Boxing is Back!

Boxing came back into the training program today.  I haven’t done it for a while after I stopped going to the Contenders Boxing Gym in Vancouver, Canada to take on Crossfit. I found I couldn’t fit the time for both, but after having another hit out I’m definitely going to reintroduce some sessions into my program if I can find a willing partner?! Anyone in Perth fancy it?  It is a fantastic way to work your core, arms, pecs (chest), lats and rhomboids (back muscles).  Let’s not forget all the supporting muscles with each punch too and i'm talking about legs as well! 

For those of you in Vancouver, Canada check out the Contenders Boxing Gym.  It’s a great facility and the trainers there are all very knowledgeable and professional.  They cater for the absolute beginner all the way through to pro fighters.  They are sure to give you a good hard workout.....here is the link...  http://www.contenders.ca/. If you drop in, please say hi from me!  For those of you in Perth, i’m more than happy to show you the ropes and introduce you to boxing.  Just give me a shout.

The workout I took myself and my partner through was a short sharp session alternating being the pad holder.  We warmed up with technique for 10 minutes with air punching and then moved on to light punching against hand pads.  For those of you out there thinking you get a break holding the pads, you are far from correct.  Being a pad holder requires a lot of effort and brain power.  Coordinating punch sequences and yelling them out to your partner in order not to get punched in the head can be difficult.  Being the pad holder is almost as hard work as being the boxer.

We then moved on to hard hitting.  We did a lot of 30 seconds to 2 minutes of 50, 75 and 100% sequences of both jabs, cross, hooks to the body and face, upper cuts, ducking, weaving and not to mention the constant bouncing around on the balls of your feet.  It was a great session and a really great way to blow off steam if you have had a hard day at the office!

Plyometric Training

Today was a day for focusing on a different form of training that I used to do back in my basketball, soccer and AFL days.

Plyometric training is a form of resistance training usually taken on by athletes looking to improve their sporting performance in their chosen sport.  Plyometrics can be referred to by some as being similar to that of an elastic band.  It basically involves storing the energy in the lengthening phase of an exercise to make it contract quickly.  It is often used by athletes and coaches to bridge the gap between strength and power.

Before jumping into Plyometric training one needs to assess a few things first.  Posture, injuries and the strength of an athlete will greatly determine the level of plyometrics undertaken.  As plyometric exercises usually mimic movements in sport like running, jumping, throwing this sort of training can greatly benefit  athletes in their chosen sports. 

Exercises such as:

• Single leg hops or jumps
• Stair or box jumps
• Squat jumps with or without weight
• Side to side jumps or single leg
• Ice skater on ground or Bosu ball
• Clapping pushups
• Uneven pushups
• Weighted pull-ups
• Medicine ball situps
• Russian twists
• Drop and catch pushups
• Mimicking a throwing or kicking motion with a cable machine or bands, etc

All in all Plyometrics are a fantastic way to keep your workouts interesting and fun, but be sure they are kept within your abilities.

Primal Pairs

Sorry all, I have been locked in a cave they call a new course and have also had a week off training to try and give my shoulder a bit of a break.  I seem to have been doing a lot of pushups lately and shoulder work putting a lot of undue stress on my already precious shoulder.  I crushed my AC joint (acromioclavicular) back when I was about 22 and never did rehab.  It has come back to bite me on the butt now!  So if there is a lesson for you it should be, listen to your physio and do your boring mundane exercises, even if you think they are not doing anything.   Something I am presently working on correcting.  Better late than never!!


 Anyway, my week off training was leading up to my very first Crossfit Competition, not ideal timing but what can you do!  This was called the Primal Pairs and was quite obviously a competition in pairs.  I competed with a friend of mine Alecka in the women’s division.  We added a quirky element to the games by dressing up in Triathlon suits.  For the first WOD we added a swim cap and goggles, the second WOD we added a bike helmet and the third WOD we added a sun visor.  Unfortunately there were 4 WODS and we hadn’t come prepared for a 4^th leg so we stayed the way we were.

WOD 1 – Suicide with Weights

One plate beginning at 5 then 10, 15, 20 and 25kgs was placed on every 10m line along 50m of the athletics track.  In pairs, the first athlete had to sprint to the 50m mark and pick up the 25kg plate and sprint with it back to the start line, place it on the ground (not drop it) and the next athlete will then race to the 40m line, pick up the 20kg plate and bring it back to the start line and tag the other athlete.  This would go on until all the plates were compiled at the start line ...THEN....you had to return all the plates in the reverse order they were collected in.  This whole exercise was for time.

WOD 2 – Partner time

This WOD was compiled of 3 difference exercises.  

2.1 The first exercise was to piggyback, yes, piggy back (not fireman carry or any other method) your partner as far as you could in 45 seconds.  If you dropped your partner or fell over you had to stop where you fell off.  You would then swap and your other partner would carry you for 45 seconds.  The total number of cones passed between you both was your score.

2.2 The second exercise was to do a human wheelbarrow race with your partner. Ie. You hold your partner’s legs while they walk on their hands as far as they can in 45 seconds. Once again, if you drop you have to stop where you are, swap positions with your partner and then continue on in the same direction you were travelling before, except now the wheelbarrow is to go backwards.  So effectively you are walking backwards holding your partners legs while they walk on their hands backwards(still facing the ground). Once again, the total number of cones passed between you both was your score.

2.3 The third exercise was throwing and catching a bean bag as far as you could.  Each partner had 3 attempts to throw the beanbag and have their partner catch it.  The more cones you could throw the beanbag passed and have your partner catch, the more points you got.  If you were unsuccessful in catching any beanbags, or the beanbag went out of your allotted lane, you received no points.
The total number of points for this WOD is all three exercises accumulated.





WOD 3 – Rowing & partnered power cleans

This WOD required that the pair row 2km between them (each partner must attempt the row at some point) and then complete as many two man power cleans (both people holding on to the bar at the same time and power cleaning together) as possible in 10 minutes.  It was for total points.  If you completed the 2km row you received 2000 points (1 point/meter) and then 1 point for every power clean successfully completed, hips locked out and elbows in front of the bar.

WOD 4 – Backwards Running, Chest to Overheads, Rope Jump, Burpees and Forward Running

This comprised of both partners running backwards together for 400m around the track.  Then the pair had to complete 200 chest to overhead barbell raises with a 20kg bar. It could be broken up however you liked.  Once the chest to overheads were complete, the pair had to complete 150 jumps over a rope about knee height.  Then, 100 burpees between the pair jumping on to a plate and hips fully opened out.  To finish the WOD it required both people to run 400 forwards around the track to the finish line.
Alecka and I were coming 2^nd after the second WOD but unfortunately dropped to 8^th place overall.  We were very happy with our performance and can’t wait for the next competition.  We have a lot to work on between now and then.

Thanks Alecka for being my partner...you were awesome girl!!!

Equilibrium

I set myself off with an unconventional workout this evening after rowing 5k already this afternoon. It was more about coordination and technically endurance, rather than power and strength. The beauty of having a sore shoulder meant it hurt to cut vegetables, so....my workout was laid out for me. I set myself the goal of doing everything in the kitchen with my left hand (i'm right handed by the way). You know, trying to create a balance, yin and yang and all that! I figured I lift weights with both arms and legs, so why not start cutting the meat and veg with my less dominant hand.

So, for those of you out there wanting a challenge, I recommend giving this a try. Now I don't profess to be a nutritionist or dietician so I'm not going to recommend any outlandish healthy menus but I do recommend you give this a try. Now, I know this seems really lame, but really, truly, have you ever tried just brushing your teeth with the opposite hand, let alone holding a ridiculously sharp object capable of slicing your arm off, in your less the coordinated hand? I think not...so...my first suggestion would be to go back to square 1 and pretend you are on a beginners cooking show.  Don't cheat yourself either by stirring with your dominant hand or removing hot sizzling dishes out of the oven...try it I dare you! Doing everything left handed really requires a lot of concentration and coordination. Probably a bit of bravery too ;)

Given how long it took me to wash and cut all the vegies and try and keep 90% of them on the bench and in the pan I have a feeling i'm not quite as coordinated as I originally thought. I even tried eating milo with the spoon in my left hand, equally a daunting task, and somewhat messy one at that!

Try it for an evening, use your left hand more in everyday life and work on your equilibrium.

Kicking it Country Style

I headed back to Brigadoon today for an outdoor partner workout in the countryside to prepare for what may be thrown at me at the Crossfit Primal Pairs competition in 2 weeks time.  I partnered up with Dan to try and get as many points as possible across 8 different exercises.   Let’s not forget the unusual warmup of throwing some balls filled with beans the size of tennis balls using both the right and left hands.  Working on throwing with your left arm is a fantastic exercise for coordination and breaking down an exercise.  This is especially helpful when trying to explain an exercise to beginners.

        

WOD:

5 minutes on each exercise with a 2 min rest between exercises:

·         Weighted Rope Wind

·         Tyre Roll

·         Sandbag Load Over Vault

·         Rope Climb

·         Yolk Walk

·         Backpack  Move

·         Farmer’s Carry

·         75m Sprint

Death by Pullups

Back at the gym today resulted in lots of blisters on my hands thanks to the workout, Death by Pullups!  For those of you out there who feel they need to toughen up their hands a bit more and give your biceps, lats and forearms a good workout then this is the workout for you. 

I started with warming up the shoulders and arms with single arm kettlebell snatches.  Just working on technique really and range of motion through the shoulders.

WOD:

Death by Pullups:

·         1 pullup in the 1^st minute

·         2 pullups in the 2^nd minute

·         3 pullups in the 3^rd minute

·         Etc....

I managed to work my way up the ladder and complete 16 pullups in the 16^th minute.  I started on round 17 but stopped prematurely after 5 as my hands were ripped in 4 places and threatening to go deeper still (136 pullups in total).  I have a competition coming up in two weeks time so thought I had better stop.    

As a result I have just purchased some gymnastics hand grips so next time Death by Pullups comes at me I will be able to protect the hands a bit more and hopefully get to 20 pullups in the 20^th minute.    

Coaching Crossfit

Lately I have been putting my Crossfit certification into practice by coaching a few sessions of crossfit!   The group is nice and small at the moment which is fantastic for me to get to know everyone and to give them my undivided attention as most are new to Crossfit and therefore the weird and wonderful technical skills associated.

Today I set them off with a short sharp workout of the following:

5 times:

·         30 seconds handstand hold

·         20 kettle bell swings

·         10 knees to elbows (no  kip)

·         5 burpees

The majority of the group finished between 15 – 20 minutes.

Rowing tips from an Australian Representative, Ashleigh Miles

I would like to take the time to shout out to a friend of mine who also happens to be an Australian Women’s Under 23 Coxless Four representative, ASHLEIGH MILES!!!  She managed to take some time out of her busy training life to show us amateurs a thing or two about rowing on the Concept II rowing machine.  Like most of us, our form leads a little or a lot to be desired on the rower.  Here I was thinking my technique was ok...apparently it wasn't.  Like most beginners, I was all upper body and little legs.  Turns out THIS IS ALL WRONG.  Legs legs legs and body & arms to finish.  That is the key to efficient rowing.

Check out the video below for Ash’s setup and training tips to rowing ....

After receiving all the key setup and technique tips from Ash, I set off on a warm up and to practice my new technique.  Let me tell you, after having applied what was taught to me, my glutes were already hurting me a few hundred meters in and the mosquitoes in the shed were having a field day on me.  Certain words from my physio back in Canada then resonated with me....Tash, you need to strengthen your glutes and hammies. Eeek!

Anyway, after my legs were already burning Ashleigh set me off on the following workout to ease me into rowing with my new found form:

Warmup = 200m

WOD:

·         5 x 100 sprint

·         1000 sprint

Cool down = 200 m

Ash decided to finish off the session here as my legs were killing me and I was dripping with sweat.  At least across the course of the 100m sprints my form and technique had improved therefore I was becoming more efficient.  Ie: Less energy over a greater distance!  Boooo yaaaaa

Thanks Ashleigh for all the awesome tips and for really showing me how to row! Loved it!