The Oracle of Apollo Snippets from the life of Apollo Lee

CrossFit Day 57

Today’s workout was another edition of the Front Squat festival, five rounds of five progressive reps of the front squat. For me, without access to an Olympic weight set, that meant the descending sets I did last time. The difference between last time and this time is that I bought a new pair of 35 pound dumbbells the other day. So, this time I’m working at 70 pounds instead of only 60. So, 55 reps of that front squat. Let’s dance.

My results: 7:39, 5:16 zone (hard); HR: 148 avg, 170 max; 87 cal

I was more than a minute slower this time, but that’s because I’m not used to holding 70 pounds on my shoulders and keeping it from slipping off. I was able to group some of the rounds together to conserve energy, rather than putting the dumbbells on the mat, then having to clean them back to my shoulders for the next round.

Like last time, I chose to supplement this workout with an extra set of work, which I dubbed “Wimpy Front Back Go” last time.

10 rounds for time:

1. 5 pushups (Front)
2. 10 situps (Back)
3. 15 squats (Go)

I was aiming for a 15 minute finish this time, which I easily accomplished. Perhaps next time, I’ll crank the dial up a little harder and double the reps per round of this one for “Soft Front Back Go.” What, you may ask, would “Hardcore Front Back Go” entail? The same thing as this one—times eight (10 RFT: 40 pushups, 80 situps, 120 squats => 400 pushups, 800 situps, 1200 squats?). That seems pretty hard core to me. I’m a long, long way from that. Here are my “Wimpy” numbers.

My results: 13:59, 9:14 zone (hard); HR: 156 avg, 174 max; 177 cal

CrossFit Day 56

Today’s workout was the monthly hero workout — “Michael” (previously: Nov 17, Oct 25, Sep 19). I posted a time significantly faster in November than I did in October. Let’s see if we can get this bad boy under 30 minutes tonight.

By way of reminder, here’s tonight’s work. Three rounds for time of:

1. 800 m run
2. 50 back extensions, standing (30# DB back of neck)
3. 50 situps

The first part is the 800 m run. There’s a route I always run for this distance that circles the block near my house. The only road I have to cross is the one directly in front of my house, usually at the intersection a couple of doors down. Every single time I have to cross that street, some car was either turning or a line of cars made me break my pace to wait for them to cross. Don’t you people know I’m trying to get my workout on? How dare you sweatblock me on my own street! <gesture type=”shake” item=”fist” />

The rounds of back extensions always go much faster than the situps, but I tried to keep a solid pace going, both with the runs and the other exercises. Despite a slow middle run (4:12), I managed to race against the clock at the end of the third round of situps and, like the other day, finished more than a minute faster than my stated goal. Whew. Good workout.

My results: 28:50, 8:13 zone (hard); HR: 161 avg, 187 max; 396 cal
Improvement: 3:43 faster.

CrossFit Day 55

Today’s workout was quite difficult — not just physically, but also logistically. I did the following:

For reps:

1. 5 min rope jumps
2. 5 min push press (2×25# DB)
3. 3 min rope jumps
4. 3 min push press (2×25# DB)
5. 1 min rope jump
6. 1 min push press (2×25# DB)

I procrastinated tonight until the very last moment, then went out on my porch and started the workout. First of all, I have no accurate countdown timer, except the one I downloaded for my Mac the other day. I really didn’t feel like hauling the computer out onto the porch, so I decided to use the stopwatch on my iPod. I haven’t used my iPod much lately, so I had to charge it up. After a while, I had enough of a charge to go out and do my work.

The first attempt at the five minute increment saw me doing about 77 jumps before I got all tangled up, going 2 at a time, and getting pissed off. I slammed the jump rope into the compost bin (and lost the end caps in the process, which I’m sure I’ll find sooner or later). The second attempt had me continuing to yell at my heart rate monitor strap, ripping it off, dipping it completely in the water, and trying to get it to count accurately and dependably. This is frequently an issue, especially early in a workout.

Eventually, I stepped into a new 5 minutes, tried to stop yelling at myself, but I was still frustrated and angry. When I’m yelling “COME ON, YOU PIECE OF SHIT” as a review of my own performance, I tend to be unable to relax, which is key in getting more than two rope jumps in a row. My form on the push presses was fairly shoddy (the official assignment was 95 pound clean & push jerks, but I couldn’t figure those out).

Finally, I was able to finish my workout. Let’s take a look at the numbers:

• Preliminary: 98 jumps
• Round 1 (5 min sets): 231 jumps, 49 presses
• Round 2 (3 min sets): 190 jumps, 30 presses
• Round 3 (1 min sets):  60 jumps, 14 presses
• Total: 579 jumps, 93 presses

My results: 33:31, 11:34 zone (hard); HR: 150 avg, 211 max; 392 cal

CrossFit Day 54

Today’s workout was one I’ve attempted once before. The instructions were simple—start a clock and do one pullup the first minute, two the second minute, and so on, increasing sets by one per minute until you’re unable to finish a set in a minute. I was able to do seven sets (of jumping pullups) last time. This time I got nine and a half.

My results: 11:02, 3:00 zone (hard); HR: 128 avg, 168 max; 99 cal

It was really ridiculously cold this evening, so I busted out my sets and headed back inside, but this workout didn’t burn very many calories. I added a second workout inside my house. It’s a variation on a supplemental workout I concocted a month ago.

Descending Front Back Go

10 rounds for time (Descending from 10 to 1):

1. 1x pushups (Front)
2. 2x situps (Back)
3. 3x squats (Go)

In other words, there are 10 pushups, 20 situps, and 30 squats in round 1. Round 2 has 9 pushups, 18 situps, and 27 squats. Round 3 is 8, 16, and 24. You can see the pattern, right? This ends up making the total exercise consist of 55 pushups, 110 situps, and 165 squats. Fun, fun. Next time, I’m really going to try to knock this one out faster.

My results: 20:08, 15:40 zone (hard); HR: 146 avg, 165 max; 228 cal

CrossFit Day 53

Today’s workout was the return of the five. Run 5 km for time. Just five words, right? So, let’s do it.

It was really chilly when I got out to the track tonight. I set my bottle near the fence under a light to mark my lap in a different place and set off, aiming at 2:15 laps and a half hour finish time. That would make me two minutes faster than last time.

I kept an almost perfectly even pace, staying within two seconds of my goal. In the last couple of laps, I picked up the pace a little bit, when I noted the possibility of beating 29 minutes. So, I pushed a little harder and beat the goal I set for myself by 75 seconds. <whew />

My results: 3.25 miles (5.23 km) in 28:45 (3:21 faster than last time)
More stats: 2:40 zone (hard); HR: 173 avg, 190 max; 440 cal

PT Test Charlie

Today’s workout was “CrossFit Total”, a standard benchmark that requires three barbell exercises for max. I don’t have a barbell, so I’m substituting the entire workout. Today, like last time, I’m substituting the APFT. This will be the third in the series.

I started out with pushups this time, setting a timer on my computer (one that was actually accurate this time). Unfortunately during my situps, after I’d finished about 25, my computer went to sleep. So, I started the timer back over again at one minute and continued to 55 by the time the buzzer went off.

Afterwards, I headed over to the track nearby, hoping to shave 20 seconds or so off the run from last time. Aiming my laps around 2 minutes each, I knew I’d start to slow down after the first few laps. I concentrated on avoiding a drastic slowing. Fortunately, I had an old mix by my friend, Nate Bowen, so I couldn’t hear when my heart rate monitor beeped angrily for me to slow it back down. This enabled me to concentrate on a good pace and give myself an extra kick at the end. I cross the finish line exactly one minute faster than I did the same distance last time. I am an animal.

My goals for this time were to score 70s across the board, for a total of 210 points. I beat that goal this time by 10 points.

PT Test Charlie

• Sit Ups: 55 (APFT Score: 75) – required to pass: 42
• Push Ups: 46 (APFT Score: 70) – required to pass: 36
• Two mile run: 15:57 (APFT Score: 75) – required to pass: 17:42
• APFT Total: 220 (+10 over goal)

Next goal: 240 points (56 pushups, 59 situps, 15:30 2 mile run)

With the new APFT score, I’m increasing my multiplier for weighted CrossFit workouts. I was working at 65% (PT Alpha: 197 / 3 = 65.67%). Now, my multiplier is: 220 / 3 = 73.33%.

Let’s go!

Forty Pounds Down

Four months ago today, I got on the scale and was disturbed by the number facing me. It disturbed me enough that I decided to do something about it. I’d been checking out some workouts here and there, reading what friends of mine were trying to do. I implemented my initial plan based on my old Army PT, established a baseline, and started setting goals.

One of those goals was to lose about 10 pounds a month. I knew it would be rough, but all I had to do was move my body. Run, hike, do physical exercise. So, I focused a large portion of my energy on fixing my weight issue.

A month later, I had lost 8 pounds. I remember reading in various places about how most people eat garbage. There are generally two variables that play into your weight: how much you eat and how much you burn. I’d been tracking my workouts with a heart rate monitor. Now it was time to survey my diet, making sure that I was consuming extra protein for my strength training schemes, and ensuring that I wasn’t eating too much. Since September 1, I have meticulously tracked virtually everything I shove in my mouth. This has helped me fine tune my weight loss program.

• Jul 27: 196.0# (88.90 kg) ( start) => 28.12 BMI
• Aug 27: 188.0# (85.26 kg) (- 8.0#) => 26.97 BMI
• Sep 27: 178.0# (80.74 kg) (-18.0#) => 25.54 BMI
• Oct 27: 164.5# (74.62 kg) (-31.5#) => 23.60 BMI
• Nov 27: 156.0# (70.76 kg) (-40.0#) => 22.38 BMI

Today, exactly four months after I started, my number on the scale is exactly forty pounds lighter. I still have a bunch of body fat to lose, but I’ve lost more than 10 inches off my waist, gained three notches in my belt, and have since started a serious training regimen.

I’m on top of the world today, because this progress reiterates my occasionally forgotten knowledge that I can do anything I set my mind to. And so can you.

Onward!

CrossFit Day 52

Today’s workout was seven rounds of weighted pullups (1 rep for max load per round). Unfortunately, I have only two or three real deadhang pullups. So, this is what I’m doing instead:

Seven rounds for time:

1. 10 assisted pullups
2. 10 pushups
3. 10 bench dips

The pullups weren’t too bad, primarily because I had my feet on a nearby apparatus and was pulling maybe half my body weight. The first couple rounds of pushups were not horrible either, but I started to wear out fairly quickly and had to resort to subdividing the pushups into threes or fours. The dips started to hurt me in later rounds as the number of completed exercises climbed. It sort of feels like someone punched me in the breastbone. But, that’s probably just that I need to find a good hand position (or start doing parallel bar dips instead).

My results: 15:09, 8:58 zone (hard); HR: 152 avg, 176 max; 185 cal

Cateye Astrale 8

Yesterday, as I was wandering around in my car, which I drive about once a week, I decided I should swing by Bicycle Outfitter for the first time in about 8 months, and buy a cyclometer that works with my back wheel and counts cadence. I picked up the feature-rich Cateye Astrale 8, so that I can keep track of some metrics for my work on the mag trainer I own. I’ve ridden on the trainer only twice before (Aug 13 and Aug 14), but as winter sets in and there are more rainy cold days, I imagine it will be far too tempting to drive my car to the train station (instead of doing my normal marching commute) and spin a session in my bike room on the trainer to make up the calories.

After the awkward setup, I got the Astrale working and adjusted, grabbed my iPod Shuffle, suited up, started some beats, and got to work. After a too-fast Elizabeth and the fact that I didn’t go for a usual weekend slow burn or hike today, I climbed on the 2100 and went to work. My goal: 10 miles, stopping every two.

I found that I’m unable to ride at a low heart rate, because of my desire to push a speed well over 18 miles an hour. It’s also pretty difficult to keep a steady rhythm, so I probably need to adjust my trainer. Finally, I notice the residual (or more exaggerated with my no-longer-a-cyclist legs) wobble from rocking back and forth while I’m kicking the pedals around.

My body: 40:41, 10:16 zone (basic); HR: 163 avg, 188 max; 579 cal
My bike: 10.00 mi in 32:27 (18.5 mph avg, 32.2 mph max)

I really like that the Astrale 8 gives me numbers in tenths of a mile over 20 mph (The Mity 8 I have measures speeds in halves of a mile over 20 mph). This makes me happy.

CrossFit Day 51

Today’s workout was a “girl” named Elizabeth. Elizabeth wasn’t too evil, but I didn’t have the equipment to do the full prescription. Here’s my work.

Three rounds (of 21, 15, and 9 reps) of:

1. Clean 60 pounds (2×30# dumbbells)
2. Chair dips

I was really surprised at how fast I got through this workout. The first set took the longest, both because of the number of reps and the fact that I was doing a full squat clean. The chair dips were fun because I was facing a window that reflects my menacing face back at me. Rawr, I am evil man. Fear me. <grimace />

My results: 8:43, 4:06 zone (hard); HR: 158 avg, 179 max; 115 cal