Practially Paleo Chocolate Cake

Tuesday's Workout, July 26
Deadlift 5x3
I was having a hard time settling on a working set...
203x3, 173x3, 183x3x3

WOD
400 m run
then 5 rounds of-
10 hang power cleans 63#
20 walls balls 12#
finish with 400 m run
Time: ??? too long

This wod beat me down and that was particularly frustrating after finishing the class the day before feeling pretty great about everything. I was basically *this* close to sitting down on the floor during those wall balls and just stopping. I didn't sit down, but I sure walked around a lot. It was one of those "just try to think about this and get the work done" wods.

Wednesday I was just sore everywhere and had desire at all to go to the gym. I also had a lot of work to get done, and a paleo chocolate cake to bake. Sometimes you just have to do what needs to be done!
Morgan and I got together and adapted this cake from Elena's pantry. And yes, we used honey, a sweetener, and chocolate chips. Sometimes, like for a birthday party, you just do what you need to do to still have fun and enjoy your food. :)

Practically Paleo Chocolate Cake
¾ cup coconut flour, sifted
¼ cup cacao powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
10 eggs
1 cup coconut oil
1 ½ cups honey
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon orange zest
2 tbsp orange juice

In a small bowl combine flour, cacao, salt and baking soda
In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, blend eggs, oil, honey, vanilla and orange zest and juice.
Add dry ingredients into large bowl and continue to blend
Oil (2) 9 inch round cake pans and dust with coconut flour
Pour batter into pans and bake at 325° for 35-40 minutes
Remove from oven, allow to cool completely then remove from pans
Frost and serve

Frosting
1 ½ cup dark chocolate chips
½ cup coconut oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
pinch salt
In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate and oil
Stir in vanilla and salt
Place frosting in freezer for 15 minutes to cool
Remove from freezer and whip frosting with a hand blender until it is thick and fluffy
Frost over cake

Mini Goals

Hang Power Clean + Power Clean
88.5x2x4

Got them all done, but they didn't really feel that remarkable.

WOD
3 rounds
200 m run
21 kettlebell swings 35#
12 burpees

Time:

So here are my wod reflections tonight-
I am trying to remember to set myself mini-goals, (as was presented in the goal-setting workshop) for the wods. I have been taking breaks during the wod far too often lately, so this is one of my personal self-corrections.

I ran the whole time I was outside on the runs-the whole time, even at the turn around.

I kept all the KBS unbroken.

I had a goal of actually jumping down and up for every burpee (instead of kind of stepping down) but I didn't make this one. My first burpee on rounds 2 and 3 were definitely more step and less jump, and I think I threw in a few other fakes a couple of times.

Getting the Work Done

11/4/2010
Jerk
113x2x5
hold each split position for 2 sec

So I'll just go ahead and admit that bringing the bar back down for the 2nd lift was a big pain. I was so lazy that every once in awhile I just dropped it after the 2nd lift and got Danny to clean it back up for me. But as far as the actual lifts go, I tried to work on my landing position, making sure I was not doing the tight-rope spilt. I think this improved. Now punching up with active shoulders, I think improved a little bit, but I don't think Kyle agrees. That is why it is good to have a coach-to be nice and honest with you!

WOD
400 m row
21-15-9
DB snatches 25# (each arm, yes 21 each arm for the 1st round!)
push ups
400 m row
Time-11:15

I will get better at push ups. I will.

11/5/2010
Back Squat
213x3x5
with 3 box jumps between each set

Then I did a gob more box jumps, just because I love them so much. Or because I am supposed to be working on jumping high and landing softly, or something like that, and it is taking me some extra special time to figure out how to do that.

Side Bends
3x10 each side 35# KB

Yes! Who doesn't love to sculpt that waistline. These were a breeze, in fact I felt like I could just keep doing them, and doing them, until my head got tired of tipping over so many times.

But then I could feel them the next day, and the next day, and I can still feel them today.

11/6/2010
HPS + PSnatch
53
63
68
73
78x2x2
83x2x2
the 83 went like this-1st HPS fail, made the PS, second HPS made, second PS fail. So I had to PS that bar again. I am going to get totally comfortable with 83, sometime...

PClean and Jerk
73
83
93
103
113x1x5 (miss x2)

I was supposed to focus on a speedy turnover. Instead I had the slow-mo turnover. I knew I was slow. I knew I was pulling the bar plenty high enough every single time. I knew that if I just whipped those elbows around and stuck those hips back, I'd get it. But what my brain knew, my body refused to do.

Row Times Ten

Hang Power Clean and Hang Clean
53, 63, 73, 83, 93

Smacked my chin with the 73. Yeah!

WOD
10 rounds
1 min row
1 min rest

Goal-270m each minute
273
281
270
269
266
253
256
260
257
252

Oh, what fun! This is the first time I have ever done this workout with the 10 rounds. I usually just stick with the 5 round version.

I had originally elected to do the "easy" version of tonight's wod, figuring that with that as an option, someone should take it. Since I was the only person who chose that option, I just figured that Kyle would give me something horrible anyway. But the easy version really was 5 rounds. I elected to go ahead and do all 10. And it felt pretty rotten during and after, but I am glad I got that done. Now the looming threat of 10 rounds of this is past me, and I can focus on hitting 270 each time.

I am just super-duper glad that there were not CFFB style penalties for missing the goal. That would have been horrible...

Circuit Training

Hang Clean + Clean
53
63
73
83
103-failed the hang clean, no problem with the clean


Overall, my cleans felt good. I will obviously be working on that good, old second pull.


WOD
3 rounds
1 min max box jumps 20" -18/16/14
30 sec rest
1 min max push press 53# -20/19/17
30 sec rest
1 min max plate sit ups 15# -31/21/28
30 sec rest
1 min max row -249/240/256... no glide :)

As exhausting as it is, I really like this type of wod-a set time for hard work, then a little break. As just so there is no confusion, I like the 1 min of work type, not the interval Helen type. But I do have to say that all my wods this week have been great, lots of variety, and plenty of stuff that was hard.

I just got more ZMA, so I am happy with sleep again. I shouldn't have waited so long to get more, but I always think that maybe I can just skip it. Then my sleep gets wonky, and I humble myself, walk into GNC again, and get the stuff. You'd think I'd just remember to order the stuff online, since I detest GNC so much, but I'll aim for that next time.

I am almost done with week 1 of my 2-4 week elimination diet, hoping to figure out if something I am eating is still causing some allergic reactions. My diet is seriously sad right now, but I feel great. I just have a hard time thinking of things to eat, so I am hungry a lot more. A lot...

Maybe those mobility wods are working

Sunday
9/12/10

Hang Power Clean+Power Clean
63x2
73x2
83x2
93x2 (missed the first hpc, so started over)
103xa gazillion (or more accurately at least 6 power cleans)

And then, and then, get this...I also had to fix and hold the receiving position on all those 103s until Joc had approved it and felt that I had held it long enough. One could argue that I would have saved myself a lot of work if I had just received it with my elbows and hips in the right place, but that would be a boring argument.

SLDL
123x5x3

Evidently my grip is somewhat lacking. I got to that last set and realized that I had to fly through those deadlifts before my grip just gave out.

GHD sit ups 3x15

Monday
9/13/10
Front Squat 2RM
143x2
163x2
173x1
173x2

But there is no way that is my 2 RM. I was running out of time, and I was just not prepared-like I forgot to use my belt until the last set...I think that I was probably off because I got into so much trouble during the warm up. That will throw anyone off.

WOD
4 rounds
200 m sandbag run
15 ring pull ups
Time: 11:20

So, that sandbag. I started with the 25#, cuz I was going to be hardcore. Then I decided that I was far from hardcore, especially when I can't use my arms to run and I don't want to stand up straight. Rounds 2-4 were sans sandbag.

And this time is not good, not good at all compared to the last time I did this wod. I did do it with rowing last time, which I tend to do better with, and I did blue band pull ups (which I noted at the time were very easy.)

Then we got to do the evil hip/wall mobility thing for 2 minutes each leg. It was painful and awful, but it was markedly less painful and awful that last week.

Not Very Tough Today

Cleans
HPC+PC
83x2x2
90x2x2
95x2x2

Oops! I just realized that I was supposed to be doing power cleans, not cleans...Oh well, I was just way to excited about nailing those cleans, squat and all. It usually feels like the progress on these in infinitesimal (it feels like that because it is) but then I realize that I am getting really, really comfortable with the heavier end of my clean ability (instead of feeling like it is possible, if all of the stars are aligned correctly that day, to get 95#, I know I can get it now.)

WOD
5 rounds
5 jerks 83#
7 ring pull ups
200 m run
Time: 12:29

This part of the class was not so spectacular for me. I am not very happy with my performance on this one, primarily because I kind of gave up during round 4. During this round I didn't keep the jerks unbroken, even though I really could have, and I walked back into the box instead of running the whole way. I think I even broke up the pull ups. I was able to get it together for the last round and keep everything unbroken. So this was not an example of mental toughness or great dedication to the task.

I am now used to a nap on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And I didn't get a nap today, so I am going to have to hobble through the rest of the night.