Saturday, August 7, 2010

Tabata Fundamentals part 1 and 2

CrossFit has 9 fundamental movements: airsquats, front squats, overhead squats, shoulder press, push press, push jerk, deadlift, sumo deadlift high pull and medicine ball cleans.  These are the basic movements that you should learn when starting Crossfit training.  You also learn proper coaching and correction of these movements in a level 1 certification course. 

The WOD from 2 days ago used a Rower, which I did not want to substitute sumo deadlift high pulls for since our gym doesn't have one.  I decided to Tabata the 9 fundamentals in rounds of 6, meaning 20 seconds of exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest 6 times through for each exercise. 

I started with backsquats with the 45# bar, rested for 3-4 minutes then did front squats with 45#, then shoulder press then medicine ball cleans.  I honestly felt like my legs were jell-o more in the middle of a workout than they have in the recent past.  This killed me.  My total reps were 233. 
I decided to only do these 4 exercises and come back the next day to finish. 

I think the "Tabata Fundamentals" would be a great workout but maybe 4 rounds of each 9 exercises would be more manageable. 

The next day, Friday, I completed the rest of the exercises Tabata'd at 6 rounds each.  Overhead squat, push press, push jerk, deadlift and sumo deadlift high pull, all done with a 45# bar.  My total reps were 342.

After completing these I noticed a couple of things:
1.  My shoulders (and upper body in general) are still weak and have less endurance compared to my lower body.  For example, on my first round of shoulder press I did 14 reps, then 8, 6, 5, 4, and 4.  That's a big drop.
2.   I need to keep working on my hip mobility.  It's hard for me to go much deeper than parallel in a squat, my hips just don't move any more.  It is also probably core stability, or lack there-of that is keeping me from getting low.
3.  SumoDeadlift High pulls are a much bigger metabolic demand (they gas the hell out of you) than any of the other exercises.  Then next hardest would be medicine ball cleans. 

Goals for the next month or so:
1.  Perform pressing exercises as a cash out to improve strength and endurance at least 2 times per week.
2.  Do hip mobility exercises daily, especially in warm up
3.  Work on core stability 2 times per week.

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