My Crossfit Experience by Rugby Ross

rugby ross

Hey
Just a quick update on my new training regime with Crossfit Ireland. I had my first session last night with Colm where i was given an overview of how Crossfit training works. I then had my first test to see what level i was at so 500m Row , 40 Air Squats , 30 Sit ups , 20 Press Ups and finally 10 chin ups(assisted) - Got a time of 6.32 - Never felt so tired after 6/7 mins of a work out before but felt great for the next 4/5 hours. Have to get this down to 5mins in the next 2/3 months - Let the pain begin!!!!

d'Oracle

Good work and Good Luck.

Is this going to be a regular log?

rugby ross

Yeah - I'll hope to update it after each workout, so 2/3 times a week. Need to keep myself motivated and if i know people are reading it that will help

TommyKnocker

rugby ross wrote: »

Yeah - I'll hope to update it after each workout, so 2/3 times a week. Need to keep myself motivated and if i know people are reading it that will help

Maybe you would like it moved to the fitness log section of the site (top of main page)

If so just reply below.

Best Regards,

M

d'Oracle

rugby ross wrote: »

Yeah - I'll hope to update it after each workout, so 2/3 times a week. Need to keep myself motivated and if i know people are reading it that will help

Awesome.
I'll keep an eye out for it.

Magic Eight Ball

rugby ross wrote: »

Yeah - I'll hope to update it after each workout, so 2/3 times a week. Need to keep myself motivated and if i know people are reading it that will help

I've subscribed to this log.. give me some good reading.
Best of luck man, and enjoy the journey.

Hanley

Good luck with it dude. It'll be interesting to see what the lads do with a newbie!!

rugby ross

First proper class is on friday evening so we'll start then but my legs(thighs) are sore today from the rowing and air squats yesterday.
Bring the pain!

G86

You're not by any chance the person doing the free 3 months vid log thingy are ya?

EDIT: I just checked and saw that you are (unless the 'Ross' thing is a coincidence!) Best of luck with it!

rugby ross

Hey G86

Yeah i'm the same Ross thats doing the 3 months of Crossfit trainingn. For anyone else i will be updating a blog on http://crossfit.ie/ross/2010/06/meet-ross/ as much as possible and there will be a video blog at least 1 a week of how i'm getting on

rugby ross

Hi Guys,
Had my first proper session today and it was an all levels class. Was quite nervous going down as I knew nobody and knew that everyone else seems to be quite close but I got to meet 14 new people and was suprised at how friendly and supportive everyone was. Got introduced to everyone and then straight into the workout. Stretches followed by team workouts. 400m run followed by 30 wallballs abd 30 box jumps and 5 sets of each. Even though it was a race there was always someone egging you on and shout some encouraging words especially on the 400m runs! i found this was a massive help cos i was really struggling on the runs but even peoiple chasing me on the runs were shouting at me to speed up or work a little harder. I was thoroughly shattered afterwards but if your not you haven't worked hard enough i guess!

rugby ross

05.07.10
Meet more new people last night and again suprised at how friendly people were. Good to see some people making progress and speaking so highly of the gym. Shows whats possible if you make that commitment
Started with dead lift and did 6x5 ranging from 40kgs to 70kgs - First time really doing this with proper technique, really looking forward to start moving that weight up for a good challenge)
Workout was AMRAP (As many of the below set as possible in 10mins)
10 Pullup
10 Pushups
10 Situps
10 Squats
Got 5 complete sets down with the help of a band for the pull ups. Goal is to try and user a lesser band and try to build upto using no band!

rugby ross

Another day another workout!

After the pull ups and push ups on monday the triceps were a little sore so the squat was a good way to start tuesday workout.

This is the first time i've done this properly so stated light to work my technique and only finished on 45kg cos i had already done 6x5 of various weights but knew it was too light. Will have to start about 50kg next time

Then onto a 2k row - Had done this in the gym plenty of times myself but always went off too quickly and struggled near the end

This time was advsied to start off a a steady rate and finish strong which really helped. Only made a big push for the final 250 but had gas left and felt i could have pushed at maybe 400/450 m from the end for a better time, got 7.50 in the end but would like to get this down to about 7min or 7.15min over the next 2 months

rugby ross

08.07.10

Overhead Squat - first time doing this so just practised technique.
Did 7x5 at varying weights and finished at 35kg - needs to get heavier sooner!

Work out of the day was
"NATE"
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
2 Muscle-Ups
4 Handstand Pushups
8 Kettllebell Swings

This was changed to
3 sets
1min- Pressups
1min- 1 legged squats
1min- KB swings
1min- rest
179 reps in total

rugby ross

12.07.10
21 people at our class so we missed out on the squat but got some good practise in on the push jerk and got some good technique. I have never done this before and really enjoyed it. With a bit of practise i would hope to really ramp this up from 40kg to about 90/100Kg

Workout of the day was:
As many reps as possible (15Mins)
5 Push Jerks (40kg)
6/8 BroadJumps
17 Sets Complete

Enjoyed this. the broad jumps are tough as you really need to swings the arms to get any sort of distance so the more energy expelled the less you have to do but if your getting tired you need to do more (doesn't seem fair!)

d'Oracle

rugby ross wrote: »

With a bit of practise i would hope to really ramp this up from 40kg to about 90/100Kg

Thats a goal and a half right there.

rugby ross

you have to have targets! Thats could easily change when i hit 70/80kg but i have plenty of time to work my way up. Will be doing it nice and gradually

rugby ross

13.07.10
All the 7s
7 sets of
7 Pullups
7Wallballs
7 Overhead Squats (20kg)
11.44min

Found the overhead squat ok but the front of my shins kept seizing up (never happened before) Any one any ideas? Not sure if this is the last of cards in the diet and body starting to adjust?
Also think its time to stop with the black band on pullups and move to the next colour

really enjoying the different lifting techniques - overhead squat , push jerks , front squat - nice to get some variety and proper instruction. can really feel the benefit of doing an overhead squat prioperly when you get nice and lot and have to really stabilise yourself

d'Oracle

rugby ross wrote: »

Found the overhead squat ok but the front of my shins kept seizing up (never happened before) Any one any ideas? Not sure if this is the last of cards in the diet and body starting to adjust?

Talk to Will or Colm about it. Its probably just the fact that you are using muscles in ways that they haven't experienced. Or could be something else going on. OH Squats expose funny stuff. Either way, use the lads that's what they are there for.

rugby ross

Hi d'Oracle

Cheers for that . Talked to Will during the workout and he seemed to think it could be some form of dehydration but we'll know after a few more classes with squats if it starts to ease up.

rugby ross

15.07.10

10,9,8,7,...,2,1
My god was this tough.......nothing can prepare you for this!
Front Squats 40kg & Burpee pushups

Felt fine after the 10's
Got throught the 9's
Realised this is hell on earth half way through the 8's
Died a slow death on the 7's
6's - My slowest set of all
Pushed on through the 5's cos time was running out

Got down to the sets of 5 completed in each but only right on the buzzer!
Suprising thing is i can't wait to do this again and see how i get on! Wanna get lower
On the plus side my diet has improved beyond all belief - can feel myself getting stronger and feeling better - No carbs in 2 weeks and am eating foods i have never eaten before

If anyone can advise on the use of Kinetica Whey Protein - have a tub but not sure if t is suitable? Any suggestions. Also any suggestions for a snack bar(Fan of nature valley granola bars but maybe something lighter)

d'Oracle

rugby ross wrote: »

15.07.10

10,9,8,7,...,2,1
My god was this tough.......nothing can prepare you for this!
Front Squats 40kg & Burpee pushups

Felt fine after the 10's
Got throught the 9's
Realised this is hell on earth half way through the 8's
Died a slow death on the 7's
6's - My slowest set of all
Pushed on through the 5's cos time was running out

Got down to the sets of 5 completed in each but only right on the buzzer!
Suprising thing is i can't wait to do this again and see how i get on! Wanna get lower

Its a horrible bastard isn't it.:D

rugby ross

19.07.10

3 sets
1min Wallballs (8kg)
1Min KB's (24kg)
1Min Burpees
Total Reps 166

Found this very tought for some reason? Must have been the KB swings....have only used the 16kg before this but this is hard work!

Could have pushed myself a little harder on the wallballs but legs were pretty beat and found it hard tpo explode up 9the arms felt ok0 and i hate burpees but thats just from my rugby days!

rugby ross

I'm a little behind so here's a quick update of the last few days

20.07.10

Squats
followed by 3 x 400m with 2 min rest periods

Squats topped out at 70kg cos we ran out of time - Next PB but still very comfortable at this weight, fell like i could add another 20/30kg before it starts to become a strain

8.56min for the sprints

Very slow - if i could drop 1 min off that i would be happy!!! Really tied up on the 200m back to the gym on set 2 & 3

22.07.10

5k run in the gym and did it in 27.32
First time i have ever run this distance and nearly dided but actually didn't think i'd be able to happy

24.07.10

5k run in Shankill as part of a group of 19 - came in in 30.31 - a little disapointed as i would have liked to break 30m but i was unsure of how to pace myself and feel i could have gone for a 29mins or less if i had really pushed my self but there's a target to now better.

Felt great after doing both and will try and keep this distance up

Should be able to do 2 a week

rugby ross

Sorry but i have been away from the computer a bit lately so here is a quich qudate of the last week!

26.07.10
Cleans
Followed by
AMRAP (10mins)
5 Cleans
5 Pressups
5 Pullups
Teams of 3
Got 6 1/3 sets in despite what the website says!!!

Would liked to have gone for 15mins as originally advised as i felt i still had a lot to give

First time doing the Cleans and really enjoyed it but that may change as the weight starts to add up but looking forward now that i have the basci technique so find a better rythem stance

Moved from the Blackband on the pull ups to greenband so there's a bonus

Did the first set of 5 in black and found it far to helpful so moved to green for the rest and found that more of a challenege(hopefully i'll use this for maybe 2/3 weeks and try and move to blue or whatever is next down.

27.07.10
WOD - HELEN
3 sets For Time
400m
21KB swings
12 kipping pullups

11.45mins

This was tough but only because i HATE running 400m-

1st Set
Got the 400m done ok and started on 24kg KB Swings , tough but found a good rythem and then onto blackband for Kipling Pullups ,(First time doing these and fouhnd the technique very hard)
2nd Set
First 200m was ok and tied up on the way back , Did 14KB swings with 24Kg and was losing my posture and technique so finished that last 5 at 16Kg , Found the pullups a little easier as i worked on the technique
3rd Set
400M and all of it was horrible! Did thre KB Swings with 16kg and found it hand enough (seems to find a big diff between 16 / 24kg on this) nedd to keep my back straight and pop the hips more , Found the last set of pullups the easiest as i had the technique worked out somewhat but still a long way to go

30.07.10
WOD - 21 Overhead Squats , 30 Full Pushups
Strength Work - Deadlift (Finished 3 x 5 @ 100kg)

This was my worsy work out yet.......my overhead squat needs to be better! Technique was all over the place , worrying about the weight. Should have gone with 30kg and not 45kg and made it a quality workout instead of poor OS , Push ups were good and kept a good pace....need to improve

Magic Eight Ball

Have to done 'Fran' yet?

rugby ross

Funny you should ask as that is the workout tonight! I've heard its bad but suppose there is no way to really know! Will be using the green bands for the pullups