Aug 31 WOD: Randy + Wendler Day 12

WOD

We did snatches for the first time during a WOD today. The workout was a hero benchmark called Randy, in honor of Randy Simmons, an LAPD veteran and SWAT team member killed in the line of duty.

We had to do 75 reps of power snatches. Rx for the ladies was 55 lbs.

I practiced using a 25 lb bar, then I tried using a 35 lb bar. Coach Jordan reminded everyone that it's more important to get our form down first before trying to go Rx. So I stuck with the 35 lb bar. It wasn't terribly difficult, but I took my time performing each rep because I wanted to make sure that my form was good -- not easy to do when you have to do 75 reps. Sometimes I'd feel like I nailed it, and then I'd mess up the next rep.

My time: 12:10.

We weren't made to do a cash-out, but I saw something on the board that Dorothy said they'd done, so I did it too.

As you can see, it was a lot. I cheated during the planks, though. I couldn't hold it for 1 minute without taking a break!


Strength: Shoulder press

I had decided I wouldn't do this when I saw the WOD, but I had it already written down in my journal so I ended up doing it anyway. It's deload week, anyway.

40% x 5 = 5 x 25
50% x 5 = 5 x 30
60% x 5+ = 10 x 35

It would've been embarrassing to use a rack for the presses because they're so light, so I didn't. I'm so glad it's Friday!

Jul 23 WOD: Nate

Well, today went better than Friday, that's for sure. The board says we're to do the benchmark hero workout Nate today. It includes muscle ups, and since a lot of us couldn't do muscle ups yet, most went for the scaled version, which was 20 mins AMRAP of:

- 4 chest to bar pull ups
- 4 ring dips
- 10 kettlebell swings (Rx: 24 kg)

I used the blue band for the pull ups, a box to put my feet on for the ring dips, and 16 lbs for the KBS.

My score: 12. Take that, you 16-kg kettlebell! Although I have to say that I was afraid that I might accidentally let go of the kettlebell in the middle of a swing, so I had to tighten my grip several times. I was able to do all the reps unbroken, though!

And now, another gratuitous CrossFit video. I like this one because it shows how different the CrossFit Games is from other spectator sports. You go to the CF Games because you want to see how these superfit athletes will do in one of the exercises you've done at the box before. And I'm pretty sure almost all of those who followed the Games has had some exposure to CrossFit -- they've tried it, they're doing it, or they wanna do it.

Have you ever seen such a beautiful and grand display of fitness, health, and beauty? It's like CrossFit Christmas!

May 30 WOD: Jack

My triceps are still seriously sore from Monday's thruster workout. It wasn't so bad yesterday morning, but the arms progressively got more sore as the day wore on. And this morning, I found it difficult to put on my clothes! But I'm not complaining. Well, maybe a little bit. At least I don't whine about it. Pain? Bring.It.On!

We did another benchmark workout today. There are lots of benchmark workouts, as you can see from my log book:

I think the coaches are ticking them off the list one by one!

The workout we did is called Jack, in honor of Army Staff Sgt. Jack M. Martin III, who died in Jolo, Philippines in September 2009 from the detonation of an improvised explosive device. It is 20 mins AMRAP of:

- 10 push presses (Rx: 75 lbs)
- 10 kettlebell swings (Rx: 16 kg)
- 10 box jumps (Rx: 20")

I used a 45 lb bar, a 12 kg kettlebell, and an 18" box. My score: 10 rounds + 1 push press. All of us were on the floor after that.

(source)

Amen. Jack: done and done! Till we meet again!

P.S. I was able to do 3 pull ups using the blue band today. Yipee! Now I want to work on my dead hang pull ups.

Post-challenge Day 30 + Apr 13 WOD: Josh

Today's meals

Breakfast: Paleo pancakes with coconut butter, coconut nectar, and banana
Lunch: Sweet potato hash with fried eggs
Dinner: Sweet potato hash with pork sisig
Snacks: Singkamas, apple and pear slices

Hoping that when I come home tonight I'll be strong enough to resist the temptation of that Bizu Mango Chiboust Cake in the fridge...

WOD

I missed the box too much! The past three days I hadn't worked out felt like a month (ok, exaggeration) and it was sooo good to be back. Even though it was benchmark day and I met this boy named Josh. Since I wasn't doing the workout Rx'd, there was a 20 min time cap to do:

- 21 overhead squats
- 42 pull ups
- 15 overhead squats
- 30 pull ups
- 9 overhead squats
- 18 pull ups

Nice to meet you, Josh!

I used a 35 lb bar for the OHS and the ever-reliable green band for the pull ups. That's a lot of gosh-darned pull ups there. My time: 9:01.

The coaches probably thought that 35 lbs was too light for me and Miggy thought that I could probably increase my OHS weight so I tried using Lala's 55 lb bar but I couldn't stabilize it. Maybe a 45 lb bar would've been better. Till next time, Josh!

Paleo Challenge Day 22 + Mar 7 WOD: Rahoi

Today's meals

Breakfast: Caimito
Lunch: Scrambled eggs with spinach, boiled sweet potato
Dinner: Burgers, ampalaya cooked with eggs
Snacks: Singkamas, longan, apples, boiled sweet potatoes

WOD

It was time to hero up again today. We did "Rahoi," which is 12 mins AMRAP of:

- 12 box jumps (Rx: 20")
- 6 thrusters (Rx: 65 lbs)
- 6 bar-facing burpees

I used an 18" box for the BJs and a 45 lb bar for the thrusters. I eventually switched to a 35 lb bar after the second or third round. But hey, I've moved up from the 12" boxes, so that's gotta count for something! My score: 4 rounds + 6 thrusters.

Post-WOD, I worked on my double unders again. I think I'm starting to get the timing right.

I treated myself to cupcake a la mode again (paleo, of course) last night. And because it might be a while before I'm able to do it again, I took pictures.

Step 1: Warm the cupcake in the microwave

Step 2: Pile on scoops of ice cream

Step 3: Devour

February 6 WOD: J.T.

Another benchmark hero WOD today, and it was all about the upper body.

We did "J.T.," which is sets of 21-15-9 of:

- Handstand push ups
- Ring dips
- Push ups

I still don't trust my core enough to try the band-assisted handstand push ups. I tried it once and it felt like my back was breaking. So I did the HSPUs while kneeling on a box with my head upside down. For the ring dips, I used the parallettes with my heels on a 12" box. And for the push ups, I did them on my knees again. My time: 10:41.

More people are starting to come in for the 10 am class so I think the schedule is safe... for now.

January 20 WOD: Weaver

We did another Hero WOD today -- Weaver. But for newbies and learners there was Weaver Jr., which is 4 rounds of:

- 6 L-pull ups (Rx: 10)
- 10 push ups (Rx: 15)
- 12 chest to bar pull ups (Rx: 15)
- 10 push ups (Rx: 15)
- 16 pull ups (Rx: 20)
- 10 push ups (Rx: 15)

Menu for the day: Weaver, Mrs. Weaver, Baby Weaver, or Weaver Jr.

For the L-pull ups, I had to do 10 pull ups first then 6 knees-to-chest. I did knee push ups and used the green band at first for the pull ups, but Pau made me use the black one after the second round (which made it sooo much easier).

Time cap for non-Rxers was 25 mins and I finished in 21:36. My arms are shot.

And in other news, I must be crazy... because I just signed up for the Paleo Challenge! I don't have a partner yet but they said they can look for one for me.

That's my name in green, see?

I've been reading up on it, and one of the things that intimidates me is the high probability that I would need to shop wisely for food and prepare my meals myself -- two things that I've always been too lazy to do. Let's just see how this goes...

January 18 WOD: Wittman

Today was one of those "Hero" WOD days. In CrossFit, when we say Hero WOD, it means the WOD is named after a fallen soldier who was killed in the line of duty. Hero WODs are more difficult, more ardous, and they serve as a memorial for these brave people.

We did "Wittman" today, which was 7 rounds of:

- 15 kettlebell swings (KBS)
- 15 power cleans
- 15 box jumps

Being the newbie that I am, my workout was scaled way down. I used the 8 kg kettlebell for the KBS, the 35 lb bar for the power cleans, and the 12-inch box for the box jumps.

I finished in 21:31. That was hard! 105 box jumps!!!

Anyway, I weighed myself after the workout and saw that I've gained but my body fat percentage is down from 23.3% in December to 21.5%. I sure hope the gain is from muscles.

Postmortem of today's WOD

We did Collin today, which was 6 rounds of the following (with a 45-minute cap):

- 400m carry (20 lbs)
- 12 push presses (35 lbs)
- 12 box jumps (12")
- 12 sumo deadlift high pulls (35 lbs)

I think it was at the start of the 5th round when I started feeling light-headed but I chugged along and it eventually passed. And once, while doing the carry the coach shouted, "Laya! Stop daydreaming!" I would have laughed if I weren't so winded.

When I started the 6th round around 40 minutes had already passed, and I was thinking that I will DNF (did not finish) again. But no. When I came in the others were still at it even though the 45 minutes had already elapsed, and I felt a sense of dread as I mentally prepped myself to push through. I finished with a time of 48:48.

Oh, and I finally signed up, too! I'm having my first Foundations Class this Sunday. As Mo Twister would say: Good times.

Do your workouts make you nervous?

Mine do.

Today was my third time to go to CrossFitMNL and like the other day, I felt butterflies in my stomach when I thought about what we might do today. I wonder if I'll always feel this way about the WODs.

Anyway, today's WOD was Santiago. We had to do 7 rounds of the following (with a 20 minute cap):

- 18 hang squat cleans (I did a modified version using a 15 lb bar)
- 18 pull-ups (I used the green band)
- 10 power cleans (I did a modified version using an 8 kg kettlebell)
- 10 hand stand push ups (I did a modified version kneeling on a box)

There were 4 of us in the group and no one was able to do 7 rounds. How can anyone do 7 rounds of all that in 20 minutes?! I was able to do 3 rounds, and I had it easy compared to the others.