Wednesday, 28 October 2009
October 28th 2009
Whoops, bit of a non-starter there. Will try to be more regular, promise.
Today's workout:
Front squats:
3 @ 75kg
3 @ 80kg
3 @ 82.5kg - new 3RM
Finished with:
Row 500m
30 burpees
10 shoulder-to overhead anyhow @ 65kg
6:24
Been doing my PhD for about a month now, and it's gone super-fast. The one thing that's really surprised me is how they treat you - it's very much "book an appointment with me in a month's time, and let's look at your results then." So you're basically on your own to get on with things - quite a change from being an undergrad. I guess the idea of teaching you to become an independent researcher is almost the opposite of micro-managing you. Am I enjoying it? Kind of. I'm certainly immersing myself in a fascinating subject, but I think I'm being impatient and want results now. Sadly culturing bacteria takes patience and planning, so I'll just have to wait to change the face of nutritional science.
Today's workout:
Front squats:
3 @ 75kg
3 @ 80kg
3 @ 82.5kg - new 3RM
Finished with:
Row 500m
30 burpees
10 shoulder-to overhead anyhow @ 65kg
6:24
Been doing my PhD for about a month now, and it's gone super-fast. The one thing that's really surprised me is how they treat you - it's very much "book an appointment with me in a month's time, and let's look at your results then." So you're basically on your own to get on with things - quite a change from being an undergrad. I guess the idea of teaching you to become an independent researcher is almost the opposite of micro-managing you. Am I enjoying it? Kind of. I'm certainly immersing myself in a fascinating subject, but I think I'm being impatient and want results now. Sadly culturing bacteria takes patience and planning, so I'll just have to wait to change the face of nutritional science.
Monday, 28 September 2009
This morning's fun and games:
Deadlifts:
3 @ 130kg
3 @ 145kg
3 @ 160kg - new 3-rep max
Then:
7 handstand pushups
7 thrusters @ 50kg
7 hang power cleans @ 50kg
3 rounds - 7:01
Had to get up at 5:45 to get this one in - was doing deadlifts in the shed while it was pitch black outside. Roll on the clocks going back.
This being my third day's training, so I get a rest day tomorrow. And as per my bargain with myself (based on the fact that I know I could never fully give it up!), I get to eat chocolate tonight. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and kill a bag of Marks and Spencer Belgian Chocolate Covered Peanuts.
Deadlifts:
3 @ 130kg
3 @ 145kg
3 @ 160kg - new 3-rep max
Then:
7 handstand pushups
7 thrusters @ 50kg
7 hang power cleans @ 50kg
3 rounds - 7:01
Had to get up at 5:45 to get this one in - was doing deadlifts in the shed while it was pitch black outside. Roll on the clocks going back.
This being my third day's training, so I get a rest day tomorrow. And as per my bargain with myself (based on the fact that I know I could never fully give it up!), I get to eat chocolate tonight. So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and kill a bag of Marks and Spencer Belgian Chocolate Covered Peanuts.
Sunday, 27 September 2009
Let the Right One In
First off, today's workout - Crossfit's Filthy 50 (with a couple of changes to suit the equipment I have):
50 box jumps
50 jumping pullups
50 KB swings @ 16kg
50 lunge steps
50 knees-to-elbows
50 push-press @ 20kg
50 back extensions
50 wall ball shots @ 7kg ball
50 burpees
50 double-unders
24:43 of nasty.
Thought I'd tell you about the book I'm currently reading (not a review, I'm no literary critic), John Ajvide (anyone tell me how to pronounce this?) Lindqvist's "Let the Right One In." The title will be familiar to film buffs - it was made into a film this year, and I highly recommend that you see it - OK, it's in Swedish with subtitles, and it's a vampire film, but it's the best film I've seen all year, pipping District 9 by a hair.
Anyway, the book. The plot is roughly this: 12-year-old Oskar is something of an outcast, bullied at school and with an absent father. He meets Eli, with whom he forms a bond as a fellow outcast. He eventually finds out that Eli is a 200-year-old vampire, trapped as a 12-year-old.
However, this is no cliched genre story, and it's a million miles away from Twilight. What emerges is a tale about friendship, being an outcast, and coping with being different. Sure, there are some moments of gore, and several real scares (as well as a scene involving a zombie attempting to rape a vampire!), but the beauty of this book is the relationship between Oskar and Eli as they try to deal with a hostile world. It captures the bleakness of living in a 1980s Stockholm prefab estate, as well as giving several interesting slants on the well=trodden vampire mythos (for example, what happens when a vampire enters your home without being invited? You find out here). Sure, you could just watch the film, and I did so first, but the book expands on the story and gives more insight into various characters' histories and motivation. Not just for horror fans, this book - highly recommended. I've already ordered Lindqvist's other book in print in English.
50 box jumps
50 jumping pullups
50 KB swings @ 16kg
50 lunge steps
50 knees-to-elbows
50 push-press @ 20kg
50 back extensions
50 wall ball shots @ 7kg ball
50 burpees
50 double-unders
24:43 of nasty.
Thought I'd tell you about the book I'm currently reading (not a review, I'm no literary critic), John Ajvide (anyone tell me how to pronounce this?) Lindqvist's "Let the Right One In." The title will be familiar to film buffs - it was made into a film this year, and I highly recommend that you see it - OK, it's in Swedish with subtitles, and it's a vampire film, but it's the best film I've seen all year, pipping District 9 by a hair.
Anyway, the book. The plot is roughly this: 12-year-old Oskar is something of an outcast, bullied at school and with an absent father. He meets Eli, with whom he forms a bond as a fellow outcast. He eventually finds out that Eli is a 200-year-old vampire, trapped as a 12-year-old.
However, this is no cliched genre story, and it's a million miles away from Twilight. What emerges is a tale about friendship, being an outcast, and coping with being different. Sure, there are some moments of gore, and several real scares (as well as a scene involving a zombie attempting to rape a vampire!), but the beauty of this book is the relationship between Oskar and Eli as they try to deal with a hostile world. It captures the bleakness of living in a 1980s Stockholm prefab estate, as well as giving several interesting slants on the well=trodden vampire mythos (for example, what happens when a vampire enters your home without being invited? You find out here). Sure, you could just watch the film, and I did so first, but the book expands on the story and gives more insight into various characters' histories and motivation. Not just for horror fans, this book - highly recommended. I've already ordered Lindqvist's other book in print in English.
Saturday 26th September 2009
Workout of the day:
Overhead squats:
3 @ 47.5kg
3 @ 52.5kg - old 3RM
3 @ 57.5kg - new one
3 @ 60kg - even newer one
Finished with:
7 pullups
7 ring dips
7 rounds with 10kg vest
7:47
Pleased with that little lot.
Overhead squats:
3 @ 47.5kg
3 @ 52.5kg - old 3RM
3 @ 57.5kg - new one
3 @ 60kg - even newer one
Finished with:
7 pullups
7 ring dips
7 rounds with 10kg vest
7:47
Pleased with that little lot.
Thursday, 24 September 2009
First entry, I guess.
Welcome to my blog.
I've played with the idea of blogging for a while, and of course now that I've got round to it, I'm stumped for something to write. Er...
So, a little about me I guess. I'm married, have 3 sons, and live in the South of England. I've just finished a degree in Nutrition and am about to start a PhD centred around probiotics - part of me is absolutely bricking it about this, even though I did well in my degree; I guess a new job makes everyone nervous.
I'll be using this to write a little about my various interests - Crossfit training and functional fitness, nutrition, reading, films, etc. - and also thoughts, ideas, opinions on various things as they occur to me. I'll also, for those of you interested, post the workout I do each morning, so if that's not your cup of tea, just gloss over that bit, with perhaps just a roll of the eyes.
So, this morning's workout:
Shoulder press: 3 @ 50/55/57.5kg
Then:
5 muscle-ups
10 wall ball shots
15 double-unders
As many rounds as possible in 12 minutes: 6 rounds + 5 muscle-ups
As I mentioned above, I'm a bit stumped for things to say right now, so I'll sign off with a question: I'm an avid charity-shopper, so I'd like to know what items do you see in every charity shop you go to? For me, it's a copy of Melanie C's "Northern Star." Let me know what you see in every one.
I've played with the idea of blogging for a while, and of course now that I've got round to it, I'm stumped for something to write. Er...
So, a little about me I guess. I'm married, have 3 sons, and live in the South of England. I've just finished a degree in Nutrition and am about to start a PhD centred around probiotics - part of me is absolutely bricking it about this, even though I did well in my degree; I guess a new job makes everyone nervous.
I'll be using this to write a little about my various interests - Crossfit training and functional fitness, nutrition, reading, films, etc. - and also thoughts, ideas, opinions on various things as they occur to me. I'll also, for those of you interested, post the workout I do each morning, so if that's not your cup of tea, just gloss over that bit, with perhaps just a roll of the eyes.
So, this morning's workout:
Shoulder press: 3 @ 50/55/57.5kg
Then:
5 muscle-ups
10 wall ball shots
15 double-unders
As many rounds as possible in 12 minutes: 6 rounds + 5 muscle-ups
As I mentioned above, I'm a bit stumped for things to say right now, so I'll sign off with a question: I'm an avid charity-shopper, so I'd like to know what items do you see in every charity shop you go to? For me, it's a copy of Melanie C's "Northern Star." Let me know what you see in every one.
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