WOD-UP!
“Without action there are no results”
“You’re successful the moment you start moving towards a worthwhile goal”
13.3 – On the bright side, it could have been over-head lunges.
Warmup
500-meter row (light and casual)
Pass throughs
Squats
Wall Balls
Double Unders
Misc Stretching and Mobility
WOD ()
Skill/Strength
N/A
MetCon (For Score)
MEN – includes Masters Men up to 54 years old
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 12 minutes of:
150 Wall balls (20 lbs to 10′ target)
90 Double-unders
30 Muscle-upsWOMEN – includes Masters Women up to 54 years old
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 12 minutes of:
150 Wall balls (14 lbs to 9′ target)
90 Double-unders
30 Muscle-upsScore = 167 reps with wall balls compete at 10:27
Cash Out ()
N/A
This was a repeat workout from the 2012 CrossFit Open 21.4. I scored 163 reps last year.
Really not satisfied with the results of this workout. I went into it over confident wanting 240 reps. This year I have been doing rounds of 20-30 unbroken wall balls in workouts easily (whereas the previous year I could only do 10) so I presumed I could do much better this year. I also have decent enough double unders. I thought I had a good chance at 240 reps if I just kept the wall balls moving.
My strategy was to have the wall balls done in 9:00 and have 3:00 minutes to get 90 double unders. It started very well, actually. Better than last year. I didn’t begin to feel fatigued until around 100 reps. When my coach called the 92nd rep at the 6:00 minute mark I thought I had it beat for sure. But the last 40 wall balls I began to feel the full effect of the previous 110. My quads were suddenly red hot jelly. My form broke and my low back lit up! The last 25’ish reps were brutal with my back on fire. It is very hard for me to push through the low back spasming. I finished the wall balls at 10:27 (with 3 no-reps), one second slower than last year. Damn!
I had the same issue with double unders this year that I did last year. Attempted the first jump and my legs buckled from under me. It was difficult to string together double unders. If only I had more time. Also, if I had it to do over again, I would,
1) Have pushed the wall balls harder up front. Go for as long as I could rather than break them up (easier said than done).
2) Have kicked off the olympic lifting shoes and done the DUs barefoot.
Now I have to wait 32 long hours to learn how much ground I will loose on the leader board for not getting 200+ reps. Ugh!
I Survived 13.2
Warmup
Followed the advice on mobilitywod.com
WOD ()
Skill/Strength
N/A
MetCon (For Score)
MEN – includes Masters Men up to 54 years old
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
115 pound Shoulder to overhead, 5 reps
115 pound Deadlift, 10 reps
15 Box jumps, 24″ boxWOMEN – includes Masters Women up to 54 years old
Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
75 pound Shoulder to overhead, 5 reps
75 pound Deadlift, 10 reps
15 Box jumps, 20″ boxScore = 221
Cash Out ()
N/A
Overall I was happy with the results of this workout. I went into it wanting no less than 7 rounds and hoping for 8. I ended with 7 rounds + 11 reps. If not for my low back seizing up I’m sure I would have had 8rounds.
In round 5 I felt the low back getting sore. Round 6 it started to tighten and get more sore. Round 7 it was on fire and it stopped me in my tracks. Held a few deadlifts at the top and dropped the bar a couple of times. Sturggled to get through the 7th round then banged out 5 quick push press and gritted my teeth for 6 deadlifts.
The score held on in the competition and I advanced from 32nd place in the South Central region to 26th and 244th worldwide.
I Survived 13.1 (Barely)
Warmup
I followed all the mobility advice of the team at Mobilitywod.com
And a couple of tips from my coach including some handstands against the wall and really pushing the chest forward getting the arms behind the shoulders.
WOD ()
Skill/Strength
N/A
MetCon (For Score)
MEN – includes Masters Men up to 54 years old
Proceed through the sequence below completing as many reps as possible in 17 minutes of:
40 Burpees
75 pound Snatch, 30 reps
30 Burpees
135 pound Snatch, 30 reps
20 Burpees
165 pound Snatch, 30 reps
10 Burpees
210 pound Snatch, as many reps as possibleWOMEN – includes Masters Women up to 54 years old
Proceed through the sequence below completing as many reps as possible in 17 minutes of:
40 Burpees
45 pound Snatch, 30 reps
30 Burpees
75 pound Snatch, 30 reps
20 Burpees
100 pound Snatch, 30 reps
10 Burpees
120 pound Snatch, as many reps as possibleScore = 113 reps with first snatch set compete at 5:58
Cash Out ()
N/A
First workout of the 2013 CrossFit Games Season. Score is the total reps completed, noting the time at which you completed your last full set of Snatches to break ties.
Overall I am pretty happy with my effort in this workout. Twenty months ago I thought a snatch was something else. This time last year I could barely snatch an empty barbell. The Open last year forced me to begin learning. I have been practicing all year. Recently I accomplished 3 reps at 155-lbs! I am extremely proud of this progress. Especially considering I spent more than 6 months of this year recovering from a torn bicep tendon and unable to use the left arm. It’s still not 100%. So, I knew 30 reps at 135-lbs was going to be a challenge for me. Normally if an Rx weight is 87% of my 1-rep max I would scale the weight for the workout.
Going into this workout I knew I could get 135-lbs overhead and thought if I had enough time I just might make all 30 reps. My coach had a good plan to pace us through the burpees and first set of snatches with enough time to accomplish the 135-lb snatches and next 20 burpees.
- Pace the burpees at a 4-second-per-burpee pace and complete the first set in approximately 2:30
- Go hard on the snatches and compete the 75-lb snatches at 4:00.
- Take 1:00 to change the barbell weight and catch some breath
- Pace the 2nd set of burpees to complete at 6:30
That plan was for the young studs and many of them got 150 reps. We knew I would be a little slower. We still aimed for the 4-second burpee pace but accepted I would slow down during or after the first snatches. The plan was to get me to the 135-lb barbell with at least 7:00 remaining.
I pretty much stayed on the pace.
- Finished first burpees at 3:30
- Finished first snatches at 5:58 (I got gassed at 20 reps)
- Took longer than 1:00 changing barbell weight and catching some breath.
- Completed second set of burpees in approximately 3:00 (by this time my shoulders were getting achy and my low back was tightening up)
- Went into 135-lb snatches at 10:40. Just 0:40 off pace.
But after just a few reps at 135-lbs my body started to give way. My shoulders were on fire and my back was seriously tightening up. I just didn’t have the strength remaining to get a good lift off the ground and transition the barbell overhead. My form fell apart and my pace fell apart too. With the barbell snatched up to forehead level, I ended up man-handlng the barbell to locked overhead by pressing. That took everything remaining out of my shoulders. Time ticked away and I only ended up with 13 hard earned reps at 135-lbs.
I knew this workout would be challenging, but I definitely underestimated how difficult 135-lb snatches would be after all the burpees and snatches before them. The Open is an annual benchmark of progress (and revealer of weaknesses). In this workout I have a lot to be proud of for my Snatch progress this year. I have a lot of work still ahead building a stronger overall metabolic engine.
Crossfit Workout 365 – Goal Accomplished!
When I started CrossFit for the first time on June 3rd 2011 (and got hooked instantly) I decided to journal about my progress for a years worth of workouts. It’s taken me 1 1/2 years to log 365 workouts, but here I am. Mission accomplished! I have officially reached my goal! Feels great to see a goal through to completion! However, this is by no means the end of my CrossFit journey.
I’ve established a good habit that I want to keep up, but I am not sure I will do so here any longer. I am really looking for something that has the bloging features of WordPress but with the CrossFit workout logging and tracking of something like Beyond the Whiteboard. Something that will keep a comparative record of workouts, lifts, and skills and have a good journaling feature. I have not found that yet.
I will probably cease these journals of each workout. I’m thinking of other ways I can still blog, but less frequently and with more of a focus on specific accomplishments and highlighting improvements. Perhaps get back to taking the video camera to the gym. Not sure yet. Thinking… Searching…
Workout 365
Warmup
Misc Mobility and Stretching
Pass Throughs
Air Squats
WOD ()
Skill/Strength
Deadlift 3x3x3x3x3(x3)
Work up to 90% 1RM
3 Tap-and-go reps per set
Warmup 135-155-175
Strength weight = 185-205-225-245-265-(295)MetCon (For Score)
12-minute AMRAP
10 Ring Dips
10 Air Squats
10 Shoulder-to-Overhead (115-lbs/95-lbs)Modified with GHD Dips
Score = 5+0
Cash Out ()
2,500-meter Row
Been sick and out of the gym for almost a week. Still sick but getting better. Definitely felt the chest congestion during the work tonight.
Good night of deadlifts for me. My 1RM prior to rupturing the bicep tendon (and before starting at CrossFit Burleson) was 325-lbs. About 5 months ago, after 6 months of not lifting, I hurt my back attempting a deadlift of 295-lbs. Since then I have scaled deadlift weight back and worked it up slowly until recently have done 2 workouts with touch-and-go reps at 225-lbs.
Tonight I was assigned to work up to 90% of 295-lbs as this is the most I have lifted at this gym. We could go heavier if we felt safe. My goal was to get back to 295-lbs which is a little more than 90% of my previous max of 325-lbs. I accomplished that goal easily. I was feeling some tightening in the low back at the end of the deadlift set so did not push it any further. I feel like I have the 325-lbs back when the 1-rep max comes around again.
I asked my coach for additional help with my deadlift form. He fine tuned a couple of points.
- On the set-up my shoulders were setting out ahead of the bar so we moved them back over the bar.
- I was lowering my hips too deep as if I were going to Clean the weight. He had me set my feet, grip the bar, and with a straight back and shoulder directly over the bar, lower my hips just enough to put tension in the hamstrings. Then lift. The result is my hips are just a few inches higher at the beginning of my deadlift ascent.
- In tap-and-go reps I was losing form. Turned out to be a breathing issue. I was taking an inhale breath at the bottom in preparation for the next lift. I was loosing tension in the system. Now I exhale on the way up, pause releasing any remaining breath, then inhale and tighten the system before descending. At the tap on the bottom I am already tight and can begin the next exhale on the subsequent ascent. Worked!
In the MetCon I didn’t get many rounds but I got an awesome workout. In the 5th round I could barely push out a dip on the GHD bars and even push jerking the bar overhead I could only get 2-3 reps at a time. The movements worked the arms to failure and that’s how strength is built.
I don’t have any experience dipping on the rings (need to start practicing that). Used the GHD bars as a dip station. This is more strength benefit than using the assistance bands on the rings, but doesn’t work the stablization of the arms on rings.
Finished the night with a moderately paced row.
Today’s WOD Board
Crossfit Workout 364
Warmup
Pass Throughs
Leg Sweeps
Push-ups
Air Squats
WOD ()
Skill/Strength
N/A
MetCon (For Time)
10 Plate Burpees (25-lbs/15-lbs)
20 Wall Balls (20-lbs/14-lbs)
30 Box Jumps (24-inch male and female)
40 Pull-ups
50-colorie RowTime = 15:12 (Rx)
Cash Out ()
N/A
My performance fell apart tonight during pull-ups. I went into pull-ups at approximately 4:00 into the workout and came out at 13:00 😦 My individual pull-ups were strong, but the callouses on my palms at the base of my fingers were soooo sore! Pinched between the bar and my hand I was in pain and dropping F-bombs. Could only hold the bar for 3 reps at time. After toes-to-bar yesterday my hands were too sore for pull-ups tonight. I guarded the rear of the pack tonight and finished with the slowest time of all the men. At least there was some distinction 🙂
Today’s WOD Board
Crossfit Workout 363
Warmup
Pass Throughs
Leg Sweeps
Clean Progression with PVC
WOD ()
Skill/Strength
Power Clean
5-5-3-3-1-1
135-155-175-185-195-205 (fail, but close)MetCon (For Score)
8-minute AMRAP
3 Power Cleans (135-lbs/95-lbs)
3 Toes-to-bar
6/6
9/9
12/12
repeatScore = 72 (Rx)
Cash Out ()
N/A
This workout is 3 reps of each movement, then 6 of each, 9 and 12. If you get through 12 of each, start over again at 3. Score is total reps. Partial rounds count.
My low back tightened up during the strength power cleans before the met-con. I was trying to apply this technique “Finding Torque to Create a Stable Low Back” hoping to avoid any low back pain. I am wondering if exaggerating my form (knees out) contributed to early fatigue?
Debated skipping the MetCon because I knew the low back would further tighten up and it would be difficult for me to push through it. I went for it anyway. Got through the first round of 12, the second round of 3, plus 6 cleans. I stopped a lot to stretch the back and let some fire out. Without the muscle spasms I think it would have been realistic for me to have made it through the full second set of 9. Might have come up a little short as T2B were not fast. Having trouble stabilizing after the toes touch the bar. Have to steady swing at bottom before pushing up another rep. I can stabilize K2E and kip consecutive reps, but T2B are difficult for me. If I can do K2E then T2B should be achievable.
Today’s WOD Board
Crossfit Workout 362
Warmup
Squat Holds & Pivots
High Knees
Deep Lunges
Frankenstein Kicks
WOD ()
Skill/Strength
Back Squat
5×3 at 85% (240-lbs)MetCon (For Time)
5 Rounds:
10 Deadlifts
10 Knees-to-elbows
2 Clean and JerksRx Barbell = 165-lbs/115-lbs
Time = 11:15 (Rx)
Cash Out ()
Snatch Practice
6×5 at 115-lbs
I approached this workout with caution from my low back and shoulders. Back did get a little sore in the 4th and 5th rounds, but did not spasm and lock up. I did 2-3 deadlifts, dropped the bar, reset, did 2-3 more, dropped, rest, etc… Seemed to save my back.
Recent workouts with TTB and K2E wrecked my shoulders. Tonight seems to be okay. First 2 rounds I had a strong kip and consecutive knees to elbows (not knees to triceps). After that my shoulders fatigued and callouses on my palms started to hurt. Was not wearing gloves. Did not force reps and get a rip. Did not force reps and hurt shoulders either. Dropped off bar and took a few seconds. I did focus attention to get the knees up to elbows every rep. I did miss a few reps and touched the triceps, but every rep touched my elbow or arm.
Clean and jerks at 165-lbs were not hard for me (more of a push-press than a jerk), but the two in the 4th and 5th rounds were rough.
Slow time, but clean reps and didn’t strain shoulders or low back.
Finished the night with snatch practice. Started with 135-lbs but the shoulders proved too fatigued. Dropped 20-lbs and managed pretty good. The 4th and 5th reps were a little challenging so just the right weight.
Two days of much needed rest on deck…
Today’s WOD Board
Crossfit Workout 361
Warmup
Pass Throughs
Leg Sweeps
Squat Holds
High Knees
Butt Kicks
WOD ()
Skill/Strength
N/A
MetCon (For Score)
800-meter Run
50 Sit-ups
40 Double Unders
30 Box Jumps (24-inch/20-inch)
20 Kettlebell Swings (1.5-pood/1.0-pood)
10 Burpees
20 Kettlebell Swings
30 Box Jumps
40 Double Unders
50 Sit-ups
800-meter RunTime = 24:01 (Rx)
Cash Out ()
800-meter Run
80 Double Unders
800-meter Run
I went into this workout with a goal of sub 20 minutes. I’d like to think I would have come close if my low back didn’t tighten up again today. Not surprised, though. After yesterday it’s been sore all day. My entire posterior chain is sore after yesterday.
I finished the burpees in 9 minutes and some change. I was on pace through the 2nd set of KB swings. The back started tightening during the 2nd set of KB swings and I practically came to a hault during the 2nd box jumps. Had to stop and stretch my back. Very uncomfortable. Knocked out the double unders but the sit-ups were brutal on my back. I did not get any of my mid-back sit-up burn tonight. That’s a positive. But I barely got through the 2nd box jumps and sit-ups for the low back muscle pain. I was hurting.
Starting the last 800-meter run my back was uncomfortably tight and sore. The first 400-meters I had to stop and stretch my back twice and walk a bit. The 2nd 400-meters I dug deeper and ran it out. Picked up the pace and caught up to the guy that past me, sprinted the last 100-meters to overtake him by 3 seconds. A little pride boost 🙂
Tomorrow is deadlifts and cleans. Feeling doubtful my back will survive those.
After some water and rest I ran the first 800-meters with the next class. Got in 2 sets of 40 double unders while they did their work inside the gym, then ran the 2nd 800-meters with the first guy out for the last run.
All my 800-meter runs (except the 2nd of my workout) were at a 7:00 mile pace (3:30) Happy about that.
Today’s WOD Board
Crossfit Workout 360
Warmup
Pass Throughs
PVC Clean Sequences
Jumping Jacks
WOD ()
Skill/Strength
N/A
MetCon (For Score)
“The Chief”
3-minute AMRAP:
3 Power Cleans (135-lbs / 95-lbs)
6 Push-ups (chest to deck)
9 Air SquatsRest 1 minute
Repeat for 5 Rounds
Score = number of competed rounds (partial rounds don’t count)
Score = 18 (Rx)
Cash Out ()
N/A
I went in to this workout with a goal of 20 rounds. That did not work out as planned, but it was a realistic goal. Unfortunately my low back tightened up in round three. It got to where I could not keep up consecutive air squats. When the back spasms like that, I am done every time. I can’t push past it mentally. Don’t really want to either. Better to back off and sacrifice reps and not push into an injury.
All things considered, though, I felt like I kept up the intensity as best as this 50-year-old rookie could. I many respects I was feeling stronger as the workout progressed. I made a 1st round mistake. I had 39 seconds remaining on the clock at the end of the first round and I could have got in a 5th round. Wish I had now. But I had my goal of 4 rounds/round and gambled to get the extra rest in. A tabata strategy of sorts. That’s the only lack of intensity I regret tonight.
I came out of squats and went straight to the barbell and banged out 3 rapid cleans every round. Never dropped the barbell. Straight into push-ups and then straight into squats. I did not linger for breaths. Unfortunately it got to the point I could not squat. Had to do one or two reps and pause. Lost a lot of time. I forced the 3 Cleans without stopping, but every squat hurt in the low back. I must have started lifting the barbell with my back instead of my legs and it manifested in the squat.
Anyway, if not for the back I would have had 20 rounds easily, and if I had not gambled the time in the first round could have had 21. Yeah, yeah, yeah… could have, should have, would have… But you didn’t! But I feel confident about facing this one again in the future…
This is a deceiving workout. That barbell started feeling heavy in the 3rd round.
Today’s WOD Board
No WOD board today. It was taken down to make room to knock down a wall to expand into the next bay. Crossfit Kids starting next month…
Crossfit Workout 359
Warmup
Misc stretch and mobility
Pass Throughs
PVC Snatch Sequences
WOD ()
Skill/Strength
1 Rep Max Snatch (155-lbs 15-lb PR)
MetCon (For Time)
3 Rounds:
400-meter Run
24 Jumping Lunges
12 Plank Up/DownsTime = 8:41 (Rx)
Cash Out ()
N/A
Sore shoulders and sore wrist, but still achieve a 15-lb PR snatch. That’s a nice morale boost after a couple of weeks of being down.
Going into the CrossFit Open last year I had never snatched. Could not snatch an empty barbell. Eleven months later (and a torn bicep tendon that rendered the left arm unusable for more than 6 months) I am snatching 155-lbs overhead. This is a very good day! 🙂
Running and jumping lunges was tough for me tonight. I took a good minute longer than I should have. Majority of that consumed by me stopping the run about 20 yards shy and walking in to do the jumping lunges and planks.
Today’s WOD Board
jameswstewart 