In motion

Some days it just feels like I’m stuck going through the motions. Get up, get dressed, go to work… but I’m not in a job I want to continue going through the motions with right now. I mean, I like what I’m doing generally, but it’s not the career I see myself in. I had a good job.  One I worked really hard to earn but it was taken from me, so now I’m trying to figure out what’s next. Starting next week I’ve stepped down at Sport Chek to part time again and will start something new. I’m both nervous about it and pretty excited, so hopefully it can become what we’re hoping it will 🙂 Also will give me the opportunity to go back to school, which I’m really excited about!

Took the whole weekend off from crossfit after Friday’s WOD pretty much flattened Amanda and I. Went for a hike Saturday instead 🙂 and played ball hockey last night as usual. Well… kinda.  I played defence for the first time in a long time and enjoyed it! Lol! Also badly needed a good crockpot weekend to replenish our lunches stash.  Last week there was a drought in that regard and the freezer needed to be restocked! After both crocks running Saturday making chicken curry and again Sunday with chili and a beef/vegetable mixture we’re good to go!

Friday July 14:

Right up until the 3, 2, 1 GO!!! I didn’t want to do this one.  At all.  But once I got going it wasn’t that bad.  Got through the 15’s and 12’s and my mind calmed a little knowing the remaining rounds were less than 10 Reps each.  Sometimes it’s really just a head game to convince yourself to make it through.  I certainly wasn’t fast, but Rx on this one was a huge victory for me!! 90 pull-ups!? Yeeeah!  Thankfully my hands didn’t rip up the first set of 3, but the last set ended in bloody palms.  Hate that 😕 And another reason there was no WODs happening over the weekend! After a round of Krazy Glu to hold my wounds closed I survived the work day, but at night my hands were kinda angry.

 

 

just get it done :)

Yesterday I actually got excited about a WOD with double unders 🙂 it was a gross one and pretty heavy, and there were 30 chest to bar pull-ups but there was no way I wasn’t doing it Rx cause I knew I could. The pull-ups were probably entertaining to watch… all singles, all strict, with a little spazzy kick to get my chest to the bar. Lol! Last to finish by enough time for everyone else to put their bars away and stuff but I’m still pretty happy :p

Monday May 15, 2017

BUY IN – Bench Press
Complete 5 sets of 3 Reps starting at 75% 1RM, increase each round

95-100-105-110-115

WOD – 
200m Run
5 Chest to Bar Pull-ups
10 Power Cleans
15 Back Squats
20 Double Unders
200m Run
5 Power Cleans
10 Back Squats
15 Chest to Bar Pull-ups
20 Double Unders
200m Run
5 Back Squats
10 Chest to Bar Pull-ups
15 Power Cleans
20 Double Unders

Time – 13:43 Rx

Supertotal Saturday

Sat. May 13 2017:

The PR bell was ringing non-STOP today!  So many incredible athletes putting up some outstanding numbers!  Another chance to test out how I can perform while maintaining the Wahls Paleo Plus diet, and how my body recovers as well.  I went into this not really setting a whole lot of expectations for myself but with hopes to succeeded with my back squat and possibly my deadlift.  Back squat was a victory for sure!  20lb/10% PR!  WOOT!  Then deadlift the wheels fell off.  I couldn’t even get my previous PR off the ground.  Ah well… matched my previous PRs for snatch and clean and jerk (C&J I PR’d earlier this week) and PR’d my bench.  Good day!  Also worked on my double unders which rounded out a fun 3 hour morning at the box. That was followed by a whole LOT of hungry! I mean, my supertotal was 880lbs! 😀

Sunday May 14:

Speaking of Wahls Protocol, I’m wrapping up my 2nd week today.  I don’t really have a whole lot to report except that my mood and energy have been a lot better.  I had a rough week last week with the nerve pain, but my new found double unders addiction probably had a lot to do with that.  I worked out a lot too and was muscle sore, but I think proportionately so (no better/no worse) and my strength didn’t falter at ALL with the lower protein intake.  Long story short, this will be all about progress.  I’m still figuring out how to build a routine with this.  Some things I feel I’m doing really well with while others I wonder if I’m missing the whole point.  I kinda had hopes that I would start to shed a little weight or an inch or two by now, but it’s the opposite.  My clothes are tighter I think and the scale hasn’t budged.  Arg.  But I’ll get there!  Making beef heart chili today.  😮 Can’t be worse than liver!

HUGE victory :)

OH MY GOD I got double unders!!! Not like, I miraculously managed one… I get it now!!! I can string 3-5 together or 7-10 as double-single-double-single 🙂 After almost 4 years of trying to figure those bastards it finally clicked!! I spent an hour with the best double unders coach and it made a world of difference 😀 woot!!! The biggest mental victory in a while. It was super frustrating to watch Amanda figure them out easily after I’ve been trying so long. Success!!!

The Open

Oh hi! May not even remember me but yes I’m still around. To be honest, not a whole lot has changed which is good and bad at the same time I suppose. It’s Open season and my 4th time through. What a totally different experience doing it with CFC!! First, it’s a way bigger beast than CFD was just in terms of Open competitors. I think we have close to 150 athletes competing and a few with potential to make it to regionals… but everyone is so supportive 🙂  We have an in house little comp happening as well with points for team spirit and costumes, some of which there’s no way I could work out it lol!  First Open for my girl too and she’s KILLING it 😀  Recap time!

Open WOD 17.1

AMRAP 20 minutes:
10 dumbbell snatches 35lb
15 burpee box jump-overs 20″
20 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs
30 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs
40 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs
50 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs

Score – 200 Reps Rx  Tie break time – 16:31

This WOD kicked my butt HARD!! Not a good way to start Open season at ALL.  After the 20 DB snatches I couldn’t feel my legs at all.  Our couldn’t feel the ground under my feet? Maybe that’s a better description… Anyways, every box jump was an exercise in extreme concentration to not EAT IT!  It was hell, but no battle scars 🙂 (a miracle occurred)

Open WOD 17.2

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 12 minutes of:
2 rounds of:
50-ft. weighted walking lunge
16 toes-to-bars
8 power cleans
Then, 2 rounds of:
50-ft. weighted walking lunge
16 bar muscle-ups
8 power cleans

Score – 78 Reps Rx  Tie break time – 7:09 

Greatest judge for this one!!  Neil tried so hard to coach me to my first bar muscle up and believe me I tried SO hard to get it!  No dice though… added to the list of things to work on 🙂

Open WOD 17.3

Prior to 8:00, complete:
3 rounds of:
  6 chest-to-bar pull-ups
  6 squat snatches, (95 / 65 lb.)
Then, 3 rounds of:
  7 chest-to-bar pull-ups
  5 squat snatches (135 / 95 lb.)
Prior to 12:00, 3 rounds of:
   8 chest-to-bar pull-ups
  4 squat snatches (185 / 135 lb.)
Prior to 16:00, 3 rounds of:
   9 chest-to-bar pull-ups
  3 squat snatches (225 / 155 lb.)
Prior to 20:00, 3 rounds of:
  10 chest-to-bar pull-ups
  2 squat snatches (245 / 175 lb.)
Prior to 24:00, 3 rounds of:
   11 chest-to-bar pull-ups
  1 squat snatch (265 / 185 lb.)

Score – 43 Reps Rx   Tie break time – 5:02

Yes, I had almost a full 3 minutes to get 1 95lb snatch!  I tried over and over but couldn’t force the confidence to drop under the bar even though i got it to my eyebrows with every attempt.  Kinda frustrating, but…. the next day I GOT it in practice 🙂  I’ll take it.  Plus… I did get through 25 chest to bar pull-ups which was a HUGE improvement over the last time I faced them in the Open.  Double win.

Open WOD 17.4

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 13 minutes of:
55 deadlifts 155lbs
55 wall-ball shots 14lbs
55-calorie row
55 handstand push-ups

Score – 172 Reps Rx  Tie break time – 10:28

This WOD was my fave by FAR this year 😀  I mean, deadlifts are pretty much my thing and they weren’t that heavy.  To be honest, I kinda wished they were heavier cause it would have tripped people up even more.  Thankfully it was a WOD I was totally excited about cause Amanda and I got hit with the flu early in the week and I had just started eating again on Thursday and didn’t work out all week.  I actually re-did this WOD after my judge on Friday measured my HSPU line too high and no-repped all of my push-ups.  So frustrating!  I will say I loved it less the second time through cause my body just wasn’t recovered enough to go through that again, but it was totally worth it to get credit for the HSPU!!  (and I added 2 reps 😉 )

Open WOD 17.5

10 rounds for time of:
9- Thrusters 65lbs
35- Double-unders

Time – 28:10 Rx

Yucky.  Pretty much sums it up!  But WHAT?!  This kid actually pulled off 350 double unders! Yes, you read that correctly.  No idea where they came from… Also added to the list!  The funny part of this one, I pushed to get as far as I could and when the clock hit 20:00 I stopped thinking “well, I made it to round 8.  Cool”  My judge looked at me and said “are you ok?” I completely thought I was done!!  “You still have 20 minutes!!” she said and for at least a few seconds my heart totally sank!  Worst news EVER, but I picked up my rope and finished the beast.  Looking back it was probably that mistake which allowed me to finish in the time I did.  There’s always that extra push when you’re near the end of a WOD (or think you are) and I guess I kinda had a double on this time :p

right for right now

So I’m pretty excited 🙂 When this week’s Open WOD was posted yesterday morning I knew I had a great chance of improving on my score from the last time. I think almost all Crossfit boxes are great in their own way, but each person needs to find one that best suits them. When I joined CFD, I needed the community above everything else and it gave me that. Also gave me a really solid foundation, but CFC has given me a push to be better and the timing is perfect.

Open WOD 16.2
On a 4 minute clock complete as many reps as possible:
25 Knee raises
50 Single unders
15 Squat cleans #55
If completed before 4 min, add 4 min and proceed to:
25 Knee raises
50 Single unders
13 Squat cleans #75
If completed before 4 min, add 4 min and proceed to:
25 Knee raises
50 Single unders
11 Squat cleans #95
If completed before 4 min, add 4 min and proceed to:
25 Knee raises
50 Single unders
9 Squat cleans #115
If completed before 4 min, add 4 min and proceed to:
25 Knee raises
50 Single unders
7 Squat cleans #135

Score – 423 reps

Last time, I got to the #115 squat cleans with TONS of time and couldn’t manage 1 rep. Same thing kinda happened again, only I made it through the 115 without any troubles and got stuck at the 7 at 135. I give myself a little credit here… 135 would have been a PR, and I’d already done 48 reps at that point. I started at the bar for a minute after several failed attempts and said “eff it!”  Stripped back down to 115 and completed the last 7 lifts. 🙂

I stood for a moment in the change room last night and caught a look at my reflection in the mirror. Something needs to change. I need to find a solution before I go crazy again. I work hard at my job now, to the point I’m pretty tired when I get home. Then most nights I change quick and head to the box to work really hard. I lift heavy, we do LOTS of metcons, I eat really clean… but I still have so much fat on top of all my could-be-hot muscle. Jen suggested months ago that I’m drastically under eating… I think I’m at the point where I’m actually going to take that in to consideration and add more to my routine. I AM tired a lot since starting at sport Chek again, but I figured my body just needed to get used to the labor-intensity. I also get home most days soooo hungry. So I’m going to give it a try…

Victory! :)

Life is messy right now. Stress level is pretty much off the charts thanks to Henrys, but that’s hopefully nearing the end. Sport Chek I’m so very grateful I kept in my back pocket for all these years cause I was only “unemployed” (ish) for a little more than 2 weeks before walking into a new full time role. Curiously enough, right back to the same store I was full time in before I first took the job at Henrys… but anyways, I’m happy to be working 🙂 On the hunt for what I want to be when I grow up still, but not bored and losing my mind. Having a job to do also put an end to my excessive WODing :p it was good therapy when I needed it, but as a friend mentioned “just think… soon you’ll need physio and you’ll be able to make friends there too!” Ha-ha.

Anyways… I’ve gone back to logging my WODs on paper cause I suck at this format lately and I got my girl into that habit too so I’m actually accountable there. However – I SMASHED my previous Grace PR and I’m pretty excited so that was worth sharing! I  recorded an Rx Grace time for the first time this year in May 9:53.  Yesterday I killed that one! 4:01 😀 and Grace wasn’t even technically a part of the WOD!

Mon. Nov. 28:

BUY IN – OTM, 8 min:
3 Back Squats

WOD –
4 min MAX Clean & Jerks #95 (30 reps)
– rest 1 min
3 min MAX Bar-hop Burpees (35 reps)
– rest 1 min
2 min MAX Back Squats (30 reps)
– rest 1 min
1 min MAX Toes to Bar (14 reps)

Score – 109

the right direction

Well, no excuse this time!  Travel with iPad… still no better.  What can I say?  Life is busy 😉  For the most part the good kind of busy and moving in the right direction in that parts that aren’t.

Wed. Oct. 5th:

BUY IN – Heavy Clean & Jerk
OTM, 12 minutes
Complete 1 Clean & Jerk every minute, increasing weight each 2nd round.
75-85-95-100-105-110

WOD
15-12-9
Burpee Box Jump Overs  20/16″
Overhead Weighted Box Step-ups 20/16″ (35/25lb plate)
Handstand Push-ups
Time – ? No idea and doesn’t really count cause although I tried several times I just couldn’t lock out the last two HSPU!

CASH OUT
2 Rounds strict pull-ups, max reps.

Happy with my clean and jerk 🙂  Squatted the cleans and split the jerks.  Matched my 1RM jerk but that wasn’t my focus.  I don’t feel like a newborn giraffe when doing a split jerk so much anymore. Win!  lol!!  This was quite possibly one of the hardest WODs I’ve done.  I was excited to go cause I dig handstand push-ups, but the very first rep was a rude awakening after all the upper body abuse so far this week AND the weighted overhead step-ups!  Ok… 2 abmats maybe?  Still rough!!  Haha love it 🙂

Tues. Oct. 4th:

Amanda and I have been trying to make it to an Olympic lifting class for a bit now and finally got there!!  According to my Fitbit it didn’t qualify as a workout, but I don’t agree at all.  Neither do my quads and triceps…  Anyways, so cool!  Carson, the coach, is amazing!  I have some stuff to work on to make my squats better and we broke down parts of the jerk that set the stage for bigger and better things on Wednesday.  Can’t wait to get to another of these on Saturday to work on the snatch!!  🙂

Work up to a heavy 10 rep set.  Focus on a consistent pace/good form.

Pause Split Jerk – 85

Back Squat – 115

Push Press – 65

Mon. Oct. 3rd:

BUY IN – Deadlifts
OTM, 12 minutes
Complete 1 Deadlift every minute, increasing weight each round.
155-175-195-215-225-230-235-240-245-250-255-260!

WOD – 3 Rounds for time
200m Run
30 Wallballs*
15 Toes to Bar V-Ups *
10 Deadlifts *
6 Deadlifts (275/185#) *
* Unbroken or burpees!  1 burpee for every time you break a set!  6 burpees!!
Time – 13:33

CASH OUT
100 Sit-ups

After more than a year… PR’d my deadlift!!!  😀  My game plan was if it feels good, just keep adding weight to the bar and DON’T do the math till the end!  Too often the weight gets heavy and I psych myself out.  My plan worked!  Round 10 I lifted my old 1RM, round 11 I PR’d, and round 12 I PR’s again!  🙂  And quite honestly, I’m not sure it was a true max… but there was still a WOD to do.

Fri. Sept. 30:

A Little Ditty About Jack(ie) and Diane
Part A – 12 minute time cap
“Jackie”
1000m Row
50 Thrusters 45/35
30 Pull-ups Ring pulls
Time – 9:31

REST 8 MINUTES

Part B – 10 minute time cap
“Diane”
21-15-9
Deadlifts  225/155
Handstand Push-ups
Time – 9:57

Pretty tired right from the start today.  Day 5, and 7pm Thursday followed by 9am Friday is tough!  As I fully intend to baby my shoulder until the comp, ring pulls was the way to go for Jackie but Diane was Rx’able.  And 3 seconds to spare!  LOL!!

Thurs. Sept. 29:

BUY IN – Snatch Medley
OTM, 15 minutes
Min 1-5 : Snatch Grip Deadlift + Hang Snatch + OH Squat + Snatch Balance (empty bar)
Min 5-10 : Snatch Grip Deadlift + Power Snatch + OH Squat (INCREASE in weight) #75
Min 10-15 : Squat Snatch (INCREASE in weight) #80

WOD – AMRAP in 9 Minutes
6 Weighted Box Step-ups 20″/16″ 35lb/25lb
8 Box Jump Overs 20″/16″
10 Weighted DB Sit-ups 35lb/25lb
12 Deadlifts 165lb/115lb
Result – 4 Rounds +25

CASH OUT
Plank Holds (1 min each side, 1 min plank)

First squat snatch… ditched the bar in front of me and almost sat on my butt.  Up to my old tricks?  Jason laughed a little but told me “your pull was great!  Then you gave up ;)”  Sweet!  Thanks!  🙂  The rest were all good.

logically speaking

This morning was bad-ass 😀  Skill was 10 rounds of 1 rep deadlifts, starting at 50% of 1RM and building up to good and heavy territory.  After the first few rounds with the 45lb bar and a pair of 10#s, coach looked at me and said “strip the 10#s, throw on the 25#s”  I felt all

to be finally lifting something respectable 🙂  From there, the weight just kept adding until I reached my last 2 singles @ 145#!!  For years I’ve had a mixture of love and fear when it came to deadlifts.  Back in 2010 I was working out with a friend who trains others as well and performed 2-3 deadlifts no problemo, then lifted and threw out my back.  Bad.  I remember him telling me that he didn’t know how it happened cause my form was perfect.  I had dropped to my knees immediately and was stuck on the floor for a good 15 minutes before I was able to wriggle my way back to my feet.  It sucked.  I was out of commission for a while after that and the fear of deadlifts stuck.  When I mentioned this today after showing the first hesitation at a heavier weight since joining CF Division, coach gave me a great pointer.  “Lift your hips when you are in the set-up position” she said.  When you let your hips drop, the initial movement needed to get the bar off the ground will come from your lower back instead of your hammys.  Engage your hammys right from the start!”  duh!  Makes perfect sense 🙂  So add weight I did, and I was able to deadlift heavier than ever before 🙂  New PR baby!  145# deadlift!