Friday January 29, 2016

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Today's interesting RRL facts:
-Mike thinks oldies are what old ladies listen to when working out, whereas dubstep is competitive cheerleading music
-Will really enjoys inflated sumo suit wresting because he gets to grab other people at the waist and thrust his hips into them in a non-gay / non-moletster way. He also doesn't understand dubstep and loses all sense of time when it is played
-Keith likes dubstep except for when it sounds like screaming children
-Rusty's documentarial knowledge knows no bounds, now including Carol King and her babysitter
-Kevin loves oldies and musicals

 

Frey-Day January 22, 2016

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We seem to be losing rock stars left and right lately.  When David Bowie passed away, Rusty put together a nice tribute to him by creating a playlist with all his greats and even some B side memorable ones.  W couldn't let Glen Frey go without some sort of remembrance so Rusty, again, put together a playlist of Glen Frey's best...and worst.

We endured the playlist as we endured a very difficult Deck of Cards that looked like this:

Happy Glen Frey-Day

Spades=Vup @ card face value

Clubs= Grasshoppers @ x5 face value

Hearts= Situps @ x3 face value

Diamonds= Josh Planks @ x2 face value (a Josh plank is where you go from pushup position to left elbow, then to right elbow, then to right arm extended then left arm extended back into a pushup position)

Joker 1= 100 Mtn Climbers

Joker 2= 100 Chinnies

Joker 3= 50 Vup/Knee Hugs

Joker 4= 100 Flutter kicks

 

Here is an email from Rusty:

Happy Glenn Freyday.
 
For the record, the RX reps today were:
 
                50 V-up/knee-ups
                95 V-ups
                100 flutters
                100 chinnies
                190 Josh planks
                285 sit ups
                475 grasshoppers
 
We did not set the timer, but it must have taken more than 45 minutes.  And of course, we did this all while listening to a semi-entertaining, semi-torturous mix of easy-listening Glenn Frey/Eagles tunes.  Now that is how to end a week.
 
Have a good rest of the Freyday.
 
Rusty

 

No matter how many reps it was, I had a great time and got a great workout.  Probably be a little sore in the midsection tomorrow.

Thursday January 21, 2016

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What is the most versatile piece of equipment you can own?  What is also the least expensive piece of gear you can buy...or make?  Also, what is something that you can take with you virtually anywhere and get a workout...especially a beach?

Winner, winner, chicken dinner...you guessed right...it is a Sandbag.

We have 2 types of sandbags here.  I bought 10 45lb Rogue bags and 4 MONSTER 120 lb Goruck bags.  Both are good, but the Goruck bags are better quality and made in America. 

I LOVE the sandbag.  You can do just about any exercise that you can do with a barbell with a simple sandbag.  Ours have a few handles on them, but I use the liner bags with no handles almost as much.  A simple $.50 sandbag bought at the hardware store can be a fantastic training tool.  You do not have to spend a bunch of money on shiny new equipment to get strong and fit.

Today we did this workout with a single 45 lb bag (Wade and I used a 60 lb bag because we ran out of 45's)

First we started with

Thrusters

5-5-5

With a barbell, as heavy as we could control without dropping

then

30 Sandbag Cleans

30 Sandbag Get Ups

30 Sandbag Squats

30 Sandbag To Shoulders

30 Sandbag Walking Lunges

30 Sandbag Muscle Snatches

30 Sandbag Box Step Ups

30 Sandbag Thrusters

For time

Wednesday January 20, 2016

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20 Years ago today, I married Cynthia.  It has been the best decision of my life. Not only does she put up with 25 guys in our driveway every morning at 5 am, but she has stood by my side and supported my goals and dreams from day one. 

My goals have been quite different than most and many of my "friends" told me that I could never make it as a professional fisherman, that it was stupid to try and that I should just get a real job.  Cynthia never did.  She remained confident in my ability to accomplish these goals even in the darkest hours when it looked like I might not be able to.

She is a special person and I am lucky to have her.  Thanks for 20 awesome years, and here's to 20 more.

 

Today, we braved the blizzard of 2016 and went out into the elements despite all schools being closed today.  We took a field trip to a nearby hill and did 5 rounds of up Kent Street and down Hartman.  It is the steepest hill in Chattanooga and makes for a great workout.

Mike stayed on my heels the entire run and sniped me at the end.  I was 1 second off my PR.

Great to have training partners that can push me like that.  My time was 10:57, Mike was 10:54 and the all time gym record on this run is 10:15 by Will Kelley.  Amazing!

Monday January 18, 2016

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Trevor took the reigns this morning and came up with 4 short AMRAP workouts

This is a great format for the gym or the road.  It keeps you interested, and changes things up regularly so that you are, in fact, giving your best effort.

On Thursday, I felt tired and had significant signs of over training, so I backed off the workout.  Friday, I still felt tired but did the workout anyway knowing I had 2 days of rest coming up.  Yesterday, I still felt tired so I decided to listen to my body and take this morning off.  Not only did I take it off, I slept in!  I will see how I feel today and tonight and decide if I will train tomorrow.  I can count on my hands how many times I have done this.

I have been training very hard for 20 years now.  Admittedly, I am one of the most stubborn people you may ever meet and this has been one of the secrets to my success and also the prime factor for many of my failures.  Specifically, my stubborn nature results in failures of the physical form.  If I have had a goal and felt over trained or run down, I would just train right through it.  Sometimes that works, but sometimes, your body sends you signals that you can either choose to heed or you will either be injured or sick soon after.  After 20 years, I believe that I have learned to speak this language that was so difficult to understand when I had a little less experience. 

Feeling run down does not mean that I will always take complete rest...if I did that every time I felt a little tired I would never train.  However, being able to distinguish the different signals is of supreme importance.  Sometimes, I will simply lay off a certain exercise or type of exercise or ratchet down the volume or intensity for a day.  Other times, I will spend more time stretching or train something like my neck or dips or pullups.  I could do any of these without getting my heart rate through the roof. 

Today, however, I got the clear signal to take extra rest and I did.  I will train in some way today that will help my recovery.  Wim Hof breathing and some mobility work for sure, but I will probably lay off the high intensity for today and tomorrow. 

Thanks for running the show, Trevor!

Friday January 15, 2015

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Weighted pullups

10-5-4-3-2-1

 

then

Woodhill x 8

Woodhill is a beautiful steep hill close by.  It has replaced our other run of Russell x 8 due to its proximity.  Nothing beats the Russell hill, but Woodhill is a little shorter and allows us to go full speed through the whole workout.  I finished in 8:49 today but last time got 8:30.  I think it is possible to get it under 8 minutes and I will keep working towards that goal

 

RRL lunch today at Sugar's on the Ridge.  11:30

Thursday January 14, 2016

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Started the day with an RRL warm up and then worked on some Overhead situps.  Several weeks ago I saw Joe Rogan do these situps with 35 lb kettlebells in each hand. I tried those and was able to do them pretty easily so I tried 53 in each hand.  Soon, I tried to build up to heavier weight but we only have 53 and 70 lb kettlebells so the jump was pretty large.  I have been messing around with sandbags and have been able to increase the weight gradually.

Today we tried the 120 lb sandbag and then tried a few with 70 lb kettlebells in each hand. This was tough!

The workout after looked like this:

3 Position Snatch

1-1-1-1-1

then

Ms Sage

10 Snatch @ 110 lbs

15 pullups

20 Thrusters @ 75 lbs

x 5 rounds


This morning, I was really tired and very sore.  Finally...after 20 years of doing stuff like this, I am learning to listen to the cues my body is sending out.  I really felt like I should take today off entirely, but definitely felt like I needed to scale this workout significantly.  I only did 3 rounds and scaled the weight back to 75 lbs for both the snatch and thruster.  Many asked if I was sick, or if I hurt myself.  I assure you that I am ok, and it hurt more to back out and watch all the guys slug away at this great workout without me.  Sometimes, however, you have to know when to say when and this morning I felt like I really needed to back off.

Great work to Trevor, Victor and Trey for going at Rx weight.  Outstanding.

Tuesday January 12, 2016

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Fun day today after the Tide Rolled last night!

We started with weighted dips

Weighted Dip

5-3-1-5-3-1

Wade got to 3 reps at 123 lbs which was pretty damn impressive.  Good job

then

2 man teams

Buddy band pull- each guy down and back in the driveway

then Partner 1- 30 shoulder taps

upon P1 completing the 30, P2 does 15 burpees

Continue for 15 minutes AMRAP

 

then

Sled Pulls

with 3 45 lb bumpers on the sled

split into 2 teams

Team member 1 pulls sled 50 feet with a rope and then runs the end of the rope to the other end where Team member 2 pulls the sled back. 

Continue this as fast as possible for 10 minutes

 

Good work

Monday January 11, 2016

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Happy Birthday Trevor and Jody!

Each year these 2 guys get a workout celebration together.  This year, we chose Murph.

Rx = 25 lb vest or Ruck, non partitioned (do all reps of one exercise before moving to the next...harder)

Murph

Run 1 mile

100 pullups

200 pushups

300 squats

Run 1 mile

Wear 25 lb vest or ruck

Thanks to the GREAT crowd who braved 19 degrees and 25 lb rucks to take on a tough workout in honor of your buddies birthday.  That is what the RRL is all about.  Good work to everyone.

Also, good luck to Bravo who went to the vet to get "Tutored" and RIP David Bowie.  Thanks for all you gave to music in your life.  You will be missed.

Friday January 8, 2016

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It is nut cuttin' time for Bravo.  Monday will be the day.  Dave Ellliot reminded me of this cartoon a while back.  Classic and timely.  Good luck Bravo.

It is nut cuttin' time for Bravo.  Monday will be the day.  Dave Ellliot reminded me of this cartoon a while back.  Classic and timely.  Good luck Bravo.

Fun Friday workout today. 

Clean 5-4-3-2-1-1-1

Then

EMOM 10 Minutes- Alternate between

10 Hang Cleans @ 95 pounds

10 Toes To Bar (T2B)

Then

Load sleds with 315 pounds.   Split group into 2 teams.  Push sled down and back 3 times each, one team competing with the other.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

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Good work today guys!

Push Press

5-5-3-3-1-1-1

then

For 3 cycles:

AMRAP in 30 secs of:

Burpee Box Jump, 20 in

Sandbag To Shoulder, 40 lbs

Wall Ball, 10 lbs

Rest 30 secs between each cycle.

For each cycle continue the AMRAP.

This was a little confusing but still a good workout.  You do all 3 exercises 3 times.  30 seconds on and 30 seconds off.

If we do this one again, I would like to try 6 rounds rather than 3.  I really like the interval work.

 

Monday January 4, 2016

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Today is the day!  New Year's Day has come and gone and if you weren't well on your way to your new goals, today is the first Monday of the year.  Today is the day.  What are you doing today to make your way down the road towards your goals?

Here is what we did at 5:00 AM.

RRL Warmup

Overhead Squat 5-3-1

then

10 Curtis P @ 95 lbs

15 Dips

20 GHD situps

x 4 rounds for time

Go out there and win this day!

New Year's Eve/New Year's Day

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Happy New Year.  Make this your best year yet, despite your age!

 

Yesterday we hit the one that Mike and Trevor did in Florida

10 Jerks @ 155

10 Toes to Bar

10 Burpees

X 5 rounds for time

The 155 lb jerk became pretty heavy for me about round 2.  More difficult than I expected.

My time was 14:21

 

Today we had a light crowd despite the 9 am start time. 

100 m Overhead walking lunge with a 45 lb plate

30 GHD situps with both hands touching the ground

AMRAP 10 minutes

 

then

1 Squat Clean

1 Hang Squat Clean

1 Jerk

EMOM for 10 minutes with the heaviest weight you can handle.

I chose 155 which was tough, but I am pretty sure I could go to 175 next time.

Happy New Year.  Got resolutions?

Post them

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

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Mike and Trevor met up at CrossFit Estero while visiting their families and got in a great workout

You may not be able to see the workout on the board in the picture, but it is

10 Jerks @ 155

10 Toes to Bar

10 Burpees

X 5 rounds for time

I decided we would try it at the RRL today, but just as we were setting up, it started raining.  Usually, the rain is a non issue, but because we would be doing Jerks followed by Toes To Bar, I decided that a wet bar may be dangerous so we postponed this one until tomorrow.

Today, we replaced it on the fly with

Front Squat 5-5-3-3-1-1-1

then a Circle Jerk where we get in a circle and go around clockwise each calling out an exercise and reps.  We did lots of pushup variations, flutters, leg lifts, core work, kettlebell swings, clean and press, and other fun moves. The circle Jerk lasted 25 minutes. It was relaxed and kind of easy, but that was good for today.  We will get after it again tomorrow.