Rest Day: get outside and play

I am starting to notice how my body is changing from doing some form of movement every day for the last 2 weeks. My quads are gaining a more prominent definition, my arms are becoming a little more sculpted, and there is a clear definition between my traps and shoulders. These changes are amazing, with this I need to also take it easy and rest. On Saturday I decided not to workout in the gym or do yoga. I spent the day exploring waterfalls and a park. This was a lot of fun, and I did workout actually. I was climbing in and out of gorges to get close to the waterfalls. I was jumping over rocks, balancing on logs to walk across. I am seeing the purpose of the ever so dreadful and hated box jumps and burpees as actually functional movements. My legs are much stronger and I am able to have a longer range of motion when I was trying to get on taller boulders. Thanks box jumps. I also noticed I am able move faster and with more power when I was climbing between the boulders and using the roots, logs and trees to move along the stream and gorge walls, thanks burpees. Just because it is a rest day, doesn’t mean you need to sit on the couch and do nothing, get up, outside and walk, climb, and jump. Enjoy the time you do not have to be sitting at desk doing mindless, numbing work to pay the bills, plus nature is free.

Some sense of clarity

When I left my house for work this morning, I thought “should I drive or walk?” Because the sky every morning this summer has been dark and stormy-this morning was no different. I decided I would walk. During my 20-minute urban hike, I thought how good I felt this morning. I got 10 hours of decent sleep, no  stress and enjoyed being outdoors.
How amazing would it be if the exact feeling I had this morning could be my mentality every minute of every day?Instead of allowing myself to take the negative  surroundings to heart and effect how I think I look and have no self worth.

This morning I woke up refreshed and like my body was reset-I worked out, packed my lunch, got ready for work and walked to work-great start to my day. During my walk (I forgot my headphones-no podcasts this morning), I thought about the need to focus on getting myself healthy-the real definition of healthy not the bull shit one that consists of being skinny and a six pack mid-section.  My definition of healthy is healing my gut through nutrition, getting enough sleep, moving (walking, lifting, moving like a human), and mediation. Once these four things are in place-everything will begin to work naturally.

When the end of the world comes and I am forced to live out of back pack-I am not going to give a shit about how my rear end looks in whatever clothes I am wearing. What is going to matter is that I can travel on foot and carry my back pack and other gear, and survive. So focusing on getting myself to the true definition of healthy is all I care about now, not the reflection in the mirror. Because once I am healthy, everything else will work out just fine.

7.8.15 WOD

1-1/4 back squats *30X1 tempo: 3 seconds down; 1 second pause at top *no bouncing during the 1/4 squat!!! – 4 sets x 4 reps – rest 30 seconds before A2 (65, 70. 75. 80) during each set the 4^th rep was impossible, going slow and holding at the bottom, then exploding up is difficult. But I got it done!
then
amrap strict ring pull ups (chin over rings)-I subbed ring rows, since I can barely do a chin up with the resistance bands on the bar. (6,8,9, 7) – 4 sets – rest 90 seconds before A1

then
5 rounds for time:
5 thrusters I started at 45 for the first 3 sets, but had to scale down to 35 pounds for the last two sets,  these are a really difficult movement. In time like the dreaded burpees they won’t be as difficult, just the bane of my existence.
7 burpee over the bar-these were relatively easy but still kicked my bum, considering the other day my WOD had 75 burpees for the METCON portion of the workout.

I was sweaty and out of breathe after this WOD, I know one day they will get easier. However, each WOD or Barbell class makes me stronger.

7.6.2015 WOD

Today’s workout at my box looks awesome, except the burpees-burpees are the worst exercise, in terms of I can’t stand doing them and curse while I am doing them, but once I am done-it is magic. I feel accomplished, exhausted, and dead to the world.

I am working on some projects at home today and will not have time to leave to visit the box for this workout today-although I was able to do most of it at home

Part 1: Deadlifts– 4 sets x 10-12 reps rest 60 seconds ( 65, 70, 75, 80)
*20X0 tempo: 2 seconds down; no pauses
Dips 4 sets x 4-5 reps rest 90 seconds
*21X2 tempo: 2 seconds down; 1 second pause at bottom; 2 second pause at top

Part 2: 3 rounds for time:
25 kettle bell swings (16 pound kettle bell)
25 burpees

My 3 Rounds for time was 10:28, Burpees really test your ability to breath and make it through the movements. I had a hard time with the last part of this WOD, doing a total of 75 burpees is just a bit much for me right now. However, each round the first 10-12 were not impossible as they used to be, just reps 13-25.