Hi guys!

My overtaxed arms finally started to feel better by Saturday afternoonish, even with sleeping on the most uncomfortable piece of convertible furniture I have ever been on at the hospital Saturday night... Sunday was DH's birthday and I was worn out from hospital stuff, so no exercise... Got back on the Weider today. Lowered the resistance of every eercise down significantly over last Wednesday, especially the chest exercises - don't want a repeat of that pain, and don't want to damage the girls. Thanks to everyone who chimed in to remind me to be sane and go slow! DH tried and I ignored him completely...

Mel - wow... a whole week without a gym... after reading about your workouts for a while, it makes me glad I don't live near there! You are going to be crazy by the end of the week! Looking at a local gym for a guest pass isn't a bad idea... slinging the bankers around isn't either!

Cheryl - good luck with your class tomorrow! I've looked at some videos of Crossfit, I bet you will have a great time in an actual class!

Lydia - about as many times as it is acceptable to listen to "I don't like pizza anymore, no I won't eat dinner" before snatching the plate away and throwing it in the trash, I imagine... not that I did that this weekend or anything....

ddc - the three pound weight on a treadmill joke is absolutely not directed at you or people like you. I've seen your posts and your pics, you have done a great job and the lower weights work for you. You aren't the stereotypical 'low weight just tones' person about whom we joke by any means.

Nelie - kettleball class sounds cool!

Midwife - with everything else you are doing when do you have time for crossfit?

first workout in a week today...still nursing a hacking cough so I just lifted the weights, but I didnt count my reps or anything. I would say I had about 90% effort, which isnt too shabby considering.

I guess I was being a little sensitive when I read that this morning.

I'm just trying to break the "myth" that you can't get results with light weights.

Actually, I shouldn't be offended because my weights are blue and only weigh 2.5 lbs.
So, no that wasn't directed at me-LOL!!

I managed a respectable cardio session this morning and lifted this evening- a bit of a challenge, but doable.

Depalma- I'll try your suggestion tomorrow Are you sure I won't bulk up?? I suspect I'd beak my foot dropping a dumbbell if I actually did that!

Food is a bigger challenge here. Pastries seem to be the food of choice for at least 2 meals and 2 snacks. I talked the breakfast buffet guy into making me 2 hard boiled eggs this moring. Maybe tomorrow I'll ask for 6 and eat them all day

Mel

OK, I found the abs workout that I can feeeeeel the next few days after! I think someone already posted it last month, but it's that Biggest Loser one where you grab someone else's ankles over your head and raise your legs to them and they push them down. OMGoodness! It feels somewhat similar to a c-section. And the weird thing is, while I mainly feel it in my lower abs, I feel something in my uppers as well. There must be one part used in the lift and another used in the lower. Well, it's sweet, that's for sure.

Here's a link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WkbYH2V-3o

Fran - I can't get the youtube link to play, and can't vision that at all in my head, but it does sound hard...

Mel - glad you are getting your exercise in on the road!

ddc - see, totally different! blue, 2.5, not the same thing! I do have to say I really dig your arms.

I'm still reasonably new to this whole lifting thing and have a pretty set pattern of exercises that I know well - I was at the point where I needed to change up the routine right before surgery, so I know I'll have to build back up to that for awhile before making any big changes. I am finding that more exercises pull against the chest muscles than I thought - for example, I had no idea that the seated pulldowns on my Weider used back, arms and chest, though. Never felt any impact from those in the chest muscles, but am feeling them now. Any suggestions on back and shoulder exercises that are more isolated from chest? Do those even exist?

Shannon, maybe more of a row, like seated rows? Maybe an underhand grip? You can probably tell better than we can right now, but maybe give those variations a try, and see if it's any better. Seems like I feel it more in my lats with the underhand grip, but I'm not very experienced yet with being able to focus on those back muscles. That's been a hard one for me to learn.

DDC, I've heard some big bodybuilder types talk about the isometrics with lighter weights (which for them is like a 10 lb DB), especially for isolation work like curls. They say good things, and it obviously is working for them. I think you're right on, using the lighter weights for that style of lifting, and I can see from your avatar that your arms are looking great! I don't think lighter weights work well for regular reps, though, without the isometric hold. I can't speak for the other juvenile minds on here, but as a female who actually would love to be as buff as possible, I always feel like the odd (wo)man out. I think part of the attraction of Crossfit for me was seeing women lifting heavy and not being afraid of looking muscular. So, I do let off a little steam once in a while myself, at the idea that women should lift only light weights and look like skeletons, or that if I do a hundred crunches a day I'll have six pack abs and burn fat only from my stomach, KWIM? I don't see you as being part of that crowd, just so you know, because you're just going after the buffness with the isometrics, rather than with straight reps and heavier weights. My other reason for wanting to lift heavy is that I hope to improve the condition of my connective tissues and bones. I think that will help me as I get older, to maintain good bone density and also just to stay mobile and independent as long as possible. (Plus, being the buffest granny on the block couldn't hurt, either, lol)

Fran, I haven't checked out the video yet, but will take a look when I'm done posting.

Mel, my ds showed me a funny video from the tv show, "My Wife and Kids", it's an episode called "Mike joins a gym", if I didn't mix the guy's name up, but it has a hilarious "workout" scene in it. I couldn't find a concise clip that just had the workout portion, but the episode is on Google video in two 10 minute segments. It made me think of you, since it mostly involved DBs and a treadmill. If you're bored in your hotel room, you might get a kick out of it.

Lydia! The Crossfit Report:
Okay, the first class was today. There were supposed to be 4 of us in the class (cool), but only 3 showed up. Our trainer said today was an easy day, and she wasn't going to kill us right off the bat.

We spent a few minutes getting to know each other, talking about our fitness experience, then we started with a 200 meter run for a warm-up. That wasn't really enough of a warm-up for me, so I might go a little early next class and warm up and stretch beforehand.

We then did the "new skills" portion. We learned air/bodyweight squats, squatting down to a medicine ball, which is smaller than it looks, FYI, but I did it! The instructor said my squats looked really good! We did just a few squats so everybody could learn the form.

Next we did rows on a set of gymnastics rings hanging from a pull-up bar (the rings were hanging, not us). Feet on the floor, keeping the body straight and tight, we leaned back to arm's length, then rowed ourselves up till our thumbs touched the armpit, which was harder than it sounds. We could put our feet in front of the rings to make the reps harder, or directly underneath or behind the rings, to make it easier. Our instructor said this is the first step toward pull-ups, and I said I was glad there were steps involved! We did a few of those to get the feel of it.

Next was push-ups, and nose/chest/thighs are supposed to touch the deck every rep. I could only do 3 regular ones, then had to resort to push-ups from the knees. We did a few of those and got feedback on form. My form was okay until I got fatigued, then I could only do a few at a time. I'm glad I had at least practiced these some before going to the class.

Next was the workout: We started off with a 200 meter run, then 21 squats, 21 ring rows, 21 push-ups, breaking them up as needed, but doing them in order. Next was 15 squats, 15 ring rows, 15 push-ups. Then 9 squats, 9 ring rows, 9 push-ups. We finished the workout with another 200 meter run. I was the first one to finish, miraculously, but only by a minute. The other lady there was cranking those push-ups out, and that was my weak point, for sure. The other person in class is a guy, he's maybe late 50s? He was only 2 or 3 minutes behind us.

After the workout, we did stretching, and talked about nutrition. We're all supposed to try to do the Zone diet or Paleo if we are willing. I've decided I will give it a try, since I was thinking of ditching the sugar anyway, and that's really the only non-Zone part of my diet. If I really don't like it or feel I can't stick to it after the 4 week class, I'll go back to what I can stick to, but I'm going to give it an honest chance. It can't hurt to try, and I feel like I can handle it for 4 weeks without wussing out.

Anyway, the class was great, the instructor/owner was great, and the atmosphere at the gym was really inviting and laid back. Some guys were there working out, and they all took time out to say hello or introduce themselves, before or after their workout. I wasn't expecting that, but thought it was really cool! They have all kinds of cool toys there that you and Mel and Depalma would love!

Fran - If I tried to explain that to DH, it would lead to something else entirely. Maybe I could hold onto the legs of the coffee table?

ddc- (those used to be my initals, before I got married) How about posting your arm workout? I'd love to see what you're doing to get arms like that with 2.5 lb weights. I'm addicted to lifting heavy enough to make DH wince, but I've got a friend with shoulder issues that isn't supposed to lift very heavy, and she'd love to have arms like that. (who wouldn't?)

Hi dixied,

I do regular arm exercises: biceps curls, hammer curls, triceps kickbacks, military press, front raises, side raises, etc... BUT, I use slow controlled movements with high tension in the muscle, so I "pretend" (for lack of a better word) that my 2.5 lb weight is really much heavier. So, I'm not just mindlessly throwing up the 2.5 lb weight. One routine that I do uses no weight at all. It's really hard to describe.
Here's a video link of Wendie Pett doing the no-weight exercises:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uss-TfEy8jM
Thanks for asking

I'm glad you asked, Dixie! I was wondering the same thing too. I love your results, ddc.

Cheryl, that sounds so fun!!!!

Cheryl,

Thanks for the post! The part with the rings sounds intriguing, so i guess i might try to find that on youtube. I still have both the open staircase AND the ambition to get to pull-ups...

ddc - you are definitely doing someting right to get those arms with 2.5 lb dumbells!

have a great day all,
rabbit

Cheryl: I was sitting rush hour traffic this afternoon going over my day and realized it was Wednesday! Your CrossFit day was YESTERDAY! and I had not logged in to read about it yet!

Wow. What a great workout. This just sounds like a wonderful place and a great opportunity to learn. I'm writing down your workout to give it a try on my own too. Always good to have something new to do. So was it better than you anticipated? Not quite as intimidating? It's really hard work though isn't it. The love hate thing right?

I recall that they do follow the Paleo diet. It's interesting. I don't know that I could completely go there. I'm close when I'm good but darn that Splenda I just can't give up the diet Coke just yet. (I know I know...)

Today I met with my trainer as well. Next week I move up to level 3 which is circuit training. Thanks goodness because these very slow reps are killing me. Lots of time under tension. One set feels like the completion of four sets. And my sense of control when rotating is pitiful during the last few reps. Okay, even during the first rep. I'm finding the challenge to be not just the physical exertion it takes to complete the movement or set but also the focus and concentration it takes to execute the movements with precision. OMG. Tough. Like a geek I wrote everything down along with all of the things I did wrong so I could practice them again later.

Anyway, glad to know that you had a good time. Off to study some more. Test is Friday at 10:00am. I'm either over prepared or I have no idea what I'm about to get into. But at least by noon on Friday, it's over and I can clean my bathroom.

The following novel is for Lydia, since she asked me to give every detail on the crossfit class. Feel free to skip, and let me know if this is bugging anybody, I can do a separate thread or something.

Lydia, lol! Clean bathrooms are overrated, I'm sure. I do the flylady(dotnet) thing with mine: less than 2 mins each morning keeps it from getting scary, at least. Good luck with your test! I'm sure you know your stuff and will do great!

Now, the Crossfit report from class #2:
I asked today about getting more of a warm-up, since last class I wasn't warmed up before the workout. I usually do about 10-15 mins of warm-up and some stretching when I do a workout, and the one we did first class just didn't loosen things up enough. Our trainer says she's building the warm-up over a few classes. Makes sense, since it's a beginner's class. Today we did a little more, but I hope she's building up to some stretching, otherwise I'm going to have to show up early and do my own warm-up before class. Today was another battle being too tight, so getting those deep squats was a challenge. No complaint against the class, really, as she's doing the right thing for someone who hasn't been working out at all, but I'm too old for a 5 minute warm-up!

The warm-up was 2 rounds of:
Run 200 meters
10 air squats (bodyweights squats)
10 ring rows (I did better today, harder angle and thumbs to my armpits every time!)
10 push ups (got ONE regular push-up, then had to do knees...the depth/chest to floor thing just sticks me to the floor and I can't push through it yet)
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Okay, 2 times through that routine, then we took a pvc pipe and did shoulder dislocations, or I'm not sure if that's the right name...let me find a video...
okay, the first part of this video shows what we did, passing the pvc from front to back, and we did about 10 of those:
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/C..._OHSBasics.wmv
If you don't have windows media player, you can change the dotwmv to (dot)mov for the quicktime version.
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The new skills portion:
- Learned deadlifts with a pvc pipe, then with a barbell and bumpers, light weight to work on form. The hardest part for me was that I learned to do this from a book, looking straight ahead the whole time, and the trainer wants the head to stay in alignment with the spine the whole time, so I kept messing up that part of it. One new point of this lift that I learned, didn't know before: she said the bar should be in line or a little behind the shoulder, not in front of it, so I had to straighten my legs a little more, butt up a little higher than I had been doing, to find the correct position. I'm really happy to be getting these kinds of details out of the class.
- Next we learned deadlifts with a medicine ball, which made for sort of a sumo deadlift stance and required a really deep squat. I had trouble keeping the curve in my lower back on this one...I just couldn't seem to keep control of my lower back half the time, hard to focus on those specific muscles, but she said that's pretty typical and that I'd get better control with time. This is where I feel I could benefit from a bit more of a warm-up and some pre-workout stretching, since my hams/glutes tend to be really tight without some stretching, though just not having a good mind-muscle connection was probably the biggest hurdle there. These were killer on the legs, just trying to keep the knees out, in line with the foot, as the (hip?) adductors just wanted to pull them in, so it was a constant struggle to keep all the components straight in my head: head in line with the spine throughout the movement, knees tracking in line with the foot, chest high/shoulders back, and trying to keep that low back curve at the bottom.
-Last we learned the press and push press with pvc, then again with just a 15 lb bar. I liked this one, since I didn't mess it up too bad, lol. It was hard to tell if I was really moving the bar with the dip-drive, or dipping, then pressing it, but I practiced more when I got home and think I finally got it right. I'm sure it will be easier with more weight on the bar.
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The workout, 3 rounds of:
Run 200 meters
15 push press (dip drive, locked out overhead, shoulders in the ears)
15 medicine ball deadlifts (sumo stance, 14 lb ball)

My time was 13 mins and change. I had a lot of trouble with the medicine ball deadlifts so was not going fast on those. The 3.5 hrs of skate dance practice last night did not help, either, as my legs were dead before I started.
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Last part was stretching again. Calf stretches and a stretch for the muscle/tendon on the outside of the thigh, I forget what she called it.

We did not discuss nutrition this time, but I think it's because I was the only one who showed up today...one guy had to substitute teach some middle schoolers today, one lady called in sick or something, the other lady had a mild heart attack and that's why she didn't make the first class either. I'm thinking, if she ever makes it to class, the workouts will do her in. Only joking there, as I'm sure they'll scale it so as not to kill anybody.
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Well, there you go...another novel giving the full crossfit report. I know what you mean about giving up your diet cokes. I've not had any withdrawal headache or anything, but drinking only water is, well, kinda boring! I miss my tea drinking habit, even if I don't miss the caffeine and sugar.

ETA: Sorry, forgot to answer your questions. I'm still pretty intimidated by all the work that is ahead of me, and the workouts themselves, lol, but excited at the same time. Everybody I've met so far at the crossfit gym has been super supportive and have made me feel welcome, and I love that! The trainer is great and seems to know her stuff, plus she's been at this a while which gives me confidence (they were one of the first affiliates). Watching the other clients work out, seeing their awesome form on the exercises and level of fitness, I'm totally confident that the instruction is worth every penny, so I will scrimp where I can to keep this going as long as possible, so I can learn as much as I can.

Rabbit, here's a video of the ring rows. The further forward your feet, the harder it gets:
ring rows

Now pick up one foot, Cheryl, and do the ring rows. Second set with the other foot held up. Now both feet! OK, that's when my clients knew I was kidding.

I have had a workout-less day and slothful eating.... Tired, lonely, bored and stressed. Bad combo. Back on track tomorrow after some sleep!