9/5 - squat cleans and KB's

Third day in a row last night as tonight will be spent getting a blissful and much needed massage.  I was definitely feeling the two previous days though and had burpees on the brain as I initially read the wod as “Burpee Widow” rather than “Black Widow”.  Ha!

Strength
1 RM clean
20-30-40-45-50-52.5-55-57.5(f)

I was really excited to try and up my PR but didn’t even match it tonight.  Just the way it goes sometimes I guess.  I did however enjoy this strength movement.  I like heavy cleans and the oly lifts so it was good to practice the movement.  I’m getting a lot more comfortable now with dropping under the bar, still probably a bit of hesitation at higher weights but definitely huge improvements since we did the oly lifting sessions with Luke. 

WOD
“Black Widow” from CrossFit New England
30-20-10
Cleans (40/50kg)
KB swings (20/28kg)
11:42 Rx

This was tough.  First, for some reason I thought round one only had 20 cleans even though I was quite clear on the rep scheme.  I’m not sure where my head was at.  So as I neared 20 reps an thought I was almost done I looked around and noticed everyone still going on the cleans (and I knew I was behind many of them) and that’s when it clicked… 10 more reps still to go.  I pushed through though and kept on at it. 

I had intended to do 3 sets of 10 on the swings but on the 8^th rep I threw the KB over my head – literally.  I could do nothing but let it drop and step out of the way.  It was harder to get momentum going after that and I think I did mostly sets of 7 or 8 reps.  It was at this point as well that my forearms/grip started to go and I knew it’d be a struggle from then on out.

I power cleaned for the entire WOD. I knew that 40kg was (now) a manageable weight for me and that I could do it and maintain good form throughout the WOD.  By the end of the second round and in the third I was only managing sets of 3 or so but was still steady but struggling for grip.  At one point Coach Match told me to use my hook grip but the thing is that I don’t really have a hook grip.  I mean I try but using the 20kg bar and with my tiny hands my fingers barely wrap around the bar as it is let alone on top of my thumb so that is still a struggle (and not really much help). I was completely aware of trying to relax my grip where I could especially on the KB swings where I wasn’t so much gripping the KB as I was just letting it rest in my finger creases.  I was one of the last people to finish and at the end Kayla told me to get the swings done in one set of 10.  That was impossible.  I think I did 3-4-3, barely.  I really just couldn’t hold onto the KB at that point and my lower back was screaming.  I’m so happy to have today as a rest day and a massage tonight.  Should also (hopefully) be a pretty low key weekend too so lots of time to let my body recover. 

Post WOD
Pigeon pose (my favorite)
Mobility on my glutes with ball (some really tender spots still)

I’m happy to have this “forced” daily mobility coming up as part of the WLC, I’m going to be much better off for it that’s for sure.