3/1 - Killer WOD and Technique

Took Thursday as a rest day – had every intention of going for a run or doing some sprints but by the time I made it home I just felt tired, fatigue from the week had set in and I wanted to rest.  So I did.  I promised myself (and Cam) that I’d get the sprints in over the weekend (whatever they were going to be – that part was still undecided).

Friday I was back at it.  Because of the rest on Thursday I planned to do the Friday WOD and sports class – that in theory was the plan anyway.  It didn’t quite turn out like that but it’s okay.

Warmup

Stuff (don’t remember)

Friday Funday Game

Friday is ‘funday’ at Southern – there is always a game of sorts as part of the warmup.  This is awesome, keeps things interesting and often has us working in teams.  Today we did the plate move – basically everyone has a plate (10kg for girls, 15kg for boys) that you have to move from one end of the box to the other, stack them and then have everyone jump over.  We did this for a 3 minute AMRAP but inevitably everyone lost count.  It was fun nonetheless. 

WOD

5 Rounds

20 Doubles Unders

20 Push Ups

20 Back Extentions 

20 Single Arm D/B Power Snatch

19:23 (Rx/ Rx/ 15kg dumbbell)

This one was way harder than expected.  I could tell as soon as I got to the box and the class before us was mid-WOD.  It looked painful.

It started out fairly well as I was well in front of the 20 minute cut-off – 4 minutes per round.  I flew through the double unders I think only tripping up once in all though the push-ups were tough.  I did do them Rx which was good considering that they usually kill my shoulder and I haven’t done them in ages so it was a good change up.  Other than the first round where I went 10-10 I did the rest as sets of 5.  Coach Hayden had some feedback too in that I need to really tighten up everything basically on the push-up – core down through calves.  This helped though my arms still struggled.

The back extensions hurt more than anticipated I think partly from using so much core in the push-ups and also because I was feeling quite vomitous after the first few rounds.  Lunch was not sitting well.  In the last round as I was doing them I could hear Jay meeting Pukie in the gutter right behind me (four of us did the workout outside which was awesome and breezy) and wanted to join him rather than finish the WOD.

The power snatches (though still one of my favorite movements) were tough.  I started with sets of 5 on each arm for round one then went to 4’s (4-4-4-4-2-2) then 3’s in round 3 but went back to 4’s for round 4 and 5 as there was just too much switching with the sets of 3.  I have to say, I really felt these on Saturday and Sunday in my lower back.  Ouch!  I used the 15kg dumbbell again though and was quite happy with it.  If I really focus on technique (gets harder as you get tired though) then the weight feels (mostly) effortless but it was a bit more of a struggle as the WOD went on.

Afterward I really hurt.  I was quite vomity and there wasn’t much oxygen getting to my brain making me feel really light headed.  I laid on the floor for a while and then as Coach Hayden was about to give us a bit of info on sports class and I was telling Luke how horrible I was feeling he suggested I down a coconut water which helped.  I wasn’t sure I was going to participate in sports class but I hung around anyway.

Sports Class

Initially when we were forming into groups I told Coach Tara that I wasn’t going to do the workout – it was technique work but featured handstand holds which I didn’t think were a good idea in my current state.  After a minute though I decided I’d give it a go and just scale the work as necessary.  I was glad I did.

Technique Practice

EMOM 20

Rotate Through:

Handstand Hold – 30 seconds

Pull-up (chin over bar) hold – 10-20 seconds

Pull-ups – 10-15 reps

Hollow Rocks (or hold) – 10-20 seconds

Ring Dips (scale to bar dips if necessary) – 10-15 reps

As I mentioned we broke into 5 groups with each group starting on a different movement.

I am really glad I did this even though the group I was in started in the handstand holds.  I knew once I made it through that I’d be okay for the remainder.  I had surprisingly more gas in the tank than I’d originally thought as well though still scaled quite substantially.

The handstand holds were easy though in the last 2 rounds my arms started to shake uncontrollably.  It was quite funny actually.  I found it good to practice engaging the core because if you didn’t then your lower back would hurt quite a bit after 30 seconds of being upside down.  It was funny too to watch the rest of the room while being upside down – kinda weird actually.

The pull-up hold was easier than I’d expected.  I held for 10 seconds only but managed to fully keep my chin over the bar for that time.  It was only on the last round that I switched to a mixed grip as I was starting to tire.

The pull-ups were to be done as one set (if you came off the bar that was your number).  I did sets of 5 kipping and managed to do them all even though I kicked a KB during one round and lost my rythym in the last a bit, I still held on to the bar to finish.  I was happy with this.

The hollow rocks hurt especially as my abs were fatigued after the WOD as I mentioned.  I just did hollow body holds for 15 seconds with both my toes pointed and my arms overhead.  My form held which was great.

The ring dips were where I struggled.  I can’t really do them (or bar dips) without my shoulder screaming out.  Instead of even trying (knowing I’d hurt myself) I did ring holds – then bar holds for rounds 3 and 4.  I’m not sure what I’m going to do to be able to do ring dips, etc. but I’m going to have to figure something out – just something about the range of motion that hurts my shoulder. 

I made it through this technique session though I knew that when Coach Hayden gave us the choice to do the WOD I wasn’t going to do it – we are a week out from the open and there is no use killing myself at this time.  The WOD looked ‘fun’ but my body wasn’t having it as the regular WOD took so much more out of me than I’d anticipated.

Was good to watch the others push themselves through it though.  Beast Mode!

Also, before class tonight I managed to find bumper plates in Perth and picked myself up some 2.5's, 5's and 10's.  Ready for extra training at home now and couldn't be more excited about it.  Cam also got a 20kg bar over the weekend.  Play time!