Pat: Your workouts are equally impressive to the CrossFit tortures. I haven't looked up your workout for the day today so I'm going to do that tonight for ideas.
Yes, Lydia, I'm constantly reminded that short and simple does not equal easy when it comes to PN workouts. I'm so not going to get anywhere near a pull-up tonight.... My gym does not have bands for assistance. When there are chin-ups/pull-ups usually I use the assisted machine. My gym was totally capitvated the day the machine reps came by, I'm sure. There must be 15-20 different machines, plus of course the weight benches, cable stations (a 6 station set-up - very nice actually), squat cage or whatever you call it - there are 3, all slightly different). There's also an aerobics room, a boxing room, a spinning room, 2 racquetball courts, and a cardio area with 6 -8 each of treadmills, elliptical and stationary bikes. And a stairstepper (or maybe 2). I should takes some photos. There are literally machines everywhere! BUt, there are also 3 separate areas with DBs, and one with barbells like these
They have fixed plates, and thus there's a different bar for each weight - starting at 20# and going up in 10# incements. There are some regulation Olympic bars as well and several sets of plates scattered about (on racks, of course )
Wow, didn't mean to go on about this, but whatever.
Sounds like you had a good day Lydia - enjoy your weekend.
Sure, Lydia. A little pricey right now. I stuck with the assisted. I'm still too heavy and too old to leap up from a plank position and do a kip into a pull up anyway. The workout was a killer anyway....
Here's what the weight room I use looks like. It's new last year, and has a really nice rubberized floor, and AC Only lacking DBs and the assisted pull up machine (at least for me). I haul some DBs in and the assisted machine isn't far outside this room...
Pat - your gym looks great! And, your PN workouts are definitely up there with the CF crazy.
Lydia - I'm a little nervous about the shoes... I wear a lot of sandals and flats to work, tennis shoes or slip-ons everywhere else... Those heels for that long are a little intimidating. I'm just trying to remember how great my legs are going to look in them for inspiration...
I decided to take yesterday, today & tomorrow off from the exercise, will get back to business on Monday. Not a full recovery week, but still a little more rest than I've taken in a while. We'll see how I feel Monday. I've noticed it taking longer to routine complete sets the last week, so figure I'm a little worn.
I'll post tomorrow and let you guys know how the reunion went!
Oh, and today is my one year anniversary of reaching my weight loss goal, so one year of maintenance for me. Woo hoo!
Yay: Shannon, Happy Maintenance Anniversary. And have an excellent time tonight!
Pat: This is a very nice place! I love it that you have mirrors in front the squat rack. One of the gyms I work out in has this which is awesome. The other one has a window that looks into basketball courts so it's a little weird when the little kids are in there and they are gawking at the "old lady" squatting on the other side of the glass.
Off to work on legs today. I've decided that my microwave is too high up. I pulled the bowl of oatmeal out and dumped it all over the stove, the cabinets, myself. Wonder if this is a precourser to the rest of my day.
Shannon, I would suggest putting those Cinderella heels on and wearing them in the house (especially if they are new) to get used to them. I would put them on just before hitting the event - make sure to bring another pair to switch into.
Happy anniversary!
I have to finish some painting before running to my zumba class.
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
Height: 5'7"
Shannon! Have fun at the party, tonight!
Pat, your gym looks well equipped! The mirrors would distract me to no end, though, so I'd be the one lifting with my eyes closed.
to everybody else!
The CF Report from last night:
"OH Squats (OH = Overhead, for Alena )
Go for a 3 rep max"
OH Squats have been the bane of my CF existence since I first tried them. The wider grip on the barbell just sends stabbing pain through my right wrist (probably too much time on the computer, working the mouse). Last night, my trainer had me try a much narrower grip then I've tried before, and I didn't think I'd have the shoulder flexibility to pull it off, but I did, and didn't fall on my face or anything. I got a PR (personal record) on my OH Squat, thanks to that. My previous PR was 65# for 1 rep, and I remember it hurt like heck. Last night, I got 70# for 3 reps! It was heavy, but my wrist felt much better with that grip. I stopped there, since I could feel I was close to failure anyway, for 3 reps, plus it was getting late and we were ready to get on with the gym cleaning.
Today we had planned to play Hooverball, but got rained out. I'm glad, actually, since I needed some time at home to catch up on laundry and such. Not sure if I'll work out today or not. I'm tempted to do the CF mainsite WOD today, which is 15 Power Snatch (barbell), Run 400 meters, 5 rounds for time. Not sure if my little broomstick "barbell" is long enough for a snatch grip, though.
Shannon - as I recall it this is your big weeken...have fun!
Same to all the others with special functions to attend this weekend, ...enjoy!
I did well today..ran outside for 45 mins and subsequently took a swim in my pool. It is still 22 C water, so doable, and I'm getting the hang of pool-maintenance. It's really very nice to swim in clear water in my back yard, below the trees.
And some interesting news..I got envious of all you people being able to do the pullup, so I looked into the assisted pullup bands. Which indeed cost a small fortune. BUTTTT I found a local manufacturor here in the NL that makes 100 cm bands, 25 mm wide (so 40 inch bands, 1 inch wide) and sells a bag of 12 of these bands for 21.5 euro (about 30$). apparently these bands are used in the transport industry to keep boxes on pallets or to keep box flaps open. From the info I guess I'll have to try with multiple bands to get the same strength, but I thought this worth the experiment so I've ordered a bag and I'll keep you posted. Now to figure out a way to put up a pull-up bar...
Edited later:
I googled pallet bands & fitness & came upon this thread: http://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=25475
and http://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=12469
This discusses using the pallet bands iso the expensive ones, AND even better, using bycicle inner tyres. I had thought of that also but did not try it out. Looking at the 2nd thread, this suggests a really big price difference per band: you get 5 1/2inch OR 5 3/4 inch bands for about $15, and 2 1.5 inch wide bands for 20$. Since you can use multiple bands to get more assistance, I guess that buying a package of 5 of the 3/4 inch bands at 15$ would work out.
Oh, interesting Rabbit - I'll have to check that out when I have more time. I'm supposedly here to find a recipe for broccoli salad for a brunch which is happening in, um, 3 hours....
Lydia, this parade was run by the fair, so, nope, not mine. DH was walking/dancing with our square dance club, I was on the church's float. We did do some demo square dancing at the fair (with no rail on the stage - had to be cautious), and then stayed til nearly 10 looking at stuff, and yes, eating a couple of things.
Okay, back to looking for my recipe. Happy Sunday all!
Hi Pat,
You actually put me up to do some digging on the assisted pull-up bands. I very much agree that the "real" ones are quite pricey, and I guess using inner bicycle tubes or pallet bands is much more in the crossfit spirit anyway.
I can't wait untill my package arrives!! I'll keep you posted.
Location: Lyin' in a puddle of sweat on the floor.
Posts: 2,296
S/C/G: 235/201/175
Height: 5'7"
Rabbit, great idea! I'd think, too, that you could cut one of the 3/4" bands down to 1/2", if needed, to get a lesser amount of assistance. Sometimes, you'll be "between bands", so maybe 2 bands is too much for you to kip with, but 1 band isn't enough, if you cut one down, you could then put the slimmer band with one regular band, to get an "in between" amount of assistance. I agree that being innovative is very much encouraged in CF, like how most people make their own parallettes (spelling?) out of pvc pipe, and I've seen on the CF forum some ideas for making rings and such.
Pat and everybody else!
Today I got to be a guinea pig at the Level 2 cert. My sister and BIL that have never done any CF also volunteered there today. It was interesting, but a lot tougher "workout" than I thought it would be. It was all pvc and med balls, but 4 hours later, even that can leave you wiped out!
I'm so not going to get anywhere near a pull-up tonight.... My gym does not have bands for assistance. When there are chin-ups/pull-ups usually I use the assisted machine. My gym was totally capitvated the day the machine reps came by, I'm sure. There must be 15-20 different machines, plus of course the weight benches, cable stations (a 6 station set-up - very nice actually), squat cage or whatever you call it - there are 3, all slightly different). There's also an aerobics room, a boxing room, a spinning room, 2 racquetball courts, and a cardio area with 6 -8 each of treadmills, elliptical and stationary bikes. And a stairstepper (or maybe 2). I should takes some photos. There are literally machines everywhere! BUt, there are also 3 separate areas with DBs, and one with barbells like these 
Just a thought. 
Only lacking DBs and the assisted pull up machine (at least for me). I haul some DBs in and the assisted machine isn't far outside this room...
Yay: Shannon, Happy Maintenance Anniversary. 
And have an excellent time tonight! 
Wonder if this is a precourser to the rest of my day.
Shannon! Have fun at the party, tonight!
to everybody else!
