It's been a while...

...since I have crossfit blogged!  I blame the summer, but really its because I have gotten so busy with Out of the Box Bakery.  A great problem to have :)  I will make time for blogging again .. its important to be able to measure improvement.

WOD
“10 Tons For Time:”
Pick a weight and lift it enough to accumulate 10 tons in the following scheme…
Max Rep Deadlifts
Max Rep Push Press
Max Rep Back Squat
Suggested weight: 115/85

RESULTS
17 min time cap. I need to complete 235 reps = 10 Tons.

I completed 205 reps @ 85#

ANALYSIS

My ego was hurt on this one more than anything. Most folks finished around 14mins... which felt unreal to me.. I was working almost non-stop. Weight felt fine - I just didn't move fast enough.  First morning WOD in almost 6 months. My body definitely moves differently.

This was for Pat.

WOD

“Tillman”
7 Rounds:
7 Deadlifts 315/255
200m Sprint
15 Pullups
Rest 45 seconds

RESULTS

155# DL, red band, 25:30

ANALYSIS

I was tired, didn't want to run in the rain, and was the last one to finish by 4 minutes. There were several reasons I did not want to go to DCF and several reasons that made me want to stop or lower my reps throughout... but the most important one got me there and kept me going - Pat Tillman.  I know a lot folks think he gets recognition because of celebrity media and football - I think he was a phenomenal and rare human being. There are very few people that would walk away from millions of dollars to first, stay loyal to the initial team that believed in him, and then second to fight for his country and when he thought that wasn't right, to stay the course and fulfill a commitment.  Maybe not right, but extraordinary.

In regards to my time and capacity, the pull-ups killed me. Again, no cycling on the band. I essentially completed 105 dead hang pull-ups. F. That.  I also really, REALLY, missed my 6pm partners in crime. It just isn't the same without them.

Crossfit Games Open WOD 2

WOD

volume training, 10mins: ring dips

15 minutes AMRAP:
9 Deadlift (155/100)
12 Pushups
15 Box Jump

RESULTS

volume training: max 10, min 4

RX'd 6 rounds + 9DL + 8PU

ANALYSIS
love volume training. love it. it helps. 

this WOD was super fun and I love doing anything rx'd (yeah, I said it).  Christy got 13 rounds for the Open... holy.  I can't even imagine.  I felt like I was busting my ass on this... muwahahahaha.  She clearly kicked my ass on the box jumps.. and the push-ups... but I MUST have smoked her on the DLs ;)

Dirty Diane-ah!

WOD
Overhead Squat
3-3-3-3-3
THEN...
“Diane”
21-15-9:
Deadlifts (225/155)
Handstand Pushups

RESULTS

95# OHS

135# DL, 15#dumb bell strict press

4:46

ANALYSIS

OHS is always a challenge but Andrew had some excellent tips as far as butt and bar position goes. I was really focusing... so much that towards the last lifts my knees started caving in!  Thats unusual for me in a squat but I felt it immediately and self corrected. 95# was heavy but not struggling. Could have gone heavier but didn't have much time and didn't want to kill myself before the WOD for a three rep max.

I REALLLYYYY want to be able to do handstand push-ups. We didn't have much time to practice handstands, ie. I didn't practice at all. And the sub was strict push press instead of box push-ups which made me happy. The box pu's never feel like the right sub to me ... I wish I had done 20 or 25# dumbbells. I cranked through the 15# pretty easily.  The DL weight was challenging after the first set of 21 but I just wonder if I 10 or 20#s more would really have made a difference.  Eh, either way, it went fast and I am delightfully not sore in my lower back today!  That's a milestone :)

Bang bang, he shot me down.

WOD
Press
5-5-5-5-5
THEN...
??minute AMRAP:
4 Deadlifts (275/185)
6 Sit ups
8 Pistols

RESULTS
75# Press

165# DL, pistol with red band 8 rounds + 4DL + 6SU (I think it was an 8 min AMRAP? unclear.)

ANALYSIS

I was quite happy with my press.  75# x5 is a strong improvement for me AND I think I could have gotten 80# up but we ran out of time.  On the last 75# lift, I was comfortable and then just struggled a wee bit on the fifth rep. Nice job Miller!

I wish we had more time to set-up for the WOD. I haven't done pistols since we were working out with Christy at Liz's condo gym!!  So really, I haven't ever officially tried them. We were moving so fast to set up for the WOD I didn't get a chance to play with them a bit before starting.  That being said, using the band was fine and probably helped me better understand how to move OUT of the pistol - which is the hardest part for me. I have the strength, just lose my balance towards the end.  After the WOD, I tried a few just balancing against the wall - and thats what I should have done for the WOD. It was more challenging but more like an actual pistol and I didn't have trouble getting up (and that's post-workout!).  Then I tried a few with no assistance.  Squatting on the left leg was not pretty :)  The right leg, I got up once!!  I think it really helps to lean forward - trying to keep my chest up and get up balanced is not possible for me right now.  Sooo, yeah! That's exciting and I liked this WOD. Moved fast.

District Crippler indeed.

WOD
Jerk
1-1-1-1-1-1
THEN ...
“District Crippler”
30 Deadlifts (1.5xBW)
Run 1 Mile

RESULTS

115# jerk (I think, might have been 110)

#125; 10:10

ANALYSIS

I enjoy this WOD even though I loathe running ... it actually feels good to run after the deadlifts - which probably means I am not running fast enough.  Andrew said this should be completed under 10mins and my back was still sore from last weeks deadlift max SO I scaled the DL weight.  In hindsight, I should have gone a little heavier. I did 25 DLs and then 5 - so basically unbroken.  I think I could have gone to 145 or 155# and not have lost that much time.  Oh well.   

LOVE LOVE LOVE the guys that sit out on the parking lot wall on the street behind DCF. They are always so encouraging and honestly, the only reason I bust my ass up that street!  Always so thankful for those guys on these running WOD days :)

Death by anything is awesome!

WODDeadlift
1-1-1-1-1-1-1
Then ...
Death by Thrusters (135/95)

RESULTS

235# deadlift; 65# WOD 10 rounds+8reps

ANALYSIS

I went into the deadlift work knowing that I wasn't going to PR today - I haven't completed a deadlift, in a WOD or max rep, since November.  Its just been timing.  My max in November was 235# and I leveled out today at 235#.  Not bad.  I could have gotten 240# up but didn't have time to try. I failed at 245#  Couldn't get past that sticky zone.  So let's see where that number goes in 45 days. I *heart* deadlifts almost as much as squats :)

I wasn't sure how to scale this WOD so went with rx'd Fran.  The first few thrusters felt weird on my right shoulder, but then got better.  Or rather, I was throwing the weight up more vs. pushing.  I was the second to last to finish, which made me happy. I wish I pushed through that last set - I could have done it, and not just saying that in post-WOD bliss...  The person that beat me was lifting 20lbs less, so I am pleased ;)

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!

Chasing the Dragon

Quick note of celebration as I did not blog after Saturday's WOD.  At the end of the workout- which was really fun and kick-ass btw - I decided to try some pull-ups... without the band!  First pull-up = jumping from 45 lb plate on the ground, under the bar.  Second and third pull-ups = kipping and pull.  I haven't been this proud of myself in a long time!!  Really just grinning ear to ear.  I worked so hard and earned every bit of those pull-ups.  In the words of a very smart, blonde legal eagle: ME!!  As for the WOD, it included 5 rounds, 90 seconds to complete 5 heavy back squats and AMRAP box jumps - I maxed out at 155 on the squat and I believe got between 30 and 35 box jumps each round.

Now onto today:

WOD

Crossfit Total

1 rep max Back Squat, Deadlift and Press (in that order)

RESULTS

Back Squat 170

Deadlift 225

Press 75

Total 470

ANALYSIS

I really enjoyed this WOD.  I missed it last time so I didn't really have a comparison.  I also didn't have a one rep max to use as a base for lifting, but had a couple sets of 3 and sets of 5 to choose from.  All in all, I am very happy with my lifts. I definitely could have gone heavier on the squats but 170 felt heavy and was a clean lift.  The deadlift ... maybe could have gone 5 lbs higher, maybe.  225 was a heavy lift for me.  And the press.  Ahh, the sweet press.  After the squat and deadlift I was feeling so strong.  Leave it up to the press to remind me of my weaknesses!  Such a humbling lift.  I joked that I could have lifted 77.5, but was really only partially joking.  I couldn't get 80 lbs above my eyes. 

I look forward to looking back on this benchmark WOD after 30 days on a Paleo diet.  Better see a difference or else! LOL :)