Aug 22 2012

WOD @90% effort

12 rounds

30 sec KBS

30 sec active rest

30 sec 5 burpees then AMRAP pull-ups

30 sec active rest

16KG bell

Round 1: 16/4

Rd 2: 15/3

Rd 3: 15/3

Rd 4: 13/3

Rd 5: 13/3

Rd 6: 13/3

Rd 7: 13/3

Rd 8: 13/3

Rd 9: 13/3

Rd 10: 13/3

Rd 11: 13/3

Rd 12: 15/3

In my attempt to stay at the same pace each round, I kept my pull-ups low. I think I could have gone 5-6 for 1/2 and then dropped down, but not the goal. Moved easily through the first 13 set, the last two I was definitely pushing myself to keep moving. Could perhaps have used a heavier bell and done less reps?

Also - thought today.. this seems to be how I move through most, if not all, of my WODs. Wondering if my problem is kicking in the extra 10%, not holing steady at 90%?

Food

morning: 1/2 banana, 1/2 OOTB cocoa bar, OOTB muffin

afternoon: fistful of pork and scoop of root mash from last night

evening: chicken tacos - paleo-style :)

August 15 2012

10min AMRAP

6 burpees

9KB Swings (16kg)

12 wall ball (12#, 9")

6 rounds + 15 reps

MAKE-UP: 3 min Double Unders: 80

Food

Morning: 1/2 dinner portion of chopped salad (no cheese)

Afternoon: mexican w/JJ sooo one margarita, fried plantains, guacamole .. probably two handfuls of chips. And ok, just because I am trying to be honest here, I did have a child's size gelato too! Two small scoops, I sweat that's it!! LOL I tried really hard :)

Dinner: Everyday Paleo Butter Chicken

Freddy's dead.

WOD

“Freddy’s Revenge”
5 Rounds:
5 Jerks (185/135)
10 Burpees

RESULTS

95# first two rounds, 85# last three rounds

ring dip intervals: red band, 10 max/5min

ANALYSIS

Love interval work. I really want to get a couple independent ring dips this summer ... plus I love having strong arms for tank top season :) Freddy certainly got revenge on me today. I thought I could make it through at 95# but starting the third round, I got one up and one the second I just couldn't. Scaled and it felt much better - I could easily break it up to 3/2.  The irony is that if the movement was to clean and jerk 5x, I could have done 95#.  Funny, more work, but I think I get a little rest in between the clean and jerk... great workout.  bruised collar bones!

Saturday's mystery WOD

WOD
Team WOD, teams of five, the next exercise could not be completed until the person in front of you completed their set.  225# bar must be held, deadlift position, off the ground the entire time or 5 burpee team pentalty/no work completed.
300 meter sprint with 16kg kettlebell
25 burpees
25 jumping pull-ups
25 box jumps (can't remember height but middle height box with 2 45# weights)
25 ring rows

RESULTS
31 minutes and some seconds

ANALYSIS
so. much. fun. and my lower back is officially fried :)

Sage rocked my lungs!

WOD

“Sage”
2 Rounds:
20 Pullups
20 Thrusters (135/95)
20 Burpees

RESULTS

14:26 RB, 75#

ANALYSIS
Cycled through the burpees pretty well - I was pumped about that. Also thrusters were fine for me. Got hard towards the end of the last round but not super hard - maybe I should have tried to cycle two sets of 10 to really push (I did 5 sets of four).  The pull-ups slowed me down. I haven't been on the band for a while - because I have missed pull-up WODs lately and because the last few pull-ups WODs I free-banded.  I have totally lost the ability to kip on band.  Interesting. And frustrating. I could cycle 2-3 and thats about it. Arms weren't tired, I just couldn't kip with the band.  Ok... so figuring I was only in 2x last week, I felt ok with this WOD.  Tomorrow should be fun: OHS and DUs :)

They're break-dance fighting!

WOD

“I think I have the Black Lung”
21-15-9:
Box Jumps (24/20)
Burpees
Med Ball Cleans (20/16)

RESULTS

Rx'd, 11:42

ANALYSIS

The best part of this WOD (besides being named after one of my all-time favorite movies!!) was the warm-up. Instead of lifting we did volume training pull-ups (ie. as many pull-ups as you can without struggling on the minute for 12 minutes). I was pacing about 4-6 pull-ups/minute towards the end.  I really enjoyed this and think its something I will try to work into every workout, before/after, for the next few weeks to see how it helps.

I was super sore in my legs from Mondays WOD, and somewhat sore in my lower back from Tuesdays deadlifts, so I knew this WOD was going to be a challenge. I am really close to being able to cycle box jumps on 20" which is AH-mazing.  Med cleans were fine, more a pain in the quads than anything else. Then there are burpees...OH BURPEES! :( They slow me down every time. I just couldn't get into a fast rhythm and thats where I lost time.  All in all, happy with this score, though would have liked to be under 10mins. 

Last night was one of those nights were I was so sore I couldn't really sleep. I feel much better today after an intense massage on my back and legs from S. He's a real sweetheart for taking care of me in all my whiny glory!    

It burns burns burns!!

WOD
Split Jerk
3-3-3-3-3
Then
4 Rounds:
5 Clean & Jerks (185/135)
10 Burpee-Handstand Pushups

RESULTS

85#

14:46 85#, 15# man-makers

ANALYSIS

Working on technique, getting better about getting under the bar.  I enjoy these technique days - lighter weight and really pushing myself to nail the smaller details.  Specifically, trying to focus on planting my front foot - not landing on my toes.  This WOD was a ball buster. Halfway through, dying to stop but couldn't. This reminded me of the marathon where walking hurt more than running - I knew if I stopped I wouldn't be to start back up.  As soon as I stopped, the burn set in. Man-makers... DAMN. Nasty sub for handstand push-ups.

Rope Climbs! YEA!!

Today is my rest day as I prep for Fran tmrw morning. We have a January challenge and I am hoping to really improve on my time. Last time I did Fran was in the summer with a green band and I completed it in 9:06.  Tmrw will set the benchmark time for me to improve on across the next four weeks and I will be using the red band.  Christy and Andrew are doing it with me so I will be chasing BIG time - at least for the first 3 mins ;)


WOD
Floor Press 12x2 @65% of Monday


4 minutes for reps of Rope Climb
3 minutes for reps of Burpees
2 minutes for reps of KB Swings (16)
1 minute for reps of Double Unders
*no rest between minutes


RESULTS
Floor Press @65# (Mon max was 105#)


Rope - 3
Burpees - 35
KB Swings - 30
DUs - 19
TOTAL - 87


ANALYSIS
This was the first time I have rope climbed since working out in Kalorama with Christy.  I got the "how to" down really fast, kinda like riding a bike I guess, but couldn't keep my foot grip tight enough to make it to the top of the rope each time. SO, I made it all the way to the top once and then 3/4 way to the top 4 times.  I am not discouraged, next time I just need to wear shorts and knee high socks instead of slippy stretch pants.  Next time I will get to the top 4x.  Burpees as always suck the life out of me and I wish I had pushed myself harder on the KBs - I am usually really good at those!  I am VERY proud of my double unders. By the end of the WOD I was sucking wind big time so I just did sets of 5 and was able to string them together no problem.  Theme of the week - cardio is my weakness right now.  I am going to start doing some speed training on my rest days (Sunday and 1/ mid-week) to see if that helps.

Another day, another deadlift.

I had fun with this WOD. I really enjoy the days when we work on lifting technique, then do a short WOD.  I am so a lifting gal vs. a met-con gal (sorry Liz!).  I will only be working out three times this week due to work travel Friday-Sunday.  Makes me feel a bit lazy ... but after four days on last week, I think my body appreciates a lighter week.  Maybe this calls for a run in San Fran?!  Its been a while since I have gotten out and enjoyed a jog ..    

WOD

Power Clean 3-3-3-3

then...

5 rounds 

5 Deadlift @ 75% max weight

10 Burpees

RESULTS

Clean 55, 65, 85, 95(f@3)

5:28 @ 145

ANALYSIS

I walked in thinking that there was no way I could do 75% of 235lbs for 25 reps (which would be 175).  My lower back was still sore from Crossfit Total on Friday and gardening all weekend.  Now that I have completed the WOD I think I could have done it but it would have been closer to 10mins.  The burpees went fassssst!  Which is often not the case for me.  The deadlift by the 3 round was 1-2 reps at a time.  I enjoyed this WOD.

Cleans. Ahhhh, sweet cleans. So I get very frustrated with this lift, very quickly.  At first, Andrew said I wasn't getting under the weight, making the lift harder than it needed to be. Obviously I didn't believe him.  But... then I saw how high I was actually getting the weight and realized, no really, I am not getting under the weight.  It's just not a natural move for me. And then, once I started focusing on getting under the weight and my body started getting tired (after several lifts), I just stopped "popping" the weight up which basically made the lift impossible.  According to Andrew, if I could figure out the middle explosion I would be able to put some heavy weight up.  For all intensive purposes I am muscling the bar up (and muscling up 95lbs is no joke!!).  So, next time we do this lift, I will concentrate on being more "explosive" and getting under - shouldn't be so hard right? LOL

On a side note, I created some delicious pumpkin paleo recipes yesterday. I will post them later today. I also ordered a fancy new jump rope. I found a great deal and can't wait to try double unders with it!

... And I'm feelin' good.

WOD
8 Minute AMRAP:
8 Push Press
8 High Hang Squat Clean
8 Burpees
Rest 3 minutes…

4 Minute AMRAP:
4 Push Press +25% starting weight
4 High Hang Clean +25% starting weight
Rest 3 minutes…

2 Minute AMRAP:
Clean and Jerk +50% starting weight

RESULTS
first AMRAP: 65lbs, 4 rounds (I think?)
second AMRAP: 75lbs, 4 rounds +4 press
third AMRAP: 85lbs, 10 rounds +clean (no jerk)

ANALYSIS
I was dreading this WOD. In my head it just sounded so long - and really hard work. Now that it's done, I like it!! I could have done without the burpees (obviously ;). I had zero speed getting those done after lifting. But I enjoyed working on "getting under the bar" and performed really well the second AMRAP. Solid performance.

In regards Paleo challenge, I am feeling MUCH better today and am hoping moving forward all withdrawal symptoms are gone. Two new food obsessions: balsamic (on everything) and fish for breakfast. Weird, I know but these two flavors have been the source of my cravings this week. So this morning I had a simple egg and salmon scramble along with some crunchy cornichons. Lunch was quick and easy with 1/2 glass of coconut milk (which I am learning to like), portobello mushroom cap stuffed with browned meat, onions and pepper (seasoned with garlic, mustard seed, red pepper flakes and S&P), heirloom tom's drenched in balsamic - amazing. I poured the extra balsamic over what was left of my stuffed mushrooms when I was done. Continued deliciousness.

Heading over to a friend's for dinner tonight and making chicken marsala and warm arugula salad - and maybe the peach pie which I am now obsessed with because its awesome!

The Clothes Make The Girl: Super Burpee Ninja Training

The Clothes Make The Girl: Super Burpee Ninja Training: "Are you over burpees? Get over yourself! Just string together a few sets of these burpee variations, and you're good-to-go. Instant kickass ..."