Keep moving and you won't get sore.

Truth: You don't get sore until you stop moving.
Soreness solution after 5 consecutive days of WODs, runs, double WODs, and strength-focus days: GO TO A WEDDING AND DANCE YOUR ASS OFF.

No, seriously...that's what I did last night, and it was a freaking blast. I'm considerably less sore than I probably should be today, but I can still tell that I made some progress toward "man shoulders" during yesterday's shoulder lifting session.

Nina and Julie killed it yesterday, and I really wanted to do better but just can't hold my own yet. I'll be getting there, though, especially since I know where to start from now. Many thanks to Nina for helping me out this last week and being willing to WOD me into shape...it's appreciated more than you know.

Tomorrow (8/1!) starts my Whole30 challenge, and I'm excited to see what it'll do for my strength and fitness goals. Will post some of those goals tomorrow, as today is about to get a little nutty with a surprise 60th birthday party (and cake!) around here plus my flight back to DC tonight.

**WOD**
A) Shoulder Press (1-1-1-1-1) -- 40-45-50-55-60(F)
B) Push press (3-3-3-3-3) -- 50-55-60-65-70(F)
C) Push jerk (5-5-5-5-5)
-- Goal of 5 reps: 50-60-60(4)-65(4)-70(F)
-- 50# to failure: 50(5)-50(8)
D) HSPU, 3 sets to failure (box) -- 6-9-8

Double WODs

Last night I had a crazy idea that I wanted to double WOD with Nina today...and crazy as it was, I loved it.

**WOD 1**
A) For time, 9-7-5 (reps of each, i.e. 9 pull-ups, 9 C&J, 7 pull-ups...), with 10 min cut-off:
-- Pull-ups (band)
-- Clean & jerk (65#) (Snatch was rx'd)
Time: 8min, weight as rx
**2 min rest**
B) For reps (as many as possible per skill):
-- 4 min: Thrusters (20# DB)
-- 3 min: KB swings (1 pood = 36lb)
-- 2 min: Tire flips
-- 1 min: Sit-ups
Completed: 20-49-16-29

As if that wasn't enough, I pulled off WOD #2 with a positive attitude despite being frustrated that I'm not stronger. This is also a Games workout (check out Nina's blog for more on that) that I'm sure I'll be proud to repeat soon enough. Always something to work on and try to get stronger at, after all.

**WOD 2**
AMRAP: 15 min
-- 9 dead-lifts (100#)
-- 12 push-ups (knee)
-- 15 box jumps (20")
Completed: 7 rounds + 7 DLs, as rx

I'll be looking forward to trying these Games WODs again and improving. I keep catching myself becoming intensely competitive with myself and others, so I'll be anxious to see what kinds of strides I can make. In the meantime, I'm going to peep some more CrossFit Games (official site - going on this weekend) workouts online, for inspiration, of course.

Ninja's CrossFit

If I could make a decision purely based on fitness/nutrition/physical wellbeing, I'd move home just to train with Nina. Dead serious. I like the variety and surprise of every day, and I definitely can't complain about the coaching skill, either.

Alas, I can't really take that route right now, so I will have to scope out the CrossFit situation in DC. Planning on checking out Potomac CrossFit next weekend when I'm back in town and then hoping to find something closer to my new apartment soon after moving mid-month.

Yesterday I got initiated into Ninja CrossFit (Yeah, I named it. Sorry, Ninz.) That WOD is something to the effect of:
-- 200m run (buy-in)
Then, 5 rounds of:
-- 50m OH lift (45#)
-- 5 tire flips
-- 50m sandbag run (15#)
-- 10 step-ups with sandbag (15#)
-- 5 tire flips
-- 100m run with vest (20#)
Time: 21:27
Was good times...cause I'd definitely been missing real CrossFit.

Today was another good one, with some technique work that I'll definitely be focusing on for the next little while. Since I felt good after yesterday, tried to be a little more aggressive today (...which didn't work out so well in one respect...). I've got the itch to go at it again tomorrow, but I'm going to watch the Cubbies get swept in the afternoon, so I'll have to fend for myself.

Anyway, here's today...

**WOD**
A) Strength & technique
-- Squat technique
-- HSPU (24" box), 3 sets to failure (15-21-17)
B) For time:
-- 10 pistols
-- 20 burpees
-- 100 jump rope
-- 50m sprint
-- 50 OH lunges (15#)
-- 50m sprint
-- 100 jump rope
-- 20 OH sit-ups (15#)
-- 10 pistols
Time: 8:37, w/ box pistols (N: 8:07, Rx)
C) Cool-down/strength
-- L-sits (stacked plates), 10 x 10sec
-- Ring PUs (knee), 3 x 10 reps (6-10-10)

Definitely LOTS to work on, but glad to be able to keep pace, at least. I've definitely got some new things to work on and goals in mind for the next time I'm back... Will be solidifying and getting those in print by the time I leave on Sunday.

Home soon.

Not much to report here today...getting things squared away to go home on Monday for a week. Looking forward to seeing family, some friends, and (of course) WODing with Nina and Julie! Then it'll be back to DC for a month of paleo, a week of class...and packing up to move!


**WOD**
A) Endurance: Run 1.5 miles
B) Strength
-- Lateral pull-downs, 10-10-10 @ 80 lbs
-- Lateral pull-downs, 5-5-5 @ 90 lbs
-- Pectoral flys, 10-10-10 @ 50 lbs

Back at it.

I was wrong about "Chelsea." No, really... I passed out afterward, sans dinner, then woke up in the middle of the night with legs that felt like Jello. Grabbed some thigh sleeves, passed out again, and upon waking in the morning decided that it was a good day for rest.

Proof that a rest day was a good decision: I ran for 5 mins to get to the post office so it wouldn't close before I got there, and my legs felt like bricks. (For the record, it did close before I got there. Serves me right for not just taking it easy.)

After a better night of sleep, I'm back at it today with a made-up WOD that reminded me about the pros and cons of working out on already-sore muscles. I wish I could have done this one outside (been WOD-ing at the elementary school playground, where there are lots of lines for SRs), but after walking back to the post office, I realized that the weather is trying to suffocate me and decided to WOD indoors.


**WOD 1**
A) Warm-up: Walk 1.25 miles, stretch (quad/hamstring focus)
B) AMRAP, 15 minutes
-- 10 burpees (jump @ top, push-up @ bottom)
-- 10 sit-ups
-- 20 mountain climbers (double)
-- 20 push-ups (knee)
Completed: 6 rounds + 8 burpees
C) Forearm plank hold (4 x 30 seconds)

**WOD 2**
Focused muscle endurance sets, with apps:
-- Push-ups, 75 sec rest (16-16-17-17-19-19-16-16-15-16 = 167)
-- Sit-ups, 75 sec rest (26-22-28-26-24 = 126)
-- Squats, 60 sec rest (20-20-20-20-20 = 100) Started this one over with a goal of 250 consecutive, and now it's too easy. :-(

"I feel bad, like I'm interrupting your workout."

...Uh, yeah, moron. That's exactly what you're doing.

Yeah, so this guy got in the middle of my "Chelsea" this evening...twice. Because apparently he didn't understand my look of death at the 8-minute mark, he decided to do it again at the 23rd minute. (I was grateful that he was quicker that time but still annoyed.) For once, I was actually only using one machine and just enough floor space (against the wall, even) to do push-ups, and he had to choose my machine and space. Ugh. Such is the life of an I-want-to-but-can't-really-commit-quite-yet-so-I-just-try-to-mimic-CrossFit-as-best-I-can gym-goer, I guess. Make do without the proper equipment, then try your best to not confuse the crap out of everybody else in the gym. Ugh...what a life.

Alright, rant over.

I liked "Chelsea," but I think I would have liked her better and found her to be more of a challenge if not for the above two problems.

In other news, I applied for a new apartment today, so I should be moving into DC-proper in 29 days. Thrilling and a relief, for sure, to have it done...but I just can't be excited here because I'm still annoyed over said workout. Soooooo, I'll just give you the stats and be done with this post.

(Hope you enjoyed hearing me talk to myself, btw...)


**WOD**
A) Run 400m
B) "Chelsea" (modified): EMOM, 30 mins
(every minute, on the minute, perform a round)
-- 5 pull-ups (angle and equipment setup made these somewhat like ring rows)
-- 10 push-ups (knee)
-- 15 air squats
C) Stretch, stairs (5 floors - OMG, quads!), re-stretch
Completed: 31 sets, but with unintentional rests at 8 & 23 mins. Averaged around 40sec/set.

It's a beautiful day. (Bono reference not intended, but welcome.)

I felt better just having had a paleo lunch (turkey burger salad with roasted red pepper) today...meaning tomorrow will be even better. There are a couple grain/dairy things I would like to use up or save for less-strict paleo periods that I will leave interspersed in the next two weeks, and I'm okay with that. I think it'll help me not feel completely deprived later and stick with the Whole30 for the whole 30 days (well...31).

Went to a new church this morning, which I liked the people at, but the service itself was just okay. It was interesting, and I was glad to be there, but because the service was an hour and 40 minutes, my mind wandered more than I like. Sooooo, I might give this one a couple more chances while I'm living here (there are only like 2 more weekends I'll be available Sunday morning while living in this apt) and then try Rebecca's church again, once I move closer to there.

Not too much else going on here today... Tired from staying up a little late and then getting up early for church. Took a nap between WODs, which felt great. (And very primal...so thanks, Mark Sisson.) All-in-all, today was not only a beautiful day but a great head start to a better routine.


**WOD 1**
-- 2.5 miles @ about 10 min/mile pace, including sprints and walks
-- 11 shuttle runs with everything that's left

**WOD 2**
A) Warm-up
-- Bike 5 min (recumbent, light-to-mod)
-- Stretch
B) Build-up (5 rounds; start with just #1 in round 1, then add 1 new exercise each round)
-- KB high pull (10 each arm @ 10 lb; work up to KB snatch)
-- 10 sumo lateral shoulder raises (5 lb ea.)
-- 20 dropsies, with weights (15 lb ea.)
-- 50 mountain climbers (100 halves)
-- 25 med-grip underhand pulldowns (70 lb)
Completed for time: 10:01
C) Cool-down: Light jog around building (400m, 2:33)