Rained Out
This weekend, Samantha and I were supposed to be in Martha's Vineyard learning to windsurf. We weren't there.
A low pressure system, carrying an obnoxiously large rain storm, stalled above New England, dumping water all over the place. So much for windsurfing.
Of course, I'd already called off the weekly Again Faster workout since I'd be out of town. You can't coach if you're not there.
We were stuck inside with nothing to do. Since Parcheesi isn't exactly our style, Sam and I gave the world a big collective "f*ck you" and headed to Topsfield.
Dave Picardy runs Crossfit Topsfield, along with his wife Tara and his two little girls. We'd promised Dave a visit, so off we went.
That's Dave. His facility is huge, and he's got everything you need to have a hell of a workout.
The WOD:
10 kettlebell swings
20 one arm overhead squats
30 one arm split jerks
40 walking lunges
30 one arm split jerks
20 one arm overhead squats
10 kettlebell swings
It's a nasty workout. One-arm overhead squats are nasty. Walking lunges are nasty. Doing the whole damn thing in 10 minutes with a 40 pound dumbell was nasty.
Dave started with a 30 pounder. About halfway through the workout, he looks over, and notices I've got a 40.
"Sh*t!"
He walked over to the rack and got a 40. I didn't bother to tell him I was using a 30 for the overhead squats. After all, he runs the place.
We did some Tabata hollow rocks to end the day, and Sam and I headed back to Boston.
About halfway there, inspiration struck. Home Depot.
This place is my heaven. I love it there. They've got everything you'd ever need to outfit the world's baddest guerilla gym. I needed another sledgehammer and the makings of a portable pullup bar.
A portable pullup bar? Oh, hell yeah. I'm no engineer, but I'm not brand-new either. If you can hang rings, you can hang a bar.
An hour after we left Home Depot, we had a pullup bar that can be installed anywhere there's a horizontal span. Trees. Rafters. The garage. The porch.
I am utterly incapable of sitting still. I'm even less capable of having new toys and not using them. Despite the rain, Sammy and I headed to Jamaica Pond for some fun.
Nothing compares to the looks you get swinging a 10-pound sledgehammer at a totally defenseless tire. We came up with a little piece of programming that ensures funny looks. It also happens to bake the hell out of the arms and torso.
5 rounds for time:
20 sledge swings (10L, 10R)
20 knee-to-elbows
20 pullups
I managed this in 29:40, hanging over a massive puddle for most of my knee-to-elbows reps. It was some Indiana Jones sh*t. Holding onto a rain-slicked bar with 6 inches of water directly below you.
Okay, so I imagined it was a pit of snakes. Give me a break.
The portable pullup bar was awesome--rock solid. Sammy, show 'em...
We didn't go windsurfing, but who the hell needs sails and a bunch of vacationing bond traders to have a good time. We loved this workout so much, we're going to use it for the next Again Faster workout.
Sunday, July 2nd at 8:00 am. We'll be at Jamaica Pond, sledgehammers at the ready. If you want to learn to swing one, see the portable pullup bar in action, or just laugh at us while we sweat our asses off, stop by. We'd love to have you.
Go faster!
This weekend, Samantha and I were supposed to be in Martha's Vineyard learning to windsurf. We weren't there.
A low pressure system, carrying an obnoxiously large rain storm, stalled above New England, dumping water all over the place. So much for windsurfing.
Of course, I'd already called off the weekly Again Faster workout since I'd be out of town. You can't coach if you're not there.
We were stuck inside with nothing to do. Since Parcheesi isn't exactly our style, Sam and I gave the world a big collective "f*ck you" and headed to Topsfield.
Dave Picardy runs Crossfit Topsfield, along with his wife Tara and his two little girls. We'd promised Dave a visit, so off we went.
That's Dave. His facility is huge, and he's got everything you need to have a hell of a workout.
The WOD:
10 kettlebell swings
20 one arm overhead squats
30 one arm split jerks
40 walking lunges
30 one arm split jerks
20 one arm overhead squats
10 kettlebell swings
It's a nasty workout. One-arm overhead squats are nasty. Walking lunges are nasty. Doing the whole damn thing in 10 minutes with a 40 pound dumbell was nasty.
Dave started with a 30 pounder. About halfway through the workout, he looks over, and notices I've got a 40.
"Sh*t!"
He walked over to the rack and got a 40. I didn't bother to tell him I was using a 30 for the overhead squats. After all, he runs the place.
We did some Tabata hollow rocks to end the day, and Sam and I headed back to Boston.
About halfway there, inspiration struck. Home Depot.
This place is my heaven. I love it there. They've got everything you'd ever need to outfit the world's baddest guerilla gym. I needed another sledgehammer and the makings of a portable pullup bar.
A portable pullup bar? Oh, hell yeah. I'm no engineer, but I'm not brand-new either. If you can hang rings, you can hang a bar.
An hour after we left Home Depot, we had a pullup bar that can be installed anywhere there's a horizontal span. Trees. Rafters. The garage. The porch.
I am utterly incapable of sitting still. I'm even less capable of having new toys and not using them. Despite the rain, Sammy and I headed to Jamaica Pond for some fun.
Nothing compares to the looks you get swinging a 10-pound sledgehammer at a totally defenseless tire. We came up with a little piece of programming that ensures funny looks. It also happens to bake the hell out of the arms and torso.
5 rounds for time:
20 sledge swings (10L, 10R)
20 knee-to-elbows
20 pullups
I managed this in 29:40, hanging over a massive puddle for most of my knee-to-elbows reps. It was some Indiana Jones sh*t. Holding onto a rain-slicked bar with 6 inches of water directly below you.
Okay, so I imagined it was a pit of snakes. Give me a break.
The portable pullup bar was awesome--rock solid. Sammy, show 'em...
We didn't go windsurfing, but who the hell needs sails and a bunch of vacationing bond traders to have a good time. We loved this workout so much, we're going to use it for the next Again Faster workout.
Sunday, July 2nd at 8:00 am. We'll be at Jamaica Pond, sledgehammers at the ready. If you want to learn to swing one, see the portable pullup bar in action, or just laugh at us while we sweat our asses off, stop by. We'd love to have you.
Go faster!
posted by Jonathan Gilson at 6/25/2006 09:08:00 PM
2 Comments:
So I left my computor for a few minutes--come back and find a whole new post. All great stuff, just read a few of your prior posts and have learned a lot. Not just great info on how to improve your workouts but how to live your life as well.
Thanks Jon!
Dawn
Who knew sledgehammers could be so much fun? Once I got over my initial fear of taking off a few toes it turned out to be a great work out too. I finished it in 30:32, but dropped down to 10 pull-ups after the first round- they're hard on a swinging bar!
Sam
Post a Comment
<< Home