Tuesday, August 30, 2011

All before 11 AM

I finished coaching the 5:30 class and started by doing a short little "obstacle course" AMRAP with Karen from the class. She loves what I call "Blue Collar" CrossFit.  Hammers, Tires, Farmers Walks, Sand Bags,  ect.....  So many times I will create something after class for her.  This was one of those days:

5 Min AMRAP
6 box jumps (lined up, you jump on one-off-on-off until you get through all 6 boxes)
10 Hammer Swings on tire (10 ea side)
30 Ft Bear crawl
Sprint 1st box

My score
5 Rds + 5 Swings

Then I did a WOD from Brian Yoak:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10
Back Squat 225#
HSPU 5 inch depth

My time
13:27

The HSPU were no joke and I did singles on the last set of 10.  This was all HSPU, the BS was not bad with the rest on the HSPU.  After this I did heavy push Jerk,  my shoulders were fried so I could not get 305#.  295# was the heaviest I got but I feel I should be able to get 325#.....it has to be done to count though..  Next:

Main Site from other day
10 Min AMRAP
15 Wall Balls
1 Rope Climb 15 FT

My score
10 Rds + 3 Wall Balls

Lats felt like they were going to explode from the previous stuff.  I had to break my wall balls after Rd 5 into 2 sets a Rd.  Felt good on the rope though....I am getting much more efficient.  I was planning to do Front Squat ladder but decided to hold off on that since I did 55 Back Squats at 225#.  So that was going to be it.....until....I got asked to do a CrossFit Football WOD, I could not say no:

8 Min AMRAP
5 Clean & Push Press 185 (I scaled up from 155#)
5 Ring Dips

My score
7 Rds

I liked this but took my time and went pretty gingerly through the WOD.  Clips were not staying on until about Rd 4 Chels and Carl added clips so I could stop fixing the bar after a couple lifts.  That was it for the day and it was all done before 11 AM.  Pretty happy about that.  The rest of the day now to spend time with the family.

NU

Monday, August 29, 2011

Clean & Jerk PR!!

Today I was wishy washy on whether to go on a run at lunch.  They were setting up for a festival and there were tents and people all over.....I did it anyway.....not like it was anything crazy though.  I did the Park run....and FASTER!!

Park Run

My time
16:48

I felt good but know at some point I will stop cutting a minute off my time every run.  Brian Yoak told me to run it in a weighted vest....fortunately for me I do not have one.....but that would be a grueling run!!  After work I headed to the gym an a big surprise:

Power Clean 1 Rep
255
265
275
285
295 (PR)
305 then Jerked it! (PR)

My old PR was 285#.....and after easily power cleaning 295# I knew I would get 305# and HAVE to throw it over head.  I nailed it!  I then tried to squat clean 315#, but it fell forward on me.  Still very excited.  I will be going for 315 next week and taping it.  Next I did a WOD from Brian:

For time:
8 Turkish Get ups 2 Pood KB
30 T2B
6 TGU
30 T2B
4 TGU
30 T2B
2 TGU

-2 Min Rest-

Max Shoulder Press 95#
19

Then I worked on some OHS:

Overhead Squat x 5
215# x 5
235# x 5
265# x 4 (FAILED 5)

I was in the whole and unable to stand up on the last rep.  My hands were numb from the weight, and I was so CLOSE!  It was getting late and I wanted to see Jada and Chels so I headed home. 

Coaching the 5:30 tomorrow morning and then training for a few hours.  THIS WILL BE FUN....Get better!!

NU

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Active Rest

“Consult not your fears, but your hopes and dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you have tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.”

- UNKNOWN

I am taking the day off today.  I slept in and had some good morning time in bed with my wife and Jada.  I have to work most of the day....but when I get off I am going to take Jada on a nice bike ride and try to go through the Notre Dame campus with her.  She loves riding along and wathcing everything fly by.  It is so much fun.  We have not been on a bike ride in awhile and I know she will love it!

NU

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Snatch PR!!

I went to the Box about an hour before the wife to get some strength and WOD in before we did a WOD together.  I started with:

Snatch
205# x 1
215# x 1
225# x 1
235# x 1 (PR)
245# x 1 (FAILED)

I was really excited because I thought I would be able to get 245#......I had it over head but just a little in front of me and I fell forward with it.  I was still happy with a PR.....I am feeling stronger and I hope to keep PRing.

Next I did the You Challenge WOD from Bobby Noyce.....I put a twist on it though.  the WOD was 3 Power cleans EMOTM until completing 500 DU's.  I changed it to Power Snatch with 185#:

EMOTM 185# Power Snatch until 500 DU's completed

My time
14:36

I did the first 3 Rds with 3 Power Snatches and then changed it to 2 because I would have not been able to complete it very easily.   Knowing what I had next made this a great decision....  The workout started with the 3 Snatches even though after I finished I remembered it was supposed to start with DU's.  Oh well.

Chels arrived and then we did Main Site from the other day....it was brutal:

5 Rds
15 deadlifts 185#
15 Toes 2 bar

My time
7:47

I am not happy with my time.  I was talking to much and complaining about how I could not see the clock and I thought it was going to time out since we were using my wife's phone.  My head was not in it, but I did still push.  I was hoping for 6 minutes.....and of course things are not as we always hope.  I feel good about this morning.  getting better is the name of the Game right now.

NU

Friday, August 26, 2011

DIANE PR!! 1:53

It feels good to PR....especially when it is a good PR.  I FORCED myself to do Diane last night.  I honestly did not want to but at the same time I did.....odd I know.  My better half had me do it and I was excited I did!

Diane
21-15-9
Deadlift 225#
HSPU

My time
1:53 (PR)

VIDEO OF DIANE



I am really going to try to get a 1:45...I feel this is possible in a gym setting where I do not have to be aware of the floor and I can move more comfortably.

This morning I went to the gym with my wife to the Main Site WOD from a few days ago with her.  I started th morning with:

Shoulder Press
175# x 3 (Failed 4...I was going for a 5 rep Max)

Then:

1 rep Push Jerk
285# x 1
305# x 1 (FAILED)

The class was full when I was finishing so I rushed the 305# and then called it a day to get out of the way.  I felt like I could have got 315-320#.  NEXT TIME! Then came the Main site WOD which was a bruiser...and I loved it:

5 Rds
40 DU's
30 Box Jumps 24'
20 KBS 1.5 Pood

Mt time
10:34

I was happy with the time and was hoping to be around 10 min.  I did this with my wife and she finished around 26....I was proud of her because she went faster as she got farther into it.  It helped that a song she really liked came on.    That will probably be all for today since I work really late....I may try to slip a run in sometime but I am not sure I will be able to.  Let me know if anyone has done that Main Site WOD and how you did if you did it!  Get BETTER!

NU

Thursday, August 25, 2011

MU Work

I took the day off yesterday for 2 reasons.....1) I was sore....2) I had to work from 8am - 8:30pm.  Not much time for anything but work.  So today I was excited to train after teaching the 5:30am class.  I started with:

20 Min AMRAP
400 M Run
7 MU's

My score
6 Rds + 400 M Run

I went unbroken throught Rd 4 and then on 5 and 6 I did 5-2 on the MU's.  It felt good and the goal is to keep getting better and my pulling is def getting better.

Then I did deadlifts up to 385# x 5

I was going to keep going up but decided that was good.  I wanted to do well in the next WOD:

5 Rds
3 Power Cleans 245#
25 DU's

My time
2:58

I really pushed on this and did touch and go for the first 2 Rds and realized it was making me shaky so I changed to drop and go for the next 3 Rds.  I was hoping for sub 3:20.........so I was really happy with sub 3.   I am planning to do another WOD tonight.....maybe DIANE!!!  Who knows!

NU

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Heavy Back Squats

Today I have the day off of work and was excited to get some good work in early and see if I could PR on some short WODs. I started with:

Clean & Jerk
225# x 1
235# x 1
245# x 1
255# x 1
265# x 1
275# x 1
285# x 1 (Failed)

I thought I should be able to do 285 easily but I failed it twice. I did not commit and in this instance it equalled failing. I am hoping to get above 300# soon. Next:

10 Rds
10 pull up
10 box jumps 24'

My time
4:52 (PR)

A short rest and then:

30-20-10
Wall balls
Hang power clean 95#

My time
3:37 (PR)

I was happy about both these WODs.....they were PR's for one....and they were not that rough, yet in the past they have been.

Then I decided to do a ladder with Back Squats:

Back squat ladder

135# x 20
185# x 15
225# x 12
255# x 10
275# x 8
295# x 7
315# x 6
325# x 5
335# x 4
345# x 3
355# x 2

I did not go to 365# x 1 because I did not have anyone there to spot me and felt like being smart. My lege were getting shaky and I was not positive I would hit the squat. I will throw these ladders in every once in while now. I liked it a lot. I will try to increase each rep scheme x 5-10lbs next time.

I then waited awhile for my wife to come to the box and did a WOD with her.

3 Rds
36 pull ups
36 dips
75 air Squats

My time
14:20

This was a main site WOD from the other day.....I scaled it so I could work on pull ups and dips and could do it next to my wife. This was a frustrating one for her, but she did great and finished it up strong.....she is now better for it.

Today felt good and I hope to get another good day in on Thursday when I am off work again.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Challenge WOD...Can you beat my score?

10 Min AMRAP
5 Rds
1 Min Max Squat Snatch 115#
1 Min Clean and Jerk 115#

My score
94 total reps

I did 13 squat snatches in the 1st rd and then maintained between 8-11 reps throughout each min of movements, good WoD. I need to see some times so I know if I need to do it again.

NU

Park Run...Again...and Faster...Again

"They can because they think they can" Virgil

I went ahead and did the park run at lunch for the 3rd time now on the same rout.  Again I ran it almost a minute faster.  The first time was 19:32...the 2nd 18:31 and today.....

Park Run

My time
17:39

I have still not mapped it to see the length but I think it has to be just under 3 miles.  Again this is a guess. 

Today when I get home I will be doing a WOD that when I think about it makes me cringe......so it will be a Challenge I will submit on here to see if anyone can beat it.  My score will be posted tomorrow (or tonight if i do not do it to late).....here it is:

10 Min AMRAP
5 Rds
1 Min Max Squat Snatch 115#
1 Min Clean and Jerk 115#

The workout is the total number of reps performed throughout the WOD.  This should be a doozy and I will be hitting this up tonight.

NU

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Light deadlifts

I am not sure why but I have thought that light deadlifts are.....well.....light. My mind changed in a competition last year where I found out how wrong I was. A light deadlift can turn heavy in instant. I found this out again this morning. But first.....last night I did a WOD while the neighbors had a party, and of course they watched:

5 Rds
30 KBS 2 Pood
20 Box Jumps 30'

My time
15:46

This was horrible. I need to continue working on my KBS. I as only able to go unbroken on my first Rd, after that I broke them up into multiple sets. Then came this morning....so called light deadlifts:

8 Rds
10 Deadlift 185#
5 Burpees

My time
6:04

This was a burner. the goal.....to keep moving. I recommend trying this if you can. The 2011 Crossfit Games showed it is not always going to be a HEAVY dead, but can be anything. Sometimes this hurts more then heavy dads because you CAN keep picking up the bar, where as heavy reads limiting you from picking up the bar. Really enjoyed this one.

NU

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Front Squat Ladder

I ended up only doing 1 of the 2 WODs I talked about yesterday.  I did the 15 Min AMRAP: 10 SDHP - 15 Hand Release Push up.  The weight on the SDHP was to light for this type of WOD.  i went unbroken the whole way except on the Push ups.  They are not fun and burn you out quick.  115# would have been a better weight for the SDHP.  I got 13 Rds + 3 SDHP.

This morning I decided to head to the box to do some Front Squats and start something new:

Front Squat Ladder
135# x 15
185# x 12
205# x 10
225# x 9
245# x 8
255# x 6
265# x 5
275# x 4
285# x 3
295# x 2
305# x 1

This felt good and I liked the set up.  I ended up having to rest in between sets longer then normal.....the whole thing took about 26 Minutes.  I planned to do a WOD after but my lower back did not want me to so I listened.  i do have a fun one for tonight though!

NU

Friday, August 19, 2011

AWESOMELY HORRIBLE

Last night I did a WOD from CrossFit Indy North.  It looked to be alittle easy (why do WODs sometimes do that) so I increased the weight to 155:

EMOTM 4 Burpees until completing
100 Power Cleans 155#

My time
12:35

This hurt and I loved it.  I have some more fun planned tonight and hope to be able to do it.  I am planning:

5 Min AMRAP (DID NOT DO THIS WOD)
165# Squat Snatch

I am really thinking this is going to be a doozy, and am looking forward to it. Then:

15 Min AMRAP
10 SDHP 95#
15 Hand release Push ups

My Score
13 Rds + 3 SDHP

This is the plan but after work I only have so much time and depending on if the wife has anything planned and how long Jada is up I may not get both in, especially since the squat snatch one has to be done in the garage (its unattached from the house and take time moving equipment from the basement to it)  I am ready to train today.....looking to get better and have fun!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

5:30 AM

I finally started coaching again.  It felt good and I was able to even work out with the class......because it was small.  Before they got there though I did We did:

5 Rds
4 Min to complete (continuous Running Clock)
400 M Run
Max Back Squat 135#

My score
25-25-25-20-20

Score was total number of Back Squats completed and they were pulled from the ground. This was good.  I took it away and ran with the group and pushed a decent amount on the squats.  This would have been bad going all out.  Next up was:


Tabata Pull ups

My score
12-12-12-12-12-12-12-10

I wanted 12 the whole way but on my last Rd I had to drop, and once I dropped I kept dropping.  I ended up finishing the 12 but not in the time cap.

I have been very busy, but on top of that I have had some sciatic pain that has slowed me.  I am not pushing to hard to try to get over it.  I can roll out and it goes away for me to workout....but I still am taking it easy.  Hopefully this goes away quick.  It has been painful since right after the games.

NU

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Sorry For Lack of Posts

I have been lazy at posting lately.  Mainly because I had some free time.  I had worked everyday since being back from LA and on Sunday I had a day off and another on Tue with travel in between to Ft Wayne so it was nice to relax.  I kept wanting to post, but really there was not much "good" training going on.  I did get a good day in yesterday though and started something new:

Shoulder Press 5 Rep Max
165 # x 5 (PR - not sure I have done this though, so we count it!)

Push Press 3 Rep Max
245# x 3 (PR)

then I did my new thing:

10 Rope Climbs for time

My time
4:00

I lost track and may have done 11, in any case this hurts.  This was my 3rd timed doing it and plan to do it every time I am in the box.  1st time was 4:18...2nd time was 3:38.  I was to get around 2:30 in the not SOOOO distant future.  After this I went to the dentist...got my teeth cleaned...then came back:

15 min AMRAP
12 Toes 2 Bar
9 Hand release push ups
7 Deadlift 275#

My time
9 Rds + 4 T2B

I liked this WOD and was exactly what I needed. 

I am also thinking about starting my 50 burpees but doing them 4-5 nights a week.  I feel such a benefit from these and have been seeing how my body has reacted in WODs without doing them.

_____________________________

Today I went out to lunch and hit a good run.  I ran the same distance I had done a few days ago at the park.  I ran it then in 19:32:

Park Run

My time
18:31 (PR)

It was about 50 M shorter because I did not start in the grass like last time.  In any case it was faster and I feel it can still get a lot faster.  As the weather cools off (or at least the humidity has died down) it gives me a better opportunity to run and dry off....LOTS of Cologne!  Tomorrow I start teaching the AM classes again at the gym. 

NU

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Another Double

I doubled up Isabel the other day and figured why not Grace:

Fat bar Grace
-2 min rest-
Fat bar Grace 165#
-2 min rest-
50 box jumps 30'

My times
2:50 - 4:22 - 2:50

Awesome WOD.  I then came in side watched some Sports center and then went down to deadlift.  I worked up to 425#:

425# x 1
425# x 1

I tried to do 445# but I could not get the weights to stay on the bar.  I will get some tape and try this again.  I really enjoyed the double Grace and those Box Jumps were no joke.  I used the Reebok Oly shoes and on the box jumps they work awesome.  I am going to be testing these on different movements to see how well they work.  Rope Climbs get a big THUMBS UP!

NU

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Park WOD

20 Min AMRAP
25 KBS 2 Pood
50 DU's

My score
7 Rds + 8 KBS

This fried my shoulders but I got into a groove by the middle.....and then at the end....I lost my groove,.......DU's were horrible at the end.  Overall this was a good WOD and what I was looking for.  I have to work from open to close today so I do not see myself being able to much more.  I am excited though because I have both Saturday and Sunday off!!!!  Crazy!!!!  The only time this happens is when I need it off and request it.  Otherwise I work every weekend.

NU

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Squat Snatch Isabel + Isabel

I was at the box today and did something fun yet horrible:

Squat Snatch Isabel
-1 Min Rest-
Isabel

My times
2:50 - 2:53

This was horrible but felt great.  After I works on weighted C2B pull ups and weighted MU's.  Then I did:

Tabata Dead Hang Pull ups

My score
7-6-5-4-4-3-3-4

These were hard.  I need to keep getting better though....I will be ramping up!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Fun Day

I had a fun day yesterday of training. Tried something new, but first:

5 Rds
30 KBS 2Pood in 1 Min
-1 min rest between Rds-

My score
30-25-23-22-21

I did not hit the 30 a minute, nor have I ever.  I will though.  I did this at lunch and then when I got home I did some Deadlifting:

Work up to 1 Rep Max
425 x 1 (that's all the weight I have at home)

Then I did:

EMOTM 5 DL 315#

My score
10 Rds + 4

My goal was to go unbroken as long as I could....I wanted 20 Min but I actually gave in at Rds 11 because the outside of my right knee started to bother me and I would rather call it then injure myself.  I will have plenty more days in the future to get better.

I then wanted to try something new.  I went outside to our porch and did Wall MU's.  I have a 5 Foot wall on my porch that I tried this at:

Wall MU's
50 Wall MU's
-2 min rest-
50 Wall MU's

My times
1:45 / 1:48

Here is the Video of my second Rd:



I enjoyed these and they were much harder then I thought they would be and they looked.  I watched it thinking that looked easy but my traps and triceps were wrecked.  ESPECIALLY after this RD!!!

Fun day planned for today.

NU

Monday, August 8, 2011

Power Cleans x 5

Yesterday, I ended up doing my HSPU's again:

5 Rds (1 Min rest)
Max HSPU

My scores
28-14-10-9-5

Better then last time.....still not great.  When i got home from work I went into the basement to work on some touch and go power cleans:

Power Clean 5 rep Max touch & go
5-5-5-5-5-5

205 x 5
215 x 5
225 x 5
235 x 5
245 x 5
255 x 5 (FAILED rep 5....video below)

After watching the video I realized I barely opened my hips,  I will work on fixing this.
Once I finished this I moved some weight outside to the garage and the humidity.  I did WOD 3 of the Open:

5 Min Max Rep G2OH 165#

My score
33 reps

I was not happy with this but based on all the cleans I did I accepted it.  My goal is to get 45 reps!!  I will do it!!

NU

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Kudos to jada

I did my back Squat WOD last night.....and thanks to Jada she gave me some extra time to recover.  i was in the middle of it when Chelssie came home and Jada came strolling down the stairs.  I finished my 2nd set and had to bring her back upstairs and was able to take a few minutes to recover and continue:

Unbroken Back Squats (Rest between sets as needed)
95#   x 50
115# x 40
135# x 30
155# x 20
185# x 10

Total time
15:18

I kept a clock running and went unbroken on every set to see how long it would take.  A couple times they were longer rests then I would have liked, but I may not have went unbroken without them.  Great WOD.

I was still unable to wake up this morning.  So.....I did some push ups and will hit a WOD tonight when i am off work:

5 Min Max Hand Release Push ups

My score
98

These push ups suck.....but I will get better!

NU

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Tough in the AM

I am trying to get back into the time here, but waking up at 6 or early is TOUGH.......I planned to wake up at 5:50 this morning and do a WOD in the basement before work..........did not happen.  I have just been to tired with the time change from LA and it is hard to wake up.  The WOD I had planned will be done tonight when i get home from work.  Today I did:

5 Rds (1 Min rest between Rds)
Max HSPU

My score
24-11-7-7-7

HSPU strength leaves so FAST!  You do a bunch and then jump up for more only to find out you are gassed.....crazy how that works. 

Well, i get off work at 7:30 tonight and then plan to do a Back Squat WOD at home.  Should be fun!

NU

Friday, August 5, 2011

Hitting the Ground Running

Last night I got home late and decided to work on Hand Release Push ups.  This was the worst part of the 1st WOD at the Games and I realized I need to practice high reps at this standard.  i did:

5 Min Max Hand Release Push ups

My score
98

Brutal......I can do regular push ups but this took it to another level.  I always thought hand release was easy until I did this.  I liked it!!!
______________________________________

One thing I really want to work on is my grip strength and getting more efficient at skill movements.  I started today with rope climbs and then went into:

5 Rds Max Pull up Hang (1 Min Rest between sets)

My times
1:01
1:03
:58
:38
:50

This was great on the grip and I plan to start incorporating many things like this into my training.  After this I did the class with Chels:

 5 Rds
400 M Run
15 Hang Squat Snatch 95#

My time
14:21

This was a good WOD but in the later Rds my clip kept falling off and I had to reset my bar.  Other then that it was great.  I ran a little slow but felt good overall.  I am excited to get better and take my training and ability to the next level.  I plan to do something tonight.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Would not Change a Thing

CrossFit is truly training for the unknown and unknowable.....and sometimes the untrainable.  After leaving California I have been thinking a lot about the events, my time training, the sacrifice, the physical, mental, and emotional breakdowns.  This past year has been full of ups and downs and after all my thoughts about the past week I would not change a thing that I have done.  Everything I did up until the Games has made me such a better person.  Who knows.  If I trained differently, I may not have even been there.

There was no way I could have trained for the Swim event in the ocean.....I have no ocean like the Pacific and no sand like THAT beach had.  Rob Orlando said it great......"I can swim 250 M in a pool EASILY.....but in that ocean I had 2 decisions, try to finish and drown....or DNF.....I chose DNF."   He is an amazing athlete but he had know way to prepare for that.

I began my training for 2012 today....but not just 2012.....I am looking forward to all the local competitions and the growth of Crossfit.  I am excited to see the growth of the sport and the impact it will have on peoples lives.....as it has had on mine.  This morning:

3 Rep Deadlift Max
225# x 3
275# x 3
315# x 3
345# x 3
375# x 3
395# x 3

Didn't go to heavy, taking it easy and building up......then:

2 Min Max Deadlift 225#

My score
37 (27 unbroken)

I wanted to start with a weakness to get a jump start on increasing it.  I have a lot to work on and not a whole lot of time.  I will be taking it easy and concentrating on efficiency in movements while increasing strength.  This will be a fun YEAR!!!!

Went on a Run at lunch in the park......took awhile to stop sweating:
16:03

NU

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

2011 Reebok CrossFit Games

This last weekend was amazing.......a HUGE learning experience.  Something I will never forget.  I went in WANTING to win the CrossFit Games and left knowing how to win.  Disappointment can be viewed many different ways.....the way I viewed this was more as a step in the right direction.  I made it to the largest stage in CrossFit and in front of more people then have ever seen the sport.  To be a part of this was unreal.

Mentally I looked at this like an event that I should win.  Once it started I began realizing what I need to do to win.  I have walked into many competitions knowing what can be thrown at me and how to train for it.....because I can in my box.  Hear i was thrown curve balls.  I assumed what we would be lifting long and heavy, and thought there was no way that we would be moving light weight around so I trained heavy.  Unfortunately, I was wrong, and heavy weight did not come up until after I was eliminated.  Making me realize I need to be ready for everything, not just what I THINK will happen.  I need to make it all the way.

I also will come into the comp with more confidence.  This happens by being prepared,  I felt as prepared as I could be and now learned how wrong I was.  I would not have changed anything I did but now know that i will train smarter, therefore allowing me to be confident in everything and prepared for anything. 

I will have more insights to come on the comp.  For now those are my thoughts.  I will get better and be ready for 2012.   I will be ready!!!!!!

NU