a year in review

There you have it. 2013 is in the books. Done with school, moving out, and off to the races with my first job. Wrt my fitness goals, I've fallen behind where I'd like to be. I hope I'm able to get up to speed with the new year. I think it might be a good exercise to outline what I believe a healthy lifestyle looks like i.e. time management of a healthy person.

05:00 -- Wake-up
05:30 -- Morning stretch/yoga/cardio
07:00 -- Breakfast (eggs/sausage)
08:00 --12:00 -- Work
12:00-13:00 -- Lunch (chicken/greens/avacado)
13:00 -- 17:00 -- Work
17:30 -- Snack (protein shake)
18:30 -- 19:30 -- Evening strength/CrossFit
20:00 -- Evening meal (meat/veggies)
21:00 -- Read/blog/reflect/relax/music
22:30 -- Lights Out

Given this schedule the following ought to be evident:

• Enough sleep
• Mindfulness
• Consistent meals (no junk)
• consistent energy levels
• Cardio / Strength / Function balance
• Focused and motivated

Goals:

•  Lose the chub
• 195 now, goal weight 185
• Regularly compete in events
• GoRuck in April, Crossfit Open, Crossfit Throwdowns, Triathlons
• Complete a marathon
• Cycling
• Regain lost strength. Goals:
• Bench: 225#
• Squat: 365#
• DL: 405#
• Clean: 275#
• Snatch: 205#
• Read 2 books / month (400 pgs)
• To read: finish don quixote, the codebreakers , brother's k

a few logs

Yesterday:

Work to heavy clean
Load: 225

10-9-8...3-2-1
95# thrusters // bar facing burpees
notes: consistent pacing but didn't crush it.

Day before yesterday:
30 wall balls @ 16#
20 kbs @ 55#
notes: crushed it.

Sunday run:
5k out and back
solid pace; felt good

Notes:
Mind: Not a fan of this time of year. Less sunlight; harder to get up in the morning; growing colder.
Body: I ought to work in more starting strength type of stuff into my routine. I've lost a lot of strength having been away from it for awhile. Otherwise, flexibility is good. Two weeks ago I did Angie (50-40...10 GHD situps and double unders) and couldn't finish it. My abs are still only about 90% recovered. I underestimated my ability to get back to those so soon... I'm going to have to on ramp.
Spirit: I've been reading quite a lot lately. I finished two books in the past 3 weeks: 1) Beyond Good and Evil; 2) The Portrait of Dorian Gray; and now I'm about 1/5 of the way through Don Quixote. Going to continue to make this part of my daily routine.

Weekend

Pretty good end of the week. I didn't, however, log as I hoped that I would. I really need to get back into a routine of consistently training and eating well. Now that I have moved into a townhouse that is close to the gym, I have the tools needed to put everything together. The following template is what I will be copying and pasting each day.

YEAR/MONTH/DAY

ACTIVITY:

Warmup / WOD / Cooldown
Training-specific notes

NUTRITION:

Timing / Quantity / Type

DAILY REPORT:
Training notes, how nutrition went, feeling throughout the day, musings

MOOD / FATIGUE / SORENESS:
(10 pt scale, 1 is baseline; lower=better)

20131007

AM Workout: 10k row (1k, 3, 5, 7, 9 = easy/light pace; 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 = hard/fast pace)

Breakfast: 2 eggs, vegetables, chicken breast
Lunch: chicken breast, a few strawberries, veggies

Day in review to come....

I'm back.

After a 5 month haitus from the blog, I'm ready to get back at it. I've still been training consistently, though not as consistently as I'd like to. I've also gotten away from my diet a bit and ought to begin logging here to get back on track. Tomorrow I will begin logging all of my workout and a brief overview of each meal.

9:00 AM workout before finals.

8x2 Bench Press w/ chains. 135 + 1 chain for sets 1-6, 2 chains sets 7,8

3 sets for time
25 kb swings w/ 1.5 pd
25 burpees
(not timed but unbroken. w00t.)

5x500 row @ 85% intensity
1:50 - 1:38 / 500

daily report

• body: arms are very sore.
• mind: feeling good today. diet is solid.
• spirit: just took my final undergraduate exam. great to be done, but feel like i'm just getting started.
• m/f/s: 2/4/5

training

Yesterday @ Crossfit Fast Factory

3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 - front squat
70% of 1RM for all 7 sets
for load: 225

21-15-9
pistols /leg
ring dips
for time: 6:25

today:

row 5k @ 85%
18:27.8

daily report

     Was fun to check out one of the better boxes in St. Cloud yesterday. Great facility and community going on there. Front squats felt good, ring dips need improvement. Lightening up a bit will go a long ways there. 5k row was decent. Recovered I could hit 17:30 I think.

• Body: Legs are sore.
• Mind: Good. Carbs last night but otherwise strictly zone. Eating more during the day needs to be a priority.
• Spirit: This sums things up nicely: (Hamlet. Act I. Scene IV.)

Ay, marry, is't:
But to my mind, though I am native here
And to the manner born, it is a custom
More honour'd in the breach than the observance.
This heavy-headed revel east and west
Makes us traduced and tax'd of other nations:
They clepe us drunkards, and with swinish phrase
Soil our addition; and indeed it takes
From our achievements, though perform'd at height,
The pith and marrow of our attribute.
So, oft it chances in particular men,
That for some vicious mole of nature in them,
As, in their birth--wherein they are not guilty,
Since nature cannot choose his origin--
By the o'ergrowth of some complexion,
Oft breaking down the pales and forts of reason,
Or by some habit that too much o'er-leavens
The form of plausive manners, that these men,
Carrying, I say, the stamp of one defect,
Being nature's livery, or fortune's star,--
Their virtues else--be they as pure as grace,
As infinite as man may undergo--
Shall in the general censure take corruption
From that particular fault: the dram of eale
Doth all the noble substance of a doubt
To his own scandal.

HORATIO
Look, my lord, it comes!
[Enter Ghost]

HAMLET
Angels and ministers of grace defend us!
Be thou a spirit of health or goblin damn'd,
Bring with thee airs from heaven or blasts from hell,
Be thy intents wicked or charitable,
Thou comest in such a questionable shape
That I will speak to thee: I'll call thee Hamlet,
King, father, royal Dane: O, answer me!
Let me not burst in ignorance; but tell
Why thy canonized bones, hearsed in death,
Have burst their cerements; why the sepulchre,
Wherein we saw thee quietly inurn'd,
Hath oped his ponderous and marble jaws,
To cast thee up again. What may this mean,
That thou, dead corse, again in complete steel
Revisit'st thus the glimpses of the moon,
Making night hideous; and we fools of nature
So horridly to shake our disposition
With thoughts beyond the reaches of our souls?
Say, why is this? wherefore? what should we do?

[Ghost beckons HAMLET]

update

Welp, here I am again after awhile away from logging. I have lost my rhythm a bit with everything going on at school and in my personal life but have still made time to train. I enjoy training most when I have some place to log and share it so I am going to remember that going forward.

This past weekend I ran a half marathon that I didn't train too specifically for. It was mentally challenging but I made it through in 1:56::58. I would most certainly participate in another one, though I realize that nutrition and hydration is more than half of the battle. Having to poop on mile 4 was one of the worst feelings of my life. I did, however, make the entire distance without stopping and for that I am proud.

I've been roughly following OPT's big dawgs training, and I plan to continue with that. I would like to see a significant increase in my clean&jerk and snatch so this will be a fairly good program at helping me with that along with increasing my abilities in other GPP type activities.

For nutrition, I am going to be zoning for at least the next week. I am only one meal through but I can see the best in myself come out when I eat clean and see myself sticking to it. I will report back. Beach season is among us, at least, and that is certainly motivation in itself.

Lastly, the weather has been really crummy here in Minnesota. It is April 22 and there is still snow on the ground. I hope to get my bike going as soon as the snow melts. In any case, I think the weather will be fair for the Triathlon this Friday that I will be participating in and I look forward to that.

Body: Legs are sore from the run. Otherwise pretty good.
Mind: Clear. Zoning rewires your relationship to food and I am living the benefits of weighing and measuring. Not long term, but at least for a week. Maybe two.
Spirit: My classes right now are some of the best I have ever had. Ethics and Metaphysics never cease to inspire a new outlook on life. The Magus alone had a profound impact on how I comprehend our subjectivity and what it means to live freely within out limitations.
m/f/s (mood/fatigue/soreness, lower is better): 2/2/4

front squats, snatch, heavy elizabeth

1 1/4 front squats - 6, 4, 2; 3 min rest
185, 205, 235

power snatch - work to 3RM TNG
135, 155, 175, 185, 205x1

21-15-9
deadlifts-275#
box jumps-30"
for time: 9:20

daily report

• body: pretty sore back, but otherwise good. back got better as day progressed.
• mind: terrible diet this weekend. detox this week i.e. back to low carb.
• spirit: "It doesn't take long to learn the mechanics of a job. What's important is that you bring soul to it." -- Gary Eichten answering a question tonight about his liberal arts education

fran pr

behind the neck push press - 5, 5, 5; rest 2 min
155, 185, 205 (f)
amrap sets of 3 hspu - 7 min
20 sets x 3 = 60 reps
+
fran
21-15-9
thruster-95#
pull ups
for time: 3:20

daily report

• body: a bit sore, but this session felt good. shoulders were tight but had a good warm up.
• mind: felt great after pwo drink. shit diet last night but much needed cheat.
• spirit: "right now, and in every moment, you are either closing or opening. You are either stressfully waiting for something - more money, security, affection - or you are living from your deep heart, opening as the entire moment, and giving what you most deeply desire to give, without waiting." David Deida, "The Way of the Superior Man" vaia OPT

happy friday

power clean (pause above knee) -- 2, 2, 2, 1, 1, 1
225, 235, 245, 255, 265 (F), 265
power snatch (from high block) -- work to heavy single
95, 115, 135, 145 (left some in the tank... but felt solid)
+
open 12.2 -- amrap 10 min
30 snatch-75#
30 snatch-135#
30 snatch-165#
amrap snatch-210#
for reps: 70

daily report

• body: very, very sore. wednesday's front squats crushed my lefts. arms feel very heavy. lack of carbs may be part of the troubles here.
• mind: thinking clearly. no carbs/sugar since last saturday. will have a slight cheat for the next 24 hours and then back at it for next week.
• spirit: "Whatever you get paid attention for is never what you think is most important about yourself." -David Foster Wallace

OPT x 3 (mon,tues,wed)

Monday

Deadlift 5,4,3,2,1; rest 3 min
for loads: 315, 335, 345, 355 (two singles), 365
+
For max reps
3 min squat clean-165#
2 min squat snatch-135#
1 min thruster-105#
for reps: 16, 10, 6

notes: recently got off of a fast so strength work felt slow. happy with 365; all things considered it was a good lift. second part had little 'pop' out of the bottom, but kept up a solid pace. good session.

Tuesday

Incline bench press; 8-10x3; rest 2 min
for loads: 135, 145, 155 (x10,x9,x8)

for max reps:
5 min burpees
4 min double unders
3 min rowing (no calorie meter :/ )
2 min push press-75#
1 min hand release push ups
for score: 71, 223, (85% intensity throughout, no meter on the rower), 33, 20

Wednesday:

Weighted chin up 2,2,2; rest 2
30, 60, 65
+
15 min amrap
100 power clean-95#
75 chin up
50 front squat-95#
25 t2b
for score: +5 t2b

daily report
body: fucking sore
mind: good, especially after 3 day fast. getting back into it. feels good to be light but need to watch calories. should be eating more to keep up with activity level.
spirit: high
m/f/s: 3/3/7

Long overdue

I'm not quite sure why I quit posting here a few months back. Around the holidays I was working out, but haven't been hitting lifts or following a sound diet as well as I could have been. While this is still worth of reporting, I guess, I just fell off the wagon.

I've been lifting 3-5 times/week since the beginning of the year. Through January, I've finally came around in my course work and have found a rhythm. Last semester I would frequently sleep past 9 or 10 AM, for example, and this semester it is seldom that I wake past 7:30 with most mornings being at 6.

I especially enjoy morning workouts, and have come around in my lifts. With ease, last week, I cleaned 265. I have not done that for awhile, and certainly could have gone heavier. I did not, as it was the last single of my set. I've seen other things come around too, such as aerobic capacity and solid lactate efforts.

For now, I'm focusing on leaning out a bit for spring. I haven't put on too much weight, but I am heavier than I was when I returned from HK. I think that I am around 195 now, and I'd like to get down to a working weight of 185. Especially with the Crossfit Open right around the corner (and I plan on competing) it will behoove me to compete at a lower weight.

I'm attempting to follow a keto-style diet, with weekends being a little more flexible. It's been good so far, and after getting away from grains I feel much better. Especially in the classroom I can tell that I'm better at listening and being attentive. I will do my best to update here, and again possibly will get the fitday.com logs going again.

Drew

A. 355
B. 1 pd, 1.5 pd, 2 pd
C. KBS - 12,12,11,12,11
Burpees - 9, 9, 10, 8, 9
Calories (stationary bike) - 11, 11, 10, 9, 10
Very sore but should make it through the rows later.

Yesterday

A. 225, 245, 275, 295
B. 155, 175F@9, 175
C1. 15,12,9,9,9
C2. UB,UB,UB,9/6,9/6
Not feeling very strong.

Daily report

• Mind: Finals suck. Lots of studying but doing best to keep diet in check. Made salmon earlier with rice and broccoli.
• Body: Very, very sore esp lower body.
• Spirit: Finishing Kant in class today. Moving stuff.
• M/F/S: 4/6/8 :-(

Friday sat

Max incline press
165
Max squat clean
255 265(F@squat)
Max dead
365 (yikes)

12.5 (thrusters/c2b pullups)
95 reps (ick)

Sat morning
20min AMRAP
20 kbs 1.5pd
20 hr push ups
40 du
10 rounds + 1

DR
Shit diet last night.
Sore
M/f/s: 676

ohs/snatch

build to max ohs -- #245 (maybe had one more left... could have gotten 255)

+

amrap 10 min

25 snatch 75#

25 snatch 115#

25 snatch 155#

25 snatch 195#

for reps: 61 (shoulder pain started at 115... lost it at first couple reps of 155)

Daily report

• mind: good diet.
• body: sore. ready for a rest day.
• spirit: kant class was excellent today.
• m/f/s: 3/4/4
• “Rules for Happiness:
  something to do,
  someone to love, 
  something to hope for.” 
  ― Immanuel Kant

Row 5k
For time: 18:05
rest 10 minutes

AMRAP double unders in 10 min
kicker: unbroken sets of 25 reps
for reps: 625

Report

• Mind: Didn't eat much until later in the evening. Okay, but should eat earlier... Watch caffeine intake.
• Body: Sore.
• Spirit: "The important thing is not to stop questioning.  Curiosity has its own reason for existing.  One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality.  It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day.  Never lose holy curiosity." -- Albert Einstein.

Playing catch up here again and again I promise to keep updated. I keep notes... just don't always update. Diet has been very good.

Nov 13.
A. Power Clean - 2-3 x 5; rest 3 min
B. Clean Pulls - 2-3 x 5; rest 3 min
C. Clean - 2-3 x 5; rest 3 min
Notes: Didn't write down weights. Light session -- focus on technique.

Nov 14.
for time and reps:
Run 400 m @ 97%
rest 2 min
AMRAP in 8 minutes:
man makers - 30#/h
(from standing, db's to ground, push up on db handles, 1 arm row alt'ing in plank position - elbow REALLY high on each side, kick legs in, DL the DB's into a squat clean thruster = 1 rep)
Notes: 400m @ 10mph/10%ele on tredmill. Manmakers were terrible: 38.

Nov 15.
as many reps and rounds in 5 minutes:
30 squat clean and jerk - 155#/105#
30 bar facing burpees
Notes: 24 c&j ... didn't have it in me today.

Nov 17.
A. Power Snatch - 2-3 x 5; rest 2 min
B. Squat Snatch - 2-3 x 4; rest 3 min
C. OHS - 2-3 x 3; rest 4 min
Notes: PS-155 SS-185 (205F) OHS-185 ... good session overall.

Nov 18.
"300 FY"
Notes: On rower ... 212 calories. Ouch.

Nov 20.
A. back squat @ 30X1; 6,4,6,4; rest 3 min
B1. paused push press @ 12X2; 3-5 x 5; rest 20 sec
B2. 20 unbroken chin ups x 5; rest 3 min
C. AD sprints - 20 sec all out; rest 2:40 x 4

OPT NOTES: - wave load on back squat so 2nd 6,4 is higher than 1st in loads; ensure 2 one thousands overhead for push press; go hot on AD
Notes: A. 225, 245, 235, 255; B1-155, 155, 165, 165, 175, 185; AD sprints on shitty enduro-bike

Nov 21.
5 sets @ incremental effort/set - 85-100%:
10 TnG PC
10 burpee box jumps - 24"
Row 350 m
(rest 5 min b/t sets)
155, 165, 175, 185, 195
Notes: Didn't time...good efforts

Nov 22.
for time:
15 thrusters - 95#
50 Double Unders
12 thrusters - 95#
50 Double Unders
9 thrusters - 95#
50 Double Unders
6 thrusters - 95#
50 Double Unders
3 thrusters - 95#
Notes: 5:12 ... fun.

Nov 24.
A1. Snatch Pulls - 120% max snatch; 2 reps; rest 10 sec
A2. Power Snatch - catch close to parallel; 2 reps; rest 2 min x 5 - add to A2 per set
B. 5-10-15-20-15-10-5-10-15-20-15-10-5 unbroken 2pd KBS for time
Notes: A1. 245 A2. 135-175 B. Done 2 days later ... ~10 min.

Nov 25.
A. squat clean - build to a tough double fast - short rests
+
for time:
Row 250 m
15 hang squat clean - 115#
15 COVP pull ups
Row 250 m
12 hang squat clean - 115#
15 COVP pull ups
Row 250 m
9 hang squat clean - 115#
15 COVP pull ups
Row 250 m
Notes: Built to 225. Didn't time WOD but ~12 min

Nov 27.
A1. standing press; build to a max
A2. Weighted chin up; build to a max
+
10 rounds for time:
10 chin ups
10 box jumps 24/20"
Notes: A1-175PR A2-65# ... 10 rounds = a little less than 10 min. after set 6 started to burn. mostly butterfly PU.

Nov 28.
A. Front squat; build to a max fast
+
"Karen"
150 wall balls for time
Notes: 245 (shitty) ... Karen was awful. Something like 8 min. No carbs for past 3 days.

Nov 30.
A. 30 muscle ups for time
B. 50 strict hspu for time
+
Row 2k for time
Notes: A. 1 rep every 20 seconds to 10 min. B. ~6 min Row: 6:55.5 (nice.)

Dec 1
A. Build to a 1rm Back squat in 3 attempts
B. Build to a 1rm front squat in 3 attempts
C. Power clean; build to a max in 8 min
Rest 2 min
D. Power clean; amrap in 4 min @90% of C
+
10 min amrap:
15 power snatch 75#
30 double unders
Notes: back-295; front-255; 10 min-8 rounds

Dec 3
A. Power snatch; build to a max fast
B. Squat snatch; build to a max fast
C. Close grip bench press; build to a max fast
+
21-15-9
Squat clean 135/95
Ring dips
Notes: 175; 185 (205F); 205 ... WOD was slow. ~8 min @ 75% intensity. Many breaks.

Report:

• Mind: Diet is good. Classes have been okay. CONSISTENCY.
• Body: A little sore today, otherwise good.
• Spirit: Kant.
• m/f/s: 6/5/4

getting behind on these...

Training since Oct 30:

Oct 31

21,15,9 rft
power clean - 135#
ring dips
for time: 8.30

nov 1

10 min @ 90% aer:
10 lunges
10 du
10 ghd sit ups
10 du
(rest 6 min)
10 min @ 90% aer
10 squats
row 250m
10 toes to bar

nov 3

a. snatch - 10 min to max
185, 205f, 205f
b. jerk - 2 every 30 sec for 8 min
185
c. 1-12 unbroken CTB chin up ladder for time
~10 min

nov 4

a. 12 min to build to max thruster
205# (shoulders fried)
b. power snatch from hang - emom x 3; 10 min
155
c. 50 hspu for time - slight deficit - no kip
<5 font="font" min="min">

nov 6

pain.

row intervals:
5 min @ z1
1 min @ 95% effort
(rest walk 5 min b/t sets) x 5
walk 10 min @ z1 cool down

nov 7

amrap 10 min
95# power clean x 15
30 du's
rounds: 8+15

nov 8

amrap 30 min
run 400 m
15 l-pull ups
15 hspu
for rounds: 6 (subbed kipping pull up w/ l-pull up negative)

YESTERDAY
a1 amrap bench press @ 145
a2. amrap squat @ 155
a3. amrap chin ups - unweighted strict
(all sets at tempo 20X0)
5 rounds
12, 10, 10, 8, 8
20, 25, 20, 20, 20
12, 10, 8, 8, 8

today

3 rft
30 kbs @ 2 pood
bike 30 calories
for time: 9:23

report:

• mind: getting there. looking forward to t-giving break.
• body: sore as heck from the amraps. felt surprisingly solid, though, on today's quick wod.
• spirit: george berkeley.

Thurs:

Row max distance in 60 min
14201 meters

Saturday:

OHS: Build to 3RM; Build to 15RM
185, 205, 215, 225, 235
155(F), 155, 165(x14)

100 GHD situps for time
< 6 min

Sunday

3 sets
10 power clean tng
2 min @ 90% on bike
rest 2 min
+
3 sets
10 push press tng
2 min @ 90% on bike
rest 2 min
+
100 lunges not for time

Daily report

• Mind: Getting there.
• Body: Sore.
• Spirit: DnB
• m/f/s: 4/4/6