Metric's Musings

Not sure this wasn't a mistake

2012-02-01T20:24:00.000+13:00

AMRAP 12
8 x 25kg front squat
8 x seated press, Louie style.

"Seated" in this case meaning on the ground, feet straight out in front.
I thought it might give me some insight into strict pressing and locking my spine straight, but not really. I thinking standing presses more useful, I spend enough time sitting down the rest of the day, best not intentionally assume that position when training.

Played with these stretches:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmBzNtSXRdE&feature=relmfu

I'd really like to get a forearm balance. It looks cool (and that's always a reason to itself) and it will be a true indicator that I have my shoulder tightness sorted out.

Hand punishment

2012-01-30T15:08:00.001+13:00

AMRAP 12
8 x 80kg deadlift
12 plank to pike on elbows, 4" platform

I didn't keep the palms at the base of my fingers on the ground on the plank things so I blistered the skin at the corner of the heel of my palms.

Rushed this a little

2012-01-23T19:44:00.001+13:00

AMRAP15
10 x 60kg deadlift
10 x 18kg bendy bar bench

I had a target of 10 rounds in my head and rushed the benches a little. That's a no-no.
I think I can use more weight and keep my shoulders stable, but only if I give myself time. Re-hab is more important than a score.

Something

2012-01-20T21:32:00.000+13:00

As in, "I had to do ..."

AMRAP10
10 x 20kg press
10 med ball rebounder throws.

Should have warmed up more and got my shoulder set better, it drifted forward in the presses

Franlet except I forgot a bit

2012-01-18T20:04:00.001+13:00

21-15-9
20kg front squats
7-5-3
Pull-ups

Back squats

2012-01-17T20:07:00.000+13:00

5 x 45kg
4 x 5 x 47.5kg

Played with some handstands practise.
I can feel my serratus engaging on those too, yay!

A less than successful experiment

2012-01-15T18:54:00.001+13:00

AMRAP10
5 x 100kg deadlift
5 stand to lie down to stand

2012-01-13T19:37:00.002+13:00

AMRAP15
5 pull-ups
10 x 18kg band bar bench
15 air squats

More like Diane

2012-01-11T19:53:00.000+13:00

But still a long way off.

21-15-9
80kg Deadlift
10-12kg dumbbell press

One 10kg and one 12kg, swapping hands approximately half way through each round.

Not great

2012-01-09T20:28:00.003+13:00

5 x 40kg back squat
15 push-ups against the car bonnet. Engaging serratus.

5 x 42.5kg back squat
15 push-ups against the car bonnet. Engaging serratus.

5 x 45kg back squat
15 push-ups against the car bonnet. Engaging serratus.

5 x 45kg back squat
15 push-ups against the car bonnet. Engaging serratus.

5 x 45kg back squat
15 push-ups against the car bonnet. Engaging serratus.

Double scaled Diane

2012-01-04T19:47:00.002+13:00

21-15-9 NFT
60kg Deadlift
10kg Right arm press
60kg Deadlift
10kg Left arm press

Right shoulder tracked fairly well and didn't lag behind too much.
Deadlifts were not bad and not great. Need work. Got a bit puffed so it got hard to keep tight.

2012 calendars

2012-01-04T14:25:00.001+13:00

Every year I update these and email them 'round. Perople find them as useful as IO do so I'll try sticking them up here this year.

The originals were found on the web and the creator uploaded a new version each year for public use. He stopped some years ago and I carried on, updating them and emailing them out.

They currently contains the New Zealand public holiday observances and school terms. Feel free to copy, customise, repost or otherwise circulate them as you see fit.

Horizontal planner

Vertical planner

Meat Loaf - from a recipe from Lynette's family

2012-01-03T10:00:00.000+13:00

500g mince
500g sausage meat
2 rashers bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
1 egg
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix it all up,. Bung it in a loaf tin.
Cook it for at least 50 minutes, until the loaf separates from the sides of the pan.

The original recipe had breadcrumbs in it and was cooked as a roll in a roasting dish.

Almost CFSB

2012-01-02T21:58:00.001+13:00

Back squats
5 x 30kg
5 x 32.5kg
5 x 35kg
5.x 37.5kg
All exactly in the groove. I know that it doesn't indicate what will happen whgen the load goes up, but I haven't been able to do this with even that much weight before, so I'm happy.

Then while Sapphire was occupied playing with the kid from down the road
5RFNT
5 pull-ups
10 x 22.5kg T-handle swings.

Wobble bench or home-made bandbell

2011-12-31T20:20:00.000+13:00

5RNFT
Row 500m
10-15 (I lost count some times) x 20kg-ish bandbell (http://bandbell.com/) benches

The bandbell emulator was satisfactorily wobbly. I can see I need something to locate the bands securely the same distance from the ends and markings o the dowel to mock-up knurlings.

The humidity was phenomenal and I'm sweating like a cold beer.
Now there's an idea!

Me 'n the kid

2011-12-29T19:14:00.001+13:00

I did:
5RNFT
10 x 20 kg press
10 x 24" step-ups. My knees will have me regretting those tomorrow.

Sapphire did:
AMRAP until I finished
1 scooter ride to the letter box and back
10 x 12" step-up
5 sit-ups.

Cash-out (her new crack-up word for the day)
Wood-peckers out to the gate

And then we rolled on the rollers and she read her book to me.

Trying some different postural attacks

2011-12-27T19:13:00.002+13:00

AMRAP10
5 x 30kg front squat
20 x 10kg plate good mornings

Recently became aware that my scapular stabilisation really sucks (part of why my shoulders get hurt)so working on getting that under control. I didn't expect the front squats to be so easy.
No problems with leg drive, some keeping my elbows up, which is the bit I need to work on, so not really a surprise.
OK, something with more reps at that weight on the FS.
But I musten't discount the effects of the first workout after some serious, serious carb loading.

Wanted something I would feel for a few days

2011-12-23T19:30:00.000+13:00

3RNFT
3 x 105kg deadlift
3RNFT
3 pull-ups
6 ring push-ups
12 air squats

Oh boy it was hard to get moving

2011-12-20T20:13:00.002+13:00

5RNFT
5 x 30kg back squats
10 ring rows

The back squat warm-up sets were sooooo hard. It took ages for them to come right. The work sets were great, only a few reps without my femurs rotated out.
Best I've ever done under any load. Very happy with that.
The next squat workout is bound to be a disaster, so I'll hang onto the memory of this one.

Pie base

2011-12-19T10:38:00.002+13:00

I made this a while back and I'm posting this so I have a record.

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/primal-paleo-pie-crust/#axzz1gvJReSUF

I used a can of pre-made pumpkin pie mix for the filling and didn't enjoy it as much as I have in the past. I want a re-match with the home made butternut puree filling I've used in the past.
No sweetener, just puree of cooked butternut, eggs and spices.
It should work well with this crust and have les processed ingredients.

This crust works really well.
Recipe altered as below

The Ultimate Walnut Crust:

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups walnuts
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt I don't have the Kosher salt the MDA recipe called for and can't see the point.
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions:
Blend walnuts, baking soda and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter and pulse until butter is mixed in.

Scrape the batter into a 9-inch tart pan. You can use a rubber spatula to smooth the batter over the bottom and up the sides, but ultimately your fingers will be the best tool. Take your time smoothing and patting the batter out evenly. It’s better to spread the batter thinner across the bottom of the pan and thicker around the edges of the crust.
I used fingers.

Place the pie on a cookie sheet (helps to keep the bottom from burning) and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
180 degrees Celcius.

Remove the crust from the oven and pour your filling of choice inside. Bake again until filling is done.

ps I've just switched to using a Google+ profile on this blog, so if I'm now spamming all of Google+ with these posts, I apologise.

Shoulder stabilisation

2011-12-18T18:48:00.002+13:00

AMRAP15
8 x 40kg snatch grip deadlifts
12 x 15kg hang muscle snatch
16 air box squats, because I wanted a third and it was too wet for my first choice

Missed posting some,

2011-12-14T20:34:00.001+13:00

but here's tonight's

AMRAP 10
3 x 105kg deadlifts
20 plank to T, alternating arms

Focussed real hard on screwing my elbows pits forward all the way through the support. Left arm, pretty easy, right arm, damn near impossible. Got less so toward the end.

Baby Brendan

2011-11-28T21:00:00.001+13:00

5RNFT
10 x 60kg deadlifts
5 ring push-ups

If my shoulders aren't messed up tomorrow I'll be happy. Next time I want the rings up at least a foot higher so that I can focus on the position, elbow pits forwards, externally rotated shoulders, butt tight and not just struggle my way up and hope I'm holding the position.

Quick and easy Biltong making - aka " I just want to eat it and not pay a fortune"

2011-11-24T14:40:00.001+13:00

I wrote this up a while ago as a fairly final version of how I go about making it now.

Since then I've made the change I suggested I would and the process is now:

Sprinkle salt on both sides
Stack it in a casserole dish.
Leave overnight at least.
Wash the salt off with vinegar.
Apply spices, slice, dry in the dehydrator.

Both versions of the process should be read to get the full details.

======================================================================
I’m NOT representing this as an authentic process, it’s a way of achieving an equivalent result to the products made at various south African butchers around Auckland using ingredients I can find easily with a quick turn-around time.

Ingredients

Cider vinegar.
I buy 2 litre bottles of DIY vinegar from the supermarket, so nothing fancy.
Topside steak.
Pre-packed, pre-cut in steaks from our local New World.
I have found the quality of the meat varies from butcher to butcher and luckily the Papakura New World has the best I’ve found.
I’ve tried silverside, didn’t like it and I can get topside on special easily and often. Silverside isn’t as readily available to me.
Spices.
This is harder to list as what I’ve used varied enormously.
The best I’ve made used a commercial spice mix from Crown Safari. I’ve discovered that the stuff contains sugar and MSG (http://www.safinefoods.co.uk/image/cache/data/spices/crown%20nationa%20safari%20biltong%20spice-500x500.jpg), which explains why it was so good, that’s a potent combination. I’m trying to avoid using sugar, can’t get the crown spices without going out of my way to get them so I’m trying develop my own equivalent.
The latest version used: MasterFoods All Purpose Seasoning (http://www.masterfoods.com.au/Products/ProductDetail/tabid/83/ProductId/1468/All-Purpose-Seasoning.aspx)

Approximates the celery, onion, garlic etc. in the Crown National product and we always have it in the house.
Coriander.

I think I should have used less of this.

Cracked black pepper
Iodine free salt.

I think I should have used more of this.

Process

Soak the steak in the vinegar.
Marinade is too flash for this and pickle is too long.
I pour some vinegar in a casserole dish, slop the steak in it on both sides and build up layers, pouring a bit more in as I go.
Any meat in contact with the vinegar will turn grey, you tend to get quite a bit of the stacked meat that doesn’t so a more free-flow bath would be better, but it takes up space.
Duration: Variable. 2-3 hours at least although it often winds up being all day or overnight or both.
Apply the spices.
I sort of shake the vinegar off, lay the meat on a chopping board and sprinkle the spice mixture on.
Pat them in.
Flip it over.
Cut into strips.
Repeat.

This is the main deviation from the traditional process. I need to do this to get it to dry in the food dehydrator, traditionally you’d hang it in a fly proof box with good air circulation for several days.
My way is faster.
Dry it in the dehydrator.
I prefer to dry it on the max heat for about 3 hours and then lower it until I need to take it out or until it’s done. That way the outside is leathery but the inside is a little moist, but that sweet spot is very hard to hit and I miss it often.

The vinegar flavour is sharper for a start and tends to mellow over time. After a couple of days it’s not noticeable as vinegar and instead forms a part of the overall taste.

I’ve also done it as.

Sprinkle salt on both sides
Stack it in a casserole dish.
Leave overnight at least.
Wash the salt off with vinegar.
Apply spices, slice, dry in the dehydrator.

The salt draws out moisture and makes the meat tougher.
The vinegar still contributes surprisingly to the taste even if it’s just a wash.
I might go back to this method soon so I don’t have to add extra salt to the spice mix I’m developing.
It’s all a process of constant experimentation.

Ignoring the other workouts I did recently

2011-11-23T20:45:00.001+13:00

Because I can't remember what they were.

AMRAP10
10 x 25kg T-handle swings
10 x Abmat sit-ups

Squats feeling pretty good

2011-11-16T19:36:00.001+13:00

3RNFT
10 x 20kg back squat
5 x 2kg Trap 3 raise

Getting there

2011-11-14T19:33:00.000+13:00

I can breathe through both nostrils fairly consistently again, there's still noxious gunk running down the back of my throat, but I'm sleeping through the night and not waking up gagging and retching.
There for OK to train but not ready for a real metcon yet, so:

5RNFT
10 x 60kg deadlift
30 second plank hold

My knees hurt

2011-10-23T19:58:00.001+13:00

Walked all over the zoo yesterday, walked over the waterfront today, wanted something that didn't involve bending my knees.

AMRAP 10
10 x 40kg pendelay rows (too light)
10 x 10kg one armed dumbbell press

Squats and TTB

2011-10-21T19:56:00.000+13:00

AMRAP 15
5 x 32.5kg back squat
10 TTB

An exercise in shoulder control, ie futility

2011-10-19T19:28:00.002+13:00

AMRAP 10
5 x 15kg OHS
10 plank to downward dog

Doesn't even deserve to be a warm-up and yet it was very challenging to maintain the external rotation I thought I could achieve. Which doesn't make it good, just frustrating.

Brendan variant

2011-10-15T18:46:00.000+13:00

10RNFT
10 x 60kg deadlift
15 x abmat sit-ups

Sometime north of 20 minutes. I used my stopwatch to count the rounds or I would have completely lost track.

Very much considered making it 5 rounds going into round 3, but the sit-ups didn't get much harder so I kept going. Glad I did it.

That was a doozy

2011-10-11T20:17:00.000+13:00

5RNFT
5 x 32.5kg back squats
2RNFT
3 pull-ups
6 x 12kg one armed dumbbell press
9 x 15kg hang muscle snatch

A bit pooped now.

Front Squats and swings

2011-10-09T12:46:00.002+13:00

AMRAP 10
10 x 20kg FS
15 x 20kg T-handle swings

Deadlifts and muscle snatches

2011-10-05T19:11:00.001+13:00

AMRAP 10
5 x 100kg deadlift
10 x 15kg hang muscle snatch

Not too sure that the muscle snatches were a good idea. My left shoulder, beautifully strong and in control, right shoulder, hurting and hunched up and not locking back.
Should have stuck with the one armed presses but I wanted something different.
I think I'm going to regret this.

Back squats and TTR

2011-10-03T19:10:00.001+13:00

AMRAP 10
10 x 30kg back squats
10 TTB (actually to the roof of the shed, so about shins to bar)

30kg doesn't feel appreciably heavy except on my right shoulder and wrist. Should be OK to up it a little I hope.

Deadlifts and presses

2011-09-29T19:59:00.002+13:00

AMRAP10
5 x 70kg deadlifts
5 x 12kg one armed dumbbell presses - each arm

Core work shaped like Cindy - aka I didn't like my shoulders anyway

2011-09-25T11:03:00.004+13:00

AMRAP20
5 x 20kg press
10 x rower seat slidy things
15 x PVC OHS

One armed dbbell presses would have been better.
I need to practise barbell presses to get my shoulder back in the groove, but higher reps would be more sensible. To even things back up, one armed presses will be the order of the day for a while. Left shoulder was solid through everything. Right was all over the place.

Row and back squats

2011-09-23T19:51:00.001+12:00

AMRAP12
500m row
5 x 30kg back squats

Wore a wrap on my right wrist and it didn't bother me at all. My right elbow was still grizzling a bit so my shoulder is still rolled forward.
With the wrist not screaming at me the weight didn't feel as heavy and I could easily have added 10-15kg. Still not quite powering out of the hole with my hamstrings consistently though so I must be patient. Getting several reps in each round where I am though and that is much much better than I've ever done before. Lots more air squat practise.
Abductor flexibility was an issue for a while. Me. Tight abductors. Me!
Boy I'm getting old.

Diane-ish - Deadlifts and one armed DB press

2011-09-21T20:30:00.000+12:00

21-15-9 NFT
100kg deadlifts
12kg dumbbell press

Daedlifts were slow and broken and good.
Presses were interesting. Despite being right handed my right shoulder is enormously weaker than my left now. That injury has really messed me up, but I think it goes back further than that and it may have been weaker for some years. I've compensated for it by using my traps and triceps when pressing and that's why my traps lock up on that side. I think I may never have properly healed from the shoulder injury I had 20 odd years ago.

Swings and KTE

2011-09-19T20:02:00.000+12:00

AMRAP 10?
30 x 20kg T-handle swings
15KTE

Scapular retractors take a hammering

2011-09-17T13:03:00.001+12:00

AMRAP 10
5 x ring rows, feet on a 12" box
5 x 30kg front squat

Both were ridiculously, embarrassingly, hard.

Kung Pao chicken

2011-09-14T20:14:00.000+12:00

Apparently I got it right, if a little watery.

3 large chicken breasts, cubed

Marinade:
4 teaspoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons Ormonds rich cream sherry style wine
2 teaspoon sesame oil
3 teaspoons cornflour

Mix into the cubed chicken, leave for 25-30 minutes or, while you warm-up and do a dumbass deadlift-KTE workout.

Heat some olive oil in a too small wok
Cook the chicken
Remove from the wok

Heat more olive oil.
Cook
A tablespoon of crushed garlic
1 tablespoon of masterfoods chilli paste

Then add
5-6 chopped spring onions
A 227g can of water chestnuts, chopped too coarsely
A 400g packet of frozen watties chinese style wok creations stir-fry veges

A sauce made from:
4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons of sherry
1 teaspoon of brown sugar
1 teaspoon of sesame oil

A 70g packet of chopped peanuts

Cook it all for a bit and then add the chicken and reduce the volume of the liquid.

Rice would have helped take some of the heat out.
Nice flavour and not too hot. It just makes your eyes water a bit.

The dumbest thing I've done in a while

2011-09-14T19:12:00.001+12:00

AMRAP 10
60kg romanian deadlifts
Every time I put the bar down, do 5 KTE

So in a workout where I broke the weighted movement because my grip was failing, programming an exercise where I spend part of the movement hanging nearly upside down from a rafter was pretty stupid.

Back squats and pull-ups

2011-09-14T06:09:00.000+12:00

AMRAP 10
15 x 20kg back squats
5 pull-ups

Swings and OHS

2011-09-11T09:19:00.000+12:00

20 x 20kg T-handle swings
10 x 15kg OHS

After the OHS shoulder felt like it used to when I did them PVC, which is not fun. But PVC feels solid most of the time so hopefully with time a bar will too.
This is going to take a while.

Deadlifts and an experiment

2011-09-06T19:43:00.000+12:00

AMRAP 10
10 x 80kg deadlifts
10 x ring pike things.

They might have a name, but I don't know what it is.
Rings hanging about seat height at the back (rail end) of the rower.
Start in a plank position on the rings with feet on the seat of the rower, pike up as far as tight hamstrings let me.
Core work.
I was going to try using a skateboard to put my feet on and then it occurred to me that the rower was there and for a first time limiting the wiggliness might be sensible.

I liked them, worth pursuing I think.

Stuff that looks a bit like Cindy

2011-09-04T13:20:00.001+12:00

AMRAP 20
5 ring rows
10 med ball presses, touching rafter behind me
10 x 20kg back squat

Can't think of a title

2011-09-01T19:04:00.002+12:00

AMRAP10
10 x 20kg T-Handle swings
10 abmat frog sit-ups

Might need more weight for the T-handle

Nancyish

2011-08-30T20:54:00.000+12:00

3RNFT
10 x 80kg Deadlift
15 x PVC OHS

Yet another unimaginitive workout

2011-08-28T17:52:00.000+12:00

AMRAP10
6 x 20kg front squat
6 x 20kg press
6 TTB

Deadlifts and sit-ups

2011-08-23T19:36:00.000+12:00

5RNFT
10 x 80kg deadlifts
10 abmat frog sit-ups

Sunday playtime

2011-08-21T20:08:00.001+12:00

AMRAP10ish
5 x 30kg backsquats
15 x 20kg Russian T-handle swings
30 x med-ball throws into angled mini-tramp

Baby housewives

2011-08-18T19:31:00.002+12:00

9 x 5
PVC OHS Box squats
Standing pull-ups

Dumb idea

2011-08-16T19:57:00.000+12:00

Not my best effort in programming in performance

Started out as : Every minute on the minute for 10 minutes 5 x 100kg deadlifts
Rest of the minute TTB

After about 3 rounds the deadlifts took the whole minute and farting around with watches was way too complicated on my own so changed it to:
AMRAP10
5 x 100kg deadlift
5 TTR (toes to roof of the shed)

Wall swings. No that's a stupid name. Ah whatever

2011-08-15T19:02:00.000+12:00

AMRAP12, becuase that's what the watch was set to
15 x 20kg Russian T-handle swings
15wall ball

Didn't count rounds.
About 6.
As in more than 3, less than 8.
OK I'm starting to get interested in keeping track of the numbers again alright?

Franrap

2011-08-11T19:19:00.001+12:00

AMRAP12
9 x 15kg thruster
9 ring rows

Didn't count rounds.

Borrowed from CF Birkenhead

2011-08-08T19:46:00.000+12:00

800m Row
30 KTE
15 x 15kg press

15 KTE
30 x 15kg press
800m row

Squats and umm, something else

2011-08-04T19:08:00.000+12:00

Couldn't think what else to do with the squats so did this.

AMRAP12
10 x 30kg back squats
3 pull-ups from a box

Should have done 5

2011-08-01T20:27:00.000+12:00

3RNFT
AMRAP1 x 60kg deadlift
KTE

Needed to do something

2011-07-25T19:13:00.001+12:00

AMRAP 10
15 x 40kg pendelay rows
15 abmat frog sit-ups

A serving of light weights

2011-07-23T17:36:00.000+12:00

AMRAP 10 - should have been 15
10 x 20kg back squats - oooh, heavy! Not.
12kg waiter's walk down the driveway and back each arm

Only got a bout 3 rounds in, which is why it should have been 15 minutes.

Waiter's walks got hard to keep my shoulder into my ear. Probably should have used a lighter weight, but not disastrously sore today, so maybe OK.

Deadlifts

2011-07-21T18:53:00.001+12:00

5 x 120kg
15 x 80kg

Playful 30

2011-07-18T18:49:00.002+12:00

AMRAP 15
30 x 20kg T-Handle swings
30 med ball throws into angled mini-tramp
30 footbag kicks

Didn't count rounds

Used the braces on my pull-up bar rig to approximate something like this.

Core work

2011-07-15T19:12:00.000+12:00

5 x 80kg Deadlifts
15 abmat frog sit-ups

Probably could have done 10 reps on the deadlifts as I planned prior to feeling how heavy 60kg felt.

Bac squats and teensy presses

2011-07-13T19:03:00.000+12:00

Squats were pretty darned teensy too.

AMRAP 10
10 x 20kg back squat
20 x 2?kg db press

And that was honestly all I could press and stil have my right shoulder stay lined up in the non-hurty plane.
One hopes that will improve with time.
One also hopes one won't be a dipshit and try and rush to bigger weights too quickly, but history would indicate that one will fail miserably at that.

Deadlifts

2011-07-12T20:01:00.001+12:00

3 x 10 x 60kg

Stuff

2011-07-10T10:52:00.002+12:00

AMRAP 10
5 KTE
10 x 20kg T-Handle swings

Didn't count rounds. Don't need the stress.

So we went to Sydney to meet Jeff and Mikki, their kids and Randy White, aka “Li’l Bingo”.

2011-07-08T16:23:00.005+12:00

The Martins were running the first Australian CrossFit Kids cert at CrossFit FX and as we can’t make it to the CrossFit games this year (boo!), we took advantage of them coming next door to see them.
We stayed at the Wynyard Travelodge when we couldn’t book into the same hotel as the Martins and it was a really good choice. We didn’t have a car and the Travelodge is on the next block from the train station and right in the CBD with great restaurants all around and Darling Harbour just one block over and down the hill. Mikki and her mail escorts were out at one of the airport hotels and that wouldn’t have been anywhere near as handy.
We missed the first day of the cert because I didn’t want to bother Jeff and Mikki to ask them if we could be there and didn’t know how much leeway they had to let us attend when it wasn’t at their own gym. Turns out I should have as they were keen for our feedback on the latest incarnation of the cert. Rocking up at CFX after a bus ride out from then city, the trains being out for track maintenance, I can’t express how good it was to see everyone. Like a care package from Ramona. I talked comics with Duncan, we watched the cert and took lots of photos and met Todd Widman again. Todd travels with Kids certs now as a flowmaster (I’d say MC but the certs use the flowmaster term) and does the predator talk on the second day. I think he might do the nutrition talk too? Todd was the flowmaster at my L1 on our first trip to Ramona and it was great to see him working the Kids cert.
The cert just gets better and better every time we see it. The format is tighter and smoother and I really like the breakout circles a‘ la the L1 certs. It puts people on the spot, but it means that they don’t coast through the cert and are better trainers at the end of it. Keegan and Connor have really come along as presenters and Mikki is great at teaching people how to teach the movements. I hadn’t seen her doing that before and she is seriously good at it. It was good to see several kiwis there. Representatives from CFNZ, CF Auckland, CF Birkenhead, CF Napier or Hawkes bay. I got to watch a couple of them and one stand-out for me was Jojo from CFNZ. She seemed to get the whole vibe that CF Kids is about and I think she’ll do really well. And she made it through the cert with a prolapsed lumbar disk. I’ve had one of those and she’s definitely tougher than me to get through a plane flight and 2 days of sitting and moving without whining.
We made a run for the bus after the cert and made it into the city in time to meet the cert crew for dinner at Darling harbour. The restaurant Mikki found was “The meat and Wine Co” and it was very good. They serve biltong as a side dish and I got several of them to try it. All but Mikki loved it, as I expected (people liking it, not Mikki disliking it). If they make it to NZ I’ll make up some big batches for them.
We met the Martins for dinner the next 2 nights and went through the Wildlife Park to watch the boys get close to a koala on one of those nights. On the other one the boys went to see Transformers 3 at the Imax and we had a lovely long dinner with Mikki and Jeff. As always the kiwi contingent didn’t carry much of the conversation, Mikki and Jeff had so many good stories to listen to. One day I must develop some conversational skills. Definitely a very nice time with wonderful people.

Aside from meeting some of our favourite people we had a great time walking over the CBD, getting trains and the monoroail and even a short ferry ride.
We went to the aquarium and paddy’s market, saw the opera house and harbour bridge and tried quite a lot of beer. We tried 2 bavarian beer cafes and went back to one of them. Some dumbass decided to get another glass of beer after trying the sampler of all of the beers and weaved his way back to the hotel. Actually 2 dumbasses.
We had dinner at a very noisy irish pub and found a café right across the road from the hotel that serves very good scrambled eggs and the absolute best fried tomatos I’ve ever had.

The trip was everything I could have hoped for and I would happily go back to Sydney for a short trip like that. Next time we’d use the rail passes to go a bit further out I think. Sharing the whole thing with Lynette was wonderful. So much fun.

A really great time.

Low pressure Fran variant

2011-07-07T20:00:00.003+12:00

AMRAP 10
10 x PVC thrusters
10 Ring rows

Didn't count rounds. Don't need the stress.

Shoulder rehab some more

2011-06-26T17:43:00.000+12:00

21-15-9 NFT
Back squats with, wait for it, 20kg.
Ring rows

Shoulder didn't freak out on the back squats and I even got the bar over the top of my bad shoulder on the 15 rep set. Decided I was pushing this a a bit and went back to high bar on the last round. I'm supposed to be persuading my shoulder that letting me do these is a good idea, not punishing it into compliance.

Then tried some OHS with PVC, which is what I actually had in mind to do with this workout and abandoned when I couldn't keep the bar overhead. Interestingly enough when I was warm I was easily able to have the bar in position. My shoulders still seemed to be rolled too far forward and that will need time and patience. Not good at either when it comes to my own training.

Deadlifts

2011-06-23T19:00:00.000+12:00

3 x 132.5kg?
Should have written this up on the night. Maybe it was 122.5kg?

Didn't video it either so I can't check that.
That's not good, records are important.

Baby Fran

2011-06-18T11:00:00.001+12:00

21-15-9 NFT
10 kg single dumbbell thrusters - Hold dumbbell with both hands by the ends
Ring rows

Intensity about a 1.5 at best and still sweating.
Work on shoulder position, scapular retraction and (ring rows) and shoulders in my ears at the finish (thrusters) were the focus, then chest high in the squat portion of the thrusters. Everything else took a back seat.

Deadlifts

2011-06-16T19:16:00.001+12:00

5 x 120kg

I wasn't trying for anything like a real 5RM. This was a "this is what it feels like to pick something up that you can't get to your shoulders" wake-up call.

There's a lot of head movement going on in the video and my head isn't in line with my spine.
The bar gets away from me a fair bit and I'm squatting the weight up, hips start a little too low.
I am getting my chest up quite well which s what I'd hoped for. Thoracic mobility work is a bitch, but it is possible to uncurl a bit so that's good.

Butt torture

2011-06-14T19:00:00.000+12:00

2RNFT
Lunges to the gate and back with 5kg plate overhead
20 x 12kg american T-handle swings

Lunges were supposed to be to the road and back. Scaled on the fly.
Originally planned 3 rounds and pulled the plug when my glutes started cramping on the return trip of round 2.

Decided I wanted to be able to walk today.

5Kg was enough overhead. Very much like the concept as practise keeping my shoulders locked tight, but they're very weak right now.

If Michael was a bodybuilder, and a wuss

2011-06-12T15:35:00.001+12:00

And couldn't count.

4RNFT
200m "run"
10 x 40 kg pendelay rows (thanks Darryl)
15 abmat sit-ups

Tried really hard to keep my chin in, shoulders back and back flat on the rows. I suspect I failed on all counts.
Frigging sit-ups were a mission! Not hard to sit-up (well it was after a while), darned near impossible to touch my shoulders to the ground over the abmat and keep my butt on the ground. Trying to avoid monkey-butt and discovered my back was still tight even after stretching before I started. The hunch-back of Papakura, that's me.

Snatch grip deadlifts, girly push-ups

2011-06-07T19:31:00.000+12:00

5RNFT
10 x 40kg snatch-grip deadlifts
10 "assisted "push-ups. My physio said not to call them girly push-ups.

Shoulder not at all happy about the push-ups. The physio can go take a running jump, I'm staying off push-ups for another 2 weeks and then starting back with ring push-ups with the rings set very high so I can line my shoulder up with free rotation of the wrists.

Ring rows and squats

2011-06-01T19:25:00.000+12:00

8RNFT
10 ring rows - rings at shoulder height
10 air squats

Deadlifts and footbag

2011-05-30T18:54:00.000+12:00

The first workout I'm willing to call one.
4RNFT (not sure I'm going to bother timing or counting rounds for most workouts any more)
12 x 60kg deadlifts
20 footbag kicks

Deadlifts got hard fast. Not heavy, hard to hold my back in extension.
Footbag kicks, part of a new idea to have some fun in workouts while working accuracy,agility, coordination, balance etc, were too easy. Should have targettted 50.

Pretty much shows what I've spent more time doing in the last few months.

Back Squats

2011-04-05T18:51:00.000+12:00

5 x 80kg
15 x 60kg

Happier than I was with last week's performance, my hamstrings were on much more.
Must remember I like squatting in jeans. There's a little bit of a squat suit effect, but mostly there's tactile feedback when my hamstrings are engaged. Very valuable.

An homage to 11.2

2011-04-01T19:40:00.002+13:00

AMRAP 15
9 x 30kg front squats
12 hand release push-ups
15 x 20" box jumps

4 rounds and the push-ups.

1 2:53
2 3:10
3 3:17
4 3:43

Deadlifted yesterday and didn't see the point in doing it again.

Deadlifts

2011-03-31T19:33:00.000+13:00

5 x 130kg
15 x 90kg

Squats

2011-03-29T19:58:00.003+13:00

Just
3 x 80kg
20 x 60kg

Quite happy with that. I got home late, I've barely gotten out of my chair at all today and it was nice to simply move some weights.

Runny mainsite

2011-03-28T19:33:00.002+13:00

3RFT
200m
10 x 20kg Front squat
3 x beginner rope climbs

9:44

1 3:25
2 3:10
3 3:10

That was cut back a bit far really.

Lightweight

2011-03-25T20:03:00.001+13:00

3RFT
10 x 20kg HPS
10 push-ups against a wall
10 x 20kg HPS
10 squats

9:05

1 2:45
2 3:02
3 3:18

Deadlifts

2011-03-24T19:24:00.002+13:00

3 x 142.5kg
10 x 100kg

A nagging pain in my lower left side got significantly worse during these, however I made the reps.
A bit ugly in the rounded upper back department.

Variation on a theme

2011-03-18T18:12:00.003+13:00

4RFT
500m row - At least sub 2 minutes
10 push-ups with a doubled up band as an improvised slingshot
10 KTE

15:59

1 3:43?
2 4:01
3 4:04
4 4:10

I looked at my watch after the first round and found it on 11 something, I hadn't reset it after the last WOD.
Times above are best guesstimates

Deadlifts

2011-03-17T19:56:00.000+13:00

1 x 142.5kg
10 x 100kg

Couldn't get any more at the 142.5kg tonight

Chasing Keegan

2011-03-15T19:04:00.004+13:00

4RFT
10 Wallball 8 foot(ish) target
10 pull-ups

7:27

1 1:20
2 1:45
3 1:58
4 2:23

Walball were a breeze.
Pull-ups slowed me down. Grip was dodgy and the reps were jerky.

Got as bit to go to beat Keegan's 7 rounds in 4:10

Back squats

2011-03-14T19:54:00.003+13:00

Decided to get back on Mr. Martin's programme as things are a bit busy, ie just squats no metcon and make sure I get my squats and deadlifts each week.

So 3 x 90kg
15 x 60kg

Pretty happy with that.
My butt has been absolutely ground down sitting on a chair and in the car lately and my hamstrings and sciatic nerve have been screaming at me. This was very much needed and I feel enormously better for it.

The lack of engagement of my posterior chain shows, no surprise. Hopefully I can get rid of some of that forward pitch.

LitviNancy

2011-03-11T19:48:00.002+13:00

3RNFT
15 x 20kg OHS
Run 200m (can't call it a sprint).
Stop clock
Walk back.

1 2:51
2 2:46
3 2:48

Deadlifts and Diane variant

2011-03-11T05:43:00.001+13:00

3 x 140kg
10 x 100kg

Upper back was very rounded. Busy at work and way too little back clicking.

Then
21-15-9
60kg deadlift
12 kg dumbbell press

7:31

Runny Cindy

2011-03-07T19:26:00.002+13:00

3RFT
200m
2 Rounds of
5 pull-ups
10 x 25kg AWOH
15 squats

15:21

Running wasn't so hot, need my pace-makers.
Pull-ups OK.
Presses OK.
Air squats were a bit hit and miss. Couldn't lock in the groove.

Back squats and CF Housewives

2011-03-06T12:14:00.004+13:00

Pulled the pin when the second attempt at an 80kg warm-up wasn't any better than the first.
Decided I was paying the price for shirking the high rep set lately and that it is a necessity (for me at least) to practice the movement and keep my hamstrings activated after days of pancaking them (to use Kelly's term) at the office.
By the end of the 12 gad-awful uncomfortable reps I did my groove was coming back, hamstrings firing, but was on and the video shows it. So either high reps after the top set or back squats in the WOD following. I need them. I'm too far behind to not do them. Jeff might actually have known what he was doing when he prescribed them.

Did a quick scaled version of my beloved "CF Housewives"
5RFT
9 x 20kg OHS
9 pull-ups, - Green band assist.

12:30

After the first couple of rounds I was astonished that my shoulders felt so good on the OHS and that overall they were motoring along nicely. Got out the camera and shot the last few rounds. I apparently did an extra round somehow, but who cares.
The reps were good. I plummet to the bottom a bit and most frustratingly, I start with my shoulders nicely externally rotated and then roll them over as I descend. Dumbass.

Used a band on the pull-ups because the real estate agent was coming over to take photos of the house and I was running out of time before she arrived.

Brendan - with assistance

2011-03-04T19:14:00.003+13:00

10RFT
10 x 60kg deadlifts
15 push-ups - home-made slingshot assistance

16:58

1 1:27
2 1:40
3 1:50
4 1:21 I think I missed a few deadlifts there. #10 came rather quickly.
5 1:40
6 1:42
7 1:40
8 2:06
9 1:44
10 1:45

Deadlifts were on the money for load. Not sure my form was so good, my back was definitely soft in the latter rounds.

Ticking the box

2011-03-03T20:15:00.001+13:00

3 I think RNFT
5 x 30kg hang power snatch
5 x 30kg front squat

The power snatches were messy and got better
The FS were a surprise, quite easy. Alright, they should be with that weight, but FS are normally a crappy awkward movement for me with any weight.

Mucking about

2011-03-01T20:07:00.003+13:00

5RFT
9 x 20kg thrusters
9 pull-ups

17:00

Interrupted by the landlord ringing to tell us the asking price for the house we're living in which is going on the market.
A bit stressed about almost certainly having to move.

Thrusters popped up a few times, ground others, mostly just slow and steady.
Pull-ups got better and then lost it a bit at thee end. All sets broken, which is cool for now. I don't think I broke, tore or damaged anything this time.

Back Squats

2011-03-01T16:02:00.002+13:00

2 x 92.5kg
10 x 60kg.

The solid feeling I had last week was gone, knees caving in. I got it back a little and it's definitely about keeping my hamstrings engaged. When that stops the knees dive in and I grind up on my quads.
Knees out sit aback and put my weight behind me, don't focus on what I can see or I go face first into the squat.
If I can hang onto that I'm good and the weight will go up.

Cindy mod

2011-02-25T19:46:00.004+13:00

AMRAP 20
5 x supinated pull-ups
10 x 30kg press to OHAH
20 squats

9 rounds
1 1:52
2 2:08
3 2:08
4 2:23
5 2:31
6 2:51
7 2:11
8 2:15
9 1:39

Obviously a sprint finish.

Supinated because it started spitting as I began and I wasn't going to kip on a slippery bar.
Presses were a little too heavy. They were strict, round 7 I think when I started crabbing my shoulder, so I switched to push-presses and push jerks.
Squats were OK. Butt was tight from yesterday and it was working the whole time. I wasn't rolling my left femur out as much as I should all the time.

After, tried some sotts presses. Completely pressing forward, almost horizontal! No wonder I'm struggling to get my shoulders into position to OHS these days. What a mess!

Deadlifts and running

2011-02-24T20:04:00.003+13:00

1 x 147.5kg
Better than last time, but still not there.
Time to find my groove again.

My back wasn't set at all and I levered it up.

But it's still more weight than I've lifted before, so a win of sorts.

Should have done the high rep set because the following was too taxing to have me focus on my form.

3RFT
200m
10 x 100kg deadlifts

9:12

1 2:35
2 3:02
3 3:33

Really tried on the runs. I envisioned my little pacemakers from Sunday disappearing down the road on their bikes and roller-blades and tried to catch them.
Deadlifts were just horrible. I was puffing too much top set myself and, well, not good.

Playing around

2011-02-22T19:35:00.003+13:00

4RNFT
500m row
15 push-ups with a doubled up band as an improvised slingshot
10 KTE

Aimed for sub 2 minutes on all rows and that was hard. I feel like my nice friendly Model B just turned around and bit me.
Push-ups were fun bouncing up and down on the band. My shoulders felt good and it really does keep them in position. I think it has potential, I'll try it out benching.
KTE were more KT the general vicinity of the elbows. I'm OK with that for this time.