Wednesday, 12.21.11

Today I made-up Monday's workout


SWOD:  Back Squat: 70%x 1, 80%x 1, 90%x Max reps
140x1, 160x1, 180x4
Metcon: "Jackie".
- 1000m Row
- 50 Thrusters (45/35#)
- 30 Pull Ups

10:32 Rx
I was feeling confident about my pull-up abilities after the Capoot Fitness Challenge on Saturday.  However, minus the cheering crowd and adrenaline rush, my results were not as impressive.  I completed the row in 4:04 and tried to do the thrusters unbroken but had to take a couple of rests.  

Tonight I played in my first indoor soccer game in quite a while and it was really fun!  I had previously played on The Compound's co-ed team but this time I'm playing on an all women's team (We are the "Cougars" - not quite sure how that name came to be but perhaps it's a reference to my alma mater, the BYU Cougars? Well, I doubt it...).  I was very nervous to play because I had heard horror stories about how intense playing all girls can be.  I was pleasantly surprised that it was slower paced and less intense than playing co-ed.  And even though I hadn't played for a while, my endurance felt really good - thank you CrossFit! Oh, and we won 3-0!!

Tuesday, 12.20.11

SWOD: Deadlift 70%x 1, 80%x 1, 90%x max reps
160x1, 185x1, 210x3

Metcon: On the minute for 10:00:
- 3 Kettlebell Snatches (each arm, heaviest possible)
- Max. Box Jumps (24/ 20") for the remainder of the minute


92 box jumps w/35# KB

Monday, 12.05.11

SWOD: Over Head Squat 65%x 3, 75%x 3, 85% x max reps
70x3, 80x3, 90x3

Metcon: "Nancy". 
5 rounds for time:
- 400m Run
- 15 Overhead Squats (95/ 65#)

18:31 rx


It took me a while to lock in my overhead squats so my first couple of rounds I wasn't able to do the string of 15 unbroken.  The last two rounds I finally had it dialed in and was able to string them together.  

Thursday, 12.08.11

SWOD:  Shoulder Press 3-3-3-3-3


Metcon: For Time: 
-50 Double Unders
-10 steps of Walking Lunges w/25# plate
-40 Double Unders
-10 steps of Walking Lunges w/25# plate
-30 Double Unders
-10 steps of Walking Lunges w/25# plate
-20 Double Unders
-10 steps of Walking Lunges w/25# plate
-10 Double Unders
-10 steps of Walking Lunges w/25# plate


5:54 w/35# plate

Saturday, 12.10.11

Today Brad talked Jenna and I into trying his strongman workout which consisted of picking up large cement spheres and hoisting them onto our shoulders and then squatting.  It was actually pretty cool once I got the hang of it.  The stones were 40ish pounds and I even successfully tried doing one squat holding a 93# stone.

Metcon:

5 Rounds for time of:

- 6 Left Shoulder Atlas Stone Squats @43

- 6  Right Shoulder Atlas Stone Squats @43

- 12 GHD Sit Ups

10:47? 

Tuesday, 12.13.11

Today I didn't have time to do the met con, but I did the SWOD:

SWOD:  Deadlift 65%x 3, 75%x 3, 85%x max reps 
150x3, 175x3, 200x3

Wednesday, 12.14.11

Today I made-up the Monday, 12.12.11 workout that I missed which was:

SWOD: Back Squat 65%x3, 75%x3, 85%x max reps

125x3, 145x3, 165x6
Metcon: As many rounds possible in 7:00:
- 10 Plyo Push Up (done on a bumper)
- 40 yard Shuttle (20 yard down and back)

This met con was so difficult - the plyo push ups were killer!  At the end they really weren't explosive at all. I can't remember how many rounds I had but it was pretty pathetic - 6 maybe?

Thursday, 12.15.11

SWOD: Shoulder Press 65%x 3, 75%x 3, 85%x max reps
I did this but I didn't record my weights and now I can't remember what they were.  I believe I got up to 75 lbs for my 85% and did 1 rep.Metcon:  Reps of 12-10-8-6-4-2:
- Clean & Jerk (60-70% 1rm Jerk)
- Toes to Bar

I completed this at 75# and took a little bit longer than the 20 minute cap.  I went a little bit lighter weight on the c&js to really focus on my form.  I felt good about my cleans - it really helped to sit back and a little lower than my set-up for deadlifts and then to really focus on getting triple extension and immediately drop under to receive the bar.  


Toes to bar were as difficult as always but when I focused on swinging back and really squeezing my shoulder blades together, it seemed to help. 

Saturday, 12.17.11 Capoot Fitness Challenge

1st Annual Capoot Fitness Challenge at CrossFit Solano

Today I competed in my first CrossFit competition which was a perfect first event because it was more for the challenge rather than the competition.  It was a fundraiser held at CrossFit Solano to honor Officer Capoot who was killed in the line of duty last month.  It was a great event with a huge turnout, and all of us were united for an honorable cause.

These were all partner workouts so Erica and I partnered up.
The Workouts:

WOD #1:
3:00 max reps of:
Pull-ups

3:00 max reps of:
Hand Release Push-ups

3:00 max reps of:
Air Squats

Each partner would take turns, swapping out when the other was fatigued.  I was most worried about the pull-ups but was pleased with the adrenaline rush I got which helped push me through, even though at the end Erica and I were only busting out one at a time!  I think we ended up with 89 total.

Our total for the whole WOD was 292

WOD #2:
19 Min. AMRAP
"497"
This was officer Capoot's badge number - 497

4 Jerks
9 Deadlifts
7 Front Squats
@95#

One partner lifted while the other partner ran 497 meters.  Partners would swap each time one came in from the run.

This one was super tough.  95 # was heavy and Erica and I almost scaled down, but I'm SO glad we stuck with it and went RX!  We had 8 rounds.

WOD #3:
This was the floater WOD, meaning we didn't know what it was until that day.

5 Min Max Rep basketball baskets from behind free throw line.
On the minute for 5 minutes:
Both partners and to do 8 burpees each and then only one would shoot max baskets for the remaining minute.

I haven't shot a basketball in years, and it showed!  I had 6 baskets, which was actually one over the goal Erica and I had set of 5 baskets :)

Friday, 12.16.11

Today I only had time to do the metcon: "Randy" 75 power snatches @45# 7:27 RX

Friday, 12.02.11

I was in San Francisco today so I did hill sprints:

Just kidding.

I did 10x100 yd sprints in a parking lot at 6 am while waiting for my son to get out of class and then headed to San Francisco and drove hills in my car. 

 The parking lot I ran my sprints in was not flat, as evidenced by the variance in my times.  I'm also not sure on the distance - I kind of guessed.  My fastest was 16.6 seconds and slowest was my first warm-up sprint @ 20 seconds!

Thursday, 12.01.11

It's been really tough to get my workouts in this week and today was no exception. I tried to squeeze it in after coaching tonight, but this is all I fit in: Sled Push - ??x3 I think I got up to 80 lbs? Press: 55, 65, 75, 75, 70 Push Press: 70, 75, 80, 85... And then I was out of time so that's it!

Wednesday, 11.30.11

Rest day

Tuesday, 11.29.11

Power Clean 1-1-1-1-1-1-1
Today I worked on Power Cleans.  My white board record of 125 lbs was dropped by Brooke's 140 lb lift, so I was feeling the pressure to at least PR.

I started at 85, 105, 115, 125

I hit 125 and tried for 135 from there and failed.  Dropped the weight to 130 - fail!  Went back down to 125 and couldn't even hit that again.  I made several attempts and failed them all.  At this point I was extremely frustrated and knew it was time to call it a day.

However, I tried something new today - I videoed all of my attempts and have been watching them to try and pinpoint what I was doing wrong.  It was pretty obvious that I was too slow on the pull to get under the bar and my elbows were super slow.  I think that if I can get over the pain of watching myself on video, this could serve as a very effective training tool.  The video enables me to to go back, break my lift down frame by frame, and see where I broke form and try to correct it next time.

METCON:
7 minutes
800 m run
Max deadlifts at 75-85% of Power Clean 1RM for remaining time

Run: 3:55 (I picked up the cone marking the turn around point on the way back, so running with that slowed me down a bit)
Max deadlifts: 54@110#

Monday, 11.28.11

SWOD: Front Squat 65% x 3, 75% x 3, 85% x Max Reps


110x3, 115x3, 135x2
Metcon: Three rounds for time of:
- 400 meters Run
- 21 Hang Squat Clean (95#/ 65#)
- 12 Ring Dips


18:55 @ 65# with orange banded ring dips

Friday, 11.25.11

SWOD: Push Press 5-4-3-2-1

65x5, 70x4, 75x3, 80x2, 85x3

Metcon: 21, 15, 9, 3

Jumping Pull-ups

Air Squats

Sit-ups

Weighted OH walking lunges

8:55

Thursday, 11.24.11

SWOD:  Turkish Get Up practice

Metcon:  For time:
- Row 500 meters
- 50 Box Jump (20")
- 50 Push Ups
- 50 Sit Ups
- 50 Jumping Pull Ups
- 50 Back Extension
- 50 Dips
- 20 Turkish Get Up, alternating arms (53/35#)



This was a tough one!  The push-ups and dips reminded me how weak my upper body is and the Turkish get ups got me! The first 5 TGUs I did Rx'd but then had to drop to 26 pounds.  

Monday, 11.21.11

SWOD:  Back Squats: 65% x5, 75% x5, 85% x max reps
                                  135 x5, 155x5, 170 x5




Metcon:  For time: 
- 250m Row 
- 20 Thrusters @ Fran weight (95#) or higher 
- 250m Row 
- 15 Thrusters 
- 250m Row 
- 10 Thrusters 
- 250m Row 
- 5 Thrusters 



22:something @ 75#
800 M "cool down" run


After doing 150 wall balls last Thursday, my quads have been insanely, to-the-touch sore!  My son plopped his legs onto my lap while we were watching TV last night and I about threw him across the room. Any type of squat movement is pure torture and I've been walking like a...uh...I'm not sure exactly what but I'm sure I look pretty weird.  


So when I saw back squats and thrusters for today, I cringed but forced myself to do it.  And thanks to Jenna who was my partner, I did the metcon @75# instead of Fran weight of 65#.  My fastest 250m row was :54 and my longest (the last one) was :59. I finished at around 22 minutes, but that included a lot of waiting around time for an open rower.  

Friday, 11.18.11

Today was supposed to be a run day, but I just couldn't bring myself to run in the rain at 6am (wimpy, I know!) so I did the WOD:

SWOD:
2-2-2-2-2 Hang Power Snatch
55, 65, 75, 80, 85

METCON:
On the minute for 15 minutes:
2 Power Snatches @ 75-85% of today's top weight
2 Box Jumps

70# Power Snatches, 30" Box Jump

Thursday, 11.17.11

I was feeling a little bit under the weather today so I did what all normal people do when they aren't feeling well - I decided to workout! Did I say normal?

Since yesterday's 930 class made the WOD look so easy and fun, I decided to spend the precious 20 minutes of free time I had today to try it out:

2 Rounds of:
100 Double Unders
75 Wall Balls

I finished in just under the 20 minute cap (18:40).  I really struggled with the wall ball shots.  They made me feel sick(er).  Fun stuff.

Tuesday, 11.15.11

Today I only had time for the Strength WOD:

Deadlift
3-3-3-3-3

175x3, 185x3, 195x3, 205x2, 205x3

Big thanks to Erica for sticking around and lifting with me.  I tried a different weight belt which seemed to help.

On my failed set, there were a couple of things going on.  First, I wasn't thinking when I set up and forgot to use a mixed grip which threw me off because I could barely hold the bar.  Second, I had just put on a leather lifting belt for the lift and it was cutting into my stomach and I was unable to breathe!  By the time I got to the 3rd rep, I was so unfocused that I wasn't able to even lift the weight off the ground and had to just walk away and reset.

Saturday 11.12.11

It was a beautiful day for a run!                          

Run: 5.5 Miles, 57:00  Highlight of the run: beating the guy riding a bike up to the end of Vaca Valley Pkwy

Fall is my absolute favorite running season.  I just love it when the sun is shinning but the air is cool and crisp.  Saturday's weather was actually a little on the warm side so I'm glad I left my sweatshirt at home. 

There's a steep hill by my house that is perfect to run when I'm in the mood for a little trail running.  My kids have named it "Mount Vaca-suvius" after the infamous Mount Vesuvius that destroyed the city of Pompeii.  I think it's actually a pretty cool name.  

I haven't run the hill in ages and it's much steeper and longer than Wykoff.  It was quite challenging and I had to take several rest breaks on the way up.  There are some large rocks up there that people like to visit to rock climb and do "other things"  I passed a large group of climbers that were carrying mattresses on their backs.  

Pleasants Valley

I made it to the top!

At the top the views are of course, amazing.  On the back side is a panoramic view of Pleasants Valley, 

and the other side are sweeping views of our "Browns Valley bubble".

Wednesday 11.09.11

Accumulate 3:00 of Hollow Rocks

Metcon:
1 mile run
50 Floor Wipers @ 85#
1 mile run
23:20

11.8.11

SWOD:Power Cleans: 2, 2, 2, 2, 2 65, 85, 105, 115, 125

Metcon:5 Rounds of:
6 Hang Power Cleans @ 100# (80% of today's top 2 rm)
12 Toes to Bar
250m Row:57, :57, :58, :57, :57

11.7.11

Help! I need an intervention!

I wasn't able to make it to The Compound today but was able to break away to hit an 8pm Zumba class at Gold's Gym.  After class I decided to hit the treadmill to do a tabata run.  (20 seconds on, 10 seconds rest, repeated 8 times)

I set the incline to 12 and my speed to 8.  By round 6, I was having flashbacks of past Biggest Loser episodes with Jillian hovering over the treadmill, yelling in the contestants's face.  I was sure I was going to be the one to go flying off the treadmill, straight into the wall.  So...I lowered my speed to 7.5 round 6, then 7 and then 6.5 for the last round.   Sure, I probably would have held my 8 mph pace if Jillian had shown up, but Pukie would be following right behind!

I don't think I have ever set the treadmill incline to 12.  I can see why the treadmill is more effective for hill tabata sprints, vs a real hill.  The treadmill forces you to hold your pace, whereas running a real hill enables you to self-adjust your speed without even realizing it.  It was really tough and it took me the whole drive home to recover and shake that puking feeling.  

11.4.11

It was a chilly early run this morning!!

Distance run: 4.01 miles

I'm trying to increase my distance so my goal was 4 miles, which I did in 33:10, 8:16 avg per mile.

11.3.11

SWOD: 3-3-3-3-3 Split Jerks

65-85-95-105-120

Metcon: 1 Power Clean, 2 Jerks on the minute for 15 minutes @ 60-70% of 3RM

1 minute was plenty of time for each round in the met con, so I really concentrated on my form.  Craig and Brad helped me beforehand with hand placement on the jerk.

Normally I use a hook grip to clean the weight, switching to an open hand grip on the bar at the end of the clean.  I then jerk the weight with an open hand (thumb NOT around the bar).

Brad and Craig suggested that I try cleaning with the hook grip and then adjusting at the end of my clean by placing my thumb around the bar.  Not necessarily gripping the bar with my thumb wrapped around the bar, but just placing my thumb around it.  This gives me a better arm position (forearm perpendicular to the floor) for optimum power on my jerk.

I tried it and it definitely felt different - not necessarily better, but different.  I plan to use this method in the future to see if it will help improve my jerk.

Post-Halloween.  This is the most dangerous time of the year for me, figuratively speaking. Figuratively - as in my figure.  Cooler weather sets in, comfort food cravings hit, and my vow to eat healthy during the holidays doesn't even come close to lasting as long as Kim Kardashian's wedding vows. 

So to counteract my inevitable diet sabotage, I am going to do something drastic.  Something that has never been attempted on this oh so popular, widely read, exercise log of mine.  I am going to start....a food log!  There, I said it, I am now committed.  I am going to document what I eat so I am accountable to all, uh, 3 of my followers out there.   

Seriously though, the cleanest I have ever eaten was when I kept a food log with a friend of mine.  Each day we would report to each other what we had eaten, how much, and our total caloric and fat intake for the day.  What a difference it made to have to reveal what eating choices I had made in a day.  It definitely made me think twice when I reached for that doughnut or that 3rd or 4th slice of pizza!

I make no pretense that with this food log I am going to be the perfect eater. In fact, you'll probably cringe and be as disgusted as I will be with some of my daily journals.  I will, however, be honest to the best of my ability.  My goal is to first, get an idea of exactly what I am eating and next, look at how I can change and improve.  

Here are some great reasons to start a food journal:

• Encourages you to focus on your food choices, and hopefully make good ones
• Helps you to control the urge to binge
• Allows you to track your progress
• Creates a means of evaluating the connection of what you eat with how you feel (or how your CrossFit progress or performance is affected) 
• Helps you to make sure you are eating enough of the nutrients you need
• Helps you acknowledge the reality of how much you eat

I will post my food log on a separate tab from my exercise log. 

10.28.11

Running day!  I decided to run Wykoff this morning, just for fun :)  To warm up, I ran up to the top of Buck Ave, which is a good warm up hill.  I didn't do Tabata sprints this time - I just went straight up the hill, no stopping.  I went up the short steep side - the other side is a longer, more gradual climb.  When I got to the bottom, I considered going back up the longer side, but wasn't sure if I would have time - next time!

My total run ended up being 3.5 miles

10.26.11

REST DAY!  This was not a planned rest day but I have been battling an off and on migraine headache for the past 4 days.  When I tried warming up with some double unders, each rep felt like I was getting hit in the head with a sledge hammer.  SO, decided to make it a rest day.

10.25.11

SWOD: Deadlift 3-3-3-3-3

Erica and I teamed up and shared a bar.  This is the first time I've worked on deadlift since the Total.  We started at 165 and worked up to a 205 3RM.  I was pretty happy with that since I failed at a 200# 1RM attempt when I totaled.

Metcon:
4 Rounds of:
Max push-ups (46)
Max ring-rows (30)
15 Toes to Bar
250m Row (fastest :56)

This was a good one for me to work my weaknesses, namely push-ups, ring-rows and toes to bar!

10.21.11

Running WOD

6:00 of 100m sprints every 30 seconds (12 sprints)

3:00 Rest

4:00 of 100m sprints every 30 seconds (8 sprints)

2:00 Rest

3:00 of 100m sprints every 30 seconds (6 sprints)

I haven't been running for a while so I felt slow and didn't get much of a break in between sprints!  

3 hours later:

SWOD: Snatch practice

Metcon: 2 power snatch + 4 burpees on the minute for 12:00 @ 65#

10.20.11

SWOD: Push Press 5RM
85X5
Took it easy on the push presses today because my wrists weren't cooperating with the weight.

METCON:
10 Wall Ball
10 Box Jumps
10 Toes to Bar
AMRAP in 15 minutes

5 Rounds + 10 box jumps + 10 wall balls + 4 toes to bar

Because of the crowd at the 5:30 class tonight, I started on box jumps.  Box jumps went quickly so there was a little back up waiting for my first round of wall balls and then I ended each round with toes to bar.

I tend to tear my hands up more than I do with pull ups, I made sure that I protected my hands with this method:

Although it takes a while to prepare these, it's totally worth it to me.  Today's workout involved 54 toes to bar and 0 blisters!

10.18.11

SWOD:


Today I made up yesterday's SWOD - 3x5 Front Squats @ 85% of 1 RM.  I can't remember the last time I front squatted so I really needed to hit this workout.


My previous 1 RM was 155 but as I did warm up sets, I didn't feel comfortable going up to 85% of my previous 1 RM, so I stuck with 115# which was 75%.  


The 3 sets were pretty difficult and I really concentrated on keeping my elbows up and pushing my knees out as I came up out of the squat.  I will definitely be feeling these tomorrow, and the next day, and the next....


METCON: 


Tabata Mash-up of Sumo Deadlift High Pulls and Abmat Sit-ups


20 sec on of Sit-ups
10 sec rest
20 sec on of SDHP
10 sec rest
 Repeated 4 more times


I was first introduced to the Tabata concept doing Spin class years ago. When I first heard about it, I couldn't believe it and was sure my instructor was misinformed.  So I researched it a bit and was shocked by what I learned. 


The concept was originally used by the Japanese national speed skating team.  When exercise scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata (for whom the protocol was named after), learned about it from the team's coach, he was intrigued. His research efforts focused on the effects of exercise intensity on fitness and he believed that intensity was just as, if not more important than exercise duration. (Hmm...sound familiar?)


So he developed a nifty study using stationary bikes rather than speed skates.  For six weeks, one group biked using the four-minute Tabata protocol five times per week.  The other group biked at a moderate intensity for an hour, five times per week. 


At the end of the six weeks, the moderate intensity group improved their VO2 max (the maximum capacity of a body to transport and use oxygen during a workout) by 9.5%.  Not bad, right?  Well the Tabata group improved their VO2 max by....14%!  


But wait...there's more!


He also measured both group's anaerobic capacity which is basically the amount of power the body can produce without oxygen.  The moderate intensity group increased their anaerobic capacity by ZERO and the Tabata group?  They increased anaerobic capacity by 28%.


As a runner at the time, logging 30+ miles a week, I could hardly wrap my head around the concept that just 4 minutes of exercise (and not really even a full 4 minutes, with rest times) could have such staggering results.


So which would I rather choose - a method that with 5 hours a week yields a 9.5% VO2 Max gain and a 0% anaerobic capacity gain? Or 20 minutes of work in a week for a 14% VO2 Max and 28% anaerobic capacity gain?  It sure doesn't take a super smart Japanese fitness and sports scientist to figure that one out.  Well, actually I guess it did but I've got one word for ya - TABATA!

10.15.11

Barbells for Boobs

For Aunt Vickey

"Amazing Grace"

30 Clean and Jerks @ 95#

4:34 Rx, PR

10.12.11

SWOD:  5 Banded Sprints x Length of Mat (hold for partner during rest period)

Metcon: "Kayak Ken"
For time:
-1000m Row
-50 Burpees
-1000m Row 


This workout destroyed me! I was coming off a week of indulgent eating and no exercising after traveling to Utah over the weekend to attend a freshman year reunion at my Alma mater, BYU.  I had to visit all of my old favorite eating spots and I believe I gained that dreaded "freshman 15" in the short time I was there.  But back to the workout:


The 5 banded sprints actually turned into 10.  I did one forward sprint the length of the mat and then 1 backwards sprint back to the start, repeated 5 times.  When we finished, I felt like we had done enough to consist of a full workout for the day. But wait...there was more...


"Kayak Ken"
The first row I completed in 4:00.  To go from that to 50 burpees was really tough.  I couldn't catch my breath, so I had to keep stopping to try to obtain oxygen.  All the while I was thinking that there was no way in hell I was going to make it back on to that rowing machine for another 1000m.  


Well I made it back onto the machine, and thanks to Erica who helped pace me and push me with a couple of sprints, I was able to complete my last 1000m in 4:30.  I then literally crawled off of the machine and collapsed onto the floor, just like the two guys that had finished the workout before me.  It was just one of those kind of days.  


I completed the whole workout in 16:??  Remember the lack of oxygen I referred to?  Well that affects memory, and I just could not remember my exact time.  All I know is that I finished and today that's all that really matters.  

9.30.11

FRAN


Fran is a notoriously difficult CrossFit benchmark workout.  It combines core movements of the squat, push press and pull-up, and works all major muscle groups.  The workout consists of:


21 Thrusters 65#
21 Pull-ups
15 Thrusters 65#
15 Pull-ups
9 Thrusters 65#
9 Pull-ups
Completed in as short as time possible.


My first time doing Fran was at my CrossFit Certification in 2009.  I started with 65# and trainer Jolie Gentry (Winner of the 2007 CrossFit Games) had to come strip my bar (and consequently my pride) down to 55#.  I did jumping pull-ups and completed a modified Fran in 7:03.  Three months later I moved up to 65# with jumping pull-ups and did it in 5:55.


The last time we tested Fran (July 1, 2011), I did it as prescribed (Rx'd) for the first time!  I had finally gotten my kipping pull-ups down and had a 9:30 Fran.


This time, I'm happy to say that I shaved off just short of 1 minute.


Fran: 8:31 Rx'd PR!


Before Fran, we worked up to a heavy single, or 1RM of the Thruster.  The Thruster is one of the most draining exercises as it combines a front squat with a push press, taxing the entire body.


My previous Thruster 1RM was 105.  I was feeling a competitive spirit as the heaviest lift for a girl that day was 115.  That's what I wanted to beat.  I worked up to 110 and then went for 115.  I hit it and put 1 pound plates on each side and got 117!  Then I decided to just go for 120.  I hit 120 no problem and decided to stop there because I wanted to save some energy for Fran.


When I started Fran, a 65 lb. thruster felt like nothing, compared to the 120 I had just lifted.  This was the beauty in the programming for the day.  By lifting a heavy single thruster, my Fran weight seemed light, making it psychologically "easier".


This is the concept that Brad has explained this phenomenon as post-activation potentiation, "which is lifting or supporting a larger load than you intend to train with right before your work sets, causing your work sets to seem lighter than they are. Post (meaning after, as in after the really heavy set) activation (as in you are activating otherwise dormant motor units within the working muscle groups) potentiation refers to an effect that last for several minutes. You're tricking your nervous system into lifting more weight".


And guess what?  It worked!  


Thruster 1RM: 120 PR!

9.29.11

Another benchmark we test on is the 5K, which is equivalent to 3.1 miles.

I have a fondness for 5Ks because a 5K was the first race I ever ran.  Years ago when I first started running recreationally, I had a dream that one day I would run in a real race...a 5K.

And now for a walk down memory lane...

My very first race was the Vacaville "Run the Lagoon" 5K, back in April of 2000.  My time was 27:37.  I loved it so much that 3 months later I ran another 5K, and another one 3 months after that.  I was hooked! After that I ran more 5Ks than I can count and moved on to 10Ks, half-marathons, a full marathon and triathlons.

I love 5Ks because they are fast and short.  The fastest 5K time I have recorded was 24:10 at Loop the Lagoon three years ago.  I even won a great Fleet Feet hat for placing in my age group!  I know I'm not a speed demon, but I love the possibility of placing in my age group in smaller races and the challenge of trying to beat my previous 5K times.

Ever since I started doing CrossFit, I pretty much stopped running.  I went from running 15-20 miles a week (up to 30-40 miles when training for a race) to just running whatever was programmed in the metcons.  

I'm trying to start up running a bit more and for the last few weeks I've been running once a week - mostly speed work.  Coming off a disappointing CrossFit Total experience, I was hoping to at least have a decent 5K time.

The morning I was planning to run, I woke up at 5:51 am, and did not feel good at all.  I had a headache and my stomach hurt, but I had no choice but to get my run in that day.

Pretty much throughout my whole run, I felt like I was going to throw up.  Not a good feeling.  However, when I finished running I was happy to have ran a 24:40 5K!

I was only 30 seconds slower than my best ever 5K, and that was with minimal running training, and feeling like I was going to have to find a bush to hurl in the whole time I was running.  I fully attribute that to CrossFit training (my decent 5K time, not the hurling part).  CrossFit works! :)

9.27.11

CROSSFIT TOTAL

As with most things, you have good days and bad days and...well today was definitely a bad CrossFit day for me.  

As a measure of progress, every three months we test benchmarks for our 1 Rep Max in 1) Back Squat, 2) Standing Overhead Press (Shoulder Press), and  3) Deadlift.  We are allowed 3 attempts to lift the most weight possible in  each lift.  The highest weight of each lift is added together to come up with what is called: The CrossFit Total.

My last Total was: 1) Back Squat = 195, 2) Shoulder Press = 80, 3) Deadlift = 230  TOTAL= 505

I came into this Total feeling unprepared because I haven't been training or lifting very heavy for the last few months.  I slacked off over the summer and then injured my knee when I started back, so my training has been spotty.

I wanted to employ some strategy and decided that I would warm up for each attempt with low reps and a fairly low weight.  Then I would attempt a PR on my first lift. This way I wouldn't tire myself out with warm-ups and attempts. I would go straight for a PR and then if I failed, I would drop it down to just over my previous 1RM which would feel lighter than my first attempt.

This worked great for my Back Squat. I warmed up to 165 and then took my first attempt at 200.  I was so close, but failed.  I tried again for 200 and I hit it!  I was so stoked!  I already had a PR in my pocket and one more attempt left so I went for 210 and failed.  But that was OK because I already hit a PR. Success!

On to Shoulder Press, ugh.  My Achilles' heel.  This is my weakest lift because it's pure muscle strength - my upper body strength is my weakness.  I warmed up with 55, then 65, and then 1 Jerk at 105. To PR, I went for 85.  Fail.  Dropped to 82.  Fail.  Yikes, had only one attempt left and felt like I needed to at least tie my last 1RM.  Went for 80.  FAIL.  I failed all three attempts!!!!

Deadlift.  I had it in my head that I wanted to hit 240.  So I warmed up to 195 and went for 240.  Big fail. I could not budge it at all.  Now I was worried so I dropped it down to 230 so I would at least tie my previous 1 RM.  Failed.  Wow, now I only had one attempt left, and I was too prideful to go any lower so I attempted 230 again.  FAIL, FAIL, FAIL!

Needless to say at this point I felt like, well, a F-A-I-L-U-R-E!

Now my elation over getting a back squat PR turned into a major deflation of my ego.  Not exactly what I had hoped for going into this.

What now?  After taking a day or two to lick my wounds, I analyzed what went wrong and came up with some thoughts:

1. Recommitment.  If you want results, you have to work hard for them.  I obviously haven't been working hard enough. I decided to recommit to setting goals and working towards them.
2. Strategy.  A blanket strategy did not work for all 3 lifts.  What worked great for my back squat, let me down on my other two.  I decided that with shoulder press being my weaker lift, I needed more warm-up sets than I allowed myself.  And dead-lift?  Definitely need to warm up to it.  My strategy needs to be tailored to my strengths and weaknesses.
3. Humility.  This goes hand in hand with recommitment and then strategy.  Did I really think I could walk into this unprepared and hit PRs?  I should have been more realistic and worked up to hitting my previous 1RM and then worried about a PR.  My ego dictated my strategy and cost me in the end.  

So I now have 3 months to work hard and try to redeem myself.  Let's hope that my next CrossFit Total ends up being a good day :)
           

9.24.11

This Metcon took 24 minutes to complete 313 total reps.  I think I could have done more reps but because I knew that after after 2 minutes, I would be done with the exercise, I didn't push myself as hard.  I was being lazy! 


Metcon: Move from each station after 2 minute:
-Walking Lunges
-Jumping Pull Ups
-Burpees
-Double unders
-Ring Dips
-Knees to Elbows
-Kettlebell Swings, 44/ 26#
-Sit Ups
-Thrusters, 35/18#
-Back Extensions
-Wall Ball, 20 lbs to 10'
-Rope Climb Ascents, 15 ft



I didn't keep track of reps of each exercise, but I do know I completed 2 Rope Climb Ascents which I'm happy about!  I practically jumped off the rope on my descent from the 2nd climb in order to make the 2 minutes.

9.20.11

Falling behind again so I'm playing catch-up on my posts.

SWOD: Deadlift @65-75% of your 1 RM, 2 Reps on the minute for 10 minutes.

I set-up for 155 which is what I thought was 70% of my 205 1RM.

I completed all 10 sets concentrating on SPEED.  I really saw the value in this workout because it emphasized developing speed from the bottom position which will ultimately transfer to a successful 1RM deadlift.

Practicing technique by lifting higher reps of sub maximal weight helps you develop a faster Rapid Rate of Force Development (ROFD).

There's a very scientific explanation of ROFD and how it involves neural functions, fast twitch and slow twitch motor units, blah, blah, blah.

Basically what it comes down to is the faster you are able to pull that weight off the ground, the more likely you are to make the lift.  How's that for a basic explanation?!

After completing the SWOD I looked up my Deadlift 1RM (I know, I should have looked it up BEFORE I started) and discovered that it was actually 230, not 205.  So I was a little bit under on the weight, but I'm sure my fast and slow twitch motor units got a good workout anyway.

Metcon:

Reps of 20-15-10-5 of: 
-Box Jumps, 24/ 20"
-Pull Ups

My time was 8:??



  65-75% -2 Reps a minute for 10:00. Focus on form and speed

9.18.11

REST DAY...#2

My body was ready for a rest on Saturday so I skipped out on Fight Gone Bad.  Kind of regretting it because today was a rest day as well.  I'll be back at it tomorrow!

9.16.11

Run Day!
I did a 1/2 mile warm-up run and then:

4 x 800 meter sprints with 2:00 rest between each sprint

Times were:
3:42
3:43
3:40
3:43


Then cooled down with a 1 mile easy pace run.

Thursday 9.15.11

Today was an "active rest" day - meaning I didn't go all out in a workout but I didn't sit on my butt all day, either.

I went in to The Compound and did a 5RM Shoulder Press.  Shoulder Press is a major weakness for mea and  I was only able to get 65 x 5 and 70x2.  I also worked on getting my strict pull-up.  I would say I'm about half-way there now which is encouraging!

This morning I took a Zumba class - now I know some of you are snickering or rolling your eyes, but I'm not ashamed of the fact that I LOVE ZUMBA!  It's so much fun and a great stress reliever. I think that if some of you (ahem...GUYS) knew what it was all about, you would think differently of it.  Here is a sample for you: