pain is inevitable, suffering is optional

Name: akratic
Height: 5'11"

Starting Picture
http://akratic.com/fitness/2008-08-05.jpg
164lbs, 5 August 2008

Goals
- visible abs (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=44295)
- recover from knee injury
- improve endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy

Inspirations
- John Stone: for showing me I could reach my goals
- chicanerous (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=41080): knowledge, consistency, journal format
- mattback (http://forums.johnstonefitness.com/showthread.php?t=37061): crossfit, varied functional workouts

Week of 4 August 2008

Monday
Incline Barbell Bench Press: 3x10x95# ?
Decline Barbell Bench Press: 3x10x95# ?
Standing Dumbbell Military Press: 3x10x60# ?
Flat Barbell Bench Press: 3x6x135# ?

Abdominals Group Exercise Class
30 minutes

Bikes Rides:
5 minutes
5 minutes

I didn't write anything down, so I'm not sure about weights or reps.
Tuesday
CrossFit "official" warmup
three rounds of
15 second Samson Stretch
10x overhead squat with 7# bar
10x sit ups
10x back extension
10x pull ups
10x dips
-> 30:28, 68% avg, 94% max, 297 cal

Back Squat: 5x5x95#
-> 14:07, 67%/82%, 134 cal

Bike Rides:
-> 4:34, 55%/71%, 29 cal
-> 3:26, 68%/73%, 33 cal
-> 14:24, 61%/88%, 108 cal

I can't believe how difficult the CrossFit warm up was, and I did the lower range on everything. I'm surprised I was able to get the third set of 10 pull ups, although my form could have been better.

I went light on squats because my doctor said I shouldn't do them at all considering my knee problems. I'm sure I'll be feeling this for days even with the low weight.
Wednesday
15 second Samson Stretch
10x back extension
pull ups: 12, 8, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3 => 42
5x dip (shoulder pain)
15 second Samson Stretch
10x back extension
pull ups: 5, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2 => 22
-> 31:32, 65%/88%, 285 cal

Abdominals Group Exercise Class
-> 30:43, 70%/82%, 321 cal

pull ups: 4, 4 => 8
2x dip (shoulder pain)
15 second Samson Stretch
10x back extension
pull ups: 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 2 => 18
-> 20:16, 61%/81%, 155 cal

Bike Rides:
5 minutes
5 minutes

Today I combined half of the CrossFit WOD (Pull ups: 42, 30, 18) with the warm up. It took so long that I had to take a break in the middle for the scheduled exercise class. In retrospect, I should have done assisted pull ups. 90 was too many for me. I had to do a ton of sets to finish. I'm glad my calluses held up.

I skipped the sit ups because of the ab class, and I skipped the warm up squats and WOD db squat snatch because of severe leg soreness and some knee pain.

I'm hoping the shoulder pain that prevented me from doing dips was just due to all the pull ups.
Thursday
I'm sore all over. I'm taking today off. Hopefully one day off will be enough.
Bike: 10 minutes
Friday
Sore.
Bike: 10 minutes
Saturday
Sore.
Bike: 65 minutes

It's amazing how sore 90 pull ups made me considering I don't feel anything after 3x10 pull ups.
Sunday
CrossFit warmup sans OHSQ (knee pain)
-> 21:58, 71%/92%, 231 cal

5k on erg
-> 26:56, 76%/90%, 325 cal, 2:41.6/500m

WOD was 5k run, but I'm worried about my knees. Rowing felt great, although my split time was pretty slow.

Week of 11 August 2008

Monday
I felt pretty bad today, so instead of the insane CrossFit WOD I just practiced L pull-ups, towell pull-ups, and kipping pull-ups. I probably did about twenty sets of 2.

L pull-ups are tough! My abs aren't strong enough to make an actual L, but even with bent knees these things are killer.

I still don't have the kipping pull-up down. The swing mystifies me. I'll get it.
Tuesday
Sick. I never get sick! This is almost certainly over training, although other factors might be:


eating worse: my flight is tomorrow and I've been trying to stretch the food I have
not sleeping enough: the olympics have cut into my sleep a bit, although I'm still getting like eight hours a night

I'm done working out until I get better. I'm going to have to be more careful in the future; this is not acceptable.
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday

The Crossfit WOD look awesome and destructive. I am going to give them a shot in the near future. Keep it up.

pain is inevitable, suffering is optional
David Horton?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ejs09vhj1x4