50 day pushup challenge, CrossFit, FitFluential, Fitness, Health, Photos, Workout Schedule

My CrossFit Journal (1 Year, Week 34)

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One of the CrossFit coaches “signed me up” for the 50 day push-up challenge. This is why I love CrossFit so much. My coach is interested in seeing people improve. Last year he suggested I do push-ups x many times per week, and the next week up my number by 5 or 10. It didn’t last long, I did it for about a month straight and fell off track.

Now, he’d like to see me do the 50 day push-up challenge. Which means: 1 push-up on day 1. 2 push-ups on day 2, 3 push-ups on day 3, and carry on until you reach 50 days. HOLY CRAP. Let’s hope this works. Today, being Monday I’m on day 5, so 5 push-ups today. I’ve done them already. I also really don’t want to do the push-ups off my knee’s, but I also don’t want to do them off my toes if I have to lay my chest down. I do the push-ups with my elbows in, since that’s the way the coaches are suggesting. I can do much more, if I just keep them out “normally” while working the chest rather than the tri’s.

I’ve created an image to keep me motivated. Which is also why I’m blogging about it, and will be checking in weekly to see how I’m doing.

It’s a way to #MyBetter.

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year 1, week 34, day 1.

 Pendlay Row

  • 4-4-4-4

AMRAP 10

  • 5 Hang Split Snatch RS; 115/85lbs
  • 10 UB Burpees
  • 5 Hang Split Snatch LS; 115/85lbs
  • 10 UB KB Swings; 24/16kg

I think this is where I injure my shoulder, though I can’t be sure. I felt it tweaked on day 4. More about that below.

I sure as heck didn’t use the prescribed weight, as I rarely ever do. I think I used a 35lb bar with two 5lbs, or 2.5lbs on either side. I didn’t write it down.

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year 1, week 34, day 2

10 Minute Muscle up Work

5 Rounds

  • 30 Box jump 24/20″
  • 30 Wall ball shots 20/16lb

I finished the WOD under the time limit (23 minute limit, if I remember correctly), so that’s all good. I only used an 8lb medicine ball for the Wall balls, since I cannot stand them. For the box jumps I used 20″.

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year 1, week 34, day 3 Soccer game!

We won 1-0. Had quick sub’s on/off the field throughout the whole game. It was a well played game on both teams. We played on Halloween night and one of the guys on the other team was dressed up in a full-on cow suit, and played the game like that. It was hilarious.

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year 1, week 34, day 4

GWOD:

3 RM Decifit HSPU

WOD:

AMRAP 13

  • 5 ring dips
  • 5 push press (135/95)
  • 20KB swing (24/16)

I set up 3 ab mats and did a few sets of 3 handstand push-ups. But when I took 1 ab mat away and replaced it with a 10lb plate, I could only do 1-2. Funny how the body works, and really misses those precious centimetres. I don’t know how many rounds I did in the 13 minutes. I had a tweak in my shoulder, and rather than do the 5 ring dips, I did 10 push-ups. Apparently I’ve been doing them all wrong for 2+ years. I had my shoulders hunched when doing them, instead of my shoulders pinched together and out.

Thus, me talking about the 50 day push-up challenge, in the intro of this post! Ta-dah!

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CrossFit, FitFluential, Fitness, Health

My CrossFit Journal (Year 1, week 33)

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Holy bananas. I can’t believe I haven’t posted any of my CrossFit workouts since Year 1, Week 29. I did take a two week break though. 10 days of it I was in Newfoundland, and getting out of vacation mode is so hard. Especially getting back into something as hardcore as CrossFit. Yes, I may have just called myself hardcore. Ha!

I only went once to CrossFit last week because I knew I was getting sick. But I wanted to get at least one WOD in before it was a full-on cold, and so I did.

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year 1, week 33, day one.

I ended up using a 35lb bar with 5lbs per side on it for the WOD. The hang snatch was difficult, and I totally felt it in my elbows the next day.

We had a 25 minute time limit on this (If I recall correctly) and I completed the 5 rounds in either 20, or 21 minutes and some change.

It was a sweaty one! Before and After ;) Like my new MPG jacket? Remember how my old one pilled up? They sent me a new one right away. No problems thus far. Thankfully!

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year 1, week 33, day two Soccer game!

Soccer time!!

I felt I had a good “hussle” on the field. There were 8 females on our team this night. So sub’s were quick and no one got tired on the field. Which meant each time we went out, we could go as hard as possible. Which is what I did. I did my due diligence and felt good after the game for sure.  We did lose 1-0 though!

This week coming up now. I promise to myself, I will be more active. That is the #MyBetter way.

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Daily, Fashion, FitFluential, Fitness, Health, Photos, Running, Soccer

This is My Better: My fitness journey

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I guess it’s about time I explain why I’m posting all sorts of photos of me hoisting up goodies that Sport Chek sent me, all while using the hash tag #MyBetter on twitter.

I am now part of the Sport Chek campaign called #MyBetterMVP / #MyBetter. They have contacted some Canadians and sent along an inspiration kit to help us reach our personal bests. My inspiration kit has already been featured on my instagram and twitter (@spiffykerms for both).

Sport Chek has reached out to a lot of athletes in all sorts of areas of fitness. Everyone has all sorts of goals when it comes to being healthy and fit. I’m here to help people stay inspired and motivated.

These are “my” sports: climbing, soccer, running, CrossFit, and hiking.

I’m not training for anything in particular. I am however, training to be the best person I can be. I want to stay healthy, fit, and happy. I’ve tweeted numerous times that I’ve been in cranky moods, feeling lazy or just have a headache. I head to CrossFit and after a long hard workout, I’m feeling on cloud 9 again. You never hear someone say they regret a workout, do you?

What inspired me to begin my fitness journey?

I don’t think it ever really started anywhere. I’ve always been quite active in my life, ever since I was a kid. I was involved with soccer, dance classes, my Dad teaching me baseball in the back yard. Being the only neighborhood girl, as I had all boy neighbours to play with thus me being quite a tomboy as a kid – I had to keep up with them. It wasn’t out of the ordinary that you’d see me hanging upside down from tree branches!

 Or even now, years later — just doing handstands at home.

It wasn’t until I was in my teenage years when the local climbing gym opened up, that’s when a passion started burning in me and that was when I was full-tilt doing my “hobby” which also worked out as exercising. Bonus! It was my hangout place, and I’ve met most of my long-time best friends at that climbing gym, who now read my blog on the regular since I live a 3 hour flight away.

Some amazing friendships have come out of climbing. Hi friends, you know who you are!!

Johanna and I. May 2012 at the climbing gym back home in Newfoundland.

Lori (my first climbing partner ever, circa 1995!!), me and Kerry. We always meet up for a climb when I fly home.

My bestest friend in the whole world, Trevor. Anytime I fly home, I immediately go to his house and hang out with him. He’s the funniest person on the planet. He’ll probably read this and be embarrassed (I hope not! Sorry! lol) that I’m posting a shirtless photo of him here on my blog. Here we are circa 2005-ish. Taking a break from bouldering.

I took a break from climbing for about 5 years after moving to Ontario (I’m from Newfoundland), because there wasn’t a climbing gym around me. That all changed, during summer 2011 when four local guys opened up a climbing gym here in my city.

From there I kept up soccer throughout high school, and still play now. Occasionally I throw in a random sport whenever I feel myself getting bored of my routine. I started CrossFit on a whim, because in the winter’s is when I usually slow things down a bit. My “running buddy” introduced me to CrossFit back in February 2011, and I’ve been hooked since.

I feel like if I don’t work out on a regular basis, I get in a bad mood. That doesn’t mean I work out every day though, because that too puts me in a bad mood (ha!) since I feel like I’m rushed in the evenings and feel as if I don’t have time for anything else.

I’ve recently gotten into Yoga as well. I had a two week trial membership at the local YMCA. But didn’t want to go buy a $60 month membership when I’m currently spending almost double that to attend CrossFit monthly. My local CrossFit box is now incorporating Yoga, starting in October. You betcha bottom dollar I’m excited for that to start.

I absolutely LOVE my job – it doesn’t feel like work at all. I’m a Graphic Designer/Marketing Assistant, and sit all day at my desk from Mon-Fri: 9-5, so I need some physical activity. I have tried to work out in the mornings but I’m really not a morning person, and I’m quite lethargic if I try to do so. I save my workouts for immediately after work, and then come home to make dinner, do some chores and hang out with my little family of my Triathlete boyfriend and our Pomeranian dog.

So. That my friends is #MyBetter, my fitness journey. This is just the beginning, for both you and me. Sport Chek is allowing me to host giveaways to help you reach your goals too.

A few questions:

What do you do, to stay active and lead healthy lives?

How do you stay motivated?

What do you do, to get out of a bad/cranky mood? Do you workout?

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