Coach Week 9 - all Standard WODs @ the beach

 Day 1, Kentauros (S): *00:44:40  PB!!! 

 Day 2, Venus (S): 00:27:02 PB!!! 
 Day 3, 2x Metis (S): *00:21:54 

100 m sprint: 00:00:20
100 m sprint: 00:00:19

I took one week vacation at the beach with my GF from the 16 to the 23 of February. I had planned on training three times during that week, and I did! I'm very proud of that because I (we) have a bad record... Usually when we go to the beach, we go into hibernating mode and we just lay around on our PJs, watch TV or series/movies in the computer and cook and eat yummy-but-not-so-healthy foods (and we eat A LOT). This time it was a bit different; it's the first time we've been on vacation since she has started doing CrossFit. It makes a big difference to be with someone who also wants to be healthy and exercise as much as you do. Since she was going to miss her classes that week, we trained together on days 1 and 2, and then she cheered for me on my third training day, which I performed in the sand. It helped a lot, having someone else motivated to train alongside me or push/cheer for me. If she had stay in bed, it would have been so much harder for me to go out and train on my own! We still laid around the other days, but it felt like a much more balanced vacation week.

The first day, I had to do standard Kentauros. In the meaning time my GF did some loose exercises. It was amazing to get a PB on Kentauros, but more importantly, not to suffer throughout the workout as I usually did. The feeling of finally conquering this WOD, that has made me suffer so much in the past, is indescribable. I was genuinely happy and proud. I still remember the first time I did Kentauros, when I couldn't finish it and ended up taking around 40 minutes to do half of the repetitions (and all that went along with me quitting...) and then the second time I did it, when I managed to do all the rounds in over 1h 15 mins!!! Now I'm doing it all, with a star, in under 45 mins... WOoooHOW!!!

The second day I did standard Venus alongside my GF. It was the first time she did the exact same WOD as me, at the same time, and it was a great. I still have a huge lack of upper-body strength (I definitely need to work on that) and therefore I'm still unable to do all the push-ups strict. I also got a PB here, which is nice, but no star. I think I still have a long way to get to the strict push ups. It discourages me sometimes not to be able to do strict pistols or push ups or pull ups, but I see the small improvements after every workout and I have to keep reminding myself things don't happen overnight and to get results, I just have to keep on working hard, consistently.

The third and last day of training we went to a lovely beach that is not suitable for swimming and where, therefore, there's just a few people here and there. It was a nice sunny morning and I did 2x Metis. Let me tell you, doing burpees and high jumps in the sand is NOT easy. Besides the added resistance, the ground is uneven and when you are constantly landing on the same spots you start digging holes that only make things worse. Also the sand sticks to your sweat so... You can imagine. It was a nice challenge and a good change of scenario though #TheWorldIsMyGym. After Metis I had to do two 100 m sprints. This was my first time running with the new coach, and I was worried about how to measure the distance. It turns out, the Coach can use GPS and measure it for you. I just had to sprint holding my phone and I would get an alert when I passed the 100 meters. It is pretty accurate, so I'm very pleased about that. Also, I improved my time by a second from the first to the second repetition, and all this in the sand so I think I'll certainly get a PB when I do this again, on a more even surface. Overall it was a great experience and a nice training day, perfect to end my fitness summer vacation.

Cardio&Strength - W5D5

 Apollon: *00:32:45 

After Kentauros' hell week, and recovering completely, today's session consisted in Apollon, an all new cardio workout that alternates burpees, 400 mt runs and deep squats. Compared to a hard strength session as was Kentauros, I find these cardio sessions to be almost a walk in the park (emphasis in the ALMOST part of the sentence), and a "joy" to do. I finally finished week #5!!!! It looked like this day would never come...

Burpees are my friends now and squats were always friendly, so I had no problem doing the workout without any modified repetitions. Yaaay for me! I got a star right away :-P. I had to stop though every once in a while to catch my breath. It is very noticeable when I have not been training steadily. I believe that if I had to to this same workout a couple more days in a row, I could get my time near the 25 minute mark with relatively little effort. We shall see what comes my way now though.

And still on the brighter side of life... I keep on training with company =). My close-one that had trouble with my getting-in shape is now not only doing some Freeletics workouts with me... They are even joining me in the soccer pitch and jogging while I play so WE KEEP MAKING PROGRESS!  

Cardio&Strength - W3D3

 Hades: 00:33:26 

Do not confuse Ares with Hades. They sound, look and are very much alike, but still are two different workouts. This is my first time doing Hades, which involves many burpees and my  always dreaded pull ups and push ups. Evidently I didn't do it with a star... I still struggle very VERY hard with every single "pull up", if I dare call them pull ups considering I do them girly style and not that great. I'm still not satisfied with the way I manage lower my body... lacking strength and control. I try to follow the instructions, but I have a really hard time going all the way down in a controlled manner. Also it takes me forever to finish a series and I felt the that tingly sensation in my left forearm again. I know practice makes perfect, but I can't help to hate having to do Pull Ups! 

Push Ups were another story. I still did them knees on the ground (since I wasn't aving a star anyways) but at least I could finish the whole 15 repetition set with no breaks, quite fast and lifting my body all the way. I feel confident I will soon be able to do them with my knees off the ground.

Today I felt I was particularly slow. I struggled with the burpees, when I shouldn't anymore. I think I'm a bit too tired. I've been sleeping too little and working out very late, 3 days in a row so that may be the thing. As a matter of fact, my eyes are closing as I write this so, let's just leave it at that for now...

Day -6 / getting to know the burpees

Monday, August 19, 2013

This was the day I tought I would get an email with my fist HIWOD (High Intensity Workout Of the Day). Since that didn't happen as I explained on the previous post, I looked up some YouTube videos and realized that APHRODITE was most likely going to be my first week HIWODs.

APHRODITE consists in doing a round of 50 Burpees, 50 Squats and 50 Sit Ups, then rounds of 40, 30, 20 and 10 of each. As in general in Freeletics, the idea is for you to do the series as fast as you can, and "compete" with yourself, always trying to improve your record.

If you are not familiar with the term, burpees look something like this:

I tought it couldn't be so hard to do... its only bending, jumping back, doing a push up, juping foward, standing up and jumping. Well, I was wrong. Burpees are hard. Really hard.

I play soccer at least 2 times a week and in general I tought I was "ok" in the fitness department. Push ups have never been my thing (I simply lack muscles in my pectoral area) so I decided to take it easy and do the push up part of the burpee girly style (aka. with my knees on the ground).

With total honesty, as this journal is intended to be, I can say I am not able to do a single full burpee decently. The knee part only made the whole movement slower and more complicated, and overall it didn't help me to feel the exercise easier. However there was no way I could do the push up with my legs extended; I would just crumble and then get up. Since this was only my "getting ready for Freeletics week" and I failed miserably at my attempt to do the burpees, I decided halfway through to take things slow and just do 3 series of 10 burpees, 10 squats and 10 sit ups.

It took me 8 min 56 sec to complete the 3 series. I was sewating, my heart pumping and my last burpees, with modification and all, were not pretty (not to say ugly as hell). I had a really hard time with the push ups. The squats and sit ups felt easy, as I am used to such exercises. Overall I felt disappointed at myself since my intention was to get to 50 repetitions, but then again I found a comforting message:

I just never thought I'd be taking such tiny tiny baby steps!!!!



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