The week before the quarantine

Well, one week prior to being shut indoors in IL we were rucking and working out very hard. Parks are now off limits, especially at Chicago’s lakefront path. Mayor Lightfoot ordered the lakefront closed until further notice and people are going to get a warning, a fine, and then possibly tossed in the brig!

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot! This is gonna piss more people off, but I get it. I’m mostly an introvert so being alone is not a big issue. Having time to catch up on audiobooks, read books, and reach out to people I’ve not heard from in some time.

Now as you sit there contemplating your life in the new age of being cooped up inside many people that I’ve spoken with have stated a truth that was missing in everyone’s life. People contact is important. A meaningful conversation, or a handshake or bro hug goes a long way to make people connected.

Stay in touch using a product called zoom, Skype, or FaceTime. Anything, or smoke signals….. not kidding. (J/k)

Our pics from the workouts – enjoy:

Frosty closed field

Well today the weather man had forecasted warmer temps. However it’s meant to be warmer later in the day more like close to 12 hours after we got up to do our workout.

So, we lugged our rucks and a sandbag(sb) to our destination 1/2 a mile away. Our warmup was mostly indoors and plain old mobility for what was to happen at the field.

We lugged our gear over to the field and began our WOD on a frosted field. One person decided to wear shorts this morning with temps at 34F/1.11C. I am not keen on putting my bare knee on icy ground and neither was he so lunges were hovered above ground for him but not for the rest.

Breathing began to be a tad labored and thereafter we cleaned and tossed sb for distance covering the area we just lunge walked with sb. Now it’s getting a little interesting since i couldn’t find my light sweater for the WOD, and began with my puffy since the temp was lower leaving the house I thought it’d be ok to do the WOD with it.

Ummm, Nope! I was overheating on the lunge walk, and good thing I wore my Icebreaker’s long sleeve wool shirt and it was just fine. The only draw back is that it didn’t help me breathe better. I’m fighting a small sinus infection and chest congestion, but the sinuses began to drain really good so I’m breathing better now as I write this.

Every once in a while when programming in my minds eye I see the workout(s) line of progression from beginning to end, and view the logistics and transitions. They look great on paper and I say to myself ‘this one is gonna be okay’. Not too bad unless your in the mix doing it.

After the clean and toss it’s time for the trusted bear crawl sb drag. Yes! Your flexors and shoulders will totally LOVE ❤️ you! Trust me. Then it’s off to the 8-count body builders and it shows that many people love just diving down and flopping all over the place to do the burpee. Well with the body builder you have to really slow it down to use proper form on the push up. Strength and endurance kids. It pays off.

Once you think it can not get slower (meaning your momentum) we do step ups with sb, and then lay down for leg levers.

All of the work is completed wearing the rucksack except the leg levers where you hold your ruck in front of you with arms fully extended in a supine position bringing both legs to touch ruck with feet or shins while keeping legs straight for the entire rep to count. As you can imagine – it HURTS! Feel da burrrnnn!

Add insult to it we then moved to hanging knee to chest while wearing ruck. 😂. Yes, it’s intentional. The suffering that is.

Then as a happy go lucky sweaty, out of breath group we tucked the half mile back to the box where we just plopped down and warmed down. More like laid on the floor and called it stretching.

Hope you’ll join us soon.

We meet and warm up at CF Spero

Insta- https://instagram.com/rucknfieldfitness?r=nametag

Top off the trunk

Someone may have noticed the taxing effects of the lower body while we forge ahead with the daily leg, and core exercises.

Trying a balanced approach to Fitness is not hard at all. It takes a deliberate attempt to hash out the exercises and the reps/sets to get the benefits. Keeping a keen eye on balance there are fine lines to follow at times so you don’t hurt your progress while you perform under duress/fatigue to eke the benefits you’re looking for.

Upper body work incorporates much of the upper trunk for strength, stability, power, balance,and no momentum hopefully on some of these exercises.

Today at Roos Recreational Field – Rucks On!

Rucks On! 20-30# dry

  • 20 x pull ups (no rucks)
  • 10 x dips on bars (rucks)
  • 20 x shoulder to shoulder (rucks)

Speed Ruck 2-miles

  • 20 x hanging k2c (rucks)
  • 10 x dips on bars (rucks)
  • 20 x thrusters (rucks)

Just a wee bit of O2

Bring the following to your workout at Roos:

  1. Lungs
  2. Gloves
  3. Drink wear
  4. Extra pair of lungs
  • This is a hypoxic way to do your workout, and you’re body will benefit greatly!
  • The performance standards are strict for the sit ups are performed without any momentum at all from lying down knees bent to 45deg, hands laced behind the head and proceed to a upright seated past vertical position of the torso. Yes, this is not a foot supported sit up folks!
  • From 16″ to 36″ the box height is your choice, but must jump and stand all the way upright for it to count. Accuracy is needed, or loss is skin from cement not wood will be your demise.
  • Lateral lunges, be careful to use proper movement pattern. Butt below horizontal, on one leg laterally without the use of trail leg to help you come up to a full standing position.
  • Lying on the floor face up, and propped up on your forearms bring both legs upwards to a vertical plane and back to floor for the leg levers.
  • Hanging knees to chest on pull up bar, knees must pass navel (belly button) to count so make them count and try to go unbroken.
  • Sandbag cleans – what can I say? First come first served. You can share it if you like : Remember that technique never changes. If you’re unable to clean it grab a kb to perform the clean reps per arm.
  • For time – AFAP
  • Run trail x 1
    • 50 x sit ups
      50 x bj
  • Run trail x 1
    • 30 x lateral lunges / leg
    • 30 x leg levers
  • Run trail x 1
    • 10 x k2c
      10 x sb cleans
  • Run trail x 1