5th day of Lent

Apparently also my off-day. Gym was closed, but I’ve walked around in Cork in 6 inch heels, if that counts for something.

So today will be about eat and write.

I’m going to write a piece for Cork News, which I look very much forward too and I’ll work on my fight photos from last night.

 

We’re still of sugar, or that ‘ll be; the obvious kind of sugars: candy, cakes, sodas, ice cream etc. I bought an indian spiced dish the other day and noticed just after cooking it, that it had added sugar. Also today I had my first ‘Fish & Chips’ in Ireland from a place called Jackie Lennox. Supposedly Corks best chipper and when we arrived just minutes after opening hour, a que was already lined up.
Fish was definitely a real fish and chips was great… would have been greater thou without the vinegar. And here comes my point: There’s probably sugar in the vinegar as well. As with all processed stuff, it’s hard to know exactly was goes in, but for our Lent challenge, I think it’s fine to leave it as it is: No obvious sugar.

So far we’ve got runny noses, but I’m not sure that has anything to do with anything?

Fish and Chips from Jackie Lennox

A day on the benches

We’re in Dublin today, more accurate at ‘The Eastcoast Barbell’. Liam is doing his first competition in Olympic weightlifting and I’m so thrilled to be here with him.

Currently we’re watching ‘masters and ladies’ divisions and it’s great to know that you can lift when you get old and grey! (and you can start young.. an estimated guess is that the lifters are between 14 -68 here!) I’m guessing most of them (the masters group) just came into the game recently and I’m so excited that they’re taking their training all the way and dare to compete.

But ofcourse I’m mostly super psyched for Liam. It’ll be so cool to see the results of his training. It’s funny in a way, I’m more excited to be here and watch him compete, than I was about my own powerlifting competition.

Liam ended lifting 105kg C&J and 67kg snatch. Nerves got the best of him for the snatch, but he did really, really good! Lifted heaviest in his group on C&J – only other guy to get that much up was 15kg heavier. So am very proud and happy for him!!

I ofcourse got my third day challenge down as well:

* 100 Rope turns
*10 Burpees
* 10Push ups
* 10 Squats
- Ten total sets -
Aimed on making both burpees, squats and push up to perfect form (a phrase I got from friends at Cultfit )

The series is obviously from Ross again and it’s either a GGP or The fast and furious. I don’t remember.

After the Olympic Weightlifting we drove down to Cork again for a night out with Corks finest – Thaiboxers. We’ve been invited to see The 8 Man Eliminator tournament, and it was a blast. Place was buzzing and for a second it almost felt like Lumpini. People screaming and cheering. What a blast!

 

Young guy in the white shorts from Siam Warriors Cork had some of the best timed knees. A little doctor Petrosyan in the making perhaps?

Lent Challenge 2 day

Second day of Lent and I had to give myself a new challenge:

My second day challenge I decided was from Ross Enamait‘s 50 day challenge: The Magic 50:

* 5 db swings
* 5 db snatch
* 10 burpees
- 5 sets , breaks in between sets is optional, thou max 60 sec-

Since I’m a bit squashed from yesterdays 100 burpees challenge, I thought the Magic 50 would be a good option. Don’t look so tough on paper and I actually discussed with Liam, if I remembered the circuit wrong – that it was supposed to be 10 swings/snatches instead of 5. Fortunately for me, I did got the numbers right!

Todays training:

* Run 6.6K in 31 min
Magic 50
* 5 db swings
* 5 db snatch
* 10 burpees
- 5 sets, break btw 2-3 and 3-4 -

* Farmers walk:
1 walk: 17.5kg db
2 walk: 22.5 kg db
3 walk: 17.5 kg db
= result: Dead arms!! Was supposed to do pull ups after the farmers walk, but had to take a break and do abs and back! My forearms was absolutely crushed after farmers walk. I gotta work on my grip!!

*Abs:
2x 20 russians
20 reach ups
20 reverse curls
20 ½TGU w/ 5kg mb
20 obliques
2x 20 back

Pull Ups:
3x 5

Mariusz Pudzianowski farmer walking with probably more than 4 times my bw!

100 burpees challenge day

- 2nd day of Lent

Had originally planned to do it yesterday on the first day of Lent, but with 13 hours on the run, I just had to be realistic and do something else. (Yes, I had my first (and succesful) attempt at taming the 16kg KB!)

So today was the day: 100 burpees challenge: How fast can I do it?

Burpees! I aways try to make mine with a little push up on the floor.

The challenge and I actually met before. Around two years ago, after Liam and I did the Ross 50 day challenge, we came across the 100 burpees challenge and decided to try it out. Have to be said – thou no excuse – but I was 2 years younger, 2 – 3 kg lighter and was fit!! Thaiboxing 3 – 4 days a week + Ross = super fit!

My first meet and greet with the 100 burpees was around: 6.23  and Liam of course faster than me!!

Today given the circumstances (no Ross, no muay thai – just running and weightlifting), I aimed for a time below 7 min.

My time for 100 burpees challenge was 6.40!
Not a great time, but happy I survived and did it without puking!

After the first 50, I took a break. Desperately trying to catch my breath and convince my aching legs, that I had to continue.
Next break came after 75 and it was around here, I forgot all about doing them on time. From here it was merely a question of finishing and not quitting. So I took a break again on 90.  Afterwards of course, I feel like, I could have pushed through the last 25 and avoided that last break. So both disappointed and happy with my effort. In 38 days things should get better

Minutes after the 100 Burpees challenge it was time for a little normal training:

4.1k – first 3 min walking, as I wasn’t sure my legs could hold me up. Last 500m was at 15kph. (In btw time was 12-14)

Squats
2x 5x 20kg
2x 5x 40kg
-Superset with 3x 5 pull ups)

Bench
2x 5x 20kg
2x 5x 30kg
4x 40kg

Hamstrings
3 x20 – they almost made me cry today
Pull Ups
5

Abs
Stretch
Little crying

Not sure what to do for my challenges the coming days, but gotta work on something good. We’re off to Dublin tomorrow for Liam’s weightlifting competition! Class! So have to be something….. Ross like. My good, earnest old friend, I guess we meet again!

1st day of Lent

First day of Lent is almost done. And Liam already been mentioning chocolate cake twice! And I’ve worked non-stop from morning to late evening. Which meant, I had to revise my original first 40 day challenge goal.

So between this morning at 8 clock and evening at 9, I’ve done 2 boxercise classes and around 10 PT (personal training sessions). And with very little time to eat or rest, my new goal became the 16kg KB in the gym!

My own training and my goal today became focused around PT sessions and KB sessions. And I got to swing the new heavy ball, in a total of – I think:
* 50 doubble hand swings
* 30 doubble to the top swings
* 60 one arm swings
* 2 x Clean and Jerk

Yay!

No bananas or oranges… its gonna be a long lent!

Training at Pancake day

Wooohooo!! I moved to a country where they actually have a day called PANCAKE day! How cool is that??!!

And it’s today and Liam have promised to make pancakes tonight. So we’re gonna dive in and stuff ourselves on pancakes. For the last time in 40 days and 40 nights. Because tomorrow it’s Lent (and yeah, I think I spelled it wrong in an earlier blog), and this year, I’d be doing my hardest trial so far.

Last year, I got in on Lent about 10 days late, and had a month of coffee and cake, but I drowned plenty of chocolate, licorice, winegums and assorted candies, so it never felt really hard. Coffee was easily replaced by green tea and normal tea, and I really didn’t miss it that much.

But this year it’s goodbye sugar! Not quite sure what I’ve gotten myself into. On top, I’ll detox again and I’ll pull out a special made 40 days Lent challenge.

Anyway, today was a good day in the gym – not so good for running, but my legs are still a bit marked after a weekend in the kitchen:

30 min running (btw 12.5-14.00 kph)
2 min break – Not pleased with myself. Just couldn’t get back at it right away. It’s like the legs just quit working! :0
30 min walk/ running (btw 6.5 – 15.00 kph)

Deadlift – as prescribed by Anders Nedergaard (www.kropblog.dk)
2x 5x 50kg
4x 5x 60kg
2x 90kg

3x 5 Pull Ups

100 abs (incl. 10 dragons)

Pancakes for pancake day

Tired monday after a long weekend

And No! Didn’t go out drinking. In fact, I rarely, rarely do, but since I’m living in Ireland now, I wouldn’t hold it against anybody, if someone had an ‘hangover’ idea after reading the title.

I spend my whole weekend working in the kitchen as the kicthen Kuli (translate into laborer in english, but the danish or indian term is more fun. Anyway, meant with a lot of warmth and humor!). Prepping vegetables, making starters, making icecream, baking bread, making springrolls, making deserts and well… trying to keep up with one of Ireland’s finest up coming chefs Caitlin Ruth, in Deasys fish restaurant. (and no, we don’t serve fish and chips. Not sure why actually. Hahaha).

Anyway two days and one whole night standing on my feet. Stuffing my face with food (have to taste you know ) and trying to manage an uncomfortable level of stress made out about 20 hours during two days. I was wrecked this morning!! So I didn’t go to the gym, because – it’s 2 classes day at Womens Only Fitness Gym in Cork!

Started out with a 45 min Kettlebell Class:

Swings
Squats
Mid halo
Twist
Abs
½ TGU
Pelvic Tilt
Push Ups
Bench Press from floor
Abs

-Break-
Swings to top
Lunges
Saxon
Sidebends
BoR
Russians
Abs
Pelvic
Back
Pelvic w/ press

-Break-
Swings (1 hand)
Top Halo
Lunges w/ Twist
8 Figures
Twist
Push Ups
Abs
Pelvic Tilts
BoR in Squat
Russians
Clean
Clean and Jerk
Wind Mill

Then after a PT session it was time for Boxercise. Ladies did as usual a really good effort. I think they’re getting along, cause despite I put in a bit tougher exercise, the after report was, that it was easier. So!! I think it’s time to shake things next week

Anyway… tomorrow its LENT and I’m doing it this year along with a very special 40 day challenge, that you’re all welcome to join in! And please don’t be afraid to leave comments if you try out any of the challenges. I would love to hear from you!

Should I go to the gym today?

The eternal question we all face once every so often… Unless you’re Lance Armstrong, who just put most of the professional Triathlon top to wonder. (Armstrong came in second in his first Ironman (Ironman 70.3 Panama))

Well my excuse for asking the question to myself today is, that I woke up with a severe stomach pains. Not ‘that time of the month’ pains, but something a bit similar to that stabbing feeling. I thought about staying home, thought about what I did yesterday to deserve todays agony, thought about what I could do, if I went to the gym.
And then finally after 20 min of internal deliberation, I left to go to the gym.

1 hour of almost exclusively BW (Bodyweight) work:

2x 10 Canonball dives
2x 20 Muay thai knees
2x 10 Straight leg front kick
2x 10 inside out kicks
20 Plank Jacks
20 sit up stand up w/ 5kg mb (this actually proved to be somewhat challenging)
2x 20 squat to mb
20 shuffle knees
2x 20 Muay thai knees
20 Plank Jacks
3x 5 pull ups
5x 5 monkey turns left
5x 5 monkey turns right
20 one leg pelvic tilt w/ band
10 push up w/band
20 squats to mb
5 min shadow box

stretch

 

 

 

Thursday training pass

6.62K – average speed 12kph

Bench
2x 5x 20
2x 5x 30
2x 5x 40
10 x 45

Squat
2x 5x 20
2x 5x 40
2x 5x 50
6x 55

Super set with 2x 5 pull ups

5 broomstick snatches (hahaha! Yes, I know, but technique – and the ladies bar was occupied)
3 x20 clean & jerk

2x 5 Dragon Flags
2x 20 Abs
2x 25 sides

Stretch

Definitely feeling something from yesterday and Tuesday on my butt. Have a feeling it might be the hamstrings and the small run I made to work yesterday. (Running in Ireland is like pony riding… up and down).
Felt better in the bench, but I still struggle to get down in the squat (as well as my dl). It makes me mad, cause back when I started training with the guys in Cph, my form was good. Now it sucks.

Todays challenge was so without doubt Dragon Flags. In a way, I really like crossfit – they blend in all kind of drills, and it’s not just lifting heavy. So sometimes – like today – I feel like don’t give a crap about heavy stuff. Just play with pistols, dragon flags, saxons, russians and my beloved (and missed!!!) thaiboxing.
And other days, it just feel good to be strong!!

No need for captions

‘That’s the best physical activity, I’ve ever done in my life’

Yesterday I got a splendid reason, for why I’m doing, what I’m doing here in Ireland.
After my boxercise class at Womens Fitness Cork a lady, told me: ‘That’s the best physical activity, I’ve ever done in my life’. And she continued: ‘I’ve tried everything running, swimming, spinning, coming to the gym. I’ve never found anything as enjoyable as boxing, it’s simply the best.’

It totally made my day and night – and now, ‘the morning after’. After a hard day of going back and forth from one class to the next and my little despair on V-day, it made it all worth it. Not only because it validated my status as a trainer, but more so, she confirmed how great boxing (martial arts) is.

And yes, I’m very well aware that boxercise is not boxing or martial arts. That it – in someone elses hand might be more like Tae Bo. But! In my boxercise classes – it all comes from boxing and the love of the sport, respect for technique, hard work and more hard work and a lot of fun.

So thank you for telling me – and thank you for letting me share my love for boxing with you guys.

Below a vid from Gleasons Gym. The most fantastic boxing gym on earth.