CT-50 CT10 Challenge

I had started doing Neila Rey's 30 Days of Change. It's a program focusing on bodyweight exercises and running. As it turned out, even level one was too much for my old, aching joints. So, I made an impulse buy of Tyler Bramlett's CT-50 program. It appears to be a well designed program of exercise progressions. If I can actually make it through this program it should prepare me for a return to Crossfit which is really what I want to do. Also, if I can take 20 pounds off with this program I should be able to run with much less pain.

The first thing to do with this program is do the CT10 Challenge to determine what level I should start on. I was pretty sure I should start on level one of five but I did the challenge to make sure. If I completed more than 400 reps I would need to do the level 2 challenge on my next workout and so on until I reached a challenge where I couldn't do more than 400 reps.

30 seconds per exercise, 4 rounds, 90 second break between rounds.

1. Bodyweight Row          9, 7, 9, 7 = 32
2. Down Dog to Up Dog  10, 8, 7, 6 = 31
3. Jumping Jacks 2            5, 26, 23, 22 = 96
4. Reverse Crunch           10, 10, 10, 8 = 38
5. Kneeling Pushups        10, 9, 9, 9 = 37
6. Face the Wall Squat      7, 8, 7, 8 = 30
7. Sumo Deadlift               5, 8, 7, 8 = 28

Total reps was 292. The numbers for the first round are kinda suspect. I tried to go through the entire round without writing down reps so those numbers are a guestimate. I used a 20 pound kettlebell for the Sumo Deadlifts. We'll see how it goes but I feel good right now. Monday I'll do CT01.

30 Days of Change Day 7

Day 7 of 30 Days of Change was a moderate intensity and ab focused workout.

3 Rounds 10 Reps Each Exercise

Half Jacks

High Knees

Side-to-side lunges

Air Bike Crunches

Leg Raises

Leg Pull-ins

The first three exercises were pretty easy. The ab exercises, the last three, were a bit more challenging. Abs have always been a challenge for me but I'm getting better. Exercised out of doors and got a little sunshine, but it was too cool for me to workout shirtless and barefoot.

30 Days of Change Day 6

30 Days of Change Day 6 was primarily an active recovery day. Nothing strenuous.

Part 1: Walk 20 minutes.

Part 2: 3 rounds of 5 reps each

Chest Expansions
Calf Raises

Pretty easy. My walk was through my father-in-law's very hilly neighborhood in Aiken, SC. My back was a little tight and my left hip was hurting, but otherwise no issues.

30 Days of Changed Day 5

I was sore and achy when I got to work yesterday after my morning run and workout. Turned out I had forgotten to take my morning Alleve. I did today's workout after getting an early morning oil change for my Toyota Sequoia. Exercised outside in the sunshine. It was a quick one, Day 5 of 30 Days of Change.

3 Rounds 10 Reps per exercise. 90 second break between rounds.

Mountain Climbers
Plank Jacks
Alt Arm/Leg Raises
Donkey Kicks
Plank Jump-ins

The tough thing about this was being in a plank or near plank for all 5 exercises. My shoulders were the limiting factor, even more than my conditioning. By the third round my entire shoulder girdle was on fire but I made it through.

30 Days of Change Day 4

Yesterday's workout wasn't too bad. Must admit I was a little achy after my two 30+ minute walks. I was not looking forward to running today as required by Day 4 of Neila Rey's 30 Days of Change, but I did it.

Part One:

Warm-up walk 2 minutes
Run 1 minute Walk 1 minute
Run 2 minutes Walk 2 minutes
Run 3 minutes Walk 3 minutes
Run 4 minutes Walk 4 minutes
Cool-down light jog 2 minutes

I accidently paused my interval timer at the beginning of the 4 minute run so I had to go a little guestimating. The total time for this should have been 24 minutes but it took me 27:22 due to that accident and also not knowing when would be a good time to turn around and head home.

Part Two:

3 Rounds

10 Squats
10 Push-ups

When I finished running I took a couple of minutes to drink some water and catch my breath. Then I moved on to Part 2. The first round was pretty easy even though my legs were beat. I took a 2 minute break. Next round was still pretty easy but I could feel the fatigue on the push-ups. I took a 90 second break. The last round was killer on the push-ups. I did 4 reps, brief pause at the bottom, 3 reps and another brief pause, then finished the final 3 reps. Total time 6:43.

My legs and hips are sore. My hip joints and lower back are aching in the joints. It will get better.

30 Days of Change Day 3

I was a little sore this morning but I did most of Day 3 of 30 Days of Change. Exercised outdoors. It was cool and cloudy, but not bad.

5 rounds

6 Lunges
6 Plank jump-ins
6 Shoulder taps

Rested two minutes after first round. Reduced to 1 minute for subsequent rounds. Total time 12 minutes. Once that was done I walked 1.4 miles in 31 minutes.

Today's routine calls for a total of 60 minutes of walking or some other aerobic activity.  After getting to the office and working for an hour I took a 10 minute walk around the floor I work on.

30 Days of Change Day 2

30 Days of Change Day 2 a day late. I only got in a 30 minute walk at lunch time yesterday. But I got it in today! This is a bodyweight exercise cardio day.

Part 1: 3 rounds with 2 minutes rest between rounds.

6 Jumping Jacks
6 High Knees
10 Jumping Jacks
10 High Knees
20 Jumping Jacks
20 High Knees
10 Jumping Jacks
10 High Knees
6 Jumping Jacks
6 High Knees

After the final 2 minute break I did the first round of Part 2:

Plank 30 seconds
Wall-sit 30 seconds

Once again, I could probably have done it with shorter breaks between rounds but I was blowing pretty hard by the third round anyway and my calves were on fire! I need to get two more rounds of Part 2 in during the course of the day. Thanks for the program Neila Rey!

Neila Rey's 30 Days of Change Day One

I've got to get myself in the daily habit of exercising and make some fitness improvements before I head back into Distinct Crossfit again. With that in mind, I started Neila Rey's 30 Days of Change program yesterday. I split Day One into a walking for 30 minutes at lunch followed by the bodyweight exercises in the evening.

3 rounds, 2 minutes rest between rounds.

6 Mountain Climbers
6 Lunges
6 Squats

I started off with level 1 and took maximum 2 minute rest between rounds. I probably could have done level 2 , which was 10 reps each for 5 rounds. However, I had done "Push Squat Repeat" the day before and was more than a little sore. Jogging at lunch was out of the question though as I didn't have workout clothes nor a place to shower.

Push-ups and Squats

I got this brief workout from Neila Rey, it is called "Push Squat Repeat." I good just barely get through it. I'm in bad shape after a long layoff and then getting sick again. I've felt well for about 10 days after being sick for 7 days. But as I worked out I could still feel the phlegm in my chest and sinuses. Bummer.

Three rounds:

4 Push-ups
4 Squats
10 Push-ups
10 Squats
4 Push-ups
4 Squats
10 Push-ups
10 Squats
Rest 2 minutes

I did hand release push-ups. Total time was 16 minutes. I feel good that I did it. Hope it doesn't kick the cold or sinus infection or whatever it is back into high gear.