12/27 - 8, 10, 12, 14, 16...

Was hot today (again) and the 9:30am WOD wasn't the best idea and yet I was there and ready for it.

Strength
Front squat 3rm
55-60-65

Was definitely happy with this one as my previous one rep max was 65kg and though the 60kg felt tough I wanted to give the 65kg a go just to see if I could... Tim was watching me do this and thinks I have more than that.  Awesome.
 
WOD
5 rounds
8 Pull ups
10 HR Pushups
12 Burpees
14 Jump Squats
16 Abmat Situps
14:12 Rx 

Was quite happy to have finished this one as the heat was really getting to me.  I laid on the floor for about 30 minutes afterward and felt like I was hungover.  It wasn't good.

When we were about to start I heard Kayla say - at least do the first 8 (pull-ups) unbroken and I said I can barely do 3 though it turned out she was talking to Chriselle who was beside me on the bar - turns out I can do 8 and having Chriselle beside me really helped me go for it.  Eight unbroken pull-ups, my kip was solid and it definitely helped that my hands weren't hurting.

This WOD was all about moving from each movement to the next.  There really wasn't much time to take breathers and make it before the cut-off.

After the first round the pull-ups were all done as 4-2-2 and then push-ups were at most in two solid sets - usually 6 or 7 then the rest.

On the burpees I had to play mental games with myself telling myself to just do 6 and then at six saying just 3 more.  I did all rounds unbroken but had to definitely talk my way through it.

The jump squats I did a few rounds unbroken and other times stopped briefly just to shake out my legs and keep going.  I almost found stopping harder.  The sit-ups were good, just a steady pace through out before getting back up to the bar.

Definitely a tough one, had to work for it but glad I made it.  Most definitely happy with my pull-ups.

12/18 - Butterfly pull-ups!!!

Let me get right to the best part of last night (if the title of the post didn't already give it away)…

BUTTERFLY KIPPING PULL-UPS

Yes, all caps AND bold required there. 

I had mentioned to Tim on Monday night that this was next on my list of goals as the muscle up is being slowed by my shoulder issues.  I figured it would take a bit of time and more than anything switching up the mental rhythm of the movement (similar to going from alternating double/single skips to full on double unders).  It was much easier than that.  The trick – well, just watch the video below (thanks Tim for recommending it!).  That’s all that it took for me to get it on my first attempt.

I managed at least three every time I tried.  Definitely requires more thinking (for now) but I love having the skill whether or not I actually use it anytime soon.

On to the class…

We did a fun partner workout.  Jaimie and I partnered up – he said it was because he could justify going with a super light (KB) weight being paired with a chick (his words, paraphrased).   He made me laugh my ass off so it was totally worth it.

Warm-up

(pairs)

300m run (together)

30 (each) KB SDHP

30 (each) KB Swings

30 (each) KB Upright Row

30 (each) HR push-ups

30 (each) partner sit-ups

I talked a lot of crap on the run which was fun and enjoyable (at least for me) and we worked well through the SDHP’s.  Then on the swings – which by the way were ridiculously light (for me) and I almost threw the first rep – Jaimie decided that doing sets of 10 was a better option even though Coach Match had explicitly stated that we were to only do sets of 5 each.  Silly boys, unable to listen to directions (no surprise).  Ha!  Apparently I was sounding like a nagging wife because of this.  Oh well…. Live and learn and definitely laugh.  I found it all amusing.  It was a fun start to the class.

Strength

5-5-5

Bench Press

30-35-35(PR)

I managed a PR on this one basically because I’d never done a set of 5.  I also realized just how bad this movement is for my shoulder.  I was definitely not going heavier than 35kg and I wasn’t doing a third set at 35kg either.  It was too much already and I definitely felt my shoulder rebelling.  Hmmm, not sure what to do about it other than just not do it?  I asked Jaimie to spot me for the last set as it was tough and I knew I’d need him to keep me on it – he has a good way of pushing me in both a hard-ass and also supportive way.  It’s a skill.  He’s also probably the only person that can call me dwarf and I’m okay with it.  He’s a good one (but no Jaimie, I’m still not going to set you up with my single girl friends).

WOD

12-6-12-6-12-6

SDHP (30/45kg)

Burpee bar hops

Jump squats

7:47 Rx.5

The 12-6-12-6-12-6 combo is starting to become as dreaded as anything 21-15-9.  Both are deceivingly hard. 

I did the first set of 12 SDHP’s unbroken then was down to sets of 6 for the rest of the WOD – though I didn’t take much time in between, just enough to question myself as to why I was stopping because it wasn’t that hard (except for my racing heart but still).  The burpee bar hops (almost) made me happy.  I didn’t mind them but again, Jaimie made a comment that they’re not that hard when I’m already so close to the ground.  Fair but also awesome.  I was steady through all of them – the first 6 would always be pretty quick then I’d slow down a bit on the second 6 (in the rounds of 12) but only a little.  By this point my heart was racing and my legs were aching.  The jumps squats were just an evil addition.  My quads were burning (need to work on my squat form obviously) but I managed to get through them.  It was quite similar to a WOD that Cam gave me when I was up at site that had both burpees and jump squats in them.  I felt like I smashed through this WOD but there are still a few girls I have to (try and) chase down – Tash, Chriselle, Kirst…  thanks for continually pushing me (indirectly).

9/22 - Primal Pairs 2012

Saturday was Primal Pairs 2012 – a crossfit competition hosted by Southern Crossfit (who also hosted Primal Throwdown back in June) for teams of two – either both female/male or mixed pairs.  I was partnered with Jane who I knew only through crossfit circles and not really directly but when we agreed to partner up I figured we’d be a good match in size (most important) though she definitely takes the strength card.  I was a little nervous going into the day – afraid I might not be able to pull my weight, not sure how intense Jane might be, competition nerves – all of that – but right from the start of the day it was great, lots of fun and being clear about the worst that could happen (not that much really in the grand scheme of it all). 

Jane and I had a nice little chat on our warm up jog around the track and we were ready to go.  There were five workouts for the day that were put out the previous day though the order was up in the air.