10/22 - the day I LOVED burpees...

Day 1 of backing off on the shoulder work at the box tonight.  Though my shoulder doesn’t feel too bad (in the grand scheme of it ) – and merely aches I know I’m on the precipice of this going either way – more time off or rest now for long term preservation.

Got the box a bit early and no one was there so I did part of my physio homework (for engaging my glutes) just outside the door.  60 second holds (one per leg) beside the wall with one leg bent at 90° just touching the wall and keeping my hips in line and my core engaged.  This is harder than it sounds especially when my glute is actually firing.  I didn’t time it but went as long as possible.  I also managed to get two rounds of 10 reps of air squats with the black band (one wrap) holding 6kg KB in each hand.  My goal is to work up to double black with 10kg in each hand.  Baby steps.

Warmup was a mix of stuff.  A 300m run (with backwards and sideways thrown in there).  Leg swings, inchworm, walking lunges, KB stuff (deadlifts, one leg deadlifts, Russian swings both two and 1 arm, walking lunges)…

Strength 
10-10-10-10 weighted walking lunges
20-30-35-35

Everyone paired up and did this off of the rack but since someone was using the rack in my lane (iWOD), I just clean and pressed it to behind my head (totally made me feel badass even though it wasn’t that heavy).  I really focused on engaging my glutes through this one and keeping my knee in line.  Coach Match mentioned once I had finished the last set that my steps (lunges) weren’t long enough and that to go heavier and get the leverage needed to stand back up that I’d need to do this.


WOD
7 min AMRAP
3 burpees
7 KB swings (24/32kg)
Score is # KB swings
91 reps (Russian) Rx

I knew going into this that I wasn’t going to go overhead on the swings and stuck with Russian though still maintained the heavy KB weight.  I finished 13 total rounds with about 10 seconds remaining.  I knew I could get 3 burpees done in that time but had already made an agreement with myself that if I got through that last set of 7 reps that I didn’t have to pick up the KB again.  The burpees were actually fun for a change – I figure there are three possible reasons for this:

-There were only 3 reps

-They felt like rest

-They are getting easier for me

Either way it’s the first time ever that I actually enjoyed them.  They just felt solid.  This workout however reminded me of the WLC baseline workout that we’re going to do again in a few weeks – the one that felt like death when I’d finished it.  That has 7 burpees/ 7 KB swings and a sprint but still, no place to hide just like the one above.  I kept a steady pace, chalked up once or twice and other than pausing for a breath or two before picking up the KB I didn’t stop.  By the end however (and the reason I promised myself that those 7 were the last I’d have to do) my hands were hurting and I was worried I might rip.  I didn’t thankfully.

Mobility

Did some glute work with the ball

Pigeon pose (long hold) for hips/glutes

WLC

I have decided I’m no longer keeping score – more for my own accountability than anything else.  I have found that rather than equating bad food choices to the fact that they’re poor fuel for my body instead I’m solely looking at it as just a point.  Not the same at all.  I also really don’t like being told what to do and while I’m fully aware that it was my choice to sign up and commit to the WLC I still feel like I’m being dictated too, only further emphasized by the weekly challenges.  So I’m taking out the score aspect.  I’m still going to maintain the (mostly) WLC lifestyle but probably go back a bit to where I was happily living before which was mostly primal (and most of my weekly meals do fall into this WLC category anyway) and I’m going back to looking at food as fuel rather than points and I’m going to just live because in all honesty that’s the point – happily living while maintaining good habits overall and for the long term.   I know to some that this may seem like quitting but for me it’s more about taking back control that I feel I’ve been missing in all this – ownership of what I do day in and day out – without the score because in a few more weeks the score disappears anyway and I’m in this for the long term.  There is a lot more to my view on this but for now I’ll leave it out, everyone gets to make their own choices and this is mine. 

10/21 - Sunday Strength (Week 1)

Angie and I are on a mission to get strong so over the next 4 weeks leading into the Affiliate Cup we’re doing an extra strength session with Tim at the Albert Street Box.  It’s their garage actually, not a registered Crossfit box.  But it still has everything needed for a good strength session.

Tim programmed our little workout:

Warm-up

Run around block (400m)

Leg Swings

Air squats

Shoulder rolls

2 x 10 air squats with resistance band around quads

Strength

Work up to 5RM

Bench press

Front squats

Deadlift

Max pull-ups (strict)

We paired up – Angie and I, Tim and Jack – and rotated through the lifts.

Angie and I started on front squats and my focus wasn’t so much going heavy (getting a true 5RM) but rather on good technique and engaging my glutes.

Front Squats

5 @ 15kg

5 @ 35kg

5 @ 45kg

5 @ 50kg

Interesting how changing form makes the lifts harder.  I need to develop the strength where it should be rather than where it is.  It is good though to realize what’s happening and giving it good focus – keeping my hips in line by engaging my core which in turn keeps a neutral position on my back.

It was also interesting to note that I couldn’t remember the last time I’d done just front squats (though I am fully aware that most movements – hello thrusters – utilize the same muscle groups)

Bench Press

10 @ 15kg

5 @ 25kg

5@ 30kg

5 @ 35kg

I pushed it a bit too much on this one.  While I was able to do the full 5 reps at 35kg I knew it wasn’t good for my shoulder (which is even more obvious today).  It was good though as my current strict press (overhead) is I believe 35kg so matching it was solid especially after a day of SUP racing. 

Deadlift

5 @ 35kg

5 @ 45kg

5 @ 55kg

5 @ 60kg

5 @ 65kg

This was interesting for me given that it was the first time I was back to deadlifting specifically after tweaking my back.  I was aware of my movements, again of engaging my core and keeping my hips in line in order to lift with my glutes and not my back.  It felt good, different but good and though I didn’t go too heavy I didn’t lead with my back on any of the reps which was the goal.  I know I still have a long way to go but this will definitely be a start to getting stronger and staying healthy which is most important of all.

Pull-ups

3 x 2 strict

Tim designed this to be 5RM weighted pull-ups but as their pull-up bar isn’t that suited to kipping they had to be strict.  Angie did reverse pull-ups (her goal is to do unassisted pull-ups in WODs by Christmas – I just shouted it out there for you Angie, you’re welcome…haha!) and I did sets of 2 strict though after the first set they were individuals.  Still, it felt good as it wasn’t that long ago that I got my first strict pull-up.  Being able to do them even when my shoulder is a bit wonky was great.  That being said there will be a little bit of care and maintenance going on with my shoulder this week, going to have to rest it a bit so I’m not completely set back.  There was just too much volume for it this past week so I’m dialing it back a bit – likely no overhead this week though we’ll see how the programming goes.

Thanks Tim and Jack for a sweet morning of strength and sunshine (we had our sunglasses on in the garage it was so bright) and for the quality tunes – Canadian university tunes that were playing when I was there and apparently still are as Jack has most recently noticed.  Good friends, strength and dance party – no better way to spend a Sunday morning.

Some (garage style) photos…

One twin

Two twin... 

Not a twin...  :)

10/20 - Saturday SUP5000 (the second)

Saturday morning I was up bright and early for the second SUP 5000 hosted by Stand Up Surf Shop and DC Boards.  The name is a little misleading for the ladies as we only do 3000m – the boys get the extra 2000m race making it a 5000m for them.

My recap of the inaugural race can be found here.

Once again, the format (for the ladies) was as follows:
1500m race
paddle back easily to start
1000m race
paddle back easily to start
500m race

The combined total from your placings in the three races determined the winner (lowest total wins). 

Once again Michelle led the pack and not just by a little but she set a furious pace that no one could keep up with and the battle for the rest of us was far behind.  There were some fierce battles as well.  In the first race I think I placed 3^rd or 4^th unable to chase down Jade but close to Ann (I think I might have passed her near the end).  I had a horrible start and was chasing the pack though thankfully I have sufficient endurance to easily last the 1500m and make up some ground at the back end of the course. 

The second race was by far the hardest for me.  It was neck and neck between Jade, Ann and myself for 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th.  I think I beat them both at the line but barely and I had to work really hard for it.  I definitely felt my shoulder rebelling – we had a side wide that made for a lot of paddling on the left.  Going into the final race I knew I needed to have a good start as it was only 500m and not much distance to make up any ground as I could from the previous two.  I think it went well and my endurance got me to the finish in second place – not as tight as the previous race either so it hurt a bit less.

At the end of the day I placed second with Michelle in first and Jade  in third.  It was a great day all around.  The turnout was amazing – seemed like double the people from the first go round.  Angie came out and raced my board (her third time on a SUP I think) and she did amazing and I think is getting hooked on the sport which I’m super excited about.  The sun was shining and the wind was (mostly) at our backs which made for a great day on the water.  I’m a bit sore and a little sunburned but it was worth it.

Some pictures from the day – ‘borrowed’ from the SUP forum, thanks Roger and your crew on the finish line boat and to all the SUPWA board members and those who volunteered on the day – without you guys these things wouldn’t happen…and the biggest thanks to Stimo for letting me use his DC12'6" race board.  I love it and am looking to pick up a DC board of my own in the near future.  Check out the DC website.

Loving the DC board (thanks Stimo)

The smile says it all!

Michelle, Me and Jade

Friday Funnies... the bacon edition (part 1)

 

10/18 - HSPU's

Another day at the box and what would you know… HSPU’s were on the menu.  This is funny because late Tuesday night drinking coffee, eating cheesecake and discussing all things crossfit someone asked the very question of ‘when was the last time we did hspu’s in a wod’.  Very timely.
I was excited to add to the 45 reps I’d completed on Tuesday night (excited might not exactly be the right word on this one). 

Warm-up
300m run
Agility warm-up
HSPU practice

The run was a good catch up session with Angie and the agility warm-up was as good for my abs as it was for getting me warm (so much laughing).  The HSPU practice was also good (I swear doing them in pike position from a box is actually harder than doing them against a wall – but then again I like being upside down).  Coach Tim told me as we were getting set up for the WOD that they were meant to be strict hspu’s.  Uh-oh.  I was going to give it a try but wasn’t so sure.

Oh, oh… the awesomest thing about the HSPU practice was that I did three reps at the full range of motion!!  Not scaled.  Not ab-mat.  No plates.  Sure, I kipped them but I did them.  Initially I got one rep and was super excited then I tried again and got two consecutive.  Seriously, I was so stoked.  It was the first time I’ve ever gotten my head to touch the floor AND get back up again.  There might have been a little dancing and a HUGE smile.  

WOD 
10 rounds  
5 HSPU
10 walking lunges with bumper plate (10/20kg) 
9:59 

When I first saw this I was in fact excited, it looked like fun.  My kind of WOD.  I figured it’d be 3 or maybe 5 rounds and then I saw the 10.  Uh-oh.  That’s 50 hspu’s (again this week!).  I scaled them because there was no way I’d be able to do them strict AND with full rom.  I used an ab-mat with my hands on red plates (was going to go with the green plates but since we couldn’t kip I backed off a bit).  The ab-mat/red plate scaling was what I used in the ‘Albert Street WOD’ the other night but I only had to do 3 reps every minute not quite the same.

Four rounds in I was kipping.  There was no way around it.  I was fatigued – that’s a lot of reps over 3 days, especially strict.  The lunges (Rx) were good though not much of a break as your shoulders were still working.  I flew through the last two rounds just trying to get in under the 10 minute cut-off and did, barely.  Nothing like cutting it close.  

This was a good one.  I enjoyed the hspu’s and hope we get to do them a little more often.  That being said I know that I can re-do the ‘Albert Street WOD’ any time though I’m pretty sure I’ll have to do them strict next time.  Uh-oh. 

Mobility 
Did a bunch before class trying to stretch out a bit of the soreness from the gazillion thrusters.  Was chatting with Angie and Glen while doing it which might not have been the best idea as every time I laughed I also wanted to cry from the soreness in my abs.  I’m pretty sure there was nowhere that I didn’t hurt. 

WLC 
Beer, burrito… not so WLC but so worth it.  I haven’t had Mexican since the Gorge so I was quite looking forward to it and that beer tasted so very good.  Worth it.  The company was pretty stellar too.

Old photos but still appropriate - and yes, same shorts.

Success...

Source

10/17 - "Six Pack City"

Back to the box tonight.  Coach Match was at it again and though there were about 5 WODs on the white board I had already been clued in to what we were doing as I was sitting with Tim late the night before when the text came in about Wednesday’s WOD.  After a bit of back and forth of do you want to know/ I shouldn’t tell you’s (he thought it might stop me from going) – I committed to being there (no matter what) and he filled me in.  I knew what to expect and my head was in the game but I knew it was definitely going to hurt.  But let’s get back to the beginning.

Warm-up (also one of the WODs on the board)
In pairs
100 air squats
75 hand slaps (alternating hands in the plank position)
100 (light) KB swings (Russian) – 12kg

I partnered up with Glen and he chose the KB – and then proceeded to do 1 arm swings with it – it was really weird swinging something so light especially since it’s harder to go fast with it as you have to push it down rather than waiting on gravity.  It was a good warm-up though – went quick enough but I could already tell that my legs were tired while doing the air squats. 

10 Shoulder swings (front/back/sides)
5 push-ups between every set

WOD
50 thrusters (30/45kg)
40 sit-ups
30 KB swings (24/32kg)
20 toes to bar
13:42

This workout was all about the thrusters.  As an added incentive Coach Match told us that the number of unbroken reps in our first set of them would be a core on the PR boards – motivation right there.  I was hoping for 25 but only managed 15 before dropping the bar.  From there on out they were all sets of 5.  It seemed like then went on forever but I just focused on each chunk of 5 and then they were done.  

The sit-ups were a good break from it all. And then the KB swings… they were heavy – I actually picked a 24kg KB and a 20kg unsure of how I would go, especially as I nurse my back a bit from pulling it the other week.  Sidenote – went to physio and basically I’m not engaging my glutes as I should and therefore rely more on my hammies and quads (no wonder they are always tight) and also my back with my back obviously being the weakest point in that equation.  The solution – engage my glutes.  It was good to have this in mind doing the thrusters and swings.  Obviously it’s not going to change overnight but having it as a cue is good for me – especially in the KB swings, you can really feel the difference if you clench your butt on the swing it just seems that much easier which is how I survived the 24kg KB.  Yup, I went all Rx, the blue 20kg felt a bit lonely but that’s okay by me.

The toes to bar were a struggle.  In the warm-up we practiced a bit on how to link them with beat swings, knees high, knees to elbow and then full on toes to bar.  I can manage the swing/ tempo until I try t2b and then there’s something that slows me down just a second more and it messes with the rhythm.  Needless to say the t2b were just about getting them done and the last 5 or so were done as single reps. 
When sitting with Tim, Vini and Shonelle the night before when Tim read out the WOD it felt as if there should be a 10 something in there – ending at 20 just seemed incomplete so Tim suggested I add 10 burpees to the end.  I did – they actually weren’t that bad.  I read the clock after finishing the round of 20 then did 10 burpees – it was good to do them at the end when I was tired as it means they’ll only feel easier (perhaps) when done at other times.  Might have to do this more often.

AfterWOD
100 sit-ups for time
3:19

Last time we did this I managed 3:06 and was far from PRing this time.   It’s fine though – I still managed the set unbroken and  more importantly I had a yoga mat folded over underneath me which prevented me from chafing my butt – always the worst.

Mobility
Glutes
Lower back

WLC
Food co-op day – it’s actually a day late as I wasn’t there on Tuesday so left behind pulled pork and cauliflower mash for Angie and Bren on Monday and picked up their tasty meals last night – it feels like take out still every single time.  I had Angie’s Mexican mix for dinner – I am fairly certain it was amazing but I inhaled it so fast I can barely remember.  Looking forward to Bren’s roast beef and veggies as well.  It’s amazing, seriously – get with a few of your friends and start this up.  So many benefits.

A little note on the title - apparently Bren's exact comments the other night were "Six Pack City" and after all the sit-ups again tonight I'm sure Coach Match is determined we are all six pack city-ing by Christmas. Bring on bikini weather, I'm ready!