Scary Kristi, Morning Pain and Hail to the Chief

Had three good workouts in a row and it's time to blog so here we go.

First off, last week Tuesday's workout scared the hell out of me. But not why you think.

You could tell it was going to be fast and furious, 15-12-9 reps of pull-ups, dips and burpees.

I'm working on the whole go faster and be leaner thing. In this case I figured I should do bar dips instead of ring dips. Plus my chest was wasted after benching. No ego, just go for it and go fast. I'll build my strength during the strength workouts, which is why it's called strength workouts right?

We go for it and I actually get my pull-ups back. I realized by watching Frank that you really gotta push away from the bar so that you build up that rebound snap so you can pull yourself back up.

It was just in time too because I knocked out that first 15 pull-ups in good time. I actually did 10 ring dips then said screw it and switched to bar. The burpees were steady and I tried to go sorta fast but not like blazing or anything.

Second round went about the same way except I did all bar dips. Triceps were getting burnt and I was having a hard time. Everybody else seemed to have wasted tri's too so it was okay.

Third round and all of a sudden Kristi is giving me warnings. I didn't notice it but she and I were neck and neck through the whole WOD. She finishes her pull-ups first but then I pass her on the dips. I'm doing my burpees and she yelling at me, "I'M COMING ROD, I'M RIGHT BEHIND YOU!!!"

Holy crap it was scary. Scarier than Carrol's exorcist voice. Kristi sounded like if she caught up to me she was going to eat me or something. I felt like a kid for a second who thinks there's a monster under the bed and I tried to do 9 burpees as fast as I could.

I think I managed to beat her by 3 burpees. Good job motivating me coach, now I have to go change my underwear.

Oh man, then there was Friday. I was heading to Oahu for work that day on a 9 a.m. flight and wasn't coming back until Sunday. I'm trying to be good about the workout thing so I go to the 6 a.m. class.

I tell you, the people who go to this class have my respect. Nothing is working on your body that early. Your eyes aren't fully open, your muscles aren't warmed up and your brain is not functioning right.

Let me put it this way, I put hair gel on my toothbrush that morning. Woof.

And the workout that morning was not a good one for a body not warmed up yet. First deadlifts. I was supposed to end up with 300 pounds but no freaking way. My back was already screaming with 135. 

Yeah, like I said, it was early.

Then it was a barbell complex from hell. Run 200 meters and come back and do THREE rounds of 5 power cleans, 5 squats and 5 push jerks. Then you run another 200 meters and do TWO rounds of that same complex then run your last 200 and do the last round of the complex.

Sound like something you want to do at 6 a.m? HELL NO. But we did it and I couldn't stop sweating afterwards. Even when I was taking an ice cold shower at the gym I could tell I was STILL sweating while in the shower. 

How do you sweat while the water is ice cold? When you have a frickin crazy barbell complex WOD first thing in the morning, that's how.

Damn. But I'm glad I did it because I can always enjoy my weekend better with a good Friday workout. 

Anyway, that brings us up to date with today's workout. "The Chief."

Five rounds of AMRAP of 3 power cleans, 6 push-ups and 9 squats. Three minutes for each round and a minute rest in between.

That's a long ass workout. And then I realize that I have to use 70 percent of my 1 rep max for power cleans, which for me is 135 pounds.

Ah crap. But then I look around and Marcus, Ikaika and Bruce are throwing on the 45 pound bumper plates too. I'm in good company.

So we start and after the first round is over it is apparent what is going to be the problem. I look over to Ikaika during the rest and he tells me he's "starting to feel those squats."

Yeah, the 9 air squats are slowing everyone down. Me more than most.

But we all keep up a good pace, amazing how having that minute rest period helps your lungs and muscles out. I started each round feeling sorta fresh. 

By the fifth round I tore off my shirt and kicked off my slippers (yeah, forgot the shoes today) and went for it. But those squats still slowed me down. I think I had 14 rounds. 

Whatever. Everybody felt pretty good after the workout and was talking about how much they liked it. 

Figures. Give RFM members a minute rest between WOD rounds and we act like it's a special treat. 

Works for me. See you guys tomorrow.

Later,

Rod