Tag Archives: CrossFit Tabatas WOD

CrossFit Day 21–Tabatas

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The WOD for the 5am TUE class was Tabatas.  A Tabata workout always focuses on a group of exercises, normally 5 to 6 different moves.  Each exercise is set up at a particular station.  You are assigned to a station and perform 8 sets of the particular exercise before moving on to the next station.  Each set is timed and you do as many reps as possible in the allotted time.  The time frame for Tabatas is 20 seconds “on” for the movement, 10 seconds rest = 1 set.  Repeat x8, then rotate to the next station.

TUE 5am Tabatas:  Rowing, Hand Release Push-ups, Kettlebell Swings (25 lbs), Reverse Rope Climb & Squats.

Remember, each move requires 8 sets before moving to the next item on the list.   Most of these are things we do a lot.  However, the Hand Release Push-ups were new as well as the Reverse Rope Climbs.

Hand Release Push-Up – Just a drill to get us down and dirty all the way to our bellies before “pushing up”.  Normal push-up stance, go down to belly, lift hands  up (release hands from floor), then push back up.  Great photo of a lady from SnoRidge CrossFit doing the release here:

Hand Release Pushup_snoridge crossfit

Reverse Rope Climb – Way harder than it looks.  I was so relieved to realize that we didn’t have to climb UP the rope that I didn’t think about how difficult it would be to go backwards, or in reverse!  We leaned back holding the rope til it was taunt, then slowly moved down the rope.  In theory, we would get all the way down to the ground where our backs would be touching, then climb back up.  Super hard.  These ladies from CrossFit Camden are really rocking it below.  Let’s just say that I didn’t look as graceful.  “Smile

Reverse Rope Climb

Then we finished the CrossFit session with 25 Knees to Chest.  This is obviously our newest and most favorite move.  We will be rockin’ some serious “abs of steel” by spring so watch out!  I may even get out that pull-up bar that I wasted money on purchased earlier this year and do a few of these at home, on my own.  Maybe.  Or maybe not.

knees to chest

** Working Hard to Get Stronger ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

CrossFit Day 15 …. Tabatas

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Tough workout for me today.  My back is still jacked up.  According to Dr. Alexis I have swelling in my sacral cap if I’m even remembering the correct terminology.  Regardless, my normal back “issues” have just been taken up a “notch” so we had to modify some of my CrossFit moves today.  I can’t bend very well, or reach, or sit, or stand.  Yep, just a few modifications.  Smile

A Tabatas WOD is always a group of exercises done in rotation; however, each rotation is done for 8 sets before moving onto the next exercise.  20 seconds on for the movement, 10 seconds rest = 1 set.

Day 15 brought us:  Pistols, KettleBell Swings, Rowing, Sit-ups, Air Dyne (stationary bike) and Wall Balls. 

Pistols are a new move for us and almost impossible if your back is crabby.  I used a much higher box than everyone else.  Sorry everyone, I know you were envying my taller box.  While the move doesn’t seem difficult, it was tougher than it looked.  One leg up, squat down to sit on box, stand back up with same leg out.  Then change legs.  Repeat til time is up.  Photo below from Train With Heidi.

CrossFit_Pistols_Train with Heidi

KettleBell Swings also not ideal if your back is jacked up.  I had to move to a lesser weight about half way thru. 

kettlebell-swings

Rowing – Loved this!  We used a Rowing machine.  Not easy but not difficult either.  Nice change of pace.  Pic below from CrossFit 204.

Rowing

Sit-ups, Air Dyne (Stationary Bike) & Wall Balls are all standard moves that I’ve previously mentioned.

After 15 sessions, I think it’s time to do a cost analysis.  Is CrossFit worth the cost?  First, our “box”, and I use the term box lightly cuz it just seems super hardcore, is pretty low dollar compared to others in our area.  Thanks, Jared!   When I started, the cost for our group was $10 a session or $80 a month (for 2x a week).  I have seen Groupons for our location but did not purchase one.  So there is an option to try it out for less.   That being said, $80 a month for 2x a week is still a lot of $$ for me the normal person.  If I had a gym membership I needed to maintain, or had other out of pocket fitness costs, then I wouldn’t be able to do this.  But I really don’t.   My fitness budget goes mainly to compression socks race entries.

I think we can all agree it’s pricier than a regular “gym”.  However, the individual attention, the daily modifications to make each workout “work” for the individual, and the group atmosphere which pushes each of us to be better is more beneficial {to most} than just hitting the gym.  Plus, it’s hard to cheat when you are always racing the clock for time.  In my case, the benefits outweigh the cost.  I never did strength work, no matter how good my intentions.  I had a weak core, still do but it’s improving.  I was having constant neck/shoulder/back issues from getting old old sport injuries which have caused permanent damage.  Now?  Things are starting to improve.  My back has been much stronger and I’ve had less pain until I tried to step over the dog and the kid tweaked it getting out of the shower on Tuesday.  So I know that CrossFit is helping my body.

Is CrossFit helping my running?  I don’t want to jump the gun and say that it is but I will say that my 18 miler last weekend “didn’t suck” and that’s an improvement in my world. Plus I’ve started to nail my speed work and tempo runs and that’s an improvement in my world.  I am even starting to have a glimmer of hope that I may be able to throw down some fast times this fall both in the half marathon and 5K distance.  Only time will tell but thus far, yes, I do think CrossFit is worth the cost and I believe that it WILL help my running.  Now, if they could just drop a pool in the parking lot, I would be “happy, Happy, HAPPY”.  LOL!

Do you have a fitness habit that “may” be a bit pricy but worth it in your opinion?

** Amanda – TooTallFritz **

CrossFit Day 7 ….. Tabatas

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I know I have TRI fever right now but I have still been hitting CrossFit this week.  On Tuesday we did the Tabatas WOD.  The workout consisted of lunges, sit-ups, wall balls & ring rows followed by a 3 minute rest and then a 1 mile timed run.

Each exercise was performed x8 before rotating to the next.  We had 20 seconds on, then a 10 second break, then we did it again x8.  After the 8th set, we rotated to the next exercise.  Fun! 

The lunges, sit-ups and ring rows have all been explained (with diagrams) previously but the wall balls were new to us.  Holding a 10# ball (soft), we did a squat, then exploded up into a jump while simultaneously throwing the ball up in the air at the wall above our head.  So much fun but required a bit of coordination and timing. 

crossfit-wall-ball    CrossFit-wall-balls   CrossFit Wall Balls

After all 8 sets of each move we took 3 minutes to rest then went immediately into a 1 mile  timed run.  Half of us hit the street using the GPS off of someone’s phone, the other half did 400 meter out and backs that were pre-marked by the club (x4).  Ironically ALL of the people who did the out and backs beat those of us who took to the streets.  Were they faster?  Or was one of the distances off?  Hard to tell.  I ran a 7:57 timed mile.  Hmmmm, was I really that slow ?  I don’t know but I was displeased to say the least. 

** Til Next Time ** Amanda – TooTallFritz **