08-31-11 Wednesday Week 135

I heart OHS's.

I took a rest day yesterday and then I couldn't stand it because I missed "Nancy" and it's absolutely one of my faves! Running AND overhead squats. Woo! I actually woke up this morning thinking about it -- Shugs was coaching the 8 and 9AM so I brought him some coffee and did "Nancy" while the 9AMers did "Annie."

Then, had to coach the first 3 evening classes and did the push presses and "Annie" with the 6:30PMers... whew!

Training Log

9:30AM

"Nancy"

5 rounds for time:

400 Meter Run

15 Overhead Squats (w:65 m:95)

Time -- 12:40  (1:39 PR!!)

6:30PM

Push Press

5 - 5 - 5 - 21

Push pressin' in my GWOD t-shirt.

Warm ups - 35x5, 55x5, 85x5

Work sets

105 lbs x 5

120 lbs x 5

135 lbs x 3

95 lbs x 21 (phew!)

then...

"Annie"
For time:

50-40-30-20-10 rep rounds of --

Double Unders

Situps

Time -- 5:53

Super happy with my "Nancy" PR. Took more than 90 seconds off... AND I'm still kinda sore from Sunday. This evening after coaching, my knee was bothering me a lot. Almost decided not to work out, but decided it'd be okay since there was no squatting or deep knee flexion. No PR on "Annie" (previous PR 5:51) but I'm still happy with it. I'm just not sure how I can get that workout much faster. My double unders were all unbroken and super fast. The situps were unbroken but I'm a little slow at them. I hate stupid situps.
Danielle gave my left leg the "atomic elbow" after the class so I might be limping for a couple of days, but there was definitely some nasty junk up and downstream from my knee. I am expecting a full recovery by Friday. :o)

08-28-11 Sunday Week 134

Who doesn't love working out in sand?

Today was Summer Crush Games held at Magic City Casino. We arrived at 6:30AM for registration and didn't leave until around 10PM. It was a loooooonnnnnng day. I feel mostly good about my performance. I didn't write down all my times and on the website for the competition, they only have the final overall placement of the athletes. If I can track down what my times were - I will update these.

Training Log

8AM

1 mile run.

Time -- 6:09

Placed 6th, I believe.

12:15PM (approx 1 hr behind schedule)

"Greyhound"

For time:

Run 400 meters

30 Sandbag squats (w:25 m:45)

Lunge 30 meters w/25 lb plate overhead.
30 DB Overhead Anyway (w:20's m:35's)

Lunge 30 meters w/25 lb plate overhead.
30 Kettlebell SDHP (w:55 m:70)

Lunge 30 meters w/25 lb plate overhead.

30 burpees
Lunge 30 meters w/25 lb plate overhead.

Time-- 10:52

Think I placed 4th.

5:30PMish (approx 2.5 hrs behind schedule)

"Flagler"
For time:

60 Double Unders

50 Kettle Bell Swings (w: 35 m: 55)

40 Box Jumps (w:24" m: 30")

30 Thrusters (w: 65 m:95)

20 Chest to Bar Pullups

10 Toes to Bar

Time -- 7:something (don't remember)

I think I placed 4th.

8:20PMish (still 2.5 hrs behind sched)

"Goodbye Irene"

3 Rounds for time:

10 Deadlifts (w: 115 m: 175)

7 Front Squats (w: 115 m: 175)

4 Overhead Anyway (w: 115 m: 175)

Time -- 3:37

Placed 5th, I think.

It was a super long day and I have a major waddle. According to the online scores posted, I finished in 5th place. The scoring system they used wasn't announced ahead of time, but might have meant a slightly different strategy. I think I'm used to the scoring system based on rank points, but for this comp they added up all your times and the fastest total won. The venue was really neat and it's always fun to get to hang with a big group of people just as crazy as you are. It was my first comp without Jonathan, but Danielle and Chris took good care of me. Had a great time in Miami ... will have to visit again!

08-27-11 Saturday Week 134

Best gym in Miami!!

Took a rest day yesterday to let myself recover from a pretty rough early week and travel. Today we went back to CrossFit Threshold and Holt, Danielle, Rey and I did a short chipper just to get the lungs pumping.

Training Log

11AMish...

Warm-up was a bunch of mobility and foam rolling.

For practice, did one round of workout 4 for Summer Crush:

10 Deadlifts 115 lbs

7 Front Squats 115 lbs

4 Shoulder to Overhead 115 lbs

Did not time it, but did it unbroken - I was fresh - just wanted to see how it felt.

then...

For time:

15 Sandbag squats (25/50 lbs)

30 Meter Sprint

15 Toes to bar

30 Meter Sprint

15 Kettlebell Sumo High Pull (55/70 lbs)

30 Meter Sprint

15 Double Unders

30 Meter Sprint

15 Burpees

Time -- 2:40

Holt -- 2:38

Danielle -- 3:30

Rey -- 2:48 (75lb back squat)

This was just what I needed, nice and light and intense... ready to compete tomorrow!!

08-25-11 Thursday Week 134

Holt's mobile photo of my back squat .... from on top of my head apparently!

Back is super duper uber sore today! It even woke me up last night (well, it was either that or my diva dog barking about his covers being wrinkled on his bed.) I figured it was back squats that made me so sore (from Monday) so then I figured I'd do some back squats for recovery.

Training Log
7PMish
Warm-up
Lots of mobility
Foam rolling
Dynamic stretching
Jump Roping
Lacrosse ball


Back Squat
45x5
75x5
85x5
95x5
115x5
135x5


then... 
5 min AMRAP:
7 Box Jumps 24"
9 Kettlebell swings 35 lbs


Total -- 8 rds + 6 box jumps
Holt -- 8 rds + 7 box jumps + 1 swing (w/55 lb dumbbell)

Had a great time at CrossFit Threshold with my pal Chris Holt. Just flew into Miami today for the Summer Crush Games on Sunday. Apparently, they will have live scoring on their website if anyone wants to keep up (www.summercrushgames.com.) It should be a good time.
Chris and I did some light back-squatting and then did the CFED metcon for the day, but decided to use a 24" box since that is the box height in the chipper this weekend. Went with a kettlebell instead of dumbbell for the same reason. I thought some movement might help flush some of the soreness. It worked for about 5 minutes!!

08-24-11 Wednesday Week 134

Warm-up jerk.

I had about 30 minutes to lift tonight between coaching and having to leave for a class ... but I couldn't miss the jerks!!  I heart jerking.

Training Log
5:45PM
Warm-up
Coach 2 classes.

Tape wrists.

Lightweight jerk practice with empty bar, 65, 85, 105, 125.

then...

Jerk

1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1

135 lbs
155 lbs

165 lbs

175 lbs

185 lbs - fail

185 lbs - fail
185 lbs ... got it!!!

There was a big ole happy dance after this one. That was a 5 pound PR for me and it almost felt easy. So, so, so exciting. Then had to put my shit away fast and hit the road.

08-23-11 Tuesday Week 134

Oh. I don't feel good.

Again today with the debate ... vest or no-vest. I was leaning towards "vest" when I began to survey those around me. Matt G said "No. Just try to beat Eddie's time." Then Damon walked over... "Vest. Definitely." Done.

Training Log
4:30PM
Dynamic ROM movement including lots of shoulder swinging - some kicking - some deep lunging with deep hip flexion. More quad rolling (it's my problem area.)

Handstand practice with kickups and frog stand balancing <-- I suck at this.

Also did some hip stretching with distraction. 

5:30PM
For time:
40 Pullups
10 Burpees
30 Pullups
20 Burpees
20 Pullups
30 Burpees
10 Pullups
40 Burpees

Time -- 14:20

Not even gonna lie, total nausea post workout. I feel like I would have been much faster without the weight vest. I noticed it the most on the burpees... it shifted forward when I bent towards the ground. Ugh. Those last 40 burpees were the devil. I did rip some calluses, but turns out they had other calluses underneath so not too much harm done. I think the humidity + raw steel pullup bars makes for lots of hand rips, some peeps got bloody today. But ultimately, it was grip that got me on the pullups.

08-22-11 Monday Week 134

Weighted-double-under action shot...

Paul was the coach on duty tonight. I couldn't decide if I wanted to wear the weight vest for this one or not so Paul actually flipped a coin. Heads: wear vest, tails: no vest. Heads won. As usual, I always try for the top time on the board, and wasn't sure that I'd be able to do it with the added weight.

Training Log
Warm-Up
Samson lunges with high kick
Leg swings
Easy jump roping
Lots of foam rolling for quads
Ankle and calf stretches using the jump stretch bands for distraction.

Hip flexion stretches with distraction.

Back Squat 3x5
Warm up sets: 45 lbs, 95 lbs, 115 lbs, 155lbs
Work sets: 180 lbs x 5, 190 lbs x 5, 200 lbs x 1

"Shazam"
For time:
50 Double Unders
400 Meter Run
40 Double Unders
200 Meter Run
30 Double Unders
100 Meter Run
20 Double Unders
50 Meter Run
10 Double Unders

Time -- 5:06 (with 10 lb vest)

Normally, after failing at 1 rep on the set of 200, I'd try again ... BUT, I wasn't feeling it today and didn't want to push it since I'm competing on Sunday. I possibly need to do some box squatting ... I don't know. I don't understand how I can do 175 lbs for 15+ reps and then get stuck doing 1 rep in the low 200's... something isn't adding up and I'm all ears if anyone has suggestions.
The metcon was horribly fantastic.. got an immediate case of Fran lung. The vest definitely slowed me down, I tripped like 3 times on my set of 40 double unders and even tripped on the set of 10!! This is absolutely a keeper.

08-20-11 Saturday Week 133

Today was day 5 in a row and I might take tomorrow off... I dunno. My quads and shoulders are fairly destroyed but I am still feeling motivated to work out. The way I see it, as long as I still want to do it, I'm gonna do it. I do what I want.

Training Log
10:30AM

Take exactly 10 minutes to find your 1RM power snatch for the day.

then...

In as few tabata rounds as possible, complete--

40 Wall Climbs
40 Hang Power Cleans (w:95/110 m:135/155)
*Partition the movements as necessary.

I worked up to 125 lb power snatch with 20 seconds left on the clock. I think that's a PR.

Total intervals -- 25 (used 110 lbs)

Super stoked about the snatch. It felt easy. I think I might try to max out my snatch sometime in the near future. The wall climbs were absolutely brutal this morning. Shoulders are smoked!

08-19-11 Friday Week 133

There's tigers on my socks.

Just realized I've done 4 days in a row and setting the alarm clock to get up in the morning for another wod. I remember Jonathan and I talking about tapering for competitions and him saying he thinks I'm like Secretariat. In the movie, when they are preparing him for the Belmont Stakes, the 3rd and final race, conventional wisdom would have them rest the horse for recovery. Lucien, the horse trainer says, "I've never had a horse that loves to run the way this one does. You take that horse out one day, he's going to run faster the next. My instict is to train him ... hard... to stoke that fire." Lately, I've been enjoying my time in the gym so much. Every day of training leaves me wanting more. Maybe Shugs is right. I super sore, but it doesn't seem to matter. Maybe I'm just stoking the fires. Guess we'll see.

Training Log
4:30PM
“Stinger”
10 rounds for time:
2 Muscle Ups
10 Situps
100 Meter Sprint

Time -- 12:56

I had that feeling afterward that maybe I could have gone a little faster. Did all ten sets of 2 muscle ups unbroken. I did stop and rest for maybe 10-15 seconds before jumping to the rings on most sets and the fact that they all felt strong makes me think I should have risked failing one and done them completely gassed from the sprints. I dunno. And, oh yeah, I hate situps.

08-18-11 Thursday Week 133

If you look closely, you can see that my legs are black with "burpee dirt!"

Today's workout was great and I'd love to be able to take credit for it ... I do 99% of the programming at CFED ... but it was Shug's brain child. It was as awful as it looked, but sometimes, those are the ones you feel the best after having defeated. I stared down the beast today, and today, "Beast, thy name is Front Squat."



Training Log
5:00PM
Begin Warm-Up
7:30PM
For time:
1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10 rep rounds of --
Front Squat (w:95/110 m: 135/155)
Burpees

Time -- 9:12  ( I used 110 lbs)

This was as miserable as it looks. The burpees were simply a respite from the front squats. I did all the front squats unbroken ... the worst was that last set. I knew I could do all ten, but I also knew how awful it was going to be. The last 2 were ugly, at best. Still, I have much love for the good ole front squat.

P.S. - thank you all for the lovely comments on yesterday's post. I heart comments!

08-17-11 Wednesday Week 133

My happy place; smack dab in the middle of a bunch of crazy CFEDers...

Still playing around with doing a few wods a week with a weighted vest on. Guess we'll see how that works out for me. My attempt at finding some more horses under the hood, I guess.




Training Log
5:30PM
Dumbbell Press
10 - 10 - 10

then...
For time:
60 Double Unders
50 Dumbbell Swings (w:35 m:55)
40 Box Jumps (w:24″ m:28″)
30 Dumbbell Thrusters (w:20′s m:30′s)
20 Chest to Bar Pullups
10 Toes to Bar

Presses -- 20's x 10, 25's x 10, 30's x 10 (barely finished this set!)

Time -- 8:43 (w/ 10 lb weighted vest)


I had to break up the thrusters, pullups and TTB. My grip was just gone when I got to the toes to bar... the last 5 were singles!! The box jumps were really super scary... first time I've done them since the dreaded scraping. Made it through, though!  Yay!

PS- have I mentioned how much I love comments??

08-16-11 Tuesday Week 133

Get-up.

I wasn't feeling well yesterday, so I took a rest day. Decided to yesterday's wod today and so I made Jonathan do it with me. Today was sprinting and I think I'm going to give my shins a few more days to heal before I hit them that hard -- there's still swelling and I'm icing twice a day. I'm trying to keep the dynamic stuff to a minimum - it's been 9 days and I think I'm going to give it until Thursday.

Training Log
4PM
4 minutes max handstand pushups. Rest as necessary.
-- 36 reps (kipping w/ hands on 35lb bumper plates w/abmat in between)

4 minutes max get-ups (35 lb dumbbell)
-- 20 reps
Tabata Row for Calories
-- 62 cals

So, our clock got stopped and restarted sometime during the get-ups, so it may have been longer than 4 mins for that portion. Didn't really keep track of how much rest we had in between but I don't think it was longer than 5 minutes for any of the sets. This was just enough to destroy me... especially the row. I hate rowing.

08-14-11 Sunday Week 132

Friday's back squats.

Been on hiatus for a loooooonnnnngggg time from this blog. But, I think it's my fave way to keep track of my workouts. I'm not going to go back and fill in the blanks but just go forward from here.

Today was a good group with Shugs, Danielle, and Matt G. It only took us 3 hours to get through all the stuff I had written down for us to do. We did a dynamic ROM warm-up together before we started the skills - which was fun. Not going to document it here, but some might say it was harder than the "workout"...!!

Training Log

Noon

Gymnastics Warm-Up

Kick up to handstand x 24

Handstand walk for max distance x5

L-sit on rings, 4 tabata rounds (almost died)

Do one squat clean on the minute for ten minutes.
Add 10 lbs each minute.

75 lbs

85 lbs

95 lbs

105 lbs

115 lbs

125 lbs

135 lbs

145 lbs

155 lbs

165 lbs

1 squat clean + 2 front squats x 5 sets.

145 lbs

155 lbs

155 lbs

155 lbs

155 lbs

For time:

10 Push Press 95lbs, 50 meter Tire Sled Pull (w/45lb plate on top)

8 Push Press, 50 meter Tire Sled Pull

6 Push Press, 50 meter Tire Sled Pull

4 Push Press, 50 meter Tire Sled Pull

2 Push Press, 50 meter Tire Sled Pull

Time -- 6:35

It was a long day, but a good day and I am feeling strong. Wasn't sure I was going to be able to squat clean/front squat that much weight considering the current condition of my quads (from Friday's workout at CrossFit East Decatur) but I did it!