Before I start I'd just like to say you peeps missed a good get together at my place in Paia. Steak, beer and a good football game. Afterwards we played some music and grooved until midnight. Some of us went to Moana Cafe for more partying. I stayed home and cleaned up and decided to blog too.
Anyway, got some catchin up to do here. Let's start with Friday:
Friday was deadlift testing day. An scary message from our coaches online stated that we would be going so heavy on deadlifts that we weren't going to have a WOD. Instead we would have "mobility work as you may feel like you were hit by a truck after the heavy deadlifts."
Yeah.
So, I've sorta got a love/hate relationship with deadlifts right now. I used to love them until my back started tweaking. Now I try to be cautious and use strict form, to the point where the RFM coaches say my lift looks like I'm doing a three part movement.
Anyway, I tried to go big on Friday. I hit 365 which was a personal best for me. I was getting psyched up and yelled out, "C'mon gang let's get hit by a truck!" Big talk too soon.
Right after that I tried 385 and just couldn't get it past my knees. I felt the weight and it scared me and I said, no more for today.
It sorta felt like a couple of times when I was in the water and attempting to catch some decent sized waves. I got pounded down to the ocean floor and when I got to the surface I started paddling for shore for survival's sake. That's how badly I wanted NOT to do another deadlift after that scare with the 385. When I walked away I felt like I was paddling for shore that day.
But no worries gang, I eventually got back in the water (not that day) and I'll return to deadlift that weight. I want to hit 400 too. Kats hit 400 and he couldn't stop smiling. It was a big kid on Christmas morning kinda smile and I was happy for him. Can't wait to have that smile too. Good job brah.
So what now? Oh yeah, Saturday.
We had a special workout called "31 Heroes", in honor of Kraig Vickers, a Maui High School graduate who died in that Afghanistan helicopter crash on August 6th. I know Kraig's brother Mark and I knew Kraig too. Good guy and a good family.
So it is for Kraig that we did this workout. I'm not going to be so foolish as to compare Kraig's sacrifice to mine, because he gave his life for his country. He leaves behind a wife, kids and another unborn child on the way, a child who will never have met his father. You can't give more for us than Kraig did.
But, because this is I Hate Cardio and because I am who I am, I have to say this:
That damn workout sucked.
Thrusters, box jumps, pushups, burpees and double unders, as many as you can of each for a 2:04 minute round. Three rounds total.
Thrusters and burpees in the same workout? Insane you say? For you Kraig, only for you.
Thankfully we worked out with a partner, and God be praised that Luke was there to save my ass.
We tried to be smart, tried doing reps of 10 then switching off and letting the other one rest. But Kehau and Lori still handed us our ASSES. They beat us in reps and weight for their thrusters. I think their total was 700 plus reps and ours was 600 plus reps. AND their thruster barbell weight was around 105 pounds compared to our wimpy 75 pound barbell.
Hey, what can I say? They're good. One day I'll be just like them. And on that day I'll need to buy new jeans because my quads won't fit into anything.
It was good to see that Luke was tired too. He's the guy in the gym that makes everything look easy, but yesterday he was bogging like the rest of us. Hell if someone wasn't bogging I'd check to see if they were part cyborg. Give me power cleans instead of thrusters ANY day.
The aftermath? My triceps are sore like a mother. Hot DAMN they hurt. Must be from the pushups I guess. (Bump I think we might need more chest work, just a thought.)
But you know what the pain means right? Pain means you're alive. I'm alive because I live in a country that is protected by people like Kraig. God bless 'em all and the sooner we can bring everyone home the better.
Aloha gang,
Rod
