Crossfit Day 519 – Strict Press Hell – 9/15/15

Can I just put it out there that I was excited to do this WOD? Yeah.. It ended up being pretty great, but I was worried my traps would disintegrate and fall off. And my triceps, and my forearms.

Strict press
5-5-3-3-2-1-1-1
then
100 strict press for time @ 50% of max
*every time you break, perform 15 wall-balls*

I did my old max of 115lbs, which was awesome!

Then.. at  60lbs, I did 100 strict press for time. I finished in 21:07 and I had to break 8 times to do wall balls. My set count was something like, 25, 13, 12, 10, 10, 16, 14 or whatever. It was awful.

But it was pretty awesome. πŸ™‚

Here Nate and I demonstrate proper toe pointing for the most effective tricep flex.

Crossfit Day 518 – 9/14/15

This day was a cool day. It was something doable but man, doing complexes gets HEAVY and fast.

10 min emom
1 power clean + 1 hang squat clean + 1 front squat
*goal is to increase weight each minute*
then
4 rounds for time
50 double unders
10 front squats (135/95)

I maxed out at 135lbs for my 10 min EMOM complex. I was going for higher, but whatever.

My time for the rest of the WOD was 7:06. I did singles, but 95lb FS.

Nothing fun to report, sorry.

Crossfit Day 517 – Hero Holleyman Memorial WOD – 9/11/15

Every year, we do Hero WODs occasionally to represent and honor servicemen and women. Sept 11th is one of those days, and this year, we did Holleyman.

Holleyman is one of my favorite WODs, because of the high round/low rep scheme.  I’ve done it 4 times total, including today. Holleyman is the following:

30 RFT
5 wall balls
3 HSPU
1 Power Clean

I used a 16lb wall ball, but I aimed for the mens height every rep. So 150 wall balls, at 16lbs, at the mens target.

I opted to do push ups this year, due to my neck/spine/nerve issues. I didn’t want to aggravate it any by going upside down and putting any accidental weight on my head and neck.

I did all 30 power cleans at 155lbs. My first time RXing this weight.

I finished in 27:20, and I was pretty proud of that. I didn’t beat my time last year, but I also did 135lbs last year along with sissy HSPUs. I haven’t been doing a whole lot, until the last month or so, to really make improvements overall, so I’m happy with my progress. I’ve gotten stronger. I love it.

Before and After Holleyma

Crossfit Day 515 – Saturday WOD – 9/5/15

I rarely show up for Saturdays, and this is why. I have no idea what rep scheme we did, (was it 50s of each?) but that shit was hard. It involved running, pull ups, overhead lunges with a plate, jumping rope, burpees, and it was like, 5 rounds.

Bre and I were paired up, which was awesome. What was so fantastic was, I was hanging out waiting for her to get some stuff done, and Russ challenged me to run shuttle sprints with his two PT clients who arrived after our regular 10a class. So, in addition to the above, I also did Death by Shuttles. I got up to minute 13? Eek.

Anyway, a picture. Because you deserve it.

Russ and me.

Crossfit Day 514 – 9/3/15

It was max back squat day but I chose not to do it, due to the pinched nerve shit I had going on in my spine. I just didn’t want to compress my little vertebrae any more than they were, and I figured dropping down under 280lbs ish would you know, have that effect.

But that’s okay! The rest of the WOD was:

8 minute amrap
750m row buy in
4 burpee box jump combo (1 combo = 1 burpee and 4 push-ups)
25 double unders

that 750m row was awful! Rowing is one thing, but rowing for time is something entirely different.

I did my burpee box jumps and I did double singles.  I did 1 + 39 reps.

Crossfit Day 513 – Max Effort Bench – 9/2/15

5 rounds
max rep bench press (135/75)
1min max effort ball slams

rest 2min
then

10 min amrap
ascending ladder
2 strict ring dips
2 strict handstand push-ups
increase reps by 2 each round

This was awesome.  My score was 80/159/6

So I did 80 bench press at 75lbs. I did 159 ball slams, and then 6 rounds in the amrap. I’m pretty sure I did regular push ups though. Good stuff.

Crossfit Day 512 – 1RM Max Front Squat Day – 8/31/15

I haven’t maxed out my front squat in ages, I mean, I did back in April, but before that? Ages. One of the previous times I tried, I remember bailing out towards the bottom of the squat, and the bar caught my hand wrong and over-extended my wrist. It was painful and it still gives me trouble once in a while. Because of that, I’ve been wary of going heavier than what I knew I could do, and stuck with my safe weight.

I was excited to come in for the WOD, but for whatever reason, I got super bummed watching the previous class go, and just didn’t feel it. I was being hard on myself, a whole lot of negative self-talk. Watching others interact, perform, be amazing, and here I was, 3 1/2 years in and I haven’t gotten a whole lot smaller or prettier or more toned. Meanwhile all these other girls were just, gorgeous. Strong, athletic, defined. So yeah, I was pissed. It’s my own fault, of course. (Stop fucking eating, Alicia.) But it still sucks to watch others who have been doing CF for less time than you be better than you and look better than you. Such is life, but this is a common occurrence in mine. I always want to do well, but I’ll never be the best. And yes, this is everywhere, I know. I want to be great, but others will always be greater, better, nicer, stronger, prettier, more attractive, more bubbly, more defined, more confident.

Even just writing this brings back all of those feelings. I don’t like admitting them, because I don’t. Strong people don’t show weakness, and while I’m supposed to be strong, I feel super vulnerable. It’s almost like, Oh Alicia’s so strong, she doesn’t need support! She doesn’t need hugs, or smiles, or whatever. She doesn’t need attention or recognition or any of those things we all as human beings crave and desire. It’s cool.

But I do. I feel like I’m getting older (I am), and I feel like I’m slipping away sometimes. Losing it.

Nate saw me at the beginning of my class, and while I thought I was just keeping quiet and keeping my shit to myself, he pulled me aside and gave me this pep talk about coming in and being awesome, and setting my goals and saying to myself that I was going to PR and blah blah. And it caught me off guard. I really didn’t want to hear it, and I wasn’t prepared for it, and had he kept going, I probably would’ve started crying. He backed off after a few minutes and let me go do my warm up. I still felt like shit, because I just knew I wasn’t going to PR my front squat. I hadn’t in years.

Well, the problem with walking away from a post that pisses you off as you’re writing it and coming back later on to finish is.. it’s hard to re-set that tone of being pissed off about something when you’re not pissed off anymore. I started writing this yesterday and it literally made me mad and aggravated, to where I just got up and stopped. I keep coming back to it and looking at it like, man, I’m just not pissed anymore. How do I finish? hah

Anyway, I’ll just go on to tell you that I fucking PRed my front squat, so THERE. My old was 220, and this day I did freaking 235. 235!!! Yeah buddy. I went for 245 and had to bail at the bottom. I just didn’t have it in me. Next time. πŸ™‚

THE WOD: The wod is a different story. Part of it was great, and the other part was awful.

5 Rounds
6 Bar Muscle Ups (or 12 ring rows)
5-4-3-2-1 Squat Cleans at the following weights 95, 105, 115, 125, 135 (for girls)

I did my 12 ring rows, and I did all my squat cleans! Awesome. Love me some squat cleans. I finished in 9:19

Fuck yeah Nate and me!

Yoga, Health and Wellness Day! Part 2 – 8/29/15

Taking a step back from my Part 1, which can be found here: I want to take a minute and thank Chelsea from The Beaches Leader for doing a write up on our event!

We’re FAMOUS!!!!!

So by the time 10a rolled around, we had droves of people just pouring through the gates. Dave at one point was like, I need you to stand up here, I don’t know any of these people and you know everyone! So, I stood up front where our Raffle table was and greeted everyone, offered raffle tickets for sale (with Ivan’s and Dave’s help!) and directed everyone to where they were supposed to go.

I couldn’t believe how many people I knew and recognized, first of all. That was pretty sick. Not just crossfitters, but yoga people, too! It made me feel so good to see all these people coming in and supporting this, spending their morning with us and being a part of our Wellness Day!

Finally, around 10:15a or so, I ran inside the gym to get started with yoga! Dave had gotten Dan all set up on the mic and I heard him talking. It was go time! I even got called aside for a picture from some strangers who knew who I was. πŸ˜€ This wonderful girl below is Mandi, and Audra had been staying with her! (Poor Audra was so sick!!)

This is Mandi! We’re friends now. πŸ™‚

Dan started in with yoga, and it ended up being a great class, even for the crossfitters who weren’t experienced! I had given him a head’s up earlier, and I think he really took it to heart and tried to plan the class as best he could for inexperienced people. It was still challenging, but it was perfect. I was so pleased to look around and see everyone trying so hard! AND there were so many people! Thank God we have such a big gym. πŸ˜€

Everyone in forward fold. Just getting started!

Totally cool. To be a part of something this big that we planned, and have it turn into a successful event, is such an incredible feeling. I love being a part of bigger things. Feeling like I am with a hundred other people who are feeling the same feelings as me, who are experiencing what I’m experiencing, who are hearing and reacting and responding to the same music, the same sounds. It’s very surreal. It always always always makes me feel like I’ve found what it is I was meant to do. I was put on this earth to facilitate change, to be a part of something bigger.

I was meant to be a part of something bigger…

Β And just like that. Typing that out. Made me realize that very simple, awesome fact about myself.Β  Seriously impactful.
Final resting pose, Savasana
Dan went on to speak about his story. Shared some very personal info and accounts and, quite honestly, I was worried people would lose interest, but one of the comments many would make to me later was how moving his story was. How important his message was, and how they were brought to tears and felt so many emotions while listening to what he had been through. My heart was so full! To have complete strangers coming up to me and thanking me for making this experience possible was the biggest reward I could’ve ever asked for.
Me, Dan and Bre after yoga!
I am looking forward to another event in the future. I hope we’ll be able to make it as awesome as this one, and have an equally fun and amazing experience. Thank you Dan, and to all of our incredible sponsors, warriors, vendors, friends, guests, and supporters who came from near and far to make this event possible. You guys are all so amazing!
Dan and Carla from Soap for Athletes practing Crow; CrossFit-Style!