Setting up my June shop.
(A HA! Finally made it to the first page of JTW! It's gonna be a great month!
)
I need to learn to keep my big mouth shut. LOL I did NOT get off to a good start in June, but I've turned it around somewhat.
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IRON Series, Day 23 Superset Glutes and Hamstrings + CL Compound Core Intensive Conditioning (398), 42 mins. WedU with CL 398.
Again, tough! These supersetted WOs for the glutes and hammies are rough! I was struggling on a few of those thruster sets. So much good glute work, though! Hours later and they were stinging!
Cathe said at the beginning that the WO was pretty shoulder intensive, and she wasn't kidding. (I did use heavier weights than her, but this still would have been a shoulder burner just using the weights she did.) My shoulders were AH! during her PU complex!! This was also, obviously, very core focused.
Everything done for 12-16 reps.
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IRON Series, Day 24 Full Body Circuits + CL Cardio Compound Crush (393). Wed U with CL 393.
Have MERCY!! SO. Many. OH PRESSES!!
I stuck with the same weights throughout, but, some exercises, my reps just kept decreasing every set. I don't remember CG's OTHER TB WO being this tough! I was ready to be done after just the first round (of 3)! I was pretty spent after this, but I gave CL 393 a whirl.
Needed a few breathers during that as CG fried most of my body (shoulders and back, esp.) and Cathe just finished me off. (The one part of my body that WASN'T fatigued was biceps, which was good, as CL was pretty bicep heavy and just what I wanted.
My quads were oddly and surprisingly sore, and my entire posterior was on fire almost the entire time during this WO.
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CL Touch Up Training (294), 47 mins.
Still really liked this WO, but it felt like a completely different one than the FOUR previous times I’ve done it. I was tired (not physically, so much as mentally), stressed, and I did use heavier weights, even more so than the last time I did it, which I guess made a huge difference. Quads a little tight and sore going in to this.
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IRON Series, Day 26 Leg Workout - Circuits & Step Ups. WedU with CL 137 Quickfix Cardio.
Cathe was burning my quads out!! I thought I was in trouble if her WU was already doing me in. I survived CG, though. (My quads have BEEN tired/sore/fatigued for the past few days. I have NO idea from what.)
Did the first 2 exercises in CL 137. The very first one was FOUR sets of snowboarders. FOUR. WHY? NO ONE needs four sets of snowboarders in their life. It was the universe using reverse psychology on me. When the first set started, I thought, somewhat excitedly (and, unknowingly, very stupidly) "Snowboarders!" (I haven't done them in a long while.) By the third set, I was like, "Make it STOP!", and I, literally, cursed at Cathe. I mean, Geez Louise. Then, we did hammer punch downs and knee ups. I subbed in sprint shooters for those because my body REVOLTS and just does NOT like them. After that, I was like, "Fork this. I'm calling it a night."
Really annoyed with myself. If I had gotten this in earlier, I would have had the patience and energy for an CL add-on like I've been doing. Really like the combo of CG and CL.
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IRON Series, Day 27, Antagonist Sets Back & Chest, Upper Body. Wed U with CL 57, PHA Training.
I was worried about the WO going in to it. I had done a lot of digging, dragging, hauling, hoisting, and pulling in the yard for several hours a few hours before this WO, and I was pretty tired. While I was carting everything, I thought to myself, "Oh, man. This is going to poop me out for my WO!" I wasn't wrong, but I was satisfied with what I was able to use, especially for shoulders.
On top of that, I was TIRED! Yawning and legs feeling so loaded, like I had just done a HIIT WO, had not had a day off and wasn't 4 days removed from any cardio. I was HOT during WU, too! It wasn't even really warm out and, of course, had the dehum on.
Not my fave UB WO of Caroline's, esp. for back. There was so much tri and shoulder work in this. (She barely ever works the biceps!) Aside from the actual shoulder work she does (which is HALF the WO. How DARE she call this back and chest focused?
) the tris and shoulders get worked so much in the renegade rows and diamond press, and, of course, the POs. That's kind of what this WO felt like, a tri WO masquerading as a back-chest WO. This was worth my time, though!
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IRON Series, Day 28 Glute Workout - Iron Glutes. Wed U with CL 399 PHA w/ Ball.
This was brutal. I mean, just OUCH. REALLY wanted to tack on a shorter CL, but I was SO tired by the end of this just because it was late. I tried so hard to get my WO in early today so I COULD do an add-on, but, my body wasn’t having it.
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IRON Series, Day 29 Full Body Hypertrophy, PHA + CL Cardio Weights Mashup (361), 39 mins. WedU with CL 361 incl. the first set of moves.
Holy MACKEREL! Felt like a BOSS after this.
Caroline was DONE at the end of this, too; she was too exhausted to even give us a smile and a look, like she usually does. After this, CL was NO problem! My quads were feeling sore, and I had been feeling tired during the WU, but, after CG, a piece of cake!! I just used all the same weights as C, and after Caroline, they were plenty challenging!
I had PRs in Caroline and, in addition to using heavier than I have before for some things (BP, lunges), I went heavier than I EVER thought I would be able to go on them. EVER. (B not MUCH heavier, but I am still counting it as an improvement!)
11. Final day of IRON!!
IRON Series, Day 30 Arms, Abs & Core + CL Double Cardio HIIT Compound (269), 38 mins. Wed U with CL CUBB 370.
Whoa. Caroline does not work bis often, but when she does, she ANNIHILATES them!!
Caroline’s sweet puppy dogs made an appearance at the end of the WO.
I could NOT stop smiling and laughing – SO so adorable. She should have them make cameos in every WO from now on, as far as I’m concerned.
CL was CHALLENGING for me today! Like, some of the cardio moves felt like proper HIIT! Don’t remember finding it that tough any of the previous times. My quads almost completely gave out during the quarter turns. Whole thing SO hard!! HOW did I use heavier weights in this before??
(This definitely would have been better as an add-on to the WO I had ORIGINALLY wanted to tack it on to – IRON Series, Day 27 Back & Chest, Day 28 Glutes or even yesterday’s WO, IRON Series, Day 29 Full Body. It was just WRONG to do this after a Bi/Tri WO!
12. Unplanned rest day, but, since I can't bear to see the empty spaces in my log...
I did a load of laundry today, which was 90% underwear. It took me about 25 mins to hang it all up, about 4 dozen pairs, when all was said and done. I thought to myself, "How the heck do I have so much underwear in this load? My drawer is still full!" The 4 or so dozen pairs that were in the load was LESS than the amount I had left in the drawer. HOW? HOW did I acquire over 100 pairs of underwear?!
(In my defense -- or maybe just something to make me sound even weirder LOL -- I have a segregated bunch that I use just for WOs. At this point, though, I don't even know if they're part of the over 100 pairs. (They have to be.) But, now I have myself curious, so I am going to have to do a rough count and get back to you all. Try not to die from the anticipation.
13. First day of FUEL!!! Lots of notes for this one!
FUEL Series, Day 1 Legs. WedU with CL Total Body Weights (6).
WHOA. Talk about feeling accomplished!
IRON Series ended with me feeling like a BOSS. FUEL started with me feeling like a complete amateur. (If there was an American Idol for exercisers, I would NOT have gone on through to the next round LOL).
This just SLAYED me. I found it pretty tough. I was, LITERALLY, dripping in sweat by the end of this. Never ever before have I been so HAPPY to get to the finisher, which was so metabolic and so quick, I didn't even have a chance to wipe the sweat from my eyes, even with my shirt, so I was just trying to blink it away, but my eyes were burning, anyway.
This was tough, but I am SO up for this challenge and excited to end fitter and stronger than when I started. I have NEVER done a crossfit WO or even seen one, but this felt like a crossfit WO to me. LOL The heavy weights then bodyweight/metabolic stuff, all for As Many Reps As Possible.
The ONLY con I had about this was that Caroline moves SO fast I had no time to write down all my reps! I like to know my count to not only better myself for next time but so I can have EVEN reps on both sides. I was SO OutOfBreath (OOB) during this that I couldn't even keep track from one move to the next. After 4 moves all strung together, all l I could remember was one or two of the rep counts. I gave up after the 2nd set.
Caroline moves FAST in this. Even with the heavy weights, she was MOTORING. I was taking my time, going nice and slow, making sure I got full ROM, full activation, concentrated on my form and staying safe. The most helpful thing for me in doing that was NOT watching Caroline. With IRON, that was easier since the work periods were so long, the moves so few, and Caroline going quite slow herself. You could almost zone out and just do your own thing. Here, it's hard to even think straight with how hard I was breathing and the moves changing so often. I kept spying her out of the corner of my eye during this WO, and it threatened to throw me off, so I REALLY had to focus on me, myself and I.
I also did some minor modifications as far as DB placement and such and did sumo DLs in place of her 1.5 rep DLs.
I am excited to be getting into more challenging Caroline WOs but with a shorter length than her EPICs. I definitely need this more metabolic, cardiovascular challenge to hopefully burn some fat off my body so I am looking forward to these! And, I'm hoping once my body realizes this is what is expected of it now -- moving faster with less rest -- the other WOs won't feel so tough.
I felt good after this, though, not exhausted or spent. I was just tired because it was late.
(I knocked my ELBOW today, and it is has been throbbing for hours. I slammed it right on the bone, and it feels like it! I was feeling it during this WO big time, because every time I bend the elbow, it hurts. I'll rub some arnica in and, hopefully, that will help. [Love that stuff. Last month, something bit me, I think. I was strolling through the plant nursery not thinking much of it when I scratched my shin and saw a little drop of blood, albeit a bit perplexed. I hadn't noticed anything there earlier, but I just thought it was a yard wound I had overlooked. I was quite alarmed, though, when I woke up the next morning to, what looked like a softball trying to break through on my shin around the blood spot. I rubbed arnica in and the following day, it was like the swelling had never even been there. That was at the height of my poison ivy so I was quite the sight that week! I had scratches, blisters and bites and looked like I was in a trial study for an unknown skin disease. LOL])
I had planned to tack on a CL after this, but it was already late, and I was TIRED! I figured I could spare the extra cardio since this had such a cardiovascular challenge, but I have really been enjoying tacking a shorter CL onto the IRON WOs.
ETA: Forgot to jot this down when I posted originally, but this was very reminiscent of Cathe's RWH HIIT It Lift It Legs in which Cathe employs the use of contrast training – a weighted move followed by an UNWEIGHTED (cardio) move using the same muscle group just worked. I found Caroline did something very similar here. LOVED!
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FUEL Series, Day 2, 30 Min UPPER BODY CIRCUITS & Cluster Sets + CL Compound HIIT 173.
WedU with CL Compound HIIT 173. Did first triset of moves (cardio, weighted metabolic, loop move) to make sure I was good and warm for FUEL.
Again, a tri-shoulder focused WO, but I liked this. I was worried because I remember some discussion on GD and another check-in, I think, that those who had done this WO had not liked it. IIRC, they had found it unfocused, a bit scattered and a little haphazard, like not much thought had been given to this. I am not entirely certain it was this one they had been referring to, but, as already stated, I liked this. It HAMMERED shoulders and tris but, unsurprisingly, was MUCH less metabolic and taxing than yesterday's WO. I am looking forward to tomorrow's WO and to this series, as a whole. I really enjoy WingO with Caroline and, so far, this series has been no exception.
On the plus side, as well, was that since the format was different than yesterday’s WO, I was able to keep track of and note all of my rep counts. Hurray!
Oh, and I am LOVING the music in the series. I THINK, like IRON, the same music is used in every WO but, so far, I am finding the music to be much better. Give me a few more WO days, though! LOL.
All the same weights as C. DYING on jacks-air jacks. And this was SO cruelly shoulder intensive. GAH! Some of these moves were actual HIIT and had me sucking air!
15. Day in the yard, then long time chatting with neighbors. (JTW, I HAVE to give you the latest update on my mooing neighbor.)
Got a WICKED cluster headache about 5 mins after I got inside, which is bizarre because I haven't had one of those in about 4.5 years. (For those not in the know, a cluster headache feels like someone is stabbing you in your eye with an ice pick from INSIDE your head. Yeah, pretty awful.) I tried to rest and wait for it to pass, but it did not.
16. I got ZERO sleep the night before. (Again, THAT hasn't happened in YEARS. As I've gotten older, insomnia is now a predominant
symptom of my PMS, but it doesn't usually keep my up ALL night.) Anyway, I just had NOTHING in the tank for a WO. Super frustrating.
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FUEL Series, Day 3, GLUTES & HAMSTRINGS Supersets + CL “Plyo” Legs: Low Impact (381), 42 mins.
Believe it or not, I have ZERO written down for this duo. WHAT?! I know, but it's true.
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CL Upper Body Burn (388), 56 mins.
VERY aptly named; there was LOTS of burning for EVERY muscle group.
My shoulders and back were burning just during the WU! I was SO tired today and NOT feeling like I had either the energy OR strength for a WO, but I feel like I made a respectable showing here. Arms TOAST just halfway through this. And, shoulders? Already burnt out by the time they rolled around in the WO to actually WORK and target them. Cathe even said as much, hence her emphasis on band work during the shoulder portion.
(Cathe runs through the muscle groups in the order in which I prefer in this WO that that was nice. Usually, I have to skip around in the WO to get things the way I want them.)
(Glutes sore today. Even quads.)
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CL Strong and Sweaty Bootcamp (396), 49 mins.
Just stuck with C’s weights to keep this more metabolic as I did UB yesterday and have TB on the docket for tomorrow. The strength portions were burning my muscles OUT! Cathe says repeatedly throughout the WO that the cardio portions are meant to make you breathy but not blow you away, and that is exactly what they do.
I LOVED the around the corner knees she has in this. Makes me feel all fancy and like I can actually do step choreography. This felt like SUCH a Fall WO to me, which was perfect since it felt like Fall outside.
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FUEL Series, Day 4 Full Body PHA + CL Lift It Hiit It (155), 38 mins. WedU with CL 155, including the first pair of exercises, a cardio and a weighted metabolic move.
Okay, so I need to start checking in on JTW BEFORE my WOs so you all can talk me out of doing things like this pairing. LOL
HOLY cannoli! Just, whoa. I want to say that all of my work in the yard today had something to do with how fatigued FUEL made me, but I don't think that is true. This was just TOUGH. I found Caroline started at a slower pace and lower intensity, then, increased both as the WO went on so it got increasingly metabolic and cardiovascular despite using lighter weights. Or maybe it was just a cumulative effect? Either way, this was BANANAS. In a FANTASTIC way. I really enjoy Caroline's WO. I was SPENT after this, though. In a good way.
I DON'T know how Caroline maintains such composure during her WOs. I look like I just walked out of a sauna after every single one. And during!
(
Bex, I was thinking of you during this WO and how, right now, it seems like you would prefer IRON series so much more. Then, I read JTW, saw your comment and felt compelled to check in.)
Pretty much just used all the same weights as C since I did this as an add-on. I was tired going in to this. My endurance and stamina still aren't up to where they used to be, and this WO had my quads burning out. (It's been almost an entire WEEK, I think, that my quads have been feeling tired and fatigued during my WOs. Weird.)
OMG, Cathe had WAY too much energy for me today, and her cuing was for s h i t e, excuse my language. She gave us a countdown to the last exercise then gave us THREE “last” exercises, some exercises just had ENDLESS reps (64 Over Head Tricep Extensions/OHTE!!! 64. ?!?!?) and she was moving like she drank rocket fuel. The latter two combined equaled lightening pace. And, I don’t know if I was slowing down or Cathe was speeding up, but we got COMPLETELY out of sync during the bunny hops. And, there were TWO sets of burpees. If I had known that, I may not have bothered with this at all. It went by quick enough for me, but, NextTime/NT, as already stated, I need someone to talk me OUT of doing WOs like this AFTER Caroline.
Honestly, I was just tired (long day of yard work and a late night WO [do I have any other kind??]), and it felt like I had put my cranky pants back on, which I had been wearing most of the day.
I just really like adding on a shorter CL to a Caroline, and I am trying to start having some real consistency and proper WOs. I am still feeling so OFF, like I just can't get into a routine or schedule that sticks.
PS. Cathe cancelled CL last week, which IMMEDIATELY made my stomach drop and filled me with DREAD. The only time Cathe has ever cancelled a Live (in EIGHT years!) is when she detached her retina. She has had vacations or planned for a Live not to be filmed, but she has never CANCELLED a Live, so when she did it last week, I just got this sinking feeling that something was HORRIBLY wrong. I know, of course, that she is probably 100% fine, but, until CL airs in 3 days, I will not be able to shake this worry, however unwarranted.
I am going to try to behave like I actually belong to this check-in and do personals tomorrow.
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