2014/07/23

Skill work was double unders, which I'm getting better at. And I only swore about 3-4 times in ten minutes, which is a definite improvement. Worked up through flight simulator to the 35 rep level and then screwed up on the 34th rep. Much swearing and throwing of ropes was had. 

The WoD was a non-time based Grace. Pick a weight and hit 30 clean and jerks with it, take whatever time you need just use perfect form on each. This was a ton of fun. The hardest part was probably not trying to race through it and not sweating all over the bar. 

I hit 28 of the same clean and split jerk and 2 power cleans and split jerk, all at 205# (bodyweight was 198 that day). They all felt great. This workout became about muscle memory. Hitting the same muscle sequencing on every pull and every jerk was paramount. I got to practice the same movement for ~23 minutes straight, it was a good time. 

I wished that some other people took more time with this. I actually sped up my last 12 because everyone else was almost done by then. I tried timing it for one every 45-60 seconds. Then I started to feel rushed so I bumped that down to every 25-40 seconds. And the last five I think I stayed at one every 15-20 seconds to sprint to the end. Same strict form, just faster. 

2014/07/21

Time 5k run. First time running more than a mile all summer.

Finished up in 29:27, with a 14:18 first split. Which is odd as the second half felt better than the first.

Quads and calves are already a bit sore. That's to be expected as I do t do high impact stuff like running too often.

Still it's a nice thought that I can finish a 5k when I have to in under thirty minutes.

2014 / 07 / 18

A good night in the gym. Went in super early because we were doing max effort lifts and those take a while for me to warm up. Especially at the moment when in super sore.

Worked up to done heavier dead lifts. Think I hit a triple at 405 and a double at 425. Was planning on a triple but the third one left me a little light headed, which means you should probably stop.

Next was a double for front squats. I knew exactly what mine I wanted to hit, so I chased after it. Hit my last warm up double at 275 then went for broke and jumped right to 315. I had hit that number for a single before and sadly that's all I had in me today.

Next was supposed to be a triple at push jerk. I'm not a fan of catching the bar for multiples, mostly because it hurts and I'm a big softie. Used the jerk blocks and hit threes in singles. Got three at 225 but only one good repo at 245. That's probably to be expected as I usually split jerk anything over 225.

Rolled out and then moved on with my evening. A nice safe max out day. Nothing spectacular but nothing that's going to leave me in shambles tomorrow.

Why You Listen to Your Coach

So, I haven't been able to walk much since Monday. Yeah, one of those kind of squat days. I hadn't done a heavy 5x5 day in a long time and it took a lot out of me.

Coach said to take it easy as we'll be doing this cycle for 4-5 weeks straight. Start light. What did I do? Not light. And I payed for it. 

Next time, I need to put my ego behind me. I've been thinking that I'm training the same way that I used to. 5x5 was my bread and butter for so long, I think I can still do it. I can't. I'm old and decrepit now. 

Your coaches are smarter than you. You should listen to them. This isn't much of a ramble. It's more of a "stop being an idiot" note to myself. 

2014 / 07 / 17

Back in the gym, finally. It's been a long few days. Thankfully, today was a nice light bodyweight movement workout that I can get away with after the beating I took on Monday. More on that later. 

Cache in :
3 rounds of 
  30 second ring hold
  3 skin the cats(weird ring things)
  10+ toes through rings

WoD :
3 rounds with a minute break inbetween, 1 minute rounds of each
  1 pd kb swings
  30' shuttle sprints
  1 pd kb turkish getups
  24" box jumps

Fun workout. Didn't keep track of numbers. Was supposed to but I'm not good with the numbers. Ehh whatever. Felt good doing a few muscle ups to the rings for the ring holds. Still got it(kind of). 

Good Bail

An interesting thing happened tonight. No one hit any huge numbers, no one got seriously injured, nothing spectacular happened. But still, there was brilliance. 

I finished my set in the rack, turned around and watched two people chatting behind another girl struggling through her set of squats. The girl was quite obviously stuck in that spot we all get stuck in sometimes on the squat, you've finished your bounce, you've made it up a good couple inches to the hip hinge, and then.. it all falls to shit. 

Rather than freak out or look for help, she nonchalantly opened her hands, shrugged her shoulders and let the bar fall. She then turned to the two people chatting behind her who asked if she was okay and informed them that they were in more danger than she was because they weren't paying attention.

I walked over, cleaned her bar off the floor for her and back into the rack before giving her daps on a good bail. If you're going to lift, you better know how to fail correctly and she did just that. 

Sometimes you have to pay the iron price when you're going heavy. You've got that weight on your back, but you can't let it keep you pinned down. Always know the fastest and safest way out. If you don't respect the weight enough to build a contingency plan, then you're not ready to get underneath it to begin with. 

Always know your escape route. 

2014 / 07 /14

Squat day.

I actually didn't feel bad today, so I went into the gym. It's a squat day, can't miss that. Coach has programmed us doing 5x5 squats and 2x10 front squats for the next 4 weeks to see some linear progression. Crossfitters love gains. 

Hit 275 2x5, 285 1x5, then 295 2x5. All felt great. Came forward on the third rep of the last set at 295, just a bad bounce. Readjusted and finished up strong. 

Hit 185 and then 205 for the front squats. Cardio squats... it's weird. 

Did 4 minutes of tabata double unders afterwards. Went pretty well, only severely whipped myself twice. I'm getting to be decent at these. Which is nice as they're like a main stay for CF competitions.