Exercise and Fitness - Olympic spirit!

[baxus]

Getting back into the the working out 3 times a week routine is going as expected. I thought that after a two weeks break, my fitness would drop but it didn't. Still, I missed out on improving it during those two weeks so I've been having some minor difficulties during workouts.

@3CityApache

Having run in -10ºC or even a bit lower, I wouldn't call 14ºC cold, though I guess it depends on the wind. Either way, I find running in colder weather more enjoyable. Summers in Belgrade are just hell for most outdoor activities.

[Iskaral Pust]

Too busy on Sunday to exercise so late last night I hit the gym before traveling today.  Squats, deadlifts and calf press.  All went well except I felt a small strain in my lower back during deadlifts so stopped at 250lbs.

Early start today and will be feeling the effects of little sleep (what's new?).

i'll get back to the gym on Wednesday or Thursday.  I feel like my weights have been at a plateau for a while.  I'm varying exercises to avoid complacency but not really increasing my weights beyond adding a rep here and there. 

[aceluby]

108 sun salutations before 7am this morning.  Happy Equinox everyone!  

That makes 23 classes for the month and well on my way to 300 for the year.  Planning on taking a hot nooner tomorrow before my fiance's parents come to town, 8am Saturday class, and hopefully a double class on Sunday.  Feeling good!!!!

[3CityApache]

Yeah, from my (limited) experience, I was able to break personal best results mostly when I was not expecting it. On a few occasions I felt well prepared and was really hoping for the pb, it usually ended in a disaster to smaller or bigger extent. You'll make it another time when on hangover.

I had no way to pace myself beyond instinct.

GPS watch is perfect to keep watching your pace. More accurate and  more convenient than smartfon apps like endomondo or runtastic. Personally I have invested in Garmin vivoactive, which is also kind of smartwatch and it's really great.

For me - running up the hill tonight (20x). I hate it, but I can see the results.

[ljkeane]

I scored my first try of the season yesterday which was nice. It was by a pretty comfortable margin the best try I've ever scored actually, I managed to get on the end of a length of the pitch move after we turned over the ball 5m from our own line and capped it off by stepping the fullback (he definitely wasn't impressed about getting stepped by a second row which I also quite enjoyed).

I really am feeling the benefit of keeping up with some sort of running on a regular basis since the start of preseason last year rather having my usual couple of months doing bugger all like I usually do. It's good just to get into the habit of doing something consistently.

[Iskaral Pust]

After another busy week at work I finally got back to the gym on Friday night for bench press, pull downs, etc.  And then again on Saturday for squats, dead lifts, etc.  Both days I added more heavy sets and felt good. 

I just need to get back to having midweek workouts too. At the moment I'm doing three in the Friday-Monday range and nothing outside that. 

[giant snake]

Speaking of running, it's starting to cool off again and we actually had rain last week!  I'm in the desert in California so rain is something I miss really bad.  Nothing is quite like doing a good run while in the rain.

[Iskaral Pust]

Today was a family trip to the driving range and then this evening was shoulder press, pull ups, etc. I felt really strong, a bit surprising for my third consecutive day.  

Today and yesterday I ate a dessert after workout.  I decided I'm lean enough atm that some extra calories wouldn't hurt, and sugar right after a good workout should convert straight to glycogen.  

Now if I could just get into a better sleep pattern...

[3CityApache]

3 hours ago, Leap said:

I actually saw the Garmin Vivoactive online when I gave it a quick search the other day, and it seemed reasonable (heart rate included without a strap?). My main criteria (apart from it functioning properly) is that it's fairly slim, and it definitely seemed so. I'll look into it further - thanks!

Yes, the current model of vivoactive measures heart rate without a strap. I own an older model which doesn't, but it's still a great tool. Not only for running, for cycling and swimming too. My wife owns Garmin Forerunner 235, which is dedicated to running only, a bit more sophisticated (plenty of functions she doesn't use anyway), and even more expensive, but I think vivoactive is more useful. Anyway, I can reccommend it without a doubt.

10.5 km today, in a 5:19 pace. But the damned knee hurt a lot.

[Starkess]

I have the Garmin Forerunner 10. It's perfect if you just want to a plain GPS watch for running. Basic pace/distance/time. I love it!

Today it was over 100F here which is quite unusual for us and it was bone dry and super windy. Felt like being in the desert. But I decided to go for my bike ride anyway (still no running), even after realizing I forgot my water bottle. That was a bad idea. Seriously bad. I got way dehydrated/dizzy/overheated and couldn't even finish biking up the hill. Ugh, bad idea Nora!

[3CityApache]

Managed to break my 5k pb again tonight, though by mere two seconds this time. It's 24:18 now.

[baxus]

Yesterday I learned what TABATA is. Basically, eight 20 seconds intervals with 10 seconds breaks in between per exercise. We did that for four exercises - goblet squats, ab mats, box jumps and dumbbell thrusters.

For a couple of weeks now, my right shoulder has been acting up. The pain first appeared during my trip to Lisbon, a full week after the last workout I did up until that point. It comes and goes and I've been taking it easy on the shoulder as much as possible. It's getting better or at least I think it is.

[Liffguard]

1 hour ago, baxus said:

Yesterday I learned what TABATA is. Basically, eight 20 seconds intervals with 10 seconds breaks in between per exercise. We did that for four exercises - goblet squats, ab mats, box jumps and dumbbell thrusters.

I apologise if I come across overly critical here, but tabata needs to be done in a particular way. If you do more than one round of tabata protocol then it's not really tabata. Tabata needs to be absolute balls-to-the-wall oh-god-I'm-gonna-die maximum effort. Most people can't really sustain that for one round, let alone four back to back exercises. Don't get me wrong, interval training multiple exercises is great, but if you didn't genuinely think you were about to die whilst doing it it's not tabata.

Sorry, I'll stop being anal now.

[baxus]

39 minutes ago, Liffguard said:

I apologise if I come across overly critical here, but tabata needs to be done in a particular way. If you do more than one round of tabata protocol then it's not really tabata. Tabata needs to be absolute balls-to-the-wall oh-god-I'm-gonna-die maximum effort. Most people can't really sustain that for one round, let alone four back to back exercises. Don't get me wrong, interval training multiple exercises is great, but if you didn't genuinely think you were about to die whilst doing it it's not tabata.

Sorry, I'll stop being anal now.

Hey, not a problem.

Comments, suggestions and observations are not only welcome in this thread but are also the point of this thread.

I'm certainly not going to get bent out of shape for someone commenting without being specifically asked* to do it, having done it so many times before.

As you said, sustaining that much of an effort for four rounds is an extraordinary achievement and of course I haven't managed to do it. Still, there are levels of exhaustion that are just below "thinking I'm about to die" and I had to make do with those.  

EDIT:

Just thought about how weird it would be if the thread worked like that.

Could you imagine ending every post with "Hey Liffguard/3CityApache/Starkess/etc. what do you think about that?" and no one else gets to say anything?  

[aceluby]

Hurt my shoulder a bit yesterday morning, so I'm taking a break tonight.  Will hit up a modo class tomorrow and will see how it feels before deciding if I'll take a 2nd class.  Sunday should be good for another double.  Need to average 30 classes a month for the rest of the year to hit 300.  I don't think it's going to be possible given I'll be going on a mandatory 'victory tour' with my new fiance.  Two trips to Indiana and a trip to Colorado at the very least before the new year.

[sperry]

Finding time to make it to crossfit during business school has been extremely challenging.  I've made it at least 3 times per week, and often 4, but have yet to make it 5 times per week like I was prior.

[3CityApache]

I have managed to run the longest overall distance in September somehow, once again. It's 163 km this month and 1089 km since the beginning of the year, which is already two times more than in the whole 2015, though I started running in April last year, and the first few months were just 30 or 40 km per month. I need to curb this increase at last, I won't be able to maintain such a distance in the months to come.

And by the way, I improved my Cooper test result yesterday, it's 2:61 km now.

[Iskaral Pust]

Another brutal week at work and no exercise since Sunday -- no time or energy and certainly not enough sleep.  This has to ease soon or I'll drop dead. 

I'll get back to the gym on Saturday. 

[Iskaral Pust]

Bench press, pull downs, etc today at the gym.  So good to be back.  I lifted really well too.  I'm shocked that the accumulated sleep deficit isn't dragging on performance yet.  Next week should be less insane.  Not sane, just less insane.  

Tomorrow is my son's birthday party so there may not be time for gym.  Busy day ahead. 

[Iskaral Pust]

Sunday evening was squats and dead lifts.  No time for calf press or core but did great sets on the two key exercises, particularly squats.  Sore legs today.