CrossFit Total

What an afternoon at the box!

CrossFit Total

Back Squat-225

Strict Press-95

Deadlift-300

Total-620

A couple of days ago one of my CF buddies, one who has helped to push me since almost day one, suggested that I try the CFT. It is the stuff I like-heavy lifting, no running, no box jumps, no burpees. As we added up the numbers, it definitely seemed like I would get on the board (Wesley and I like to get on the board...) But when looking at the other numbers, it became clear that some of ladies currently on the record board must have done it months and months ago, so I knew that some of those totals were low. I might just be close enough to make this not only a fun workout, but also a chance to take the number 1 slot from Joc! :)

Now I have no delusions that my current ranking is accurate. It just isn't. But it is a record of 3 new PRs, and I am excited for every single one of them.

Joc only tried to sabotage my efforts once. :) I have such trust for all my coaches that when she suggested I do some box jumps to "wake up" my neurological system in preparation for the deadlift, I believed her. I really couldn't think of any idea why I would need anymore warming up, but I was ready to do it, until she kept going with her suggestions: double unders, kettlebell swings... But seriously Joc, Sam and Kyle were all a tremendous help. I heart the CFWSC coaches!

I was even able to see Joc's incredible "Isabel" in between my Back Squat attempts. All I can say is wow! She was fast.

Finally broke 118#

Skill
Find a new Clean 1RM
83x1, 103x1, 113x1, 123(f), 123(f), 118x1, 123x1, 128x1

I have tried 118 over and over and always come up just short. I still wasn't able to squat clean the higher weights, but I did manage to keep myself under the bar this time. My new PR was a power clean, so I must still work on dropping...Wesley selflessly urged me on to the 128, even though it will knock her off the board-that's a friend. :)

Now to work on that squat clean...

WOD
1 min row for cal. 19
1 min. rest
2 times:
30 sec. max reps thrusters 73#
30 sec. max reps ball slams 20#
30 sec. max reps KBS 35#
1 min. rest
1 min, row for cal.
1 min. rest
2 times
30 sec. max reps thrusters 73#
30 sec. max reps ball slams 20#
30 sec. max reps KBS 35#
1 min. rest
1 min, row for cal.

Pure fun right there folks...

OHS PR!

Skill
Overhead Squat
33x5, 53x3, 63x2, 73x2, 83x1, 88x1, 93x1, 98(f)

PR of 10# (from 12/09) Whoo-hoo! Fun to get a PR on a lift that I struggled with for so long. I didn't get quite deep enough on the 98#. By the time I tried it again, I was just getting too worn out and after a 2nd failed attempt, I wasn't up for it again.

WOD
From CF Football
4 rounds
1 full gasser
5 Hang Power Cleans 83#
Rest 1 minute after each round
Time: 8:54

So, when I was getting ready for this workout, I had these great plans to go heavy. I was going to be the full-on heavy lifter. But I chickened out. Once I really thought about doing the cleans without dropping the bar, I didn't want to bring the bar down with anything over the 83#. Then I really thought about the fact that I had to do the cleans after the sprints. Not my thing.

So in the end, the PCs were not hard, but what was hard was controlling my breathing. It was just take a big breath, work really hard to hold it even though every fiber of my being wanted to keep taking deep breaths, lift, and repeat five times. Good times at CFWSC yet again!

Just Walk Up to the Bar and Lift

Tonight was perfect.

I was tired after too little sleep last night and a day spent moving stuff out of a flooded classroom. I didn't want to drive across the county again in the pouring rain. I went back and forth on going to class all afternoon...

But I went, mainly because I wanted to get the back squat 1RM for the paleo challenge out of the way. I did what I was aiming for. I broke 200!

Back Squat 1 RM 218# (PR)

I could barely get the 203 up, and I contemplated stopping there. Kyle told me that my problem was taking too long to pressurize before the lift. I can think of times when every single coach has told me to just complete the lift, to stop taking a dozen breaths, to stop just sitting there with my hands on the bar, to stop taking so many steps before I lift...blah, blah, blah...And every time I actually hit a PR, it has been when I stopped wasting time and just lifted-the deadlift, the strict press, the clean, the back squat, the overhead squat.

Year-end Goal #2: 83# OHS

Skill
I was one of those gym divas once again and didn't do what everyone else was doing, even though I am so very, very disappointed to miss those half moons and dead hang pull ups. :)
OHS
33x10
43x5
53x5
63x3
73x1
78x1
83x1 (PR! met the goal)
88 fail

I can't even begin to describe to you how much easier the OHS is these days. A couple of months ago I was struggling with the junior bar. You should understand that this means struggling. All the coaches gave me great advice and helped me slowly work past what very quickly had become a major frustration. You may have noticed that I can get stressed out, and this lift was stressing me out! I still have a long way to go, but the whole lift feels so much smoother these days.

WOD
3 rounds, 5 minute intervals
21 box jumps 16"
400 m. run
12 push presses 73#

This was my first time to complete an interval workout like this with the Rx'd run. I didn't have much rest in each round, but I was able to squeak through each round without going over the time.

Year-end Goal #1: Deadlift PR

Skill
Deadlift 10x2
Since I had a year-end DL goal, I took this time to try for a new PR. I tried to be way more sensible about the weight progression and the number of lifts before my PR attempts.
135x2
185x2
235x2
265x2
285x1
295x1 PR by 22 pounds!

And at that point I was done, really done. My goal was 300 by the end of the year, but that was a pretty big jump. Vero still holds the #2 spot on her own. I am ecstatic with this PR, and I just wanted to go and sit in the corner after I got it, but I still had the wod...

WOD
AMRAP in 12 minutes
5 power cleans 73#
10 jump squats
200 m. run

Me-4 rounds + cleans and squats
Me-struggled to do every single round
Me-wanted to stop after round 1, but was told to keep going unless I was in pain
Me-kept trying to convince Sam that every ounce of strength had been zapped with the DL
Me-glad I finished

Rx'd WOD

Skill
Rack Jerk 7x1
33, 53, 73, 93, 113, 123-fail

Then 400m run x 3, rest between
2:20, 2:22, 2:23

Ashamedly, I responded to the announcement of this part of the class with a full-on, horrible, whiny pout. It was nasty.

It is good to have this done, of course. In my mind, I had figured that I was so slow that my 400 must be at least 4 min. When you think that way, then you figure that Helen, during which you will run much slower after doing 21 KB swings, will probably take at least 30 minutes and that is just off-putting.

WOD
5 rounds
5 DL 183#
10 push ups
Time: 3:25
as Rx'd, baby.

I was working that DL bounce for all it was worth, knowing that the last rounds of push ups would be awful. They were ugly. And now my back is sore, but I did it.

Squat Clean PR

Skills
Squat Clean
work for new 1RM: made it to 113#, failed on the 123#

WOD
Tabata Couplet
Clean and Jerk 83#
Ball Slams 25#
Score-3/8
(if I don't count the 1st round when I had 93# on and really couldn't get it up)

I finished this one feeling like it was much, much harder for me than it should have been. I did PR on the clean by 10# and I did move from using the 16# ball to the 25#.

I have no idea what was wrong, but I do seem to reach a mental block with the clean way too easily. So I not only have to work on the DL, the OHS, my double-unders, a pull-up, remember how to do something as simple as jerk instead of press (don't worry, Sam, even though it was probably hard to tell, I did hear you!), and a gazillion other things, I also have to get mentally tougher. So many things to do! It is a wonder I have time for anything else!


**Edit: and this was what my dad had to say about it when I was talking to him about the lift:
I told him I just couldn't get the 123.
Dad: No, that's not true. You could have done it. It is all mental. It's all in your mind when you increase a lift like that about 8%. You should have tried 118 first.
Me: Yeah, I should have. I made the choice to jump up, and I just couldn't get the 123 I wanted.
Dad: No, you could have. You just didn't think you could. But you could have done it.

Argghhh, he's right again!