Just when I think I’ve experienced every kind of torturous workout routine that they can come up with, I get a surprise. Oh sure, it’s an AMRAP, but not just any AMRAP. Today’s WOD breaks the AMRAP up into sets, just for fun (or pain?):
5 sets:
AMRAP in 2 min:
– 10 Wallballs
– 10 KB Swings
+ Rest 1 minute between each set. Start each round where you left off previously.
But before we could get into that fun, we did some weighted lunges. I don’t know why, but I thought that weighted lunges would involve having the barbell across the back, like back squats.
I was wrong – we had the barbell in the “front rack” position, which involves keeping your elbows out in front of you and up, while holding the barbell kind of against the tops of your arms. It might have been that I was doing it a little wrong, but that position hurt my shoulders after a while, holding it there. We did 3 rounds of 16 to 20 reps, alternating legs, at our own pace/weight. I started with 45 pounds as a 15 pound bar and 2 15 pound plates, but then I switched it over to 2 10 pound plates and 2 5 pound plates – the same weight, but I could take 10 pounds off if I didn’t think I could finish at 45 pounds. It was not easy for me.
On the 3rd round, I actually ended up bailing. I dropped the bar in front of myself and fell down on my butt. Luckily that wasn’t very far, because I was down in a low lunge and found that I just couldn’t get up. I did end up finishing the set with my starting weight, but I had to yell at every rep to get it done.
Then it was fun time. I thought about selecting a 12 pound ball, but then I decided against that. I just didn’t feel like I was ready to step that up – not yet. So I stuck with the 10 pound ball. I did 35 pounds for the kettle bell, and I think that my weights were just about right for where I am right now.
I am getting better at the wallballs, but there’s still room for improvement. I only managed to do 1 set of 10 without dropping the ball or breaking form (out of the 10 sets that I did). But more and more of my reps are getting there. I didn’t pay attention to my knees though and whether or not they were going out as I stood up. I think the trainer would have yelled at me if they had been going in, but it’s something I want to watch for and train myself out of doing anyway.
The kettle bells started relatively easy and got harder. I was getting through 2 rounds and a couple reps for each set of 2 minutes, and that second set of kettle bell swings was killing me – I felt like I couldn’t breathe, the length of my abs was just tight and painful as I swung the bell over my head. I think I actually forgot to breathe at some points in the middle sets. For the last two rounds I was focusing on breathing while I did the kettle bells, not in any sort of rhythm, but just making sure I was breathing as deeply as I could to get the oxygen I needed to complete the task.
The 1 minute rest goes by so fast, but so do the 2 minute all outs. During the rest periods, all I wanted to do was collapse, and during the all outs, I was so focused on what I was doing that I couldn’t really think. I just wanted to do at least as many as I had the last round and more if possible. I managed to get through 10 rounds and 5 reps, and I feel really good about that.
I liked today’s WOD. It was challenging and a little different. It let me push myself a little harder, I think, than going all out for 10 minutes would have.
I was feeling a little sick yesterday, so I went to sleep super early last night. Even with sleeping for close to 10 hours, I felt tired this morning, and I was severely tempted to skip working out – especially since it snowed in the night, which makes walking to the gym extra fun (sarcasm!). But I did it, and I’m glad I did. I’m planning on running 2 miles after work so that I keep my hip from stiffening up, and then maybe a few minutes in the bouldering cave and a soak in the hot tub.
I can’t wait to find out what tomorrow’s WOD will be. Oh, wait. Yes, I can. That’s why I won’t be looking at the website until tomorrow morning…