Yoda-isms and mega squats

In between the many football games of the last several weeks, there has also been a bit of a Star Wars marathon....all 6 of them.  Saturday night, was Empire Strikes Back.  The really freaky thing, is that at one point, I heard and recognized a great "Yoda-ism".

After Yoda lifts Luke's X wing fighter out of the muck, Luke says "I don't believe it"

Yoda's response....

are ya ready?? .....

It's a good one!!......

"That is why you will fail"

HOLY CRAP!  Something a bit on the profound side from Yoda!!??!!    ....and the fact that I'm mentioning it, and even attempting to quote it is downright bizarre.  Kind of a bit Zen to be coming from a puppet, huh?  So wise, I just had to share!

Tonight we did breathing squats - 5 sets of 20.   Last time we did these, I didn't do so well - much worse than the time before.  This time, I came prepared with my Yoda-ism, so, I was gonna do better. 

set 1 - 95

set 2 - 105

set 3 - 115

set 4 - 120

set 5 - 125

These suckers really do kind of suck - especially the last 10.  I got through them pretty well, and am happy with it.  I don't feel quite as woogly-legged as I did the time I did best on these, so now I wonder if I could have gone higher....OY!   What has become of me!!

Running is fun....but I LOVE TGU's!

Yesterday we did Helen (400m run, 21 kettlebell swings-16 kg, 12 pullups-3 rounds) , I was with Patty and Mary who, unlike me, far prefer running over jumping rope.  So, despite being given the option, I couldn't feel left out, so I went with majority rules. UGH!  The last time I did regular, running Helen, I finished in 14:40.  Today...14:55.  Yep, added 15 seconds on. Pullups were Red bands, high bar, as opposed to Blue bands, but still......  No big deal, I know my issue is with the running thing.  Cripes! I really dislike running.  I'm really gonna work on bonding with it....I will keep telling myself..."I love running, running is great, running is fun..." I will envision myself doing really well before a workout, to try to get that psychological bump going that, yes, indeed, I can do it and do it well.   Let's try that.....see how that works.

Today - Turkish Getups. I've said it before, and I'll say it again.....I think these are the coolest!

I did much better than I thought I would today.  Warming up, I wasn't really certain if I was feeling the Turkish love.  We did 5 rounds for max weight.  My last PR was 1 arm at 60 lbs, with a barbell. I did them all with the barbell again, because they just look so impressive!

Round 1 - 45#  

Round 2 - 55#  got it, but faltered a bit balance wise at the top and on the knee descent-right side

Round 3 - 60#

Round 4 - 65#- again, I got it, but faltered on the knee descent, not sure which arm though.

Round 5 - 70# - failed completely on the left. SUCCESS with the right arm.

Overall - VERY happy with the results, even if the 70 was a bit lopsided.  Still a big PR.

Forewarning...I'm about to get blabby. 

This morning, as I was laying in bed deciding whether to get up or not (it wasn't even 7am-on a Saturday, that is definitely something to think about).  Into my head popped this big debate on the pluses and minuses of the competing and comparing yourself with others.  I think I'm typing it up now, because it has been weighing on my brain for quite a while.

On the positive side, when you compete with those around you,  you tend to push yourself harder than you may otherwise, which can bring around excellent times, PR's, etc.  Which increases confidence amongst other things.

On the "not so positive" side, it can also do the exact opposite.   At the end of the Filthy 50 last time, I just didn't care who beat me timewise, I just wanted to get through it.  Of course afterwards, it was a bit different.  The "new" girl kicked my butt!  What was that?  She has some nerve!  Well, taking a step back, in reality, I didn't know her background, where she was coming from, what she had done before, etc.  All of that makes a difference when trying to compare yourself.  I was talking to one friend who was feeling particularly frustrated after a workout.  The main issue was that she was comparing herself to everyone around her, and not feeling like she did as well as she should have.  In this case, she has only been coming for a month or two, and came from a background that did not include anything close to this physical in years.  In the end, she was comparing herself not to her previous scores, but to everyone else. While she should have seen how much better she did, than when she started, how far along she had really come, all she saw was that she was last, and finished with a higher time (not taking into account the higher weights on several elements).  Unfortunately this is an easy trap to get into, and in reality everyone falls into it once in a while.  But it can definitely be a confidence basher when you do go there.

I have also done the compete thing in my head for the heavy lifts.  I have finally come to the conclusion that for me, at least, all it does is mess me up.   I get far too into my head, focus more on what the other person is doing than on what I am doing, and it's just not as much "fun". ....and it's the "fun" that keeps us coming back isn't it?  The last month or two, I've tried to stay focused on my performance and just trying to do a bit better each time, and not looking at or caring what everyone else has done, and overall, I think I've performed better for it.

This was alot of my morning thoughts today - just thought I would share because, I know there are people struggling with the comparison thing, including me.  But I think focusing on myself and my abilities is going to be my new overall mentality, and I know I'm alot happier for it.

DEFYight Gone Bad...and graceful thoughts...

YAY! 3 days later, I'm finally able to move without moaning and groaning!  Shoo-doggy that soreness was a doozy.

So, a couple days ago, Patty and Jonathan were saying how "graceful" I was, and I busted out in laughter.  To me, that comment is about as funny as the time I was called "classy".  As I was choking on their statement, I decided to try and hunt down a video of my last athletic endeavor - to prove that ..no, the reality is, none of it comes easy or naturally.   Now my last athletic endeavor was roller hockey - so it took balance, coordination, speed......all of those things -none of which I had!   I did find the DVD that we made one season, unfortunately, it is read only, so I couldn't download anything, I even asked the original creator if he still had it on his computer.. Alas no.  So, just know, I did try to track this down, so that everyone would understand why I look at them with questioning "are you crazy?" eyes.  

Tonight was "Fight Gone Bad".  5 stations for a minute no rest between stations, 1 minute rest between rounds. Wallball 16#, Sumo DL Highpulls 55#, Box Jump 16", Push press 55#, Double unders. 3 rounds.

I did this one as prescribed.   I was able to eek out a better score than last time -last time was 194, this time 208.  I did pretty good the first two rounds, 75, 72.  Then came the third...I just couldn't breathe...all there is too it. Last round I managed to squeeze out 61.  Double unders just were not flowing tonight....shocking, I know. Someday I'll be able to string together more than 1 or on a good day, 2.  I just know it!

I was playing around with pullups a bit afterwards, and I believe I may have gotten an inch or two higher on the kipping.  Now, don't get too excited, there is a very good chance that this could have been a figment of my imagination, but there was at least one that felt higher.   I hate being this close (at least everyone says I'm very close), and just not getting the last part!! OY! Positive thinking though...perhaps it will all click tomorrow....

The Good the Bad and the....not so pretty!

The Good:

Yesterday we did Lynne - Max rep Body weight Bench Press/Pullups - 5 round.  Ok - body weight bench press...that's a bit of a concept, fortunately, I have plenty of time to wrap my mind around it before it becomes a reality.  Instead, I did the BP at 125.  Got in 11/8/8/8/6.  So, I feel good about that.  Although I'm still a bit puzzled about how I can do 11 at 125, but can't manage to eek out 3 at 145.  GRRRR.  Pullups were red band, jumping....got in an average of 10 per round.  I can't wait to be outta the bands!

The Bad:

Hang Power Cleans...3/3/3/3/3.  Have I mentioned lately that I hate cleans?  HA! yes, I know this is a frequent chant of mine....unfortunately, it is very true.  I find them extremely awkward, and funky....you would think by now I'd be getting used to them..but alas, no.    I did 75/85/95/105 - "pulled a Patty", completely got into my head, couldn't come close to the move. Ended  up doing this set as pull from the floor squat cleans.  Last set went back down to 95.

I'm not really thinking the form was that good...in fact, I would bet it was a bit wonky - especially the last coupla sets.

The not so pretty.....
Today, I have he legs from hell. Basically, it feels like someone took 2 big slabs of meat, beat the living crap out of them, then somehow, connected them to my nervous system and stapled them to the front of my legs. In other words, they are in more pain than I recall feeling in a VERY long time. In theory, it's a good pain, but when you moan and groan just trying to sit down....it's really not so good. Not to this degree at least. All thank you to those blasted jumping squats!  Seriously, need to send the genius who created that to the looney bin!

Annie's evil cousin Mildred

I should have known bad things would come out of my obsession with jumping squat, especially when the idea popped up to do them in an Annie-esque fashion. We did my "birthday" workout for the 2nd time.
50/40/30/20/10 - jumping squats 35#, push press 35#

Honestly, the push press, doesn't bother me so much, aside from my overwhelming urge to just go with the overhead press. That one is hard to resist because the weight isn't heavy - it's more the mass number of reps involved.
Jumping squats on the other hand are thigh burners to the extreme. The first 10 of each round (ok, maybe it was only the first 5 in the last round) felt awesome - they felt right. Naturally the more deprived of oxygen I became, and the more my thighs throbbed, the more spastic I became. So, I didn't have the speediest time, but I did kick ASS over last time.
Last time, my time for this one was 23:00, this time, 19:28.

This one sounds so pure and innocent, like a cake walk in the park......but it's a deceiver alright!! No joke there.

Thoughts from a wakeful night

Last night was a very wakeful night...in fact, I was awake from about 2am on.    Which means LOTS of random thoughts came flying into my brain and just didn't stop.  Although I am not usually one to set goals, or make lists.  I did come up with a couple things that I want to focus on more when it comes to Crossfit in the upcoming year.

I'll start by saying, overall, I am quite happy with where I hit with Crossfit Total on New Years.  It wasn't pretty, but I managed to eek out a 645, and succeeding in my goal. (235 BS, 110 OH, 300 DL)   These lifts, I just want to continue doing better on.

Ideally, I want to conquer the following in the next 6 months  (I like short term goals better than year long ones!)

1. Succeed in the pullup....both kipping and deadhang.  These suckers frustrate the hell out of me, but I can feel myself getting reasonably close on the kip. Deadhang, still red band.

2. Bond with running.  YUK! - this may take a lobotomy...but I'm gonna give it a shot.

3. Handstand pushup - against the wall.  Much as I love my upside down rubber band contraption, it just doesn't work well when trying to do something like Diane.

4. 50 pushups in a row.   I love the pushup - but I can only do 15, possibly 20 in a row.

5. Double unders.  Getting there, but 3 or 4 in a row, still takes forever.

6. Non-jumping Knees to Elbows (ok, this may be pushing it a bit, but we'll go there anyway)

7.  Finish the Filthy 50 as prescribed in 30 minutes or less.

8. Work on improving the MetCon times - AKA - figure out how to continue on, when you just know you are going to pass out from lack of oxygen.

9.  Burpees.......get up to at least 10 in Death by, and get them done quicker. I'll never bond with these bastards though.

10. The Oly lifts - try to improve these until they at minimum feel a bit more natural.

11. Bench Press - Be able to do more than the 145/150 that I've been stuck at for more than 6 months!!!!

Ok - so that's it - my list. 

Today workout wise, we did Angie.

100 pullups/pushups/situps/squats for time. 

This was the first time doing this one, and I have to say - I love the ABC girls (Angie, Barbara, and Cindy!).  Everyone started at a different station, I started with the squats.  Pullups were jumping in the red bands.  Pushups full on boy style.   I finished in 26:57.  Not an overall spectacular time, but I'm quite happy with it.   Now I have the Angie Baseline!

CFT 645

It wasn't exactly pretty....but I was able to make my goal for CFT - 645. I was hoping for BS - 250/OH - 110/DL- 285
Back Squat, last time we did CFT, I had 235, however, that was in August, before I started breaking parallel. So 250, was kind of a butt-number - or, to put it nicer - it was really just a "hope for" number.
1st set went fine at 215.
2nd set - 235, not so good. In fact, it was a miserable failure.
3rd set - 235 again. This time I got it. PHEW!

Overhead Press - my hope was actually 110. I have tried it several times, but never made it.
1st set - 105. No problem
2nd set - 110 - shockingly...not so bad - dare I say...relatively easy??
3rd set - 120 - Yep - I got greedy hoping to make up for the lower squat number, I did NOT particularly want to try 300 on the DL, considering I just got a max on it last week at 270.

At this point, I was not doing very well at getting to my goal. In fact, at this point I HAD to deadlift 300 if I was going to make it. With my PR at a mere 270, and quite recently, this was gonna be a feat!
1st set - 255 - ok
2nd set - 285....or so I thought. CRAPCAKES ON A GRIDDLE!!! Barbell math has foiled me again!! I only did 275!! (Ok, still a PR, but that meant I had to increase 25 lbs for the final lift - JINKIES!!)
3rd set - 300..verified! In reality, I did fail, my back started rounding and it all went kaput. Jonathan let me try again, this time, I did get it up - but it was not pretty by any means!

Despite the initial failure on the 3rd DL lift, I am counting it - I still got that sucker up!! Officially my CFT increased 55 points, and has surpassed the 3X mark.