The Erin Experiment

[Erin Davidson]

So. Saturday felt sick. Sunday felt sick.

Monday, felt sick of feeling sick and ingested a large amount of vegetables, fruit, and tea. Then: 1/21/08, @ 5pm

Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps (so long ago, previous PR was 135#)

Complete as many rounds as you can in twenty minutes of:
5 Handstand Push-ups (piked, so close to able to do these tho.)
10 L Pull-ups (subbed jumped pullup negatives)
15 Steps, Walking Lunge

Conventional Deadlift:
95x5x5, 115x3, 125x3

135x1, 145x1, 150x1, 155x1, 160x1, 165x1*, 170xfail

*PR!

Metcon:
7 rounds (+ strange interruption by large-man-wearing-more-jewelry-than-I-own monkeying off of smith machine I was using for HSPUs and Pullups)

Felt amazing to move. Grip was definitely the limiting factor with 170. Read up/Reviewed form before going...I think form was better this time, but my knees were strangely sore (NOT A GOOD SIGN) directly after DL. Haven't decided what I'll do tomorrow. May be wise to rest.

Also, we got 2 24-inch boxes at my gym. The only other female trainer and I were dreaming up ropes, rings (which she's actually used before!), and a climbing wall. Why the box? Why not a pullup bar? Why? Why? Why? Sigh...

Gonna mineral bath, stretch and foam roll...and sleep. Man, I love sleep.

[Veronica Davis]

Originally Posted by Erin Davidson

Felt amazing to move. Grip was definitely the limiting factor with 170. Read up/Reviewed form before going...I think form was better this time, but my knees were strangely sore (NOT A GOOD SIGN) directly after DL. Haven't decided what I'll do tomorrow. May be wise to rest.

Glad you are feeling better. I have bad knees and they never hurt from DLs. Are you keeping the bar close to your body? You should almost scrap your shins on the way up (yes I have draw blood from DLs, which is why I DL with pants on). Do you feel your weight on your toes or your heels more? You should be driving through the heels.

Congrats on the PR!!!!

[Erin Davidson]

Originally Posted by Veronica Davis

Glad you are feeling better. I have bad knees and they never hurt from DLs. Are you keeping the bar close to your body? You should almost scrap your shins on the way up (yes I have draw blood from DLs, which is why I DL with pants on). Do you feel your weight on your toes or your heels more? You should be driving through the heels.

Congrats on the PR!!!!

Thanks, Veronica!

Hmm...this is why I think I need to get someone to look at my form soon. Knees don't typically hurt and they're feeling fine today. Yes, my shins are usually bruised a bit on the days after DLing. Definitely drive through my heels...and tell everybody and their mother to as well.

Odd knee pain aside tho, I woke up this morning with back pain (the scary lumbar kind) and I've not had that since I started lifting at all...I'm pretty sure this means something about my form was very, very bad. The pain's not horrible but it's definitely there. It might be from the one bad pull (170xfail), a bit of very stupid rounding of the back there could probably be felt today.

[Kate Sweeney]

Erin, nice numbers on the deadlifts! Impressive!

I, too, am hungry as all the time. I mean ALL THE TIME. I think about food, I wake up and it's the first thing I think about. I work as a floor nurse 3-11 and I still have to watch my intake very carefully, even with the training, to make sure I don't get doughy. I also want to sleeeeep as well. Crossfit is def. more draining than reg. ol' bodybuilding and running.

I agree with Veronica about the deadlift stuff. Do you use a mixed grip when you deadlift? That helps me keep balance. And sliding the bar over my shins and knees.

[Steven Low]

Originally Posted by Erin Davidson

Steve! I checked out some Gymkana stuff...looks like SO much fun.

Indeed, it was.

If you need form corrections feel free to throw up a vid either here or in digital coaching and people will help you out. Basically be a stickler for form and don't try to cheat cause it can come back to bite you. Mixed grip will help as mentioned if your grip is the limiting factor.

[Erin Davidson]

Thanks so much for the tip, Steve and Kate.

I'll probably hit that up the next time I DL (which hopefully won't be for a while because my back is REALLY hurting).

Stupid, stupid, stupid. I blame it on my last rep.

I've used a mixed grip for lots of different exercises but for some reason, never thought to use it with a conv DL (I've used it when trying out pulling sumo). Always feels a lot more secure. I'll let you know how it goes next time.

And yeah, I do think I might just attempt filming myself at some point. I have the camera. Just need to scrounge up the guts to ask someone to film me. Form for the DL has ALWAYS annoyed me...since the first time I learned. Just never felt as natural as the squat I suppose. I feel like my upper body is always trying to pull more than my legs, or before my legs, or...something.

[Delita Wright]

Erin, heal fast. I'm with you (as you know) on the form questions. Congrats on your progress. You are doing great, especially to be listening to your body this way. Thanks for your encouragement my way.

[Erin Davidson]

Wednesday, January 23 2008, 10am, fasted 15hrs + a very strong americano @ 9am (didn't finish it...gotta remember to tell them one shot espresso):

Four rounds for time:
Run 400 meters
Rest 2 minutes

In Vibram Five Fingers (got over the ankle thing pretty quickly, I guess), @ 2% Incline, Walked @ 3.0mph during 2 minute intervals, and used 0.25 miles for 400 meters.

1) 1:37 (ambitious.)
2) 2:27 ("There are 2 more rounds?")
3) 2:50 (ugh.)
4) 2:44 (sad.)

It's absolutely unbelievable that I could not hit at least 2 minutes for each round. At least, unacceptable. Running on treadmills is strange tho, especially without my ipod. I'd love to do this in the form of repeated 100m sprints or something...but I'm no where near the track I use for that.

1 Pullup EQI alternated w/ 10 Supine Rows (legs bent) x 3

DB Snatch: 25x3, 30x3, 35x3

Strawberries and Spirulina 1 hr, post W/O, shrimp salad 2 1/2 hrs. later (YUM.) Lower back pain's noticeable when I walk. Not a good sign. Forearms are pretty sore (DLing?). First MCAT prep class tonight is 2 mi. away.

[Erin Davidson]

Thursday, January 24, 2008: 10am, Fasted 15hrs.

Snatch 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps (DB Snatch + Burgener Stuff later on today)

FR/Wup + 1 min SA SL planks.

DB Snatch: 25x3, 30x3, 35x3, 40x1x1x1*

30lb. Assist Pullups (pronated grip) 3x3

Tabata Squats (previous PR was 15): 17, 17, 17, 14, 12, 14, 12, 11

*PR

I'm looking forward to looking over some snatch assistance stuff later on today. I really enjoy DB snatches, but I'm not even sure I'm really doing THOSE completely correctly. Gotta read more. And watch some videos re: path of the weight in movement. I've been wanting to learn to properly snatch for a while now. When the opportunity to be coached comes up I really ought to be as ready as possible to do well. 30lb. Assist Pullups are slow for me...and Tabata Squats pretty much literally kicked my ___. Trouble biking back to my apt.

The back is doing much better but not fully recovered. Have to be so careful, I know.

And also, my MCAT prof is the tallest man I have ever seen. I feel like a hobbit next to him. Yesterday he explained why humans do not spontaneously combust...that often.

[Erin Davidson]

Oh yes. And, on a whim today, I weighed myself. Ha. 148lbs. Honest. Will be interesting to try this again and see how things fluctuate. Maybe I grew an inch too? (I can dream, can't I?)