Open 16.2 snippets

I was excited about this one because Dan Bailey. 'Nuff said.

Screen cap from the live feed

(Screen cap from this source)

No, that's not chalk you see in the air but steam from Bailey's body. The announcement was made in a garage in North Carolina, which apparently had freezing temps at that time.

(Screen cap from this source)

I have to admit that I'd only recently learned about the Damn Daniel vine/meme going around. I came across this post in my Explore feed when I searched for #danbailey. It's just so apt.

Anyway, I did a scaled version of the workout:

25 TTBs/hanging knee raises
50 DUs
15 squat cleans (65#)

And in the first 4-minute round I only made it to the 10 squat cleans, so my score was 85 reps. Weak.

June 26 WOD: Chipper day

A. BBG

Every 2 minutes on the minute for 16 minutes (8 sets):

Hang power snatch + Snatch (65-75%)

B. Metcon (20 minute cap)

30 overhead squats (95/65#)
30 toes to bar
20 power snatch
20 TTB
10 squat snatch
10 TTB


My score: 45# (snatch complex); 17:31 (45#)

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)

March 21 WOD: Open 14.4

I almost flaked again after watching the Open workout announcement.

Josh Bridges and Scott Panchik faced off for the fourth Open workout. You know, I never realized how cute (and hot) Josh Bridges was until I watched the video introducing him.

There were only two rowers left at the box, and we let the ones registered in the Open use them. For the non-competitors, Coach Jordan let us choose between an 800m run and 60 burpees. And of course I chose the run. Lesser of two evils. I finished the run in about 4 minutes but it took me forever to get those 50 TTBs, and when I'd finished them there was only about 1 1/2 minutes left, during which I was able to do 14 wall balls.


My score: 124 (7 kg MB)

March 4 WOD: Double AMRAP

A. Skill/SWOD

4 sets of:

2-3 Strict pull ups/chest to bar pull ups/ring rows

Rest 90 seconds

Front squat + jerk

B. Metcon

5 minutes AMRAP

10 pull ups

10 pistol squats (5 per leg) or goblet squats

Rest 5 minutes, then:

5 minutes AMRAP

10 toes to bar

20 double unders

I can't do strict pull ups yet so I did 3 weighted ring rows (10# plate on the chest). Now I know how it feels to be 10 lbs heavier. For the front squat + jerk combo, Coach Jordan emphasized that these must be done as 2 separate movements. For the metcon I chose to do pistol squats since I really need to work on them.

My score: 95# (front squat + jerk); 3 rounds; 2 rounds + 10 DUs

February 3 WOD: Shoulder to overhead

A. BBG

In 15 minutes, work up to a heavy push jerk (no split jerks).

B. Metcon

For time (15 minute cap)

25 shoulder to overhead (115/75#)
10 toes to bar
20 S2O
8 TTB
15 S2O
6 TTB
10 S2O
4 TTB
5 S2O
2 TTB

Every time I come to the box, there's always someone already there working out alone, preparing for the Open and the Regional. When I first started CF, I thought that was what I wanted to do. Now I know it's not for me. If I had to go to the box during off hours to do 3 or 4 workouts to prepare for a competition, I will probably stop finding joy in the WOD. I know some of our athletes love it and live for it and are really passionate about it, but I'm just an ordinary girl who stumbled into CF wanting to get stronger. I'm passionate about CF, just not about CF competitions. I may do the occasional throwdown but I wouldn't turn it into a regular thing.

Just my Monday morning thoughts.


My score: 100# (push jerk); 11:23 (55#)

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 14 WOD: Another deadly couplet

A. SWOD

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

B. Metcon

For time (12 minute cap):

20 thrusters (95/65#)
10 toes to bar
15 thrusters
8 toes to bar
10 thrusters
6 toes to bar
5 thrusters
4 toes to bar

I shared a bar with Amie for the back squats. We did 65# for Set 1, 75# for Set 2, 90# for Set 3, and 85# for Set 4. As for the metcon, you can probably tell just by looking at it that it was nasty. I did knees to elbows instead of TTB and I'm proud to say that most were legit reps. It was only during the last set of KTE that I wasn't able to make my knees and elbows meet (sorry, Coach!).


My score: 15 reps (85#); 9:27 (55#)

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 21 WOD: Snatch practice

A. BBG

EMOM x 10 minutes
Snatch complex: High hang snatch + snatch (70%)

B. Metcon

EMOM x 6 minutes
20 double unders
10 toes to bar
10 double unders

I had to scale wayyy way down on the metcon because Coach Jordan wanted us to finish the rounds as much as possible. He knew I wasn't super proficient in both the DUs and TTBs so he allowed me to do tuck jumps instead of DUs and V-ups instead of TTB.


My score: 55# (snatch complex); 5 rounds

Oct 31 WOD: Not-so-scary Halloween workout

Only four people showed up for the 11 am class and I'm guessing it's because most of the box peeps were hungover from the Halloween party the night before.

A. SWOD

5 x 4 to 6 reps snatch grip dead lift

* Use 80-95% of 1RM snatch; rest 3 minutes in between sets

B. Metcon

5 x 2 minutes AMRAP

5 hand stand push ups
5 toes to bar
5 ring dips
Rest 1 minute between sets

I scaled everything for the metcon. I did strict press (45#) instead of HSPU, knees to tricep instead of TTB, and seated ring dips instead of the real thing.


My score: 65# (snatch grip DL); 6 + 3 strict press

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")

Oct 4 WOD: Clean and jerk plus a partner WOD

I <3 the clean and jerk. It makes me happy.

A. BBG

EMOM x 12 minutes
1 x 45% x 50#
1 x 55% x 60#
1 x 65% x 70#
1 x 65% x 70#
1 x 70-75% x 80#
1 x 70-75% x 80#
1 x 75-80% x 85#
1 x 75-80% x 85#
1 x 80-85% x 90#
1 x 80-85% x 90#
1 x 85-90% x 95#
1 x 85-90% x 95#

B. Metcon

PWOD - Partners alternate to complete:

4 RFT
15 wall balls (9/7 kg)
10 toes to bar
5 burpee box jump over (24/20")

I partnered with Helen and on the first round, I went first with the wall balls, then she did TTB, then i did the burpee box jump overs. On the second round, we switched, and continued on until the end of 4 rounds. Mercifully, we finished within the time cap.


Our score: 6:43 (7 kg; knees to chest; 18")

Aug 5 WOD: Double under thief foiled

Whenever a WOD involves double unders and I start practicing them during warm up, they almost always "disappear," almost like they're in hiding or had gotten stolen. Well, not today! I lengthened my rope about an inch and that might have made the difference. Maybe I need more slack in my rope so I wouldn't trip when my arms start flaring out during DUs.

A. SWOD

Strict press 5 x 5 (20 minutes)

B. Metcon

For time (20 minute cap):

50 double unders
25 weighted toes to bar
40 double unders
20 weighted TTB
30 DUs
15 weighted TTB
20 DUs
10 weighted TTB
10 DUs
5 weighted TTB

Raf took over Jordan's class today. Before the SWOD, he instructed us to go for our 5RM shoulder press on the 3rd set, then use a lighter weight for the remaining 2 sets. During the metcon he saw me struggling with the toes to bar and said I could do 10 TTBs across all rounds so I'd still get to finish the WOD.

My score: 60 (press); 16:07

Jul 26 WOD: Partner WOD

Well, I never thought I'd find older men attractive but I changed my mind when I saw all those fit masters athletes in the CrossFit Games. I watched a footage of a woman in her late 50s doing a clean and jerk with 135 lbs. Just. Wow. I hope I'll still be setting PRs when I'm in my 50s!

A. SWOD

Split jerk 5 x 2 (70%)

B. Metcon

PWOD

50 hand stand push ups
60 kettlebell swings (32/24)
70 toes to bar
80 wall balls (20/14)

We had to clean the bar off the ground for the split jerks so I didn't go too heavy.

I partnered with Helen and for the first time since I did Open workout 13.3, I used a 7 kg ball. It turns out that using a rubber ball instead of the big, soft ones makes a difference. Rhona and I had already practiced doing wall balls using those 7 kg balls so today's WOD didn't seem too daunting. I just had a hard time with the knees to elbow (since I was scaling).

My score: 75 (split jerk); 14:04 (16 kg/14 kg)

Jul 11 WOD: Open test

In our group, rumors of the next day's WOD spread like wild fire. It's not that we want to know so we could avoid doing it if we thought it was going to be hard, but it's more of wanting to be mentally prepared for what's going to happen. Right. As if it's ever possible to be mentally prepared for WODs. Anyway, yesterday Gigay told us that Coach Pau warned her to prepare for today's workout because "it's going to be a killer." And when Coach Pau says that, you better believe it.

So, this was what was waiting for us today...

For time (20 minute time cap):

50 wall balls (20/14)
50 double unders
40 box jumps (24/20)
40 toes to bar
30 burpees
30 chest to bar pull ups
20 power cleans
20 jerks
10 snatch
10 muscle ups

They said this is going to be used as a benchmark, and Charles even said that they're going to make us do this again later this year. Ewww. It has all the classic CrossFit movements in one WOD. I knew (was it that I knew, or did I simply decide?) that I wouldn't make it to the cleans so I didn't even bother setting up a bar.

My score: 13 CTB (6 kg for wall balls/20" for box jumps/blue band for CTB)

Jun 17 WOD: DNF Monday

I'm not feeling the WOD love this month. Nevertheless, I shall continue to "trust the programming," as Coach Pau likes to say.

A. SWOD

3 x 3 back squats (85 - 90% of 1RM)

Rest 3 minutes

EMOM 4 minutes

8 front squats (95/65)

B. Metcon

3 rounds

15 dead lifts (185/135)
400m run
Max reps toes to bar

Trish and I shared a bar for the back squats and we did 120 lbs. After that, we used the prescribed weight for the front squats. Then for the metcon, I used 115 lbs and did sit ups instead of toes to bar. I was able to finish only the first round, with about 30 seconds to spare for the sit ups. And then I couldn't finish the last 2 rounds anymore in 4 minutes.

My score: 120 (back squats); 65 (front squats); 8 sit ups

Jun 13 WOD: More new stuff to do

Strange new movements they're asking us to do this month. I really felt the burn in my legs during today's workout. And for the first time in months, I've had serious DOMS. Coach Jordan says that's a good sign because it means we're working muscles that we rarely do.

A. SWOD

Dead lifts 5 x 5 (65 - 70% of 1RM)

B. Metcon

4 RFT

2 x 10 single leg box jump (20/16)
2 x 10 lunges (155/105)
5 strict toes to bar

I used 135 lbs for the dead lift - a little bit over the prescribed 70% limit - and I focused on being careful with my form. For the metcon, I used a 12" box stacked with a couple of plates to make it 16", only 45 lbs for the lunges, and did strict leg raises. The single leg box jumps took some getting used to and I nearly hit the box with my face when I missed a jump, but I got the hang of it.

My score: 135 (dead lift); 14:27 (metcon)

After the workout, Rhona, Trish, and I begged Coach Jordan to make a program for us to help us with the movements and he agreed. Best coach ever! He said we'll focus on the upper body first, then had us do 10 x 2 underhand pull ups. We were allowed to jump on the first rep, but for the second one we needed to use the stretch reflex of our muscles (at least, that's how I understood his explanation) to pull ourselves up again. So not easy. He had to spot me on the second reps so I could get my chin over the bar.

Jun 7 WOD: Upside-down fun

We did another SWOD before the metcon, and today it was the strict press.

A. SWOD: Shoulder press

4 x 12 (40 - 50% of 1RM)

B. Metcon

12 minutes AMRAP

3 thrusters (135/95)
6 handstand push ups
9 toes to bar

Helen and I shared a bar for the SWOD, and for the first 3 sets we used 35 lbs; for the last set we used 40 lbs. There must be something special about those 12 reps. By the time you get to the 10th rep, the last 2 reps is all about getting through the mental difficulty of knowing you're not yet done. For the metcon I used 55 lbs for the thrusters (it felt heavier than that, especially after SWOD), did 10-second handstand holds instead of HSPUs, and did knee tucks on the rings.

My score: 40 (shoulder press); 6 + 10-sec hold

May 31 WOD: My goats

I was so tempted to avoid the workout today because we were doing toes to bar and double unders (my favorite goats). Then I thought about how much I'll regret it so I dragged my feet a bit and went to the box.

4 RFT

10 toes to bar
20 hand release push ups
30 double unders

I was able to do maybe 1 legit toes to bar rep; the rest were just knees to chest. So, another one on my fitness laundry list is working on my T2B. When I finally get my grips I swear I'll work on my pull ups and T2Bs like heck.

My score: 10:22

After the WOD, the thought of joining the bootcamp class fleetingly crossed my mind. Their workout was:

8 RFT

10 burpees
15 jumping lunges
20 double unders
200m run
Rest 90 seconds

And am I glad I didn't do it. The last guy who finished did it in around an hour!