Only Two

WOD

2 RFT

30 Pull-ups

15 Power Snatch 75 lbs (Rx: 95 lbs)

30 Push Press 75 lbs (Rx: 95 lbs)

12:08

I finished first by over a minute I think, which signals that I probably should have attempted more weight (perhaps even Rx).  Nevertheless, it was pretty tough workout.  I even tore some skin on my hands again, bleh.

As expected, the snatches were tiring, but I still feel awkward about the volume.  Sometimes I felt as though I were taking breaks during the set just because daisy chaining so many snatches feels bizarre to me.

Five by Five

After a pure strength workout, naturally the most appropriate follow-up is a tough slog.

WOD

5 min AMRAP
  5 dumbbell push press 40 lbs
  10 box jumps 24"

2 min rest

5 min AMRAP
  7 wallball shots 20 lb medball
  14 KB swings 53 lbs

2 min rest

5 min AMRAP
  9 pushups
  18 lunges (9 each side)

2 min rest

5 min AMRAP
  50m sprint forward
  50m sprint backward
  100m overhead dumbbell (1x40 lb db)

2 min rest

5 min row for distance


7 + 4 + 4 + 1 + 1254m row
1254m | 16 rounds

I was only 5 or 6 lunges from completing an extra round during the pushup/lunges exercise, so I'm a little annoyed I couldn't get it.  The 100m overhead dumbbell was just absurd; I had no idea that getting even one round would be so difficult.  I still suck at wallball shots, especially at 20 lbs.  I'll work on those for sure.

Overall it was a pretty good workout.  I'm glad to claim another Rx'd WOD!

One Rep Is An Oxymoron Isn't It?

Today's workout wasn't so much a workout as just taking time to establish one rep maxes for a few exercises.  This was great for me since all of my 1RMs to date have been nothing but guesswork.

WOD

15 min to establish 1RM Back Squat
15 min to establish 1RM Shoulder Press
15 min to establish 1RM Deadlift

Score = sum of each exercise's 1RM weight

245 + 130 + 275 = 650

The two guys I partnered with today are both much stronger than me, so at first I felt like my maxes were pretty inadequate.  But after I left the gym, I realized that these results were actually pretty great for me.  In retrospect, 245 lbs squat was actually much better than I anticipated going into it.  The 130 lb shoulder press was literally every ounce I could possibly handle and probably 5-10 lbs better than I was expecting.  The deadlift was the only lift where I didn't surprise myself since I had come so close to my 1RM last week at 265 lbs.

All in all, it was a good session.  When you don't know any of your 1RMs, every lift is a personal record!  I look forward to revisiting these soon.

3 Days in a Row and Going Strong

Yeah, not really.  I'm sore everywhere and my body is simply exhausted.

WOD

20 min AMRAP

10 Dumbbell Push Press, 40 lbs (Rx)
15 Deadlift, 185 lbs (Rx)
60 Jump Rope (Rx: 20 Double-Unders)

5 rounds completed, barely.

I don't know how to do double-unders yet, so the coach had me do 60 jump rope as a substitution.  I'll find out tomorrow how many rounds might be considered "decent", but I'm pretty sure that I will not stack up well against my peers.

The push presses killed me today.  My shoulders are still wrecked from the last two days.  A few months ago, 40 lb dumbbells weren't a big deal even when doing a strict push press.  But today I could not do an unbroken set after the first one.

Choose Your Own Adventure

Looks like the coaches have intentionally transitioned away from lower body and have continued to punish the upper body and core.

WOD

For Time

100 Overhead squats, 65 lbs (Rx: 95 lbs)
10 Toes to Bar if the bar passes beneath the head

14:49

Breakdown of my overhead squat sets were 30, 15, 15, 15, 15, 10.  I sort of wish I had just hunkered down and endured the pain of finishing off the final 25 reps without having to do another set of T2Bs.  The mental battle of weighing the pain of a few more OHSs versus doing another 10 T2Bs was an interesting dynamic to this workout.

I knew that Rx'ing it would be pretty much impossible, but I tested out 85 lbs before starting.  I knew immediately it would never happen.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, my legs were (and are) the least tired part of my body.  This was a test of upper body strength for sure.  After these last two days, I'm not sure what my performance will be like tomorrow and I'm even less confident about even showing up on Saturday.  Sometimes the key is just to take it a few reps at a time.

Just Like Fifth Grade Gym Class!

Travis, a fellow CrossFit classmate: "Any time you don't see a strength or skills workout listed before the WOD, you know it's gonna be a long haul workout."

WOD

For Time

1 mi Run
100 pull-ups
200 push-ups
100 sit-ups (on Abmat)
1 mi Run

47:05

I was the last person to finish the sit-ups but I was able to overtake three people.  Still though, I wish I had worked a little harder on the sit-ups since I admittedly held back a little bit because I wanted to have enough juice to run another mile.  Also, I'm super proud of being able to do 100 kipping pull-ups!  I guess the ring rows paid off!

For both miles, I practiced Pose running technique.  While I definitely feel lighter on my feet and ultimately less winded, striking with my forefoot first fatigues my calves much more than heel-strike running.  I am not familiar enough with Pose running to know whether this is the result of poor technique or simply not being used to the movement.  I'll keep practicing and researching this.

100 Day Burpee Challenge!

It's Day 1 of the 100 Day Burpee Challenge!!  I invite all you to join me!

What is it?  It's easy...

Day 1:  Do 1 Burpee.
Day 2:  Do 2 Burpees.
Day 3:  Do 3 Burpees.
...
Day 98:  Do 98 Burpees.
Day 99:  Do 99 Burpees.
Day 100:  Do 100 Burpees for time to celebrate the 100 Day Burpee Challenge!

Rules

1. If you miss a day, you have to make up all of the missed burpees on the following day.  For instance, if you miss your two burpees on Day 2, you have to do five burpees on Day 3.  If you miss your 90 burpees on Day 90, you have to do 181 burpees on Day 91.  Yikes.
2. If your workout happens to include burpees that day, you may count them toward your total burpees for the day.  If your workout had more burpees than required by the Challenge, you may NOT carry over your extra burpees into the following day(s).
3. The ONE exception to Rule #2 is on Fridays.  You may pay forward your burpees up to a maximum of 2 days forward, in case your weekend may hinder you from doing your required burpees.  Rule #1 is always in effect, however, so don't get too cute with this rule.

Happy burpeeing to you!!!!!!

Buy in, Cash out

WOD

400m Run (Buy-in)

3 RFT

10 Thrusters @ 95 lbs (Rx: 115)
10 Burpees
10 Toes to Bar

400m Run (Cash-out)

13:22

The idea here was to bookend the 3 RFT with 400m runs.  The clock starts at the beginning of the first run and ends only when you cross the finish line for the last 400m run.

Finished first today!  Not doing the Rx thrusters was the clear advantage here.  95 lbs was just about all I could handle.  Hey, at least it was more than women's Rx.

Reset Button

Today I did back squats for the strength workout.  We don't use pads or anything, so the bar rests directly on the upper part of the trapezius.  This is moderately to extremely uncomfortable.  The following conversation ensued:

Me:  Where do you place the bar exactly?
Kit (classmate):  Oh, right along here, on the thick part of your traps below your neck.
Me:  Okay, that's what I thought, but it still sort of hurts when I put it there.  Am I just a huge wuss?
Instructor:  What's going on?
Me:  The weight of the bar on my shoulders is pretty uncomfortable.
Instructor:  Yeah, it can get that way.
Me:  In college, we used a pad.
Instructor:  ...We don't use pads here.

...I guess I am a wuss! :-D

Without further ado, the workout today!

WOD

3 RFT

6 Wall walks
12 Deadlifts @ 205 lbs (Rx 255)
400m Run

15:04

I happen to enjoy both wall walks and deadlifts, so it was only fitting that today's workout included 400m runs to create a sense of balance.  The instructor called the runs a "reset button" because it's such a shock to the body after heavy lifting.  At any rate, I'm pretty happy with my performance today.  I am surprised that I am able to do so many deadlifts at 205 lbs.  I feel like only a month ago, I'd never be able to pull that off.

As per usual on Friday, the group was smaller: only one other guy and four women.  Still, it feels good to finish first once in a while :)

Fran+

To call today's session a challenge is a monumental understatement.  I don't usually record the day's "skills" workout, but today's was noteworthy.

4x400m Sprints
2 min rest between bouts

I can't remember my times, but they were all sub-2m runs.  I was the third guy to finish and only a second or two behind the guy in front of me, who had built up a good lead on me in the first bout.

Today's WOD was like Fran, only worse.  I didn't think it possible, either.  I didn't even bother trying to Rx it, so I did women's Rx (exception, 24" box jumps)

WOD

For Time
21-15-9

Wall Ball 14 lbs
Pull-ups
Thrusters 65 lbs
Box Jump (24")
KBS 35 lbs

19:25

The time cap was 20min, so I just barely finished.  The upper part of my abs were searing with pain.  The only good thing that came out of that was that I actually did all the pull-ups without assistance and without too much trouble.  Everything else just killed me.

Stubborn Rx'ing

Leave it to my ego to not let me mod down a WOD anymore.  I've done two WODs Rx'd, so why would I downgrade now?  One good reason might be to not finish dead last.

WOD

For Time

75 Burpees

50 Hang cleans @ 95 lbs

25 HSPU (Rx: hands level with head)

18:40

The burpees weren't so bad; I don't think I was too far behind the better guys in my class.  I fell pretty far behind on the hang cleans.  50 is a big number and it gets pretty discouraging when you feel spent after only 15 or 20 of them.  The hand-stand push-ups ended me, though.  I haven't taught myself how to kip them just yet, so I just had to power through them the hard way.

At any rate, I'm glad to have Rx'd another WOD!

Just Do Fifty

Got to Open Gym just a couple minutes after 8:00am.  After 15 or 20 minutes of stretching and getting situated, I asked the instructors if they could help me improve my pull-ups.

I tried a few sets of dead-hang (aka traditional) pull-ups just to get the blood pumping.  The instructor had me do 12 kipping pull-ups both for conditioning and to inspect my form.  My form was pretty good, but we mutually discovered one of my major issues: my grip strength!!  I can't hold onto the bar because my fingers and forearms get tired of bearing my weight.

The pull-ups bars at my gym are approximately 3" diameter bars, which requires relatively more effort to hang onto than a narrower one.  I noticed that after 8-10 pull-ups, my hands begin to slip off.  With kipping, it actually feels even more difficult to hold on with each subsequent pull-up since the momentum of the negative actually serves to rip me from the bar.

To address this, I practiced four consecutive holds on the bar, 15 seconds apiece.  First, a standard pull-up hold, then left hand reversed, right hand reversed, and finally both hands reversed (chin-up style).  I should continue these holds until I can hold them for at least 30 seconds.

After these strength workouts, I went ahead with the WOD I missed last Wednesday.

WOD

3 RFT

10 Toes to bar
20 Burpees
30 Wall Balls (20 lb med ball)

15:00

The wall balls were insanely difficult.  I realized after a few reps that I'd never attempted them with a 20 lb med ball, and it wasn't long before I found myself having to take breaks after every 6, often after every 3.  I think that each subsequent round took me approximately twice as long as the previous one.

After spending several minutes catching my breath, the instructors had me resume working on pull-ups.  I did another set of 12 kipping pull-ups, unfortunately broken because of my weak grip strength.  Afterward, I needed to do 50 ring rows.  Of course, I was not even close; I did 25 total before calling it quits.

To improve my back strength quickly, I am supposed to do 50 ring rows every day.  Whether I do them unbroken or one at a time, I should keep working at it until I finish all of them, no matter how long it takes.  Bring it!!

First Rx!!!!

I finally Rx'd a WOD!!  I'm pretty happy with that :)

WOD

3 RFR (Round for Reps)

1 min AMRAP walking lunges with plate overhead (45 lbs)
1 min rest
1 min AMRAP stiff-legged deadlift (135 lbs)
1 min rest
1 min Burpees
1 min rest

Total reps: 53 + 57 + 53 = 163

I'm glad to have finally Rx'd a WOD.  Also, 163 isn't too bad.  The top guys in the class could push 180 or even more than 200 total reps, but anything in the 160s is a pretty good workout in my opinion.

This workout of course panders more to my background since it's mostly pure weightlifting with breaks built into the routine.  All the same, it's nice to finally do a workout as prescribed.

Mod that WOD

More pull-ups today.  Since I knew that I'd never be able to do them, I immediately grabbed an assistance band.

WOD:

4 RFT

16 KBS @ 53 lbs (Rx: 62 lbs)
8 band-assisted pull-ups (Rx: L pull-ups)
16 Box jumps 24" (Rx: same)
8 Push Press @ 95 lbs (Rx: 115 lbs)

15:30

I'm pretty happy with my workout today.  Knowing full well  that I'd never be able to do 32 pull-ups (of any kind), I went straight for the band.  By the end of the third round I had gotten pretty close to my max heart rate and I was gasping and wheezing for air.  My core burned, my lungs hurt, and it was hard to see straight.  I actually am not sure how I finished the fourth round.

Sometimes it helps if I play head games with myself while doing the exercises.  For instance, I'll split the 16 reps into 4 4-counts.  If it's a smaller number, sometimes it seems more attainable.  Another good head game is to count up then count down: 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1.  Of course, these tactics only work up until the reality of exhaustion smacks me upside the head.

All in all, though, it was a great workout and I feel pretty good today.

Death Knell

I usually try to peek at the WOD on my gym's website before I leave the house.  As soon as I saw pull-ups, I knew it'd be a bad day.

WOD

21-15-9
OHS 75 lbs
Pull-ups (MOD)

9:43

I was dead last today out of a group of 12 people, as I knew I would be.  Pull-ups continue to be a major weakness for me.  I had to do the second and third sets with an elastic band for assistance.  At the time it didn't feel like it was any easier.

I hope to improve on them this weekend.

Finishing First*

I finished first in the WOD today!!  I did 50 lbs less than Rx, but I'll take what I can get.

WOD:

5 RFT

6 Squat Cleans (85 lbs)
12 Burpees

10:15

Yup, burpees are hard.  Anyway, I chose to go with only 85 lbs today since I am new to squat cleans.  A squat clean is basically a standard clean that goes into a full front squat.  The idea is that I should be able to move a relatively heavier weight because I can squat down to "catch" the bar, requiring less power generation from the upper body to move the bar.

I haven't been lending much commentary lately on CrossFit, so I figured I'd weigh in a little bit today.  Today's workout was a strenuous, full-body workout with a blend of cardiovascular conditioning and compound weightlifting movements.  All in all, that is precisely what I was looking for in a new workout routine.  However, I question the programming of the powerlifting movements.  Today's WOD involved 30 cleans and last week I did 40 snatches (per arm!).

Traditionally, Olympic style lifts are performed at relatively heavy weight for very few reps.  Their original purpose was not to help train a high degree of muscular stamina and cardiovascular endurance, but rather to train the neuromuscular system to generate maximum strength and speed.  Since the compound movement is just as much about engaging the nervous response as it is about conditioning the muscles, there are rapidly diminishing returns on repeating the movement over and over.  For instance, in training for a 100m dash, no amount of jogging will prepare you to jump off the blocks faster when the gun fires.  Conversely, there's only so much jumping off the blocks you can do again and again before you are no longer getting positive results.  This leads to my other point: the reduced weight of a high-repetition set fails to prepare the nervous system for moving very heavy weight, thus counteracting the original design of these lifts.

As a full-body exercise that gets my heart rate to 90% of max while hitting nearly every major muscle group, high-repetition O-lifts are working flawlessly.  But as an effective way to build my body's capacity to deliver power through neuromuscular conditioning, color me suspicious.  CrossFit makes some big claims about training "across broad time and modal domains", and arguably these WODs are accomplishing that, but I'm just not sure that the powerlifting elements are necessarily the safest and most effective way to do it.

Love Your Life

Today I felt like CrossFit's purpose is to make me learn to love life by hating 30 minutes of it each day.  To quote the wise Steve G., "it's like hitting yourself on the head with a hammer...because it feels so good to stop."

WOD:

4 RFT

10 Left-hand KB Snatch (44 lbs)
20 Burpees
10 Right-hand KB Snatch
400m Run

23:37

I know I say this almost every post, but this WOD was brutal.  I was originally going to do this exercise with a 35 lb kettle bell but the instructor had me move up to a 44 lb.  And though the snatches get difficult after a while, they are nothing compared to the 20 burpees and the running.  I'm still astounded by how tired I get from doing burpees.  And running is always awful.

For the final 100m of the workout, I decided to push it a little to shave a few seconds off my time.  For the final 25m I was sprinting (or what felt like an all-out sprint).  By the time I crossed the line, nausea, slight delirium, shortness of breath, and a dull headache all came on at once.  I'm not sure if it was the workout, a lack of hydration, or poor cardiovascular condition, but it was an interesting palette of sensations.

Fallen off the wagon

Hi readers,

I apologize for the lack of content as of late.  Late last week I started experiencing a fierce allergic reaction, breaking out with head-to-toe itchy hives.  I'm on a bunch of steroids and antihistamines to combat the problem.  Although the doctor did not specifically instruct me to cease exercise, I've learned the hard way that it's usually more prudent to exercise caution and make sure I'm getting better before doing anything else.

Thanks for bearing with me.  I will be back on the CrossFit horse as soon as I feel it's appropriate to continue.

Cheers!