Catchup...

So I guess it has been awhile since I've posted anything...

Where have I been you ask? Studying and writing exams...and trying to get caught up at work before the holidays...

Here is an update on things that have been going on.

I have been diving into Crossfit, loving it more every day. Right now I am still trying to find my SRM (Single Rep Max) for each of the basic lifts that I described in my posts about my onboarding. I am surprising myself with how strong I actually am. Here are some of my personal records so far...

• Overhead Press - 75lbs
• Bench Bress - 105lbs
• Deadlift - 175lbs
• Clean - 120lbs
• Double Unders (skipping) - have worked up to 12 in a row!

I also brought my brother this past week to try out a Crossfit class. It was fun to watch him learn the technique and have him watch me lift more weight than he thought I could!

Over and out for now,

-Sarah

Spinning/Group Cycle Class Plan: Hills and Sprints Week 11

So today was my last Group Cycle class for the semester. At the University (of Guelph) we run 11 week sessions. One of the great things about these sessions is that it is a set class with a set instructor and I get to work with the same people every week for 11 weeks. I loved being able to see the progression over time. In the first week, I had many newbies, who had never taken a class before and by the end I has an entire class of pros who had perfect posture and challenged themselves more and more with each drill. Today was possibly one of my hardest classes to date (burning close to 700 calories according to my HRM) Check it out below! 

Congratulations to all of my amazing students who took themselves to new levels this session. I am so proud of you all!!! I saw considerable improvements in all of you and I hope you saw them in yourselves as well! Thank-you for all your hard work and dedication and it was a pleasure to teach you all this semester. Hopefully I will see you again after the break when I resume my regular Tuesday/Thursday noon cycle classes.

Hills and Sprints 11

• Warmup (Start on Feel So Close - 5 min)
• 6 min climb – 1 min standing/1 min hover, increase every 2 min 60%, 65%,70%
• Tabata Sprint at 60%
• 6 min of jumps, (8 sec counts 1min, 4 sec counts 1min) increase every 2 min 65%, 70%, 75%
• Tabata Sprint at 65%
• Recover for 2min – out of the saddle climb to 70% for 2min
• Reverse Hover Tabata (Double time in hover -> recover standing) @ 70%  
• 2min recovery -> Out of saddle, climb to 90%
• Standing Explosions Tabata @ 90% (half starting on right leg, half on left)
• Cooldown and Stretch

Recovery Day

Yesterday I listened to my body and took a much needed recovery day..

Knowing when you need a day off is sometimes does the trick to renew and re-energize your body to work harder in your next workout. I tried to re-hydrate and stretch and today I felt better than ever!!

Spinning/Group Cycle Class Plan: Interval Grind 10

Interval Grind 10

• Warm-up (6min - start on song Take over Control)
• 9 min climb – 1 min each stand/hover/seated @ 65% then 30sec each stand/hover/seated at double the pace - > then increase to 70% and repeat to total of 9min – 1 min recovery
• 1 legs (active recovery) – right – 1 min 70%, 1 min 75%
• 2:20 min sprint – Seated/hover (20 sec each) – 1 min recovery
• 1 legs (active recovery) – left – 1 min 70%, 1 min 75%
• 9 min climb – 1 min each stand/hover/seated @ 65% then 30sec each stand/hover/seated at double the pace - > then increase to 70% and repeat to total of 9min – 1 min recovery
• 1 min 30 recovery – go to 70% tension -  3 min of jumps (1:30 – 8sec counts. 1min - 4sec counts, 30 sec-2 sec counts) right into a 3 min endurance hover
• 1 min recovery – 1 last Tabata sprint set – 8 sets of 20 sec with 10 sec recover – 60- 65% sprint tension
• Cooldown and Stetch

APP REVIEW: Tabata Pro - Tabata Timer

For those of you who are not familiar with Tabata, you may be wondering what the heck this App is for, and why would anyone want it...

Tabata is a principle of training that revolves around the theory of a work/rest ratio of 2:1 - usually 20 seconds of work with 10 seconds of rest for 8 sets.

Learn more about the Tabata protocol HERE and HERE

Although this principle can be applied to almost every form of training, I have started to use it as a part of my cycling classes, to coach sprinting intervals. (Which you may have noticed in my class plans)

I was recommended this app through a fellow instructor who uses it to keep track of the tabata sets in a class. At one of the gyms that I teach at, currently the mic is out being repaired, which makes it very hard to teach a spin class, especially at a high intensity when you want loud music and have to yell over it. I used this app for the first time in my class yesterday. Even though I had my ipod plugged in with my music, the sounds from the app still worked to let the class know when to work/rest. I also turned the ipod around so that the participants could see the green/red screens flashing to also queue when to work and rest. Overall, I think it worked great, it was something new and let me save my breath and participate in the tabata set as well. Check out a screen shot of the app below.

Crossfit - Getting Started - Training Session #3

This past Friday I had my final, and most challenging Crossfit session. In this session I learned the Deadlift, the Snatch and the Clean.

The Deadlift was definitely the easiest of the three to learn, but it was also a far cry technique wise from what I have been taught in fitness classes.

The Snatch was the most challenging move for me to grasp. It uses a wide grip and the starting position of a deadlift, but then also a jump and pull action and the movement of getting under the bar, similar to the split jerk, but into a squat position. This work is going to take me alot of work to perfect I imagine.

The Clean was a move that I had a bit of experience with from my first two drop in classes that I took, so we spent less time working on this.

So now I am finished all of my private sessions and tonight I am heading to my first actual class as a member of crossfit!! Here goes nothing!

YouTube Fav: Prince Caspian - Christian Girls

I wanted to share this video, not only because I think it is incredibly catchy, but also because this singer is actually a childhood friend of mine, David Fischer! I spent many a play date at his house (along with his sister and my brother) and took piano lessons from his mom. It's a bit weird for me to look back and have these childhood memories of who he was then compared to now. I feel a bit in awe of the talent that he has and am so proud! I had the chance to check out one of his live shows earlier this year and it was so great! Hope you all enjoy!

http://www.princecaspianmusic.com/

Spinning/Group Cycle Class Plan: Hills and Sprints Week 10

Hills and Sprints 10

• Warmup
• Drill 1: Standing Climb 3 min (Start@60%) 1min each 60%/65%/70% - Drop to saddle build speed, sprint for 30sec, recover 30, drop down to 65%, Sprint for 30sec, recover 30, drop to 60% sprint 30sec. recover 2 min
• Drill 2: Standing Climb 3 min (Start@65%) 1min each 65%/70%/75% - Drop to saddle build speed, sprint for 30sec, recover 30, drop down to 70%, Sprint for 30sec, recover 30, drop to 65% sprint 30sec. recover 2 min
• Drill 3: Standing Climb 3 min (Start@70%) 1min each 70%/75%/80% - Drop to saddle build speed, sprint for 30sec, recover 30, drop down to 75%, Sprint for 30sec, recover 30, drop to 70% sprint 30sec recover 2 min
• 3 min endurance hover at somewhere between 65-70% - pick tension that you can maintain for 3 min with speed, do not go breathless, at the end, drop to saddle, make sure you are at an uncomfortable seated tension
• 5 min seated climb, each min stand for 10 sec and add 5%(1/4 turn) – last min go breathless
• Tabata Sprint Set – 8 rounds sprinting at around 60-65% - tension that you have to accelerate into to get fast.
• Cooldown and Stretch

Crossfit - Getting Started - Training Session #2

Yesterday morning I had another session at Crossfit. This was my second of 2 sessions. During this session I learned the series of presses (Overhead Press and Push Press) used in Crossfit as well as the Split Jerk.

Here is a link to a pretty good explanation article of the Push Press on the Crossfit Journal http://www.crossfit.com/journal/library/PushpressJan03.pdf

Also here is a demo of the split Jerk.

What I leaned in this session, these movements use so many more parts of the body that I every imagined they would. I am now learning to be more body aware and using my core muscles in every movement. What I also learned...these three presses are each more powerful easier to use move heavier weight than the next, the press being the least and the split jerk being the most. I have to say, I felt extremely strong and powerful being able to press a 75lb bar over my head multiple times in all positions :)

Overall great session, I'm learning so much. I have my third and final session on Friday. More to come!

YouTube Fav: Alex and the Hats - Messed Up in the Head

Stumbled across this on YouTube today. I admittedly watch "The Real World: San Diego" and this video features current cast member Alexandra Goreve and her newly formed band Alex and the Hats. At first I wasn't sure about her, but I have grown to really like her voice and songwriting, she really does have quite a bit of talent and style as an artist. I'm looking forward to hearing more from her and her band. I really wish they had some sort of MySpace or Facebook Page to share with fans.