January 30 WOD: Bells and burps

A. BBG

Every 2 minutes for 12 minutes:
Clean + Front squat (80-85% across all sets)

B. Metcon

"Tabata" Bells and Burps

6 sets, max reps:
20 seconds KBS (24/16 kg)
10 seconds rest
20 seconds burpees
10 seconds rest

Well, that wasn't so bad. What WAS bad was when I ate pizza and crepe cake after the WOD. Maigirl and Jason were celebrating their birthday and had brought food. And Greg brought one of his cheesecake experiments for us to try. Needless to say, it was to die for, and I can't wait for his shop to open near the box!

My half-eaten slice of coffee cheesecake crepe cake

Anyway, my score: 95# (clean complex); 76 reps Rx

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 24 WOD: Meet Marguerita

So CrossFit has a new girl on the block, Marguerita. Apparently, the WOD was conceived only recently, like earlier this month.

Marguerita

50 reps for time of the following body weight complex:
Burpee - Push up - Jumping jack - Sit up - Hand stand

This is one WOD where it's good to have a counter. I lost count more than a few times because my brain was getting knocked around from all the up and down movements. And one important thing I realized - I must work on my hand stand!


My score: 23:56 (hand stand kicks)

January 23 WOD: Another why-do-I-do-this-to-myself WOD

A. BBG

In 10 minutes, work up to a heavy hang clean and jerk (85-90%)

B. Metcon

6 RFT (20 minutes cap)

20 double unders
15 wall balls (9/7 kg)
10 pull ups
Rest 1 minute

Coach Jordan had us do 1 set of hang clean and jerk every 2 minutes. I started with 65#, then 75#, then 85#, then 95# for the last 2 sets.

Wall balls are mean. You feel good the first round but you die in the second round. On the bright side, I did my first set of DUs unbroken today!


My score: 95# (hang clean and jerk); DNF - 5 rounds (19:43)

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 20 WOD: Snatch complex and Annie

A. BBG

5 sets of the following complex:

Hang squat snatch + Squat snatch (80%)

B. Metcon

Annie (12 minutes cap)

50-40-30-20-10
Double unders
Sit ups

I've read somewhere that the squat snatch should be simply called the snatch. Because if the WOD doesn't say you're supposed to do a a power snatch, you should know you're supposed to do a full (or squat) snatch. So it's either a snatch or a power snatch. Same with the clean. Just a bit of trivia.

My DUs were miraculously okay today. I think it helped when I tried to keep in mind what Amie always tells me - feet together and flick the wrists down to avoid tripping. I DNFed but since I only had a few reps to go, I finished it anyway.

My score: 45# (snatch complex); 268 reps (made it to the 8th rep of the 20 sit ups)

January 17 WOD: What-to-bar pull ups?

A. SWOD

In 10 minutes, work up to a heavy complex of:
Snatch + Overhead squat

B. Metcon

AMRAP 20 minutes

100m sprint
2 belly to bar pull ups
4 push press (115/75#)
8 burpees over bar
4 push press (115/75#)
4 ring dips
Rest 1 minute

For the SWOD, on my last attempt I was able to power snatch 70# but I failed at the OHS. Oh, and if you didn't know, the gold standard in pull ups nowadays is the "belly to bar" pull up. I used a blue band for the pull ups, but even then I could only do chest to bar pull ups. Sheesh. Next thing you know they'll be asking us to do groin to bar pull ups.


My score: 65# (snatch complex); 5 rounds (blue band, 55#, parallette dips)

January 16 WOD: Clean complex and an EMOM WOD

A. BBG

5 sets of the following complex:
Halting clean dead lift + Hang clean + Power clean + Jerk

* What is a halting clean dead lift, you ask? According to the site, this is what you're supposed to do: Pull barbell from floor to just above the knees, pause 2 seconds, stand tall, then clean from the high hang position.

B. Metcon

EMOM x 10 minutes

Odd: 12-15 wall balls (9/7 kg)
Even: 6-10 chest to bar pull ups

I did a combination of 12 wall balls and 9 kipping pull ups.

And I'm leaving you now with this.

Dmitry Klokov's best lifts
(source)

Something to aspire for (???).


My score: 95# (clean complex)

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#)

January 13 WOD: Overheads

A. SWOD

10 minutes to find 1RM shoulder press, then

10 minutes to find 1RM push press

B. Metcon

400m run
25 shoulder to overhead (95/65#)

Rest 3 minutes

400m run
25 shoulder to overhead (95/65#)

So it's true that your 1RM may differ from day to day. My 1RM strict press today was off my PR. Oh well. Some days you win, some days you don't.


My score: 65# (strict press); 90# (push press); 11:20 (55#)

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")

January 7 WOD: Running clock

What's better than doing an AMRAP? Doing three! Yay! Well, not really yay.

6 minutes AMRAP

5 dead lifts (225/135#)
10 lateral burpees over bar
50 double unders
Rest and transition 4 minutes

6 minutes AMRAP

4 hang power cleans (135/95#)
8 hand stand push ups
Rest and transition 4 minutes

6 minutes AMRAP (sets ascending by twos)
Power snatch (115/75#)
Bar muscle ups

I did the first workout as Rx'd but my DUs sucked. For the second one I did pike push ups instead of HSPU, and for the third one I tried to do strict pull ups with the blue band.


My score: 1 + 12 DUs (135#); 6 + 4 pike push ups (75#); 6 + 4 power snatch (55#)

January 6 WOD: Burn

A. Skill

Work up to a heavy full snatch (12 minutes)

B. Metcon

3 RFT (25 minute cap)

10 lateral jumps
15 thrusters (95/65#)
20 knees to elbows

Plate overhead hold (45/35#) after each round -- duration must be the same as the time it took to finish the preceding round. There is a 3-burpee penalty every time the OH hold is broken.

The plate OH hold was pure agony. Sweat was streaming down my face and I was just holding the darn plate up. My shoulders were very much burnt after that -- literally hot to the touch. To think they're still achy from last Friday's WOD. I finished the 3 rounds but I still had a 2 minute OH hold to do when the time expired.


My score: 55# (full snatch); 3 rounds + 2 minute OH hold (55# thrusters; 15# plate)

January 3 WOD: "Games" Elizabeth

I woke up feeling achy all over but I succeeded in convincing myself to go to the box. We'd already done Elizabeth in the past, but today we did a slightly different version because we did power cleans instead of squat cleans.

A. Skill

4 sets of 1-1-1 power clean or squat clean
* Rest 10 seconds in between reps

B. Metcon

"Games" Elizabeth (15 minute time cap)

21-15-9
Power cleans (135/95)
Ring dips

Because I was "easing" back into CF, I used a light 75# for the metcon and did seated ring dips.


My score: 95# (power clean); 7:55 (75#)

January 2 WOD: Tabata Something Else

I'm glad today's workout wasn't as punishing as usual. The duration and intensity was just right for people like me who had been eating and being fat the past two weeks.

Tabata Something Else (20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for 8 minutes)

Pull ups
Push ups
Sit ups
Squats

We'd already done this last year and I did ring rows instead of pull ups. Well this time I did semi-real pull ups (semi-real because some of my reps were semi-reps). And now I feel like dozing off.


My score: 255

December 23 WOD: Dead lift couplet

A. SWOD

6 sets of dead lifts

Set 1 - 3 reps
Set 2 - 2 reps
Set 3 - 1 rep
Set 4 - 3 reps
Set 5 - 2 reps
Set 6 - 1 rep

The last 3 set of weights must be heavier than the first 3 set of weights.

B. Metcon

EMOM x 10

3 dead lifts (80% of heaviest DL in SWOD)
6 burpees

For the SWOD, I did 135, 145, 155, 145, 165, 175#. Technically, the box is closed tomorrow but for the die-hards, there's what's called the traditional Noche Buena WOD which is always harder than the usual workouts we have. And tomorrow they're doing Naughty Nancy, the 6th WOD in the 2013 CF Games. So, no thanks. I shall just eat and get fat tomorrow.


My score: 175# (dead lifts); 10 rounds, 135#

December 19 WOD: My third 12.4

Throwback WOD time! A lot of people at the box seem to be preparing for the 2014 Open and I think today's workout served as sort of a gauge for their progress.

The first time we did this was in March 2012, and again in March this year.

12 minutes AMRAP

150 wall balls (9/7 kg)
90 double unders
30 muscle ups

The real time cap is 12 minutes but Coach Jordan set the clock at 20 minutes. I know. Ugh, right? Actually, when the 12 minutes expired I sat down for a bit and contemplated on whether or not I was going to continue until the end of the 20 minutes. Not hard to guess what I did. But man, those wall balls were never ending. I think I got a stiff neck because I was always looking up.


My score: End of 12 minutes - 126 Rx; end of 20 minutes - 150 wall balls + 46 DUs Rx

December 17 WOD: Bookend

I had no plans of working out today because I'd slept late last night helping my sister out with her baking and I had an errand to run this morning after my meeting with my son's teacher (yes, it's that PTC time of the year). But my schedule got messed up and I ended up having to work out. Just when I thought I could escape running for the third time in a row!

For time (20 minute cap if scaled, no cap if Rx):

800m run

Then 5 rounds:
5 burpee over bar
7 front squats (155/105#)
9 chest to bar pull ups

Then 800m run

Ideally, we should spend a total of only 8 minutes for the runs. That's an 8-minute mile. Um, I don't think so. I scaled the front squats because we couldn't use racks. Also, Coach Jordan allowed me to do ring rows instead of pull ups.


My score: 4 + 2 front squats (85#)

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 12 WOD: Olys and pull ups

A. BBG/Skill

8 minutes: Warm up to 70% of 1RM snatch
5 minutes EMOM snatch 1 rep at 70-75%

Rest 2 minutes

8 minutes: Warm up to 75% of 1RM clean and jerk
5 minutes EMOM clean and jerk 1 rep at 75-80%

B. Cash out

2 sets for time:
25 pull ups

Only four people attended the 11 am class, including myself. Judging from pictures and chat conversations, the others are probably still wasted from last night's box Christmas party.

Anyway, I did real pull ups today! We were given 12 minutes to complete the two sets, so that was a lot of time. I was fretting about the pull ups and had asked Coach Jordan for advice. He told me to do pull ups for the first set, then ring rows for the second set. I agreed, but I knew that if I started with the pull ups I would most likely stick to it till the end. Success! And look, ma, no tears (on my hands, that is)!


My score: 55# (snatch); 90# (C&J); 9:39 Rx