10.21.11 - 6 Minute AMRAP

3-3-3-3 Push Jerks

AMRAP - 6 Minutes
9-7-5
Back Squats (115#)
Burpees
Shoulder-to-Overhead (115#)

3RM: 105#*
Rounds: 3, Reps 63 (practically on the minute)
Comments: Figured I'd get 3 @ 75#. I was quickly, since it was such a quick WOD, fighting to finish round 3 before the buzzer. That last round of split push jerks for real broke my wrists. I was THRILLED to be able to string all my burpees together unbroken. It's been a while since I felt good dropping and hopping off the floor like that, especially when I was heaving and fatigued. My hamstrings from deadlifts yesterday (?) were kind of killing, so I was nervous about the squats. They were definitely challenging! I don't know if this is normal but the easiest part of this WOD were the shoulder to overhead, which I did as split jerks. Regardless at the end I felt lucky I was able to kick it up there!

And, then I broke my wrist. I missed the rack on the left and as the started to crash to the ground, I caught it. I forgot about this when it first started hurting. I hope it heals up quick. It hurts a lot.

*Didn't realize push jerk wasn't considered the same as split push jerk, in this specific 3-3-3. Basically I guess I cheated. But I did feel I could have gone heavier. Regardless, I was happy I hit 105, and since I felt I could have gone heavier, maybe I could have done it regular push jerking.

PS Margaritas and guacamole after provided a fantastic incentive. Patron's Hacienda was actually really good, and frankly I could have cared less I was sitting there in my Russel sweatshirt from, no joke, 1988. Patron's is my kind of place!

10.20.11 - Make Up Thursday (Tuesday L1)

25-20-15-10-5 Wall Balls
15-12-9-6-3 Deadlift

Time: 10:20
Comments: Warmed up with a row and some singles. My foot is bothering me but it's not awful (yet). All the L1 WODs this week looked good, and there was no way I was doing L2 Monday's although I did think about it (minus the running). So I went with one that had no foot impact. Used 12# wall ball. I think I've officially re-graduated to 12 from 10. For the dead lifts I used 105#. I probably could have gone heavier, but this was still challenging enough. It reminded me of when I first started CrossFit – we were in the temporary space above the "original" space, and 105 was my 1RM! That was 2 years ago next week. So it was sort of a sentimental weight and that felt good. I love doing deadlifts in WODs. They seem kind of quick and easy, but I don't think anything else makes my shins sweat so much. You know you're working. Todd even complimented me on my lifts. I couldn't believe it. Oh, and before I got started I practiced hopping up on the rings and was finally able to balance and hold myself there. Geez! It's amazing how much you lose and how fast? Good grief. I think this marks 8 trips to the gym in October so far? After next week I should be back on track – now I'm just ready to start getting my strength and endurance back a bit. Overall, this was a good little WOD.

10.19.11 - Fight Gone Bad on Steroids

Jump Rope

Ring Straight Arm Press Out

"Task Priority Fight Gone Bad"

3 Rounds:

25 Wall Balls (20/14#)

25 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (75/55#)

25 Box Jumps (20/18")

25 Push Press (75/55#)

25 Calorie Row

Time: 28:10

Comments: Flipped some double unders. Todd said I was doing the ring exercise I could have cared less about too scaled and I should just stop and try to balance straight arm on rings. Stupid Todd. I used to be able to balance on the rings pretty good. I think I used to bend at the knee, and last night I was trying to do it straight leg? Who cares.

So anyway, this was SO MUCH WORSE then a regular Fight Gone Bad, it should not even bear the same name. It was a massive struggle for me just to GO to the gym last night, so I considered making it more palatable by scaling to 20s. Well, that decision became a reality after the first set of 25 wall balls, and I scaled it on all but the row. Thank. God.

I also scaled it by using a 12# ball, 45# for the lifts, and 12" box. I was so wiped out by the row on the first round I was seriously questioning weather I was going to be able to finish. By the third round I was probably only hitting about 7-8 ft on the wall balls. I was breaking every set down by 10s, fighting to do the 10 unbroken, and hunched over heaving breathing between everything. Second and third round rows I just stopped in the middle of it both times for a second, wanting to cry. It took major mental effort to keep myself moving. I can't count how many times I had to tell myself, "the sooner you pick that up" "the sooner you take that jump" "the sooner you throw that ball" the sooner this insane, awful, hellish misery is going to be over.

The bottom of my foot has officially started hurting again and I know it's the reintroduction of box jumping. Hate.

10.06.11 - Make-up Thursdays

Monday's WOD:

8 minute AMRAP:
5 Back Squats
10 Pull-ups

Rounds: 6 + 5 Squats
Comments: Well, Thursdays are on the hour so I missed the majority of the warm-up. Then Todd said that I couldn't use the grey band – "they're useless". I disagree, but I body rowed instead anyway. By round 3/4 I wasn't able to do them unbroken anymore, and I know I'll be sore from that. Used 75# on the squats. Then I tried some double unders, but my foot started to feel tingle-y on the bottom so I stopped. This was after I missed hitting them like 5 times. I did get a little string going before I officially gave up.

Let's recap where I'm sore: Feet. I love trying to stretch out my feet. I must really grip with my toes or something. Calves/hamstrings. Just starting to feel tender. Ass. Definitely the sorest. Core, only in weird pin-pointed spots. Back of the neck, from the barbell. So, kind of all over, but happy to report not in a disabling way like 2 weeks ago.

Three days in a row/this week! Woot.

10.05.11 - Press It

Skill: Double Unders

3-3-3-3-3 Press

20 Back Extensions/Good Mornings

20 Hollow Rocks

DUs: In 4 minutes, I was able to do about 35 double unders. That is, single-doubl-single rhythm, stringing about 4-6 together at a time. I could have probably done this faster but I was W I N D E D so I took a lot of breaks. Worried about breaking my foot.

My 1RM for Press is 85#. I had a RUDE wake up call yesterday as to just how weak I've gotten. 55# was hard. I tried to bump it up to 60 and could only do 2 reps before I failed. Then I went to 57# and got it for 3. I went back during a rest and grabbed my folder. 3-3-3-1-1 ended with a 82# press. It had a February date on it, so it must have been Feb 2010. Man, have I lost some power here. I also think I was psyching myself out, tho.

Did 35# good mornings and attempted the hollow rocks ok. Took about 10 minutes.

09.27.11 - Deadlifts and Wall Balls

3-3-3-3-3 Deadlifts

Checkout:
3 Rounds of 30 Unbroken Wall Balls (30/20#)

Deadlift: 105/125/145/155/165#
Comments: Started out with a kettlebell and jump rope TABATA warm-up. Then we did some good mornings. Paired up with Peggy. I definitely could have done heavier than 165#, but did not want to push it after last week. Today was the first day since last Monday that I'm not feeling the after-effects of Freddy in my arms. For wall balls I did 4 sets of 15 unbroken at 10# and the "boy" height. This felt pretty good, too. Oh, and I ran an 800m with Wendt before the class. Whoot.

09.21.11 - Back Squat Diane

5 x 3 Wall Climbers
Skill: Low-bar Back Squat Technique

Modified "Diane"
21-15-9
Back Squats
Handstand Push-ups

Time: 9:07
Comments: I didn't think I could make it today. I could not blow-dry my hair this morning. I woke up last night every time I moved in my sleep. Raising my hands, not just over head, but to my keyboard, hurt. Bad. But I thought it might help to warm up, move around. Did it? I'm not sure. Only slightly.

I ran 800m to start and then tried to row. I pussy-footed around the wall climbers. I stretched and pressure-cooked areas with a lacrosse ball. It was all killing. I used only 55# on the back squats and did girl, hand-release (snaked) push-ups instead of HSPU's. I can't even believe I was able to do that lame scale. Granted the back squats was pretty easy at that weight as my legs weren't killing me, but I didn't care about slacking, thanks to my fear of making my legs hurt as bad tomorrow as my arms do right now. It hurts to type. Literally. I knew after the time off I would suffer, but I can't believe how this feels. Sometimes when I am reaching for things, I use my other hand as support for the moving arm. I have had extreme pain in my elbow pits, and legs before, but nothing like this in the shoulder and triceps. I'll get back in the game, but I need to take it slow. Clearly.

09.19.11 - Freddy's Revenge

10 x 10 seconds "L" sits on the minute.

Freddy's Revenge:
5 Rounds
5 Bar Overhead (from rack, any way you can, locked out)
10 Burpees

Time: 10:28
Comments: Alternated bent-knee L-sit on boxes/hanging from bar. Fine. Last time I did Freddy's Revenge was in June 2010. It was at my peak of fitness at CrossFit. I was "taking it easy" and used 10# more than today, finishing 1:30 minutes faster. This was my second workout after a LONG break, and I was/am dying. I used a 65# bar and I swear by round 5 I didn't think I could lift it over my head anymore! The burpees. Well I don't think I've ever felt burpee exhaustion in the legs like this before. Everything was quivering and jerking under my skin, and I was breaking the sets of 10 down to 5s (and less) to catch my breath the last couple rounds. And I was thanking god I used 65 instead of 75#, and now sit here utterly dumbfounded that Jess did it Rx at 135#, and a number of girls were throwing up 110.

I felt just sick after. That was a brutal 10 1/2 minutes. I can barely lift my arms.

09.13.11 - Back in the...

3-3-3-3-3 RM Push Press

Pull-ups/Push-ups

AMRAP of each x3, resting 90 seconds in between each set.

3RM: 55/65/75/85/90#*

Pull-ups: 7/6/5

Push-ups: 15/12/10

Comments: And here we go, after another long hiatus. I really have a hard time committing myself to workouts when the summer panic sets in after the 4th of July, so yes, I did take some time off to enjoy myself in my favorite season. But it's time to get serious again. I'm taking a new approach to WHY I'm doing this, and mostly right now it's go give myself some energy. I feel lazy and lethargic a lot, and I know it's because I've been lazy and lethargic. And, I have enough trouble when the days get shorter and colder without being moody too. I really think being in a routine and getting moving will help my overall disposition. Right?

So, it was a good day back. I was shocked at my push press numbers. Tweaked my back during the last rep but only feel stiff – okay so far today. Used grey band pull-ups and girl push-ups. I probably could have done more of each. I was trying to get low on the push-ups/not cheat the movement, which may account for my low #s. The grey band started out launching me over the bar, but by the end of each I was having a hard time. So there's Day One. Also, rowed and ran for warm-up. Both felt decent. Then Terry had us to some KB swings and stretching that felt great.

Oh, heard the gym is moving. Again. This really ticks me off. A lot.

*This was only 5# under my 1RM!

07.26.11 - And... Back

5-5-5-5-5 1 Leg Cross-over Kettlebell Deadlift (both legs)

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Deadlift
Ring Push-up

KB: 20/25/30/35/35#
Time: 7:50
Comments: Nice 4 weeks off with the back, 4th of July, pre-trip, trip, and post-trip weeks basically spent just running around, laying around and hanging with the family. Used only 105# on DLs and hand-release knee push-ups. Got a good sweat and I'm sure I'll be sore as hell tomorrow even with the super-scale. The gym looked nice. Locker room, too.

06.16.11 - Make Up (Wednesday)

3-3-3-3 Snatch Balance

6-5-4-3-2 Press

6-5-4-3-2 Back Squat

Snatch: 35/40/45/50#

Press: 35/55/65/75/85# (1 rep only, x2 = fail)

Back Squat: 35/55/65/75/85 x3/95 x3/105 x2/110 x1**

Then, 2 reps press at 80#.

Comments: Well it's been a while since I got a 1RM for the Press and Back Squat. Both were recorded at 85#. I had a goal of beating both of those today, but only had success with the squat. When I got to the 2 reps @85, it was too easy so I did 3. Then I just decided to keep adding and doing 3 until it got heavy enough to do 2. Then I went for just one. I ended up 25# over my previous PR, and I could have gone heavier. The most uncomfortable part of this lift was the weight of the bar balancing on the back of my neck before doing the movement.

The press hurt my feelings. I got that 85# up once, but could not complete a second consecutive rep. So I went back after the squats and went for it at 80# and got those 2 up. 1RM PR stays at 85#.

I had never done a Snatch Balance before. It was intimidating. You stand with the bar across your shoulders, wide grip, and then you drop under it, careful not to push the bar upward, into your snatch position. I went really light on this because it scared me. Totally lost my "balance" on a rep using just the bar and it ended up behind me, with my arms all twisted backwards. Have I mentioned how annoying it is that they keep insisting we "don't drop the bar" now? I was not hurt but I could have been. That's just stupid.

**New PR!!!

06.13.11 - Tabata Torture

3-3-3-3-3 Deadlift
3-3-3-3-3 HIGH Box Jump
2 min. rest in between

5 Rounds AFAP:
20 Kettlebell Swings
30 second L-Sits

Bottom-to-Bottom Tabata Air Squats

DL: 105/125/135/145/155 with 20" box
Time: Approx 20? No idea I don't think I was paying attention.
Comments: Could have gone heavier on the DLs. Used a 25# KB. Alternated between box, bent-knee L-sits and hanging from bar, bent-knees. Failed usually between 10 and 15 seconds. Killer on the wrists while on the box. KBs were ok. Good weight for unbroken... but... HOLY HELL those Tabata squats were excruciating. Seeing stars, fearing blackout, dying. An active squat during a so-called 10 second "rest" period is torture, plain and simple. Standing up out of it was too much.

06.06.11 - Push Press

5-5-5-5-5 Front Squat

5 Rounds, 1 min. rest between rounds:
15 Push Press (75/65/45#)*
30 Air Squats

*3 burpess immediately for any bars to floor.

Front Squat: 35/55/75/95/105#
Time: 12:06
Comments: Another good one. Front squats started to scare me by round 4 four so that was a good test. I honestly considered doing Rx weight on this one this morning – until I tried 65#! Then I scaled down to 55# and I think that was a good call. Again, got really challenging around round 4. We worked out on the new side!! It was hot as hell but still cool. No music meant the soundtrack was heavy breathing. Also cool. Our class was a good group. Everyone seemed kinda joke-y and in good moods. Plus it was nice and small at 7 people to 2 coaches. A bit like the old days!

06.01.11 - Clean Complex

Skill: Pistols

5 Rounds

1 Min. AMRAP Clean Complex*:
1 Deadlift
3 Hang Cleans
1 Front Squat

1 Min. Rest
1 Min. Row for Calories
1 Min. Rest

*50% 1RM Clean

Clean Complex: 4/4/3.5/3.5/4(3?) rounds - I was losing count!
Row: 19/19/16/16/16 calories
Comments: I stink at pistols and I don't care about them. So there. I was excited for this WOD but I had no idea how hard it was going to be. I felt like with the rest I'd be good to go... But by round three I was TIRED! Did not so much enjoy trying to do that front squat after those minute rows. Yow. Trouble on the stairs after. Never had Coach Jill before. She was fun/different. Lots of shouts of encouragement making me feel like a slacker even though I could barely move. Used 55# – a little over 50% of my 90# clean.

05.18.11 - Unbroken

Skill: Pistols

4 Rounds for Max Reps:
40 seconds On/20 seconds Rest per Set

Box Jumps
Push Press (75/55#)
Row (for calories)
Wall Balls

1 minute rest in between Rounds

Total Reps: 207 (52/48/52/55)
Comments: LOVED THIS WOD. Used 12" box, 55# bar, and 10# ball. Something clicked at the start of round 3 and I felt tired, but strong and ready to push myself. Sweat my a** off, breathing heavy, but felt GREAT too. Couldn't believe it when my numbers started climbing back up after round 2. Seriously this was a favorite of all WODs.

05.16.11 - "Get Low" Back Squat

Romanian Dead Lifts

4-6 Reps x 5 Sets Back Squat
2 seconds pause at bottom of movement, rest 2 minutes b/w efforts

Russian KBS, unbroken & heavy:
21 reps x 4 sets, 45s rest

Partner Rows:
250m Row x 4 @ 90%
Rest as required for partner to accomplish set (goal: <60s)

Dead Lift: Never did these Romanian ones before? So used a bar, then 55# just to learn it.
Back Squat: 45/65/85/105x3/105#x3*
KB: 20/25/35/35#
Row: 1:47/1:50/1:52/1:51 (500m average)

Comments: Didn't get the 4-6 reps at the heavier weight, but still far exceeded my 1RM back squat, even with the 2 sec. pause at the bottom. This felt good actually. Used my checkpoints for form and I think that really helped. Went heavier than I wanted on the KB, but got thru it. Died during the rows. DIED. But I am happy with the numbers. Was hoping to stay under 2:00, so these low 50s was good for me. But I was, like I said, DYING during them. I still feel hot and tired. The back of my neck hurts. Not sure what got kinked in there, but I think I worked some of my weekend run pain out, so that's good too.

*My recorded 1RM for back squat is 85#, and today I did a 3RM at 20# over that number... I guess I need to get a current 1RM recorded...

05.11.11 - Woman Makers

10-8-6-4-2 Bench Press

Partner WOD
10 Rounds Each (alternating) of:
5 Man Makers/10 Knees to Elbows

Bench Press: 55/75/85/95/100#**
Time: 33:37 (pretty sure)
Comments: Holy dogs. Girl/knees man makers with a really weak push-up portion. Used 15# dumbbells. K2E: I was lucky if I got knees to waist! This one was brutal but Wendt did the whole workout legit, with boy push-ups and true knees to elbows thru the whole thing! Amazing!! I was sweating like mad, knee prints etc. on the ground, and really worried about ripping my hands on the K2Es, which were so poor by the end it would be embarrassing if I wasn't just so glad I kept going. Probably should have scaled to some kind of sit-up type situation after about round 4.

**2RM matched my previous 1RM for bench press!!! Woot.

05.10.11 - PR Mania!

5-5-5-5-5 Front Squats

5 tall box jumps in between sets. Rest 2 min.

30-20-10

Box Jumps (24/20")

Kettlebell Swings (45/35#)

500m Row (400m Run)

5RM Front Squat: 95#

Time: 16:09

Comments: After stretching we did a mini-tabata warm-up (KBs and squats) that I liked. I used 12" box* and 20# KB. Tried to hold a 2 min. 500 and fell apart at about 450 meters, sliding to around 2.14 average. It was hot as hell in there. Did the 20s and then decided maybe outside (with some wind) would feel better. Nope. It was like a sauna. I could barely move my feet/legs running? I'm going to blame it on the sudden body-shocking heat wave. Planned on going back to the row for round 3, but even the awful run felt "easier" than that first row. I think my legs hurt the most today and I'm going to blame the squats. My 1RM is 110# so those numbers seem pretty decent for 5RM. Progression went 65/75/80/85/95#.

*I'm sick of mentioning it so for the last time, I'm scaling all jumping indefinitely for fear of re-injuring my foot which continues to act up every once in a while. Sorry for all posts wimpy in the jumping department.

05.03.11 - The Squat

Skills Week Continues...

Tuesday: Squatting with Chris

Comments: Got more out of this one than yesterday. Did a full warm-up to get the blood pumping and definitely learned a good quick checklist to make sure everything is engaged correctly next time I'm lifting heavy. Didn't have a partner. Poor Jennifer stepped in and I was terrified I was going to pull her right over! But it was good and my squats felt good. Chris came by at the end to see our form lifting actual weight and I got a thumbs up. Right On!

04.27.11 - Over Da Head

10RM Overhead Squats

3 Rounds for Time:
10 Power Snatch
20 Pistols
30 Push-ups
40 Double Unders
Rest 2 minutes, repeat.

10RM: @55#
Time: Just under 20 minutes I think. I forgot to look at the clock.
Comments: 45# Snatches, severely modified pistols, and singles for the jump rope – x1, not x4. (And now my foot hurts again for the first time in about a week). The worst part? Push-ups! Dang! That definitely hurt and I was failing at the end of each set of 30 so bad I'd end up just laying face down on the floor. For real!