Dad Hacks: Back in a Work Out Groove
(Written while listening to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyq0Sk-I0Ck)
Back in November I tweaked my neck doing CrossFit. Since that time I have been doing physical therapy and spending little time working out except for a few spin type classes on the peloton.
In the past few weeks I decided it was time to get back to the gym. I should note that this is not the first time I have taken time off from CrossFit due to injury. I cannot blame it all on cross-fit, but rather small weaknesses and poor posture from sitting at a computer since high school.
CrossFit is a great functional fitness program, if done properly, can keep you in FASNTASTIC shape to play with kids and keep yourself injury free. Up until now, I have focused more on moving heavy things and not enough on longevity.
My first WOD (work out of the day) back in the gym was as follows (what I did I have captured in parenthesis):
For Time:
200 m Run (same)
21 Clean & Jerks 135/95 (cleans 85)
21 Burpees Over The Bar (same)
400 m Run (same)
15 Thrusters 115/80 (front squats 75)
15 Handstand Push Ups (the movement that caused my most recent bout in PT push ups)
400 m Run (same)
9 Snatches 95/65 (cleans 75)
9 Ring Muscle Ups (box dips)
200 m Run (same)
I have a few key lessons that I have learned:
- It really is all about technique: Pay attention and do not do any movements until you are 100% sure you have it right
- That said, if you are scared of any movement, SCALE as I did above. Sure, it hurt my pride a bit… but it did NOT hurt my shoulders
- Use the body mechanics cues that the coaches give you
- The gym can be a great escape while at the same time helping you appreciate what you have at home
- Get in, get your work done, get out
- Done is better than perfect: one of my favorite phrases applied to work, it also applies to the gym. Some work outs will be ugly, but as long as you stick to good form and get the work done, no one cares. you are not always going to kill every workout, just focus on getting it done… with good form.
- Work out early in the day: As a parent, your day gets away from you. Work, groceries, homework, and on and on. When I get to the gym at 5 or 6am, I have an energy surge that gets me through the day and into bed early.
More to come on this, let me know what work out hacks you have as a parent.
