Filthy Fifty

Well, today was the day. Time to actually give a good performance. I have improved my fitness significantly since the last time I did this workout. I believe, going into today, my PR was 30+. I just remember bonking out before the wall balls. Today was different. I have a different mentality now, a better diet, a stronger will and most importantly, I am in better shape!

Filthy Fifty

50 Box jump, 24 inch box
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Kettlebell swings, 1 pood
Walking Lunge, 50 steps
50 Knees to elbows
50 Push press, 45 pounds
50 Back extensions
50 Wall ball shots, 20 pound ball
50 Burpees
50 Double unders

22:40

A I told Vadim last night, my disappointment was only outweighed by my satisfaction. I was really hoping for sub 20, this would have completed my life. Am I upset with my time? Not in the least, I am very proud of myself. Looking back now, I think that was the best time I could have posted in the current shape I am in. I really left it all out there. Yes, there was a lot of resting, but it was because my body stopped working! This WOD is set up so perfectly! It is like physically abusing poetry. Let me explain.

Jumping pull ups are a joke if you ask me, there is no reason one can't do these for hours on end, that is, until you put 50 box jumps before them. This actually takes away from your jumping ability and forces you to use more of your upper body.

Before starting the WOD you think, 1 pood (35.2 lbs) kettlebell swing, are you serious? How about I just raise my arms over my head 50 times? Well, thanks to the box jumps, my shoulders are now fatigued from the pull ups. This 1 pood actually has some weight to it!

Walking lunge, strategically placed to give you somewhat of a breather, for, the hard part is still 150 reps away, deep breaths, deep breaths.

Then comes the knees to elbows, these are just demanding as hell, you could put these anywhere in any WOD and they will always suck. I just tried to get ten at a time. Some sets were fifteen, others were five. Just get through them is all that is on my mind.

Next, push press with 45 lbs. 45 lbs??? I crap 45 lbs! Your kidding me right? No Jason, I am not kidding you, the difficulty of anything after knees to elbows is increased, you know this! Deep breaths, deep breaths.

Now, this is where the workout gets hard. Probably the best placed exercises of all. Starting with back extensions. Note, these are called back extensions and not fuck-up-your-hamstrings-and-quads-so-much-that-standing-becomes-an-affliction-extensions! Many people, like myself, can do 50 back extensions in 1-2 sets. This is great for shaving time off of this exercise, but I actually think it increases your time because of the following exercises.

By this time the 20 lb wall ball feels like 50 lbs, and you feel like 500 lbs, whatever, here we go. One.... holy shit, I can't squat. My legs are done from those......back extensions!?!?!?! This is the time in the workout where you really have to dig deep, you have a mountain to climb. Just keep on going, squat and throw, squat and throw.

Once the wall balls are done, you are running on fumes, this is okay (or is it)because you only have two exercises left, unfortunately, one of the exercises, burpees, requires more cunning then any of the preceding movements. Here is how I attack them, every time you feel like stopping, drop down and do another burpee.

Finally, we are at the end, 50 double unders. You can double or triple the length it normally takes you to do 50 double unders for this set. Your body doesn't work very well right now for some reason. Just breath and bang out as many as you can at a time. Your shoulders are on fire, your vertical resembles more of a horizontal and your you lungs are not working as efficiently as they were this afternoon. Just keep going, it will be over soon.

The Fifty is as great as it is terrible. It really tests your will and ability. You go in with a game plan and come out with no game and no plan. I held back puke 3 times. I don't usually feel sick during workouts but I did today. Stopping made it worse, this helped during the burpees. My advice, don't kill yourself on any one exercise. Save something, very little of course, in the tank. Minimize rest maximize reps.