Training 01.28.2013

Pull-up negatives: 5x2 with red band
*definitely getting easier and not feeling the strain in my shoulder

3-position snatch:
2x35-1x55-1x60-1x65
[1x70-1x70 (ugly fr the floor, got loose receiving)-1x70(power snatched from the floor)-1x70-1x70(power snatched both knee and floor)]

Front squat: 4x3 @ 80%
5x70-3x105-3x115
[3x125-3x125-3x125-3x125]

GHD Annie 13:39 -

Horrible! Haven't done GHDs at this volume in a LOOONG time. Was hoping for sub-10. Not even close but glad I tackled it.

Training 01.22.2013

No run today. Just a quick warm-up.

Metcon:
12 min AMRAP
5 ring rows
10 push-ups
15 squats

Score: 5 rounds + 9 reps

Recovery/Endurance:
20 min on the bike holding 60-70 RPM

* big ol' piece of humble pie is what I call this one. Stacey was by my side for this whole WOD, pushing me. After 3 rounds he had me switch to push-ups from the knees saying my shoulder was getting out of position. Honesty I was embarrassed on two levels. 1) I used to do 14 rounds of Cindy in 20 minutes RX and 2) here I was a coach and having done CrossFit since 2008 having to do push-ups from my knees in front of a class. But what I have to remember is that I'm a different athlete now. Stacey has pushed me to put form above all else. That a yr ago my kips were wild, compromising an already torn rotator cuff. I was doing push-ups with a wide setup which stressed my shoulder and made my shoulder imbalance worse. There is no last yr to compare to. Just need to focus on where I am now, where I want to go, and how I'll get there.

A newer member of our gym came up to me after (Nelson) and said "Kicking butt over there?". My response, "more like getting my butt kicked." Nelson, "Hey whatever it takes to get better."

Ummm hell ya! Much better attitude. Time to remember to check my ego at the door and enjoy my pie.

Training 01.21.2012

800 m run warmup 4:20.41
Shoulder mobility

Pull-up negatives
10x1 w/red band, 60 sec rest
*Kept it at 10-15 sec long negatives on each.

3-position snatch
2x35-1x55-1x60-1x65
[1x70-1x70-1x70-1x70-1x70]
*several misses. Primarily due to lacking confidence (or in Stacey's words - being chicken shit) from the hip and not staying in my heels.

Metcon:
6 rounds
Sled push down @ 145# high bar, stay on heels
10 Russian KB swings 53#
Sled push back @ 145# high bar
10 sit-ups

9:05.53

Went unbroken on everything. Glad the 1.5 pood felt nice and easy. I'm looking forward to ramping up the KB swings, and I now clearance from The Boss to do American style again soon, starting at 44# and building from there. Staying on my heels is a whole different ball game on this sled pushes. It turns it into a strength endurance workout and takes the stress off the Achilles - exactly what I need after two days of running and double unders :)

08.15.2012

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

After Monday's disaster of a workout, Stacey had me redo my Monday session, hoping that being able to watch my technique carefully he could cue me into some progress.

Skill:
-HSPU: 5x3, 60 sec rest pike from feet on 24" box to 1 abmat + 1 2.5# plate
-Strict Chin-Ups: [1-2-1-1-1] w/red band

Strength:

Snatch Balance: 3x3
3x35-3x45-3x55-3x65
[2x67.5(didn't get full depth on the 3rd rep)-3x67.5-2x67.5(let my concentration go on the last rep and only went to quarter depth)]

*started off trying 70# and missed 2 reps not diving down into full depth. Got mentally stuck going down to a half squat. :( Been stuck trying to get 70 now for 3 weeks. Yay fractional weights. Don't go up next week.

Hang snatch (hip): 6x2
3x35-3x45-3x55-0x65(not sticking the landing)-0x65-2x55(not sticking in my heels)-2x55-2x60-2x65(solid)

[0x70-2x70-2x70-2x70-2x70(missed the first rep)]

*Finally got to train with Stacey watching my lifts. It definitely makes a difference getting instant feedback from your coach. It also helps to have someone there to tell you to "stop whining and get up and go again" when your sitting on your tush sulking after a failed lift.

Hang clean (hip): 4x3
3x35-3x65-2x85-1x85/3x95
[0x105-0x100-0x95-3x85-3x85-3x95-

* left shoulder really hurting

08.16.2012

Thursday, August 16, 2012

Skill:
-Narrow pushups: 5-5-5-5-5, 90 sec rest
-Ring Dips: 5x3 w/purple band, 60 sec rest

-Front Squat: 4x3
3x35-3x65-3x95-3x115
[3x130(lost position on rep 3)-3x130-3x130-3x130]

*Switching to ladder system next week of one day lighter as ladders, then a heavier day.

-Strict Press: 4x3
3x35-3x45-3x55-3x60
[3x67.5-3x67.5-2x67.5-2x67.5]

*switching to ladder sets next week. Been stuck around this weight for a month. :(

Lat Pull down: 5x5
5x20-3x55-3x80
5[5x75]

* Stacey has added these to work on my pulling. American ninja warrior, Ken Monster, had also brought me a TRX set to the gym so I can mobilize and strengthen my lats from different directions, and hopefully work through this impingement.

08.07.2012

Skill
-narrow push ups: 5x2, 60 sec rest
-ring dips: 5x2 w/purple, 60 sec rest *so happy to be on purple band :)


Strength:

-Front Squat: 4x3
3x35-3x65-3x95-3x115
[3x125-3x125(not the prettiest, felt heavy)-3x125

*definitely not going up next time. Heavy!! :-/

**WRONG. Talked to Stacey, and he told me otherwise. I will be going up next week.

-Strict Press: 4x3
3x35-3x45-3x55-3x60
[2x70-2x67.5-3x65-3x65]

*wore myself down on the 70s. Try 67.5 next week.

The Shoulds of Competition

Christopher Nolan needs to commit to another Batman movie. Not at all what this post is about, but it does lend itself to the blatantly obvious - shoulds do not always become reality. Like it is blatantly obvious that to get strong you should lift, to maximize your workouts you should recover, to stay/get lean you should eat clean. It is also blatantly obvious that if you want people to know what happened at your first ever competition in Kentucky, you should write a blogpost and post pictures. Well today my dear friends, this should is going to become a reality. The awesome competitors from CrossFit Music City and CrossFit 615 should get their recognition for showing up with their best and putting it out there, and CrossFit Maximus should get the shout out for an amazingly organized competition and a kick ass facility.

So here's what I SHOULD have written forever ago.

So June 1 (Go ahead and judge my tardiness - I've earned it) Stacey and I loaded up the cars with eager athletes and a fidgety mascot. It would be a weekend of firsts for many - Alex competing RX, Ken "white ninja nerd" competing for the first time while also inducting Shaunna (CrossFit Barbie) into her first team competition experience, Michael (inspired by the Talon Throwdown) going scaled alongside Marc (who will certainly at this rate be a competition master before long). Stacey and I would be there to coach, with Lena, Zoya, and Rhett Butler there to steal the show - ahem I mean dutifully cheer them on.

Arriving in Lexington, a pre-competition meal should always include meat and sweet potatoes, so we went to the blatantly obvious Longhorn Steakhouse. This is a perfect moment to point out an obvious lesson - do as your coach says not as he does. As in, if your coach is not competing the next day, do not dine as he does where cocktail shrimp and a few beers a meal make. But good for you protein deliciousness should be followed by sleep - but sleep eluded our competitors, or so the laughter coming from both Shaunna/Marc's room and Michael/Ken room suggested. And who knows if Alex slept with Rhett Butler constantly bouncing around wanting to play about.

Our one-day of competition started with a quick realization that we were the only group from out of town there. No worries, a quick turn on of Tennessee charm and CFMC was the belle of the ball - ok we just smiled shyly and made sure it was ok that we had brought dogs. As much as Stacey and I wanted to focus on getting our athletes' heads in the game, the bright and shiny of an amazing facility coupled with Michael's Miss America charm, flitting about from corner to corner talking to people (i smell trouble if he ever runs for office), occupied most of registration period.

The first WOD should always include burpees. Whether it should include 75 thrusters is up for debate. Our individual competitors may insist that it should not, but 75 thrusters it would be, stopping every minute on the minute to do 5 burpees. 75# for RX women scaled men (and 50 thrusters instead of 75). Given how strong Marc and Michael are now (and that double unders in WOD 2 are the only reason they didn't go RX) I am picturing them shaking their heads thinking if little Alex trudging through the same weight. It's ok guys - at least you promised to never go scaled again (and might I add have honored that promise, but that's another post). Highlight of this WOD - Stacey wanting to hurt the judge who took it upon himself to coach Alex while counting her reps.



We interrupt this post for a little time on the soap box. As someone who has competed, judged, and coached competitions, I strongly feel that judges should stick to judging, maybe with encouragement sprinkled in here and there. But as many of you have experienced in competition, fair judging to standard is hard enough - this gets exceedingly more difficult if you take it upon yourself to give advice mid-WOD. Jesus la petus, I know I am not the world's best multi-tasker, but please keep in mind, often coaches and athletes have worked out a strategy and in the heat of a competition, it can be easy for a judge to mentally throw off an athlete by suggesting a different strategy.

Now back to your regularly scheduled post.

Team WOD 1: 100 thrusters for time. While partner A is working, partner B must hold a single KB in locked out position overhead (53/35). Men's weight (115/75 - don't remember the scaled weight). Shaunna and Ken were nothing short of ridiculous on this WOD. Seriously. Ken's burpees are unconventional, but fast and meet all standards. Shaunna's performance should not be described in words .... Just this face.

 Individual WOD 2: In 14 minutes, find highest 5 sets of 5 in the deadlift. Between every set, perform 50 double unders (200 singles for scaled) Score = total weight moved.

This was the WOD I agonized strategy over with both Michael and Stacey. Before arriving, we were unsure of how the scoring would go, would it just be your heaviest set? Or would it be the sum of 5 sets? Would you get a DNF if you didn't finish? Nothing obvious about this at all. But CrossFit Maximus was super clear during the briefing, and so running the numbers (aka - why investment bankers should coach CrossFit) we decided that they would go as heavy as they thought they could for 5 right off the bat. Fabulous idea - Alex, Marc, and Michael all surpassed their expectations and our whole team was thrilled. Definitely made up for the strain that the thruster WOD took mentally.



WOD 2 for the team - each team must perform the following in relay fashion:
1000 m row
20 power cleans each (185/135 RX)
50 walking lunge with plate each (45/35)

CrossFit Maximus's rowers are 2 feet high - had never seen that, but luckily it didn't affect their performance. Having done this whole WOD a few weeks earlier, Shaunna and Ken soared through it happy with their performance.  And Ken was more than happy to recover from this WOD by feeding his face.

 Individual WOD 3 - Chipper of Death aka - How much can we destroy your grip?

25 pull ups
50 power cleans (95/65)
50 box jumps (24/18)
50 toe-to-bar
50 KB Swings (53/35)
25 pull ups



Alex kicked butt in female RX on this one. Stacey had formulated a great game plan for her since this WOD was right in her wheelhouse. Sadly however, CrossFit tends to have different plans. Your wheelhouse may feel more like a roundhouse kick to the face after a full day of competition. But nevertheless, Miss Brigham pushed through like a champ.


I personally could not have been more proud of Marc and Michael. Michael, despite several no reps, never lost his spirit and trudged through as far as he could until time was called. Marc, so close to finishing when time was called, joined up with a guy from Maximus to finish up his last 15 pull ups in the warm up area despite serious calf cramping. Talk about never say quit.

Team Final WOD:
50 pull ups total
10 partner deadlifts (455/315)(385 if co-Ed team like our fearless ebony and ivory ninjas)
75 pushups total
10 partner deadlifts
50 alternating box jumps
10 partner deadlifts
75 toe-to-bar
10 partner deadlifts
50 alternating burpees
10 partner deadlifts

CrossFit Barbie and American Ninja were more than pleased to be done after this WOD - even more happy because they finished in first. Just as happy as Marc and Michael were pleased to take first and second respectively. Now, just as I told Alex after March of Dimes - never going scaled again. Once you kiss that podium it's time to advance to the next level. ;). And trust me....these competitors are the next level. Just wait until I get around to posting about the most recent Talon Competition.