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28 posts from November 2009

11/30/2009

Unilateral PSC&J / Iron Man Chronicles

20 - 15 - 10 - 5 reps per side of: 

Unilateral DB power squat clean and jerk AHAP

Post weights acheived per side per set to comments.
Weight should increase as reps #s decrease.

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Lizz3
 

Ironman Chronicles

by Lizz Bennett

This last week has been absolutely insane, crazy, overwhelming, and so busy that it’s 3:00 in the afternoon and I haven’t even showered yet.  The hardest thing, lately, has been trying to fit in any kind of workout into my day.  I have a list a mile long, laundry miles high, and four kids I love spending time with, keeping me from getting it done.  It seems like I have to trade one for the other, make dinner or go for a run, get on the bike trainer or fold laundry, play Uno at basketball practice/dance/piano while helping with homework/reading Dr. Suess/discussing the endless issue of who to play with on the playground and how it really doesn’t mean you don’t like someone or they don’t like you, while grinding my own wheat, doing the budget and shaving my legs.  Yeah…right.

I made a promise to myself and my family that the Ironman wouldn’t get in the way of my time with them.  Hmmm, I’m thinking it applies the other way around as well.

When I committed to this race, they committed with me.  I realize they are sacrificing a lot to help me achieve this dream, and that sacrifice will probably slap us in the faces over and over again, but I KNOW it will balance out. 

Time to ignore the laundry one more day and get on that treadmill, time to get back in the saddle, and time to put me first for a little while.  I believe that if I get my workout done, get me out of the way, then I can be absolutely present when my husband and kids need me. 5 months and counting….priorities have shifted a little bit, the workouts I miss now- I can’t get back, so they come first at the moment…the laundry can wait.  

11/29/2009

Super Sets

Perform 3 sets of each superset. Rest 1 min between each SS. Complete all 3 rounds of each SS before moving on.

100r jump rope (1 set only)

5 front squat AHAP
24 lunge steps

5 ring dips
20 OH KB French presses 18/35

5 strict underhand chins
20 db curl swings 15/25

100 sit ups (1 set only)

Post weights and reps to comments.  

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This week starts a new month of a new bias in our training.  For the month of Dec, we will be focusing more directly on a shaping bias.  In other words, the focus of the workouts we do this month will be to shape and tone your muscles more specifically.  

Dec will be a month of renewal.  Your workouts will be less reliant on the clock and more focused on recovery and specificity.  This is not to say your workouts will not be as intense.  Intensity is relevant.  There is no reason these workouts shouldn't be perceived by you as being just as intense as our timed workouts.  I'm not saying we are eliminating the clock.  We aren't.  Those workouts will pop up at least weekly if not several times per week.  So you should be expecting that.    

Please be careful not to "breeze" these workouts.  These workouts are only effective if you remain focused and stay on track.  It should be your goal to finish each workout as quickly as possible with no more interruption or rest than is recommended.  

When we program rests into workouts like this two things generally begin to happen.  

1) some of you may think that rests are for the week and will attempt skip them or shorten them.  Know this: If you skip or shorten the rest periods your work load will suffer and your fitness will reflect it.  Please don't do this.  

2) as we have all become friends, chatting with those around you may begin to take priority which may take away from your workout.  I would never ask you to not talk to other citizens of our nation.  What I will ask is that you pay closer attention to how long those conversations last and pay special attention to where you are on your sets so that you can give maximum effort to your workout.  Remember this: Taking rests for longer than is recommended will also reflect poorly on your fitness level.   

Continue to give these workouts your all, and you will continue to see profound changes in your health, fitness and appearance.  I look forward to this month with you.  Hit your workouts hard this month and let's finish this great year with a BANG!  Please write to me with any questions. FitZoner@gmail.com

 

11/27/2009

Cardio Soup / 8 glasses per day?

For time:

100 kb swings 25/35
1000 meters row
50 burpees
100 double unders (or 300 singles)

Post time to comments:


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I have a client who is CEO of a 200 million dollar a year company.  The guy is in his mid 50's and is in better shape than most men half his age.  There are comparatively few people on earth who are as fit or driven to be fit as he is.  Few people can compare to his physicality and to what he is capable of in a workout.

He NEVER drinks water.  He claims that he hasn't had a glass of water in over 30 years.  He hates it.

This used to blow me away, because the mantra that I was taught in school was that you should drink A LOT of water.  How much?  Some of my instructors went as far to say, "You should drink 1 oz per pound of body weight." 

That's a LOT! 

Have you ever tried to drink that much water?  It's tough.  For me it is the most uncomfortable, draining experience that I can think of participating in.  Sometimes I think If God had intended for us to pee that much he would have put our whizzer where our big toe is and EVERYONE on earth would have a hole in their shoes. 

"Don't worry," they say..."Your body gets used to it."  The hell it does.  I tried it once for 2 weeks.  I was still getting up 3 times in the middle of the night and excusing myself from EVERY conversation I ever had during that time.  This is not to mention the energy DRAIN I was feeling. 

These days I don't believe in drinking A LOT of water.  Instead, I rely on thirst as the benchmark indicator of my bodies' hydration needs.  I think there are too many people blaming their overfat laziness on the fact they aren't drinking enough water. It's stupid. 

Do I think drinking a lot of water will help you workout?  NOT unless you are dehydrated to begin with.  I think someone's boot in your ass will have a much more profound effect. 

Here are some interesting facts about whether you should drink 8x8 per day...I should mention that I got this article from calorielab.com. You should visit there.  They got cool stuff.  -FitZoner  



8 glasses of water a day myth a diet urban legend

 

It has become accepted wisdom: “Drink at least eight glasses of water a day!” Not necessarily, says Dartmouth Medical School physician Heinz Valtin, M.D. The universal advice that has made guzzling water a national pastime is more urban myth than medical dogma and appears to lack scientific proof, he found.

In an invited review published by the American Journal of Physiology August 8, Valtin, the Vail and Hampers professor emeritus of physiology at Dartmouth Medical School, reported no supporting evidence to back this popular counsel, commonly known as “8 x 8″ (for eight, eight-ounce glasses).

Valtin, a kidney specialist and author of two widely used textbooks on the kidney and water balance, sought to find the origin of this dictum and to examine the scientific evidence, if any, that might support it. He observes that we see the exhortation everywhere: from health writers, nutritionists, even physicians. Valtin doubts its validity. Indeed, he finds it, “difficult to believe that evolution left us with a chronic water deficit that needs to be compensated by forcing a high fluid intake.”

The 8 x 8 rule is slavishly followed. Everywhere, people carry bottles of water, constantly sipping from them; it is acceptable to drink water anywhere, anytime. A pamphlet distributed at one southern California university even counsels its students to “carry a water bottle with you. Drink often while sitting in class…”

How did the obsession start? Is there any scientific evidence that supports the recommendation? Does the habit promote good health? Might it be harmful?

Valtin thinks the notion may have started when the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council recommended approximately “1 milliliter of water for each calorie of food,” which would amount to roughly two to two-and-a-half quarts per day (64 to 80 ounces). Although in its next sentence, the Board stated “most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods,” that last sentence may have been missed, so that the recommendation was erroneously interpreted as how much water one should drink each day.

He found no scientific studies in support of 8 x 8. Rather, surveys of fluid intake on healthy adults of both genders, published as peer-reviewed documents, strongly suggest that such large amounts are not needed. His conclusion is supported by published studies showing that caffeinated drinks, such as most coffee, tea and soft drinks, may indeed be counted toward the daily total. He also points to the quantity of published experiments that attest to the capability of the human body for maintaining proper water balance.

Valtin emphasizes that his conclusion is limited to healthy adults in a temperate climate leading a largely sedentary existence — precisely, he points out, the population and conditions that the “at least” in 8 x 8 refers to. At the same time, he stresses that large intakes of fluid, equal to and greater than 8 x 8, are advisable for the treatment or prevention of some diseases, such as kidney stones, as well as under special circumstances, such as strenuous physical activity, long airplane flights or hot weather. But barring those exceptions, he concludes that we are currently drinking enough and possibly even more than enough.

Despite the dearth of compelling evidence, then, What’s the harm? “The fact is that, potentially, there is harm even in water,” explains Valtin. Even modest increases in fluid intake can result in “water intoxication” if one’s kidneys are unable to excrete enough water (urine). Such instances are not unheard of, and they have led to mental confusion and even death in athletes, in teenagers after ingesting the recreational drug Ecstasy, and in ordinary patients.

And he lists other disadvantages of a high water intake: (a) possible exposure to pollutants, especially if sustained over many years; (b) frequent urination, which can be both inconvenient and embarrassing; (c) expense, for those who satisfy the 8 x 8 requirements with bottled water; and (d) feelings of guilt for not achieving 8 x 8.

Other claims discredited by scientific evidence that Valtin discusses include:

Thirst Is Too Late. It is often stated that by the time people are thirsty, they are already dehydrated. On the contrary, thirst begins when the concentration of blood (an accurate indicator of our state of hydration) has risen by less than two percent, whereas most experts would define dehydration as beginning when that concentration has risen by at least five percent.

Dark Urine Means Dehydration. At normal urinary volume and color, the concentration of the blood is within the normal range and nowhere near the values that are seen in meaningful dehydration. Therefore, the warning that dark urine reflects dehydration is alarmist and false in most instances.

Is there scientific documentation that we do not need to drink “8 x 8″? There is highly suggestive evidence, says Valtin. First is the voluminous scientific literature on the efficacy of the osmoregulatory system that maintains water balance through the antidiuretic hormone and thirst. Second, published surveys document that the mean daily fluid intake of thousands of presumably healthy humans is less than the roughly two quarts prescribed by 8 x 8. Valtin argues that, in view of this evidence, the burden of proof that everyone needs 8 x 8 should fall on those who persist in advocating the high fluid intake without, apparently, citing any scientific support.

Finally, strong evidence now indicates that not all of the prescribed fluid need be in the form of water. Careful peer-reviewed experiments have shown that caffeinated drinks should indeed count toward the daily fluid intake in the vast majority of persons. To a lesser extent, the same probably can be said for dilute alcoholic beverages, such as beer, if taken in moderation.

“Thus, I have found no scientific proof that absolutely every person must ‘drink at least eight glasses of water a day’,” says Valtin. While there is some evidence that the risk of certain diseases can be lowered by high water intake, the quantities needed for this beneficial effect may be less than 8 x 8, and the recommendation can be limited to those particularly susceptible to the diseases in question.

(This article was based on a press release dated August 8, 2002, from the Dartmouth Medical School.)

December is Free to all New comers!

172 people showed up for the FZN's first annual Turkey Day 5k!  We wanted to drop an odd post today and say thanks for all of your support.  We have many good friends here at the FZN and we love every one of you.  Thank you.  

I would feel remiss if we didn't offer special thanks to Lizz, Megan.  Those girls put A LOT of time and effort into that event - more than you could imagine.  Thanks to them and their efforts, it went off perfectly. We are so lucky to have them.  Aside from being amazing and brilliant, they are also top notch expert health and fitness instructors.  I have been around this biz for 15 yrs.  Lizz and Meg are the best I have ever associated with. Also, thank you to Julieann, Becs, Alison and Court without whom we could not have done this.      

Wanted to take a second and remind you about our "Free December" program.  We know that many of you have friends and family who would like to try us out and for some reason or another, haven't been able to talk them into coming down and rocking a workout with us all.  Here's the best reason to get them down here (well, improved health would be the best reason, but...) it is FREE!  

For the month of Dec all newcomers to the FZN can come for the entire month absolutely - FREE.  No strings attached.  They simply come in, sign the waiver and get rocking it with us.  

To say "thanks" to you for referring your friends and loved ones, we will give you $25 off your next membership fee per person you refer.  Remember, they don't have to buy anything.  They just have to commit to better health and start training with us for FREE, and we will still give you the $25 bonus.  We have to limit this to 4 per person, but that will still make your next month free if you can convince 4 people to start improving their health.  BTW you can bring however many people you want.  They can all come FREE but we can only credit you for 4, but remember...if they like us and and join the FZN we will still credit you the standard $50 referral towards your next month.

Some pics of the first annual "Turkey Day 5k."  

DSCN0947
I thought this looked "artsy" of Meg.  

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Alison, Julieanne and Lizz prepare.  Meg and Becs were out setting up the course.  I was screwing around with the Harley :)

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FitZoner shows off the coveted "Turkey Day 5k" crown!  -THX Court!


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They're lined up to win!    

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It was fun to look all the way up that street and see people running.  Cool! 

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Clark...told you this was a cool pic!

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I wish I had a pic of the dozen or so folks wearing signs to honor Kath on her B-day.  Thanks for spending it with us, Kath.  You have a neat fam.  

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It wasn't all running.  No, the Turkey Day 5 at the FZN is different.  Brook and Dave demo 3 rounds of 5 pullups, 10 pushups and 15 squats in the middle of two 1.55 mile laps of running.  BTW look at all the kids.  The kids were my fav.  There were lots of them.  

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They held hands nearly the entire way!  Had to post this Hallmark moment.

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Nice win Mario!  Enjoy that "crown."  -thx again Court.  

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           fFrom all of us - Thank YOU!

      

11/26/2009

Huffin the Dirty Thirty

For time

30 squat jumps 
400 m run
30 KB swings 25/35
400 m run
30 deadlifts 65/135
400 m run
30 weighted db situps 15/20
400 m run
30 pullups
400 m run

Post time to comments

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I have noticed a sharp drop in comments of those who post their times and comments to these workouts. This is also happening at the gym for some reason.  Most days, by noon we will have done workouts with well over 100 people, yet we are only seeing 20-30 names of those who post times or weights on the board.  

This is a huge mistake.  

There is no better way to increase your fitness and achieve your healthy goals than by posting times on this website and/or on the board at the gym.  There are several reasons for this...

1.  You can tell much more about your fitness by observing your times and weights as they compare to the last time you did a certain workout, than you will ever be able to know through bodyfat % or weighing yourself or by looking in a mirror.  Look, if your times went down and your strength went up, it only stands to reason that you improved both your fitness and your body.  Think about it.  Would your time on a half mile run really improve much if you are still carrying around a bunch of excess weight?  What information would you trust more to tell you the whole story about your progress, the scale or your run times?    

2.  There is something truly to be said for someone who is willing to put their results "out there" for the whole world to see.  What can you say about the people who do this?  

"These are the most successful people."  

Those who have the guts to put their egos in check and simply let the numbers fall where they may...and then be accountable for those numbers by reporting them honestly to a like-minded community of their peers are more likely to be the ones who are going to ROCK their healthy goals for the long term.  Think of it this way...most of us have got poor health habits that borderline on addiction.  Ask ANY recovering addict what the first step to successfully dealing with their problems is...  It is HONESTY.  Becoming honest with yourself is hard to do without someone to be accountable to.  Let your community shoulder some of the load for you.  Let's help each other.  Start POSTING!

3.  Maybe you don't care to be accountable to others, but what about those who are looking for someone (a community of like-minded individuals) to be accountable to?  What about that person who has finally committed to take the bull by the horns and conquer this thing?  These people need you.  They need ALL of us. 

We as a community will have more influence on the success of others, including those whom we love dearly, by sharing our own successes (and failures) by posting our results.  By posting our results we are "leading from the front."  Any idiot can cheer another person on.  Cheering doesn't inspire as much as LEADING.  When you LEAD, others will follow.  When others follow, some will push to the front to become leaders.  It comes around and goes around as we all move towards our goals.  

Many of you have seen this in action.  How many times have you seen people go to the board before a workout to checkout the times of those who have come before?  Why would they do this?  Of course, they are gaining strength from others.  Have you noticed that the times get faster and the weights get heavier throughout the day?  These faster times and increased weights are a DIRECT reflection on the effort of those who come in earlier and "put themselves out there" for others.  We all owe them a debt of gratitude.  We also owe a debt to pay it forward to and for others.  

"You can never know how far you've come if you do not know where you started from" -this quote is not unknown - I just don't know who said it...little help?  

One of the most common laments of the citizens of our little FitZone Nation is..."I sure wish I could remember my last time/weight on this workout."  Go check out last week's comments.  Many, many said this very thing.  

Please do not fall into the trap of not knowing where you started.  Start posting your results daily.  Do it for your own success.  What if, like several of our citizens, you lost 5 lbs over the last 6 weeks but your clean and jerk went up 65 pounds?  Would the 5 lbs keep you motivated?  Maybe.  But, 5 lbs combined with an increase of 65 lbs on the C&J would tell the whole story, would it not?  

Then do it for others.  Look, I not asking you to sponsor anyone, or even get to know ANYONE'S name.  Simply post your times/weights/comments.  It is that easy.  You'll be surprised who is looking to you for inspiration.  Trust me, this kind of relationship is win-win.  In fact, when you factor in all those that you may potentially help the relationship looks more like: 

win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-winwin-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win  win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win  win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win  win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win  win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win  win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win   

11/25/2009

Turkey Day 5k

run 1.55 miles then,

3 rounds of:

5 pullups
10 pushups
15 squats

run 1.55 miles

Post time to comments.  

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Please come join us for the FZN's 1st annual Turkey Day 5k.  It begins at 8am at the FZNHQ.  There will be prizes and food after! and best of all...it is FREE for everyone!  

This is not a chip timed event.  It is not a race.  It is a family fun activity.  Please bring the entire family and join us in our new healthy tradition.  Do it for no other reason than to off-set some of the calories you plan on throwing down on Turkey day.

This 5k will be unlike any other 5k you have ever run.  In compliance with standard FZN protocol we offer a 5k that meets with our "full-spectrum fitness" philosophy. In other words, after the first lap - you are going to do some exercise, then it is off to the next lap!  We are excited about this.  Hopefully more running events will copy us in the future and offer more complete fitness events instead of just running.  

We at the FitZone Nation would like to take the time on this day to say "thank you" to all who have lent us their support this year.  We are grateful for your efforts and sacrifice.  We are grateful for your commitment.  We are grateful for your spirit and attitude.  We are grateful to be a part of your healthy lifestyle changes and feel privileged that you have shared this with us.  Most of all, we are thankful for your genuine friendship.  It means a lot to us to see you every day.  We miss you when you are gone.  

So, on this Thanksgiving day we give thanks for you.  Happy Thanksgiving, friends!  

BTW It is official FZN policy to absolutely pig out on this day.  Go tear it up!  You have worked hard this year.  You have earned it.  Then, throw it all away and let's get back after it on Fri.  

See you at the 5k.    

  

11/24/2009

pushin

5 rounds for time:

25 OH db presses 15 f/20 m

25 walking lunge steps

25 wall balls 10/14

25 ab bridge jacks

25 pushups

Post time to comments

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Synthol
Yeah...its real.  AND real stupid. 
 

This is a repost from several years ago.  It is still timely and applicable.  - FitZoner

There is a mentality in gyms across America that I hate above all others.  It's the "typical" bodybuilder mentality.  I say "typical" because there are exceptions to every rule, but in general - these guys are pricks. Below is list of the top 10 things that I hate about those bodybuilders who are pricks:

1.  Those stupidly big muscles. Whatcha gotta have all that muscle for?  You should know; "one more inch on your arms" won't be the difference between the ladies ignoring you (as usual) and throwing a leg over you as you walk by.  Trust me, the only people who notice you are other male body builders. Um...that is just WEIRD.   

2. Flexing in the mirrors.  Are you kidding me?  Flexing in the mirror?  Pathetic. Stupid. Laughable. These people are such mirror monkeys, the other day this guy in my gym was watching himself put his jacket on - in the mirror -  and flexing as he did it!  Laughed so hard at him, I had diet Pepsi coming out my nose!

3.  Their "uniform" is stupid looking.  The cut-up and shredded sweatshirt, weight belt, knee/elbow/wrist wraps, cut off shorts, and a head band they wear while they work out isn't now, never was, and never will be in style.  Oh, and that banana hammock they all aspire to wearing in the shows - these guys need their own pride parade.   

4.  They carry gym bags around.  Not just into the gym where they would put them in a locker like the rest of civilized society.  No, these mama's boys gotta carry around their junk and inflict it upon the rest of us.  No guys, I wasn't planning on using that machine your bag is occupying.  Neither was anyone else ON EARTH.  Oh, and tripping over your crap while we are trying to workout is cool with all of us, too.   

5. They don't put their weights away. Look, we all know what what's going on here.  This is simply territorial behavior.  hey guys, why not just sack-up - walk in - drop your pants - and start pissing all over everything?  It's the same thing. 

6.  The "O" face.  Is there some unwritten law that requires bodybuilders to attend theTom Platz "School of Pulling Stupid Looking Faces" before you begin your lifting career?   

7.  The loud grunting.  So what is the science here?  Does crying and whining increase your fitness? Man-up mirror monkey!

8.  They intimidate old ladies.  The other day this "roid ranger" in my gym was doing side lateral shoulder raises while standing in front of the dumbbell rack.  He was effectively holding off anyone who wanted to use the 20, or so, dumbbells that he was standing in front of.  Those who were waiting?  A group of females who were in their 60's.  YOU DA MAN, PIN CUSION!

9.  The gallon milk jug of water they insist on carrying. Hey stupid.  That M & F article came out 10+ years ago.  It's OLD news and the science has been dis-proven.  in fact, there NEVER was much science behind A LOT of water growing bigger muscles.  Besides, I never really know...should I ask you or the gallon of water if I can use the bench it is occupying?

10.  Their bodybuilding philosophy. Frankly, bodybuilding is about two things:  1. insecurity, 2. vanity. All bodybuilding starts with the former and morphs into the latter if continued long enough.  I can't think of two worse reasons to exercise. BTW if bodybuilding is a sport, then so is the Ms. America pageant. 


11/23/2009

PC for 20min / Iron Man Chronicles

Find your 3 rep max power clean (no squat).  You may use your 3 RM from Oct 12.  Multiply that weight by 75%.  This is the weight you will perform this workout with.

With the weight from above, perform as many power cleans as possible in 20 min.

Post weight and max reps to comments  

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Running on a treadmill

I think that coming in doors and running on a treadmill is pure torture!  After running outside for 8 months it feels so confining and even though I might not be running slower-it sure feels like it.  And just making time to run on a treadmill, with so much hanging over my head to do every day is hard enough.  It eats at me.  And sometimes I feel like the workout wouldn’t be as beneficial if it isn’t done outside.

I would love to be one of those people that can run in the cold.  Honestly I haven’t really given it much of an effort.  When it is cold outside I shut down, shiver the rest of the day and it takes a full 20 minutes in a steaming shower to stop shaking, another half hour hiding under my blankets, hot chocolate, and oatmeal,  (totally not over exaggerating!)  I am in the process of “hardening up” (as Neil says), so in a future blog I will have some tips to help with winter running,  assuming of course, that I actually get my butt outdoors this winter.  Note to self, buy some nice warm animal skins to wear-like the Eskimos.  I hear caribou is lightweight and really warm.

Funny how I was running on the treadmill when I came up with these great workouts and ideas, but when brilliance hits…These will get you a solid workout and help the time go by.  Hey, my motto is put out and get out.  Oh keep it clean, people!  If you have to run on a treadmill, make it count and then get off!

1. Always keep your treadmill at least at a 1% incline.  That way it’s not “moving you”.

2. Download some great new songs and run every other song at a faster pace, with the other songs at a slower pace, or a recovery pace.  When running a faster pace, really reach for an 85% effort.

3. Break up your miles.  I tried this one today and it really challenged me, without the time dragging by.  Each lap of your mile should be run at a faster pace, or a higher incline.  So lap 1 was at an 8:00 minute mile pace, lap 2 was 7:30, lap 3 was at 7:00 and lap 4 was at 6:30.  It helped me get through the last lap knowing I had that 1st lap of the next mile to recover.

4. Tabata of course. 

5. Mile repeats.  Each mile is run at race pace (fast) with a 2 lap recovery in between each one.  I always shoot for at least 4 miles.

6. Cover the deck with a towel or a t-shirt.  Watching the little dots light up around your lap is only making it worse. 

7. Reward yourself.  Grab a drink or pop some sport beans after every mile.

8. Sprints. Run half the lap at an all out sprint, and recover the remaining half.

9. The first time’s the hardest.  That first treadmill run of the season seems to just plain drag!  Tough it out, it gets out of your head eventually.

Here’s to running on a treadmill.  If you want more workouts, check out FitZone Endurance.  Now…just waiting for that snow storm…and a camel back filled with hot chocolate. - Lizz Bennett

11/22/2009

FGB

(compare to Oct 8)

Three rounds of: 

1 min Row (count calories)
1 min Wall Ball 10# f/ 14# m (count reps)
1 min Box Jump (count reps)
1 min High Sumo 45# f/ 65# m (count reps)
1 min OH DB press 15# f/ 20# m each hand (count reps)


Rest 1 min between each round.  

The clock does NOT stop between exercises. 

Count total reps - add to total calories and post total to comments.   


log in to see movement demos.

thx to CrossFit.com

11/20/2009

Row, KB, jump

Five rounds for time:

250m. row
25 KB swings 25/35
100 jump ropes (33 DU's)

Post time to comments.  

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