Minime 2008 : Journey to Crossfit Excellence

**minime** · 03-Jan-08, 07:47 PM

Hi all! I decided to start a new journal for 2008! I will kick it off with today's workout, I have been out of the gym for five days as I was off snowboarding... today marked my return

Thursday January 3rd

Warmup CFWU, stretching, handstands

Jump Rope Practice Made it to 8 consecutive double unders, yay. Took a while to get my 'jump rope' feet, i kept getting muddled in the rope! I am getting sick of my plastic rope, it keeps twisting itself.

WOD 1
30 kipping pullups
30 bar dips

7:32

WOD 2
3 rounds for time:
400m run
50 squats
30 back extensions

15:01

Todays WOD was 30 Muscleups for time, the proper sub is 120 pullups and dips I believe but no way was I doing that! Pullups went well, 10 then 4 sets of 5, dips were extremely slow, down to singles by the end, I am so bad at dips because I do not do them enough. I usually do pushups in my warmup instead but I need to do both! The second WOD was one i missed last cycle, it was supposed to be 5 rounds and 500m rows but I ran instead because I was too tired to face the rowing. I was totally gassed during the runs, done at 8mph for first one then 9 and I could barely maintain the 9mph pace, it felt like 11mph. Squats unbroken round one then broken but not too badly. I was slow overall though. Glad to be back, to be honest I though it would go worse!

pseudonym · 03-Jan-08, 11:15 PM

I look forward to this new journal Minime!! I'd like to think I'm on a similar journey myself (though I'd never have been creative enough to think of a journal title like yours

)

To comment on your skipping rope woes; not sure what's better than a plastic one. My totally uneducated understanding is there's only plastic and leather; I have a leather one and it twists and knots itself like nothing else.

That's why I can't do Doubleunders you see? ... haha if only I was not so crap at them with the plastic gym ropes too this theory might hold water

.

Here's wishing you a fruitful 2008 my friend!

**minime** · 03-Jan-08, 11:51 PM

Thanks for stopping by pseudonym! I have heard talk of a jump rope from gymgirl i believe that sounds good.. Not sure is it buddy something or other.

i can do double unders with singles between each pretty well but i guess that wastes a lot of time. I am hoping for ten Mins on annie next time.. That is one of my fav workouts :-)

JDR3 · 04-Jan-08, 12:52 AM

Its the Buddy Lee jump rope.

Nice job on the 8 double unders!

**minime** · 04-Jan-08, 08:17 PM

Thanks JDR! I will have to research those.

Friday January 4th

Warmup CFWU (minus pullups and dips), stretching, Hang Power Clean 45x10

Power Cleans
65x3
70x3
75x3
80x3
85x3

Running 5k on treadmill completed in 23:32

Other 2x10 pushups and knee to elbows

Cleans were ok, I had to do them from aerobic steps as I was in Gold's (no bumper plates) which kind of sucks as the collars keep getting in the way. I was happy to make it to 85, it didn't feel like a total max effort but it was definitely tough.

Running was awful! I have really let my running slide since summer and it is reflected in my time. It was extremely tough and I had some moments where i doubted I would make it but I pushed through. Afterwards I felt like passing out/puking. I did it in intervals, 1/4 mile at 7.5, 1/4 at 8.5 with some 9 thrown in towards the end. No more skipping 5ks when they come up just cos i don't feel like it!

I meant to do 4x10 pushups/KTE but I still felt sick to my stomach so I just left.

Overall a good enough workout.

LINDA · 04-Jan-08, 08:40 PM

LOL at Buddy Lee!
The guy knows how to make money! $50 for a skipping rope and $600 for a workshop to teach you how to skip "functionally"! ROTFLMAO

I predict minime is going to become a "fitness bombshell" this year! I am expecting big things from you this year!!!

**minime** · 04-Jan-08, 08:44 PM

I paid less than $3 for my plastic one at target!

What is buddy lees jump rope made of? for that price it must be full of magic beans that make you jump so high you could do triple unders instead of DU just for the heck of it! ha ha.

Brat thank you for the vote of confidence! i too am hoping for big things from me this year.. I must put some goals down soon.

**minime** · 04-Jan-08, 08:45 PM

oh sorry CF-OC_gal.. I keep forgetting that you are not 'Brat' anymore!

LINDA · 04-Jan-08, 08:49 PM

Call me what you want - I don't really care!

Buddy Lee's jump rope has some kind of fancy swivel joint in the handle that make it turn efficiently. I bought a rip-off rope at the $1 store. It was supposed to play a tune while you use it but it is broken - since day 1.

I can't jump anyways right now, but that is one CF certification I will never consider going too ! Do you know the fun I could have with $600!

**minime** · 05-Jan-08, 04:24 PM

The rope sounds good, but not 50 bucks good! I am not that serious about my rope jumping just yet! I too can never see myself tossing $600 on such a certification!

Saturday January 5th

Warmup Modified CFWU, burgener WU with 10lb bar

Deadlifts
75x10
135x3
145x3
155x3
165x2 (fail on third)

"Tabata Something Else"
Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises.

pullups 18,4,3,3,3,3,4,3
pushups 10,7,7,3,4,3,4,3
situps 12,15,12,10,8,11,8,9
squats 16,15,16,15,14,14,12,16

total 285 (last time 281)

Comments Disappointed with deadlifts, I really should have pushed through to get that third rep, I could have had it but I didn't commit. I am delighted I got eighteen consecutive kipping pullups! huge PR as previous best was 12 or 13 I believe. other than the pullup PR my TSE performance was mediocre: slightly better score than last time but I felt slow and my squats were poor. Also it seems all the pushup practice I have been doing has done nothing for my tabata score, so I think I will mix in a tabata pushup one time per week to try to get better at this. I guess doing multiple sets of ten doesn't really transfer to awesome tabata scores!

I somehow found myself outside the gym today with 1 dollar and change in my pocket, not enough for the train home, no wallet... and starving! I went to Trader Joe's and got a greek yogurt and while I was there had a mini cup of free coffee! Then I walked the three miles home. I walk it often but I wasn't planning to do so today and therefore it sucked.

Tomorrow is a much needed rest day!

pierini · 06-Jan-08, 10:47 AM

Some great performance there minime. How many strict pullups can you perform on your first set on a good day!

Keep the CrossFit pedal to the metal!

**minime** · 07-Jan-08, 11:22 PM

Pierini, my strict pullups are still awful! I haven't tested in a while but I believe last time I did them I could only get three strict deadhangs. I should try again soon and see if I can get four. It is a amazing how much easier kipping are compared to strict, once you get the kip down.

So my plan was to do the front squat singles that was today's WOD but when I got to the gym my friend Chris was there so we worked out together. She really wanted to do Tabata Something Else but I didn't want to as I had done it the day before yesterday! I agreed though, I wanted her to experience the horror that is tabata.. it was her first time.

Monday January 7th
Modified CFWU, some stretching

"Tabata Something Else"
Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises.

Pullups 13,6,7,4,5,3,5,3
Pushups 11,6,5,5,4,4,4,4
Situps 11,11,9,9,9,8,8,9
Squats 20,18,18,17,17,18,16,17

Total 304

very happy to get a PR here! I didn't expect anything great. I think she started the clock too soon because I did 13 pullups and she called time which can't be right as I got 18 in 20 seconds last time! Pushups a disaster as always, situps were tough but squats were my saving grace! they went pretty well.

Took a Yoga class afterwards! i keep saying I must start yoga as I don't stretch enough and I finally went to a class! it was a gentle yoga class, beginners so it was very nice and relaxing, plenty of good stretching which was great for me.

Yesterday we had Erik's fathers memorial : we went to the beach and had an informal ceremony (he was not of any religious denomination) Everybody said some nice things, it was very sad.

It was rest day from the gym, and I ate horribly. we had a brunch which was a buffet (danger) so I indulged in several nice things like mini pancakes and coffee cake. I ate lots and lots of fresh strawberries though : they had tons of strawberries and I never get them these days as they are about $5 a pack now.

Back to zone again today.

pseudonym · 08-Jan-08, 05:50 PM

What sort of Yoga was it you went to MM? I'm off to a Bikram session on Saturday - lets compare notes

.

Fantastic work on 13 unbroken pullups too my friend - strong work!

Condolences to you and Eric for his loss.

j2bryson · 09-Jan-08, 12:03 PM

sounds like you're doing great minime!

I was wondering if you could explain what kippings are. I know that I could only do a few strict pullups (maybe I'll see just how many during tonights workout) so maybe kippings are something I could try. Also, how did you come up with your tabatha workout? I've noticed that many people on this site name their workouts, is there some sort of convention or just a personally created thing? I'll be switching up my routine in about a month so I'm starting to look for new things to try.
keep up the good work!

**minime** · 09-Jan-08, 12:31 PM

hey j2bryson, its called crossfit! When I first came to Discussfitness I had a regular weight training routine I would follow, that after time became somewhat boring to me. I found crossfit through this site. I will always be grateful to Pierini, Gymgirl, Tim, JDR etc. for introducing me to it.

In the words of coach greg glassman "CrossFit is a core strength and conditioning program built on constantly varied, if not randomized, functional movements executed at high intensity."

It combines weightlifting (including the olympic lifts) with gymnastics, running, rowing, kettlebell training... and more.

I lived in Ireland when I first started incorporating some of the workouts into my schedule so everything I learned I did so from the instructional videos on the site, and from others here at DF.

The best way to get started is to find an affiliate and go to an introductory class, usually they offer a free class to start off so that you can find out if it is something you will be interested in.

sorry if that was more information than you wanted!!

Anyway check out www.crossfit.com if you are interested, if nothing else you will find some great instructional videos and some pretty impressive workout demos : there are some monsters in crossfit that make the stuff look easy (it is not easy

)