21 Oct '11: Workout Log: Love the Back!

I was totally stoked to be heading in to the box today since it had been a while since I managed to drag my butt in on a Friday (crazy intense workloads on Fridays will do that to ya!).  I've been doing really good with my double-unders (in a single-single-double rhythm) and I was ready to get my exercise groove back on now that my schedule's lightened up considerably.

Warm-ups:  10 each of the following:

• Arm & leg swings
• Kipping pull-ups
• Samson lunges (with hands locked overhead with elbows straight)
• Good mornings with 15kg bar

Notice anything different about those warm-ups up there?  I'll play the Jeopardy music while you figure that out.  Doo-doo-doo-doo... doo-doo-doo... doo-doo-doo-doo-DOO!-dododododo... got it?  No?  Ah crap... the PULL-UPS!  Notice that I wrote "kipping" pull-ups and nowhere near that does it say "assisted".  I freaking did 10 UNASSISTED kipping pull-ups today.  Yes, I rock.  So technically, I could only do two at a time, and my first 6 I could barely manage to get my nose to the bar, but I could really feel like I got into the groove of things by the time I hit my fourth set and I was able to magically swing myself and get my chin OVER the damn bar.  Talk about feeling like a total rock star!  Too bad I'm going on vacay for the next two weeks and won't be able to follow this up.

Strength Workout:  Back Squats
Damn... we just did these on Tuesday (but only for the ones who didn't show up on Monday).  I remember whining about it to Susan then with a "man!  Didn't we just do back squats last week?"  Susan, in her very sweet and casual manner, said:  "Oh, but that was last week!"  Touche, Susan.  With that in mind, I didn't want to come across as a total whiner about back squats (because really, I actually really like back squats... and box squats) so I just kept my mouth shut.  That didn't stop me from whining about other things though.  Saul asked how I was doing before I started my set and I told him that as a result of my not having been able to make it into the box as often as I'd like (and poor sleep nowadays), "I feel fat".  Poor Saul.  Hey, I gotta whine to SOMEBODY!

Not too shabby with the back squats today, though I'm realizing that I haven't exactly gone heavier or anything lately.  But then again, this is already a huge improvement from last month and at the heavier weight, I have to really focus on making sure I turn my knees outward to help propel me back up (they tend to buckle in).  Tough but good!  Besides, if 50kg (110lbs) is only my 90%, that definitely makes my day (um... along with those UNASSISTED kipping pull-ups!  Ding!  Thank you!).

Workout:  5 rounds each of the following

• Good mornings (2 rounds with 33% of heaviest BS weight:  20kg)
• Headstand pike-ups With head planted firmly on abmat (for cushioning), which is already placed right next to the wall, bring both feet in towards face as closely as possible.  Then slowly get your butt to touch the wall, while keeping both legs straight.  Then use your butt muscles (and abs!) to slowly bring both legs (still straight!) up until you are doing a complete headstand.  Slowly reverse way you got there.

Technically, 33% of my heaviest BS weight is only 16.5kg so I was swapping out the bars for the lighter 14kg bar when Saul stopped and said:  "You're not going to do good mornings with the 20kg bar?"

"Um, no," I replied.  "You wrote 33% of heaviest back squat weight.  33% is 16.5kg."

"Oh," Saul says with his endearing smile.  "You can do 20kg."

"Uh..."

"You can do 20."

Okay... note to self:  never ever complain to Saul about feeling "fat" again.  And if I do, make sure I rack up closest to where all the racks are stored so as to make the switcheroo unnoticeable (I obviously HAD to pick the rack FARTHEST away because I am S-M-R-T smart that way).

I was totally dead last with this one (this wasn't timed) but only because I was a total space cadet during the first round where I did one round of good mornings and was waiting around for Erok to finish his headstands until I realized that I had forgotten to do the second round.  That and trying to do those headstands are freaking hard.  Seriously.

Post-workout meal?  Um... I was pretty lazy this morning and the only thing I managed to bring was a roasted sweet potato.  Ah well.  Nutrient-dense carb!