Three point five years

I've been doing CrossFit now for 3.5 years. There are now just a handful of us who've stayed and have continued to WOD religiously (well, more or less religiously). Most of the ones who've stayed are now coaches, or they follow a dedicated strength or weightlifting program because they compete or want to compete at a high level.

And then there are those like me. Sure, I've joined a throwdown or two and some fun runs. I've been able to do things I never thought I'd ever be able to do when I first started. Getting fit, then getting strong is fun, but lately I've realized that having functional fitness is all I want. I'm not ready to sacrifice family time for training time.

I still can't do ring dips, chest to bar pullups, muscle ups, or heavy snatches (among others). That doesn't mean I won't work on them. It's just that I'm in no rush to do everything all at once. I think that's one of the things I'm learning to do after all the hours I've spent at the box... to savor the process and to learn patience. I'm slowly becoming less reluctant to work out even when the WOD says we're doing accessory or skills work.

The fierce fire inside me has subsided into a slow-burning one, and I like it better.

Tracking progress

For the longest time, I've been using this blog to log my WODs and track my progress. But after some nosing around the net, I decided to get the myWOD app and it's sooo useful! All I have to do now after the WOD is open the app, retrieve the WOD feed from the CFMNL site, and enter my score.

I really haven't been working out as often as I used to. There are still a lot of things that I wish were different in the new box, but there's nothing I can do to change those so I just have to work around them and learn to tune out the bad.

July 3 WOD: OH lunges

A. BBG

In 15 minutes, work up to a heavy set of:

Snatch pull + Hang snatch + Snatch

B. Metcon

Every 2 minutes on the minute for 5 sets (10 minutes):

16 overhead walking lunges (95/65#)


My score: 55# (snatch complex); 80 reps (45#)

July 1 WOD: Dead lifts and DUs

A. Strength: Dead lift

In 20 minutes, work up to a heavy single (85-90% of 1RM)

B. Metcon

EMOM 12 minutes:

Even: 5 dead lifts
Odd: 30 double unders

Our score was the total number of rounds we were able to complete. I missed two rounds of DUs.


My score: 185# (dead lift); 10 rounds (135#)

June 30 WOD: Bergeron beep test

A. Strength: Front Squat

5 sets of 2 reps:

Set 1 - 65%
Set 2 - 75%
Set 3 - 85%
Set 4 - 90%
Set 5 - 90%

B. Metcon

Bergeron Beep Test

EMOM as long as possible:

7 thrusters (75/55#)
7 pull ups
7 burpees

We'd already done this last February, and I remember it being super bad. I used the same scale I did last time (35# bar, jumping pull ups) and I did a wee bit better than last time.


My score: 100# (front squat); 2 + 4 burpees (35#; jumping pull ups)

Good to go

I got these rips from last Friday's cleans and I was pleasantly surprised to see these heal in less than two days. Bactroban is a life saver. Now they're good to go!

June 27 WOD: Clean all you can

A. BBG

Take 15 minutes to work up to a 1RM power clean

B. Metcon

In 12 minutes, complete:

As many ladders as possible from 1 to 5 reps of hang power clean (65-75%)

One ladder is:
1 HPC; drop the bar and rest as needed
2 HPC; drop the bar and rest as needed
... etc. up to 5 HPC

If the bar is dropped before you achieve the number of reps needed to complete the set, you start from zero.

I didn't get a PR on my power clean but it felt sooo good to clean heavy again.


My score: 115# (power clean); 5+3 (75#)

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 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 13 WOD: Friday the 13th partner WOD

A. SWOD

Strict press

Set 1 - 5 x 50%
Set 2 - 5 x 60%
Set 3 - 5 x 70%
Sets 4, 5, 6 - 3 x 85-90%
Set 7 - 10 x 55-65%

B. Metcon

Partner WOD
4 RFT:

10 thrusters (95/65#)
5 burpees
10 hang power snatch (95/65#)
5 burpees
10 front squats (95/65#)
5 burpees
10 shoulder to overhead (95/65#)
5 burpees

Partners alternate rounds to complete a total of 8 rounds.

I partnered with Tere for both the SWOD and the metcon. My wrist is still healing (or injured?) so I went light in the strength WOD and we only used 40# in the metcon. Tere was able to complete 3 rounds while I made it to 2 rounds and 7 thrusters.


Our score: 55# (heaviest strict press); 2 + 7 thrusters (40#)

June 11 WOD: Tumilson

A new Hero WOD!

Tumilson

8 RFT (30 min cap)

200m run
11 burpee dead lift (135/95#)

The burpee dead lift sounds weird, but you simply do a burpee and instead of jumping up, you do a dead lift. Glad the weight wasn't very heavy. My wrist has been bothering me since last week's The Chief though, so I did the burpees carefully.


My score: 29:35 Rx

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)

Paleo chocolate mug cake

I can't believe I waited so long to try this. I could've been eating cake every darn day if I wanted to! I got the recipe from PaleOMG and slightly modified it.


Paleo Chocolate Mug Cake
(serves 1)

1.5 tablespoons coconut flour
1.5 tablespoons almond flour
2 tablespoons virgin coconut oil
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons honey
1 egg
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cinnamon

1. Add all dry ingredients in a microwave-safe mug and mix well.
2. Add coconut oil, honey, and egg and mix well. Make sure that the egg is well incorporated in the batter.
3. Microwave on the highest setting for 1 minute and 45 seconds.

Jun 5 WOD: The Chief

On my third meeting with The Chief today, I finally had the guts to do it as prescribed. The last time I did it was in December last year, and I used 75#.

The Chief

5 cycles of:

3 power cleans (135/95#)
6 push ups
9 squats
Rest 1 minute

I tried to do touch-and-go with the cleans as much as I could -- it really makes a difference in terms of efficiency.


My score: 16 + 3 squats (Rx)

Jun 3 WOD: Snatch PR!

A. BBG: Snatch

20 minutes to build up to a heavy snatch

B. Metcon

For time (20 minute cap):

1000m row or 800m run, then

3 rounds of:
15 overhead squats (115/75#)
15 ring dips

From now on, unless the coach says we're supposed to do the power snatch, I will always choose the full snatch during skill sessions. Also, I will always focus on the task at hand. I think those really helped me to finally break my snatch plateau. I can't even remember the last time I attempted heavy snatches.

I chose to row during the metcon, and I did parallette dips. Note to self: start practicing real ring dips!


My score: 70# (snatch); 16:35 (45#)

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

May 30 WOD: Olys and DUs

A. BBG

Snatch complex (15 minutes)

Power snatch + hang squat snatch + squat snatch

Clean complex (15 minutes)

Power clean + push jerk + split jerk

B. Metcon

100 DUs
Rest the same amount of time 100 DUs were completed
100 DUs

My squat snatch still needs a lot of work, especially when it comes to getting into the bottom position. I used the blocks when I did the clean complex so I didn't exactly do power cleans because the bar was already at my knees.

Oh, and my DUs were actually quite decent today! I finished the first hundred in 2:48 and the second one in about 4 minutes. Small victories.


My score: 50# (snatch complex); 95# (clean complex); 9:43

May 27 WOD: Glorious cleans!

Yeah, so I haven't been posting my workouts. The WODs during the past couple of months have been uninspiring. We're not allowed to drop heavy weights on the floor anymore, hence the increased frequency of body weight exercises. And I can only take so many wall balls, burpees, pull ups and squats. I still have been working out, only now I go twice a week instead of the usual four times a week. I'm trying to find a way to jumpstart my motivation.

A. BBG

3-position pausing squat clean

Pause 2 seconds at each position.

Position 1 - Knees
Position 2 - Mid-thighs
Position 3 - Pockets

B. Metcon

5 RFT (15 minute cap)

10 power cleans (135/95#)
10 burpees


My score: 85# (squat cleans); 11:45 (65#)

May 7 WOD: Plyo Wednesday

A. 4 square drills, Tabata style

2 sets of 8 different drills

B. Banded sprints x 10

C. Metcon

5 RFT (20 minute cap)

200m medicine ball run
15 wall balls (9/7 kg)
15 medicine ball burpees

I used a 5 kg ball for the metcon, and for the MB burpees, I did a burpee first before getting the ball and finishing with it overhead.


My score: 3 rounds + 150m run (5 kg)

May 5 WOD: Push jerks and a mini-14.5

A. SWOD

4 sets of:

6 push jerks
Rest 2 minutes

B. Metcon

EMOM x 14 minutes

Odd: 5 thrusters (95/65#) + 5 lateral burpees over bar
Even: Rest

Thank goodness for built-in rest periods!


My score: 65# (push jerks); 7 sets (55#)