Mar 28 WOD: Open 13.4

Today and tomorrow are holidays here but CrossFit Open don't care. Life goes on for CrossFitters and the box is open today so athletes can have a shot at 13.4. I watched the live announcement again, and this time it was Spealler vs. Holmberg. I think it's such a testament to these elite athletes' mental and physical training that they are able to do these workouts at the drop of a hat. They know when to push, when to pull back, and how to pace themselves. They are ready for anything.

So, 13.4 is:

Grabbed from the CF Games site

I was rooting for Speal (I love underdogs), and at first I thought he'd lose because he got a few reps behind Holmberg in the C&J, but then he started catching up in the toes to bar. I love his heart and the way he gave the workout his all. In the end he won with 110 reps to Holmberg's 102.

Whew. Anyway, this is the scale for the CFMNL Open competitors:

Grabbed from CFMNL

My score: 66

Mar 26 WOD: Triplet + Wendler

Strength: Back squat

70% x 3 = 3 x 90
80% x 3 = 3 x 100
90% x 3+ = 5 x 115

I did this before the 12:30 pm class so I didn't have time to do assistance lifts post-WOD.


WOD

5 RFT:

20 burpees
15 hang power cleans (135/95)
40 sumo deadlift high pull (24/16 kg)

I used a 55 lb bar and a 12 kg kettlebell (I know, I know! Sandbagger!). All that sandbagging didn't help, though. I still DNFed. I think I rested too often and too much.

My score: 3 rounds + 11 hang power cleans

Mar 25 WOD: Thruster couplet

I think I'm finally getting the hang of the thruster. I realized that fully extending the hips before pressing the bar up does make the movement easier. It was like having an "a-ha!" moment.

20 minutes AMRAP:

10 thrusters (95/65)

10 chest to bar pull ups OR 10 toes to bar

I have to be honest -- I really wanted to use just 45 lbs for the thrusters. Is it strategizing or sandbagging when you want to use a lighter weight so you can survive 20 minutes of thruster agony? But Tricia convinced me to do 55 lbs (a PR!), and we'd agreed that we'd aim for at least 6 rounds. For the other movement, Coach Jordan recommended that we work on our pull ups. I was reunited yet again with the blue band, and Coach suggested that I use a double underhand grip instead. I found that it did make pull ups easier, and I could also do chest-to-bar more easily.

My score: 7 rounds + 6 thrusters

Mar 22 WOD: Triplet

My butt still hurts from the pistols we did last Wednesday. I arrived at the box early and had contemplated on doing back squats for the Wendler, then I thought I'd better conserve my butt muscles and legs because today's workout involved front squats.

3 RFT (rounds for time):

20 front squats (130/95)
20 burpees
20 toes to bar

I used the long bar and set it up to 65 lbs, and for the toes to bar I was supposed to do knees to elbows but I just couldn't make them meet! I wanted to do V-ups instead but Coach Jordan said I needed to practice the toes to bar. Phooey.

My time: 17:55

Oh, and I want these new inov-8s:

inov-8 F-Lite 182
(source)

Aren't they just the cutest?!

Mar 21 WOD: Open 13.3

I watched the live announcement on the CF Games website again this morning. I feel like such a CrossFit dork for setting my alarm to make sure I didn't miss it. Then again, I'm sure millions of CrossFitters around the world did the same. Well, maybe not millions, but, you know... a lot.

Grabbed from the CF Games site

So it turns out that 13.3 is 12.4. I remember doing this last year. I used a 10 lb ball for the wall balls and I only made it through those. For the CFMNL Open, this was the scale they gave:

Grabbed from the CFMNL site

I've never used a 14 lb ball for wall balls before and of all the days to do it, it had to be today. I told Miggy about it and he said, "Good!" with a big, happy smile. Well, when push comes to shove, there's no other way to do it but to just do it.

My score: 120 (sucks that I wasn't even able to do the double unders with my nifty new Rogue SR-1 rope!)

Mar 20 WOD: OTM + Wendler

Strength: Dead lift

70% x 3 = 3 x 125
80% x 3 = 3 140
90% x 3+ = 5 x 160

Assistance: Kettlebell swings

5 x 10 x 16 kg

I haven't been feeling the Wendler love lately but I still do it. It's probably because of the lack of sleep, so I'll be glad when my shift changes and starts an hour earlier.


WOD

OTM (on the minute) x 20 minutes

Odd: Choice between push ups or dips, 8-12 reps
Even: Choice between max reps pistol squats, 10 kettlebell goblet squats, or 20-40 double unders

My score: 102 push ups; 115 pistols

So another thing to add on my ever growing list of CF stuff to work on: pistol squats. I need to work on doing it with my leg out in front and not letting it stray to the side when I need to balance myself.

In other news, 13.3 is going to be announced tomorrow, 8 am (Philippine time)!

I found this floating around on Pinterest

For me, half the battle is in my mind. I need to just shut up and do the work.

Mar 19 WOD: Running and lunges

Of course there had to be a run today. When the sky is cloudless and the noon sun is high. The lunch class really struggled with the heat, and I'm sure that if it weren't that hot we would all have finished (probably).

3 RFT:

800m run
40m one arm kettlebell overhead walking lunges (24/16 kg)

Grabbed from CFMNL

Before we started, we learned that there will now be running WODs once during weekdays. Groans all around, but whatever. I signed up for CrossFit, and this is part of the deal.

Anyway, I made it to only 2 rounds + 800m run when the 25 minutes ran out but I still did the last set of 40m walking lunges.

Mar 15 WOD: Thrusters + Wendler

Strength: Shoulder press

65% x 5 = 5 x 40
75% x 5 = 5 x 50
85% x 5+ = 5 x 55

I had a lot of difficulty getting the bar up in the last set. I couldn't even do it unbroken. What's up with that?? Maybe my shoulders haven't recovered from 13.2?


WOD

For time:

- 20 thrusters (115/80)
- 8 chest to bar pull ups
- 8 toes to bar
- 10 thrusters
- 4 chest to bar pull ups
- 4 toes to bar

I used a 45 lb bar because I wanted to take it easy today. I also got reunited with the blue band for the pull ups, and I did knees to stomach instead of the toes to bar. I really must find the time to work on the toes to bar.

My time: 4:02

Mar 14 WOD: Open 13.2

I woke up this morning just in time to watch the live announcement of the Open workout 13.2 on the CrossFit Games website.

Grabbed from the CrossFit Games site

On paper, it looks deceivingly simple. But you know these are the ones you should be wary of. I watched the head-to-head throwdown between Annie and Lindsey Valenzuela and it was fascinating. They both started out hard and fast, and while Annie was able to sustain her pace, Lindsey started slowing down a bit until she was a round behind Annie. The latter scored 361 (12 rounds + 1 shoulder to overhead) while Lindsey scored 335 (11 rounds + 5 shoulder to overhead). Which means they did each round in less than a minute. That is insane.

For the CFMNL Open, this was the scale that they gave:

Grabbed from CFMNL

I'm registered under the female medium Rx category so I used 55 lbs for the shoulder to overhead (push press) and dead lift, and got a 20" box for the box jumps.

My score: 201 (6 rounds + 6 box jumps)

Mar 13 WOD: Running and wall balls + Wendler

Strength: Back squat

So it turns out this Wendler thing works. Because I checked my log and saw that what I could only do 5 reps of last month, I was able to do 7 reps of today.

65% x 5 = 5 x 80
75% x 5 = 5 x 95
85% x 5+ = 7 x 105

Assistance 1: Walking lunges (15 lb plate)

5 x 10

Assistance 2: Overhead squats

1 x 10 x 35
2 x 10 x 45
2 x 10 x 55

The heat was suffocating! I really felt those beads of sweat dripping off my nose in that last set. Summer has truly arrived.


WOD

I sucked at the WOD! We had to do 3 rounds of the following against a 3 minute running clock:

- 400m run
- Max reps wall balls
- Rest 3 minutes

That means you'll have to finish the run faster so you can do a lot of wall balls. I was able to finish the runs in 2 minutes or so, but I always had to take a breather before going at the wall balls. Hence, my very poor score: 35.

In other news, Open workout 13.2 will be announced tomorrow! I'm excited about it because I can't wait to see how my boxmates do, but at the same time I dread it because I know it's not going to be a walk in the park. Either way, there's no escaping 13.2.

Um, actually, 13.1 crushed me. But whatever.
One down, 4 to go!

Mar 11 WOD: Couplet + Wendler

Strength: Dead lift

And today marks my fifth cycle.

65% x 5 = 5 x 115
75% x 5 = 5 x 130
85% x 5 = 7 x 150

Assistance 1: Kettlebell swings (16 kg)

5 x 10

Assistance 2: Good mornings

1 x 10 x 45
1 x 10 x 55
1 x 10 x 65
2 x 10 x 75


WOD

10 minutes AMRAP:

- 6 dead lifts (225/155)
- 6 handstand push ups

We practiced doing handstand kick ups before the workout. I'm still too scared to kick up until my heels touch the wall. To think my sisters and I used to do it for fun all the time when we were still kids! There's something about getting old that makes you more afraid to try new things.

I set up a 120 lb bar (even though Coach Jordan was needling me to go Rx) and used a box for the pike push ups.

My score: 10 + 6 dead lifts

Mar 8 WOD: Open 13.1 + Wendler

Strength: Shoulder press

It's deload week anyway, so I figured I might as well get this cycle over and done with. I didn't get the chance to do assistance work, though, because the bootcamp class was full again.

40% x 5 = 5 x 25

50% x 5 = 5 x 30

60% x 5+ = 10 x 35

Boring. The WOD, however, was anything but.

WOD: 13.1

I had mentally prepared for 13.1 yesterday. I read the Coaching Roundtable article on Tabata Times, I watched Julie Foucher's demo video:

I watched Carl Paoli's video breaking down 13.1:

Truth to tell, I wasn't able to focus on anything else because I was too busy checking out facebook and twitter for news about how my boxmates were doing. I was thinking so much about the workout that I'm pretty sure I even dreamt of the snatch last night. I am geeky and obsessive like that.

Well, on to the workout. Coach Matt agreed that I should be moved up to the medium Rx category, so this was the scale I used. 17 minutes AMRAP:

- 40 burpees to 6" target

- 30 snatch 45 lbs

- 30 burpees to target

- 30 snatch 55 lbs

- 20 burpees to target

- 30 snatch 65 lbs

- 10 burpees to target

- AMRAP snatch 75 lbs

I did pace myself on the burpees (not that I could do them fast in the first place) but the sheer number that had to be done before the snatch really does a number on your legs. By the time I reached the second snatch set, my form was suffering and it was getting more and more difficult to get the bar up.

My score: 115 (70 burpees + 30 snatch 45 lbs + 15 snatch 55 lbs)

CrossFit Open Workout 13.1

The first Open Workout of 2013 (more popularly known as "13.1") was announced 12 hours ago and the social media world -- the CrossFitting social media world, at least -- exploded with tweets and posts reacting to the announcement.

Grabbed from the CF Games website

Yep, that's the workout. In my humble newbie opinion, it seems to have been designed to weed out the weak from the outset. Anyone can do burpees, but the snatch is a whole other animal. It could make or break your chances of getting in a lot of reps, depending on your strength and whether or not you have the technique down.

At the local CFMNL Open, though, we are given scales.

Grabbed from CFMNL

I'm signed up for the Baby Rx category, but now that I've seen the weights that will be used for the Med Rx category, I want an "upgrade". I'm not sure if the coaches will allow it but I know I'll feel like I'm shortchanging myself if I do PVC overhead squats instead of the snatch. Besides, I don't want to be labeled a sandbagger!

Mar 6 WOD: Team WOD + Wendler

Strength: Back squat

40% x 5 = 5 x 45
50% x 5 = 5 x 60
60% x 5+ = 10 x 70

Assistance 1: Good mornings

1 x 10 x 35
2 x 10 x 55
2 x 10 x 75

Assistance 2: Overhead squats

1 x 10 x 35
3 x 10 x 45
1 x 10 x 55


WOD: Team WOD

I got teamed with Smacky and Jan. For the first 6 minutes, we had to do max reps wall balls (only one person working at a time). Then after a 1 minute rest, we had to do max reps burpees over box. I used a 10 lb ball for the wall balls and an 18" box for the burpees over box.

Our total score: 227

We got one of the lowest scores but I'm happy that I seem to have finally gotten the hang of those wall balls. It does make a difference when I pop out my hips first before throwing the ball up. Finally, after more than a year!

In other news, CFMNL has this cool new video (and no, it's not the Harlem Shake -- although the Fort box did do their own version), about the box.

Crossfit Manila, The Box. from Francisco Guerrero on Vimeo.

It reminds me of Under Armour's "I Will Protect This House" commercial series. Goosebumps!

Mar 5 WOD: Cleans

The first 15 minutes we did a clean complex similar to the snatch complex we did yesterday. We worked up to a heavy set of power clean + squat clean (touch and go). I shared a bar with Isabelle and Rach and we were able to work our way up to 95 lbs.

The metcon was similar to yesterday's as well. OTM x 10:

- 5 hang squat clean
- 15 box jumps (30/24")

Rach and I shared a 65 lb bar and used the prescribed 24" box. It was so hard on the legsss. I was panting like you wouldn't believe. Coach Jordan said that the recent WODs were geared to help us get ready for the Open (both the CFMNL Open and the Reebok CrossFit Open). That informational tidbit and the thought of having someone count your reps while you're working out makes me want to hyperventilate. (Note to self: It's just another WOD. It's just another WOD. It's just another freakin' WOD.)

I'm excited to see who among my boxmates will make it to Regionals. CFMNL is ready!

Mar 4 WOD: Snatch + Wendler

Strength: Dead lift

Deload week!

40% x 5 = 5 x 70
50% x 5 = 5 x 85
60% x 5+ = 15 x 100

Assistance 1: Kettlebell swings

5 x 10 x 16 kg

Assistance 2: Weighted walking lunges

6 x 10 x 15 lbs

I think the assistance work is truly helping, at least in terms of making me more conscious about my form.


WOD

For the first 15 minutes of the workout, we worked on the power snatch and the full snatch. One set is 1 power snatch + 1 full snatch (touch and go), with emphasis on technique. I've finally managed to move up from 45 to 50 lbs with the full snatch.

The metcon was OTM x 10:

Odd minutes - 5 push press
Even minutes - max reps chest to bar pull ups

I used the same 50 lb bar for the push press and did ring rows instead of CTB. I think we were supposed to keep count of the total number of pull ups we were able to do but I didn't do it. By my estimate, though, I probably did around 75.

Mar 1 WOD: 5RM Push press + Wendler

It's already March?! I guess it shouldn't be too hard to believe, since the weather is getting hotter and hotter by the day. Looking out my grimy office window, I can see that the sky is a cloudless blue. This would have been the perfect beach day and it makes me wish I were in Davao. But enough daydreaming.


Strength: Shoulder press

75% x 5 = 5 x 45
85% x 3 = 3 x 50
95% x 1+ = 4 x 60

Sadly, I wasn't able to do assistance work after the WOD because the bootcamp class was full and there wasn't any space left on the floor that I could use. I was surprised to see that many people -- around 15 or so!


WOD

The first 15 minutes, we worked on our 5RM push press. I worked my way up to 75 lbs. I was able to do 3 reps at 80 but I couldn't rack the bar from the overhead position and it would fall on the floor.

After that, we did the metcon, which was 7 minutes AMRAP:

- 10 toes to bar
- 15 ring push ups
- 20 box jumps (24/18")

Since I wasn't doing the T2B Rx'd, I did knees to elbows on the rings. I also did the ring push ups on my knees (those were darn hard!), and I did the box jumps as Rx'd.

After a few minutes of resting, we did the cash out 800m run. It was for time and according to the board, we were to give it our max effort. Riiighhtttt. My goal was simply to not stop, and I did it! I was even able to sprint the last 50 meters. Now I know it's not impossible to run continuously! Haha!

My score: 75# (push press) / 2 + 9 box jumps (metcon) / 4:50 (cash out)