that if you were going to run 5k you wouldn't sprint the first 100m. I'll have to get better at learning how to pace myself and staying consistent and steady through the workouts.
                                                        Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 08-03-13, 21:00.
                                                        "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                        Comment


                                                          #29
                                                          Good luck with this Lloyd. Don't forget you can't outtrain a bad diet. Get the diet right and you'll be 80% there over time.
                                                          ‘IF YOU had not committed great sins, God would not have sent a punishment like me upon you.” Genghis Khan

                                                          Comment


                                                            #30
                                                            Workout 4, Sun 3rd 10:00am

                                                            Late night last night and there was a few beers and lots of bad food involved. Managed 5 hours sleep before the alarm went off. Needless to say, not ideal preparation.

                                                            Warmup

                                                            20 minute walk up the hill to the gym
                                                            A few shuttle runs, stretching and then some light deadlifts

                                                            Strength Movement

                                                            Deadlifts @ 90kgs

                                                            So the idea was to warm up a few then do three sets of 10 at ~70 - 80% of one's max with a 3 minute rest between each set. And doing the sets as singles one after the other - i.e. dropping the bar at the top.

                                                            I only worried about doing two sets of 10, as my coach advised. He spent a lot of time giving me pointers and it was really more practice on form than anything else.

                                                            Did 20 in the end but, as I say, it was really about figuring out good cues and getting into a rhythm of how to address the bar and approach the movement correctly.

                                                            Metcon

                                                            30 Push Ups
                                                            20 Pull Ups (Black band, slot 14)
                                                            25 16kgs kettle ball swings
                                                            60 Sit Ups (anchored with ab mat placed beneath you)
                                                            70 Burpees

                                                            Strict 20 minute cap

                                                            Push Ups and Pull Ups were a terrible struggle. Went as hard as I could yesterday and obviously hadn't recovered fully. Managed 51 Sit Ups before the 20 minutes were up, so not good. Just have to stick at this and will hopefully see some increase in my work capacity over time.
                                                            Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 08-03-13, 21:00.
                                                            "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                            Comment


                                                              #31
                                                              Are you relatively new to training? The training your doing is pretty tough if youre just starting out. Ive been training for quite a while and when I started cross fit and olympic lifting, the idea I went with was dropping weight down, getting form perfect and building up slowly. It seems like youre doing an awful lot in a session with a danger of over training and hitting plateaus. You may not build up the strength sufficiently in hamstrings, groin and glutes etc. Just curious as to your history prior to this blog, not saying theres anything wrong with what your doing!

                                                              Comment


                                                                #32
                                                                Originally posted by drive56 View Post
                                                                Are you relatively new to training? The training your doing is pretty tough if youre just starting out. Ive been training for quite a while and when I started cross fit and olympic lifting, the idea I went with was dropping weight down, getting form perfect and building up slowly. It seems like youre doing an awful lot in a session with a danger of over training and hitting plateaus. You may not build up the strength sufficiently in hamstrings, groin and glutes etc. Just curious as to your history prior to this blog, not saying theres anything wrong with what your doing!
                                                                In a word, no. I'm not a beginner to hard training. Would have played sport at a high enough level up to my early twenties, would have been fairly active with squash and football for a couple of years in my mid twenties; and lifted regularly on and off the past couple of years.

                                                                The weights I'm using for Squats, deadlifts and cleans thus far are quite light (Hang Clean @ 30kgs!), using a 16kgs kettlebell. The metcons are tough, but you can only go as hard as you can go for the 15 / 20 minutes and that concept would be familiar to me over the years.

                                                                That my times on the metcons are so bad (if that what has you wondering) is an indication of how out of shape I had allowed myself to get, as opposed to me being a beginner who was sedentary to this point.
                                                                Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 03-02-13, 15:14.
                                                                "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                Comment


                                                                  #33
                                                                  Originally posted by drive56 View Post
                                                                  Are you relatively new to training? The training your doing is pretty tough if youre just starting out. Ive been training for quite a while and when I started cross fit and olympic lifting, the idea I went with was dropping weight down, getting form perfect and building up slowly. It seems like youre doing an awful lot in a session with a danger of over training and hitting plateaus. You may not build up the strength sufficiently in hamstrings, groin and glutes etc. Just curious as to your history prior to this blog, not saying theres anything wrong with what your doing!
                                                                  I hate that word. It really doesn't apply to someone trying to regain fitness or any of us average joes for that matter. Our capacity to train correctly and hold form will go long before we are mentally exhausted. You see that word used as an excuse more than anything else.

                                                                  I realise it can happen but we underestimate just how far we'd have to go and push our CNS in order to acheive that state. A beginner certainly hasn't got the efficiency/skill to overload the CNS. The more advanced you get the more likely you are have the capability of overtraining but getting to that level is a long road in itself.

                                                                  Comment


                                                                    #34
                                                                    I was using the words "over training" in relation to the first question I posed which was are you relatively new to training. If his answer was yes, do you not think that the metcon he did in his last training session would be too much for the beginner? Perhaps the words over training were incorrect to imply what I was actually asking. I was trying to find out his level of experience in relation to the training regimen he's currently on.

                                                                    Comment


                                                                      #35
                                                                      Originally posted by drive56 View Post
                                                                      I was trying to find out his level of experience in relation to the training regimen he's currently on.
                                                                      Would you still have concerns given my response? What in particular would worry you about the sessions so far / today's session?
                                                                      "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                      Comment


                                                                        #36
                                                                        Originally posted by drive56 View Post
                                                                        I was using the words "over training" in relation to the first question I posed which was are you relatively new to training. If his answer was yes, do you not think that the metcon he did in his last training session would be too much for the beginner? Perhaps the words over training were incorrect to imply what I was actually asking. I was trying to find out his level of experience in relation to the training regimen he's currently on.
                                                                        Not really tbh. That metcon is mostly BW stuff with a time limit. I'd imagine they're trying to get a feel for Lloyd's level of fitness whilst using exercises that he can perform safely and will tailor the metcons appropriately once they know where he's at. I doubt he was expected to finish it on the first attempt.

                                                                        The guys down there are excellent and he is in great hands.

                                                                        Comment


                                                                          #37
                                                                          I think my post has been taken in the wrong way. Any concern I had or stated was based on my assumption that he had no training experience, which is why I asked about his level of experience. I wasnt commenting on his ability to complete the metcon at present because i have been told he has the experience. And yes its all body weight stuff. but in my opinion very few beginners would be able to do that metcon

                                                                          Comment


                                                                            #38
                                                                            Originally posted by Lurker23 View Post
                                                                            I hate that word. It really doesn't apply to someone trying to regain fitness or any of us average joes for that matter...
                                                                            Massive +1 from me.
                                                                            Over-training has become a trendy way of saying "I'm kinda tired", and its often just as a justification for easing off on the effort. If you want to take a break, go for it, you don't need any other excuse.

                                                                            Actually Overtraining takes more than 2-3weeks to recover from (by definition) its a concern for the likes of JackyBack and other IronMan triathletes - not those of us trying improve fitness.

                                                                            Originally posted by drive56 View Post
                                                                            I think my post has been taken in the wrong way. Any concern I had or stated was based on my assumption that he had no training experience, which is why I asked about his level of experience. I wasnt commenting on his ability to complete the metcon at present because i have been told he has the experience. And yes its all body weight stuff. but in my opinion very few beginners would be able to do that metcon
                                                                            I agree very few beginners would finish the metcon - but I don't think that fact is particularly important. Just because you don't finish, doesn't mean you weren't working out. That's the beauty of well programmed metcons, you can only go so hard or as fast as you as you are able. There's a massive difference between over-training and over-reaching.

                                                                            Looking at the metcon in question, I imagine most people aren't expected to finish, by design. A person "score" is simply how far they get. And if you do complete it in 20mins, you increase the K-Bell weight, or change the pull up band the next time. Very few people are going to smash it out under 10 mins without scaling.

                                                                            30 Push Ups
                                                                            20 Pull Ups (Black band, slot 14)
                                                                            25 16kgs kettle ball swings
                                                                            60 Sit Ups
                                                                            70 Burpees

                                                                            Comment


                                                                              #39
                                                                              Workout 5, Mon 4th 12:00pm

                                                                              Had the day off on account of the Superbowl so decided to book in for this. Now, before someone goes 'that's silly programming' re deadlifts again, you have to understand that Sundays are make up sessions and a repeat of Friday classes.

                                                                              Warmup

                                                                              20 minute walk up the hill to the gym
                                                                              Skipping, PVC bar stuff (shoulder dislocates, overhead squats, squat presses), dynamic stretching

                                                                              Flexibility is generally poor and I find the warmups a real challenge at present. Hilarious what you used to believe constituted good stretching.

                                                                              Skill Movement

                                                                              Hi Hang Snatch practice with the bar

                                                                              Just practiced the jump and catch movement with instruction from one of the coaches. Olympic lifts are highly, highly technical. I'm obviously a long, long way off from doing a full form snatch.

                                                                              Metcon

                                                                              Supposed to be 'Diane' which is:

                                                                              21 - 15 - 9

                                                                              Deadlifts @ 100kgs for men
                                                                              Hand Stand Push Ups

                                                                              For time

                                                                              But was modified for me to

                                                                              Deadlifts @ 90kgs again
                                                                              Wall climbs

                                                                              with the proviso that I concentrate on doing the 21 Deadlifts well with a reset each time and then just practice the wall climbs for the remainder of the 15 minutes

                                                                              Got the Deadlifts done and am happy that I'm getting a good process going each time, then got five minutes of wall climb practice in - they are so very, very tough!!

                                                                              That's three workouts in three days where I was off work. Will be harder tomorrow hitting down after work, then will take a couple of days off.
                                                                              Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 08-03-13, 21:01.
                                                                              "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                              Comment


                                                                                #40
                                                                                Workout 6, Tue 5th 7:30pm

                                                                                Was really looking forward to tonight when it was posted on the website last night. Figured my one rep max would be laughable but was well psyched up to see what it was nonetheless. Rest and food was all good. Felt good heading out the door.

                                                                                Warmup

                                                                                20 minute walk up the hill to the gym
                                                                                Shuttle runs, dynamic stretches and some air squats to warm up

                                                                                Strength Movement

                                                                                Establish a one rep max High Bar Back Squat

                                                                                Had a chat with the coach and, on the basis of last week, the objective was to work towards ~85kgs. So:

                                                                                Bar x 5
                                                                                60kgs x 4
                                                                                ---

                                                                                I also realised on Thursday night that some of the pain was a strain of some description above my left knee.
                                                                                Injured it seems! Sharp pain in the same spot on the third rep. Apparently I'm moving my knees forward initially as opposed to shoving my knees out and breaking at the hip to begin with.

                                                                                So, while everyone else was having great fun I sat it out in the corner foam rolling the affected area and stretching.

                                                                                Metcon

                                                                                Was skipping and wall ball shots for everyone else but, on account of my quad, I was tasked with

                                                                                5 rounds of:

                                                                                1 minute 16kgs Kettlebell Swings
                                                                                1 minute Push Ups
                                                                                1 minute rest

                                                                                Tough obviously, but worked as hard as I could.

                                                                                Was given an Ice Pack and some advice re looking after the injury, so will hopefully be good to go for Friday evening (and there is nothing in it that should pressure the area).
                                                                                Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 08-03-13, 21:01.
                                                                                "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                                Comment


                                                                                  #41
                                                                                  Sorry, we couldn’t find that page


                                                                                  Watched this fucking video about five times today, getting the technique right is much, much harder than it looks!!
                                                                                  "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                    #42
                                                                                    Workout 7, Fri 8th 6:30pm

                                                                                    Spent the last couple of days eating well, icing my quad and moving / stretching as instructed. Felt good, but heading straight from work is tough I must say.

                                                                                    Warmup

                                                                                    Skipping for 3 minutes
                                                                                    Then PVC pipe shoulder dislocates; overhead squats and some wall slides

                                                                                    Strength Movement

                                                                                    Establish a 1RM Push Press

                                                                                    Never did a barbell press before in my life which is a damning indictment of the kind of training people do when left to their own devices.

                                                                                    5 @ bar
                                                                                    5 @ 30kgs
                                                                                    3 @ 40kgs
                                                                                    2 @ 50kgs
                                                                                    1 @ 55kgs
                                                                                    1 @ 60kgs
                                                                                    1 @ 65kgs
                                                                                    ---
                                                                                    1 @ 60kgs
                                                                                    1 @ 60kgs

                                                                                    No failed reps.

                                                                                    Now, it would be incorrect to describe these as a Push Press, or even a strict Press. A 'Press of some description' will have to do. After every rep my rack partner and the coach were going over the cues with me, and every time it made sense. Give myself hip drive, explode the chest high and shrug the shoulders up, then press it from eye level. But actually doing all that properly was beyond me. Basically I was just strict pressing the fucker up there. After the rep at 65kgs my coach informed me 'you're strong as fuck!'; but nonetheless I was told to go back down to 60kgs and focus on doing the movement correctly - i.e. a Push Press rather than a strict Press.

                                                                                    Feel like I could maybe get a moderate amount of weight up there if I got the Push Press technique right and gave myself some help from the hip. Never was in danger of not getting it above my head. Shame.

                                                                                    Metcon

                                                                                    Row 1k
                                                                                    3 attempts to establish unbroken max effort Pull Ups
                                                                                    3 attempts to establish unbroken max effort double unders

                                                                                    Rowed the 1k in 3mins 41.8 seconds. Happy enough.
                                                                                    LOL at the Pull Ups. Best set was the first one with 8 total - and that was black band, slot 14. Lots of work required here.
                                                                                    Double Unders are beyond me at this stage so didn't bother.


                                                                                    Now, I know nothing about Crossfit but apparently the competitive season has begun with the Crossfit Open due to start soon followed by Crossfit Games Regionals, etc. This means that programming is due to change for the next three months and up the ante on the conditioning aspect before going back into a Strength focused cycle thereafter. Well, so I was told before the session began today. Tomorrow looks like a brutal Metcon, but I'll turn up and give it a lash.
                                                                                    Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 08-03-13, 21:01.
                                                                                    "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                                    Comment


                                                                                      #43
                                                                                      Originally posted by LuckyLloyd View Post
                                                                                      Now, I know nothing about Crossfit but apparently the competitive season has begun with the Crossfit Open due to start soon followed by Crossfit Games Regionals, etc. This means that programming is due to change for the next three months and up the ante on the conditioning aspect before going back into a Strength focused cycle thereafter. Well, so I was told before the session began today. Tomorrow looks like a brutal Metcon, but I'll turn up and give it a lash.
                                                                                      Is Dominic Munnelly a coach at Crossfit Ireland? I think that's where is he. He's qualified for the European regionals the past year or two. The performances required to even qualify is crazy, and the guys coming out on top are superhuman.

                                                                                      Comment


                                                                                        #44
                                                                                        Originally posted by Mellor View Post
                                                                                        Is Dominic Munnelly a coach at Crossfit Ireland? I think that's where is he. He's qualified for the European regionals the past year or two. The performances required to even qualify is crazy, and the guys coming out on top are superhuman.
                                                                                        No Dominic at this Crossfit. Maybe he's with Crossfit Dublin?
                                                                                        "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                                        Comment


                                                                                          #45
                                                                                          Originally posted by LuckyLloyd View Post
                                                                                          No Dominic at this Crossfit. Maybe he's with Crossfit Dublin?
                                                                                          I checked his website again, definitely says crossfit Ireland.
                                                                                          Although reading it again, I think it might mean he's a PT and trains out if CFI but not necessarily an in-house coach.

                                                                                          Reading this reminds me I really try fit in more conditioning metcons after strength work. Keep it up.

                                                                                          Comment


                                                                                            #46
                                                                                            Originally posted by Mellor View Post
                                                                                            I checked his website again, definitely says crossfit Ireland.
                                                                                            Although reading it again, I think it might mean he's a PT and trains out if CFI but not necessarily an in-house coach.
                                                                                            Ah right. This morning there was a very athletic looking dude taking a few people through a session in the corner of the gym - so that might be the the guy you are thinking of. He doesn't take any of the regular CFI sessions though AFAIK

                                                                                            Workout 8, Sat 9th 11:00am

                                                                                            Felt good this morning and was looking forward to giving it a lash.

                                                                                            Warmup

                                                                                            20 minute walk up the hill to the gym
                                                                                            Great Warmup: lots of shuttle running, leg swings, dynamic stretching, air squats and then practice of each Metcon movement with the bar

                                                                                            Metcon

                                                                                            Modified version of 2012 Regionals Individual Event 4 (whatever the fuck that is)

                                                                                            For time with a 25 minute cap:

                                                                                            30 HBBS @ 50 Kgs (would be 60kgs)
                                                                                            20 Pull Ups (black band, slot 14)
                                                                                            10 Shoulder to Overheads performed via a Push Jerk @ 50kgs (would be 60kgs)
                                                                                            30 Front Squats @ 30kgs (would be 40kgs)
                                                                                            20 Pull Ups (black band, slot 14)
                                                                                            10 Shoulder to Overheads performed via a Push Jerk @ 30kgs (would be 40kgs)
                                                                                            30 Overhead Squats @ 20kgs (would be 30kgs)
                                                                                            20 Pull Ups (black band, slot 14)
                                                                                            10 Shoulder to Overheads performed via a Push Jerk @ 20kgs (would be 30kgs)

                                                                                            Now, before anyone wonders, there was no expectation of me getting near finishing all this. As it was, I got through the squats and Pull Ups for the first round okay and then began the shoulder to overheads whereupon the coach insisted I dump the bar eventhough I felt okay. The issue? Just straight muscling it up there again. I was told to strip the bar down to 30kgs and practice a Push Jerk movement. Got the last 6 reps doing that. Difficult technique but yet again you can see how it would be possible to move decent weight like that if you could grasp the movement.

                                                                                            Disaster from there tbh. I have dreadful shoulder flexibility and found it immensely difficult to perform the Front Squats as it is virtually impossible for me to get my elbows out in front to stabilize the bar. Struggled through trying the movement with the bar and, eventually, with dumbells on the advice of the coach. He showed me some stretches after we finished and I'll need to work on opening the shoulders as I have to be able to hold the bar in a comfortable and stable position in front for a lot of the lifts we do.

                                                                                            Got 19 Pull Ups done then before the clock ran out.

                                                                                            Just have to stick at it. On the plus side, I've been following the coach's advice re my left quad all week, foam rolling / stretching / icing and I didn't notice it today so that's good.
                                                                                            Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 08-03-13, 21:02.
                                                                                            "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                                            Comment


                                                                                              #47
                                                                                              Very best of luck Lloyd

                                                                                              If you need any help, just shout.

                                                                                              Comment


                                                                                                #48
                                                                                                Workout 9, Tue 19th 7:30pm

                                                                                                So, the night after the last workout I felt poorly and took a trip to the hospital the next day. Long story short, nasty sinus infection (well, so the doctor guessed on the basis that I had been unwell for a couple of weeks), one week on antibiotics and no training.

                                                                                                Didn't even feel 100% this evening but seen as I'd finished my Penicillin I reckoned I had to get back on the wagon

                                                                                                Warmup

                                                                                                20 minute walk up the hill to the gym (these are getting easier - no back pain anymore)
                                                                                                Warm ups in gym were leg swings, shuttle runs and stretching

                                                                                                Strength Movement

                                                                                                High Bar Back Squat

                                                                                                5 @ bar
                                                                                                5 @ 40kgs
                                                                                                3 x 5 @ 60kgs
                                                                                                3 x 3 @ 70kgs

                                                                                                Very light weight obviously, but my flexibility and depth are improving so I found them tough at least. Slightly lightheaded after - tough coming back from being ill.

                                                                                                Metcon

                                                                                                Needless to say, no expectation anyone would finish:

                                                                                                25 Box Jumps @ 24 inches (Coach had me do 16 inches as I hadn't done them before)
                                                                                                5 rounds of:
                                                                                                5 Hang Cleans @ 30kgs (would have been Power Cleans @ 70kgs)
                                                                                                10 Hand Release Push Ups
                                                                                                15 Air Squats

                                                                                                25 Box Jumps

                                                                                                3 rounds of:
                                                                                                5 Hang Cleans @ 30kgs (would have been Power Cleans @ 70kgs)
                                                                                                10 Hand Release Push Ups
                                                                                                15 Air Squats

                                                                                                25 Box Jumps

                                                                                                Got the box jumps and 4 rounds finished inside the 20 minute cap. Found it very difficult, sweat was pumping out of me the whole session but I just stuck at it as best I can taking lots of little pauses.

                                                                                                Hopefully that's the end of being ill and I can put the head down properly for an extended period.
                                                                                                Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 08-03-13, 21:02.
                                                                                                "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                                                Comment


                                                                                                  #49
                                                                                                  Workout 10, Wed 20th 7:30pm

                                                                                                  Bad session. Still not 100% which is slightly concerning at this stage, but went down anyway.

                                                                                                  Warmup

                                                                                                  20 minute walk up the hill to the gym
                                                                                                  Warm ups in gym were leg swings, shuttle runs, wall slides and stretching

                                                                                                  Strength Movement

                                                                                                  15 minutes to establish a 1 rep max Push Jerk

                                                                                                  Heaviest I ended up doing was 50kgs but, really, this was about trying to practice the movement. The theory of it makes sense but falls apart when it comes to actually doing it. Needless to say, it is necessary to try and perfect the movement with a low weight but my ability to easily press 50kgs over my head doesn't force me to do it right. Work in progress.

                                                                                                  It is a pretty cool lower body movement though, and I look forward to getting the hang of it.

                                                                                                  Metcon

                                                                                                  9 mins AMRAP:

                                                                                                  Push Jerk @ 70kgs (I left 50kgs on the bar)
                                                                                                  10 toes to bar (I did hand to toe crunches)
                                                                                                  40 double unders (I did single unders)

                                                                                                  This was supposed to be intense, as fast as you can work but I was making a balls of the Push Jerks and fucked the bar down after a couple yelling an expletive () to which the coach came over and - as one may deal with an unruly child - ordered me to strip the bar and practice the movement in stages, then add 10kgs, etc. This sucked up most of the time, and after I had managed a couple of clean ones I was left with enough time to do one round of the sit ups and single unders. Need to be more patient.
                                                                                                  Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 08-03-13, 21:02.
                                                                                                  "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                                    #50
                                                                                                    Also, was thinking about throwing €200 at Ben Dunne and going down once a week to do some squats and alternating overhead / bench press. It seems pretty organised down there into:

                                                                                                    Monday: Olympic movement
                                                                                                    Tuesday: Squat
                                                                                                    Wednesday: Olympic movement
                                                                                                    Friday: Deadlift
                                                                                                    Saturday: Longer Metcon or Benchmark Metcon

                                                                                                    And change my week into:

                                                                                                    Tuesday: Crossfit Squat day
                                                                                                    Thursday: Gym, HBBS / Press
                                                                                                    Saturday: Longer Metcon
                                                                                                    Sunday: Crossfit Deadlift day

                                                                                                    Possibly over thinking things, but they don't Bench Press (or Overhead / Push Press) regularly. I think the belief is that you will get enough pressing strength from regular push ups and until you can do 50 perfect form of those why add external weight. Not unreasonable. That said, I kinda miss it (gunz bro) and adding in a second squat day might be highly beneficial.

                                                                                                    Thoughts? If anyone wishes to note that I should try and walk before I can run fire ahead.
                                                                                                    "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                                                    Comment


                                                                                                      #51
                                                                                                      Lloyd, perhaps a slightly negative post, but is there a small element of trying to run before you can walk here?

                                                                                                      I'm a huge fan of crossfit (done properly) and a massive detractor of crossfit (done without proper form).

                                                                                                      Would you be better off with broomstick (or bar only) sessions for a couple of weeks practicing form? And then taking that to crossfit?

                                                                                                      I am training a complete newbie at the minute, and he's still not lifting any more than 35kg at any lift. He's certainly able to (physically), but I'm building up the form of each lift carefully with him. He understands why we're doing it, being overtly anal now so as not having to re-programme down the line (much harder to do!).

                                                                                                      If not broomstick only for a few weeks, what about cutting the crossfit to 1 session and doing form & number sessions with a PT alongside it?

                                                                                                      Just a suggestion, as I know full well that the technical side of the lifts can become far too much to think about while trying to complete the tasks listed in the sessions.

                                                                                                      edit: cracking simul-post

                                                                                                      Comment


                                                                                                        #52
                                                                                                        Originally posted by Emmet View Post
                                                                                                        Lloyd, perhaps a slightly negative post, but is there a small element of trying to run before you can walk here?

                                                                                                        I'm a huge fan of crossfit (done properly) and a massive detractor of crossfit (done without proper form).

                                                                                                        Would you be better off with broomstick (or bar only) sessions for a couple of weeks practicing form? And then taking that to crossfit?

                                                                                                        I am training a complete newbie at the minute, and he's still not lifting any more than 35kg at any lift. He's certainly able to (physically), but I'm building up the form of each lift carefully with him. He understands why we're doing it, being overtly anal now so as not having to re-programme down the line (much harder to do!).

                                                                                                        If not broomstick only for a few weeks, what about cutting the crossfit to 1 session and doing form & number sessions with a PT alongside it?

                                                                                                        Just a suggestion, as I know full well that the technical side of the lifts can become far too much to think about while trying to complete the tasks listed in the sessions.
                                                                                                        Already had that chat after the session today. Coach reckons I shouldn't have anything more than 30kgs on the bar for any barbell movement that isn't a squat or deadlift from now on until I'm nailing the movements. Also, to be fair, I was told that I wasn't in danger of hurting myself - just was pressing the fucking thing rather than push jerking it.

                                                                                                        I'd be against just doing one Crossfit session, but am thinking of avoiding the Olympic lift days for a couple of months.
                                                                                                        "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                                                        Comment


                                                                                                          #53
                                                                                                          I don't think strength is an issue for you Lloyd. I think you would reap a lot of benefit from concentrating mobility and technique. My most worthwhile investment of the past few years has been a set of iron woody bands. I use them for band pullaparts, dislocates and even for overhead squating. Concentrating on improvements in shoulder mobility and hip flexibility will beneift you more in the long run than the amount of weight on the bar.

                                                                                                          Mine were expensive at the time, but i can see they are much cheaper now from these guys. http://www.d8fitness.com/store/power-bands/

                                                                                                          Oh, and gunz bro...we all need gunz

                                                                                                          Comment


                                                                                                            #54
                                                                                                            I think you've got the right idea, try stick to the crossfit sessions that you know (squats, deadlifts etc), and avoid the more involved Oly lift sessions until you are happy with your form and technique.

                                                                                                            I've been trying to nail the Snatch (not a euphemism) for the last 5 weeks and am making very very slow progress. There is no way that I could do it in a Crossfit session, even after 10 technique sessions.

                                                                                                            Comment


                                                                                                              #55
                                                                                                              Mobility mobility mobility
                                                                                                              Even regarding "straight forward" movements like squats and deadlifts. Improved technique will help you lift a bitbmore but it's mobility that decides if you can get into the correct position or not.

                                                                                                              Making 1 day a week a "mobility workout" would return dividends, or failing that. Investing some time at home.

                                                                                                              Comment


                                                                                                                #56
                                                                                                                They've been a big help re mobility already to be fair. I've been given some specific stretches and foam rolling to be doing myself, and the first 15 minutes of each session involves dynamic stretching. I'm already getting better depth on squats and feeling more comfortable while doing them.

                                                                                                                Thanks for the comments though, food for thought and a good suggestion re the bands.

                                                                                                                Also any thoughts re supplements? They got a delivery of D3, Fish Oil and M3. What do you lads bother with, if anything?
                                                                                                                "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                                                                Comment


                                                                                                                  #57
                                                                                                                  Best of luck with this Lloyd. Looking forward to seeing your blossoming bromance with Rich Froning and Dan Baily at the 2014 crossfit games.

                                                                                                                  Comment


                                                                                                                    #58
                                                                                                                    Workout 11, Fri 22nd 6:30pm

                                                                                                                    Warmup

                                                                                                                    Got delayed coming out of work and was a real rush to the gym. Missed the first five minutes of warm ups so not ideal. Got some stretching in.

                                                                                                                    Strength Movement

                                                                                                                    Top Pull Deadlifts

                                                                                                                    2 @ 60kgs
                                                                                                                    2 @ 80kgs
                                                                                                                    2 @ 100kgs
                                                                                                                    2 @ 100kgs
                                                                                                                    2 @ 120kgs
                                                                                                                    2 @ 120kgs
                                                                                                                    2 @ 120kgs

                                                                                                                    These are interesting. Used a mixed grip for the first time.

                                                                                                                    Metcon

                                                                                                                    20 minute cap:

                                                                                                                    30 Kettlebell swings (I used 16kgs)
                                                                                                                    30 Wall ball shots (this is a squat holding a weighted ball in front of a wall and you explode out of the squat to throw it against a point on the wall, catch and repeat)
                                                                                                                    30 Pull Ups
                                                                                                                    20 Kettlebell swings
                                                                                                                    20 Wall ball shots
                                                                                                                    20 Pull Ups
                                                                                                                    10 Kettlebell swings
                                                                                                                    10 Wall ball shots
                                                                                                                    10 Pull Ups

                                                                                                                    Got the first round done, then 20 swings, 20 wall shots and two pull ups.

                                                                                                                    Very enjoyable workout.
                                                                                                                    Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 08-03-13, 21:03.
                                                                                                                    "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                                                                    Comment


                                                                                                                      #59
                                                                                                                      Workout 12, Sat 23rd 11:00am

                                                                                                                      Not going to lie, a little beat up this morning.

                                                                                                                      Warmup

                                                                                                                      Walk to the gym
                                                                                                                      Skipping, leg swings, stretching

                                                                                                                      Strength Movement

                                                                                                                      Bear Complex variant:

                                                                                                                      Clean
                                                                                                                      3 Front Squats
                                                                                                                      1 Split Jerk
                                                                                                                      3 Back Squats
                                                                                                                      1 behind the neck Split Jerk

                                                                                                                      Did:

                                                                                                                      Movement practice with the bar with the coach
                                                                                                                      2 rounds with bar
                                                                                                                      3 rounds with 30kgs

                                                                                                                      Metcon

                                                                                                                      Bench Mark Retest day:

                                                                                                                      starting workout:

                                                                                                                      500 metres row at level 6 resistance
                                                                                                                      40 bodyweight squats (full depth - he placed a small ball behind me as a guide)
                                                                                                                      30 sit ups
                                                                                                                      20 push ups
                                                                                                                      10 pullups (with a heavy assistance band for myself needless to say)

                                                                                                                      as fast as you can

                                                                                                                      There was an emphasis on getting good form and doing full movements and when he was satisfied I was approaching each one correctly I began. Wanted to die during the pushups and found them incredibly difficult (proper form pushup when you're 140kgs is tough). Struggled through in 12 mins 36 seconds.
                                                                                                                      10 minutes and 35 seconds today so a decent enough improvement over the four weeks. Did squats in groups of 10, push ups in groups of 5 and stayed consistent through the whole thing. Nice to see some progress.
                                                                                                                      Last edited by LuckyLloyd; 08-03-13, 21:03.
                                                                                                                      "Worldly wisdom teaches that it is better for reputation to fail conventionally than to succeed unconventionally." - John Maynard Keynes

                                                                                                                      Comment


                                                                                                                        #60
                                                                                                                        Originally posted by LuckyLloyd View Post
                                                                                                                        Workout 13, Sat 23rd 6:30pm
                                                                                                                        you re time travelling too now? Fair play!!

                                                                                                                        seems like you re really enjoying it to be fair. Would love to be able to do something like this, but my leg could nt cope unfortunately.

                                                                                                                        Comment

                                                                                                                        Working...
                                                                                                                        X