Monday 7/22/12

Tested some NGHPs as I've been having some issues with a lack of internal shoulder rotation & some right anterior shoulder pain now & again so we're trying to get to the bottom of it.

Well, glaring weakness.  Grabbed the 15kg/33# bar to start & it immediately recreated the discomfort at the top of the movement.  Went down to 10kg/22lbs & was good until about the 5/6th rep at which point I would start compensating & the pain was re-created in the R ant shoulder.  This will be one of the things I'm working for some supplemental work paired with manual therapy afterwards.

Short afternoon hike with the dogs.

Weekend Training Hang clean ladder, Wall balls

Friday: Sleep ~6.5hrs.  Afternoon nap of ~30 min.

PM hike 90 minutes @ Bent Creek

Went to DownTown After 5 this evening...ended up being downtown after 7 as we took dogs to Bent Creek around 4:30 then came home & showered.  I really wasn't in the mood to go out, as I haven't been sleeping well this week.  But some good friends were back in town that we have been telling for months that we would hang out more IF we lived closer to town.  Now that we live in town we don't have that excuse.  It was fun to see some people outside of the gym, but I didn't get to sleep until 11 & I  probably would have been happier to go to bed at 7.  I'm lame like that.  Or rather I greatly appreciate feeling rested & energized throughout my days!  Going to keep with the afternoon socializing schedule AMAP going forward.  :)   

Saturday: Sleep 11p-6a

Part 1 Training @ 7am: 

A. Squat clean; build to a tough single fast

Gave myself a 10 min cap: 103lbs, 123lbs, 133lbs, 143lbs, 148lbs, 153lbs. Slower to stand so called it there. Not feeling super motivated. 


B.Added a shortened "Amanda" to the morning as it is for a good cause.

5-3-1

Muscle-ups

Squat snatch @ 95lbs

4:34

On the Big Dawgs website it was advised to keep this workout under 5 min. I was going to attempt a 7, 5, 3 version in that time, but my MUs were feeling off from the start & my hands were a bit sore so I shortened even more. Was good practice & confidence building with the snatch. The last time I did the full Amanda was 2011 Regionals which I did not finish in the 12 in cap. It was the first workout of the 3rd day. My MUs were horribly off on that day & the 95lb snatch was far more challenging for me at that point. It was a focused one rep @ a time. I could have probably gone 5 UB today for the first set, but forget how much stronger-or at least that I"m more consistent at higher percentages as my snatch max hasn't improved a ton-than in the past.

Part 2 Rest 2 hours

A. Speed squats 2 reps @ 60% max (120lbs), Rest 60s x 10. Done @ 120lbs. Felt good.
B. AMRAP in 6 min of 1-5 UB hang squat clean ladder @ 105lbs.
Round 1: 2:00
Round 2: 4:25 (2:25)
1, 2, 3, 4UB of set 3.
I did a 10 minute version of this back in January. i didn't look it up until after the fact, but I actually started out 15s slower for the first round today. Need to work on being more aggressive. Will keep working.

PM hike 90 minutes

Sunday Sleep 10p-5:45a
Day 1 of cycle
Volunteered at the AVL Tri this morning.  6:30-9am
Training @ 9:30

Complete 3 sets:
At the top of every 10 minutes complete: 30 UB wall balls 14lbs/10’350m row
1. 63s WB/2:50 overall Row 1:26.0 (2:03.0 pace)
2. 71s WB-fumbled 3x but stayed with it/2:52 overall Row 1:25.8 (2:02.5 pace)
3. 65s WB-fumbled 1x 2:43 overall Row 1:23.5 (1:59.7 pace)

Thursday PM

I missed a couple ring dip workouts over the past week or so.  Tonight I was coaching the ID Floor in the evening so I went in a bit early & did some quick training.

10 Rounds:
5 T2B
5 UB strict ring dips
7:40

Rest exactly 2:30

10 Rounds:
5 GHD sit-ups
3 UB strict ring dips
5:30

Felt good.

Thursday 10 min AMRAP HPC @ 135

Sleep: so-so ~ 6.5 hrs.  Was up early to coach @ 5a this morning.  Still feeling sluggish coming back from the west coast. Struggling to get back into a routine. I don't know how people travel in different time zones regularly. Motivation to train is low. Had no idea what to shoot for here, but going in I thought 5 reps per min would be more than doable. Warm up didn't feel great & then bar was not flying up for me in the first round. I only got 5 & they felt pretty rough. I knew I had to re-evaluate my goal of 50 reps at that point. Will give me something to shoot for. 2nd minute was my worst & then I got myself back into it near the end.

Amrap in 10 min; hang power clean 135#
At the top of every minute perform 20 double unders

Min. DUs/HPC

1. UB, 3/2

2. trips 2

3. 17/3, 3

4. 8/12, 3

5. UB, 3

6. UB, 2/2

7. UB, 3/1

8. 3/14/3, 3

9. UB, 3/1

10. UB 2/2/1

36 total HPCs

CrossFit Games Reaction

"Can you see yourself there next year?"
" I can't wait to cheer you on next year!"
" You're definitely going to the Games next year!"

These are all examples of the questions & exclamations that I have heard since returning home from CA.  I appreciate it all, I really do.

I DO see myself on the floor at the Games in the future.  Will it be next year?  I don't know.  Will they bring the endurance favored events to the Regional level?  Will they increase the DL load to 21 reps at 245lbs?  Will I become proficient enough with my bodyweight movements to hang with the post-collegiate gymnasts?  Will I make enough strength gains over this next year to give me the needed baseline to compete as one of the smallest in the field?  These are all things that will be determined over the next year, but that I cannot answer at this point in time.

I'm a dreamer & I have lived that experience when dreams become reality.  My definition of "dreams" being something that at some point in time seems nearly impossible but that you fantasize about doing yourself & you gradually work yourself towards that level.   It's magical.  I first experienced this in high school when from 8th-12th grade I very gradually worked from 2nd to last place in my first race to a 4th place finish in cross country & the mile at the state meets. (the 4th place thing is a bit of an upper limited I seemed to deal with back in the day but that is a whole other story).  Nonetheless, I want to experience it again.  That is what motivates me to better myself & helps guide my decisions for how I train, eat, sleep & live one day at a time.

Being at the Games gave me a clearer picture of what I feel I need to do in order to reach that level.  I've never felt this clear about my own training before.  Corey pointed out to me that whenever I talked about my own training in the past it was always, "what should I do" vs now I'm talking with a "this is what I need to do" tone.  And it's not just one thing.  So it's that careful balance of determining my priorities and focusing in on them.  Through different training phases some priorities will shift, but all with the goal of bringing myself to the highest level of what fitness means to me & hopefully what the CF community considers fitness to me.  BUT I can only control what I can & I'm OK with that.

Getting to this point-continuing to build a badass baseline of strength while maintaining (& in time improving upon) my endurance/stamina & gaining more & more exposure to all the skills utilized in CrossFit takes time, consistency & persistence.  Hence my new blog title-Baby Steps to Success.  I've made a bunch of gradual changes ( & continue to make changes) to get my businesses & personal life in a place where my stress is low & will allow me to train enough to have a chance against those that are being paid to train.  I'm also a big fan of the movie, What About Bob?    :)


To be continued...

July 18, 2012 Back to the Prowler!

Scheduled myself & Corey off from the gym-in a work sense- today knowing that we'd be getting back late & a bit messed up from the transition back to the east coast time.

Once I woke up & got moving I decided to go to the coffeeshop & knock out a bunch of programming & email catch up for work.  I was in a groove & spent about 6 hours there before heading home for a bit & then to the gym in the early evening for training.

Training ~ 5pm
A. Prowler push 20s @ 100% (90lbs total) Rest 2:40 x 4- guesstimated weight on prowler & added 30kg/66lbs total. Felt much faster than previous prowler efforts! Covered ~40-50m with each effort.

B. 5 TnG Power clean+ 30s max rep No PUSH-UP burpee box jumps (20") Rest 3:30 x 4
So, I didn't exactly understand the "no push-up" portion.  I translated it as-just drop to the floor vs lowering yourself down.  Two days later I was reviewing the video & said to Corey-"Do you think I was I just supposed to a plank burpee & not go into a push-up?" -He confirms....but didn't say anything to me before this point.  I asked him why & he said...well, you had already done the workout.  BUT I have it the next two weeks as well.  So, I'll get it right next time! 
1. 125lbs for all PC sets-not feeling super crisp, 10 reps
2. 125lbs, 11 reps
3. 125lbs, 10 reps
4. 125lbs, 10.5 :) (Video)

C. 4 x 100m sprint @ 97%. Rest 2:30 x 4
Ran 100m straight away behind gym. Felt horribly uncoordinated in trying to run fast. 
17, 15, 15, 16

CrossFit Games Wkend Training

Thursday night sleep: 6:30pm-3:30am-glad I went to bed when I was tired b/c I was wide awake at 3:30.  Enabled me to get a bunch of computer work done before the Games started!

Friday training: Being at the Games I forgot that it was Friday & should have simply been a rest day.  James had programmed snatches & speed box squats for Saturday but I didn't have any luck finding an open barbell.  I did the following in the track stadium after all the athletes & spectators cleared out & headed to the stadium for the afternoon.  NOT for time as my phone was dead & I didn't have a watch.

50-40-30-20-10 UB DUs
25-20-15-10-5 Jumping squats

Took me 3 attempts to hit the 50 UB, 40 no problem, 3 attempts to get UB on the 30 then UB on 20, 10 first time.  Jumping squats burn the legs!

Friday night sleep: 10:00p-7:00a no alarm
Saturday training: 

In hotel gym:
10 min walk on treadmill
100 DB thrusters NOT FOR TIME. Rested as needed b/w sets:
10 thrusters @ 10lbs, 15lbs, 20lbs, 25lbs, 30lbs, 35lbs, 40lbs, 45lbs x 7,3, 50lbs x 5, 3, 2, 35lbs x 10

Saturday night sleep: 9:30p-6:30a no alarm

Sunday: Rest day

Sunday night sleep: 9:30p-6:30a no alarm

Monday @ DogTown CrossFit

combo of Sat 14-Jul & Tues 17-Jul

A. Build to a max squat snatch fast
63lbs, 83lbs, 93lbs, 98lbs, 103lbs, 108lbs. 110lbs F. Done
B. 20 squat snatch for time 77% of A
83lbs 5-fell on butt on #6, 6, 3, 3, 3. 2:43
A. Back squat 8, 6, 4, 8, 6, 4; rest 2:30
8x143lbs, 6x153lbs, 4x168lbs, 8x153lbs, 6x163lbs, 4x178lbs
B. Weighted supinated grip chin up drop sets 2.2.2.2x4; rest as short
as possible to drop weight, rest 3 min bw sets
Set 1: 32.5lbs, 30lbs, 27.5lbs, 25lbs
Set 2: 35lbs, 32.5lbs, 30lbs, 27.5lbs
Set 3: 37.5lbs, 35lbs, 30lbs, 25lbs
Set 4: 40lbs, 35lbs, 30lbs, 25lbs

Monday night sleep: 8:30p-6:30a (alarm)

Tuesday-long travel day back home 9:30a out of LAX-Detroit-AVL around 10p.

Tuesday night: 11:30-~8:30a but didn't feel super rested when I woke up.

Ate relatively well over the weekend with some treats. All meals but two was from Whole Foods-or prepped with groceries from there. One beer that I split with Corey on Friday-I'm starting to not enjoy beer so much. Friday at the stadium had a Paleokit w/GF jerky & a plate from the PaleoWagon (I think it was called)-delicious pile of meat with half a cucumber, half avocado & some grilled onions. Was delicious. Took a cooler into the stadium on Sat & Sunday. Corey turned 30 on Friday so I treated myself to the dessert bar section of the Whole Foods buffet line-samples of banana cream pie, some kind of chocolate mousse, cheesecake. It was all incredible. Sunday evening we went to see a movie & took some bulk chocolates & nuts from Whole foods into the theater. Sunday night I dipped back into the dessert bar. It's vacation for me after all. Blood sugar was off by Monday morning. Not feeling super enthusiastic for training, but still got some good back squat sets in. I'm never super motivated to train while on the road...even when I'm at the Games. So I just put in the work & don't hold any judgement around it. The only time we ate not at Whole Foods was this Mexican Restaurant recommended by the CF gym b/c they had a "pale menu" option. Unfortunately it was the non-delicious version of paleo. Not enough fat for my liking & the meat was dry. I'm a bit of a food-snob, but while picking at the meal I said to Corey, "THIS is why people dread eating 'healthy". You CAN eat well & make it delicious! I promise.

Vacation abs