It wasn't laziness this time...

But I still should have tried to make a bit more time for CF the last couple days. I'm way behind at this point, but it's better than skipping stuff to catch up. So today I did 'Joshie'

"Joshie" (Pack Scaling)
Complete three rounds for time of:
30 pound Dumbbell snatch, 21 reps, right arm
21 Tuck sit Pull-ups
30 pound Dumbbell snatch, 21 reps, left arm
21 Tuck sit Pull-ups

32:15

This. Was. Tough. I had to take a lot more LOC (lack-of-character) breaks than I usually do, and my pull-ups were a lot weaker than I thought they would be. I guess I need to work more on dead hang pull-ups...

In other news, I may have finally managed to convert someone to the kool-aid. I was talking to one of the guys I work with and he said he's thinking about trying CrossFit out. Better than nothing at this point. And I plan on converting one more when I go home to Cali in a week. And I can't wait to finally be able to work out with my brother and close friend again. I plan on trying to crush them both (though I have a feeling we'll all be fairly even with most things except the really bad metcons). Haha. At least I can be truly sadistic and noone will give me any odd looks or tell me I'm crazy.

Yesterday: Front Squats

CFWUx2
Burgener WU
And a little squat clean practice

Front Squat 3-3-3-3-3
115/135/165/175/180 (PR)

3 rounds max rep chin-up (strict, c2b):
15/12/8

Finally some squat progress! Even though I'm really more interested in getting my back squat up, I know progress in the front squat will help me work toward that goal. By the last set I was still feeling good, but I'm starting to incorporate some of the stuff from CFSB now, so it'll be easier to start this summer...namely, in this instance, walking away after I hit a new PR. I felt good and could have possibly done one extra set and gotten a bigger PR, but it wouldn't have meant much and I would have risked overdoing it. 5lbs is plenty good.

Yesterday...

My grip was shot because of the drills we did at work, so I'm having to set 'Joshie' aside for another day.

WOD 022309
CFWUx2

'Grace'
95# Clean and Jerk, 30 reps
(from floor, full squat clean)

11:24

Then...
Worked on L-sit pull-ups

Today:
Rest Day!

Blasted government computers...

...won't let me post. Oh well.

Yesterday:
CFWUx2

Bench Press 5-5-5
1. 175 2. 180 3. 185x4 (failed last rep)
Squat Clean 1-1-1-1-1-1-1
1. 115 2. 135. 3. 145 4. 150 5. 155 6. 160 7. 165
Weighted Pull-up 5-5-3-3-1
1. 35 2. 40 3. 45 4. 50 5. 75 (PR!)

Today:
CFWUx2
added HSPU, omitted Pull-up

"Death By Pull-ups"

With a continuously running clock do one pull-up the first minute, two pull-ups the second minute, three pull-ups the third minute... continuing as long as you are able.

Use as many sets each minute as needed.

Rounds: 13 + 8 pull-ups

...then...
3 rounds:
10 Kettlebell Swings, 1 pood
10 Ab Wheel Rollouts

Meet my new future workout partner and camping buddy!

This, dear readers, is my new little girl, Waffles (don't ask about the name...long story)

Rest Day....

...finally! Ha!

HSPU day 50 (14-10-10-16)
Woo! Done! I'm going to give my shoulders as much of a rest as the WODs will allow for a week or so and see if I can get 20 consecutive HSPU. My current PR is only three reps less, so it should be doable.

Today is cleaning day, and the second of my 3 days off (of work, not CF).

In other news, 15 days until I make the long drive back to California on leave! Can't wait to be able to work out with my brother, Kenda, and the as-of-yet CF virgin David. It'll be a lot more motivating than my usual workouts out here, since noone here seems to be interested in working out out with me or even giving CF a try.

WOD 021809

HSPU day 49 (17!-15-11-6)
One day left! I think I'm going to try for 20 consecutive HSPU about a week or two after the challenge is over, just to satisfy my ego. Haha

CFWUx2 minus dips

Back Squat 5-5-5
1.195# 2.205 3.210x4 (failed last rep)

5 rounds for time:
95# Sumo Deadlift High Pull, 10 reps
10 Ring Dip

Time: 5:56

Dahyumm!! That was a great time for the WOD. I'm impressed with my own awesomeness! Haha...

Squats, though...I'm only marginally satisfied with the progress. It's better than I've been doing. I'll stay at 210 for my 3x5's until I can complete that last rep.

So I had a run-in with my nemesis yesterday...

...and her name is Fran. She beat the hell out of me, but I managed to get a pretty damn good PR out of it.

HSPU day 48 (13-10-10-8-8)

WOD 021709
CFWUx2

"Fran"
21-15-9 for time:
65# Thrusters
Pull-ups

5:25

Happy with that! I'll stay at this scaling, though, until I get my time down closer to 3 minutes.

So I've been a bit lazy lately...

But I'm getting back on the wagon today. Part of it was the need to recover from the combination of consecutive ME days and other work stuff, but there was a laziness factor in there.

HSPU Day 47 (16!!-11-12-8)

AM
3 Rounds:
5 Kettlebell Snatches per arm - 1 pood


NOON (ish)
CFWUx2 minus pull-ups
"Cindy"
AMRAP 15 min:
3 Pull-up
6 Push-up
9 Squat

Rounds: 19

I was going to go all 20 minutes, but around round 11 I started to get this pain right above the back part of my right hip. It felt tight and the pain was dull during the pull-ups and push-ups, and it would get sharper during the squats. It got to the point where it was too painful to do more than 2 squats in a row, so I had to cut the workout short. I've never experienced anything quite like it.

...and now, the pain has all but gone away. What the heck?!

PM
Stretching
Handstand work
L-sit holds on rings
Pull-ups

Got a little behind in my posting...

021109:
CFWUx2

Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1-1-1
225#/275/295/315/335/345/355(PR)

205#x20

That was one hell of a push. Er...pull. My form started wonky on that last rep, but I managed to fix it mid-pull.

021309

CFWUx2, HSPU instead of dips

Front Squat 3-3-3-3-3
135#/145/155/165/175 (failed 2nd rep)

This was slightly upsetting. I’ve had almost no progress on either Front or Back Squats for the past two months…well, besides the huge 1 rep PR I got on the CFT. Other than that, I've been unable to get stronger.

Coach Rip Quotes

[Strengthmill Board question regarding the deadlift] "Should you squeeze your asscheeks, as if you were pinching a coin between them, to finish the movement to lockout?"
[Coach Rippetoe]"No, we never consciously squeeze our asscheeks in the weight room. It’s not a valuable biomechanical cue, and it might get misinterpreted by the guys on the next platform."

“It would depend on your recovery ability, i.e. how old you are, how much you eat, how well you sleep, and how big your balls are. Some guys can recover from lots more work than other guys, so this just depends on you.“

“If you want to look like some Abercrombie model, then find another program and enjoy your nice, easy training style. If you are serious about adding muscle to your frame, then get under the damn bar and make it happen.
“

“The deadlift is more functional in that it’s very hard to imagine a more useful application of strength than picking heavy s**t up off the ground.“

“we have not spent the last 65 million or so years finely honing our physiology to watch Oprah. Like it or not, we are the product of a very long process of adaptation to a harsh physical existence, and the past couple centuries of comparative ease and plenty are not enough time to change our genome. We humans are at our best when our existence mirrors, or at least simulates, the one we are still genetically adapted to live. And that is the purpose of exercise.“

“Accumulating injuries are the price we pay for the thrill of not having sat around on our asses.“

[Referring to trainers desire to spot their clients lifts]
“Resist the impulse to participate in someone else’s exercise”

“We just call it the press, because how could you press without the shoulders? You can leg press… but that’s gay.“

“The full squat is a perfectly natural position for the leg to occupy. That’s why there’s a joint in the middle of it, and why humans have been occupying this position, both unloaded and loaded, for millions of years. Much longer, in fact, than quasi-intellectual morons have been telling us that it’s “bad” for the knees.
“

“Anyone who says that full squats are “bad for the knees” has, with that statement, demonstrated conclusively that they are not entitled to an opinion about the matter. People who know nothing about a topic, especially a very technical one that requires specific training, knowledge, and experience, are not due an opinion about that topic and are better served by being quiet when it is asked about or discussed. For example, when brain surgery, or string theory, or the NFL draft, or women’s dress sizes, or white wine is being discussed, I remain quiet, odd though that may seem. But seldom is this the case when orthopedic surgeons, athletic trainers, physical therapists, or nurses are asked about full squats.“

"My opinion about barbell rows is as follows: **** barbell rows. Really. **** them. Stop wasting time worrying about barbell rows and get your deadlift up to 500. By then you’ll have your own opinion and you won’t have to worry about mine."

On the ethics of meat eating:
Okay, have you ever been around chickens? They are stupid, uncooperative, inconvenient, ill-tempered creatures. They get what they deserve. F*** chickens.

Rip: “You would look better if you gained about 10 lbs of muscle” Woman responds with look of utter horror. Rip: “Trust me, I’ve been looking at women a long time, and I’m really good at it.“

"There is never an absolute answer to everything, except of course that you have to do your squats."

Rest Day

HSPU day 41 (10-9-10-9-3)

Rest Day

I'll do some light yoga this evening.

I'm officially amazed at my own ability to recover. I figured todays HSPUs would wreak absolute havoc on my shoulders after yesterday's workout...but they didn't. In fact, my shoulders feel great. I have no idea what it is, but I'm not going to over-analyze it right now. I'm just satisfied that my limits are on a higher level than I thought they were. This will help me later on.

On another note, I'm reading through the CFSB article. I know that, since I've only been consistently doing the WODs since Septemberish, I should wait before starting to follow it. I think I'm going to do an in-depth analysis come Summer to see if I'm ready. I know my recovery limits right now, and that will help me in the future, but I don't know if I'm at the point where I can start following this and maintain my current recovery rate.

Chicken-Fried Shoulders?

HSPU day 40 (9-9-9-9-4)

Press 1-1-1-1-1
1. 115# 2. 120 3. 125 4. 130 5. 135 (F)

Push Press 3-3-3-3-3
1. 115 2. 125 3. 135 4. 145 (PR) 5. 155 (Failed last rep)

Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5
1. 115 2. 120 3. 125 (PR) 4. 115
*Didn’t get to round 5…had to go help with some stuff around the station

Long day, could have probably gotten that last 135# Press, but my shoulders were tired from all the hose testing/pulling/loading we had to do today. At least I got the night off. Looking forward to tomorrow...rest day!!

Austere, Heavy, and Horrible

HSPU day 39 (10-10-10-9)

Wasn't able to get to base today, and I didn't want to do the same standby bodyweight workouts I usually do in this situation...so I decided to do something I've been wanting to try for quite a while now...a workout I found while going through the CrossFit videos called "Eva T's Austere Heavy Workout." I had to make a couple changes and do some scaling to keep the right intensity and make it work for the equipment I have available.

CFWUx2

WOD
2 rounds for time:
6 Heavy Bag Cleans to Shoulder - 85#
12 Towel Pull-ups
6 Turkish Getups + 2 One-Arm Snatches per TGU - 30# Dumbbell

Time: 8:30

I hit it hard, but not hard enough. Next time I may scale up to the reps Eva did in the video, because, while intense, that was clearly not enough.

Perplexed...

Yesterday...
HSPU day 38 (10-10-8-6-4)


WOD: Back Squat 5-5-5-5-5
1. 175 2. 185 3. 195 4. 200 5. 205

Bench Press 5-5-5-5-5
1. 165 2. 170. 3. 175 4. 180 5. 185 (PR)

I was really disappointed with my Back Squat...when I did that short Starting Strength cycle my last 3x5 for Back Squat was 220#. I started light, expecting to make bigger jumps but once I got to 195# I was feeling really weak under the bar. I'll chalk it up to the fact that I was working hard all day and didn't get a chance to eat since lunch (lunch was at noon, didn't get to work out until 5ish). Next time I'll push extra hard and make sure I at least get my current PR, if not more.

Bench was good. I'm steadily improving, even though I don't actually do it very often. I think I Bench probably about once a week, sometimes even less often than that. That made up for the shameful Squats.

HSPU day 36 (9-8-8-7-4)

10 Rounds
85# Heavy Bag Clean & Squat
Just for fun, not for time.


Didn't really have time for a real WOD today, but at least I got something done. I also worked on my handstands and L-sits.

Arms...dead....

So I took a trip down to Arkansas over the weekend thinking I'd be able to knock out a few bodyweight workouts when I had time. Of course, I was too busy visiting with people and spending time with my daughter so I wasn't able to get around to it. Then I had a long, late drive back to the house, and didn't get home until after 2am...and I had to be up for work at 5. So I was just too exhausted to get a workout in yesterday. But the rest was good for me...I felt really good going into today's WOD.

Still up to date with HSPUs, just don't feel like posting them all...Day 35 (10-9-10-6)


WOD 020409
30 Muscle-ups for time

(BrandX Porch/Packish scaling)
90 Pull-ups
90 Ring Dips

15:06

I have a peculiar situation when it comes to muscle up workouts. I have rings, but I have absolutely no place to hang them that's high enough to do muscle ups. I do have a pull-up bar, so what I do is bar pull-ups and ring dips...most reps are kipping, of course.

Shoulders were FRIED. The dips were especially killer...I'm chalking it up to the HSPU challenge, but it's also an effect of not stretching enough. About halfway through I lost the ability to do full range dips, and I had a lot of trouble locking out.