Falling behind on my posts again.. life has been busy.

Strength: 3 Position Snatch (Hi-Hang, Top of Knee, 2″ off Ground) – AHAP

I think I got to 95lbs and didn’t make the last of the 3 pulls. My hands were cold. (valid excuse!)

WOD: 4 Rounds

50- DU

10 – Hang Cleans (115/75)

25 – Ab Mat Situps

10 – Box Jumps (30/24″)

I RXed except for the DUs.. I started off doing them, and decided I didn’t want to be there all day..  finished at 15:32.

OH. and I love 24″ box jumps! I do them totally different than 20″ boxes..

Last WOD of 2013, bring it!! This was an awesome class.. I was going to be ambitious and do the 7a WOD but it was too damn cold for running. At least that’s the excuse I went with. So 10a won! I’m really glad actually that I did the 10a class, because there were SO MANY PEOPLE there! It was awesome. It was like a reunion, because so many of the early AM people were off work and came at 10, and there were no evening or afternoon classes, so all those people had to come at 10 if they wanted to work out and yeah! It was great.

Our WOD was:
WOD: 20 Minute AMRAP
5 – “Strict” Pullups
5 – “Strict” Toes 2 Bar
20 – Air Squats
200m- Run

I used two bands on the strict pull ups (green and black) and did knees to eh on the T2B. I can do kipping T2B but not strict ones, not yet!

I ended up finishing 6 rounds plus 5 reps in the 20 minutes.

New Year’s Eve – Last CrossFit Class in 2013!

I opted for Open Gym instead of the previous day’s insane Saturday chipper WOD.. After just having traveled back from Madison, visiting my mom and family for Christmas, I wasn’t really feeling the whole chipper thing. 🙂

I did my warm up, ran a mile, and then did a 7 min EMOM of GHD sit ups, 7 reps per minute.

The soreness was awful but so welcome! Of course I didn’t feel the soreness til Tuesday, but whatevs. #ghdproblems

GHD sit ups – 7 min EMOM for fun

This is my FAVORITE WOD!! Well, one of them. It’s so hard, but it’s so great! It’s great because it’s low reps, high rounds. My kind of workout. 🙂

The 12 Days of Christmas in our Box consisted of:

1 – 100m – Run

2 – HSPU (Strict)

3 – Hang Cleans (155/115) (185/135)

4 – OH Lunges (45/25)

5 – Ball Slams (30/20) (50/30)

6 – AbMat Sit Ups (GHDSU)

7 – Wall Balls (20/16) (30/20)

8 – Box Jumps (24/20″) (30/24″)

9 – Pushups (Clapping Pushups)

10 – KBS (55/35) (70/55)

11 – Pullups (Clapping Pullups)

12 – Burpees (Bar Facing Burpees)

(parentheses is RX+)

I RXed everything except the HSPU where I had a 45lb plate and an abmat, and the pullups where I used one green band. 

I knew my score last year was 39:20 and I only did the cleans at 95lbs. This year I did 115lbs. 🙂

I kept watching the clock, and trying to calculate “okay.. I can do this round in this many minutes, which means if I keep going at this pace, I can do the next rep scheme in this many seconds/minutes, so I should finish by this time..” and so on.

Well, time started really ticking. I got to 30 min and was like, holy shit, there’s no way I can do this.. but apparently I was able to blow through my final round, which was ALL the movements, and I ended up finishing in 38:16. I’ll take a minute PR!!! I was quite pleased with that. 🙂 YES!

I told one of our newer members, Rich, that he wouldn’t forget this WOD next year! And then we posed for a picture, naturally.

Post 12 Days of Christmas, CFTC Style

AWESOME!!!! We did Elizabeth today!! I looked at my last score, and my blog shows 11:50, but the board from Feb 2013 shows 6:30, SO I’m going to go with I did Elizabeth in 6:30 about a year ago.

On 12/20/13, we redid Elizabeth, but not before we found our 1RM of Sumo Deadlifts. I really wasn’t feeling it, but I saw that June killed it at 265. WHOA. So I knew I had more in me and ended up pulling 275. I’ve never maxed a sumo DL because I don’t like them, haha and we’ve never really worked on finding our maxes, so 275 it is!

Elizabeth was with a green band on the rings
21-15-9
Power Cleans (135/95)
Ring Dips

I finished in 4:51, which was a 1:39 second PR. I’ll take it!

I’ll save the story… but I was invited to the coaches class on Tuesday morning at 8a, but we ended up not wodding til 9:30a, which is a little (way) past the time I had hoped to be at the gym until.  We did the Outlaw WOD which was pretty great. I actually wish we did more like that!

10 min AMRAP
5 push press (125 was rx!) I did 85)
15 burpees
200m run.

Because it was -1000 degrees outside and FREEZING, I did 50 singles instead of the 200m run.

I finished 4 rounds exactly. Woo!

And.. of course, this morning I came down with the cold Dave had 2 weeks ago. 🙁 Hoping I’m feeling better soon. Just when I think I’m doing great and getting back into the swing of things, this shit happens all over again.

I’d love to WOD tomorrow, but it’s going to depend on how I feel. :/

Hah, yeah, power cleans, what’s the big deal, right? You may or may not remember (or know) about the wrist issues I inflicted upon myself 2ish weeks ago during our Front Squat 1RM day.. They’ve been sore here and there, especially doing things like reaching my hands behind my back to unhook my bra (I’ve had to use two hands instead of doing it one-handed, because that curve of my wrist was too much) among other things.

In any case, I’ve still been trying to do CrossFit and yoga as much as I can with our current workloads and all. Yesterday’s WOD had cleans in it, and for some reason, I just kind of forgot all about my wrist pain. I think I saw that it was a 20 min AMRAP and had 400m runs in it, and I focused on that the whole time leading up to it. Whoops.

So we did our mobility, whatever, it was all great. The 400m warm up lap was a shock to my system because of how cold and dry the air is. Why can’t it just stay like, 65-70*? 🙂

We moved into the WOD, and I didn’t really even think to warm up my cleans very much, because whatevs, they’re cleans. Usually we do practice runs or we incorporate the movement in with our skill/strength portion of the class, but no, I worked on DUs instead. So smart of me.

The WOD was:

20 min AMRAP of
400m run
2 power cleans (205/145)
3 burpees
4 sit ups
5 push ups
6 alternating jumping lunges

I grabbed a bar and put two 35 lb plates on it, which made it 115lbs. (I use the mens bar, typically.) I was planning on RXing the WOD and doing the 145 but I figured I’d try out the 115 first. I pulled it, no problem, but as soon as I got my elbows under and the bar fell into the front rack position, I yelped out in shock because of the jolt to my wrists from being under that weight, all of a sudden. I HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT MY WRISTS! I even had my wraps on. How stupid am I? I just.. forgot about them. Whoops!

I cried out to Derek, who gave me a funny look, and then realized what happened. He said at this point, it was probably just a flexibility thing, and I might want to try stretching them out. So I grabbed an empty mens bar and did a couple hang cleans (5?) basically til the pain and soreness subsided. It did, and then I proceeded to add another 30lbs onto my bar. I said, “Okay! We’re good! Let’s go for it..!” With the mentality that if they were gonna hurt, they were gonna hurt under whatever weight I used, so I might as well try and RX it.

Time started, we ran our first 400m (sucked) and then I came in to do my first 2 power cleans. And up they went! No problem, no issue. I don’t think I’ve ever done more than a couple cleans at 145 before! It’s only 20lbs under my 1RM, and I had only done THAT once. Jesus.

I was going for 5 rounds because a lot of people got 5, but most people are faster runners than me, which I took into account as well. I was watching the clock and quickly figured that if I pushed it, I could do 4 full rounds, as long as I kept up with my timing.

A really neat way to think of yesterday’s WOD: (I calculated this as I was running around the block, in an effort to distract myself from what was really going on.)

In 20 min, I ran a mile, did 8 power cleans at 145 (plus 1 missed attempt; I didn’t get under it fast enough,) 12 burpees, 16 sit ups, 20 push ups, and 24 jumping lunges. Pretty cool!

Yesterday was a really good day. Kind of like a breakthrough for me. My wrists were a little sore but they didn’t HURT. I FINALLY feel like I’m getting back to normal here. I even posted on Facebook:

It’s exhilarating, empowering and amazing to Rx a difficult WOD. To give it your very best, to finish strong, and then to hear people tell you that you “made those 145lb power cleans look easy!” is just the icing on the cake. I feel incredible after CrossFit tonight.

I always rolled my eyes at the earth loving, hippie yogis who would say stupid shit and be all zen-like about life in general. Yes. In fact, I still roll my eyes, (on the inside now, of course..) and try not to be so obvious about my feelings, but yeah. Come on, really?? WAKE UP.

Then tonight I took Eddie’s Big Fish Deep class. One hour and 15 minutes of sheer Heaven. As it states on the Big Fish site.

In this 75 minute slow, deep, long-holding stretch class, you will receive a powerful deep release for all areas of the body. You’ll leave feeling looser and lighter, taller and easier. The practice is done primarily on the floor in a moderately warm room. This is a powerful class to practice patience, move slow, and breathe deeply. This class is for any student at any level of practice.

Eddie is awesome, as is Mat, Anna, Mary Lyn, TF, Katie, Quinn, Kaye.. I just love all the instructors at Big Fish! But Eddie’s class tonight was something special.

I had initially planned to double up and do Crossfit AND Yoga.. and then I was like, mm.. I’ll just do one.. but which one do I do?? Oh god.. maybe I’ll just do both. And as I sat around at home, relaxing after work, I started getting lazy and thinking, well, maybe I won’t go at all.

NO YOU HAVE TO GO. At least do SOMEthing! Good god.. I had waited all day for one or both of these classes, I couldn’t just give up on them, and for what? Sitting at the computer? Psh.. I do that all day, all night as it is. I don’t need more of it. Hell, I’m doing it right now wishing I wasn’t.

So.. the WOD was squat cleans, and I’m afraid of a heavy, loaded barbell right now with my wrists so I opted for Big Fish Deep instead. 7p, here we come!

Now, Big Fish Deep is not Power Yoga. It’s not even heated. You don’t sweat, you don’t move quickly, you.. just.. stretch….. for long, extended periods of time! Way more than what I’m used to!  At one point, Eddie even called me out in the middle of class and called me his overachiever, since I was doing more than I was supposed to, trying to get more of a ‘workout’ in. I think he liked it though, that I was pushing myself! I liked the challenge.

But.. I found myself smiling.. a LOT. Blissfully happy. Just laying there, stretching, smiling, and enjoying it. Enjoying my abilities, my moments, my stretches, and smiling! What is this?? Where did this contentedness and peacefulness come from?? WTF. I even was quietly laughing a few times, and Eddie was making faces at me. Encouraging my playfulness but trying to keep me quiet too, hah.

I stretched tonight more than I ever have. I was more flexible tonight than I’ve ever been. In my entire life, I was able to do more tonight than ever before. I was able to sit on the floor, with my legs stretched wide open, and reach my arms all the way out, almost so far that my head was touching the floor (not quite there, but SO CLOSE.) Seriously, I’ve NEVER been able to do that before!! It was incredible, and I felt so proud and accomplished, stretched, warm, good, relaxed. Just amazing.

And finally, during Shavasana, I took it all in and I let it all go. I was truly relaxed and happy, still smiling, in awe at how good I felt tonight. A big change from the last few days, for sure. What an amazing experience.  And when I got into my car, I sat there and thought.. I’m totally Blissed Out right now. THIS is what being blissed out feels like! (no drugs required.) It was exhilarating, and I can’t wait to do it again. 🙂

I saw this last night and I really loved it.. I think anyone who’s just starting Crossfit should read this..

Your First Two Years of Crossfit..

🙂 

HEY GUYS I’M NOT SORE! Not yet, anyway! 🙂

Today was awesome! Glad I went in.. Of course I tried to get up this morning and it just wasn’t happening. I used to do it.. not sure why not anymore.. sigh. Okay fine so I went to the 6:30p class, which was great! Today’s WOD was..

Strength: Dynamic Effort Upper
1.) 6×3: Bench Press – 30 Seconds Rest
Bar Weight = 40% of 1RM
Band Tension =(Orange/Red/Blue) Depending on 1RM and Bar Speed
2.) 3×10: Bent Over Barbell Rows – AHAP

WOD: 5 Rounds
6- HSPU
8- Pullups (Strict)
16- BB Lunges (95/65) From the Back Rack

Accessory Movement:
1.) 4×50 Banded Pull Aparts
2.) 4x100m Sled Drags w/ 25# held to chest. (All Forward Drags) (I skipped the sleds!)

The bench presses hurt my right wrist a little, so I stopped after 3 attempts on that one. I didn’t like the banded bench press.. it was weird. Hell, I don’t like regular bench press!

Then the barbell rows hurt my right wrist also, so I stopped that one too. Bleh. I feel like a sissy but it’s not worth hurting myself over.

Then, the WOD, I did a 45lb plate and an abmat for my HSPUs, (wore my wrist wraps and they felt pretty good) and used a green and purple band simultaneously for this strict pull ups shit.  RXed the back rack barbell lunges at 65lbs. Whew, those were rough!!

But I did it. 🙂 12:32! Beaming. 🙂