I remember my first tabata interval, pushups. I’d started out thinking it would be the easiest-thing-in-the-world. 20 seconds? HA! All day long, buddy.
It’s amazing how long 20 seconds starts to feel after 4-5 intervals. By rounds 6-7 I was doing…girl pushups.
And I really sucked at tabata intervals for a really long time.No matter what the activity happened to be – wall balls (hell), burpees (hellisher), I would set all kinds of PRs during the first 20 seconds and then die on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rounds until I had nothing left.
So I eventually figured out that a steady pace was essential to completing a tabata.
By finding a sustainable rhythm, I was able to start completing all 8 intervals and stay faithful to the 20 seconds “on”/10 seconds “off” cycle. I don’t do girl pushups anymore.
Last night we did “Tabata Something Else”: a tabata complex for pull-ups, pushups, situps, and air squats.
Setting a good pace for a single tabata was the only frame of reference I had, so trying to incorporate 4 different tabatas into a single workout was intimidating.
My WGP was to keep a steady pace from the beginning and not try to go “all out” or I knew Iwould be on the ground gasping for air at the end.
I kept faithful to my WGP, and was able to finish the entire complex while staying faithful to the off/on time cycle.
But even though I had a solid workout and was proud that I’d maintained consistency throughout each interval, I walked away feeling less than satisfied. First of all, I was able to walk away…everyone else was on the floor motionless.
For all 4 exercises I had accomplished only 215 reps. Although I don’t really compare myself to the other athletes in the box, this total was really low. I know that I could have done more.
By conserving my fuel for rounds 7 and 8, I had cheated myself during the first 6 intervals.
Balance is the key I think. My WGP for my next tabata WOD will be not just “sustained effort” but “MAXIMUM sustained effort”…if Casey is out there puking on Dyer, I should be out there with him. FTW.
The Absolute Best Burger Bowl with Potatoes
3 months ago
3 comments:
Hey nice job on this one, Howard! You did a great job and did your stuff rx'd (so what if you had to go to knees on the your second-to-last rounds on push-ups!). I had originally planned to do as many pull-ups and push-ups rx'd as possible, but it was a struggle to get even 10 pull-ups per 20-sec interval (which I didn't after the first two rounds) with the help of a red band! This WOD is no joke, and I think you did a great job. Casey was puking because he'd been out of the box for two weeks plus drank like a college student last weekend at the football game. That'll do it. :P
Actually, I didn't go to knees on Monday night...that was my first tabata experience. I vowed never to do girl push-ups again after that experience...so far, so good on that one. The pull ups are what killed my final rep tally on Monday -- all of the other totals were-semi respectable. I gotta learn to kip.
Tonight is gonna be fun: BURPEES & THRUSTERS!!!!
Ohhhh, okay! Double awesome then, Howard!! Yeah, the pull-ups wreck me every time, argh! Hope you had fun tonight with the thrusters and burpees!
Post a Comment