Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
Height: 5'7"
I'm back from the gym. (Alena, skip to the next paragraph, so you don't get a minderwerterhosen..er..minderwhatever complex!) I got my 200 lb deadlift!!! There was trainer hugging and everything, I was so excited to finally get that heavy SOB! I tried 205 but could only get it about 2 inches off the ground, but I was more than happy with the 200 today.
The gym wasn't crowded at all, so it was very relaxing and fun, with much chatting and goofing around between singles on the deadlifts. After the deadlifts, we had to do max pull-ups (max till you fall off the bar). Got 12 with the pink band. I thought of going unassisted, but didn't figure "2" would be a great number to put on the board for a workout, lol.
After the workout, I played with my trainers' 4 year old boy. That was a workout in itself, following him around, looking for bugs, and counting how many hops it takes to cross the parking lot. Little kids are always very entertaining to spend time with, though, since everything is fresh and new and very exciting when you're 4.
I am tired, so I think I will try to get some studying in on the sign language book, before I'm too tired to learn anything.
I missed max deadlifts yesterday. I really, really, really, needed a day off lifting. I may try them this morning at my other gym. I was getting to the point on Thursday night that putting the food away after dinner was exhausting (and there are only two of us!)
I don't remember what my max was a few years ago, but the number was way up there. I'm sure I'm not as strong anymore. Oh well. I'm still vertical and moving. And still pretty tired. But today's workout won't be cf style and we talk a lot.
Had to pop in real quick to say "AWESOME JOB" Cheryl on your deadlift! Your advancements through CrossFit are very inspiring. You have achieved so much in your lifting through this program.
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
Height: 5'7"
Thanks, ladies!
Mel, I bet it was up there! If I'm remembering right, you used to bench more than that, beast!
Midwife, I was having a weinershnitzel complex yesterday, looking at the numbers some of our ladies had on the board: like 240, 295, 310.
Lydia, it's been really good for my lifting, for sure. (It helps if you learn how to lift correctly, apparently, lol!) The friendly/social atmosphere at the gym also helps keep me going back, which makes motivation kind of a non-issue, and that helps me a lot.
Yesterday, I figured out on my own why my trainer is always recommending that the toes point out a bit on the deadlift. I tried one with toes pointing straight forward, and it wasn't even that heavy for me, but my knees about knocked together. With my toes pointed out, I could keep the knees pushed out, so they didn't collapse on the heavier weights. Sort of a "duh" moment, but the first time I could see the difference for myself.
Today will be some sort of killer metcon, I'm sure. (sigh) I'm going to go in a little early, so I can do some skills practice before they kill me, then we're going to the gym's 5 year anniversary party, to eat ourselves into oblivion...er...I mean, recharge our depleted glycogen stores.
Alena: I am so sorry I wasn't able to post on your birthday. I hope you woke up on your 50th feeling even better than you did on your 30th!
Mel: Sounds like a rest is in order for you. Seriously. Two gym memberships and I know how competitive we might feel in those environments even if it is with ourselves and the idea of what we can/should/could do...Get some rest. Rest is essential for recovery.
Pat! On your tour you must stop to see me too. I don't know where that may be at this moment, but just email me and I'll let you know which state I'm in.
Oh yeah, and I read Water for Elephants last summer too. Loved that book. Loved the ending. It was a little slow to start as Mel suggested but wow, I really enjoyed it a third of the way through. Good pick.
Mel: So did you finish the M&M book or did you really put it away. Sad that he had to use a food that would be a trigger. Kind of prevents his message from being delivered. Wonder if he is just another layer or contributor to the problem. Check to see who the sponsor was...Mars M&M
So this afternoon I get to pick up DH from the airport. Kids have sleepovers and DH and I are headed to Marcella's downtown. We haven't had a grownup date since this winter. Long overdue. I just hope that I can stay awake through dinner.
Lydia- I'm still reading the book. The author is David Kessler, the former head of the FDA who took on the tobacco companies. I'm 100% sure it wan't sponsored by a food company! It is a horrifying eye opener, of what we know intuitively from our personal struggles, but to hear the research base and the statements from the processed food industry (which sound an awful lot like the things said by tobacco companies) just really drives home how the deck is so insidiously stacked against us. If that sentence makes any sense, let me know!
Cheryl- You inspired me to do the max dead lift thing this morning, and several of the trainers at Gold's (including previously mentioned "arrogant trainer dude") joined me. I've lost a bit in the last 3 years, but my numbers are still way up there Thank you.
Lydia - hope you enjoyed your grownup night out! Hard to get those in with kids in the house...
Mel - why no stretching first thing in the morning for back problems? Is it because things aren't warmed up yet and you are likely to hurt yourself?
Pat - I have to sleep with my door shut now because my cat got me up every hour. She wakes me up more than DSS!
Alena - I find that pushups make my back hurt without other back problems, so if the P90X has a lot of those in it a little break might not be a bad idea...
Nelie - I didn't tell DH about the pushup/pullup challenge on purpose... didn't want him to think I was crazy!
Rabbit - my cat is indoors, so at least she doesn't bring me live surprises.... She bring me her cat toys...
Did my dumbbell circuit last night - 10 snatch/10 hang clean+ push press/10 burpee, made four rounds in 20 minutes. Did 35 extra pushups scattered in there so 75 total with the burpees, 3 sets of knees to elbows hanging on my pullup bar (got the ab straps this week and they killed me yesterday...), 5 miles on the stationary bike. Got up and did 7 miles at this park this morning. Tomorrow is an off day...
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
Height: 5'7"
Hey Birchie! and thanks!
Meant to say to the Rabbit, too! We've been missing you around here!
Mel, I cannot believe you're not going to tell us what you got! I promise not to get a complex. I'll just do this
Here's our WOD from today:
Run 300 meters
30 tire jumps (24")
20 lawn mowers (45# men/35# women...total, so 10 each side)
Run 600 meters
20 lawn mowers
30 tire jumps
Run 300 meters
Oh, it looks so innocent, doesn't it? Except, there was this little asterisk next to the run distances, and this little tiny fine print at the bottom of the white board...tiny little detail: all the runs are with a 50# sandbag! Well, I used to run when I was 50 lbs heavier, but it wasn't all tossed over one shoulder! The runs were the suck part of this WOD, for sure. I wanted to get it Rx'd, though, and I did, but it took me longer: 22:45 was my time, but I didn't care, because I did it, with no scaling...woot!
Okay, gotta go mow the leg hairs, in case the sun comes out and I need to swim at the party...don't want to frighten people!
OK, Cheryl, I didn't want to steal your thunder. 255. I've done heavier, but that was at least 2 years ago before my current round of injuries. For the last 2 years, I haven't gone over 185. I got two good reps... and then I dropped it
But I can't run so you're up on me there! And I have only done 1 WOD as dx'ed. Good job!
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
Height: 5'7"
Awesome job, Mel! You can steal my thunder any time. I find it encouraging, really. If I didn't have you and Kim, and the super strong ladies at my gym, I wouldn't even dream these weights were possible. Since I see you peeps doing it, though, it seems to me that I could do that, too, some day, if I just keep training and give it time, up my weights a little at a time in the WODs, KWIM? So, keep the big numbers coming, I say, and thanks for being an inspiration!
Silverbirch, Cheryl, thanks for the . I have been MIA for some months due to a lot of work, work on the house etc, with predictable results re exercise & taking good care of myself. I've reached the point where my "big jobs" list is DONE!. I've put in a new bathroom, removed old ceilings & floors, done a lot to get my house in working order, automated some other chores, and I'm slowly getting control over my surroundings. It's very inspiring to read all your posts to try to get some more healthy living in while I tackle my list of smaller jobs (painting & yard work ). I see a lot of folks around accepting the extra weight less endurance as part of middle age, but I feel like I'm just rreaching the part where it gets to be real good at 50.
No luck yet with loosing more weight last week. Anyway, I've seen that it can be done so I'll just go on exercising as much as doable end eating as best as I can. I did a ton of yardwork yesterday, could hardly move yesterday evening, so I'm sure I am getting in some exercise at least.
Re cats: my old cat is learning tricks from the young usurper Noodles. I woke up in the dead of night to howling from the hall downstairs...the old cat sat next to a small baby mouse that cowered on the floor. Very proud, brought the thing in just as the teenage punk does, but since the old one is not into free range meat, she did not want to eat it really. So she just howled away untill I came out of bed and took the baby mouse outside.
Wow Mel, that is an impressive weight! Fantastic! I've never tried to test my 1 Rep max with this. Any suggestions on a weight where I should start and how to progress? Should I lift from the ground or should I lift from the lowest safety's on the rack? Intuition says to just load a 45 on each side of the free bar and begin there. Just curious. I just hate to start loading up the bar and have the "masses" look at it and mutter, "yeah, right..."
Rest day today. DH is home and is bringing me a skim latte. Good day to just catch up on nothingness.
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
Height: 5'7"
Lydia, I'm sure Mel will have the expert advice for you, but most of the beasty ladies at our gym start with 135, just because that's easy to load and you don't have to unload from there. I can start there if I'm feeling all warmed up and strong, but if not, I'll start with 95 for 5, then I can usually do the 135 and go from there. I'm usually good for 40 lb jumps up to 175, in sets of 3, so 95-135-175, and that's when it starts feeling like I'm not going to get 3 reps out of it, lol, so I then will only go up to 185 or 190 and start pulling singles. I try to pull as few warm-up sets as possible...I want to be warmed up, but when I was a total noob at max lifts, I pulled in too-small increments and would wear myself out before I got to the work sets, so watch for that. Usually when I get to the singles, I just have to go with how the last one felt...if it felt easy, I'd add 10 lbs, if it felt heavy, I'll just add 5. We take lots of rest, like 3 or 5 mins, or whenever it feels right to go back and lift the next one...I usually start getting antsy and feel I have to pull it before I lose my nerve, then I know it's time, lol.
Rabbit, thanks for the update! I'm on the flip side of where you are: exercise and eating have been good, but the housework/yard work/projects at home have fallen by the wayside. I've been working on it this past week to try and get back into good habits before I have to start homeschool up again for the school year with my son, and it's cooling off, so I need to get my routines back in place, so I'll be able to run my dogs and do homeschool, the gym, all that, without the house falling apart around me.
to everyone else. I've got to get dogs put up and fed, then head out for the gym cleaning job. I'm taking my cordless drill today, to try and tighten up the wood-plank deck in front of the gym, as there are a lot of loose screws sticking up (from the wood shrinking/drying out). People like to jump rope out there or do tire jumps, and it's no fun tripping over the screw-heads (or whatever you'd call that)! The boy's strongman log is ready to go, I think, paint dried and hopefully hardened up so it won't flake off. I'm taking it in today, and will put plates on it and toss it on the ground a bit, to make sure it's kidproof. I'm excited and a little nervous, to see if it is going to work.
Your advancements through CrossFit are very inspiring. You have achieved so much in your lifting through this program. 
I am so sorry I wasn't able to post on your birthday. I hope you woke up on your 50th feeling even better than you did on your 30th! 
Thank you.
to say hullo. My post of yesterday dematerialised. Can't remember what I said except to say:
Well, I used to run when I was 50 lbs heavier, but it wasn't all tossed over one shoulder! The runs were the suck part of this WOD, for sure. I wanted to get it Rx'd, though, and I did, but it took me longer: 22:45 was my time, but I didn't care, because I did it, with no scaling...woot!
You can steal my thunder any time. I find it encouraging, really. If I didn't have you and Kim, and the super strong ladies at my gym, I wouldn't even dream these weights were possible. Since I see you peeps doing it, though, it seems to me that I could do that, too, some day, if I just keep training and give it time, up my weights a little at a time in the WODs, KWIM? So, keep the big numbers coming, I say, and thanks for being an inspiration! 
I've never tried to test my 1 Rep max with this. Any suggestions on a weight where I should start and how to progress? Should I lift from the ground or should I lift from the lowest safety's on the rack? Intuition says to just load a 45 on each side of the free bar and begin there. Just curious. I just hate to start loading up the bar and have the "masses" look at it and mutter, "yeah, right..." 