1/28/11 Silver Charm Whirlwind

Update:  So I'm finally feeling recovered from the shenanigans of 1/15.  The body healed up pretty quick, including the shredded hands, but my nervous system took a while longer to freshen up.  For example, even after sleeping 9-10 hours I was waking up like a train wreck, a sure sign of under recovery.  To further complicate things, I pretty much threw caution to the wind and ate whatever the hell I wanted all week.  Finally got back on the wagon Monday, albeit without a tremendous amount of intensity.

Monday 1/24/11
Back squat 5-5-5
Press 5-5-5
Worked up to 275# in the squat and 137.5# in the press.  Happily, these are close to my numbers pre-comp.

Wednesday 1/26/11
Handstand pushup 3x max reps
3 Rounds for time:
10 Deadlifts 275#
50 Doubleunders
HSPUs were ughhhhhh.  Nowhere near the numbers I'm usually capable of. Effects of heavy presses on Monday?  Metcon wasn't too bad til final round, then the wheels came off the cart.  Finished in 4:16.

Thursday 1/27/11
Bench press 5-5-5
Complete as many rounds as possible in 7 minutes:
10 American kettlebell swings 53#
10 Kness-to-elbows
-rest 3:00-
Complete as many rounds as possible in 5 minutes:
10 Hang power cleans 135#
10 Pushups (hands release)
Hit 205# in the BP, again, not far off of pre-comp numbers.  1st WOD got 7 rounds plus 8 KBSs.  Total grip smasher.  2nd Wod got 4 rounds plus 4 HPCs.  Probably could have stood to go a bit lighter considering how fried my grip was.

Last week I got some serious soft-tissue work done by Tina, one of our members who is an RN, licensed massage therapist, KStarr mobility certified, and CF level 1 certified.  So...highly qualified to meet the massage needs of CrossFitters.  If you're in the area and happen to need some work on a wonky hip, hammy or shoulder, then she's just what the doctor ordered.  Contact her at (630)709-6617 for an appointment, or check out her website findingyourpotentialsportsmassage.com.  "You're gonna want to breathe through this."
Not sure what today will have in store training-wise.  Next week I'll adhere to a more ridgid schedule, with a bit more of a conditioning focus.  Kicking around the idea of going back to OPT.  We'll see...
All the best
J

More 01/15 Pics

01/15/11 Kanoodlin'

Event 1
Complete as many rounds/reps as possible in 6 minutes:
8 Deadlifts 185#
8 Over-the-box jumps 24"
-rest exactly 1:00-
Event 2
Complete as many thrusters 135# as possible in 2:00

Event 3
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 for time:
Overhead squat 95# (from floor)
Lateral burpee (over barbell, hands release from floor at bottom)

Event 4
3 Rounds for time:
20 Back squats 115# (from floor)
20 Toes-to-bar
20 Doubleunders

Event 5- the Final
For time:
Row 50 calories
30 Clean & jerks 155#
Row 40 calories
40 Pullups
Row 30 calories
50 American kettlebell swings 53#

Competed this past Saturday in the Great Lakes CrossFit Challenge, hosted by CrossFit Indy North.  It would take me forever to get into it in full detail.  I will however say that despite a disasterous 1st event, and some trying circumstances (see top pic), I managed to improve my standing with every event, going from 28th to 20th to 16th to 14th to 13th, and after the final, 12th.  I did not perform my best, and that's disappointing.  But I learned a few things about my game, both good and bad.  I reconnected with a few friends I've made along the way (two of which beat me, incidently, congrats Matt and Chad, 6th and 9th respectively), and the TON of well-wishing and congratulatory texts and comments on the CFWC site were nothing short of inspiring.  Also, fellow CFWC trainer Tim turned in the performance of his life, qualifying for finals and ultimately finishing 16th.  Couldn't wash the smile off his face with Ajax, and I couldn't be more proud.  CF Indy North hosted a great event, somehow keeping the whole thing on schedule, which is amazing to me.  No t-shirt though.  I gotta call shenanigans on that.
Resting until I don't feel like I've been beaten with a bat.  More pics later
J

01/11/11 Soul Tingling

10 Rounds for time:
10 Deadlifts
10 Pushups (hands release from floor)

Last full-tilt boogie WOD before the comp this Saturday.  Did this one about 18 months ago with regular pushups in 6:28.  Had the first 5 rounds done today in 2:30, and it went downhill from there.  Pushups were a bitch and lungs felt like they might explode.  And wouldn't you know it?  6:28 again.  A lot of good performances on the board on this one.
Try and find out where my overhead squat is tomorrow
J

01/07/11 Oompa Loompa Doopity Doo

Power clean 3-3-3

For time:
10 Thrusters 135#/ 50 Doubleunders
8 Thrusters/ 40 Doubleunders
6 Thrusters/ 30 Doubleunders
4 Thrusters/ 20 Doubleunders
2 Thrusters/ 10 Doubleunders

Worked with Timmy in the power clean, my 1st time on this movement in a few weeks.  Weights were 135-185-205#, and after the rest on Thursday, they went up fast and smooth.  The WOD went pretty well also.  Thrusters were unbroken, if you consider not dropping the bar mid-set unbroken.  I rested the bar in the rack position for a breath or two several times.  I actually tried to pace the doubleunders somewhat to try not to burn my shoulders out completely.  Even a slow doubleunder is fast :-).  In the end the clock read 5:00, a PR of 1:28 (from 9/18/09).
Team WOD tomorrow.
J

01/05/11 Manscaping Mishap

Standing press 5-5-5

Complete as many front squats (185#) as possible in 3 minutes
-move immediately to the pullup bar-
Complete as many pullups as possible in 3 minutes
*score by total reps

Hit 95-115-140# in the press. Not too bad.  Metcon was another miserable story.  Managed a painful and slow 25 reps in the front squat, and 77 pullups for a 102 total score.  Would like to try this again coming off a rest day.  I think 30-35 FSs and 85 PUs for a score of 125-130 is very doable.
Definitely, DEFINITELY resting tomorrow.  Maybe an ice bath too.
J

1/04/11 Armorless

Complete as many rounds as possible in 6 minutes:
3 Squat cleans 135#
6 Handstand pushups
-rest 4 minutes-
Complete as many rounds a possible in 6 minutes:
3 Deadlifts 225#
6 Lateral burpees (over the DL bar, hands release from floor at bottom)

Tabata row, 8 intervals, for total meters

Good amount of work today.  This WOD was in honor of our newest trainer Tim's birthday, and believe it or not included barbell curls 3x8 in the buy-in (and yes, I did them, 75-85-85#).  Squat cleans were unbroken throughout.  Probably should've upped the weight a bit.  HSPUs got tough by the end.  6 rounds plus 3 SCs and 1 HSPU.  The 2nd part was very taxing after gassing out on the 1st.  Even the DLs, light as they were, started to feel heavy.  Funny how heavy things feel when you can't breathe.  The burpees were just miserable, of course.  8 rounds plus 3 DLs and 1 burpee.  Afterward, with a good amount of nervousness, I decided to get my CFE on with Tabata rowing.  Wasn't too bad.  I managed to keep my post-WOD shake where it's supposed to be and the final tally was 857m, a PR of 7m.
Probably keep it light tomorrow.  A heavy set in the press and some other hijinks.
J

01/03/11 ...Take My Breath Away...

So the holidays finally derailed training a little bit last week.  Took the 29th and 30th off and had a fairly lackluster effort on the 31st.  However, I managed to exercise a bit of self-restraint on New Years Eve and had a great partner WOD on New Year's Day morning with Chris, a member of CFWC who's training for an Ironman.  Also, fellow trainers CK and Tim registered me for the 1st annual Great Lakes CrossFit Challenge, a five event, one day competition held on the 15th in Indianapolis.  So, for the next few weeks I'll shift my focus towards conditioning and skills development, as well as reigning in the profound dietary jackassery that's been going on.  Was ready for a break from the strength focus anyway.  Today's good times:


Back squat 5-5-5 

Why is this CF Virginia Beach trainer nearly naked with the doors open 
to a snowy parking lot?  'Cuz winter can suck it, that's why


15-12-9-6-3 for time:
Sumo DL high pull 95#
Push press 95#

Ab-wheel rollouts 5x5

Hit 225#, 255# and 285# in the squat, which wasn't too bad.  I wanted to hit the metcon with all I had to get a guage on where my conditioning was at.  The best time on the board was 4:00, which was about were I thought it would be.  I worked through it unbroken and finished in 2:46.  Thanks to Jake and RC for sticking around to help a brother out and keep me honest.  More and more I'm inclined to believe that conditioning is mostly a function of strength and grit.  Pure conditioning, as it applies to CrossFit and the oxidative pathway is a myth, and these WODs are more an expression of strength and skill and an athlete's ability to willingly and repeatedly go to very dark places, than any profound physical adaption.  A decidedly masochistic pursuit to be sure, but also one that yields tremendous dividends.
The tentative schedule for tomorrow is to hit the CFWC WOD in the AM and CFE in the evening.  We'll see how it goes.
J