Fatbusting: Kirwan's log

ACT Crusader

[quote name='Paekakboyz']yeah pull ups are tough. Are you doing close grip with palms toward you? I've seen some weird variations on CF videos etc - the pace some people do them at is amazing, but not a real up and down pull up, more a swinging type motion. 
 
Either way they are bastards! but they are nigh on impossible to cheat on so you can really track improvement. 
 
Ugh that workout sounds nasty, bet it was heaps of fun![/QUOTE] 
 
That's the kipping or butterfly pullups that most Xfitters do. I think Mojoman is the fern expert on those. I haven't got it down yet but am very slowly working on it.

Kirwan

Yeah, have started learning the motion at the lower end of that. Destroys my tricep and is really tough on the grip and that's not even the full movement. The super-fit guy in our gym did 2 x 50 of those in his full version of the workout. Granted with a few breaks, but still....

Kirwan

Ok, I have proven two things today. One, I'm addicted to crossfit and Two, I'm getting fitter. I hit the gym at 6am this morning on an empty stomach (a tactic to burn more fat) and completed a difficult workout without any after effects like when I started (headaches, dizziness, oh and passing out...). A good feeling, and helps me reach the three per week target during a busy week. 
 
Strength work today was at the end, which was tough. 40kg x 30 reps for time of Cleans. WOD was "Fight Gone Bad", which is three rounds of one minute (AMRAP) of Sumo Deadlift, Box Jumps, Push Press, Row (for Calories), Wall Balls. Then you add up the reps to get a total score, mine was 250. Big dropoff in round three of the Box jumps, think it went from 20 to 11!

Paekakboyz

It's an awesome feeling when you realise you are getting fitter! I think this crossfit biz has given you an objective sense of your progress too. You go hard every single time and have numbers of reps etc to track how you are going. Not having those postworkout spin outs etc is also evidence of your progress! You must be stoked : ) 
 
Three days a week will certainly see you continue to improve - are you still adding in runs/rows on top of the crossfit sessions?

Kirwan

No, I'm just not motivated to row at the moment. I'd happily go for a run maybe once a week (5km) but my calf is not behaving. I tweaked it on a 400 metre piece of the workout on Monday, so am heading back the physio to find out how to sort it out. 
 
Have tried resting, deep tissue massage (farking hurts), actually doing the exercises given to me last time (that did fix the right calf), just keeps happening. 
 
It's not stopping me skipping or doing box jumps, just tightens at the end of a period of running and then hurts for a few days, then comes right again (enough to walk anyway). Very frustrating. 
 
The rest of it is going great. Am starting to actually record what I'm doing now instead of just getting through the workouts.

Kirwan

Third session ticked off. I think I can get up to four after another week quite comfortably. 
 
This was an odd workout, all about the snatch (snigger). We spent a lot time with a 20kg bar just getting the movements all correct (I think this is the most complex of the weightlifting that I've done so far.), then worked out what out weight was going to be for the WOD, which was 30kg. 
 
It was that low because it was a "how many snatches can you do in ten minutes workout". My answer is 45. Beat the other guy by 6 (which is important to my childish competitive streak) and worked out how to get away from the bar if you fuck it up (3 times!). Could've got close to 50 is I didn't waste those lifts.... 
 
So not as ball busting as the more cardio orientated workouts, but still bloody hard. Squat section was getting a bit tender towards the end <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

BartMan

snatch - that's the one from the floor to overhead in one go yes? (that's a big snatch, snigger x 2). 
 
Have never done that, have never been shown how, and don't want to do it wrong and fark it, and me up. 
 
Sounds like a fun workout.

Kirwan

[quote name='BartMan']snatch - that's the one from the floor to overhead in one go yes? (that's a big snatch, snigger x 2). 
 
Have never done that, have never been shown how, and don't want to do it wrong and fark it, and me up. 
 
Sounds like a fun workout.[/QUOTE] 
 
That's a Power Snatch. I was doing the one that you lift from the ground to overhead, get down to a squat and power it up. You basically duck under it to lift it. Power snatch is harder. 
 
Only exercise that I've had to bail on. Standing in front of me during this is not a safe zone <img src='http://www.daimenhutchison.com/invision/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />

BartMan

ah yep, know it now. and clean and jerk is ground to chest, and then overhead...?? 
 
Would have loved to have gotten into that as a kid and done some Olympic weightlifting type stuff. Always looked very cool and I reckon I might have been good at it!!! Ah well, next lifetime!

Kirwan

Yep, have been doing those too. And the split jerk where you muck around with the legs, it's a lot of fun. All the PBs go up on the wall too, so it's a nice friendly competitive environment.

Paekakboyz

Do they require a lot of wrist strength? or is it more about the technique? That BEAR exercise that was posted a while back looked pretty cool but I never gave it a go. 
 
Must be nice to have other folk to compete with but not have to worry about a training partner so to speak.

Kirwan

[quote name='Paekakboyz']Do they require a lot of wrist strength? or is it more about the technique? That BEAR exercise that was posted a while back looked pretty cool but I never gave it a go. 
 
Must be nice to have other folk to compete with but not have to worry about a training partner so to speak.[/QUOTE] 
 
A couple do, cause you need to get the bar as close to your throat as possible for balance with your elbows out and that makes a difficult/uncomfortable angle on the wrist. 
 
I wouldn't be doing these lifts in a gym without someone on call to correct any issues. I don't want to wreck my back or anything. Actually, that's worth mentioning that I've had no back or neck pain since I've started this. Another health benefit.

Paekakboyz

Yeah that was my initial concern with going back to squats and starting fresh on DL's. Really important to get your form sorted and understand where the pressure is going before you go hard. I busted the cartildge in one wrist years ago and while it's not weak it does give me problems at certain angles (that's as bad as the snatch comments!). 
 
Not surprised your back/neck is better - doing DL's in particular has improved my posture and back strength out of sight. Feel a lot more balanced for lack of a better description. The crossfit workouts seem to have a lot of variety so you'd be developing strength all over rather than overtraining one area.

Kirwan

Another session under the belt, 20min WOD of 5x incline pressups, 10 x Evil one legged squats, 15 x pullups. Was a bit of a eye opener of for "workons". My pullups are still terrible, can get to four in a row now, but that's it. 
 
Needed to swap out the pullups (after stepping down in the various assistance ways you can do them) to 15 x 16kg kettlebell overhead things. The one legged squats (which nobody could do, even the instructor) got modified to a halfway down to a set height, still bloody hard. 
 
Got through 11 rounds in 20mins, and was sucking in oxygen at the end. So got a good workout. 
 
To increase the pullups, I've been doing them as part of the warmup in every session, and there's this rubber band thing he has to reduce your weight, so I then crack out some more of those. First target is double figures. 
 
Oh and some of the strength work was those plank holds for 3 x 1min. Lots of sweat and failing here! 
 
Have stopped recording my weight now, stomach is getting smaller by the minute, shoulders, back and legs are getting bigger so weight is actually going up. Jeans I could barely fit months ago are too baggy now, about to buy a new pair.

Duluth

[quote name='Kirwan']To increase the pullups, I've been doing them as part of the warmup in every session, and there's this rubber band thing he has to reduce your weight, so I then crack out some more of those. First target is double figures.[/QUOTE] 
Try doing some negatives.. jump up and then try to take 10secs to lower yourself down.. repeat

Kirwan

[quote name='Duluth']Try doing some negatives.. jump up and then try to take 10secs to lower yourself down.. repeat[/QUOTE] 
 
Sadly, I have been (not ten seconds though). Also, the instructor pointing out I wasn't gripping the bar correctly, so was not using any forearm strength. 
 
Bastard has my "PB" up on the board, so am pretty motivated to get it improved.

Hooroo

What is the correct way of gripping the bar Kirwan?

Kirwan

[quote name='Hooroo']What is the correct way of gripping the bar Kirwan?[/QUOTE] 
 
With your full hand, not hanging by your fingers like a doofus (Like I was...)

MN5

[quote name='Kirwan']With your full hand, not hanging by your fingers like a doofus (Like I was...)[/QUOTE] 
 
Yeah to get a few pull/chin ups going you have to grip the absolute shit out of the bar. It increases the muscle flexing/tension like no ones business and hence increases the amount/quality.

Paekakboyz

experiment with the width of your hand spacing as well... Pull ups are evil but very, very good. Good luck!

The Silver Fern

Fatbusting: Kirwan's log