Paleo meal of the week: humble pie

Sooooo, Friday was a humbling experience in many ways.

First off, Bumper says the radiologist thinks my xrays are normal, which means I'm back to square one with my back.

Secondly, I don't do well in a workout that I should have excelled in. Hell, I don't even finish the whole thing.

Third, I lose in a footrace to Kehau, seen above. Mostly because I am slow and still fat but also because she is faster. A little anyway.

Once again, let's start from the beginning. Well, from the workout part anyway. I'm like whatever about the xrays already.

So yesterday's workout was deadlifts and handstand pushups. I rock at those.

Except it was sets of 21-15-9 reps. Of 225 pounds for deadlifts.

Hmmmm . . . could be a problem.

Not to mention we did deadlifts for strength. I kinda wasted myself too going a little heavier than I should have.

Anyway, I grind out the first 21 reps and it's hard. Then I get upsidedown for the handstands and my shoulders and back are already tired.

This is a new sensation for me. Ask anyone at RFM. I pump out those handstand PU's like there's no tomorrow.

Except for yesterday. Brah. My shoulders were cabbage and my back was sore from the deadlifts.

So I try to go back to do the 15 reps for deadlifts and I just can't. I end up skipping those and just doing the remaining sets of HSPU's just so I can respect myself in the morning.

Sigh. HSPU's were my redemption workout. When all else fails I still could be proud of those.

What do I have now?

(Please pause for a moment for a pity party).

Okay, that's done with. Moving on.

I should mention before this that before the WOD Kehau and I had a little race.

Yeaaaaaaahhhh, I kinda threw down the challenge and she said let's do it.

Faaaackkkk....

So we went across the street to the Hongwanji parking lot and did the whole thing. On your mark, get set, go.

I was running close to her but she was ahead of me the whole time. In the end I pulled back but it wasn't like I was going to overtake her. I just didn't want my ass in the street and getting hit by a car.

Good one Kehau. Guess I wrote a check my legs couldn't cash.

Some of you may ask why I decided to challenge one of the coaches, who have been training for much longer and are all in much better shape than I. (They are the coaches after all.)

Well, I can't help it. I'm the guy that talks for effect. I like going all in with nothing in my hand, just to see the other guy flinch.

One of my horoscopes once said, "You think you can get away with anything, even if there's no chance in hell."

Yes, that's me. But you know, it's a good match for Crossfit. Finally I have a chance to put a little action behind my words.

Texas hold'em anyone?

Later,

Rod

Answers

So this week has been interesting. Some tough workouts accompanied by an interesting revalation.

There IS something wrong with my back.

First thing's first though, I've learned the maestro of mayhem for the workouts this week was none other  than our very own Kehau, or Tehau as her tribe on the island of Samonga calls her.

Lots oh pain this week. Angry pain. The kind  that makes you say, "Who the hell came up with that workout?"

Thanks Tehau. Let's look at the list for the week shall we?

Monday: Back squat supersetted with good mornings. I lift with the two young guys Pat and Rory and they force me to go heavy. Bastards. Then comes the fun part: four rounds of 200 meter sprints, 3 squat cleans, 5 push presses and AMRAP sit-ups. My joy knows no bounds.
Tuesday: Turkish get-ups. I'm not explaining this one except to say 20 of them is too much. They don't even do these in Turkey anymore. Then Helen, which is 3 rounds of a 400 meter run, 21 kettlebells and 12 pullups. The kb swings killed my back AGAIN and so I stopped during the second round.
Wednesday: Started off w/ some bench and supine rows (which I like actually) then TWELVE freaking rounds of 6 "dynamic" pushups (which prove Tehau is Samongan because you have to slap your chest on your way up), 6 V ups and 6 jumping squats. All of this has to be done in a minute. The sooner you finish the sooner you rest.

Can I point out how evil this is? If you fall behind you're screwed because you will never get to rest. She even used all 6's so this is the 6-6-6 workout. Go to church woman.

Finally today we have 21-15-9 reps of deadlifts and handstand pushups. I may actually enjoy this one, we'll see.

Oh yes, now that news about my back.

I went to the physical therapist on Thursday, you all know which one. Anyway I got some xrays and I've got one of my lumbar vertebraes sticking out past the others ever so slightly. It might be the reason my back gets stiff during certain workouts. Or maybe not. But I'm leaning towards yeah, that's the sucker that hurts me.

Answers are good. Just like how I know who to blame for this week's hell.

I'll fix you both soon, yes, very soon.

Happy Good Friday gang, see you at the gym.

Rod

The pain is coming

I can see it.

Like when you see the tide pull back too far out and you know there's a huge wave coming.

Yup. I'm gonna be hurting tomorrow.

We did squats today, sorta heavy. Then another one of Bumper's mad doctor workouts.

Run 200 meters then come back and squat clean three times, then do five push presses then AMRAP of sit ups, all within 2:30.

Afterwards I looked at Kats and said, "I think I've got a headache from this workout."

I've felt tired, I've felt sore and I've felt regret after certain Crossfit workouts, but this is the first time I've felt ill.

Then again I figure it's like those guys at the gym that squat till they puke. Today was like that except puking was not the final goal.

Oh man I'm feeling my quads twitch as I write this. Geez.

Think I'm gonna lie down now.

I finally go to Kaiser, two WOD's in one day and Bistro Manila

Hey, so I finally went to see a doctor about my back this week.

I told him about how my back hurts when I perform certain movements and guess what he said?

"Well if it hurts just don't do those movements anymore."

Right on doc, that was SOOOOOOOOOOOO helpful.

You da best braddah.

Jesus.

Anyway, the doc sees I'm less than thrilled with his diagnosis so he says, "Well you can always get a second opinion, would you like to see one of our physical therapists?"

Why yes doc, seeing as how you look like the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz and don't know what it's like to perform a physical action I would like to talk to someone who knows something about body mechanics.

I'll come back to see you when I'm 88 and need some Viagra then you can tell me, "Well just don't do those movements anymore."

Maybe then I'll listen to you. Then again maybe not.

Okay, so I get to go see Mr. Robert "Bumper" Kikuchi on Thursday (I think). Fix me up coach.

Nuff said on that subject.

On a related note, do not drink alcohol after giving two vials of blood. I did that Thursday and paid for it Friday. That and the tetanus shot didn't help either. I had two martinis and a stout which should NOT have affected me but it wiped me out. The next day was a disaster and I had to stay home and recover.

No it wasn't a hangover. Hangovers don't give you a fever.

So no, I did not enjoy my visit to Kaiser. On the bright side I've learned that the snack shop at the clinic has a killer lau lau plate.

Okay, so on to the workout part of this blog, which is why we're all here right? Well I didn't workout Friday and went in today (Saturday). Big crowd, lot of people there for the workout which was 60 bar facing burpees, 30 overhead squats and 10 muscleups.

Yes I said 60 burpees. Painful. But I was more afraid of the overhead squats.

The last time I did these my back felt like crap. Kehau said it best today. "Overhead squats reveal all your weaknesses."

You have to have the lower body strength to do the squats of course, but also the balance and upper body strength to hold it above your head. If you're missing any of that you're screwed.

I'm missing two out of the three so I had to play it smart. No big weight (the big boys were doing 120 lbs) so I figured I should do about half that.

Good  thing too. The 60 burpees weakened my legs and I managed to squeak out 15 overhead squats before taking off  the weight and just doing the bar. Then since I don't have muscle ups yet I did deadhang pullups but only managed 8 before the 10 minute clock ran out.

Not bad. I'm well aware of my limitations by now and know how to push myself without breaking myself. There's no way I could have squatted more weight. I do need to work on those muscle ups though.

And afterwards I even stayed to do the strength portion of Friday's workout. Deload week so I did light to medium weight for shoulder presses and deadlifts.

AND THEN I got everyone to go check out Bistro Manila because it was hot as hell and the halo halo there is so cold and nice.

Oh yes, that was good stuff.

And to the doc at Kaiser, there's no reason why I shouldn't have a sore back while doing overhead squats. Trembling legs, shoulders and arms yes, but not my back. And the reason why I want to be able to do the squats is because I can.

It's reason enough for me, so should be reason enough for you too.

Adios gang.

Rod

Not as bad as it looks

So I've missed several key workouts this week and last and they all just happen to involve lower body workouts.

What a coinkydink yeah? No seriously I would have been there but for work.

I usually get off at 4:30 but there's always the chance of a late meeting, which is part of my job. And I like my job, really.

But I like working out too.

Anyway I did make it to Wednesday's workout which was my sorta workout. Bench for strength (deload week) then Pendlay Rows (I used to call them bent over rows back in the 24/hour Fitness days) superset with pushups. Ten rows and 20 pushups for 4 rounds to be exact.

Now see, I've done this with Bumper before, like two months ago. The rows are just a distraction and it doesn't really matter how much weight you put on there. It's the pushups that kill you.

Sure enough, I slap on the 45's on each side of the barbell and they go up and down like nothing. The pushups on the other hand, well, let's just say I rocked the first two sets, started lagging on the third and had almost nothing in the gas tank for the fourth set.

Seriously, I was down to doing one pushup then resting, then doing one more. The new kid Pat powered through the pushups like nothing. Nice job.

Later on I watched the D man, Derek, hit the workout. He struggled but never gave up. He's got the gimp shoulder which limits his upper body stuff which I can totally relate to because of my back and weak legs. I want to push harder at my lower body but am limited by my, well, physical limitations. So is Derek.

I watched him afterwards when he finished, the last to do so, then look kinda discouraged as everyone high fived him and said, "Good job!" and "Right on D!" He was all, "Yeah thanks."

I know that look, it was the "I EFFIN SUCK" look along with the "I'M SO TIRED OF THIS BULLSHIT INJURY SLOWING ME DOWN" feeling.

He even said to me earlier that day that he was "tired of playing that card" when it comes to his shoulder and not being able to perform as well as he should during upper body days.

That's how I feel during lower body days m'man. My back tightens up like a winch and I'm freakin feel like I'm partially paralyzed.

I feel you brother. Believe me.

On that note I'm making another appointment at Kaiser. Right now. Please God do not send another tsunami to cancel my appointment.

Late.