November 14, 2016

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I had to leave town this morning so I needed a short, intense workout.

It was time to give Fran a go again.

For those not familiar with the CrossFit names and such...Fran looks like this:

21-15-9

Thruster @ 95 lbs

Pullups

Trevor put forth an amazing effort and turned in a world class time.  I saw him pulling away from me on the 1st set of Thrusters and he kept on going.

 

Congratulations to Trevor for a 2:35.  I came in almost a minute later at 3:30. 

 

Great job!

November 8, 2016

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Field Trip this morning!

We are fortunate to live in a very cool city that continually builds cool things that I like to make into a workout.  The picture above is the Tennessee Aquarium and the bridge in the photo has stairs that allow visitors to go up and over.  The Aquarium has 3-4 of these.  We started below the first one with 10 burpees and then ran up and over 2 of these stair bridges before crossing Market Street and heading up 1st street toward the Walking bridge.

1st Street has a series of stairs that take us up to the top and right next to the Walking bridge.  These are pointed out in red above.  The Blue arrow shows where you take a left and head to the other stairs that lead all the way down to the River.

The stairs next to the Walking Bridge that take you to the river

At the bottom, we do 10 burpees and follow the exact route back to the start.  We do this 4 times with a goal of beating 30 minutes.  None of us beat 30 minutes today.

Below is a picture with the red line indicating the exact workout we did.  Mike finished in 30:30, I was in at 31:28.  Michael was shortly later and the rest filed in. 

We will definitely return to this one.  I loved it.

November 7, 2016

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This morning, we battled forest fire smoke to complete the following:

2 man team, leap frog format

10 Pullups

10 GHD Situps

10 Assault Bike Calories

AMRAP 12 minutes

This was a fast paced team workout.  I love this format as it is basically a solid interval workout that pushes you even faster because you are trying to keep pace with your partner.

P1 starts on Pullups, when 10 are complete, he yells his partner's name and P2 starts on the GHD situps.  When P2 completes GHD he yells his partner's name and P1 begins the Assault Bike calories.  When complete he moves to the GHD.  Continue for as many rounds and reps as possible in 12 minutes

November 4, 2016

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Team Day

Why We Train Together As A Team

(From Mark Divine's Unbeatable Mind)

Team training builds Kokoro because:
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We hold ourselves to a higher standard when training with others
•    
Our teammates also hold us accountable
•    
We are motivated by the mighty effort of our teammates and want to match it
•    
We are encouraged to push harder and succeed by our teammates
•    
We are empowered when we take our minds off our own petty issues, helping our team succeed instead
•    
We are reminded of our own faults and limitations when we see our teammates struggle and fail. Then when we struggle and fail we do not shy from receiving help
•    
A team’s Kokoro, or Team Spirit, will buoy our own personal spirit. We draw strength and courage from a team firing on all cylinders

 

 

Today's Workout

1. Team Drills

As a team do:

10 Burpees

 

then

10 Situps

This is a drill to enhance teamwork and to realize that slow is smooth and smooth is fast.  Reps have to be completed as a team, in unison, or they don't count.

 

Two Man Teams

2 minutes on, 1 minute off

KB Swings 53 pounds

Dips

Sandbag getups 60 pounds

Row for calories

Sandbag lunge steps 60 pounds

Situps

 

Teams work together to come up with the best way to get alot of work done in 2 minutes.  Teams do not have to distribute the work evenly.  Keep track of reps at each station with chalk on the ground.  then, add together for total score

Nov 2 and 3, 2016

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I had a meeting early yesterday morning so I could not run with the RRL guys.  However, they ran a course we call "Possum Chase.  It finds the two largest hills in our nearby vicinity and runs them both.  For those in the Chattanooga area, it starts at my house, goes down Hixson Pike, and goes up Altamont then right on Crestwood.  Follow this to the very top of Folts Circle, around the circle, back down Crestwood, across Altamont and up Crestwood to Old Dallas.  Old Dallas back to Minnekahda Place and then to the top of the hill.  2 times around the private drive and then back to RRL.

It is 4.71 miles

 

Today we hit a workout that has been postponed numerous times.  Finally, it stuck on the calendar and we went after it this morning.

Row 2000m

50 Curtis P at 95 lbs

EMOM do 4 burpees (even during the row).

This was WAY harder than I thought, but I think I did pretty well.  28:34.  I will look forward to never seeing this one again.

Curtis P, courtesy of SealFit

November 1, 2016

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We borowed a good one from my friend Jonathan Hurtado (who actually borrowed this from Dan John before showing it to me).

This one is super simple, but also beautifully designed to make something that seems impossible at first glance, actually not that bad.

The workout is 500 kettlebell swings and 30 pullups and it looked like this:

10 swings/1 pullup

15 swings/2 pullups

25 swings/3 pullups

50 swings/:30-1:00 rest

x 5 rounds

I have done this workout several different ways.  There are two styles of kettlebell swings; American which takes the kettlebell completely overhead until the bottom of the kettlebell is parallel to the ground.  There is also the Russian Kettlebell swing which takes the kettlebell to eye level.

The first time I tried this workout I did American swings and finished in 41 minutes.  The second time, I did Russian swings and finished in 27 minutes. 

You can also choose different accessory movements like Goblet Squats, Pushups, Burpees, Pullups, or really anything else.  Today we chose Pullups and the Russian style of swing.

I finished in 25:55 with a 53 lb kettlebell.

This one is a favorite because of the way it is laid out.  10 swings is not hard and the pullup is a little break, then it is easy to get 15 and 2 pullups.  Most people can get 25 on the first few sets but may break it into 10 and 15 followed by 3 pullups.  The set of 50 is definitely tough, but 10/15/10/15 is very doable and then you get to rest.  By the time the rest is up, 10 swings are certainly possible, 15 as well.  Then, by the 5th set, alot of people are breaking this into chunks of 10s and 15s to accomplish the workout.  Soon, there is light at the end of the tunnel and you are on the last set. 

Once finished, there is a great sense of accomplishment having completed 500 swings.  At first glance, it looks very difficult if not impossible, but by chipping away at it in manageable chunks, it is really not that bad.

I find that this workout is a general microcosm of so much that life throws at us.  If you look at the overall goal or task, most of the time it seems very difficult or impossible.  Most people stop there.  However, if you take the first step and get started, then break it into manageable chunks, all of the sudden you are well on your way to accomplishing the task and even exceeding the goal.

Training like this is easily translated into every day life and that is a major part of what we are doing at the RRL.  Certainly physical training is important, but it is absolutely not the only goal.  Mental training is equally important.  Overcoming 500 Kettlebell swings at 5:30 am sets the tone for the day and creates confidence and durability.  Soon, no task is overwhelming.

 

Oct 31, 2016

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Happy Halloween

Sorry for the lack of posts lately, but I am back on it.

The weather is so nice right now that I decided we had to do a workout by the river this morning.  I went to the Chattanooga Riverfront yesterday and created a workout around the big concrete stairs.

The area looks like this

We went to the stairs marked by the red arrows.  The workout looked like this:

Round 1:

Start at the concrete by the river and at the sound of the starting gun, run to the top of the stairs and back to the concrete as fast as possible.

Round 2:

Run back to the stairs and box jump (leave from 2 feet and land on 2 feet up to the top of the stairs and back down, then run to the concrete

Round 3:

Run to the stairs and box jump from 2 feet and do 1 burpee on the first step.  Jump to the second step and do 2 burpees.  Jump to the 3rd step and do 3 burpees...continue to the top or the 12th step, then jump down to the 11th step and do 11, then 10, then 9...back to 1.  Then run back to the concrete

Round 4:

Run to the top of the stairs and back to the concrete as fast as possible.

 

Record time.

TR 12:18

October 9 and 10, 2016

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Sunday October 9, 2016

Great day with my friends...

8:30 am

Mike D, PSC, Jody, and Matt G hit a SealFit Opwod

Warm up

Baseline: Pre SOP, Box Breathing, ROM, 3 Rounds; 500m Row, 5 overhead squats 65/45#, 5 push press 65/45#, 10 alt walking lunge w/bar on back rack.

Work Capacity:

400m Run
10 Overhead Squats 115/75#
800m Run
20 Alt Walking Lunge w/bar on Back rack
800m Run
10 Curtis P’s
400m Run
20 Ground to Overhead

then...

Ice bath

 

Today

Warm Up

then

21-15-9

Sumo Deadlift Highpull @95

OHS @95

rest

 

21-15-9

Hang Power Clean @135

Pullup

Then

Ice bath

 

Rusty Turns 50

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No better way to bring in your 50th year than with a Ruck, a pair of Depends, an Old Man Strong Tshirt a giant balloon, 2 dogs, a crazy, creepy clown, Murph and a few of your best friends.

This is just what we did this morning at 5 am to celebrate Rusty's 50th birthday. 

Good times

Murph

Run 1 mile

100 Pullups

200 Pushups

300 Squats

Run 1 Mile

For time.  Wear a 20 lb ruck or vest if you have it...or a clown mask

 

 

October 4,2016

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Day started with a good breath session. Whmx3 +pushups

 

rrl warmup

then  

daniel

50 pullups

run 400

21 thrusters @95

run 800

21 thrusters @95

run 400

50 pull-ups  

for time

Trevor did so well on this one. He went unbroken on the entire workout right up to his 46th pull-up on the last set. With this pace he set a new gym record at 13:36 which is incredible to me.  

I came in around my normal time at 16:02 which is not far off my best.  

 

Great job job to everyone