Vacation in Paradise

I'll be back in a while.

Look for me here:

www.soggydollar.com

Meanwhile - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Fun body weight WOD.

5 Rounds for time of:
20 Pistols (Alternating legs)
10 Handstand push-ups
5 Muscle-ups

or

5 Rounds for time of:
40 Squats
20 Push-ups
10 Pull-ups

Obviously from the choices there, I chose the second WOD. ;)

My time: 18:28, Rx

I enjoyed this one, and it actually felt good to do some pull ups. I'm still slow as heck at them but hey, they felt good and I was "chin above the bar" on every single one! Yay me!

I plan to go to the 5 am class tomorrow, but will not be blogging for a while, as I'll be out of the country. My exercise will consist of running, squats, sit ups and push ups. And drinking beer. (That counts, right??)

“Grace”

Ah, Grace, my dear old favorite. I have an ongoing shoulder issue, so I was disappointed when I saw this posted - I knew I'd have to scale it. I love this workout so much. It was one of my first big "CrossFit aha moments", back when I didn't really "get it", back when I had hardly ever wrapped my fingers around a barbell. But when I got it, I got it, and I have loved this WOD since that day.

So, anyway, knowing I was going to scale sort of set me off in a bad mood this morning. But by the time 3-2-1-go was called out, I was ready!!


30 Reps for time of:
Clean & jerk (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)


My time: 3:40, 65 lbs

We did a lot more dumbbell stuff in the warmup today. Some of it killed my shoulder, even though I was using super light weights. I just need some time off and I'll get that really soon!! Two more days and I'm out of here!!

Tons of work!

Busy morning at CFJ! We did our usual warmup, then a dumbbell warm up. Those one arm overhead squats just kill me!! I'm sure I'll get better at them, but wow! Ouch!

Before the WOD we ran a mile. My time was 10:06. Not my best, not my worst. Not bad for still being congested, I thought.

Then we did deadlifts:

5-5-3 @ 85-105-125
3-3-3 @ 145-165-185

Then the WOD!

With a 15 minute time limit:

Row 2000 meters
As many reps as possible of burpees

Start with the 2000 meter row and with the remaining time of the 15 minutes perform as many burpees as possible.

Post 2000 meter row time and number of burpees to responses.

My row time: 9:42.6
My burpees: 38

Again, not my best, not my worst. All in all a good morning - got plenty of cardio today!

Dumbbells

5 Rounds for time of:

10 Dumbbell squat cleans (dumbbells must touch the floor each rep)
10 Dumbbell overhead walking lunges
10 Dumbbell thrusters

My time: 14:36, using 15# DB's

Good workout! Great dumbbell warm up , and we played "the fish game" on the rowers. Fun morning. Still trying to kick this upper respiratory crud! Ugh!!!

Elizabeth

“Elizabeth”

21-15 & 9 rep rounds for time of:

Squat clean (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)
Ring dips

My time: 18:19, subbed push ups for ring dips - shoulder issues

Still sick...ugh.

Finally - I made it to a workout!

Got up and headed to the gym today. Took it rather easy on bench presses, and took my sweet time on the WOD, but enjoyed it and finished it as Rx'd. That's progress. Now if I could just get rid of all this congestion before the 23rd, I'll be ready for the beach!!

WOD:

21-15-9 rep rounds for time of:

Overhead squat (Men 95 lbs, Women 65 lbs)
Pull-ups

My time: 9:45, Rx

Still...sick.

Still sick. Slept in. Went to work. Feeling better by 5. Not 100% yet but will be going to the gym tomorrow. I need exercise!!!!

Sick.

Still sick. Drove to the gym. Sat down on the bench in the lobby. Got up and went back home and slept a while. Ugh.

Sick of being sick.

I'm sick.

Again.

I woke up Saturday morning with full blown bronchitis. Go figure. Friday I felt reasonably decent, so this hit me out of the blue, like a speeding bus! I managed to get through the Christmas celebration with the kids and grand kids, and I was worthless after that. Thank God for Mucinex and beer!

So I started a Z-pak yesterday and feeling 50% better today. I'll probably be back at the gym tomorrow morning. I need to work out!!!!

“Diane”

21-15 & 9 reps for time of:

Deadlift (Men 225 lbs, Women 155 lbs)
Handstand push-ups

My time: 9:43, Rx weight, mod HSPU to 2 abmats

I always love this WOD but today it felt super heavy. Friday seems to be that way - I'm ready for some rest days.

We also did "Baseline" which I haven't done in YEARS. Like last time I did it, I was still using a band for pullups and still on my knees for push ups. Years!!

Baseline

row 500m
40 air squats
30 sit ups (unanchored)
20 push ups
10 pull ups

My time: 5:34 - That's a PR baby!!!!!


I am ready for the weekend now. Sore all over. Ought to feel good in my stilettos this evening at the company Christmas party. ha ha. Tomorrow, Christmas celebration with the kids & grand kids. It'll be a great weekend!

TGIF!

“Annie”

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

Double-unders
Sit-ups

My time: 11:46 Rx - PR!

Holy Thrusters Batman!

More thrusters? Really? Ugh. I need to learn to love them I guess. But the thought of 75 thrusters really hit me hard today. I felt defeated before we even started.

5 Rounds for time of:
15 Sumo deadlift high pull (Men 95 lbs, Women 65 lbs)
15 Thrusters

My time: 20:21, Rx

I have done this workout twice before and have gotten consistently slower each time (17:21 last time and 15:46 the time before that). Today, I recall Breck yelling at me to "get my mind right". (I was almost in tears after 3 thrusters, and he happened to see me - ha ha - perfect timing, the mark of a great coach.)

I know my head was not in the game and I had to really force myself to suck it up and go on. You have to choose to either check in or check out mentally on every workout, every lift, every day, and I know this is why I was so slow today - Mental Weakness. I must work on that!!

Part of the warm up you could choose from several options. I chose 2 minutes of max push ups. I got to 41. Not too shabby, but much more room for improvement!

Busy morning!

2 Rounds for max reps of:

2 Minutes of rowing (calories)
2 Minutes of burpees
2 Minutes of pull-ups
2 Minutes of ab mat sit-ups (unanchored)

My total: 202
burpees: 17 & 14
row: 19 & 20
plu: 15 & 16
s/u: 51 & 50

These numbers are down from the compare to date of April 5, 2011. The major differences came in pull ups and rowing. In April I started the WOD with rowing - a difference of 9 points. My burpee numbers were about the same today, pull ups were lower, and sit ups were a difference of 15 points.

Warm up included Tabata ttb: 6-5-5-5 & d/u: 9-8-8-7

Then we did the Dumbbell Bear Complex. I stared super light. Really should've started with about 20 or 25, because by the time I got to 30's I still had a lot more in me. Ah well, live and learn!

DB Bear Complex:

5 reps deadlift
5 reps hang power clean
5 reps push jerk
5 reps front squat

All lifts must be performed unbroken.

My loads: 10-12-20-25-33

Running behind today...

As many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of:

15 Dumbbell thrusters (Men 45 lb dumbbells, Women 30 lb dumbbells)
50 Meter bear crawl

My rounds: 2 rounds + 9 thrusters, Rx

This was a torturous workout, especially after we did a thruster ladder this morning, but I do love dumbbell workouts! I'm feeling every muscle now (very sore) and it's only 1:30! I should be crippled by morning.

Thruster Ladder:

55-65-75-80-85-90-95-100-105-110(f) = 750

I hesitated on the thrust part at 110# and failed so I didn't get to count that one, even though it was a perfect squat clean. ;)

TGIF!

Monday through Friday, most weeks I get up at 4:30 am and head to CrossFit for the 5:00 am class. Some days, it's tempting to stay in bed, and occasionally I give in. Usually this only happens if I'm sick. Today, I confess I had a slight temptation to stay in bed. My trapezius muscles are so incredibly sore and the power snatches in the WOD are going to add to that. It's Friday. I'm tired. And on and on. But, knowing myself like I do, I knew I'd regret missing a workout afterward, so I made myself shake off the temptation and go do the WOD.

As usual, I'm glad I did.

The workout was fun, and I did some heavy back squats that felt really great. I haven't gone heavy on back squats in several weeks, and I really needed to. That's one of my favorite lifts and I need to put more mental energy into getting better at them, going heavier and hopefully set a new PR next year.

Today's WOD:

As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:
2 Rope climbs
6 Handstand push-ups
12 Power snatch (Men 75 lbs, Women 55 lbs)

My score: 5 rounds even

Of course, I modified. The rope climbs were standing to reclining stiff-legged descent/ascents (still tough). And my HSPU were to two abmats.

Wendler Back Squats
warm up sets: 5-5-3 @ 85-115-125
work sets: 5-3-3 @ 140-160-175

***
And today is another employee birthday here at work. I never eat any of the food people bring because it's loaded with processed crap. And I get tired of bringing the standard veggie tray. Ugh. So, today I brought something edible and yummy (for me) to share. I made a spread of smoked salmon and cream cheese with chives, and brought Belgian endive leaves to serve it on in place of crackers. Belgian endive is a good neutral "vessel" for dips, spreads and salsas. It's crispy and doesn't interfere with flavors, and it's good for you!

TGIF!!!

Countdown...

So I've been counting down for a while, but now my countdown for vacation is in the more exciting phase. Less than 4 weeks and I'll be on the beach in the British Virgin Islands, soaking up the sun! And our winter weather is just getting started here, so I know as the days go by, I'll really appreciate the thought of vacation even more!

WOD

3 Rounds for time of:

400 Meter run
7 Muscle ups
21 Toes to bar

My time: 20:13, scaled

No. Not Rx at all. Well, I did run. I did do toes to bar. But muscle ups? Nah...not me. Can't even do a decent ring dip. So I subbed. Breck recommended 14/14 pull ups/push ups as a sub for the muscle ups, but I did 7/7. It was plenty for me to get a good workout. I noticed my left hand starting to really hurt on the last toes to bar and discovered I've worn a few holes in my glove. Time for new ones!

Wow!

3 Rounds for time of:

21 Deadlifts (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)
15 Hang power cleans
9 Thrusters

My time: 18:33, 85 lbs


I went with 85 lbs today mainly because of the thrusters. The deadlifts were the easy part, of course. The hang power cleans were a challenge but I could've done 95 on them. The thrusters, however would've been too much. I'd still be there trying to finish!!

I'm proud of my time. I did rest a bit, but I felt like I kept the intensity as much as possible.

Scaling Away

21-18-15-12 & 9 rep rounds for time of:

Pull-ups
Push-ups (Hands released)
Box jumps (Men 30” box, Women 24” box)

I scaled to 21-15-9 rep rounds and a 20" box

My time: 12:33

Wendler Deadlifts
5-5-3 @ 85-115-155
5-3-4 @ 175-200-225

Super busy today and not a lot of blogging time. I scaled this one today because I am super slow at pull ups and box jumps. I feel I still got a decent workout with good intensity. We'll see what tomorrow brings!

“Lynne Murtha”

This WOD is in honor of Lynne, one of the original members of CFJ, who passed away recently. I never met Lynne, but I was certainly inspired by her!

3 Rounds for max reps of:
1 MInute of Overhead squats (Men 75 lbs, Women 55 lbs)
1 Minute of Snatch balances
1 Minute of Hang squat snatches
1 Minute of Rest

My total reps: 88, Rx

And...it feels great to be back at the gym, not sick, lifting weights and getting ready for my vacation next month!

“Helen”

3 Rounds for time:

Run 400 meters
21 Kettlebell swings (Men 55 lbs, W0men 35 lbs)
12 Pull-ups

My time: 16:01, Rx

So far away from my PR of 13:32. Yikes. I'm still fighting this stupid sinus infection, which is no just becoming a pain in the ass. It's more of a "respiratory infection" now, having moved into my throat and chest somewhat. I've got a Z-pak being called in this morning. Hopefully that'll do the trick better than this crappy Augmentin originally prescribed.

The funny (interesting) thing is, I feel really good just after a workout. Maybe I should just work out all day? Ha ha!

I'll get a bit of a rest day tomorrow, since CFJ is closed. But I'll be on my feet cooking for several hours. That'll earn me a little bit of non-primal eating!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

“Austin”

As many rounds as possible in 7 minutes of:

2 Muscle ups
2 Deadlifts (Men 345 lbs, Women 225 lbs)

So, yeah, I don't do muscle ups. (yet?) And I'm still weak/sick so deadlifts at 225 aren't happening today. Here's what I did:

As many rounds as possible in 7 minutes of:

6 sit ups - unanchored
6 push ups
2 Deadlifts - 185 lbs

My rounds: 8 + 3 sit ups

Still not feeling completely well. These antibiotics are crap. I mean, I might as well not even be taking anything at all for as much good as they are doing. I'll be glad when I'm back to 100% so I can feel human again and start doing a decent workout.

Working my way back...

I've been out sick for days. Four days exactly. Made it back to the 5 am this morning and found I'm weaker than I thought I was. Just a sinus infection for crying out loud, but you'd think I was deathly ill. Had to scale way down on this workout!!

For time:

1000 Meter row
50 Dumbbell squat cleans (Men 45 lbs, Women 30 lbs)
25 Handstand push-ups

My time: 15:16, modified

started with 25 lb db's and did 10 reps
dropped to 15 lb db's and finished squat cleans
did regular push ups instead of HSPU

Tomorrow I hope to feel MUCH better. Hope!!

NyQuil

I slept in today - thanks Nyquil.

Being sick is such a waste of time!!!!

"Jerry"

We had a choice today between these two:

“Jerry“

For time:
Run 1 mile
Row 2K
Run 1 mile

OR

“Severin“

50 Strict Pull-ups
100 Push-ups, release hands from floor at the bottom
Run 5K

If you’ve got a twenty pound vest or body armor, wear it.

I chose "Jerry"

My time: 30:12 - PR by 30 seconds!!!

Ok, let's start with the fact that I'm fighting off a cold. I debated on even getting out of bed, but I truly think that sometimes exercise can actually help get rid of a cold faster. As long as it hasn't moved into my chest and my breathing is okay, I can work out. Right? Right! So, I went into it with the thought that I'd give 100% and see what happened.

Well, what happened is I set a new PR!


At first I was disappointed because I wanted to finish under 30 minutes, and I was pushing pretty hard on both runs. Then, when I looked up my previous PR, I was super excited!! Thirty whole seconds!! Yessss!!! My running still isn't fast by anyone's standards but mine, however, I am loving the fact that these "barefoot" running shoes have eliminated a lot of hip, knee and ankle pain, and have me feeling a little lighter on my feet.

“Liz”

20-10 & 5 rep rounds for time of:

Power snatch (Men 95 lbs, Women 65 lbs)
Snatch balance (Men 95 lbs, Women 65 lbs)

My time: 9:51, scaled to 55 lbs

Would have loved to do this one as Rx'd but I'm just not comfortable with bringing 65 lbs down on my back with the snatch balance on that many reps. 55 was just fine today. I felt a cold coming on yesterday and my throat and sinuses feel like they're on fire this morning. Sweating it out through a workout is sometimes a good way to get rid of a cold faster, and I felt great while I was working out. (Or maybe I just couldn't focus on how crappy my throat and sinuses feel while I was struggling to get through the wod?)

Wendler Deadlifts

Started to not even lift today, but glad I did

warm up sets - 5-5-5 @ 95-115-140
work sets - 5-5-6 @ 150, 175, 200

Fun Monday!

3 Rounds for time of:

50 Sit-ups (unanchored using arms)
40 Med ball cleans (Men 20 lb ball, Women 14 lb ball)
30 Kettlebell swings (Men 55 lbs, Women 35 lbs)

My time: 20:58, Rx

This was a great workout. Kind of a lung burner, but it really felt good to push. Could've probably pushed a little harder on the kettlebells and made it under 20 minutes but I was proud of my time. The Med Ball Cleans were the killer in this one. An all around good workout to start the week.

Wendler Push Press

Started at 40-55-60 on my warm up sets
Work sets starting with 70 lbs and found I was doing push jerks just to compensate for shoulder pain so I stopped there. My shoulders are a mess. I think they're ready for vacation!!

“Dan”

4 Rounds for time of:

600 Meter run
11 Clean & jerk (Men 95 lbs, Women 65 lbs)
11 Chest to bar pull-ups
11 Burpees

My time: 36:38, kipping plu

From the comfort of my bed at 4:30 am, I would have sworn I read "3 rounds for time". Ha ha. Wishful thinking!! Still, looking at the workout as posted, I thought "eh, not too bad, shouldn't take too long". WRONG! And I should have known, any time I think that, it's awful. I was super shocked when I heard Breck call out Brad H's time at 26 something and I was still on my third round. I thought "surely I heard wrong". I was thinking I was about 15 minutes into it. Not so. But I just kept pushing and got through it. I'm just now recovered enough that I can type. Ha ha - I kid.

Oh, and we did some double unders 30 sec on, 30 sec off, for 10 rounds. I had a total of 135. Ouch!!

TGIF!!

Great Morning!

21-15-9 rep rounds for time of:

Hang power clean (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)
Front squat (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)

My time: 9:23 with 75 lbs

What a fun workout. I really loved this one. I was right at my limit with 95 lbs on that many cleans so decided to scale to 75. Manageable, yet still a decent workout. First few squats were a little odd- felt like I was going to blow out both knees. But that went away after a while. Fun workout!!


The warm-up was fun, as well. We did a snatch ladder. One lift every 2 minutes for 20 minutes. Total score is all successful lifts added together. Here are my lifts:

55
60
65
70
70
75
75
80
85
85

Total = 720 lbs

“Tabata Something Else”

Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises.

My total: 294

This is up from March 22 (the last compare-to date), but not up to my PR of April 2010. I felt really strong on everything today except pull ups. They sucked. I was weak. I didn't push at all on them and my number suffered because of my weak-minded attitude toward them. No excuses...I just wimped out. However, I kicked ass on the sit ups and squats. :)

We got to work on Split Jerks this morning. It's been a while since we've worked these. It's actually one of my favorite lifts and I'd love to get stronger on them. I think on the next Wendler cycle, I'm going to go to this lift in place of shoulder press.


Despite my admitted weakness on pull-ups today, over all, I felt really strong and good and happy to be working out. I think I'm starting to come out of a valley. That's the way it is with CrossFit (at least for me)...peaks & valleys. It's always nice to be heading up! Been in the bottom for way too long.

“Tabata Fight Gone Bad”

Complete 40 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest. Perform 8 consecutive intervals of each of the following exercises:

Wall-ball (Men 20 lb ball, Women 14 lb ball), 10 ft target. (Reps)
Sumo deadlift high-pull (Men 75 lbs, Women 55 lbs) (Reps)
Box Jump 20″ box (Reps)
Push-press (Men 75 lbs, Women 55 lbs) (Reps)
Row (Calories)

There is no additional rest between exercises.

My total: 207

UGH!!! I'd much prefer just regular old Fight Gone Bad. My score would be way better, I believe. Still, this was a knock-down-drag-out good workout that left me whipped for the better part of the morning and high energy at the end of the day.

We did power cleans during the warm up:

5 @ 55 lbs, 5 @ 75 lbs, 3 @ 85 lbs, 3 sets 5 @ 95 lbs

Dumbbells

21-15-9 rep rounds for time of:


Right arm dumbbell squat snatch (Men 45 lbs, Women 30 lbs)
Left arm dumbbell squat snatch (Men 45 lbs, Women 30 lbs)
Pull-ups

My time: 15:59, mod
(did power snatch instead of squat)


I love anything with dumbbells. I'm having a minor shoulder issue on the right side so I was a little timid about this in the beginning. I started light on the right side and actually it turns out it only hurts when I go into a full squat with the dumbbell snatch...weird. Something about the angle is just different than a power snatch. Anyway, I was able to do the RX weight but just do power snatches.


In the warm-up we did a one-arm dumbbell snatch ladder, starting at 20 lbs, one lift each arm. I got to 55 lbs. Tempted to try 60 but passed. Fun morning!!!

“Colby”

3 Rounds for time of:

10 Handstand push-ups
17 Squat snatches (Men 75 lbs, Women 45 lbs)
11 Chest to bar pull-ups

My time: 19:15

Modified:
HSPU – head to 1 abmat & 10# plate
Scaled up to 55# on snatches
Kipping pull-ups

It was so nice to have B in the 5 am class today!! I miss working out with her. She pushes me to do more than I want to, or rather more than I think I can. Today she decided to scale up on the weight. I figured "what the heck, I did 55lbs on Wednesday, so why not today?". Then on the HSPU she said she had gone to using a 10 lb plate with one abmat instead of 2 abmats. This increases the depth of a HSPU by about 1". I needed to graduate to a lower depth but have been putting it off. Well, B talked me into it. The HSPU were way more difficult that way, but I found out I can do it, and I'm glad I did.

Back Squats today - I just did a few light sets and didn't go past 135. Just worn out!!

TGIF!!!

“Derk”

3 Rounds for time of:

400 Meter run
7 Muscle ups

My time: 16:21, modified
subbed 15 pull ups and 15 push ups per round in place of muscle ups

Well it's officially NOT warm anymore. This morning's temp was around 41, with the wind chill around 32. Yikes! I wasn't willing to go to long pants just yet, even though I knew we would be running. I woke up hot (yeah...night sweats - the joys of aging) and actually put on a pair of running pants and immediately traded for shorts. Shorts turned out to be just fine. A little cool during the run, but no big deal.

Wendler Bench Press
5-5-3 @ 40-55-60
5-3-3 @ 75-85-95

7 Rounds for reps of:

1 Minute of Wall ball shots (Men 20 lb ball, Women 14 lb ball)
1 Minute of Hang squat snatches (Men 75 lbs, Women 55 lbs)

My total reps: 114, Rx
(wallball: 19-11-11-10-9-10-9, snatch: 5-5-5-5-5-5-5)

Really enjoyed this WOD today, although my quads and hamstrings are extremely sore from yesterday's DB thrusters. I'll be crippled by tonight.

Anyway, all the snatches felt pretty good. Had one or two where I didn't have the bar in close enough and I went forward a bit, but all in all, a very good workout for practicing hang squat snatches at a decent weight.

Ran an 800m after class, not timed. Should've done a mile.

Ouch!

After a fun weekend of partying in Euereka Springs, eating and drinking whatever sounded good (trust me...none of it was good for me), I was a total wimp at CF this morning. I barely got to a decent warm-up weight on deadlifts (10 reps at 150 lbs). Then the workout...oh Lord! This is one of my favorites and it almost killed me!!

Every minute on the minute for 20 minutes:
5 Dumbbell deadlifts
5 Dumbbell hang power cleans
5 Dumbbell thrusters

The rx’d dumbbell weight is 45% bodyweight for men and 30% bodyweight for women (that is both dumbbells combined).

Post dumbbell weight used, total minutes completed and total rounds completed thereafter.

My weights/rounds/minutes:
10 rounds with 25 lb db
2 rounds with 20 lb db (these two rounds sucked and I wanted to quit!!)
8 rounds with 15 lb db

So, boys & girls, the moral of the story here is booze and junk food are not good for your health, no matter how much fun you might think you're having while you're living it up! I'm detoxing for a while now. :)

2010 Northwest Regional Event 1

3 Rounds for time of:

10 Overhead squats (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)
50 Double-unders

My time: 10:37 - scaled to 75 lbs

Not a bad workout considering my double-unders are a mess. In practice I got 18 in a minute so I figured I could get this done in right around 10 minutes and I did!! I contemplated going with the 95 lbs as prescribed, but I wasn't stable at that weight. I wanted my form to be good so I scaled to 75. I love OHS and seems like forever since we've really done very many of them. I enjoyed this workout for the most part...all except my shins killing me after the d/u's.


Wendler Bench Press

5-5-3 @ 35-55-65
3-3-4 @ 75-85-95

Skillz

Today was more of a skill day than anything, but I ended up having a really good time and a really good workout!

For max reps:

4 Minutes of 15’ rope ascents
4 Minute rest
4 Minutes of Muscle ups
4 Minute rest
4 Minutes of Handstand push-ups

Choose the order of the skills.

Post reps for each skill and total reps overall to responses.

So here's what I did:

Rope: stand/recline ascent/descent – 9
HSPU: head to 2 abmats – 30
M/U: subbed dips w/ band – 16 & pull ups – 17

For some reason the WOD wouldn't pull up on my phone this morning. Had I been able to see it, I would have worn long pants and tried to do some actual rope climbs. But I'm not interested in scraping up my legs so I did the standing/reclining thing...straight, rigid body, stiff legs. It's a tough sub for climbs.

Prior to the WOD we had time to work on whatever skill or lift we wanted. I chose Squat Cleans.

I did three reps every 2 minutes at the following weights: 55-60-65-70-75-80-85

Most of the lifts I felt pretty good on form. A few I noticed I wasn't keeping the bar in close enough.


****

voluntary 800m run after WOD – 4:30

“Mrs. Hudson”

“Mrs. Hudson”

3 Rounds for time of:
10 Squat clean and jerk (Men 95 lbs, Women 65 lbs)
25 Kettlebell swings (Men 55 lbs, Women 35 lbs)
36 Box jumps (Men 24” box, Women 20” box)

My time: 18:20, Rx weights, stepped box jumps

I went with stepping the box jumps today in the interest of completing the WOD on time. I am so hesitant with jumping that my time suffers badly and I end up not keeping the intensity level high. I don't always sub steps for jumps, but sometimes it's what I have to do to get through the workout.|

Went light on deadlifts today too.

Gosh...I just sound like a wimp today. Ha ha! I need to find my inner bad-ass again!! Let's see what tomorrow brings.

Burpees on a Monday?

For time:

1 Mile run
20 Burpees
800 Meter run
30 Burpees
400 Meter run
50 Burpees

My time: 32:47 Rx

On a positive note, I loved running this morning. That's not to say I was fast or anything. But, my breathing was great, I didn't get any calf cramps. (Think I'm finally getting accustomed to these barefoot running shoes). No hip pain, no ankle pain, etc. So, running was actually a pleasant part of the morning.

Burpees on the other hand were undoubtedly invented by Satan himself. And 100 of them? Really? 100 burpees on a Monday morning? Yeah, definitely some evil stuff going on here.

Burpees take me forever, even when I feel like I'm really "powering through" them. OK, anyone that goes to CFJ and just read that "powering through" part is probably cracking up right now. We all know I don't power through burpees. I struggle through each and every one of them. I am the bad example for now not to do proper burpees. When Breck does that demo of how not to do burpees, I'm pretty sure he's referring to me and my pathetic excuse for burpees.

I always have good intentions. I start out doing them exactly right and by about 80 or so I'm dragging myself up from the floor, no where near a squat position, and my feet do leave the floor on the jump, but probably just about enough to slide a very thin sheet of paper under them.

Yeah. Burpees are evil. Perfect for a Monday.

Lack of Sleep

...will screw up your mind!

OK, I was so pumped after doing this morning's WOD!! I had a pretty decent time on it...did the Rx weight and really enjoyed it. Squat cleans felt great today. I was thinking "wow, what a positive note to end the week"! And then, I RE-read the WOD as I was copying it to my blog and noticed a ridiculous error I had made.

Here's what's posted:

5 Rounds for time of:
7 Squat cleans (Men 155 lbs, Women 105 lbs) <----See that? SEVEN
14 Kettlebell swings (Men 55 lbs, Women 35 lbs)

Here's what I did:
5 Rounds for time of:
5 Squat cleans (Men 155 lbs, Women 105 lbs) <------See that? FIVE! I did FIVE reps :(
14 Kettlebell swings (Men 55 lbs, Women 35 lbs)

I feel like a total idiot now. What a huge let-down. (Although, I will get over it in a few minutes and move on with my day.) I'm disappointed that I was too tired to pay attention to a small detail, even after (I'm certain) Breck said out loud the number of reps we were to do, and my little pea-brain for some reason had locked down on the number 5 and that was that.

Ah well, I'll do this one again sometime. And I'll do it RIGHT. ;-)

****
Wendler Back Squats
5-5-3 @ 85-105-115
5-5-5 @ 120-135-155

TGIF!!!

First Frost!

Our overnight low was somewhere around 30°, so a very chilly morning going to the gym. It was decently warm inside though. So...that leaves me wondering where everyone was this morning!! There were three of us that showed up for this fun little WOD.

5 Rounds for time of:

40 Double unders
30 Sit-ups (anchored with fingers interlaced behind the head)
20 Med ball cleans (Men 20 lb ball, Women 14 lb ball)
10 Handstand push-ups

My time: 29:40, mod hspu w/2 abmats

Breck set a 30 minute time limit on this one, so I had to really push myself to get through in time. The double unders ate up the bulk of my time, and the sit-ups were tough again because of this new standard. But I will say I like it and I'm getting better at it. I actually feel like it's more work, and that's a good thing. Did pretty decent on the HSPU and think I seriously just need to suck it up and go to one abmat.

bench press:
5-5-2 @ 40-55-60
5-5-7 @ 65-75-85

Yikes!

Imagine you are warm and cozy in a nice plush king size bed with the person you love most, on a chilly 42° fall morning, and you roll over to see this as the posted WOD:

For time:
1000 Meter row
then
5 rounds of:
25 Pull-ups
7 Push jerk (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)

Would you find difficulty in convincing yourself to get out of bed? Well I did. I calculated about how long this workout would take me. Probably 35 minutes, minimum. I'm being honest. So, I thought to myself, "ah...it's cold out...I'm tired...I'll take the day off".

And then, like an alcoholic craving that next drink, I convinced myself I needed to get up and attempt the WOD, that I would regret the lost opportunity later in the day. "You can always scale", I told myself. And so, I made my way to CrossFit once again to get my daily dose of pushing myself to the limit.

This was one of the 2007 Games WOD's. Breck said it took him about 18 minutes at the games, but his strategy was all wrong and should have been much faster. I told him I planned to scale it and he actually set some "Masters" scaling plans out for us. Nice! Thanks, Breck!

So it became a 20 minute AMRAP

With 20 minutes on the clock:
Row 1000 m
then
as many reps/rounds as possible in the remainder of the 20 minutes of:

20 pull ups
7 Push Jerks - 135# male, 95# female (this scaling is for 45-49)

My reps/rounds: 3 rounds + 13 pull ups = 94 reps

Deadlifts

Trying not to get an attitude about deadlifts. I'm still a little mystified as to why I couldn't hit 240 last week. I should be well on my way to 275 by now. In my mind. Anyway...today we started a new cycle of Wendler and I went with 235 as my training weight, which is my one rep max still.

Warm up sets:
5 @ 95
5 @ 125
5 @ 140

Work sets:
5 @ 155
5 @ 175
5 @ 200

Then we got to do some more deadlifts in the WOD. I didn't mind, really. I was able to do them unbroken at this weight. It's the box jumps that sucked the life out of me and killed my time. Ha ha. Still, I have to say this was an enjoyable workout.

3 Rounds for time of:

400 Meter run
15 Deadlifts (Men bodyweight, Women 3/4 bodyweight)
30 Box Jumps (Men 24” box, Women 20” box)

My time: 18:39, Rx (115 lbs)

Good Morning!

5 Rounds for max reps of:

1 Minute of dumbbell hang squat cleans (Men 45# dumbbells, Women 30# dumbbells)
1 Minute of burpees
1 Minute rest

My total reps: 90

11 hang squat cleans and 7 burpees each round

TOUGH workout! But fun. I always enjoy dumbbells. I started losing my grip about 40 seconds into each round. And of course, the burpees are always a time killer for me. Some people were getting 16+ burpees in. Amazing!!

Started a new cycle of Wendler this morning. I went to Push Press instead of Shoulder Press.
Set my 1 rep max at 115 which I don't know if that was accurate or not, but oh well.

Warm up sets:
5 @ 40
5 @ 55
3 @ 65

Work sets:
5 @ 70
5 @ 80
5 @ 90

90 was a struggle, but I managed. ;)

****

Took measurements and forced myself to get on the scale this morning. I've been feeling chubby and been really down on myself about it. But too scared to gut up and find out the ugly truth. Well, the truth wasn't nearly as ugly as I had imagined.

All the summer beer drinking did catch up with me though, and I need to drop about 5 lbs and a couple inches. I have 72 days until I'll be laying on the beach in the Virgin Islands, and I'm going to be ready!!

Slow, but fun!

For time:

400 Meter run
50 Sit-ups (Fingers interlaced behind the head with feet anchored)
30 Kettlebell swings (Men 55 lbs, Women 35 lbs)
15 Deadlifts (Men 225 lbs, Women 155 lbs)
800 Meter run
15 Deadlifts
30 Kettlebell swings
50 Sit-ups
400 Meter run

I woke up and looked at the posted WOD on my phone and I was so excited about doing this one. I love kettlebells, deadlifts and sit-ups, and lately I have enjoyed running. What's not to love about this WOD?

I should have been able to do this entire thing unbroken. However, it was so broken up it was ridiculous. WTF? Really I just felt weak today, much to my own surprise. A 155 lb deadlift is not heavy and I was breaking those up! Yeah...weak.

One other thing that made it more difficult was the sit-up standard for today. Fingers interlocked behind the head, elbows out at the top, not reaching them in to touch the knees was the rule. This sounds like no big deal, but I promise, it makes a huge difference! I can usually fly through sit-ups and strategically in a WOD like this, they are my saving grace. Not so today!!

Ah well, the bottom line is I got a nice workout and I did it as prescribed, so no complaints. But I'd love another shot at this one some day.

I did manage to set a small PR on Bench Press today!! Yay! My new one-rep max is now 105 lbs!!

"Camille"

As many rounds as possible in 8 minutes of:

3 Snatch complexes (Men 125 lbs, Women 85 lbs)
3 Wall climbs

Snatch Complex: Power Snatch, Hang Power Snatch, Hang Squat Snatch. Once each complex starts, athlete must finish the hang squat snatch. If any segment of the complex is failed, the athlete starts that rep over again from the power snatch. Squat snatch can be caught high and ridden down to depth, as long as it’s not distinctly a power snatch into an OHS.
Wall Climb: Starts in pushup position, ends with full locked out arms and legs, with sternum making contact with wall. Can not go crawl back to all fours, then kick legs up onto wall. Descend any way you like, as long as you start each rep in that pushup position.

My rounds: 3 + 1 snatch complex - used 55 lbs and my wall climbs were not legit

Aside from the wall climbs, I loved this workout. I guess I should say I loved the snatch complex. And in hindsight (as usual) I could've gone heavier. I would love to see this complex paired with another skill in maybe a 15 or 20 minute AMRAP. Maybe 3 snatch complexes and a 400 m run, or something like that.

Ran an 800 m after the WOD: 4:33

“Cindy”

Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:

5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats

My rounds: 10 + 9 push ups

Cindy is always a good workout. I was a few rounds off my PR today, but I still got a great workout. The push-ups killed today for some reason. Pull ups felt good, even though I was jumping up to the bar (which I dislike).

Deadlifts were a huge disappointment for me today. I had high hopes of setting a new PR, but I really don't think the rep scheme had me warmed up enough. My mind was right, I was focused, my form felt awesome, and I got the bar off the ground three times with 240 lbs, but could not finish the lift past knee level. I was pissed about it for over an hour, but I can't dwell on it. I'll get it next time!!!! There has to be something I was doing at the point of failure that I can correct.

Good Monday!

As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:

5 Thrusters (Men 95 lbs, Women 65 lbs)
7 Hang power cleans
10 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls

My rounds: 5 + 4 SDHP, as Rx'd

I liked this WOD, but I have really lost the ability to do SDHP in rapid succession. I got so winded on them. They used to be one of my favorites. Still enjoy them but I really had to split them up this morning.

Today's warm up included a "tabata mashup" of pull ups, sit ups, push ups and squats. Here are my numbers from that:

pull ups: 7-6-6-6
sit ups: 10-10-10-10
push ups: 7-7-7-7
squats: 11-10-10-10

And, after 6 cycles of Wendler, we got to go for a new one rep max on Shoulder Press. My original 1 rep max at the beginning was 80. Today I set a new PR of 90 lbs!

I have to say, I am continually amazed at some of the athletes at our box. Anthony is just crazy fit...crazy!! He had a one rep max shoulder press of 225 lbs and from where I was standing, he made it look easy. Then there's Christina. I kept up with her for 5 reps and then she was finishing round 2 before I finished round one. Incredible! There are so many more people that are amazingly strong and fast...really encourages me to try harder seeing them doing so well.

TGIF!

“Karen”

For time:
150 Wallball shots (Men 20 lb ball, Women 14 lb ball)

My time: a pathetic 14:29, as Rx'd

What a busy morning! We started with the regular warm up, then went into Tabata Double-Unders which really for me was more of a fight with the rope than anything. My lowest round was 5 double unders, so that was my score. I had one round of 12. It was a fun change to the warm up.

Then we did the "CFJ Mile" as people are calling it. I like that name.

400m 1:55
200m 0:52
400m 1:52
200m 0:50
400m 1:50

total time with 1 min rest breaks: 11:19

Running felt awesome this morning. I really should've taken a day off CrossFit and just run a 5k. Anyway, I really thought I had hit a PR on this running WOD this morning, but looking back on my notes, I was TWO seconds off my PR of 11:17.

Wendler Back Squats - just really goofed around. I did 3 sets of 5 @ 85. It's Friday, I'm tired, and I still had Karen to look forward to!! And you can see how that turned out. Ha! Not my best effort on Karen. But I had a good week at CFJ and I have lots of sore muscles to show for it.

I'm looking forward to a couple of rest days. Might throw in a run on Sunday if the weather is nice.


******************

I took the day off work to "rest" and ended up with a list of errands that will probably take me all day:

-Take the dog to the groomer
-Pick the dog up
-Go to the AT&T store and continue the saga of the iphone (long story short, I lost my phone at the fair, bought the iphone 4, then they come out with the 4s which can be pre-oredered today)
-Pick up some packages from my office
-Go to the mall to pick up something I ordered
-Drug store for miscellaneous items
-Pet store for supplies
-Shoe shopping - yay!
-Take a nap. (Somehow I doubt this will happen!)
-Get ready for Date Night with the hubster. :)

So, maybe my next "day off" will really be a day off!

~TGIF!~

Thursday

21-15-9 rep rounds for time of:

Box jumps (Men 24” box, Women 20” box)
Dumbbell ground to overhead (Men 45 lb dumbbells, Women 30 lb dumbbells)
Toes to bar

My time: 15:32, scaled to 25 lb DB's

I really thought I'd be faster on this one. I actually jumped down from the majority of the box jumps rather than stepping down like I normally do. I'm trying to improve on this. It was the toes to bar that got me today. I don't know why. I'm usually pretty decent at these. Oh well, it was a good workout, right?

In hindsight I could've done the 30 lb DB's because I was doing snatches with these 25's and not having a lot of trouble. I rested too much on the set of 21 though.

Looking forward to Friday!!

“The Bear Complex”

7 Sets of the sequence:

Power clean
Front squat
Push press
Back Squat
Push press
5 Rounds

Rest as needed between rounds.

My loads: 55, 65, 75, 85, 95 (failed on 95)

I am a little ticked at myself for not making it through 95 lbs this time, but it was a simple mistake. I came back up from the back squat on the 2nd set and tried to go right into a thruster instead of resting and then push pressing, and I failed to lock out...had the bar too far back and then I lost it and I foolishly tried to let it go to my back again to rest, but it rolled right down my back. I went forward trying to get out of the way, so no damage from the bar - just my ego.

But, as with every day in CrossFit, tomorrow is another day, and I'm looking forward to whatever challenge comes up!

Whew!

For time:
Row 500 meters
150 Double-unders
50 Burpees

My time: 19:30*, Rx

I called time, Breck didn't hear me. Samantha gave me this time after I called the 2nd time. So I'm thinking I might have been 19:28 in reality, which would have been a PR by 2 seconds. But I'll go with this for now.

Double unders just ate me up today . Couldn't get a rhythm going and then when I did I was out of breath. Still it was a good cardio workout. I'll take it.

Deadlifts were nice today. Wendler...of course...

5-5-3 @ 105-125-150
5-3 @ 150-175
5 @ 225 (yay!)

We are going to find new one rep max next week. Looking forward to that!!

The warm-up today included a "tabata mashup". It was overhead squats and double unders. My total doubles were 35 and my total overheads were 28. Fun.

“Nicole”

Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:

Run 400 meters
Max rep Pull-ups

My rounds/reps: 5 rounds, 54 pull-ups

Just 2 reps shy of my PR. Not a bad start to the week. I'm having a cramping problem in my right calf though and it's annoying. I need a long, slow run/jog to work it out. I'm going to get one or two runs in this week after work. Time to slim down for the beach...86 days away!!

Wendler Shoulder Press
5-5-3 @ 35-40-45
5-3-1 @ 55-65-75 - got 4 reps at 75

Row, Row, Row!

5 Rounds, each for time of:

500 Meter row
Rest 5 minutes between each round.

My times:
2:02.2
2:03.0
2:07.2
2:12.6
2:06.1

I was considerably faster this time than I was back on June 29. Still, I'd love to get at least the first two rounds back under 2 minutes where I was in April 2010. I love this workout because there is really no way to take it easy. You have to go all out every round. I mean, yeah, you could slow down and really sandbag, but when everyone around you is going all out, there's no way anyone in their right mind would do that.

Wendler Back Squats Today I was going to go light again but decided to just test the waters and see how my back is feeling. After the warm up sets, it felt fine so I went for it, and I ended up actually getting a 5 rep PR at 170. I love ending the week on a good note.

I shall reward myself with beer tonight!

TGIF!!

Worth Waking Up!

I had a pretty decent morning at CrossFit! I don't mean to say that this is unusual, but lately I've been lacking sleep and haven't had a lot of faith in myself at the gym. But today...was fun!

First we did our warm up and then agility drills and then instead of the 400-200-400-200-400 we usually do, we ran an 800 for the CF Level testing. I'm a slow runner, we all know that. So I was thinking 5 minutes for an 800 would be about right. Figured anything under 5 was gravy.

Well...I got some gravy! My time was 4:07, and this is by far the fastest 800 I've ever run! So I set a new PR. I love doing that.

Proud? Yep! I am!

Then it was on to the Wendler Bench Press. I commented and told Breck I didn't think I was making any progress on them. Well, I was wrong. I got three reps at 100 lbs. Back when we started this program, 100 lbs was my ONE rep max. So I have improved for sure!

Then on to the WOD

Complete as many rounds as possible in 15 minutes of:
10 Wall ball shots (Men 20 lb ball, Women 14 lb ball)
10 Toes to bar
10 Box jumps (Men 24″ box, Women 20″ box)

My rounds: 5 + 9 TTB

Not any world record here, but it was a fun workout and I enjoyed it. Life is good and today it was definitely worth waking up so early for my hour at CrossFit!

“Elizabeth”

21-15 & 9 rep rounds for time of:

Squat clean (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)
Ring dips

My time: 17:33 - Rx weight, purple band with ring dips

I have to say my banded ring dips are getting better. I did two legit ring dips with no band in the warm up today. After that I needed the band. So, I'm making progress. It's all about progress, right?

The strength component today was Squat Cleans - 1 every 2 min for 20 min

My loads:
55-65-70-75-85-95-100-105-115-120

My PR on a squat clean is 125. I wasn't sure - had to look it up. Wish I had known this at the gym - I would've shot for 130. Ah...next time.

Good Workout!

For time:
1200 Meter run
45 Kettlebell swings (Men 55 lbs, Women 35 lbs)
9 Burpees
800 Meter run
30 Kettlebell swings
15 Burpees
400 Meter run
15 Kettlebell swings
21 Burpees

My time: 28:30 Rx

This was a really good workout. Didn't mind the running, although I was slow as usual. Kettle bells are always a favorite and then the burpees...ugh. Well, I pushed through as fast as I could and I was a little faster than normal on them. So, really the running is probably what slowed me down on this one. I like the workout though.

Went light on deadlifts today again. My low back has just not been right the past couple weeks, so I am taking it easy to see if it'll just straighten out. Don't want to make it worse!

“Fran”

This WOD gives me the heebie jeebies every time. I think if I didn't get so worked up and jittery over it, I might have a faster time. Might. ;)

21-15 & 9 rep rounds of:

Thruster (Men 95 lbs, Women 65 lbs)
Pull-ups

My time: 9:32 Rx

This is 7 seconds slower than my PR. Seven seconds. Geez. I know I wasted 7 seconds just trying to breathe. Ha ha!

Oh well, it was a good effort, and it's over with. Now if I can just get rid of the cough that comes with it!!

"DT"

5 rounds for time of:
12 Deadlifts (Men 155 lbs, Women 100 lbs)
9 Hang power cleans, (Men 155 lbs, Women 100 lbs)
6 Push jerks, (Men 155 lbs, Women 100 lbs)

My time: 16:19, 85 lbs

Almost two full minutes faster than the last time we did this one, however, still not as fast as my 13:10 PR set in April of 2010. I'm starting to get more sleep and keeping my nutrition in good shape, so I think my performance should start improving.

Tomorrow is WARRIOR DASH!!! I'm so excited/nervous. I know I can do, but I've never done a mud run, let alone an obstacle course type thing. I'm sure it'll be a blast getting all dirty though. Haven't done that since I was a kid. Unless you count those rainy camping trips on Boy Scout Camporee's when I was cooking (usually in the rain!) for 80+ people all weekend long.

Ah, sleep.

I needed a rest day today...

So I took one!

Back at it tomorrow.

Fun Morning.

Today's WOD:

3 Rounds for time of:

21 Toes to bar
21 Kettlebell swings (Men 55 lbs, Women 35 lbs)
21 Wall ball shots (Men 20 lb ball , Women 14 lb ball)

My time: 17:35, Rx

Didn't set any records on this one, but it was fun. I was last to finish, as always. *sigh* But I finished and I did the prescribed weight so I call it a good morning!


The strength today was Wendler Deadlifts. However, my low back was a bit achy and I didn't want to risk it. So, I ran with Andy and Brad. We did four 400m runs with a minute rest between each.

Here are my times:

2:03
2:08
2:13
2:02

Happy Monday!

I actually had a very decent night of sleep last night. It's been a long time since that's happened, and I felt great this morning.

For time:

400 Meter run
21 Front squats (Men 155 lbs, Women 105 lbs)
400 Meter run
15 Front squats
400 Meter run
9 Front squats
400 Meter run

My time: 16:03, scaled to 85#


I enjoyed this workout, but had to bust up the set of 21 a little too much. Just one of those mental things. I'm stronger than that...

Anyway, I wouldn't mind doing this one again, and would probably go with the prescribed weight.

Wendler Shoulder Press

Ugh! I'm not getting anywhere with this. I got to my final work set of 3 @ 75 lbs, and failed on the 2nd rep. I just need to start over, find my one rep max and start from scratch. I want to get stronger on this!

TGIF!

I'm so super glad it's Friday. I need a day to sleep late!! All the workouts this week have been fun and I'm sore all over. I love it!

today's WOD:

5 rounds for time of
30 double unders
200 m run

My time: 13:28 Rx

This one was quick and fun. My double unders have started to improve somewhat, though I'll never be on the level of people like Andy, B, Christina and all you super fast people at CFJ!!!

Strength today was 1 squat snatch every 2 min for 20 min. I stuck with 55 lbs and worked on form.

“Lynne”

5 Rounds for max reps of:
Bench press (Men bodyweight, Women 2/3 bodyweight)
Pull-ups (Immediately followed by bench press)
Rest 5 minutes between rounds.

Post bench press load and total reps to responses.

Bench: 10, 6, 8, 6, 4 - 85 lbs*
Pull-ups: 12,11,11,11,11

*2/3 bodyweight would be 100 lbs for me. I scaled to 85, because 100 is my 1 rep max.

Last time we did this workout I used 65 lbs and got 127 reps. My bench numbers were really lower this time and my pullups higher. So, I guess I improved on something!! :-)

Tabata Bottom To Bottom (don't forget to breathe!)

Tabata “Bottom to Bottom” Squat
Run 1 mile

Clock starts for run on rising from last squat.

My mile time: 10:28
My tabata lowest number: 4


I've only done tabata bottom to bottom one other time and fortunately it was long ago enough that I forgot that miserable burning "OMG I'm gonna die right now" feeling about 8 seconds into the bottom of the rest period. Otherwise I probably would have slept in this morning.

The first work set was not a problem, nor the first rest. Second go around, however, was another story entirely. When I stood up from the 10 second rest, I was seeing stars. Not pretty stars, but those things you see right before you pass out. So, I sucked in some air and squeezed in a few squats. Then, when it was time for the next rest period ("torture period") I lasted about 4 seconds at the bottom and basically failed at the entire workout. I came right back up and tried to stretch out my hips and again, tunnel vision, stars, woozy...haha. I'm not good at this, apparently.

It occurred to me on the next set that I was HOLDING MY BREATH on the rest portion. Duh!! No wonder I was about to pass out. So, I remedied this little problem and managed to make it through the rest of the WOD without losing consciousness. However I did short some of the rest periods, just due to muscle failure.

I have never looked forward to running a mile more in my life!! I was slow on the first half, just from lack of oxygen to my legs during those rest periods. However, I pushed myself on the second half and running felt so awesome today! My time wasn't stellar by any means, but it feels good to feel good!! Not sure how else to say that.

Strength today was 1 squat snatch every minute for 10 minutes.
I stuck with 55 lbs throughout and had zero misses.

Yay - Deadlifts!!

Complete 5 rounds of:

Deadlift, 3 reps
Max rep Handstand push-ups

My loads & Reps:

rd 1 – 205 lbs, 5 hspu (2 abmat)
rd 2 – 205 lbs, 7 hspu
rd 3 – 215 lbs, 7 hspu
rd 4 – 220 lbs, 7 hspu
rd 5 – 225 lbs, 7 hspu

I had fun lifting with Christina today. She's such a good motivator.


Wendler Deadlift - deloading week:
5-5-3 @ 105-125-175
*these are higher than my normal numbers but we were working up to the weight for the WOD.


The warmup today included skills work. There were several options, or you could choose something to work on.


I did 5 pull ups every other minute and max L-sit every other min for 20 min. Made it to 10 rounds on pull ups and 9 rounds on L-sits.


My L-sit times were : 11-10-12-10-10-10-9-9-5

Courage and Grace

Courage is grace under pressure. ~Ernest Hemingway

"Grace"

30 Reps for time of:
Clean & jerk (Men 135 lbs, Women 95 lbs)

My time: 9:35 Rx

Not a PR by any means, but I truly felt solid form on 29 of these 30 lifts today. I concentrated on form, took my time, and although I was somewhat disappointed with my slow time, I finished the workout. I had one clean that I let the bar get too far out from my body and one jerk where I felt like I finished poorly, not getting my head through. Grace is still my all-time favorite, and I shall one day have a new, much faster PR. It will happen!!

I've been quite a mess lately. My nutrition is horrible. My sleep patterns are all messed up. But today all that changes. I cannot continue this way. Nutrition is an easy fix, so it's fixed. Clean meals are lined up for the entire week. Sleep patterns will follow because I intend to add some evening exercise to my routine. That usually helps me sleep.

Wendler Shoulder Press - deloading week. 5 ea @ 35-40-45

“Annie”

50-40-30-20 and 10 rep rounds of:
Double-unders
Sit-ups

My time: 13:07 Rx
(way off my PR)

We did the WOD first today which is different from our usual order. I wasn't looking forward to Annie, but I did ok. My double unders have gotten so bad lately that I was afraid to even try. However, I had several good sets and managed to finish under 15 minutes (a self-imposed time limit).

Then came the strength WOD - Wendler Back Squats

I debated on even doing squats. But I felt like I should use my hour up. So, I started in with my warm up sets. 5-5-3 @ 75-95-110 Then on to the work sets. Got the first set of 5 at 140. Then moved up to 160. And all the emotion of the last week of so stared to hit me. I could feel tears coming to my eyes but I just pushed it back. Did my 3 reps at 160 and loaded up for the 1 rep at 175. Nearly crying by this point, I just focused all my emotions into doing perfect squats and I hit 4 reps at 175 (this is a PR!!). I felt awesome!!! But I had to get the heck out of there, because I was just about to lose it.

I sat and wrote a few things down, said a few words to some people around me, and quickly got to my car. As soon as I put it in reverse, I just lost it - I cried all the way home, and prayed. Honestly, it was just what I needed to do!! I'm so bad at holding my emotions in.

I feel incredibly uplifted and happy today.

TGIF!!

Farmer's Hell

For time:

2 Laps around retention pond farmers carry (Men 45 lb dumbbells, Women 35 lb dumbbells)
10 Handstand push-ups with dumbbells
20 Box steps with dumbbells (Men 24” box, Women 20” box)
1 Lap around retention pond with dumbbells overhead
20 Box steps with dumbbells
10 Handstand push-ups with dumbbells
2 Laps around retention pond farmers carry

My time: 23:47 - modified
(hspu w/2 abmats no db, 1st walk with 30#, remainder with 20#)

OK, so, this was posted as 35 lbs on the website. Breck wrote 30lbs on the white board, so I started out with 30 lb dumbbells. I did the first 2 laps of farmer carry with the 30 lbs and immediately scaled down to 20 lbs.

I will just say this: I never worked on a farm, but I seriously doubt a bucket of feed or a bucket of milk would weigh 30 lbs!! Only in CrossFit...Ha ha!

Anyway, it was a fun workout, despite my grip failing and my forearms being almost too sore to type now.

Wendler Bench Press
5-5-3 @ 40-55-65
5-3-1 @ 85-90-100

Busy!

For total reps:
Complete 2 minutes of each exercise followed by one minute of rest in between each exercise for a total of 29 minutes. Choose any order you prefer to complete the exercises.

Squats
Sit-ups
Pull-ups
Push-ups
Double unders
Back extensions
Box jumps (Men 20″ box, Women 17″ box)
Row (calories)
Ring dips
Burpees

My total: 332

squats – 70
sit ups – 55
pull ups – 22
push ups- 24
doubles – 34
back ext – 28
box jump – 34
row – 24
ring dips (band) – 20
burpees – 21

Searching for Normal

Last week on Wednesday, my mom passed away. I managed somehow to get up every morning and hit a CrossFit class to keep some sense of normalcy and control. But the stress and grief take a toll on your body, so I've just been exhausted.

Yesterday I enjoyed a nice bike ride with my husband, and it felt good to get out in the beautiful weather.

Back at CF this morning, I loved deadlifting again. The lifts felt good and I felt strong. I think I set a 5 rep max! :) So, I'm hoping to start sleeping better, and feeling some sort of "normal"
again soon.

Wendler Deadlift:
warm up sets: 5-5-3 @ 100, 125, 150
work sets: 5 @ 175, 3 @ 200, 5 @ 225

WOD:

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
15 Back squats (Men bodyweight, Women 2/3 bodyweight)
25 Burpees

My rounds: 3 + 15 squats and 1 burpee
2/3 should have been 100 lbs, but I was going from the rack so I scaled up to 105

Crazy Workout!!

3 Rounds for time of:

10 Dumbbell squat cleans (Men 45 lb dumbbells, Women 30 lb dumbbells)
20 Dumbbell push press
30 Lateral jumps over bench

My time: 13:48, not rx at all

I started out thinking I would do this as Rx'd. Then I realized that doing squat cleans with those heavy DB's, there was no way I'd be doing lateral jumps over the bench when my legs start to fatigue. I was able to do them in the warm up, but it was a close call a few times and I wasn't even exhausted yet. So...I decided to jump over a barbell, and still do the Rx weights.

Well, well, well. I got into the workout, did 10 squat cleans, and then struggled to lock out on the second push press, so I scaled to 20# weights. Still a tough WOD and still kicked my butt! Whew!!!

Wendler Shoulder Press
warm up sets: 5-5-3 @ 35-40-45
work sets: 3-3-3 @ 60-70-80

Had to fight for that third rep at 80. Wow!!!

TGIF!!

Fun Friday again! Finally a WOD that was right up my alley. Oh, I wasn't lightning fast or anything, but I felt like I had a pretty respectable time on it. It helps that I love deadlifts and I don't mind toes-to-bar. :)

5 Rounds for time of:

15 Deadlifts (Men 185 lbs, Women 125 lbs)
15 Toes to bar

My time: 13:57, Rx

First round of deadlifts unbroken, the rest were broken 10/5. Not a bad ending to a week where I started out feeling like I should quit. I love CrossFit so much, I really don't think I'll ever quit.

Wendler Back Squats
warm up sets: 5 ea @ 75, 95, 110
work sets: 5 ea @ 115, 135, 155

No scaling today!

3 Rounds for time of:

400 Meter run (2 laps around retention pond)
15 Dumbbell ground to overhead (Men 45 lb dumbbells, Women 30 lb dumbbells)
15 Burpees (jump onto bumper plate)

My time: 24:32, Rx!

When we started out this morning choosing our dumbbells for the WOD, I picked up the 30's and did the 5 reps to test them out. All I could think was, "These are sooo heavy!! (<----in my best whiner-crybaby voice). So I put them away and got 25's. I'm scaling. Well, about half way through the strength workout (which we do before the WOD), I started feeling like a slacker about my plan to scale. What was I thinking? Why would I scale? I can do 30 lb dumbbells! I love dumbbell workouts!! And just like that, I talked myself back into doing the prescribed weight.

Sometimes the mental gymnastics I do are more taxing than the actual workouts. It's tough to be me some days. ;)

I ended up actually loving the workout, and managed to finish under the 25 minute mark.

Wendler Bench Press
warm ups: 5 ea @ 40, 50, 60
work sets: 5 ea @ 65, 75, 80 (should have been 85)

Ok, that's better.

For time:

50 Wall-ball shots (Men 20 lb ball, Women 14 lb ball)
50 Pull-ups
35 Wall-ball shots
35 Pull-ups
20 Wall-ball shots
20 Pull-ups

I scaled this one today so I could push myself and not feel so defeated. It really made a difference. Here's what I did:

30 Wall-ball shots (14 lb ball)
30 Pull-ups
20 Wall-ball shots
20 Pull-ups
10 Wall-ball shots
10 Pull-ups

My time: 13:57

I think I had more fun watching Anthony and Andy competing to finish first. I actually only paid attention to their last set of pullups. It was so close. But Anthony was keeping a close eye on Andy and staying a rep or two ahead of him. Every time Andy would drop from the bar, Anthony did too, but he always made sure to get back on it before Andy did. I think they ended up with like a 3 second difference - Anthony won it. Pretty entertaining. ;)

*****

Today's strength component was Snatch Balance. And I actually set a new PR! Yay!

5 @ 40
3 @ 45
2 @ 55
1 @ 65
1 @ 75
1 @ 85 (pr!)

A much better day today, not so discouraged and I felt like I had a really decent workout.

WTF?

Originally posted as 5 Rounds for time of, but for those of us in the "slow kids" category, it was a 20 min AMRAP.

40 Double-unders
30 Box jumps (Men 24” box, Women 20” box)
20 Kettlebell swings (Men 55 lbs, Women 35 lbs)

My rounds: 5 reps short of 3 rounds, as Rx

Ok, really? Am I that damn slow? What has happened to my double-under skills? I was doing so well, but the last month they're just gone. History. Vanished. It's like I'm starting all over. I'm glad we weren't doing Annie. I would never have finished.

I honestly felt like just giving up today. But I can't do that. I can do all these skills, and I guess I just need to accept that I'm slow some days.

Wendler Deadlift - went to training max of 235, which is my original 1 rep max.

Cant' remember all my lift numbers now. Hmm...

Off Road Running

5 Rounds for time of:

200 Meter run (run around retention pond)
10 Sumo Deadlift High Pull (Men 95 lbs, Women 65 lbs)
10 Thrusters (Men 95 lbs, Women 65 lbs)

My time: 22:28, Rx


I detest running around that damn retention pond. At the beginning of the run, as you leave the pavement, there is a railroad tie buried not quite flush with the ground. Three times I twisted my ankle on it! The last two rounds I walked the grassy portion instead of running - so many places to screw up, and I don't need an injury! I exceeded the 20 min time limit on this one. Bummer, huh? Oh well, I finished the workout and that's all that matters to me. Although I was much slower than I wanted to be, this was still a good workout.

Wendler Shoulder Press

Increased my training max to 85 lbs, which is 5 lbs over my original 1 rep max of 80. So, I guess I'm seeing improvements?

Warm up sets:
5 ea @ 35-40-45

Work Sets:
5 ea @ 55-65-75

New Gear!

Recently realized my running shoes were over a year old, and it was time for a change, so I started looking into the new minimalist running shoes. After a couple weeks of reading reviews and looking at options, I settled on the Merrell Barefoot Pace Glove. I was so excited when they arrived yesterday!




They have the Vibram sole, and are really lightweight.

When I tried them on yesterday, I instantly loved how comfortable they are. During the time I was waiting on them to ship, I started doing the exercises they recommend to get you ready for 'barefoot' running, and studied the different stride, landing position and pace they recommend.

I was excited to try them out this morning put the recommendations into action. I can see where I might improve my running speed a bit by changing to this style of running. It felt a lot more natural to me than my usual struggle with running. I didn't have any foot pain or ankle pain or shin pain, either during or after the workout. I know I'll have some soreness as a result of the different stride and landing position, but that just means I'm strengthening those muscles.

Will this technique and these shoes make me super fast? Nah. But I think if I get it right, I may enjoy running a little bit more.

Posted WOD was:

20 min AMRAP

10 strict pullups
10 handstand push ups

I did this:

20 min AMRAP

5 kipping pullups
200 m run
5 HSPU

My score: 8 rounds + 5 PLU

TGIF!!!

More running (I need!)

Complete as many rounds as possible in 12 minutes of:

400 meter run
5 Deadlifts (used 175 lbs)

My rounds: 3 full rounds + 1 400 m run (total time 12:24)

It was quite evident by the soreness in my ankles, I am in dire need of more running. I mean, to be sore from just yesterday's running of one mile is ridiculous. I need to COMMIT myself to running a minimum of 2 miles at least 3 days a week. After the workout, after work, on the weekend - I must find the time and just do it. There is no reason my ankles should be sore from a mile of running.

Today's workout was fun, and I enjoyed the running, though, as I stated - I need more of it.

the strength today was squat snatch. 1 every 2 min for 20 min. But I was going light and working on form so I did one every minute for 20 minutes.

1-2 @ 35
3-5 @ 45
6-8 @ 55
9-12 @ 60
13-20 @ 65

All but one lift felt spot on, solid with good form. The one bad one I brought the bar out in front, didn't hit my target and therefore was off balance. Good practice.

Oh, and I didn't miss the Wendler deloading at all today. :)