Metcon Chaos

Posted on Feb 06, 2007 - 11:25pm by MarkFu in Training Log

Metcon is not something like "neo-con’. You know the terms "cardio" and it’s predecessor, "aerobics’. Neither of those terms could ever describe how we like to get our cardiovascular kicks. I like "metcon" (metabolic conditioning). It sounds sort of military techy, like "We are now moving to Defcon 4 status". It is a jargon word.Those master Crossfit programmers always come up with some highly challenging and diverse combinations of movements designed to jack up the heart rate and improve the basic movements we do like squats, pull-ups and pretty much anything that opens up the hips, the center of superior athletic performance.

So I did this metcon workout borrowed from the Crossfit Marina and Crossfit HQ websites, but what they don’t factor in is dodging other slow moving people working out, making sure you snag your area and keeping folks off the stuff you wanna use. At the busy times you have to pick your spots and then have a Plan B.Then there is adding in some 400 meter runs and dodging cars in the parking lot and the street. (Did I say it was dark?) So picture this: there is an open center aisle, running the length of the gym. At one end, I am doing bodyweight lunges. At the other end is a guy coming at me doing lunges with a heavy barbell on his traps. The humor of us coming up on each other, face to face with one person having to yield to let the other through wasn’t lost on either one of us but since I didn’t have any weight on my shoulders, I had the luxury of laughing a second or two longer as I moved out of his way by high-stepping over a bench. I think by now the regulars at the gym are beginning to expect slightly unorthodox workouts from me. It is amazing that the pace of my workouts are usually much quicker than most of the other gym rats. I must look like a freak from their vantage point. A trainer was so enamored with my "Infidel" t-shirt he wanted to buy it from me. (Now or can it wait until after my workout?)

Here is what I did tonight that was so metabolic and perhaps diabolic in it’s effect:

Round 1:Ran 200 meters, 21 box jumps, 21 knees to elbows, 40 lunges and 32 wall ball shots with a 14# medicine ball.

Round 2: Ran 400 meters, 15 box jumps, 15 knees to elbows, 40 lunges and 23 wall ball shots

Round 3: Ran 800 meters, 9 box jumps, 9 knees to elbows, 40 lunges and 14 wall ball shots.

These are timed and I did these in 24 minutes with all the dodging and moving around I had to do. I suppose I could have done it in less time at Steve and Denise’s place, but I have to admit it added a fun element to the workout. Hey, at least I haven’t gotten kicket out, (yet)!

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