Real Soul

The soul is a channel for grace.

~ Carolyn Myss

Warm up
Row 500
2RNDs KB swing 10/10 @16kg

EKG w/KB
Shinbox Switch w/Ext
1 Leg DL
Deck Squat
Mtn Climber

Work
5 RNDs
:30 ON/:10 OFF

Step up R -1st RND, side step up remaining RNDs 20" box
Step up L - same
Jump rope - varied
Side plank R w/kb, hip raise
Side plank L - same

Conditioning
Boxing sequence
5 RNDs  2:30 ON/1 min OFF
@ 2:00 50 body punches, 5 kicks R/L

A little time for reflection with the masses. Message: it's not about religion or church but about a personal relationship with the divine. Your soul is your divine essence, your eternal self.  We are all a part of something that is greater than ourselves, I AM.

Easter meal will be a glorious pepper crusted tri tip, broccoli/cheese/bacon caserole, salad and cheesecake! And treasured time with family :).

CrossBox

“The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once.”

~ Albert Einstein

Beautiful Sunday. Up early while the house is quiet and still asleep. Enjoyed a cup of coffee & a moment before I trekked up to the local gym to get some work in.

The divide is so beautiful right now. Flowers blooming, color, green, sunshine & a cool breeze. Ultimate moments from every view.

Warm up
Row 1K

EKG - 90 seconds each movement
Shin Box Switch/Deck squat to Candlestick/Spiderman Stretch/Quad hops

Strength - minimal rest between sets 15-30 seconds
50 Bench press - 5x10 @55/65/75/70/65
50 Push Press - 5x10 @55#

Conditioning
Boxing sets, 50 body shots + 5 kicks R/L
6x :90, :30 rest
1/2, 2/1, 1/2/3, 2/1/4, 1/2/3/4, combo with 5/6

2 sets
: 90 jump rope :30 rest

That about did it. I thought I was in for Death By Ball Slam but think I will slide that one in somewhere within the next week :). Arms were pretty toast after that combo for the day, plus the push ups yesterday.

Perfect timing, I smell bacon for breakfast :)!

Good read
Pay Your Dues

Tight

The God particle. 

The single material that completes us human beings and makes us whole.

Warm up
EKG

KB Swings
5x10 @ 16kg

WOD

Death by ... EMOTM

1,3,5,7,9,11,13,7 and done
2,4,6,8,10,12,14

• odd minute Clean & Jerk @65#
• even minute T2B

Score 111

That one is going to hurt a bit. T2B flow was good, having the clean & jerks in the  middle broke it up. The lighter weight kept a good overall flow & efficiency to the WOD and no big dropsies, bounce, recover etc. Tick tock!

The God Particle

3 Rs

Insist on yourself; never imitate ...

Every great man is unique.

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Warm up
EKG L1

Skill
100M Handstand walk
10 DUs every miss. ugh lots of DUs

KB Complex
Strength - done with DBL KB @8kg
1 clean, 1 press, 1 front squat, 1 renegade row
1 clean, 2 press, 1 front squat, 1 renegade row
 ... 3 press, 4 press, 5 press, 4, 3, 2, 1

5 RNDs
20 KB swings
10 Ring swings

10 min clock
5 minutes AMRAP
10 DL @ 145#
10 HSPU - crap, need to be working on these, back to mat

5 minutes AMRAP
10 Power cleans @95#
10 warrior mode push ups - gotta keep working on these. fun!

Meditation
I AM a vehicle for the Divine image of God to manifest.

Read Me
The Three Rs - Reset, Reinforce, Reload
Listen to the audio. Don't ask, if you care about mobility, just do it!
Chemical? Take down that inflammation!

Squeeze In

The tighter you squeeze, the less you have. 

~Thomas Merton

Hahahaah, does that mean squeeze the glutes?! Well they get it during this squat based program! And a bit of chalk to compliment the work done. Partner snapping pics makes me laugh, but ... I was a chalk mess today, right on the hindquarters ;). Hey ... it happens. Sometimes I see the the chalk is an expression of the work, mental and/or physical.

As things get heavier by the last set, my inner sabotage seems to rear her ugly head. Is this hard, it's going to be hard, does it have to be hard, it really isn't heavy so why does it sometimes feel hard? Don't you know there is a difference between 1/3/5RM? Don't you know that squatting 3-4x in a week can take a little out of you? Did I say this was hard, it probably isn't hard for other women. Zip it, chick! Loosen your grip on the process and let it happen.

Yes, do the work and let the results speak for themselves. So far I am feeling good and while I was sore last week I am taking better control of the assist work for support not breakdown. I cannot believe that I slept for 10 hours last night. That rarely happens, but I'll take it, happily. It must mean good repair is going on and looking forward to the cumulative results.

Do I today, or tomorrow, today, tomorrow. Tick tock says the clock. Today it is. Squeeze it in but get it done. Late workout but pleased that I decided to fit it in.

Warm-up
EKG
BW L2

Strength
StrongLifts A - 5x5
Backsquat 130/Bench press 75/Pendlay row 95

Skill
CFA L2
Split jerk 5x4 @ 75 w/4D walk

Assist
3 RNDs
5 Push press @ 55#
10 Dips
10 T2B
5 HSPU

No Metcon - thinking about a track day tomorrow morning ... Love those Sunday ams at the track!

Food nug
Smoothie
KIND bar - dark chocolate cherry/w almond butter (I hate when these go on sale, I just can't resist! Only bought one this time, so ...)
PWOD - shake
Nacho Pot - finally getting to this!! Holy yum. We really enjoyed every bite.

Finding Balance

So divinely is the world organized that every one of us,

in our place and time, is in balance with everything else.

~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Warm-up
Evolution Kettlebell Groundwork
KB L1
Shinbox switch w/ext 15#KBs
KB Pullover w/ext
SL Kick w/DL
Quad sprawl

Skill 
EMOTM 10 minutes, Death by ... Pull up
Minute 1, 1 Pull up
Minute 2, 2 Pull ups ...

Note to self: Hand care and WOD repair lotion, do it, use it!

StrongLifts 5x5 
Taking 1:30 rest between sets this week.
BackSquat 110#/Front Press 75#/Pendlay Row 85#

Got to chatting a little in between lifts between 4 & 5th set on the BS. Had a bit over the 1:30 rest, but will get more focused on the next go around.

Asst
6 RNDs :30 ON :30 OFF

• Battling ropes (1st - together, 2nd - Alt, 3rd - Side/side x2 each)
• KB Swing 16kg
• Ground to Shoulder 50# Atlas stone

Excellent 30 minute dry sauna. Long shower and back to the coaching schedule. Ready to head back to my regularly scheduled program, but really loving this little two week treat.

Late afternoon skill
1 - leg pistol squat on 40kg KB! Love this bell :)
Too much fun.  Did about 4 or 5 sets/attempts R/L.
Got to holding 10-15 seconds.  I am on my way to straighter form and longer holds!

Carry That Weight

The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain. 

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Evolution Kettlebell Groundwork
EKG BW L2

No time for skill work today. Get right to it! Will find time later to 'play'.

StrongLifts B
Backsquat 105#/OHPress 55#/Deadlift 115#

Enjoying my warm up on the way up process and digging in at working weight. Still in the lighter phase so planning a bit of assist today.

GREAT day to play in the rain. Yep, feet soaked, but happy all the way around. Sometimes you just have to get it done and be thankful for the shower later!

400 Medball carry 20#
400 Farmer carry 2x12kg/25#
400 Sandbag carry @50#
.25 AirDyne sprint
10:13

Never Plateau

If you put yourself in a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone, 

then you are forced to expand your consciousness.

~ Les Brown

So, the plan was for this to be a day off. I am in de-load week which to me means, hello ... time to play with some cool stuff. Since I am early into the 5x5 it fits just fine and I can't believe that I have hardly touched the KBs over the last few weeks. Results, big fun today, no pressure on performance.

Overall a great coaching morning. A fantastic training day and some excellent chatting time. I might consider this as close to a day off as I dare come. I am re-ignited about my upcoming training cycle and just overall feeling in a great place. Taking a breath, enjoying food & feeling success in an overall reset from the summer has left me replenished and feeling revitalized.


Warm up
10 M Toy soldiers
50M Empty sled push
10 Inch worm to push up (diamond 5 at a time)

21-15-9
Ball slam 20#
Wall ball 14#

3:46

Evolution Kettlebell Groundwork (EKG)
Added the light KBs in for these. Happy girl :) progress. Planning to incorporate the KB L1 movements & move into BW L2.

• Shinbox Switch w/ext (R/L) - KB L1
• Spinal Rock w/ext
• Single Leg Kick/DL
• Mtn Climber Sprawl (squat to R/L return to squat/stand

Skill

• 5x3 OHSquat @75# - de-load weight and well honestly, I haven't done these in a while!
• 5x3 Bfly pull up - fluid

Boxing sequence
I love the our Rsvl box has a heavy bag and battling ropes and lots of fun toys for assist work. I consider it a Big Kids Playground!

4 RNDs - this is going well to me. In the 4th round I added in the uppercut. It will now be a part of the full sequence. 1st - R/L, 2nd - L/R, 3rd - Alt w/hook, 4th - Alt w/hook & upper cut, body punches & R/L kicks @ end of each set

Jump rope 2 min ON, 1 OFF - going to move up to 3 minutes of varied jumps, really tired here.

Finisher
3 RNDs - 30 sec ON, 30 sec OFF - KB Russian swing (16kg), GHD sit ups, Battling ropes

Knowing

Meditation is the dissolution of thoughts in Eternal awareness or Pure consciousness 

without objectification, knowing without thinking, merging finitude in infinity.
Voltaire 

Row 1000M

EKG - ready for L2
Prasara Flock of Pigeons - well at least it was a pigeon flow and needed! I am tight!

EMOTM
5 strict pull up, 5 kipping pull up, 5 bfly pull up - GREAT combo, fun

Strength - joining Patty in the 5x5 ... SMOLOV was a bit to intense for my re-entry and I am not confident that my recovery was going all that well. So, shaking it up a bit, need to find my footing for the next 12 weeks of training. Fall is an amazing time of year and I want to feel solid in my efforts both indoor and outdoor.

Squat 5x5 @ starting weight of 75# just didn't feel right starting with the bar...
Bench press 5x5 @ 55# - definitely will work with floor press ;)
Bent row 5x5 @ 75#
1 minute rest between sets - this went rather quickly. Pleased with the timing overall.

Feels like a little de-load but since that is actually scheduled for next week this fits in perfect as I catch up with myself.

No sled today ;( too much work to get down the hill. Tires are all locked up for the time being, so ... here is the alt.

3RNDs
10 bar Good mornings
10 Dips
10 Glute raises

Meditation
I fearlessly speak my truth.

Food nugs
I have been stuck in my omelet phase, time to think about changing things up! Nice and thin texture today with spinach, nori sheets and a side of grapefruit.
Decadent SFH chocolate whey based smoothie with whipped mousse and cream. Vanilla creme GF wafers to top it off. Who says you can't have dessert as a meal sometimes!
Southwest chicken breast romaine wraps with sweet red peppers from Sourthfork I cooked up over the sloppy ground beef skillet last night! Um, good!!

Harmonious

The universe is not required to be in perfect harmony with human ambition. 

~ Carl Sagan

Finding my energy very low today.

With my sweetie girl at her first day of school I should certainly have had a thousand things to get done. Sadly no, I took a nap after working in-office. It did offer the perfect opportunity to get in a delicious homemade lunch though :).

Prepped for my coaching evening and off to the organic farm for fresh eggs and greens. Life is good, sometimes it is ok to take it a little slow. Remember to enjoy the scenery and with no particular goals ahead, other than training for a better quality of life, health and happiness, it's okay to have a down day.

2 mile AirDyne - seriously not feeling the last mile

• EKG - shinbox switch w/ext, spinal rock w/ext, sl/dl w/kick, mtn climber sprawl (sore today these were tough)
• Prasara scorpion flow - or something related to that ;)

Skill:
5x3 Ring dips

Accumulate 2 minutes in Handstand - on wall and freestanding
Accumulate 2 minutes in Hanging L-sit

Oly
Snatch 5@bar
Clean & Jerk - tired skipped, disappointed bc I like these

Strength
SMOLOV D3 - oh my lower body is so feeling this. Looking forward to a day off.
3x8 @105/5@110/2x2@120/1 @130

No MetCon - will resume on Friday for D4

Food nugs
Way over carb/sugar day, but all okay. Super worth it ;)
Oatmeal waffles w/ pasture eggs, butter
Chicken thighs baked perfectly w/asparagus
Frozen yogurt - Barista coffee & vanilla w/chocolate/yogurt chips, fudge
Post coaching smoothie - sfh w/strawberry & coconut

Illumination

In the illuminated mind the whole world sparkles with light. 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Smokey, smokey, smokey mornings and it seems there is no containment at this point.  Concern here is for nature first, and personally, air quality.

Warm up

EKG 4 movements x :90, R :30

Prasara - Rocking Eagle Flow - first time on this one. Like it. 

Skill WOD

5 RNDs  complex - no rings 

1 TRX 3 Row/3 Dip

1 Arm PU progression

1 Forward roll

Strength

Burgner warm up - PVC

SMOLOV - Intro cycle, Wk1, D2

3sets of 8 reps @105#, 5 reps @110, 2x2 @120, 1 @130#

Building muscle. Seems that even with ETP there is still confusion over building vs losing fat. Here are a few key elements to building, fat loss will come alongside as you make diet adjustments however you cannot see muscle you do not have. I think the big mystery is to dig deep into #2. 

1. First, you have to train to stimulate muscle growth.
2. Then you need to eat ample nutrients and raw materials to support that growth.
3. And last but not least, you HAVE to allow recuperation to take place. And that happens with rest, time away from training… and the most important part of recuperation… SLEEP!

Wonder Woman Pose ... 

Showing your strength ...Strike A Pose?  Great article. Bring out your Wonder Woman! Those days when strength seems a bit elusive. I am giving this one a GO!

Meditation

As awareness expands, what once seemed to be obstacles are now clearly opportunities.

Food nugs

Broccoli & tomato omelete, w/basil, butter

85/15 Beef sliders stuffed w/parm, green onion & cilantro, turnip fries w/asparagus
Coconut ice cream, whipped cream, chocolate covered almonds - hmmm splurge on!

Looking forward to my trek to SouthFork Farm for some good organic eats tomorrow!

Tumbleweed

"Our bodies are our gardens to which our wills are gardeners." 

~William Shakespeare

Warm up

EKG - wk2 foundation setting - :90, R:30

• Shinbox switch w/ext, Spinal rock w/ext, Single leg w/kick DL, Mtn Climber sprawl

Prasara - Tumbleweed (watch the neck on these - all over the mat, keep working on flow)

Skill: EMOTM (10) HSPU 2-5 reps - these need to be more consistent. Tank out around 3 reps.

OLY focus on form

Burgner warm up then, Snatch 5 reps @ 55# always back to form.

EMOTM (10) Clean & Jerk @ 80% - 100#

Strength

Backsquat (SMOLOV - intro microcycle wk1)

3sets of 8 reps @105#, 5 reps @110, 2x2 @120, 1 @130#

So far so good, nice to intro ;) and from what I can tell these next 12 weeks are going to be a brute.

AMRAP 7 minutes

7 Box Jumps (20"), 7 Burpees (yay!), 7 KB Swings (20kg)

Meditation

I AM. Breath is the movement of spirit in its subtlest physical expression. 

Food nugs

IF - bulletproof coffee

Boarshead buffalo chicken over fresh herbed salad, cauliflower rice & butter

Pulled pork wraps w/steamed veggies (garlic, onion, zuch & mini peppers)

SFH chocolate pure whey shake w/strawberry & nutmeg (oh yeah! autumn is on its way)

Enjoyed a bit of Dark chocolate/almond/sea salt combo, covered in whipped cream! Yum ~

Tried the Arctic Zero 'ice cream' as recommended by a client. Well, not ice cream in my book, but can soothe one's conscience if you can't go there. Kind of a protein powder frozen substitute.

Master the Flow

Master the flow and technique. 

Liberate the body.

EKG - BW L1, C1
Getting into this cycle with some seriousness.
I see this as a precursor to Prasara, will be a good combo.
Can't wait to take these BW movements and add those bells!

• Shinbox switch w/ext
• Spinal rock w/ext
• Single leg DL w/fr kick
• Mtn Climber Sprawl

Looks like  SMOLOV coming up, seriously, I need a roadmap to keep up sometimes! I am committed to finishing out my recovery routine for the rest of this week! It has felt wonderful and kept me moving. I have been able to rotate similar squats/movements within the cycle and keep it fresh.

I have managed to lose about 5# of what has felt like inflammation since making the change.
Sometimes, you just have to listen to the body. Now, just need to get in to look at some body comp results. Here's to feeling smart, refreshed and moving on!

Skill
Handstand walk

Strength
5 sets of 8 reps, R:15

• Bulgarian split squats, bar 65#
• Bent over row (Pendlay) 105#
• Push press 75#
• Fat bar curls 45#
• Med ball Reverse crunch on slant board - 12# - um, post hollow rock, ooch!

Conditioning
I am sure that I could use some coaching on this, but I am really enjoying the process. Maybe in the next cycle I'll get back with a trainer. Working sets for form and settling into the routine nicely. Since it is not my goal to actually spar, this is fantastic and my arms are feeling incredible!

• Punch - 2 min ON, :30 OFF - 4-R/L, 8 Alt, 4-L/R, 8 Alt, 4-Alt w/hook x2, Kicks end of RND
• Jump rope - 2 min ON, 1 OFF
• Assist 3 RNDs - 10 each side slosh pipe, 10 Evil wheel, 10 Dips on box

Roll it out!

A day in nature ... a new experience. At some point it seems important to take the step and try out a few firearms. Understanding the safety, realizing the power and taking the responsibility. I imagine that this actually counts as playing new sports. There was certainly endurance, strength and balance.

Meditation

I nourish the universe and the universe nourishes me.

Food
Strawberry protein smoothie w/coconut creme & flakes, cinnamon sprinkle
Eggs w/broccoli, dolmas, pink grapefruit
Beef over spinach salad, green onions & artichoke hearts, sweet potatoes

Coming Up For Air

"To be beautiful means to be yourself. 

You don’t need to be accepted by others. 

You need to accept yourself." 

—Thich Nhat Hanh

Thought I would take a little variety to ramp back into the week. The plan changed a bit after I entered the gym, but worked out just fine as a hybrid ;). Got my WOD on with the class and really enjoyed it.

End of the season was a blast, but it took a toll on my training as well as my energy level. 10 hours of swim champs on Saturday, luckily I stayed well hydrated though exhausted, awards the next day after a crazy spreadsheet session and let me tell you data entry when tired is no fun. Monday was our team teen trip to Six Flags, park was half empty!  I rode as many coasters as I possibly could! Superman all the way baby! Then on Tuesday, the whole team trip to SunSplash was a full day of carrying rafts, sliding and fortunately not a lot of long lines which meant go go go! I couldn't stay awake past 8pm. So, today, not a big day jump right back on schedule, but a good day to flush out inflammation. Can't wait for my reflexology foot massage at Red Lantern on Thursday ;).

Run 1 mile
So glad I have this to look forward to each morning. The air is getting cooler and the quiet mornings seem to get me set right as I finish one season and move into the next. Reflection on a great season.

AirDyne 2 min on, 1 off x2 @ 4+RPM
Um, yeah? These were clearly not max effort but end of the second set was a push.

EMOTM - unbroken
5 Push ups - diamond progression for 1-arm work
5 T2B

Skill
Ring dips
5x5

EKG (Evolution Kettlebell Groundwork) Set
Nice mobility support. Set the stage for bell work.

• ShinBox Switch w/Ext
• Spinal Rock w/Ext
• Single Leg Kick DL
• Mtn Climber Sprawl

Meditation Focus
Today I am open to the presence of miracles.

Burgner warm up set - shoot! forgot these Jeff!

Strength
5x5 Floor Press @95 his means my 1RM must be getting higher!!

100 Hollow rocks
100 Superman rocks

EMOTM
C2B Pull ups unbroken - Max 10 sets
Feeling strong on these - hand care!

Food
IF - coffee
Lunch- spicy mustard sautéed shrimp w/cilantro, tomato, butter, rice crackers
Dinner- baked tarragon chicken w/fresh herbs, cucumber, balsamic vinegar & sesame
Snack- Granny smith apple, Dark chocolate & heavy cream whip
42/42/16

Brain stim
Looking forward to this! If you want to expand the mind a little as well as working on the physical body, this comes alongside training in a powerful way!
Flatland