CrossFit Open 12.1 Round 2

7 Minutes of Burpees
AMRAP

Total: 75

20 Point improvement!  The motivation and encouragement was amazing.  Very proud of myself, so freaking good!

February 24, 2012 - DEADlift

Deadlift: 5, 3, 2, 2,

Deadlift
Wallball
15-12-9-6-3

Time: 00:09:45

Did max deadlift rep of 295 pounds times 2 today.  Wasn't feeling strong at all, coming off the weird work shifts I'm not at all surprised.  Ended up doing 165 pounds on the deadlifts and 20 pound wall balls.  My back and body was just gassed.  Pushed through and finished, while the trainer screamed at me.  Sucks when there are only two people and you finish last :)

CrossFit OPEN #1

Burpees
7 Minutes AMRAP

Score: 55

Treated it like a sprint rather than an endurance workout and pacing myself.  I'm going to do the workout again on Saturday, shooting for Saturday.  Can't wait to see where I stand at the end of week 1.

February 21, 2012 - Open Eve

Front Squat: 5, 3, 2, 2
then...
4 Cleans 
6 Strict Pull Ups
8 Bar Facing Burpees 
5 Rounds for Time

Time: 00:14:25

This workout was just a long long slaughter.  Fourteen minutes seemed like forever but I pushed through it.  Pull ups are ready for a new band.  I was going at a good pace on those.  The cleans I had to scale back really far.  I did one round at 105 then the rest at 95.  Fixing my form will go a long way on these.  Bar facing burpees are just ridiculously sucky, but I got through them.

New PR on the Front Squat.  155lbs.  Trainer said that I was "sandbagging" it so she helped me put more weight on.  My form on them was amazing.  Getting the elbows really high and the depth really low.  Much improved from when I first did them in Omaha.

February 20, 2012 - Jack

10 Push Press
10 KB Swings
10 Box Jumps
AMRAP 20 Min

Rounds 6

Did first two rounds completely RX (115 push press, 55KBS and 24" box jump).  After two rounds ripped off twenty pounds and did the rest of the workout at 95 pound push press.  Workout was just a killer workout overall.  CrossFit Open starts on Wednesday.  It's gonna be fun!

February 17, 2021 - Dianne

Deadlift (225)
Handstand Push Up
21-15-9

Deadlift: 185lbs

Time 00:13:29

Tried doing max deadlift but I wasn't really that warmed up.  Dropped forty pounds and went with 185, still challenging.  Still haven't mastered the handstand push up.  Subbed in 2min, 1.5min and 1min plank and then 21-15-9 push ups.  I think that may have challenged me more than the HSPU.  Good workout overall, need to work on handstand and handstand push ups.

February 16, 2012 - Total RX

10 KBS
20 Russian Twists
30 Paralette Jumps
AMRAP 16 Minutes

Score: 6 + 3 RX

Yeah, I RX'd today.  55lb KBS, 20lb RT and full jumps.  Workout got easier as I learned to get more efficient.  No matter what I RX'd and finally pushed the KB weight to the prescribed weight.
Oh, and I registered for the 2012 CF Open.  Pretty good days at the box lately.

February 14, 2012 - VDay Power Play

For strength: Push Press
then
8 Snatches
16 Wall Balls
24 Double Unders
4 Rounds for Time

Time: 00:10:35

Push press max of 115 pounds.  First time doing all out push presses so I "maxed out".  Wrists were still sore from Fran on Friday.  Did half of snatches at 75, then 65.  Felt really good about doing those.  Wall balls at prescribed 20 pounds, felt great about those with great depth.  Most of the double unders were done as singles with doubles mixed in. Kept the heart rate up and high and flew through this workout.  High heart rate, high results.  Great start to Valentines Day this morning!

February 13, 2012 - Morning and Midday Murder

20 Chest to Bar Pull Ups
20 Box Jumps
20 Power Cleans (95lbs)
20 Sit Ups
20 Push Ups
2 Rounds for time

Time: 00:14:44

Started out really strong and tapered off.  Probably could have increased the power clean weight to about 100, 115.  Finished the push ups on the knees, just ran out of gas.

Later in the day
4 lap warmup
2x Karaoke
2x Butt Kickers
2x High Knees
Then...
1 mile run (establish base time)

Time: 00:08:05

Fastest mile run for time yet.  Ankle and knee were screaming at the end of it.

WOD Feburary 10, 2021 - Fran

Fran
Thrusters
Pull ups
21-15-9
RX weight is 95 pounds

Time 00:13:33

I really warmed up for this.  Really really warmed up.  Did over half of the workout at 95 pounds as prescribed.  After my wrists started to give out I dropped down to 75 pounds and finished it off.  I've been working on not doing jumping pull ups and using the bands and doing a full pull up.  It's harder but I know it is making me better.  Took me a long time to do it, but I'm getting stronger and faster everyday.
About a month ago I couldn't even do five thrusters or better yet do Fran.  This was a success for a workout.

WOD February 8, 2012 - 45 Seconds

Strength: Bench Press

45s Hand release push ups
45s Rest
45s Kettle bell swing
45s Rest
45s Double under
45s Rest
3 Rounds, score is total number of reps completed.

Score: 145 points

Moved up to 45lb KBS and did double unders for this.  Used this workout to really progress and try new things.  Found out I can do it, just need to practice more!

WOD February 7, 2012 - The Bully

10 Power Cleans
20 Pull ups
10 Front Squats
20 Knees to Elbows
10 Push Jerk
20 Box Jump
3 rounds with a 30 minute time limit
All weight was 95 pounds

I completed 2+33.  Really good workout where I pushed myself and had a lot of intensity.  I'm happy with the finish on this one.  It flat out sucked though.
Notes are getting short, I'm getting busier.

WOD February 6, 2012 - Start 2 a Days

50 Kettle Bell Swings

Then

20 Squats

Bear crawl across room

20 Sit ups 

Broad jump across room

5 Rounds

Time 00:13:33

Pretty much flew through the KBS.  HAVE TO INCREASE THE WEIGHT.  Need to stop saying and start doing.

Afternoon did elliptical for 25 min with two rounds of tabattas intermingled.

WOD February 3, 2012 - CINDY

5 Pull ups
10 Push ups
15 Squats
AMRAP 20 Min

Rounds: 11 + 29

Yes, I was one squat short of twelve rounds.  My body was starting descent when time was called.  It doesn't count.  But I still finished it.  Unofficially, 12 rounds.  Still doing the pull ups with the green band but progressed to not using the jumping method and really doing more pull up work.  Push ups were done full range of motion the first 5 rounds and then transitioned to knee pushups.  Still did at least one full pushup before dropping each round. 

WOD January 30, 2012 - Squats

Strength training: Back Squats

6 Front Squats
7 Burpees
8 Toes to Bar
AMRAP 12 Min

Front Squat: 95

Rounds: 4+3

I'd say pretty good workout today. My only goal was to do every exercise fully with good form. If that meant only one round, well only one round then.  All my toes to bars hit the bar, front squats had full depth and burpees were fast and without any modifications at all.  Need to work on my grip strength and stringing together multiple T2B.  Also working on cleans will help get more weight on the front squat.

Back squats were good, felt strong doing em.  

WOD January 28, 2012 - Boom

20 Pull ups
30 Sit ups
20 Kettle bell swings
3 Rounds

Time: 00:10:44

For the first time did full pull ups without jumping.  Need to learn how to kip and I'll be doing much better on my workouts.  KB needs to move up to a higher weight, no questions about that.  Good workout.

Oh yeah, and then I dead lifted 335 pounds.  Nothing crazy, just beat my goal by 35 pounds.

WOD January 26, 2012 - Intensity

10 Burpees
10 Box Jumps
AMRAP 8 minutes

Total: 4 + 1 RX

Just a good workout.  Incredibly intense to the point I just laid there when it was done.  Sprinted the shit out of this and pushed myself all the way.  Just a damn good workout today and I RX'd it.  Good feeling, gotta work on doing that more.

WOD January 24, 2011 - ________

We did Elizabeth.  It sucked.
My body was NOT reacting well to the cleans.  Just not really able to get the bar to the shoulders and then squat and then repeat.  My body just wasn't moving how it should.
Gonna work on cleans and get better.

WOD January 23, 2012 - Beast Mode ACTIVATE

5/3 Handstand Push-up or 20 Second Handstand Hold or 5 Damn Good Push-ups
10 Barbell Ground to Overhead (95/65)
20 Wall Balls (20/14)
40 Double Under (120 Singles)
5 Rounds

Weight
G2O - 65 Pounds
Wall ball - 20 Pounds

Time
00:30:02

Number of items broken: 1 Jump Rope

Yes, you read that right, broke a jump rope.  I've never seen a jump rope break during a workout or even break at all.  There I am, going at a good speed, and it snaps clean in half.  I was going so fast I didn't even notice until JP changed it.  Beast mode, activated.
G2O was done with 65 pounds.  Did them snatch style and go them up pretty fast.  Pretty proud of myself to be able to do that as I've never done it before.  Did two rounds of holding the handstand and then did three rounds of damn good push ups.  And I mean, damn good.
Finally, the two seconds came back to haunt me...again  I was shooting for sub 30 but the broken jump rope killed me.  I was so used to using the one jump rope that when it broke I didn't know how to function.  I couldn't get a rythmn going at all.  Lesson to take away is that you can't rely on one tool and you need to be able to function with multiple tools.  Other lesson to take away...buy your own jump rope and you are always able to function with what you know works.

Strength Training Saturday

Decided to take it a little easier today and focus on weight training and ditch the WOD.  Two goals, max bench and max dead lift.  Bench press goal of 200 pounds and a dead lift goal of 250 pounds. 
Ever have one of those days where you feel like you have no strength? That'd be today.
BP got to 155 no problem, 165 no problem, 175 felt like 500. Finished the day at 170 matching my previous personal record.

DL was a lot better.  Started at about 175 and worked my way up to 275 no problem.  Felt very confident I could do more but didn't want to push my body into a state of hurt going into next week.
Good day of lifting is gonna lead to a good day of workouts.  The cough and the congestion is pretty much gone and I'm ready to get going.

WOD January 20, 2012 - 3+3 doesn't = 6

3 Strict Pull ups
6 Clean and Jerks
9 Bar Facing Burpees
AMRAP 12 Min

Weight
Clean and Jerk: 85pounds

Total: 3 +3 (3 full rounds with 3 pull ups and 3 C&J)

Got it done.  Feeling a lot better, nasal congestion is gone but it moved to the lungs.  Feeling 100 times better though to be honest.  Very first clean and jerk I tweaked my neck a small bit but worked through it.  A little sore, but such is life.  Never did a C&J so I was really happy to do something new and expand my workouts today.  Finally, bar facing burpees suck...a lot.  No way I did them as fast as the guy in the video.
Looking at some overhead squats and push ups tomorrow.  Woo.  Plan is to reward myself with watching "Red Tails" with the wife tomorrow afternoon and then hockey in the evening.  Life is good, busy but good.

Bunnies versus Bears

Some pretty fun shirts for the gym.  This one is my favorite.  Inside joke, but still awesome.  For more shirts and info: http://skreened.com/blackhillscrossfit

Front

Back

WOD January 19, 2012 - Still Sick

1000 m row
500 Jump Ropes
100 Kettle Bell Swings
50 Knees to Elbows
Can be done in any order but must finish exercise you are on before moving to next one.

My order
Jump rope-row-knees to elbows-kb swings

Weight of KB: 35 pounds

Time: 00:27:39

Still sick, didn't do as well as I was hoping I would.  Should be 100% tomorrow.

Under the Weather

Still not feeling at 100% this morning.  Took the workout off today to get myself healthier.  Gonna hit the grind again tomorrow and power through this cold.

WOD January 17, 2012 - Congested

Wall balls (20/14)
Sit ups
30-20-10-20-30

Weight
Wall ball 20 pounds

Time
00:13:02

Did the work out but missed my goal of 13 min.  Finished two seconds over, two seconds always seems to be my number that I miss stuff by.  Did not help that I was extremely congested and not feeling well during this workout and could barely breathe.  Most of the wall balls were in the 6-7 foot range.  The set of ten I threw up to the 10 foot line. Getting stronger day by day.

WOD January 16, 2012 - Roy

15 Dead lifts (225/155)
20 Box jumps (24"/20")
25 Pull ups
5 rounds with 40 minute cap

Weight
Dead lift: 135 pounds
Box jump: 24"

Time: 00:25:36

Really scaled back on this workout.  Was feeling a little under the weather and my back was still pretty sore from last week's workouts. The time looks impressive but scaling the dead lifts back made a big difference.  Post workout I really stretched out my entire body and really the back.  Stretching made me feel ten times better in soreness.  Stretch stretch stretch stretch stretch, can't stress the importance of that enough.

This workout is part of the CrossFit Heroes Series.

About Roy: "Marine Corps Sgt. Michael C. Roy, 25, of North Fort Myers, Fla., assigned to the 3rd Marine Special Operations Battalion, Marine Special Operations Advisor Group, Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command at Camp Lejeune, was killed in action on July 8th, 2009 in Nimroz Province, Afghanistan, while supporting combat operations. He is survived by his wife Amy and three children, Michael, Landon and Olivia."

Rest

Restin it up.  Back still feels a little tweaked from Monday's dead lift monstrosity and then keeping working it.  A day off should do me good to get me over the soreness.

WOD January 14, 2012 - Movin' up!

9 Push Presses (95/65)
12 Kettle Ball Swings (55/35)
15 Box Jumps (24"/20")
5 Rounds

Weight
Push Press: 75 Pounds
KB Swings: 35 Pounds
Box Jump: 24" (RX)

Time 00:12:10

This was a movin' up workout for me!  Usually I would do all the "women's weight" for a workout like this.  Did 75 pounds on the push presses and could probably have done 80 pounds too.  Better to not hurt myself though, back was feeling a lil tweaked still.  KB swings are ready for the next level of 45 pounds.  35 pounds seemed actually lighter than I would have liked.  I powered through those no problem.  I RX'd the box jumps this weekend.  Last week the owner called me out on using 20" boxes and told me to start pushing myself.  24" box jump easy no problem.
Can't slow down, gotta keep pushing myself.  The whole point of this (CrossFit) is to not get stagnate and keep going and going and going.  Keeping track of the workouts on here as helped as well since it gives me the progression to look at.  Keep pushing and I'll keep getting stronger.  Easy enough, right?

Post workout worked on the double unders.  Getting better at them.  Able to string a few together with singles in between.

WOD January 13, 2012 - 237

3 Power Cleans (135/95)
6 Push ups
9 Air Squats
AMRAP in 3 minutes
Do 5 cycles with 1 minute rest in between
Your score is the total number of reps accomplished in all five cycles.

Weight
Power Clean: 95 pounds

Total score 237 points

Felt GREAT on this workout.  Did all the push ups without dropping to the knees once.  Power cleans got harder over time, but pushed through them and completed them with good form.  Over time my strength will improve power cleans etc will come easier.  Air squats burned the thighs pretty damn bad.  Felt like a garden gnome again lighting my body on fire.
Good workout, great confidence builder!  Long story short, I'm fired up again.

January 12, 2012 - Rest

'nough said.  Time for a rest day.

WOD January 11, 2012 - I...was...wrong

Back Squat 3-3-3
then...
10 Thrusters
10 Wall balls
4 Rounds

Weight: Back Squat 185
Thrusters 95, then 75, then 45, then done...
Wall balls 20

Rounds: 3

Here's the deal.  My wife said I was overworking.  My friends said to slow down.  I said I could keep going.  I...was...wrong.  Let that sink in: I was wrong.  I can admit it.  I can suck up my pride.  I can know that I went too far.
New workout schedule: Work Mon, Tues, Wed, Rest Thurs, Work Fri, Sat, Rest Sun.  I was clearly overworking because I only did three rounds today.  Realized I had to stop or else it would lead to more injury.  Going to take tomorrow off and then do Thursday's workout on Saturday morning.  New schedule should lead to better results.

WOD January 10, 2012 - Ouch

8 Pull ups
16 Burpees
72 Jump ropes
AMRAP 18 Min

Total rounds: 1

Did one full round but my arm was hurting way too much from the other days workout.  Instead did a lot of jump roping and put some pull ups in too.

WOD January 9, 2012 - 15x10=150

15 Dead lifts
15 Push ups
10 Rounds, 24 minute time limit
--Optional--
Dead lift 225 pounds, hold as long as possible.  

Weight
Dead lift 135pounds (RX)

Time 00:18:48

I did ALL 150 dead lifts, all 150 push ups (90 on knees).  Goal was 20 minutes for me, beat it barely.  Workout was just long and tough today.  Completed it though, the final three sets was just a lift and power through.  Didn't slow down, didn't think, just pushed through the pain and the weight.  Held the 225 pound dead lift for 31 seconds, didn't want to destroy the hands.  Ready for tomorrow.

100 Day Burpee Challenge

100 Day Burpee Challenge begins tomorrow.
Day 1 - 1 Burpee
Day 2 - 2 Burpee
Etc

WOD January 6, 2012 - Time to Move Up

Dead lift 3-3-3-3-3
Then...
10 ring dips
15 sumo dead lifts (135 for RX)
20 box jumps (24" for RX)
4 Rounds

Time: 00:12:49

Workout Info
Dead lift: 215lbs
Ring Dips: Blue band
Sumo Dead lift: 135 lbs
Box Jumps: 20"

I finished it fast.  La-de-freaking-da.  I could have RXd this entire workout without question.  When the workout was over, Justin came over and said, "Time to move up to the big box?"  Yeah, it is time.  It is an additional 4" for RX for men.  4" is nothing for a person my size.  Time to start doing it and just do it.  Whats the worst that happens, I fall down?  Good, I fall down.  But then I get up and jump on the box.  I read a line yesterday: TODAY I WILL NOT BE BEAT BY AN INANIMATE OBJECT.  I'm done being beat by an inanimate object.
Sumo dead lift felt great.  It was NOT a high pull as most of us thought.  Just a wide stance dead lift.  Piece of cake, hammered those out no problem
Advanced on the ring dips from green band to blue band.  Hands are still shaky at times but I think strengthening my core and tightening it up while working out will help.
Dead lifts were a piece of cake.  215 pounds felt like nothing.  I'm curious to see how far I can push myself on that.  Tomorrow I might play around with that a little bit more and see how high I can get.  I think I can PR around 250 pounds no problem.
Biggest takeaway for today: time to move up to bigger and better things and stop limiting myself to what I think is my limits.  My only limit is the limit I impose on myself.

I'm getting stronger.  I'm getting more confident.  I'm getting better.  Results are showing on the blog and in the books.  Results are showing on me too.  Loving CrossFit, if you haven't tried it out give it a shot.  It may not be for everyone, but it is definitely for me.

WOD January 5, 2012 - Get it Done

4 Tasks
1000m row
100 burpees
100 russian twists (14 lb medicine ball)
100 lunges
Get em done as fast as you can and in any order and in any way.  Get em done.

Heres how I got it done
500 m row
then...
10 burpees
10 RT
10 lunges
5 rounds
then...
250 m row
then...
20 burpees
20 RT
20 lunges
20 burpees
30 RT
30 lunges
10 burpees
250 m row

Time: 00:26:48

...and it sucked.  Just all out sucked.  Thats a lot of work done in 27 minutes.  But I'll get better, I have been.  The only part that was really hard was the burpees.  It is hard for a tall guy like me to do 100 burpees.  That's 600 feet dropped and 600 feet up, plus a hop at the end.  Think about it, my body travled OVER 1200 feet today, on burpees alone.  I tried doing the push ups at the end of the burpee, but my body was not having any of that.

Takeaway for today.  RT are good for abs, and you can really breeze through those if you push through it.  Lunges are a cake after doing CrossFit for about a month.  Lunges don't burn anymore.  Burpees suck, but they get the heart rate up.  Burpees suck but burpees are so freaking good for you.  And finally, rowing at the end of a workout is just plain sick and disgusting.  If I could do this again, 1000m row right off the bat.  Just get it done.  Thursday, January 5, just get it done.

WOD January 4, 2012 - Snatcharoo

Snatch Review
THEN
3 Snatches
6 Toes to Bar
9 Wall balls
AMRAP in 12 minutes

Weights
Snatches 55 pounds
Wall Balls 14 pounds

Reviewed and really got good practice in something new today-the snatch.  I've never done it except in my fundamentals class and that was with a PVC pipe.  First time doing it with weight.  Felt good doing it and I think my form will get better with additional weight.  55 pounds still allowed me to essentially fling it up over my head.
Wall balls are ready to be increased in weight.  I've been doing 14 pounders since I started and today I was launching them up.  Ready to move that weight up now.
Things to work on: snatch and toe to bar.  Snatch I have, just need to perfect the form.  Toes to bar I am nowhere close to having.  My body just doesn't move in that way yet.  I think that is a good place for me to work on and try to get better at. 
Takeaway from today is that the WODs are always different and that means you have to be different and adapt on the fly.  Never did a snatch but after a quick refresher I was throwing them up.

WOD January 3, 2012 - Toasted

20 Pullups
30 KB Swings
120 Jump ropes
5 rounds for time

2 rounds of pullups with a green band, 3 rounds of jumping pullups
35 lb kb swings for all five rounds
Attempted double unders but just couldn't get it done today

Good news, I tried going down on the KB weight because "I thought I couldn't do anymore" and lonebehold, I could do more.  90 more that is.  Felt like I was going to throw the weight through the window.

After 40 pullups I had to transition to jumping pullups and even then this workout was hard.  After doing the third round of jumproping it felt as if there was a garden gnome lighting a book of matches and place them on my shoulder.   I felt like I was on fire.

Quote of the day from Black Hills CrossFit, "The bulk/cut approach holds that you can either add muscle or lose bodyfat, and that all training should be concerned with one or the other. This assumes that aesthetics is the criterion by which progress is measured, that pictures therefore tell the story, and that picture magazines can be the arbiters of success. This type of thinking completely ignores the performance aspects of training, and performance is much more easily and rapidly influenced. Rapid, quantifiable progress keeps motivation high, much higher than waiting for a six-pack that may or may not show up." 

I've looked through my progress and I'm motivated.  Toasted, but motivated.

WOD January 2, 2012 - Fighting the Weekend Hangover

9 front squats (155/115)
18 pushups
27 situps


5 rounds

Front Squats: 2 rounds at 95 pounds, 3 rounds at 75 pounds

Monday workouts seem to always suck - fighting that painful weekend hangover.  My body just doesn't seem ready for it.  Sundays I need to be doing something to keep my body going.  Pushups, sit ups or squats.  Just something to keep the body moving.  Just felt blah today, weak.  Ugh.

On another note, decided to do the 0830 workout since it is a holiday today and 0530 just seemed a little too ridiculous.  Well the 0830 workout today had five women, Greg and me.  Round 3 started with Beyonce's "All the Single Ladies".  Me and Greg had no issues but they still decided to change it.  I can admit it, the song is catchy.

What is Intensity?

Borrowed this from CrossFit 402 where I worked out at a couple weeks ago.  Really great article in my opinion. http://crossfit402.wordpress.com/

Constantly varied, functional movements, performed at high intensity…this is the basic philosophy of CrossFit.

The constantly varied part is pretty easy to grasp and quantify…are you performing different movements and tasks?  Hopefully your answer to this question is a unanimous and resounding ”YES”.  When you get bored with your workouts…you seriously need to visit with your trainer/coach or seek out someone that knows what they are doing to keep this stimulus for you.

Functional fitness relates to something that you will do in the real world.  Preparing you to do things better outside of the gym is the responsibility of your coach and trainer.  Newsflash…this component does not involve stairmasters or treadmills…and mirrors are for checking to see if you have bacon stuck in your teeth.

The third component is a little more challenging to quantify.  While talking with a member last week, the topic of intensity came up and it happened to be the next area I was going to discuss in my blog.

Intensity – in-ten-si-ty [noun]
1.  The quality or condition of being intense
2.  Great energy, strength, concentration, vehemence, etc., as of activity, thought, or feeling
(Source:  Dictionary.com)

Of the three variables mentioned in beginning of this blog, intensity is primarily controlled by the athlete.  There are also many factors that impact the degree of intensity applied during the hour with your classmates (nutrition, rest, stress, etc.).  Effective coaches can elicit increased intensity, but this is where you as an athlete need to bring your “A” game.  Personal responsibility must be in place to ensure that proper nutrition and adequate rest requirements are met.

The covenant that was written at CF402 requires equal participation from both coach and athlete.  It’s a “two-way” street…each party is responsible for holding up their end of the agreement.  You will hear me continually shout out mantras during class.  These should create a burning desire to make yourself better by keeping the pace of the movement at a smoking level (only after proper technique and form are secured).

You get out of this what you put into it.

Rest, eat cleanly, work on mobility, and then bring your intensity when 3..2..1..GO is shouted!