Helen Wheels

[Helen Lawson]

Yesterday I took a rest day and played golf. It was a nice day out and i really wanted a beer when i was done playing. OK, so I had more than 1 beer. Anyway, today I made up Lizzy (Puppy Elizabeth):

21-15-9
Dumbbell cleans
Bar Dips
If you can’t do do bar dips do 1.5X the number bench dips.

So, i did the DB Cleans with 8lb dumbells and focused on squat form and depth since this was the first time i've done DB Cleans. I did the dips on the total gym:
7:10
-- 21 DB Squat Cleans
-- 32 Dips (broken 2 sets of 16)
4:40
-- 15 DB Squat Cleans
-- 23 Dips (broken 13/10)
2:30
-- 9 DB Squat Cleans
-- 14 Dips

16:30 Time total including small break between sets


I couldn't find any great reliable documentation on form for DB Cleans so i expiremented somewhat. I found the best for me was to place the dumbells on the floor between my legs (long legs, short arms & torso), start position with a deadlift stance, squat clean (touching butt to stool at proper height) and up. I started touching the dumbells to outside my legs and it didn't let my knees go out over my toes. Also I started by touching my butt to the stool at the start position, but then realized that the beginning of a barbell clean is in a deadlift stance so i assumed the DB Clean should be as well.

I'll do some research tomorrow to see if i can find any better sources on form. All i know is my quads got a h3ll of a workout so i did a good job.

[Helen Lawson]

Todays WOD:

Filthy Fifty "puppies" version so I'll call it the "Terrible Twenties". FIrst time doing it at a globo gym:

20 Box jump, 8 inch box --jump up & down
20 Assisted Pull-ups -- 70 lbs assist
20 Kettlebell swings, 12 lbs
Walking Lunge, 20 steps
20 Ab-Mat Sit-ups
20 Push press, 30 pounds -- broken set into two 10's
20 Back extensions
20 Wall ball shots, 10 pound ball
20 Standard Jump Rope Jumps
20 Burpees -- All girly push-ups in 2 sets of 10

Time: 21 minutes

I could have gone faster but everything was so spread out. I took a lot of time just getting from one spot to another.

Afterwords i got greedy on the assisted pull-up machine and had 2 failed attempts at a 22 lb assist. I was able to do to 28lb assist only once.

[Stephen R. Lampl]

Hi Helen,

Wow - - two GREAT WOs in two days! I'm impressed. I particularly like the "Terrible Twenties" WO - - Looks like a great WO for me when I get the OK from the physical therapist or orthopod to do "knee stuff" again. I'd love to do the "Filthy Fifty" - - tried it scaled as the "Dirty Thirty-five", and it darn near killed me. This WO, however looks letter perfect.

Thanks for the great ideas!

[Helen Lawson]

Originally Posted by Stephen R. Lampl

Wow - - two GREAT WOs in two days! I'm impressed....Thanks for the great ideas!

Yeah, and I'm finding it a little difficult to walk today! You're welcome to my ideas any time though. And no knee stuff, that sucks! I don't know whats up with your knee(s) but how about light stuff like wall ball and push-press which are mostly upper body with just a little hip/knee action?

[Stephen R. Lampl]

Originally Posted by Helen Lawson

Yeah, and I'm finding it a little difficult to walk today! You're welcome to my ideas any time though. And no knee stuff, that sucks! I don't know whats up with your knee(s) but how about light stuff like wall ball and push-press which are mostly upper body with just a little hip/knee action?

I tore all but one of the quad tendons in my R/knee a year and a half ago when I slipped and fell. Initial rehab went very well. I got most of my strength and all of my flexibility back, but since then, apparently scar tissue and/or possible joint degeneration has set in. I'm going thru another course of "physical tyrrany" right now and we'll re-evaluate the knee in about a week or so. The PT wants me to avoid knee bending/weight bearing stuff (e.g., squats) right now. So I'm doing some stuff (running uphill or with a T-mill elevated slightly is OK), including PPs and stiff-legged DLs. Wish we had wall balls @ my globo......have to settle for Kbs (which are always locked up) or Db swings. Oh well...........I'm making do and having fun!

Thanks for the support and well-wishes!

[Helen Lawson]

Originally Posted by Stephen R. Lampl

I tore all but one of the quad tendons in my R/knee a year and a half ago when I slipped and fell. Initial rehab went very well. I got most of my strength and all of my flexibility back, but since then, apparently scar tissue and/or possible joint degeneration has set in. I'm going thru another course of "physical tyrrany" right now and we'll re-evaluate the knee in about a week or so. The PT wants me to avoid knee bending/weight bearing stuff (e.g., squats) right now. So I'm doing some stuff (running uphill or with a T-mill elevated slightly is OK), including PPs and stiff-legged DLs. Wish we had wall balls @ my globo......have to settle for Kbs (which are always locked up) or Db swings. Oh well...........I'm making do and having fun!

Thanks for the support and well-wishes!

Wow, what a time for you to start crossfitting! Must be tough to scale. No medicine balls at your globo? Thats what i use. I also bought a golf "impact bag" for $20 to use at home. I filled it with a few light weights and a ton of towels. I throw it at a tree in my back yard. If KB swings are ok with your PT they work the quads great too. Sounds like you're doing everything you can right now.

[Helen Lawson]

Yesterdays WOD:

10 minute walk
CFWUx1
3/4 mile jog (7.5 minutes - i know, i'm a snail)
29lb Shoulder Press 5-5-5
29lb Push Press 5-5-5
29lb Push Jerk 5-5-5-5
45lb Shoulder Press 1-1-1-1-1
45lb Push Press 3-3-3-3-3
45lb Push Jerk 3-3-3-3-3

Then...a few jumping pull-ups! And they were pretty easy! These were my first real pull-ups of any kind without assistance. I think next i need to learn how to "Kip".

Today my upper traps are quite sore and my lower back slightly fatiqued. I thought that WOD would be easy, but boy was i wrong.

The gym i went to was awesome -- Union College -- they have everything! They have these "Olympic Ultra-lite Barbell" which are 29lbs, Bumper plates, real GHD, etc... They even have olympic plates that are the right size for deadlifting and cleans that are as low as 10lbs! So that means I could practice real cleans (instead of hang cleans) with only 49lbs!

I have a PT client that works at the College (she's approx 24yo & 106lbs) and I'm teaching her the basic weight lifting movements: Cleans, shoulder press, deadlift, pull-ups, bench press, etc... She is so excited! She loved it! I love working with people like her!

It was a great day!

[Stephen R. Lampl]

Originally Posted by Helen Lawson

Wow, what a time for you to start crossfitting! Must be tough to scale. No medicine balls at your globo? Thats what i use. I also bought a golf "impact bag" for $20 to use at home. I filled it with a few light weights and a ton of towels. I throw it at a tree in my back yard. If KB swings are ok with your PT they work the quads great too. Sounds like you're doing everything you can right now.

Hi Helen,

I am having a total blast with CF. I wish I'd learned about it a while ago. I've been doing OK at scaling most of the stuff where I've needed to. I don't know if Kb swings are OK or not with the PT....I do Db swings because the Kbs are not normally available. No problems with the knee(s) doing them, so that's a good thing. Squat position is not really deep with the swings, tho.

As for a medicine ball, I just got a chance to work out at an affiliate and am going to buy one and perhaps some other goodies (pair of rings, maybe, if I can find one, a used C2 rower. I LOVE those things!).

Originally Posted by Helen Lawson

Yesterdays WOD:

10 minute walk
CFWUx1
3/4 mile jog (7.5 minutes - i know, i'm a snail)
29lb Shoulder Press 5-5-5
29lb Push Press 5-5-5
29lb Push Jerk 5-5-5-5
45lb Shoulder Press 1-1-1-1-1
45lb Push Press 3-3-3-3-3
45lb Push Jerk 3-3-3-3-3

Then...a few jumping pull-ups! And they were pretty easy! These were my first real pull-ups of any kind without assistance. I think next i need to learn how to "Kip".

Today my upper traps are quite sore and my lower back slightly fatiqued. I thought that WOD would be easy, but boy was i wrong.

The gym i went to was awesome -- Union College -- they have everything! They have these "Olympic Ultra-lite Barbell" which are 29lbs, Bumper plates, real GHD, etc... They even have olympic plates that are the right size for deadlifting and cleans that are as low as 10lbs! So that means I could practice real cleans (instead of hang cleans) with only 49lbs!

I have a PT client that works at the College (she's approx 24yo & 106lbs) and I'm teaching her the basic weight lifting movements: Cleans, shoulder press, deadlift, pull-ups, bench press, etc... She is so excited! She loved it! I love working with people like her!

It was a great day!

Sounds like you had a great experience! It is wonderful to be able to do things you enjoy and share with others! Nice WO, by the way!!!

[Helen Lawson]

Originally Posted by Stephen R. Lampl

As for a medicine ball, I just got a chance to work out at an affiliate and am going to buy one and perhaps some other goodies (pair of rings, maybe, if I can find one, a used C2 rower. I LOVE those things!).

Yeah, i love the rowers too. I'm going to try to get one after i move if i have enough space.

Originally Posted by Stephen R. Lampl

Sounds like you had a great experience! It is wonderful to be able to do things you enjoy and share with others! Nice WO, by the way!!!

Yes it is awesome to share! Especially when people are just as excited as you are! I think sometimes I'm happier when my client has a PR than they are!


Todays WOD (after 9 holes of golf) was my first attempt at Angie:

30 Pull-ups -- I tried jumping pull-ups but my bar at home isn't high enough so it ended up being more of a cardio & leg workout.
30 Push-ups -- Top of the stairs.
30 Sit-ups -- Bent knees w/towel under back seems harder than roll-ups.
30 Squats -- These were the easiest.

Total time: 10 minutes 15 seconds

When I was done i did 5 pull-ups with only my toes on the floor.

Now its time for paperwork and wine.

[Helen Lawson]

Today (after 9 holes of golf):

CFWUx1
Thruster practice with 13, 23, and 33 lbs

Thrusters w/43 lbs:
1-1-1-1
rest
1-1-1
rest
1-1-1-1

This means when i did 1-1-1-1 i rested for less than 10 seconds in the clean position. This isn't too bad for me considering it was only a few months ago i couldn't squat 43 lbs once and I couldn't press 43 (any way) over my head. So, not a tough workout today, but i'm still happy with it.

Now, the hard work comes next....going out to dinner with my family!