#crossfitmayfly

[aximov]

WOD#042

STRENGTH: 4 rounds for quailty:

8 Ring Push-up 8 C2-Roll out 16 alt. Bird Dog row 8 Box dip 1 min rest

WOD:

3 rounds ft (21m19s)

5 KB Swing (20kgs) 10 Clean @ 40 kgs 15 Burpees 20 Abmat Sit-up 25 DU

CASH-OUT (5m57s): 100 cal row 

[aximov]

MyWODs #002

This made me fight for air at the end, perfect cardio and also good if you are having slight shoulder issues as I do.

STRENGTH EMOM (9x 30sec work w/ 75sec rest)

Back squat: 9 to 1 rep with 60 to 100 kgs

WOD for time (34m26s):

30-25-20-15-10-5:

cal bike power clean (30kgs) SU GHD situps

feel free to add your results, or share your experiance :)

[aximov]

WOD#029

For god’s sake, my shoulder still haunts me like Adam Sandler films. So in the past couple of days I got onto the highway of internet, the library of Google and read a lot how to improve and rehab my shoulders with exercises. 

And then along come the solution in Instagram. Squat University. I follow them because of course squat suggestions, technique and mobility, but this I was not expected, my solution presented itself. So got into reading and this time I went to Mayfly and devoted my whole time for these. And yeah, it was more than an hour plus stretching, but it was worth and I feel great for my achievement doing this and not been tempted to do cardio or any other strength session instead. 

My shoulder still hurts, but feels better now the day after, I feel that it works. I will repost everything fully and linked the site and thankful for them for every word and advice they give. I plan eventually to redo everything at least once a week for a while, because it not just helping mobility, but also strengthens the weak and core muscles of the shoulder to reach overall balance. I did every task, except the rhythmic stabilizations, that would needed somebody to assist, whom I did not have and I thought at this point it would still hurt my shoulder.

Weights were 1,5 kg plates, a 4 kg KB and the weakest resistant band available. If you do have issues with your shoulders, pain, had surgery or simply just to get better and work on core, I advise to do them regularly these:

“STABILIZING THE SHOULDER BLADE & JOINT

Posted on: October 6, 2018 by Dr. Aaron Horschig

Welcome back to Squat University. Last week I introduced a blog series on improving shoulder stability by addressing a weak serratus anterior muscle. This week we’re going to move on and discuss a few other important muscles: the rotator cuff, rhomboids and trapezius.

Today I want to share with you a few exercises that will help address deficits in strength, endurance and coordination of these muscles that lead to instability and poor mechanics of the shoulder.

Side Lying External Rotation

Banded “W”

External Rotation Press

Prone Lateral Raise

Prone Floor Angel

Bottoms Up Kettle Bell Press

Kettle Bell Turkish Get-Up

Rhythmic Stabilizations

The “Empty Can” versus “Full Can”

Many of the exercises discussed today will be performed with a paused hold at certain ranges of the movement. This action allows you to emphasize shoulder stability. Remember strength is not the same as stability.

Strength is your ability to produce force whereas stability is your ability to limit excessive or unwanted motion. If a muscle is strong but can’t maintain adequate tension and work in coordination with the other surrounding muscles, joint mechanics will breakdown and injury can ensue.

Stability also requires muscular endurance. This is why many corrective exercises to enhance stability are performed with high repetition sets at first. This will help build the capacity of these muscles to “turn on” and maintain adequate stability for your first to last sets in a training session, as well as during the everyday movements outside of the gym thereafter. A lack of endurance to create sufficient stability is a reason why many injuries occur in the 2nd half or later portion of many athletic matches (such as a soccer or football game).

SIDE-LYING EXTERNAL ROTATION  

Research has shown that the posterior rotator cuff muscles (infraspinatus and teres minor) are most efficiently activated with the simple side-lying external rotation exercise.1,2 These two muscles keep the humerus bone compressed and centered in the joint socket during arm movement (keeping the golf ball centered on the golf tee).

Assume a side-lying position with a towel roll pinned between your top side arm and rib cage (this will help place your arm in the optimal position).1 Start with your arm parallel to the floor and shoulder blade pulled back and down (scapular retraction and depression). Without allowing your shoulder blade to move, pull your hand up towards the sky (the motion of external rotation) before returning back down.

Recommended sets/reps: 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps

Depending on your current level of strength you may need to perform this exercise at first with no weight. Once you are able to perform the recommended sets and reps without significant fatigue or pain, start adding weight.

If you are unable to externally rotate through a full range of motion due to shoulder pain, you can start with partial reps within a pain free zone. These “short arc” motions will allow you still benefit without furthering the injury process and increasing symptoms. As pain subsides, continue to progress how far you can externally rotate without pain as you increase the resistance.

BANDED “W”

One of my favorite exercises that I perform on a daily basis during my own warm-ups (regardless if I’m performing any of the Olympic lifts or squatting) is the Banded “W.” This progression from the previous Side-Lying External Rotation exercise not only addresses rotator cuff strength and stability but also activates the often underutilized lower portion of the trapezius muscle.3

One of the most common imbalances seen in athletes is between the upper and lower trapezius muscle fibers. The upper traps are highly active during movements such as the pulling motion of the clean and snatch and therefore have a tendency to become over dominant and can lead to poor mechanics of the shoulder complex. Research has shown that performing the Banded “W” is one of the best exercises for concentrating on the lower traps to address this imbalance.3

Start by grabbing an elastic band in both hands with your arms held by your side and elbows bent to a 90-degree “L” position. Your thumbs can be facing upward or out away from your body. As you pull your hands out to the side against the band resistance (the motion of external rotation) make sure your elbows remain in the same bent position by your ribs.

Hold the end position for 5-10 seconds before returning back to the start.

Recommended sets/reps: 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps

EXTERNAL ROTATION PRESS

While the prior two exercises are great at strengthening the posterior rotator cuff, many of the movements an athlete performs in a training session take place above shoulder height in positions where the joint is more vulnerable to instability and injury. For this reason, corrective exercises to enhance shoulder stability must also be performed at different angles of shoulder elevation.

Start by grabbing a resistance band tied around a rig or rack. Pull the band towards you in a rowing motion. Your hand should finish directly in front of your elbow with your arm parallel to the ground. This will lock your shoulder blade into a good position by activating muscles like the rhomboids and middle portions of the trapezius.2 Hold this position for 3 seconds.

Next, rotate the shoulder backwards (the motion of external rotation). This will activate the posterior rotator cuff (particularly the infraspinatus) in a similar manner to the turnover catch phase of a snatch.13Your hand should now be facing the ceiling with your elbow bent to 90 degrees like an “L”. Make sure the shoulder blade does not move at all during this rotation and again hold this end position for 3 seconds.

Last, push your hand overhead and hold in this end position for another 3 seconds (if you perform the Olympic lifts, your hand should be ideally stacked directly over the back of your head to mimic the barbell jerk). With your arm extended the muscles that stabilize the shoulder blade will be working hard against the band resistance to keep your arm from falling forward. Interestingly enough, this exercise not only recruits the rotator cuff but also produces a high degree of serratus anterior activation in order to help stabilize the shoulder blade against the rib cage.2,4

After the small hold, reverse the pattern with the same pauses in each position as you return to the start. Lower the arm to the “L” position. Rotate forward until your arm is parallel to the ground. Finally, press your arm forward to end the movement.

Recommended Sets/Reps: 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions

PRONE LATERAL RAISE

As I mentioned before, one of the most common muscular imbalances athletes present with is upper trap dominance. Another great exercise to strengthen the lower and middle portions of the trapezius muscle is the prone lateral raise.

Start by lying on your stomach with your arm hanging off a bed or bench. With your elbow locked in a straight position raise your arm to the side, ending with it parallel to the ground (as if making one side of a “T”). As you raise your arm, think about simultaneously pulling your shoulder blade in towards your spine (the motion of scapular retraction). You can perform this exercise with your palm facing the ground or with your thumb pointed towards the ceiling (the motion of shoulder of external rotation) for added difficulty. Hold the end position for 3-5 seconds before lowering back down.

Recommended sets/reps: 2-3 sets of 15-20 reps

PRONE FLOOR ANGEL

Start by lying on your stomach with your hands positioned by your hips and palms facing down. With your elbows locked in a straight position, pull your hands off the ground as you simultaneously squeeze your shoulder blades together. This motion of shoulder extension is great at activating the rhomboid muscles of your mid back that help control your shoulder blade.2

While keeping your shoulder blades pulled together and depressed, rotate your hands upward into what will end up looking like a back squat hold position. Next, push your hands above your head as far as you can (this will mimic the motion of a standing barbell press). Once your arms are fully extended, rotate your arms upward so that your palms are now facing towards the sky.

From this position, raise both arms off the ground as far as you can (making sure your elbows remain straight).  After holding for 3 seconds, lower your arms back down before rotating them to the original palms-down position and then returning back to the hips.

Recommended sets/ reps: 2-3 sets of 10 reps

RHYTHMIC STABILIZATIONS

Muscle fatigue not only affects your ability to create stability but also your awareness of how your body is positioned and moving (called proprioception).5The more fatigued you become, the less control you have on your body and form/technique may break down. This is why fatigue combined with poor muscular stability leads to a cascade of events that creates eventual joint instability and injury.

A common method of improving the body’s ability to sense joint position (enhancing proprioception) is with rhythmic stabilization exercises. The goal with these exercises is to improve muscular co-contraction (the ability to coordinate stability around a joint during active movements by turning on all of the surrounding muscles simultaneously).12 If you have a friend nearby, try this exercise.

Lie on your back with your arm extended straight out in front of you toward the sky. Have a friend try to push your arm over in different random directions while you try to maintain it from moving. Have your friend perform these pushes lightly at first before speeding them up and applying more force as you improve the control of your arm. If you’re doing these with the right amount of force, your shoulder should be fairly fatigued after 20 seconds.

Recommended sets/reps: 4-5 sets of 20 seconds

These rhythmic stabilization exercises can be performed in a number of different positions such as against a kickball or swiss ball (or any other unstable surface) with your arm extended against a wall.11 Explore a number of different positions and try to perform these rhythmic stabilizations in the one you find most unstable.

BOTTOMS UP KETTLE BELL PRESS

The bottoms up kettle bell press is one of my favorite stability based exercises for the shoulder as it directly carries over to many of the movements we perform as strength athletes. Start in a half kneeling position with your legs fairly narrow so we can simultaneously challenge your core control. With your wrist in a straight position (knuckles up) hold a kettle bell upside down. Press the weight above your head and hold it for 5 seconds before slowly coming back down. The pressing motion should be performed in the scapular plane which means your elbow is positioned around 30 degrees to the side (not straight forward or completely out to the side).

Holding the kettle bell upside down places the weight’s center of gravity further away from your hand (as compared to a standard dumbbell). If your body is unable to meet the stability demands by holding the kettle bell in this unbalanced position, the kettlebell will end up falling over.

You can increase the difficulty of this exercise by adding in a resistance band across your wrist pulling in towards the midline of your body. You can attach the band to a rig or have a partner hold the other end of the band. This will require your lateral and posterior shoulder muscles to work even harder to maintain balance and coordination of the kettle bell.

Recommended sets/reps: 2-3 sets of 10 reps

KETTLE BELL TURKISH GET-UPS

The Get-Up takes the prior kettle bell exercise one step further and requires you to move your body (and therefore shoulder complex) through a variety of different positions. During each transition, every muscle that stabilizes the arm must work to keep the weight from falling forward or backwards.

Start by lying on your back. Your left leg should be straight with your right knee bent. Hold a small weight with your right hand with your arm extended towards the sky. Next, twist your upper body onto your left side, propping yourself onto your elbow. Try to keep your left foot from coming off the ground during this transition.

Next, push yourself upwards into a side plank. Pause during this transition and feel for the position of your scapula and work to keep the weight from falling forward! To help with this, imagine yourself balancing a glass of water with the hand that is holding the weight. If your arm falls forward, the water will spill from the glass.

Pull your left foot under your body and shift your weight onto your left knee. Pause in this position for a few seconds. Next, twist forward into a split kneeling position before pausing for a few seconds. Feel the muscles in the back of your shoulder working hard.Last, stand straight up, keeping your arm locked out above your head. Reverse this same order of movements until you are lying again on the ground.

To progress this exercise, you can use a heavier kettle bell or barbell, perform longer duration holds at the end of each transition, or hold the kettle bell in the upside down position.

During this movement I want you to look straight forward rather than up at the kettle bell (how some coaches traditionally teach this exercise). The goal with any corrective exercise is to have sufficient carry over to the barbell exercises we will then perform in training or competition. Because there is not a single exercise that ends with you staring upwards at the barbell, the corrective exercises must reflect this and train your ability to sense joint position and stability without the need to see the weight as it moves above your head.

Recommended Sets/Reps: 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions

“EMPTY CAN” VERSUS “FULL CAN”  

Traditionally there are two exercises that are performed to target the supraspinatus muscle of the rotator cuff. Both are performed with the arms extended and elevated in a scapular plane (about 30 degrees away from the front of the body). The difference between the two are how the arms are positioned.

The “empty can” is performed with the thumbs pointed towards the ground (as if pouring liquid out from a can). The “full can” is performed in the opposite manner with the thumbs pointed towards the sky.

While the “empty can” is often used as a clinically as a test by medical professionals to rule in or out a shoulder impingement injury, suggestions to use the “empty can” as an exercise can be traced back as far as the early 1980’s.6 While this exercise may activate the supraspinatus just as much as the “full can” version, it also simultaneous brings out a high amount of activation in the deltoid muscle. This is problematic for two reasons.

Trying to strengthen a weak rotator cuff with exercises that also produce high levels of deltoid activation can lead to unfavorable joint mechanics. For example, the “empty can” exercise creates more upward pull on the humerus (compared to the “full can”) leading to a greater risk of joint impingement.7 This is why the “empty can” movement often elicits pain in athletes currently dealing with a shoulder injury.

It is also common to see scapular winging during the internally rotated “empty can” exercise compared to the “full can.”8 When the shoulder blade wings out to the side (the movement of protraction and anterior tilting) it closes off the available space deep inside the shoulder joint for the humerus to move, increasing risk for impingement to occur. In contrast, pulling your shoulder blades together (retraction) as you perform the “full can” exercise in combination with the externally rotated thumbs-up position increases this joint space and allows you to strengthen the rotator cuff in a mechanically efficient position.

To perform the “full can” exercise, raise your arms in an extended position to shoulder height. Hold this position for 3-5 seconds before lowering back down. Think about keeping your shoulder blades pinned together during the entire motion.

You can progress this exercise two ways. The first is by either adding weight and/or a resistance band loop across your wrists. The second is to hold one arm in the elevated position while the other arm performs the movement of raising and lowering the arm. For example, the right arm would be held elevated at shoulder height while the left arm performs the “full can” for 20 reps before switching and holding the left arm at shoulder height while the right arm performs the movement.

Recommended reps/sets: 2 sets of 15-20 reps. As you progress with strength you can increase resistance and drop to 3-4 sets of 10 reps.

IT’S OKAY TO GO HEAVY

Have you heard the line, “Don’t use heavy weights when doing corrective exercises for your rotator cuff or else your larger deltoids will kick on and take over?” This is a common misconception that has made its way unfortunately to the rehabilitation profession.

The origin of this thought process likely has its roots in good intentions. Often athletes with weak rotator cuff muscles like to compensate by relying on stronger more powerful muscles (like the deltoids and trapezius) in order to accomplish whatever movement they’re trying to perform. The more weight you give that person, the more compensation they will likely show.

Recent research has looked into the activation levels of the smaller rotator cuff and larger deltoid muscles during common rehabilitation exercises and found they increased the same amount as more and more weight was used.9 This means larger muscles (like the deltoids, pecs, or lats) do not overpower smaller muscles (like the rotator cuff) just because more weight is used. If a strong athlete can use good technique during a “full can” exercise with 10-15 lbs, there’s nothing wrong with it! The amount of weight you use for each corrective exercise must be based on your ability to perform that exercise with good technique, without pain and to meet your individual goals with rehab and performance.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It doesn’t matter if you are an elite Olympic weightlifter or an average gym-goer, these exercises can benefit you if you have shoulder pain. Even if you don’t have pain, these exercises are great for warm ups prior to workouts. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.”

There are some pictures on the blog also to assist if you are mixed up a bit how to cope with some of these and also check the https://squatuniversity.com site for further advises for any kind of squat or mobility or strengthening issue.

thank you Aaron!!! 

[aximov]

WOD030

Back to MayFly for another session after having some rest post rowing marathon and a proper shoulder rehab thanks to Squat University. Based on how I felt I should give a go to some overhead, but still lightweight reps in my WODs. And it was the right decision, it was really nice, did not hurt even though I still have a lot of mobility issues coming from the injury, but working hard on that one, too. Somebody said the best way to heal and get better is training and moving in the right amount to get your body back to the cycle flow, so did I. I also watched several videos for lack of mobility and this one from Unity Gym really helped me and doing those ever since. I am really improving and I am so happy about it, really gives me a mental boost as well. :)

Soooo, it is really important to get a good warm up, and the erg machines and the rowing pad is the perfect instrument to start with and that is what I’m really into in the past couple of weeks and going onwards. After that sure you need stretching and some exercises to mobilize and activate and get ready of what I have previously written some more and detailed. So never forget it and pay attention to overall warm up and focusing on especially muscles and joints that will heavily used during your WOD. For me the focus was on legs, glutes, back and shoulders and a heavy upper body stretching afterwords. 

It was fun to squat again, honestly I choose front squat, because it was still really uncomfortable for my shoulders to lead that much back to hold the barbell. But I will come back for it! :)

warm up:

500 m Row 1000 m Airbike 500 m Skierg

strength:

Front Squat Progression: 50 to 90 kgs, 9 to 1 reps (adding 5kgs after each set)

WOD (13m07s):

21-15-9 reps for time:

Wall Ball w/6 kgs Skierg Cal Bench Press w/50kgs GHD Back Extension DU

this was hell of a fun!!! :)

[aximov]

WOD#026

Sunday. Training day. Not the motion picture, the real life, though it is a fun movie, liked it a lot and refers to tough life behind sugar coated walls and fences. Although wait. It is might be true about WODs as well :))) They could look nice, but in the reality, when you are in the midst doing it, or after finishing it, you think like “Sh.t hell, what the f.ch is/was that! This is not what I thought to be! C’mon!” :D

To be honest with the workout I planned this time it goes the same. I thought it looks really nice, but already in the second part of it I thought this is not for humans, it is for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! I mean go for it and decide, I would not explain, just experience it. Well deserved Sauna after, with little swim, stretching, shake, apple and smalltalk with friend or random strangers. :) Best relax ever (for me) that reenergises me every time and shuts down the week and its issues and kicks off the new. Try it :)

5k run for time in a 6 kg weighted vest (29m02s)

Gymnastics: 5x100 steps Staircase jump (in a west w/10 kg) with 5x20 pushups, (23m52s), than

Strenght: 4 rounds tabata I. (50sec work, 30 sec rest) in a weighted vest w/10 kg Box Step-up w/ DB @ 15 kg Push-up DB OH walk w/DB @ 15 kgs KB Biceps Curl w/KBs @ 8 kgs

Finisher: 4 rounds tabata II. (50sec work, 30 sec rest) 

V-Sit Rotation w/KB @ 8 kgs Arch Hold Shoulder Tap Lying Hip Extension

[aximov]

WOD#025

Yippee-Ki-Yay!!! In the gym again and doin a cardio day. Sooooo happy. so so exciteeeeed! It was so good to be back, that I even had to run and had not that much time, I started to talk to people as soon as I got to the box and needed to stop and go for what I have planned for myself. If I mentioned, there are 2 things that lead to this point:

1. I have a green light from the doc on my shoulders and a better MRI on my forearms, that says I am able to start training again after a long-long time skipping the box...

2. We will have a charity rowing competition on the 8th December at Crossfit Mayfly, where we decided to take part in a 4 man team to excel the 42,2 km distance, so need to get ready by that and row some kilometres into my body.

That said I checked interval and cardio WODs on the net and I found one from mr. Froning Jr. he posted some years ago, which looked really nice and comfy to start without pushing the overkill button on myself. To be honest I felt really great, did a really nice tempo on all machines and got sweat a bit, but did not felt exhausted at the end as I usually do. So that means I planned great my comeback and tempo and I am to be honest really proud of myself as usually I overdose as I like laying on the flour catching my breath dying after the WODs :P Yeah of course this could be a deadly cardio, too, if you want to, just step on the pedal and everything you got and you will be in that horizontal perspective by the time you are done. 

The WOD is 3 rounds only, which means 36 minutes, but as I did it with a bit “comfy” tempo, I made 4 rounds at the end, my cals are at the end of the lines. 

Cardio EMOM session by R. Froning Jr.:

4 rounds for Cal:

2 mins Air bike (29-30-30-30) 2 mins Row (36-38-38-40) 2 mins Skierg (32-31-32-31) 2 mins Rest

[aximov]

WOD#022

And the day has come, this is the first time I put on my vest for running and I was so, so pumped up I ran a time with it that I usually ran without. Also was curious how the vest will work and I got the answer: super gut :) I can not compare with other tacticals at the moment, but I think it works really great, does not disturbs and does what its his job. So overly I am satisfied, even though I had to stop for 2-3 minutes to adjust the “belt” to make the vest more snug, as it is annoying when jumping up and down on your body during the running. After I did it, it worked as almost I had nothing on, was perfect :)

After the run, which as a first timer running in a vest I did with 6 kg weight to get use to it, I did a solid overall workout day, here is the recap:

6 km for time (37m34s) (wearing a vest 6 kg), than

Strength1:

5 x 100 steps Staircase jump (wearing a west 10 kg), than

Strength2:

10 min EMOM: 30 DB Squat (@ 15 kg) 30 Triceps extension 4 rounds tabata (50sec work, 30 sec rest) DB Box Step-ups (@ 15 kg) Arch Hold Finisher (wearing a vest 10 kg):

5x100 steps Staircase run w/5x20 Push-Up off the stairs railing (9m41s)

[aximov]

ROD#002

This one is a new one. For real. I have been cooking for years, many years, like 20-25 and up to this point I have never done this meal and what a miss. A week ago I popped in to a Chinese grocery whatever store. For me its a whatever, because you can find there anything, from frozen goods to vegetables, from tiny little winking cat to tea and rice and pasta, from soya and other sauces to chopping board and plates, from spices to Sprite, Aloe and coconut drinks. I wanted to buy some green tea, but as usual, you can never stop your curiosity to look around and grab something you do not need, or you never thought you would need it. 

So after I got my 2 packs of green heaven I checked everything and saw red lentils and suddenly I felt like this is the one I always wanted to eat and I need it. So I bought a pack and went home happy. Thant some days later I still felt comfortable with it and also got some vegetables and a little chicken, so I decided to make a proper soup from it. It is basic as hell I am telling you in 5 steps and is ready within an hour. Here is how:

1. Lentils into water, 2 fingers above, it will soak it up nicely within an hour or 2. 2. Get a big onion, 3-4 gloves of garlic, carrot, turnip and a big potato, clean or peal them, and chop up to little cubes. Spice both side of 2 big chicken breasts. 3. Grill the chickens quickly, when finished, put some olive oil into and the roughly chopped onions and smashed garlic until they are glassy. 4. All spices into it, stir for a minute then put the tomato puree and all the vegetables into it (except the potato). After 2-3 minutes, pour the red lentils into the pan with salt and pepper and cover it, let them cook for 20mins 5. Put the potato into it, let it cook for further 15 mins. During this time, you cut up the chicken and a little parsley. Later as cooked, you add 2 balsamic vinegar and 3 spoons of soya plus a little chili (optional, but boy it gives a nice touch to it, believe me). And as last, you blend the soup until its full creamy. You are ready. Adjust it with some spices and water how you feel. +1: Get your plate, take some soup, put over the chicken cubes, freshly chopped parsley, parmigiano and flood it with some virgin olive oil. If you want, get a baguette, too for additional carbs, or for fun ‘cause you like it :)

Ingredients (5 meals):

250 gr red lentils 250 gr chicken breasts 1 huge potato 200 gr carrot  100 gr turnip 1 huge onion 3-4 garlic gloves seasoning for soup (according to taste): 1 tsp salt, 2 pinch pepper, 1 pinch chili, 1 tsp coriander, bunch of parsley, 2 tsp soya, 1 tsp balsamic vinegar, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp brown sugar seasoning for chicken: gyros seasoning

Nutritions for 1 plate (app.) : 

carbs 48gr,  fat: 2gr, protein: 27gr.

multigrain baguette 100grs: 

carbs: 45gr, fat: 4gr, protein: 9gr.

[aximov]

And the day had come, I decided to pimp up my training with a vest. Actually I have not bought at this moment the supersexy and quality brands and products like the 5.11, Condor, or the one from Xenios, because if having the full 20lbs plates included, you will have pay for them around 150-200 bucks. Before I engage in a long term relationship with a weighted vest and spend that money I figured out that this option at Decathlon I ran into some days before is a really good thing to start with and only 40 units of (here British) cash. 

The vest itself is 6 kg heavy and you have 4 plates, each 1 kilos to add for the full 10 kg love affair. To be honest I have no comparisons to the other brands as this was the first time I had a vest on and had no training in them before, but my overall opinion is that it is well constructed and sown/stitched, fits nicely and you are able to adjust the bands as you wish, though I found that feature 2 workouts later :D Shame on me, but at least I found it after my first mile running haha. After that it was fully comfortable and snug felt smooth like lickin’ an ice cream. Its a bit cold, but tasty and refreshing, if you know what I mean :)

It is not only working for running, but overall for everything and it relieves you from having DBs, or KBs, or anything in hand and you can move freely with it. I also used at home whilst picking apples in our garden on the hill-side, but also if you just take a walk, or go to the market, you can put it on and the rest is done by itself. Of course you can use at workouts for everything, from push-ups, to pull-ups, step-ups, HSPUs, DUs or SUs, rope climb, sledge push, wall ball any gymnastics and many more, it’s up to your fantasy how you can do yourself with it... wink-wink! 

Oh and I forgot to mention it has 2 years warranty, so that couls speaks for its quality, but I do not want to jump into conclusions, you will read if anything goes sideways with it first hand. But until than, go for it, its worth to sexy up your trainings :P

[aximov]

STOP AND GO PENALTY

Truth be told I fucked it up. Really. Did not respected my body, nor the process, but treated my ego too well. So after a nice hospital check and MRI it came out that I have a tear in my shoulder and plain reality is that I need not only to soften my trainings, but need to stop everything I do. Literally. Not even running or squats, or sit-ups because that also uses shoulder movements that is not accepted if I want to make full recovery. This means at least 4 weeks of this (or up until it hurts) and then another 4 weeks of rehab slowly starting to build up muscles and joints.

This one f.cks me up and all I can do is be angry with myself and nobody else, because I am the only person who is responsible for this whole mess. I am the only one responsible for sitting out the CF Open and not taking part in it, I am the only one responsible for not being able to act professionally. To be honest, this is how you should not start Cross Fit or any intense sports and I did not deserve being part of it. You have to learn this - and hopefully not the hard way -, even as a hobby sportsman, or as professional athlete what I would like to be. You have to be strong and follow whats necessary, you can not jump over steps, because if you miss one, then you slid and hurt yourself more. 

I did not wanted to disappear, but after the second injury also life got more hectic, lots of programs, happenings, travelling happened. We had an awesome team-building with CF Mayfly end of August, been home to my parents for a visit, been to an Agency team-building in Vienna at Prater, had some farewell nights as one of my best friends, Timi is leaving to Far-East with her beloved for long, one of my fav bartender left for an other profession, one of my favourite DJ was in town, Stimming, been to a wedding amongst many more. 

But even many great things happened with me, the learning is there. Be patient, thankful what you are able to do as a healthy person, always treat your body as porcelain, give it what it needs, treat it nicely, give him enough rest, feed it properly and always stay true to the process whatever you do, because you can not skip lessons, it will get back to you and will hunt you. It is really important that you should always listen to people that are pros in what you do and have the experience and take their advise, they know what they are talking about and they do it for you.

And the most important thing is, always learn of you mistakes and never quit!

[aximov]

WOD#018

This was way too much for me at the end and I realize it sadly on the next day, that this should not be happening with my shoulder as it now suffered a setback. So it seems I should not do burpees in the near future at all. Hope it gets better soonish as it was way to much under my level what I produced during the WOD I have seen and copied this time. 

Open gym was fun, met my buddy Bence there and he joined me after his class for my regular squat session and than also stayed and beat me with 2 rounds on the WOD. I know proper DU technique does better time management and also he has chosen KB swings instead of burpees that also triple as fast. Still hats off, he is simply better than me. Right now actually, cause I will beat you next time, Buddy :) ALso you can double the amount and half it as a partner WOD, and also we did it unbroken, but you could also do it with 1-2 mins rest between the sets.

STRENGTH:

Back Squat progression from 9 to 1 reps with 60 to 100 kgs added another one @105 kgs which is my new PR :)

WOD (23m21s):

5 rounds for time: 30 DU 20 Cal row 10 Burpees

[aximov]

WOD#017

Today is national holiday, so we had a long weekend from Saturday to Tuesday. I enjoyed it pretty much, went to Mayfly on Sat, than had a nice afternoon with a great friend and mentor planting, puppy training and pizza eating, than went home to Miskolc visiting my parents and granny travelling with my godparents chatting about my road trip and many more that could fit into this  tight schedule. Than on Monday did a proper wellness rehabbing shoulder at a nice and renovated spa already in Budapest, would suggest it for everyone, enjoyed infra and salt cave and finnish sauna with some cold and hot tubs as well. So following these it was time to get back into my box and do some shit. Also had a solid feeling with my shoulder and huge a headshot mentally, so everything was in place for a vintage performance. This is what happened:

STRENGTH:

BB Front Rack Kozak Lunge @ 25/30/35/40/45 kgs BB Front Rack Lunge @ 50 kgs (5x)

WOD (14m37s):

21-16-9 reps for time

Deadlift  @ 50/55/60 kgs  DB Bench Press  @ 15 kgs Abmat Sit-up weighted  @ 0/5/10 kgs  DU Reverse handed Push-up

For a proper after party I stayed to practice more DU’s and at the end I managed 5 straight ones in a row that made me proud. Also I helped my coach/mentor rearranging bar heights in the box than went for a super gyros plate to my favorite grill bar. all in all it was a proper half day taking off focus and simply enjoying the day. Also met with an old friend from my time @ Ogilvy&Mather, things just happen :) thank you everyone for shaping me all the time and giving challenges to cope with and be better and better!

[aximov]

WOD#016

Soooooo back to school again, open gym after ruining my shoulder the other day. So depressed and mad, could not tell you that, but let’s do what i possbile. First, full rehab again, using special SunBreeze Balm proposed by my physiotherapist and using anti-inflammatory cream every night massaging the cramped muscles. It feels much better by now and hope to say so writing my next post in the following days. 

But until than, lets see what could be done workout wise so that nothing gets into the way of my regeneration. This time more cautiously selected and tested tasks, but still had minor tensions in the shoulder starting DUs and jumping over the box, but the previous I could manage trying to make more an more reps at once, the latter I made with less arm movements whilst jumping up. Oh and I forgot to mention, I ringed the bell twice in front squat, now at 95 kgs, I even made a PRcherry, baby! :)

STRENGTH:

Front Squat progression (9 to 1 reps from 45 to 95 kgs PR!!!)

WOD (14m57s):

21-16-9 of: Cal Bike DU Box Jump GHD sit-up*

*I realize again having tension in my lower back after GHDs, so here are 3 takeaways from my side: 

1. avoid squat sessions if planning GHDs in your wod, those are each other enemies, working on and easing back spine into different directions 2. reduce the frequency of exercising it - do front/back walking lunges, Bulgarian split squats or Kozak squats, weighted if necessary 3. maybe most important is to pay more attention on proper execution ;)

#prcherry

[aximov]

WOD#015

I had to go. Go for the usual class to workout. I missed those guys really much and also being part of the herd :) I realized this because my previous workout on Monday with clean & jerks resulted no setbacks. So I began to think that I will be able to do reps, movements, training above my shoulders and the Wednesday class looked smooth to join again. Even having a lot of work throughout the day and having a slight hangover from last night’s Foo Fighters concert and some techno steppa on Sziget Festival  I was so happy, could not feel better. And just arrived in time. 

Results of it was mixed as I made a PR on one hand, made a stupid mistake on the other and trashed my left shoulder again after the WOD not being able to moderate my ego! I made progress in Turkish Get Up. I went up during the strength session from 16 to 20 kgs with both hands which was a PR already (from April), but seeing Tomas on my left finishing with 28 kgs I thought I could try with 24. I was so happy, I simply pulled it off with my right, but starting with left I could not finished as the session ended. We began with the WOD (see under) which went I think nicely, but after that I could not control myself and I tried the 24 kilo kettle bell with my previously injured shoulder. So shame on me. At a point, trying to stand up suddenly my shoulder blacked out and lost muscle tension  for a sec and it pushed my whole weighted arm into my joint case. 

If you read this, please take it seriously, do not try to attempt PRs after WODs. Never, because it will rather hurt you and cause injury than results in a happy ending record.

STRENGTH:

Turkish Get-Up (12-12-16-20-24 kgs)*

*24 kgs only with right hand

WOD (3 rounds + 200m run):

AMRAP 20 min:

Run 400 meters 30 Goblet Squat@24 kgs 20 Box Jump 10 C2B Pull Up Goal: 3+ Rounds

[aximov]

WOD#014

Missed the crossfit on the weekend, but not overall. And why? Firstly, I am still suffering of my Joa, but secondly we were having a competition and went down to Szeged to see how our box buddies and friends doing there in an enormous heat and at the Beach Throwdown. This was organised by one of Mayfly’s trainer and my occasional personal coach. Szeged and the venue is around 200 kms away, so we had a nice day off, travelling and supporting, but also getting sunburned like hell. 

We were stupid enough to make that trip and suffer on the sun for hours without any shades, but than we thought the athletes are more crazy lifting weights, doin’ reps in the 35+ degree on the even hotter sand and woking with grill-hot like bars. And also paying for it? hah, the thing is as we were there, we decided to prepare ourselves for next years throwdown and compete. And yeah, no complains, hats off to everyone organizing, preparing, working on the event to make it come true, as we had a super time, even had a chance to jump into the near lake and having several cold showers between sessions :) 

Nah ok, enough of storytelling. Or? I went to swim and sauna on Sunday for make a better picture of my week activity, but it did not happened. It was closed for maintenance works. Ahh, 35C and no water, sauna, nothing. But as I am a grown up, I decided to run, so that will offset swimming and sauna in the same time :) Good choice and was even helping a nice lady in the park pulling higher a shade over her cafe terrace holding her chair and let her stay upright. Even got a soda for that. Win-win. Oh an plus one, I got to know, that the cafe is one from Miskolc, my home town, just now in Budapest haha. Lovely. The world is so tiny :)

Soooo, now really back to WODs, 2 things. The running is really helping your body to ease after strong muscle sessions in the gym and also nicely detoxifies and keeps you in nice shape. Also helps fighting muscle strains, which is maybe one of it’s best advantages for you, Athletes and helping control your breathing, so even you need to run hundreds of meters during wods, you will be able to calm down controlling your breathing properly and ease yourself. A lot of running from my past really gives me an advantage in crossfit not just because of having a great cardio (also weekly swimming and sauna helps), but helping me fight through pretty tough wods.

On Monday though, I did not include any running, as I had that on Sunday haha, but yeah, DUs and GHDs again. Also began to concentrate on my other weaknesses, which are ringdips and getting back on those shoulders.

STRENGTH:

3 rounds of: 9 ring dips 3 rope climbs 1 DB SA overhead walk 2x20 m @22,5 kgs 

WOD (23m39s):

21-15-9 reps for time clean and jerk @40 kgs  GHD sit-up DU

ps1: my DUs are still singles and doubles one after the other, but getting better and better, which keeps me motivating all the time

ps2: I dunno what happened, but was suffering with rope climbs now, could not find the proper hold with my leg, so I was so angry at the end, but went up, even if I had to come down twice half way up during my reps. need to focus better.

ps3: first sets of jerks for 2 months, I had to split 5-5-5-3-3 and than 5s all the way, it was tough for me making so many at one time. I have to get back on this later again and see how I evolve. :)

[aximov]

WOD#009

Just got so much into the rush before leaving for holiday that I just missed this post of my last workout previously. I Intentionally choose a classic WOD with some spice because of trying to strengthen a bit on my back before hopping on the bike for more than 2 weeks and over 3000 kms on the road*. And yeah, bikers, all I can say is, that CF is one of the best things could happen to you if you do ride 2 wheels. This builds such a great core basic for legs, quad, back, belly, that it makes every ride so comfy and so much less tiring. Of course that does not means you will not get wet in your head, but your body can cope with so much more, that you can not imagine. But enough of the marketing bullshit, try and feel it, its worth. But don’t quit after a week you lazy ass, ‘coz that’s not the proof point haha. So before leaving to promiseland, or others to say go on holiday for more than a long weekend this year I Did the “Chief” but with extra deadlifts, which called this way “The Chief is Dead” WOD.

AMRAP 25 mins ( 4 mins with 1 min rest between sets ):

3 Power Cleans 6 Push-ups 9 Air Squats 12 Deadlifts

I did it with @35kgs and made 3 rounds in every sets and I can tell you that it works damn good, just one suggestions: pay attention on the deadlifts even if you are getting tired because it will hurt much more if you are getting lazy delivering properly executed reps ;)

*about to select some pics soon, so you will get some roadtrip memories for sure, even if you don’t like to haha