Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Lazy

I know, I've been lazy about posting my results, but I've been enjoying my extra hours with Dexter! Hmm, where'd I leave off? Oh yeah, Monday with "Tabata Something Else." I have to say I really enjoy this WOD. Last time the box did it was my rest day, so I made it up on that Sunday, alone with my Tabata timer app on my iPhone. My first go looked like this: blue band on pull-ups for total of 40, all knee push-ups for total of 83 or so, 80-something sit-ups, and 125 squats. This time, my grand total wasn't as grand, but I did use a red band on pull-ups and managed to do 46, I did the first three rounds of push-ups rx'd and eked out 20 before crapping out and going to my knees for a total of 60-something, did 82 sit-ups, and 128 squats. My total was 305--not super great but not something I'm ashamed of since I used a thinner band and did more pull-ups. Definitely am still feeling the air squats today, though, especially on that CD we did.

Tuesday: Snatch, ugh. We went for technique and form, and I didn't go beyond 45# because I didn't feel like my form was good enough to go up any higher. We did box jump intervals--2 rounds of AMAP for 45 sec., 45 sec. rest, AMAP for 30 sec., 30 sec. rest, and AMAP for 15 sec., 15 sec. rest. I did 78 total box jumps on the medium box--not great.

Wednesday: Fran but with burpees instead of pull-ups. Learned that taping my wrists for the thrusters works WONDERS. I will do that for every front bearing O-lift from now on. I used 45# (5 more than my Fran weight), so I was happy about that. Slowly but surely! Faith counted for me, and I always find it easier to focus if we don't have to count for ourselves. Still sucked, though!!! Those burpees really get to me after so many, and of course my knees were black and banged up after all was said and done. I finished in 7 minutes flat, which is quite better than my best Fran time, but I realize that burpees are "easier" than pull-ups. Felt great to do this one, though, and I am glad I didn't skip. CD was 3 rounds of 15 GHD extensions and 15 40# sandbag standing lunges. Ack my quads hated those extensions!!! It was quite painful yet in a good way, and of course I banged my knees a few times on the lunges. I'm definitely going to enjoy my rest day tomorrow!! That, and my dang car door handle came off today (at least it waited until after payday, right?), and I need a patch in my tire. Sigh. When it rains, it pours. I'll be happy when the rainy days go away--I'm starting to feel like I'm in the Midwest again!

Friday, September 11, 2009

I'm still alive...somehow!

Well, I finally made it!!!! Finished my final project with 30 minutes to spare, and I am feeling AWESOME!!!!!! Now I have a week-long break from class. It's going to be so wonderful to sleep more and more restfully and be able to watch movies and Dexter (my new obsession!!).

Okay...I forget where I left off on this...oh yeah, after Nancy. Okay, so I went to the Saturday WOD, which was 100m sprints, 10 times. It was a bad sprinting day for me--I could only get 14:40s as my best time, nowhere near my PR. I definitely strayed from my slowest time by over three seconds, too, and we were supposed to do burpee broad jumps, 10 for each foul, but I never did my 30...maybe I'll do that this weekend when we WOD independently since the gym is closed.

Sunday, I had too much work AGAIN, so I didn't go. Oh, and go shopping and take advantage of all the Labor Day sales. ;) My legs felt the sprints like they never have before! I used my roller at home, but wow did it huuuuuurt in a good/bad way. Definitely needed that rest day.

Monday: It was open gym for Labor Day, and we did 5-rep max of OHS. I barely got all five reps in with 65#. Chase made me drop it on the fourth rep my second-to-last attempt because he reminded me about my active shoulders, which weren't being active enough, so I lost focus and dropped the bar. :( After that, I did 15 KTB, 10 HSPUs, 2 30-second handstand holds, and a 2-minute plank hold.

Tuesday: 5k run. I almost skipped that day because it hasn't been since college on the rugby team that I'd run that far. But I saw Amanda post about going, so I had to go then. I was shooting for sub 30 minutes, and I did it in 28:something. Much to improve on, but I'm happy I have a baseline now. I felt pretty good the first 3 miles, but that .1 mile was the killer!!! We had to run down to the train tracks and back up to Greenville, then back down to the train tracks. The slight incline to Greenville is what really got to me. It was so damn hot, there was an orange level pollution watch, and the breeze I'd savored at the beginning of the run totally disappeared. Got a bit of a tan, though, hehe. :) The run really helped my sore legs, too, and I wore my new Puma Saloh's, which I'd gotten on Sunday. They worked GREAT and didn't require any breaking in or anything. I think I've found my new favorite CF shoes.

Wednesday: Had to miss out on the clean and jerks for school work. :( Maybe I will make those up on a Sunday when the gym's open.

Thursday: One of the most fun WODs I've done!!!! 14 rounds of 3 HSPUs and 6 alternating pistols. I was determined to do the HSPUs for as long as I was able, and I ended up doing all of them. I even redid ones where I didn't fully lock out my elbows (twice)! The pistols were fun, too. I used the small box for mine. I've improved a lot on those because last time we did pistols, I used a blue band. I'm loving the improvements!!!! Dessert was absolutely awesome yet awful! We did half-tabata of alternating plank holds where the opposite arm and leg are held up in the air, then we switched, and the rest position was holding the plank. Then we did another half-tabata of v-sits, with the rest position in reverse plank. The final half-tabata was mountain climbers with resting in the push-up hold. Fun and painful! My butt still feels the pistols and the reverse planks. I love wincing in pain when I get up from my chair or bed. :D

Friday: Today's WOD was very interesting--20 rep max of front squat. I don't know my current 1RM because the last time we did it was in May. I assumed it was at least body weight, so I calculated 65% to use on the 20 reps and rounded up to 90#. In retrospect, I would have started with 95# because I crapped out on the 16th rep of my attempt with 95#. I have a lil calcium deposit thing on my collar bone, and it's sharp and gets pinched when I do front squats. And it got pinched big-time today doing all those reps. :( I should have sucked it up and eked out the final 4 reps, but my wrists were starting to ache and my collar bone felt like shit, so I let go of the bar. Ugh. Next time we do this, I will start with the higher weight. I can't believe Victoria started with 80 and worked her way to 100#. I would have been too damn tired to be able to get all 20 in on the final attempt!! Erin did 100# on her first attempt, and she got all 20 in with almost no problem (not that it wasn't tough!!!). She was fun to workout with--I miss being able to go to the nooner. Dee was there, too, and she encouraged me as well. Oh, the warmup was so cool. It was called the Bear Complex, and we did 7 sets of power clean, front squat, push press, back squat, and push press; we added more weight each round, for a total of 3 rounds. Erin and I used the 33# bb for the first round, 53# the second, and 63# the third. The third round was freaking tough, especially the push presses. I'm feeling it for sure, yay!

Okay, time for some QT with Kason and Dexter. WOOHOOOOOO!! We're planning to do Invisible Fran and some max back squat tomorrow at our "gym." Can't wait!

Thursday, September 3, 2009

I was somewhat of a Nancy...

As you can see, yesterday's WOD was Nancy: 5 rounds for time of 400m run and 15 OHS. While we were warming up, Mel pointed at me and said, you're going to do 53#!!!! I was like, whaaaaaa?!?!! I was scared then! Haha, I love how Mel really pushes us and motivates us...but I just couldn't manage even 48 pounds overhead. Argh. But I did use 8 more pounds than the last time I did Nancy in June, so maybe I shouldn't be too hard on myself. Tyler saw me struggling with 48# and told me to use just the 33# BB. In retrospect, I would have used 35# as I had originally intended, but I wanted to listen to my coach. :)

Took me 16:32, which is roughly two minutes slower than my last time, but with eight more pounds this time. I felt a lot better on the runs, but I really really need to work on maintaining active shoulders for the OHS. I could feel myself wobbling and wavering on some of the sets. Not good. It was awesome watching Howard and JoDee push through on their last rounds with Tyler, Chase, and Neal (who of course blazed through, rx'd) yelling and encouraging them along with the rest of us. I love this gym! I wasn't too bummed about missing DL today since I did max a few weeks ago. I'm looking forward to working out this weekend finally. Planning to hit the rooster tomorrow, gulp!

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

What's up?

I know, I've been slacking but actually, I had to skip Sunday again last weekend for grad school crap. Argh! I can tell a huge difference when I miss three days in a row. I am seriously doing myself no favors by missing so many extra days. But then again, I have to have my priorities straight, but while I am earning a 100% in my class right now, my body is feeling like an 80%. :( I have been so tired this week so far, and I seriously have had to push myself to go to the box. What the hell is wrong with me?! The diet has been up and down, too. I'll feel great about my healthy choices, but then I'll find myself craving and then regretting food that is not Paleo (caved into my jonesing for Thai food last night even though I knew I would regret it). The too little sleep is wreaking havoc on my once-strict diet. Not good at all.

Yesterday's WOD looked deceptively easy (I know, no WOD is easy!!), so of course I went in feeling perhaps a bit overconfident. I was determined to use at least 65# for the lifts, which I did, but while I was warming up with the bar, I felt a bit of a twinge of doubt. Ugh! But I forced myself to stop right there, chalked my hands, and got ready to give it my best effort. Mere and Adriane used 75# and I guess that made me feel a little better.

WOD:

"Two Minute Defense"

5 rounds for time of:

1 Power clean, 135 pounds
3 Hang cleans, 135 pounds
2 Push jerks, 135 pounds
200ft. sprint

Rest 2 minutes

5 rounds for time of:

1 Power clean, 135 pounds
3 Hang cleans, 135 pounds
2 Push jerks, 135 pounds
200ft. sprint

The first time was rather rough--I could not get a good rhythm going until the third or fourth round. It took 4:42. Second time around was better but could have been faster than 4:35 (+/-). I left feeling like I didn't give it my best, and I think that is the worst feeling! The CD stretches we did were cool, though, but when the on-ramp class started doing their workout, I sooo wanted to join in with them to atone for the crappy job I did on the member WOD.

Today's WOD was "Death by Push-up": 2 push-ups on the first minute, 4 push-ups on the second minute, 6 push-ups on the third minute...until you can't do all the required push-ups within the minute. I completed the seventh round, but doing all 14 was pretty tough! Then I made it to the 14th push-up in the eighth round and had to start over at four push-ups for the next minute. I did all my push-ups rx'd, though--no knees!!!!! :D Total number I did with restarts was 124. I was pretty nervous before we started, though, and I asked Georgia what she recommended: doing all knee and trying to make it to the 10th round or doing them all rx'd and going as far as I could go. She told me she believed in me and knew I could do them rx'd, so I went for it. I am very glad that I did. Push-ups are one of my weak spots, and I have to make myself practice doing them regular, not knee, so that I can do them rx'd during a WOD. This was a fun one today!! For CD, we did L-hang for a total of 90 seconds, broken into 15-second intervals. I rested one interval to chalk my hands. It wasn't too bad, and Georgia pushed us through it. Then I did 50 GHD situps with SamZ--first two sets were 20 unbroken, then the final set was 10 reps. Then I had Howard to the other 50 with me. We did 10 reps each set until the final set, and I did 20 unbroken. He was still on his last 10 when I finished, so I did his final five with him. I feel much better now, and I want to do a 5-minute plank tomorrow after the WOD. Hoping I can get him to do it with me!

Sandy, thank you so much for your pep talk today. I seriously have been so caught up in grad school and work sucking the life out of me and have been stressing about all the time off I've had to take from CF. I appreciated your encouragement and optimism! I really have no room to complain, either, since I had all of July to workout when I wanted to! Ha! Have a safe trip this weekend, and if I don't talk to you/see you before your vacation, have a wonderful, relaxing trip to Europe!!! I'm hoping Kason and I get to go there in December.