Thursday, 12.20.12

Overhead Squat

50x5

70x4

90x4

115x2

130x1

110x 5, 5, 5

Chin-Up

Strict/BWT Neg 2/3

15x4

25x3

35x2

45x1

Red Band Strict

5, 5, 5

Black band next time!

WOD

Fran

21 - 15 - 9 reps of

65# Thruster

Pull-Ups

Score 8:18

Definitely not my best time. My last time was 7:08.  I was a little disappointed because I feel like my pull-ups have improved. Next time I do Fran, I need to do it fresh, not after doing overhead squats and chin-ups!

Friday, 09.28.12

Fran

21, 15, 9
65# Thrusters
Pull-up
9:09

My last Fran was 7:08

Friday, 03.30.12

Thruster 1RM

130 PR!!  I actually felt like I could do more, but I decided to save my strength for....

"FRAN"

Reps of 21-15-9:

Thrusters (95/65#)
Pull-ups

7:08 PR!!  Beat my last PR of 8:31 - so happy!  I was able to string the first 21 thrusters and last 9 thrusters together.  I had to break the 15 thrusters into 2 sets.  I'm still just in survival mode on my pull-ups  - not ready to strategize on those yet.

Friday, 12.30.11

FRAN!!

So today I started with working up to a 1RM thruster. I got up to 115 and then tried twice to get 125 but failed.  I was disappointed because my previous PR was 120 and I had thought back then that I could have hit 125.

My wrists were really bothering me today - residual pain from the kettle bell thruster workout I did over a week ago.  I had a hard time transitioning from holding the weight in a front squat position to the overhead thruster. I had the weight just on the tips of my fingers and then when coming up out of the squat, I tried to jump it into the palm of my hand to grip it for the overhead thruster.  That didn't work so well.  I think if I had a better grip on the weight, I could have finished the lift.

Fran...8:40...I think?  I know didn't beat my previous PR of 8:31.  I thought I was doing pretty well - was able to string the first 21 thrusters together, but I must of been slow with my pull-ups.  I also couldn't even string the last 9 thrusters together.  I guess after the first 21 I fell apart.

I still need to do the Compound Total - I think I will next week. Hopefully I will have better results than my 5K and Fran.  I'm pretty disappointed in my results but that just means I need to try harder! Getting sick really threw me off  - at least that's my excuse!

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!