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This week my big workout isn’t until Friday, but SFF wanted me to work out on Tuesday anyhow, I guess so that I wouldn’t forget how to do a burpee. 😛
The workout was a bit freestyle. I started with a couple minutes on the rope just to get the ankles uncreaked. Then I dove into the “Filthy Fifty” workout. The hell is that? Yeah, my thoughts exactly! Basically it is a group of exercises which you do all in a row, as fast as you can while maintaining form. Oh, and you do 50 reps of each one.
Yeah, 50. Definitely filthy!
Started out with box jumps. Since, as it happens, I don’t seem to own a 24″ box that won’t cave under my still too immense weight, I used my front stairs. Jumping to the second stair was right around 24″ or so, and kept me on my toes so to speak as I had to avoid clobbering my noggin on the garage door. Adventure!
Next we moved to jumping pull-ups. I’m lucky enough to have a really solid pull-up tower in my garage. Essentially on these you use your ankles to give yourself a bit of a push as you jump up. Though it sounds like cheating, the easiest part of a pullup is actually the first part (where you’re hanging) so you don’t gain as much as you’d think. My arms were noodles after this one.
Next was kettlebell swings. I’ve wanted to get a couple bells for a long time, but I just can’t bring myself to pay the money, especially when the gym has a full set of them and I can go there anytime to use’em. However, today I was here, so I improvised. If you’re looking for weights think about what you have around the house. A duffel bag filled with sand or tools can be a great piece of exercise equipment. Just don’t drop it on your head!
Then we moved to walking lunges. My knees have improved by leaps and bounds as I’ve lost weight, but this movement still makes me nervous. I probably looked like a fool walk-lunging down my sidewalk. Oh well, free entertainment! Tip your waitress!
The next exercise is one that looks amazingly easy, but 50 reps of it and I was ready to cry. You begin in a plank position, arms straight. You then lower yourself to your elbows, then touch your knees down to the ground, then lever yourself back up so your arms are straight again. Sore, shoulders, legs, this works them all. 50 reps and I was ready to flop around like a fish!
Next was a “push press”, essentially a chest press performed on your back with a weight of some sort. Fairly easy, but remember, 50 reps… you have to be careful because if you hit failure, that weight is coming down right on your face. Chunk it out in groups of 10 if you have to.
Next was supposed to be back extensions, but I couldn’t for the life of me find anything to do them on. I’ve also been wanting to get an exercise ball, but I always forget whenever I happen to be at a store. So instead I got up on my tower and did hanging leg raises. Core instead of back, meh. I’ll make sure to get some back work in on Friday.
Next would have been wall ball (LOVE WALL BALL!) but as it happens I have neither wall, nor a ball that weighs enough to be a good workout. So I improvised, using the same weight I used for the push presses, and did military presses with it. Similar motion, similar muscles, it hurt like hell after 50 so mission accomplished.
Only 2 more! But they saved the filthiest for last. Burpees. Yes ladies and gentledudes, 50 gosh darned burpees. I did them all. Every last damn one of them. They weren’t pretty, and they didn’t get done fast, but 50 got done. Ouch.
The final exercise was supposed to be fun. Double-unders! Yeah! Those are cool and fun. In case you’re not familiar, a double-under is when you’re jumping rope and you whip the rope around super fast so it passes under your feet twice during one jump. It takes timing and a fairly fast rope speed, but doing one isn’t super tough. 50 on the other hand… well, I wouldn’t say they were tough, but they were not coming fast. I had to get in 5-7 regular rope jumps between each double under or I would whip the rope right into my ankles, and the thing would put a nice welt on my right arm. In the end though, they got done.
Now the “correct” way to do the filthy fifty is to climb back up that ladder. Meaning, do all of the exercises again in reverse order. However, considering that the burpees nearly killed me, I passed today. I look forward to the day when I CAN actually accomplish that feat. Till then, stay filthy my friends.
