Tuesday, May 3, 2011

CrossFit Paleo Challenge - This Time For Sure

At CrossFit, we started a 45 day Paleo challenge back in mid-January. Somehow, I made it about 11 days, until the second weekend, and pretty much gave up. My diet turned to crap, I was skiing more than I was working in the gym, and then I took a week off work and didn't run or get to the gym once during that week.

My final results were pathetic. In these challenges, we have four scoring categories: weight loss, physique change judged by photos, diet compliance, and fitness improvement defined by a benchmark workout. At the end, my weight was unchanged, my physique was unchanged, my compliance was terrible (I quit tracking), and I never even repeated the benchmark workout.

In the past two months, I've slowly cleaned up my diet and stopped drinking alcohol. I'm making decent progress. I'm locked in a weight loss battle with my brother. So, this time, I'm expecting better things.

Last night was our benchmark workout, and it was different than last time:

1 rep max on thrusters (basically a front squat followed by a push-press like movement so the bar finishes overhead): 145 pounds, previous best was 135. That's the most weight I've ever had overhead, I think.

Pull-up max: I did 10 band-assisted pull-ups. We had to use a technique that let us do at least 5-6. Otherwise, if someone goes from 2 to 6, they get a 300% score at the end.

Then, do this as fast as possible:

10 muscle snatches
20 med ball slams
30 push-ups
40 air squats
50 double-unders
40 air squats
30 push-ups
20 med ball slams
10 muscle snatches

It took me 10:47 - one of the slower times and I used lighter weights than some faster people. I did the snatches (basically a deadlift to a high pull to an overhead position) at 65 pounds rather than the prescribed 95, 30 pounds for med balls rather than 40, and I can't do double unders (rope jumping where the rope goes underfoot twice per jump) so I had to do 50 regular jumps and then 25 tuck jumps.

I also added in 14 miles of easy bicycling during the day, commuting to and from the office by bike. There is a lot of traffic on the routes that I used, and I can't seem to find many good alternatives, although I'm still looking.

So, for right now, it's just about the next 30 days - train hard, eat well, and see how things go. With just under ten weeks to a marathon, losing some weight is something I really need to do.

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