June 23 WOD: Row and thrusters

A. Strength and Skill

4 sets of:

5 front squats (65-80%)
Rest 10 seconds
5 high box jumps (rest 5 seconds between reps)
Rest 3 minutes

B. Metcon (20 minute cap)

1000m row/run, then:

3 rounds:

15 thrusters (95/65#)
30 double unders

It was raining out so we all rowed for the metcon. Coach Jordan wanted us to be done with the row in 5 minutes since we were doing the WOD in 2 heats. I finished in 4+ minutes but it took a couple of minutes before I could stand properly again. Another DNF under my belt!


My score: 85#/26" (FS and BJ); 1+22 DUs (55#)

June 10 WOD: Partner WOD

Partner WOD

2 sets of AMRAP 5 minutes of:
40 kettlebell ground to overhead (clean and jerk or snatch)
40 toes to bar
40 supermans
40 box jumps (24/20")
Rest 5 minutes

Then, immediately after the second 5 minutes:

AMRAP 7 minutes of the following complex:
Power clean + Hang squat clean

Only one person should work at a time. The score for the clean complex is the total weight moved by you and your partner.

The only ones who showed up for the 10 AM class were Pao, Ken, and myself so I got partnered with Pao. I used light weights for the clean complex because of my wrist sprain (or strain, I never know which is which).


Our score: Set 1 - 20 supermans; Set 2 - 40 supermans (16 kg KB); 2805# (clean complex)

Jun 2 WOD: Dead lifts and DUs

A. Strength

Dead lift: work up to a heavy 2RM in 15 minutes (not for touch and go)

B. Metcon

Partner WOD

3 RFT (total of 6 rounds per pair)
50 double unders
20 box jump overs (20/18")

I was partnered with Rae and only one of us could work at a time. The partner must complete a round before the other one can start working. I love these built-in rest periods.


My score: 185# (2RM DL); 13:10 Rx

April 22 WOD: Rope climbs

A. Skill

Rope climbs

B. Metcon

4-6 sets of:

3 power cleans (185/135#)
6 ring dips
9 box jumps (24/20")
12 hand release push ups
Rest 2 minutes

I need to work on my rope climbing skillz.


My score: 6 rounds, 17:13 (75#, parallette dips, 20")

March 26 WOD: Plyo + running

Summer has definitely arrived and the headache I got from running under the sun is solid proof.

A. Active dynamics (4 laps each)

1. High knees
2. Butt kicks
3. Deons
4. Skips
5. Back pedal
6. Carioca
7. Lunges
8. Burpee broad jumps
9. Forward hops
10. Double leg zigzag forward hops
11. Single leg zigzag forward hops

B. Strength/Skill

Split squats with kettlebells, 3 x 10 each leg

C. WOD

20 minutes running clock

400m run
Max reps jumping squats

At 4 minutes:
400m run
Max reps box jumps

At 8 minutes:
400m run
Max reps V-ups

At 12 minutes:
400m run
Max reps box jumps

At 16 minutes:
400m run
Max reps jumping squats

It took us about 45 minutes to finish all the active dynamics drills so we didn't get a chance to do the split squats and we went straight to the metcon.

In other news, the box is moving to a new location this Saturday and I feel a bit sad. I still remember the very first time I walked through the intimidating red doors of the box. Lots of things have happened, lots of changes have taken place since then. Like Samantha said in SATC, "A lot of shit went down in this place. Attention must be paid."

What may be the last time we get a picture here :(

My score: 38

March 17 WOD: Cleans

I've been telling some people at the box how burned out I've been feeling lately. I haven't felt that thrill I usually get just before walking through that red door of the box. The bar feels heavy, my body feels slow.... Since I started CF in late 2011 I've never taken a purposeful break longer than 5 or 6 days and when I go on vacation in a couple of weeks I think I'll probably do just that.

A. BBG

5 sets of:

Heavy power clean 1-1-1
Rest 20 seconds
5 tall box jumps

B. Metcon

5 sets of the following every 3 minutes:

6 power clean (75-80% of heavy power clean)
12 hand release push up
300m run

I didn't run 300m the whole 5 sets because after a couple of sets I couldn't complete one set anymore in under 3 minutes. So Coach Jordan allowed me to run only 200m -- and I still DNFed.


My score: 105# (power clean); 24" (tall box jump); 4+12 HRPU (85#)

March 14 WOD: Open 14.3

In a video just before the announcement, Dave Castro said that people will have to "fight for every rep." He really is brilliant when it comes to programming.

Screen grab from the CF Games site

For this Open announcement, it was Alessandra Pichelli and Stacie Tovar who went head to head. And I just want to share my favorite moment of the announcement:

Screen grab from the video announcement

Tovar was wearing workout pants, which I thought was highly unusual for an elite CrossFitter competing in front of a big crowd (coz you know how us CF girls love to show off our quads). Just as Castro called out that there was 10 seconds to go before time starts, she shed her pants. I love it!

This is one painful workout. I did it as prescribed, thinking that it's "only" 8 minutes long, but how wrong I was. Since the weights are ascending, you have to have the plates ready on both ends of the bar so you can easily add them. And you're the only one who's supposed to add the plates so you have to move as quickly as you can.


My score: 90 Rx

March 7 WOD: Open 14.2 and bootcamp

For 14.2, it was Talayna Fortunato and CLB who went head-to-head. It wasn't as fun as 14.1.

I already did OHS yesterday using the same weight, and since I wasn't signed up for the throwdown anyway, Coach Jordan let me scale. I still can't do chest to bar pull ups anyway. It was a super short workout since I only made it to the rounds of 12 so I decided -- for what may be the 2nd time in my CF career -- to do the bootcamp WOD. It sucked (translation: I sucked), and I got a big, fat DNF.

This is what we did for bootcamp:

21-18-15-12-9-6-3 (25 minute cap)

Medicine ball clean (9/7 kg)
Double unders
Kettlebell dead lift (32/24 kg)
Box jumps
10m bear crawl


My score: 70 reps (45#; green band)

February 26 WOD: Plyo Wednesday!

Since I'm so bad at body weight movements, I don't go to the box on Wednesdays because they're plyo day. I usually pick Wednesday as my rest day but I didn't work out yesterday so I had to come in today.

A. Resistance band sprints

B. Plyometrics: 4-square drill

C. Metcon

3 rounds, FGB style

1 minute max reps of:

Wall balls (9/7 kg)
Box jumps (24/18")
Kettlebell swings (24/16 kg)
Burpees
V-ups
1 minute rest

D. Core work: partner Russian twists with med ball

The plyo part wasn't bad, it was the metcon that sucked. Ideally, you should rest only during the 1 minute rest period but I love to rest so my score wasn't that good. We weren't able to do core work anymore though because there was no more time.


My score: 195 Rx

February 10 WOD: Team WOD

There was no strength or skill work today, just the metcon workout.

Team WOD (teams of 3)

4 x 5 minute AMRAP

3 box jump overs (24/20")
6 push press (95/65#)
9 kettlebell swings (24/16 kg)
Rest 2 minutes between quarters

A team member does one whole round and the next team member does the next round, and so on. After 5 minutes, there's a 2 minute rest, and then the next 5 minute AMRAP begins. I teamed with Rhona and Mau, and Coach Jordan said that we should aim to do 9 rounds during each set. Apparently, about 2 teams were able to do it. Unfortunately, we weren't one of them.


Our score: 26 + 8 KBS (18"; 55#; 16 kg)

January 28 WOD: Leg killer

A. Skill

3 rounds (not for time; focus on technique)

10 box jumps
10 toes to bar
10 alternating pistols (5 per leg)

B. Metcon

4 RFT (10 minute cap)

5 squat cleans (155/105#)
10 chest to bar pull ups
20 double unders

Rest 5 minutes

4 RFT (10 minute cap)

10 dead lifts (155/105#)
20 wall balls (9/7 kg)

You know I rarely lie on the floor after a WOD but this... this had me on my back a good few minutes. It absolutely owned me. The 7 kg ball played a particularly cruel staring game with me.


My score: 3 + 1 pull up (65#); 3 + 3 dead lifts (95#)

January 21 WOD: Back squats and a quickie

A. Strength

Back squats

Set 1: 6 x 45-55%
Set 2: 4 x +10%
Set 3: 2 x +10%
Set 4: Max reps x -5% of Set 3

B. Metcon

AMRAP 2 minutes

6 thrusters (115/75#)
6 box jump overs (24/20")
6 hand release push ups

Rest 4 minutes, then repeat.

The strength part of the WOD was exactly the same as last Tuesday's, except that we were supposed to go heavier.

My score: 12 reps (90#); 2 rounds + 3 thrusters; 2 rounds (55#; 18")

January 9 WOD: Front squats and a quickie couplet

One week back and I still feel sluggish. Blech.

A. SWOD

EMOM 8 minutes
2 front squats at 75-80%

B. Metcon

In working intervals of 60 seconds on, 60 seconds off:

5 RFT
5 power cleans (155/105#)
10 box jumps (24/18")

Ever since I became more conscious about pushing my knees out when I'm squatting, I've felt better about my front squats. There are just so many things to keep in mind when squatting. For example today, these were the things I was mentally reviewing during the SWOD: deep breath, tight core, knees out, weight on the heels, elbows up, exhale, repeat.


My score: 95# (front squats); 6:42 (85#, 18")

Dec 16 WOD: 1RM Shoulder press

A. SWOD

6 work sets to 1RM shoulder press (20 minutes)

B. Metcon

7 minutes AMRAP

7 box jumps (24/20")
7 burpees
7 kettlebell swings (24/16 kg)

I didn't get a PR on the shoulder press but I'm happy that 70# didn't seem as heavy as it did the first time. I remembered to avoid overextending my back as much as possible (I don't think I bent it that much) and I tried to keep my whole body tight

Fewer and fewer people have been going to the 10 am class. My theory is it's because of the slightly cooler temperatures and the shorter days that make it more difficult to get up in he morning. Oh, and I'm sure the heavy holiday traffic is also a factor.


My score: 70# (shoulder press); 4 + 6 KBS (yes, one friggin rep shy of 5 rounds)

Dec 9 WOD: Double the difficulty

Why do they make Monday WODs difficult? They must know we (meaning, I) indulge too much at weekends.

Metcon:

Every 2 minutes for a total of 5 sets (10 minutes)
5 clusters (135/95#)
10 toes to bar

Rest 5 minutes

Every 2 minutes for a total of 5 sets (10 minutes)
5 ground to overhead (135/95#)
10 box jumps (30/24")

Clusters are squat clean to thruster, which means they really take a toll on the legs because you need to clean the bar every darn time before pressing it up. For the second WOD I reduced the weight to 55# because Tere had the brilliant idea of snatching it instead of doing a clean and jerk.

Another nasty WOD done and dusted.


My score: 5 rds (65#); 5 rds (55#, 24")

Nov 12 WOD: Meh

First workout after the obstacle race last Sunday.

A. Skill

Take 12 minutes to work on a specific gymnastic skill (I chose pull ups)

B. Metcon

15 minutes AMRAP
9 dead lifts (155/105#)
12 hand release push ups
15 box jumps (24/20")

I rested way too much during the metcon but I did it as prescribed.


My score: 6 + 3 HRPU (Rx)

Oct 21 WOD: A whole lot of leg work

A. SWOD

Front squats (15 minutes)
Work up to a heavy single

B. Metcon

Part 1: 7 minute cap
20 Russian kettlebell swings (32/24 kg)
10 box jumps (30/24")

Rest, then at the start of the 12th minute:

Part 2: 4 sets
60 seconds max reps wall balls
60 seconds rest

Mondays are always hard. Midway through the warm up I always find myself wishing I hadn't gone to the box.


My score: 115 (front squat); Part 1 - 4:38 (16 kg/24"); Part 2 - 60 reps

Oct 17 WOD: Max rep thrusters and box jump overs

A. Core

3 rounds
20 odd objects walking lunges
Rest 1 minute
Max reps strict pull ups
Rest 1 minute

B. Metcon

6 rounds
30 seconds max reps thrusters (95/65#)
Rest 30 seconds
30 seconds max reps box jump overs (24/20")
Rest 30 seconds

The first part wasn't timed but we did have to keep track of the number of pull ups we'd been able to do. The second part was not fun. Like, at all. I had initially planned to sandbag but when I saw Greg going Rx, I kinda felt that I had to go Rx too. During the fifth round of box jump overs I almost felt like puking. Ugh, ugh, ugh!


My score: 38 pull ups (green band); 89 (34 thrusters + 55 box jump overs)

Oct 14 WOD: Front squats and a pyramid

A. SWOD

Front squats
3 x 5 at 85% of 1RM
Rest 3 minutes after each set

B. Metcon

30 pull ups
20 box jumps (24/20")
10 snatch (135/95#)
20 box jumps
30 pull ups

My score: 105 (front squats); 7:53 (ring rows, 20", 55#)

Oct 7 WOD: Snatch day

A. BBG

Hang snatch
3-3-3-3-3

B. Metcon

EMOM 10 minutes
3 power snatch (135/95#)
6 toes to bar
9 box jumps (24/20")

I stuck with the 45# bar for the hang snatch practice. I used the same weight for the power snatch and did knees to elbow/chest. Then after the WOD, we stuffed our faces with the different kinds of cake that Rhona had brought from Bacolod.


My score: 45# (hang snatch); 5 rounds (45#; 18")