3/20 - single unders suck...

Skills
Accumulate 30 ring dips or parallel bar dips

This was a great skill session as we have a new (to our box/ very old) parallel bar set that was fun to play on.  Using a band really helped me get the full range of motion as well through the dip.  I'll have to practice a ton more of these if I ever want to get a muscle up one day (yes!)

WOD (20 minute cut-off)
100 single-unders
10 pull-ups
100m run
200 single-unders
20 pull-ups
200m run
300 single-unders
30 pull-ups
300m run
200 single-unders
20 pull-ups
200m run
100 single-unders
10 pull-ups
100m run
19:32 (red band for pull-ups)

This was horrible.  Single unders take so long to do and I just want to speed up into DU's.  Was a pretty big task plus is severely challenged my ability to count that high.  Heh.  I was happy though to do the 300-200-100 on the last three sets all unbroken.  Huge feat.  I talked myself through that 300 initially promising myself that I could break it into 3x100 reps but as I neared 100 I figured I'd just go until I stumbled which by 150 hadn't happened.  I figured why not go for 200 and by the time I was there I decided it would be harder to stop and start again rather than just (finally) finishing them out so I did.  After that convincing myself to do 200 consecutive was almost a challenge (to see if I could).  On the last round I was really fighting the clock so knew I had to go all out.

The pull-ups hurt.  I (for the first time in ages) wasn't at all fatigued going into a WOD however with the high number of reps and the poor state of my (cracking) hands I went for a heavier band.  I did the first set with just the orange and then after two reps on the second round went up to the red band.  It was a good decision and thankfully I didn't do any further damage to my hands.  I was using a bit of a different grip as well:

From Crossfit Journal re: this grip, CrossFitter Pär Larsson has this to say about getting a proper grip:

When doing pull-ups, keep your metacarpals in line with your proximal phalanges; i.e., your hand bones and the first bones in your fingers. This sucks because it’s harder to do pull-ups with your center of gravity an inch lower, and it takes more finger/ forearm strength. The first week or two or five, you might have to go back to using a band sometimes, or doing jumping pull-ups on a box, or using an easier band. I understand this might hurt your pride, your ego and your self-esteem like it did mine, but as long as I get the workout I need I see no need to care much if I beat my friends in an everyday training environment... Plus, I don’t have to worry about caring for ripped and bleeding hands.

As Larsson points out, “[t]his “training grip” eliminates tons of friction on the top inside of your palm muscles and skin, which is what causes the ubiquitous blisters there.” Friction is further reduced if you keep your core tight during kipping pull-ups, keeping your movement compact.

 So I was trying to use this grip and not kip as much to protect my hands.  I really noticed how much of a difference keeping a solid core made as well.  It was a good learning experience even as I went slower and only managed sets of 5's and 3's or 2's.

The running, well what can you say about it?  It was just running.  Good to be getting some in again but also was a bit daunting when out on the 300m run knowing you had to go back in and basically do it all over again.  Snuck in just under the 20 minute mark which I was happy with - especially as I was cranking out the last 10 pull-ups.  Definitely feeling it all today, glad it's a rest day!