gymgirl's workout journal

[CF-OC_gal]

Originally Posted by Lady C

How do you guys do 5 pull-ups in the first place? I can only do 2. Are yours assisted? Mine are not.

Yup I only tried this because I had access to a gravitron. At 130lbs and 20%BF it feels a ton different than when I was 118lbs and 12% BF and worked up to doing multiple sets of pull-ups. It still gets it done though. Same thing with the pushups. I was finishing off the PU set on the wall by the last rounds!
I've been feeling it in the lats all day.

If I was to try this at home I would set up a bar and do prone chins (see most muscle's photo) under it.

[gymgirl]

Originally Posted by Brat

POOPED! I too started heavy breathing into the end of the 2nd round. The 2 other people in the gym kept looking puzzled at me as I would head back to the pull-up station. I thought maybe my breathing was too loud or something. It was more aerobic than I though it would be and I wobbled down the stairs to the change room after. Holding my arms up to shampoo my hair was rough!

:-) sounds like me! it is shocking how aerobic it is. i bet you will be sore tomorrow...i know i am super sore today--and of corse the sick part of me loves it. ha.

lady c- i was doing the pull-ups unassisted. i only made all 5 pull-ups in a row on the first 5 rounds. after that i would do 3 and drop to rest then get back up and finish. i think by my last couple of rounds i was managing 2, then i would have to drop between each single until i hit 5.

have you ever tried kipping pull-ups? i still can't do them 100% correctly, but it makes the pull-up part easier.

[JDR3]

Should have read your journal before I replied on my own. It sounds like you have always trained hard. I think you will enjoy the CF workouts when you do them. I use to do the usual weightlifting and cardio and find the CF more to my liking. Have lost 14 lbs on CF(256 down to 242). I like to weigh between 240 and 245, so would like to maintain. Look forward to reading your journal.

[Lady C]

Originally Posted by gymgirl

have you ever tried kipping pull-ups? i still can't do them 100% correctly, but it makes the pull-up part easier.

No. Please explain.

[gymgirl]

Originally Posted by JDR3

Should have read your journal before I replied on my own. It sounds like you have always trained hard. I think you will enjoy the CF workouts when you do them. I use to do the usual weightlifting and cardio and find the CF more to my liking. Have lost 14 lbs on CF(256 down to 242). I like to weigh between 240 and 245, so would like to maintain. Look forward to reading your journal.

wow congrats on your training! i have only been doing the CF workouts for a couple of months and only about once per week, but they are starting to grow on me. i just felt like i wasn't going to get a good workout unless i did the usual weightlifting. i think i'll try incorporating two CF workouts per week into my routine for now and see how that goes. i'll be checking your journal to get some ideas!

lady c- i found this on the crossfit website http://www.crossfit.com/cgi-bin/disc...=22&post=34589. check out the 4th post down, i think it is a pretty good explanation.

also there was a link to a video http://www.crossfit.com/cf-video/pull-up_7.wmv. i'm at work and can't watch videos, so hopefully it is the correct link.

[tim_mcf]

Basically how kipping works is, you set up a swinging motion in addition to the up-and-down. Start by hanging from the bar and swing lightly forward, then as you swing back you pull up. At the top of the pullup you PUSH hard away from the bar, which sets up the next swing. There are those who consider it cheating, but I think it's harder, from a metabolic perspective, to kip. It kind of forces a really fast tempo, which gets your heart thumping hard really quickly. Conversely, it is possible for some people to kip even if they don't have the strength for a standard pullup, and it helps everybody get higher numbers. My pullup bar is a little too shaky for these, so I always do standard pullups.

[gymgirl]

Originally Posted by tim_mcf

Basically how kipping works is, you set up a swinging motion in addition to the up-and-down. Start by hanging from the bar and swing lightly forward, then as you swing back you pull up. At the top of the pullup you PUSH hard away from the bar, which sets up the next swing. There are those who consider it cheating, but I think it's harder, from a metabolic perspective, to kip. It kind of forces a really fast tempo, which gets your heart thumping hard really quickly. Conversely, it is possible for some people to kip even if they don't have the strength for a standard pullup, and it helps everybody get higher numbers. My pullup bar is a little too shaky for these, so I always do standard pullups.

thanks tim. your explanation is much clearer then what i would have written. ha. i was just talking to a trainer at my gym about kipping pull-ups and we both agreed that we find them harder and would rather just do a standard pull-up. i guess once you get the hang of it it could be easier, but i find it too much to think about when i am already exhaused.

[gymgirl]

today was a light workout. i'm still a little sore from saturday and work with one of my trainers tomorrow and i'm sure he will put me through another great crossfit workout.

cardio:

30 min on the eliptical at about 8.0, 3.75 miles

shoulders

all done on the bosu flat side up

(3) sets with 10lbs of front and side raises
(3) sets with 15lbs of military, or is it called overhead press on one leg on the bosu
(3) sets with 30lbs of upright rows
(3) sets with 20lbs of shoulder press with curl bar

everything was light today, as my back is still healing. i can't wait to get back in the swing of things...


Fat: 23g 21%
Carbs: 129g 47%
Protein: 77g 32%
Total Calories: 1049

need to up the protein a bit. i've lost 2 lbs since i hurt my back two weeks ago...i haven't done legs in 3 weeks and i can tell what muscle i had there is going away. hopefully once i am clear to work legs again it will come back quickly.

[minime]

Hey gymgirl - you are obviously very strong - i have never seen a girl do a single unassisted pullup, so five in a row for several sets seems crazy strong! well done :

you look great - nice abs!

[gymgirl]

thanks minimie!

yesterday pretty much sucked at the gym.

cardio:

20min on the eliptical (light cardio becuse i was working with my trainer afterwards)

my trainer was going to have me do as many rounds as possible in 20 min of:

12 jumping pull-ups
10 thrusters (with 17.5lbs)

after the second round my lower back/hip started hurting so we had to stop and figure out a substitute exercise. we ended up doing jumping-pull-ups and some glute machine so i only got about 4 -5 rounds in, with a large break while figuring out something to do that wouldn't bother my back.

after that we did single arm chest press on the ball, and reverse pull-ups (is that what they are called when you lay below the smith machine and pull-up?)

we went for time:

21 reps, with 22.5lbs one arm chest press on ball
21 reps, reverse pull-ups
15 reps, with 22.5 one arm chest press on ball
15 reps, reverse pull-ups
9 reps, with 22.5lbs one arm chest press on ball
9 reps, reverse pull-ups

I think i finished in 14:13? I have to double check I forgot to write it down.

after that was physical therapy.

I'm so sick of being injured and not being able to do everything, I feel like such a wuss.

Food:

Fat: 34g 29%
Carbs: 113g 36%
Protein: 93g 35%
Total Calories: 1142

[tim_mcf]

Don't let yourself get so pissed off that you push too hard and injure yourself worse. It will pass.

I think the Smith thing you're talking about is called a body row.

[minime]

you call that 'not doing anything'? your crazy!

and how do u keep your cals so low, i think i would die! When i try keep mine to 1400 i feel like crap after couple days...

[gymgirl]

Originally Posted by tim_mcf

Don't let yourself get so pissed off that you push too hard and injure yourself worse. It will pass.

I think the Smith thing you're talking about is called a body row.

thanks tim. i'm trying not to but it is so frusterating! ahhh a body row, thank you!

minime, i guess i'm just hard on myself, and if i'm not totaly dead after my workout i feel like i didn't give it my all. i know it crazy, and i need to get over it.

also here is a link to my food journal. http://www.fitday.com/WebFit/PublicJournals.html?Owner=bluespanishsky
i'm not really trying to keep my calories this low, but it's been pretty hot here the past couple of weeks, so i've been eating lighter. i do want to stay around 1500 since i'm not running or lifting as hard as normal. i do eat about every 2-3 hours though.

[minime]

hey gymgirl - your food choices look good (cept all those bars lol - but i cant lecture as i do love the bars myself!!) mmm i love the Met-Rx Chocolate roasted peanut with caramel - 320cals 32g protein. They are full of sugar alcohols which usually upset my tummy but for some reason these go down fine! love um.

My justification for the bars is - if i eat them instead of regular chocolate its good right? even if oats,chicken and nuts would be better (yawn)

[gymgirl]

i know! i can't stop with the bars! i look at it as a treat, it's my chocolate/sweet thing of the day. i could be eating a lot worse, and they have protein, which i need. i've never tried the met-rx chocolate roasted peanut with carmel, but i used to love their cookie dough bars! they are so filling. i used to manage a pro shop in a gym which sold tons of bars and suppliments so i've tasted so many damn bars out there...the met-rx were definitely the most filling.

p.s i like your justification...that's exactly what i tell myself too. ;-)