AHA!....snaking Deadlifts.

Today, I believe I had a bit of an "AHA!" moment.  I'm not sure where it came from, or how it actually occurred to me, but I may have resolved a bit of my knee issues.  My knees have been a bit on the sore side the last couple of months, the closest timeframe I can pinpoint the start of it is when I started working on breaking parallel.  I've been thinking that my knees are going wonky when we do heavy weighted squats (which, I know is true, and am trying to concentrate on), but we don't do super heavy squats THAT often, so the soreness really shouldn't be ongoing.  Well, today, in warmup (warmups have been 2 sets of 5 front squats/OH squat 30-45 lb bar depending on the day) I was 2 possibly 3 into my first set of 5, in my head, still wondering why the first set has been so uncomfortable/painful lately....and then, out of nowhere - I had a thought.  A brilliant thought.  I believe my issue is that somewhere along the lines of: while squatting on autopilot concentrating on weight, I've been starting the squat at the knee and not at the hip.  The last two I tried of this set were much better, didn't hurt.  I believe I have this puzzle solved, but next week will be the test.

Today were deadlifts - 1/1/1/1/1/1/1.  After getting almost no sleep last night (I'm chalking that up to the 1/2 can of Coke Zero that I had last night - thank you caffeine!), I wasn't really sure how I would do.  My PR for deadlift is 300 - but it was not a pretty 300 - pure snaking the whole way up.  I started today at 255. Good.  275. OK.  285 - the snake came back in a big way. 

At this point, I knew I wasn't going for any PR's.  I've decided that next time I hit 300 - it's going to be a pretty 300. End result: I need to work on making sure I've got the form down,  with weights that high, it's too easy to really hurt yourself, and that is not my goal.  So, I dropped back down to 275 - still a bit on the snakey side. Dropped again to 265 - this one was good.  Back to 270 - ok -with a hint o' snake.  Last rep I went back to the beginning at 255, and that was good.  So - I'll keep working on these, so that the next time I pull the 300, I can say it with pride as opposed to the  "yeah, but it wasn't pretty" caveat that I've been using.

Filthy Front Squats at 50???

As most people know, front squats are not my favorite.  Its the whole resting the bar on your shoulders thing.  It's a very funky position to be in, and because the weight is in front and uptop, it kind of makes you feel like you suddenly grew a pair of 135 lb boobs.  Yesterday we Front Squats 5/5/5/5/5 - for weight.  I started low and worked up - 95/115/135/145/150.

The 150 - was once again - not so pretty.  I'm doing something funky on my squats when I break parallel - I rarely had knee pain/issues at all until I started going lower, now- it's there - not crippling, and as I'm doing anything squat related it doesn't hurt, but the next day or so, I feel it, and hear it.  So, I know my knees go wonky at a certain weight - with the front squats, it seems to be 145-150ish.  My plan is to kind of keep track of that and try to stop being so knock kneed! 

The other thing I need to learn:  how and when to dump a bar.  It's very strange - I hit a point on the 150 front squat that I needed to dump.  Well, rather than letting it fall all willy-nilly, I ended  up carefully sitting back till it stopped moving - then once I determined that I had no other option, I let it drop.   I think I need to work on my comfort level of just letting the bar fly when necessary - I think I'm hitting a point that I'm starting to scare the hell out of anyone watching me - and that's not good!!

Onto today's Filthy 50 fun.  I wasn't really sure how I was going to do going into this.  I think my body is fighting something right now, and with everyone sick at work around me, this is a very good possibility.  I, however, refuse to get sick - it shall be beaten.  End result - not sure if I was really feeling 100% ready to go.  But I actually did far better than expected - go figure!

I started on the Knees to Elbows - and damn if I didn't get in 10-15 or so that I can honestly say that I don't think I put much jump in them.  Holy crap!!  That kind of shocked the hell out of me!  But YAY!  The rest of them, rather jumpy.  Finished these far faster than last time.  Next was double unders.  I was an idiot with these tonight - I don't think I ever connected more than 2 - OY!  Not that I'm a double under queen, in fact, earlier this week I did the best I had ever done and connected on 5. So really - not a pro at these by any means!  Then onto burpees. These still took  me forever - like a good 10-15 minutes, but considering that when I did them last time, they take at least 20 minutes, I'll take it.    After burpees, onto walking lunges.  I don't recommend these two in a row.  LEG BURN!!  So these weren't quite as quick as they should have been.  Next jumping pullups in the red bands, low bar then onto kettlebell swings.  Wallball came next, as usual I did them in sets of 10.  They seemed harder than I remembered them being last time..??  After that onto back extensions then push press.  Push press at 35# - normally - not a problem, but I must say, I was downright wimpy with them tonight.  They taxed the crap out of me - could be that it was really my final thing.  But really - 35#???  It shouldn't have been that hard!  Time was called at the end of push press - so my official score/time was 40:48, no box jumps.

There's a strange phenomenon that has taken over my mind and body since starting crossfit - I may not be quick, it may not count, but I need to try to complete.  So, after time was called I quietly went over to the box to do my box jumps.  I say quietly because I didn't say anything, however, me jumping on the box made some very large WHOMP/WHOMP/WHOMP sounds.  I was jumping on the 16" box rather than the 20" so that I could finish before Doug and Allie finished their warmup.  I got through these- not fast, but not super duper slow.  My unofficial time for completion was 46:54.  Overall performance - could have done better, could have done worse - pretty middle of the road.  Endurance  - that's my issue!   

Now, I'll just sit back and wait for that "oh so special" soreness to set in - you know the one - only the Filthy 50 can hand it out!

dipping and punching with my eyes closed....

So - in 2 days, I've found 2 things that I don't do so well.

Yesterday was 7 rounds of 10 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls 65#/Ring dips.   Last time I did this one, I was on the bars for the dips.   What a difference the bars make!  I feel like I have pretty good range of motion on the bars with the foot assist - if not all the way there, pretty close. This is unlike doing the dips with no foot assist!! I can semi-do them, but there's a limited range of motion, and trying to do 70, they would end up as elbow bends, this...I know!  So last night I did them on the rings, with foot assist.  Overall, I would say I achieved somewhere between 1/4 and 1/2 range of motion.  I don't think I was close to going all the way, the stability thing on the rings adds a very large degree of difficulty.  I ended up finishing in 11:10.  Longer than it took last time on the bars, but understandable.  The high pulls were no problem, did all 7 sets non stop.  I think I'd be happier with this one, if I thought my dips were something to be proud of.  They aren't quite there yet.

Today was Fightin' Helen - 3 rounds of 200 heavy bag punches, 21 KB swings 16kg, 12 pullups. I completed this in 10:23.  Pullups on the high bar with 45 lb weight beneath - more bounce per ounce!   My punching bag form is not so good.  I would compare it to my running form, when we are doing sled drags.  Anyone who witnessed that can attest to the fact that it was all over the place.  I've come to the conclusion that, apparently I don't have much of a truly aggressive streak in me - the punches to the bag, would not have cause a guinea pig to bruise.  Not to mention, I think I had my eyes shut each time I actually hit the bag - I know I was blinking a heck of alot!  Apparently I do have my girly tendencies!

Push and Bench

Under most normal circumstances, I workout 5 days a week - Mon thru Thursday, Saturday and take Friday  and Sunday off.  The peculiar thing is that now that I'm sucked in, hook, line and sinker to this whole crossfit thing, I have more workouts that I really like, which makes it really hard to take that darn Friday off!!  So this month at least, I've been going 6 days, primarily because I can't resist the call of the Friday workouts.

This week:

Shoulder press 1-1-1-1-1 reps 

Push press 3-3-3-3-3 reps
Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5 reps

On the shoulder press - the one thing I can say is that I can do 110 - and the last time I  got it, it  wasn't just a one time fluke.  On this I did 105/110/115 - fail/115 - fail/115 - fail.  Amazing how much weight 5 lbs can be!  There is a chance that I may have/should have been able to do this, but once again, the first time I tried the 115, I got a bit into my head, and as I was lifting the bar off the rack what runs through my head?? "Wow - this is heavy"..DUH! That's gonna kill the lift everytime!

Push press, I did 115/125/135/145 - fail/140 x 1.  On that last set at 140 - I apologize for giving everyone heart palpitations - if I had any idea what I did or why - I would promise to never do it again. Unfortunately, or fortunately, whichever the case may be, I'm still not really sure what I did.  All I know is I tried to hoist it, and next thing I knew it was kind of on my back in a funky position and everyone was running....so I just let it slide down my back, and did what any sane rational person would do - busted into a total and complete laughing fit! 

Push Jerk, we only got in 2 rounds because of time issues.  First round was 115, second 135.  No freak incidences on this one.

Today, was a new one:

30, 20, and 10-rep rounds of:

- KB swings - 16kg

- Bench press 95#
- Goblet squats 20#
- Feet-to-sky

I started with KB swings, and I'll admit it here, but if you ask me, I'll deny it....I probably should go up in weight on these, actually, that probably should be a definite on the 2 handed swings. Then Feet to Sky - kind of strange things, and I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have to work on my range of motion, I think I've got the feel for them, but it's a new thing, so I'm sure there's plenty wrong with it!  Goblet squats were fine.  Then onto Bench Press.  95 pounds is normally not a big issue - of course, I have never really tried doing 30 in a row.  Still, overall, not too bad.  Did round one 30 of each.  Then did 20 of all but the BP, there was a shortage of equipment, so went onto the next round, where I did 10 of each, and ended with another 30 bench presses. Overall time was 16:25.    I must admit, I liked this one - it was something new and a bit interesting!  

Run Forest Run!!!

Just in case you're curious about how I'm doing in my quest to find the love of running.  Let me say this, not so well.  I don't think I'm bitching about it as much or as loudly - I could be wrong, but I don't think so.  I'm really trying not to be a pain in the ass about it....but sometimes it's hard.  Just know, that I truly am trying to bond with it......really, truly I am.

Don't believe me?

Well, then let me give you a bit of an example. Yesterday - I decided to take an actual lunch break - yep, that's right!! Away from my desk and all!  I actually exited the building, went outside, and ran/walked a loop that from all accounts is about a mile and a half with some hills, some valleys.  Not super long, and I didn't run the whole thing, but sheesh, ya gotta give me credit for even getting out there and doing it!!   After that (really it was a good 6 hours or so later), had the normal days workout.

Stations #3 - what pray tell is stations 3??  1 minute doing each of the exercises below, for 3 rounds, with  1 minute rest between rounds. 

- Ring rows - averaged 13-15 per round
- Dumbbell split cleans (20#) - funky things - caused some forearm crampage - OWIE!
- Knees to elbows - by golly, I'm a slow poke at these!!
- Deadlifts (125#)
- Burpees -  UGH - terrible way to end!! just terrible!  Will I ever bond with burpees?

I did pretty good the first round 57, ok the 2nd round...53..ish - and tanked the 3rd round,where I was only in the 40s.    After doing this, we got to rest for another whole minute, then onto a minute of jumping squats.  I added 24.  So total scor was - 188.... I think.... it was something along those lines.  About 10 better than last time. 

Tonight, we met Nicole.  Nicole is an evil swine.  She sounds all pure and innocent, but she's not. Nicole is 400m run/max rep pullups, AMRAP, 20 minutes.   HAHAHAHAHAHA!!...Ok, for someone still in the really early phases of trying to bond with the whole running thing -  ICK!

But, I sucked it up, tried not to whine too much and did it.  I got in 5 rounds + 200m, and 38 pullups, jumping from the low bar, minis.  While 5 doesn't sound like a whole lot, and in comparison to everyone else who did this one, it's a full 1 to 2 rounds behind, I'm ok with it. Why?  Well, I ran the full 2 laps the first two rounds, without walking.  The last rounds I ran the full first lap, up to the back wall before having to walk - and then I started running at the end of the wall.  So...doesn't sound fantastic - but it really is better than I've done on the running thing on any of the other workouts - AKA Daniel, Helen, etc.

So - next time we do this, maybe  I'll be able to complete the full two laps without walking on all rounds.  We'll think positively on that one.  

Until that time, I will wait in avid anticipation for the "run love" to come and knock me down!

Daniel...HACK HACK HACK

Strange the body physics....it's been a bit peculiar the last couple of days.

Yesterday we did Daniel - 50 pullups/400 m run/21 Thrusters/800 m run/21 Thrusters/400 m run/50 pullups.   Pullups were Red Bands on the high bar. (I just realized I have this strange uncanny need to capitalize Red Bands....hmmmm, wonder what that means??)  I set myself up on the high bar - because they were going to have to be jumping pullups, I grabbed a 35 lb weight for my feet - probably should have gone with the 45, because to say my pullups were lame would be a vast understatement.  Yeah - I got in some good ones - but by the end - pure suckage - my nose was barely hitting bar level.  Ironically, I didn't feel like I did too bad on the running part, yes, I had to walk in parts, but I don't think I did too bad.  The thrusters (65#), were no problem. I broke them into 3 mini-sets - 11/5/5.  Next time, I'll have to try to make it just 2 sets - or if I'm feeling really ambitious, try them all at once. (of course, then I'll be walking the first 200m of the next run, trying to get my legs back!)  Overall, my time was a whopping 6 seconds faster than last time, so 25:46.  I think I can thank those dastardly pullups for not getting a better time!  Now - as for the dynamics on this particular workout, my sister Mary was there, and we were chatting - she is not such a big fan of the weight lifting thing (trying to bond with it), I, on the other hand am not such a big fan of the cardio thing (again, I too am trying to bond with it).   Now - if you were to combine us - we would be a pretty formidable combination.

Today we did these funky ass things called "Hack Squats".  Wow!!  You know how I'm always saying my bulging biceps are preventing me from going all the way up in my pullups?? Well, same thing here, only it's the gigantic-uber muscularity of my quads and derriere preventing me from doing these.   Never having done them before, I started low. 

65  /85 /105 /125-whoops, got 2 in, then it kept catching on my bulging quad muscles!! DRATS

125 again - ok /145 - 1 maybe 2 ok - the rest NSG (not so good) - meaning it was another leg thing.

So, watching people do these, and trying desperately to do them halfway decently myself,  I've come to the conclusion you need to have 2 things to really kick some wild turkey butt on the Hack Squat - 1. apelike arms  2. toothpick legs.(yes, apelike and toothpick may be a bit of an exaggeration....). 

Needless to say - my arms - not so long.  My legs - not really toothpicky - so this is definitely not my best lift.  Not by a mile!

I was super happy to see that Patty did so well though!  Patty hit 185, and I'm guessing she barely broke a sweat!   I'm very happy for you Patty - and yes, you know that tiny little bit of jealousy that you sometimes tell me you feel??  Well, guess who has it now!!

Snatches and the girls...

I seem to be a couple days behind - shocking, I know!

Thursday, was snatches....3/3/3/3/3.  

Snatches are funky things, but for me at least, make more sense than cleans.  Apparently, my instinct is to throw things overhead rather that to my shoulders.  We did 5 sets of 3.  Last time, my max weight was 75.  This time I did 65/75/80/85/95.   I screwed up a bit on the last round, and put the 5 lb weights on rather than the 2.5.  Needless to say, that jump up 10 lbs, kind of threw me a bit.  To say it was "not so good" would be the understatement of the year.  So - it's up officially at a NSG 95, but I'd say 85 was the weight where they still looked decent. 

Yesterday, we met up with Diane - 21/15/9 Deadlift 155#, Handstand pushup.  I have a bit of a fascination with the handstand pushups - I think I can pin this on my love of the upside-down rubber band contraption.  Unfortunately, it's not really possible to do Diane in my favorite do-hickey, so I opted for hooked feet on a bar.  My time increased - I think by about a minute - I ended at 9:03 ish...if I remember correctly. (I need to get better at writing these things down right away!)  I'm ok with the increase because if I am estimating correctly - from my upside down view - I was probably at about 1/2 ROM - versus last time, when I would guess-timate I was doing about a 1/4 ROM on average.  Still have a hard time catching my breath from the inverted position after cranking through the DL's.

Today was Cindy....I love Cindy, not sure why but I do.  Last time, we did this, I got in 11 rounds+ 5 pullups.  I did the pullups, jumping on the low bar, no bands.   This time, I did them from the high bar, red bands, of course, there was still a jump.  I wasn't going into this thinking I would do be able to beat my last score for a couple reasons....

1. a tad bit too much wine last night (yes, I know - no sympathy - but it still factors into your performance!) 

2. back in the bands.  It is definitely quicker and more efficient to live the pullup life free of the bands.  You don't have that couple second pause of getting into/out of them.  I got a brief taste last time we did Cindy, and I must say - I liked it!

However, I proved myself wrong with my low expectations.  I actually got in 12 Rounds + 3 pullups - which is a PR.  The first 10 minutes, I actually got in a full 7 rounds.  It's that last 10 minutes that I slowed down.  My speed didn't exactly increase either when,  I had to bring my elbows in for the pushups.  That threw me a bit.

Overall - there were ups and downs time/score wise the last couple of days - but I think I like where I am and where I'm going with all this stuff right now.  Unlike a couple months ago - I think my eyes are more open to the small improvements.