8/30/2009

1 RM press - 175# (PR is 185#.)  A bit out of the groove.  Can definitely press 190#-195# with a bit of practice.

Max muscle-ups in 10 minutes, 10# vest - 21.  Very happy about this, since a few weeks ago I did the same workout without a vest and got 26.  Sometime soon I'll try 30 for time.

8/29/2009

1.92 mile run - 15:25.

21 second PR on this course.  Pretty happy with it considering the state of my legs.

Followed the run with jumping headfirst into the water.  That was a good decision.

8/28/2009

"Fran" - 3:57

This is a PR by 56 seconds (I haven't done "Fran" since May of 2008.)  I was supposed to do heavy split jerks but wasn't feeling it.  Tried a couple of thrusters at 95#.  It felt easy, so I strapped the Chucks on and got after it.  I'm happy with the time, especially since my legs were beat up, but I'm even happier with how I dealt with it mentally: there was no internal dialogue.  Every time I told myself "pick the bar up and do 5 more reps," I did it.  This is a big shift: a sub 3 "Fran" used to seem like an abstract, i.e. I knew on an intellectual level that I could do it, but now I actually FEEL it.  And I am more confident than ever that I will qualify for the Games in 2010.

Shit is about to get dangerous.

Training 8/26/2009

3 max sets of handstand pushups with 20# vest: 6, 5, 4

L-Pullup ladder.  After completing each round of L-Pullups, perform 15 squats holding a medicine ball (16#.)  How far can you get in 25 minutes? 11 full rounds + 11 L-Pullups of the 12th round.

Training 8/25/2009

Quote of the day: "Have you seen Jacob run?  It looks really weird, because, he's so massive, but, he's moving really fast. "

Well, maybe not really fast.

6x400m run, leaving every 5 minutes.  First effort was a PR attempt.

1:15 (PR by 3 seconds)

1:23

1:30

1:35

1:41

1:31

Happy about the PR, but stamina is clearly an issue.

Training 8/24/2009

Snatch 5x1 - 160#, 165#, 170#, 175# (PR), 180# (PR)

For time:

10 push press, 95#

20 burpees

30 situps

40 squats

2:18

Rest Day 8/23/2009

Didn't manage to finish the rest day rant.  Soon.

Training 8/22/2009

Pacific Grove High School track...the site of some of my more unpleasant training endeavours.

Took an extra rest day today.  Back, shoulder, and elbow were all hurting, and I may be getting a bit sick.  I've got to get better at not being angry at myself when this happen.  I've always said the only genetic gift I've been given is my high level of motivation and will-not-quititude.  The downside of this is that sometimes, when my brain and body know I shouldn't train, my heart tells me I'm being a pussy.  I'll get better.

Rest day rant tomorrow.

Training 8/21/2009

This is Mariah.  She does not train at Curves.

Muscle-Ups, 3 max sets: 7, 7, 6

Reverse Tabata L Hold (L Hold for 10 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, repeat until you cannot maintain the L hold for 10 seconds): 7 rounds + 5 seconds

With a running clock, do one 155# push press the first minute, two the second minute, three the third minute, etc, until you can no longer keep up with the clock: 8 minutes + 6 reps.

Training 8/20/2009

The CrossFit Monterey warm-up, designed to "increase body temperature and heart rate, provide some stretching, stimulate the entire body and major biomechanical functions, provide practice for basic movements, and finally, prepare for rigorous athletic training." (Greg Glassman, "A Better Warm Up," CrossFit Journal Issue 08 - April 2003.)

Ran 5k at Garland Ranch - 39:01.  My PR is 38:09, but my legs were TRASHED.  I wanted to quit 200m in, so I am pretty happy with this.

Rest Day Rant 8/19/2009

The unlucky subject of todays rest day rant.

Today's topic is, in short: fuck you, Curves.

I go to the local high school for my track workouts..  Unfortunately, school has started, and that means that on occasion, I will bear witness to the depressing spectacle that is high school physical education.  This past Tuesday was such an occasion.

Man, it was bad.

No one was wearing athletic gear.  The kids clearly didn't want to be there.  The teacher obviously didn't know what she was doing. 

But the inspiration for todays topic didn't come until attendance had been taken and the "exercise" started.  The teacher told the boys to run a lap.  She waited about a minute, and then told the girls they could start walking.

Walking.

What the fuck?

This pissed me the fuck off.  We live in a society that supposedly stresses gender equality, yet we hold females to a lower standard.  What message are we sending?

I want someone to explain to me how segregation is equality.  I'm pretty sure Brown v. Board of Education took care of that notion.  How are we empowering women by telling them they need their own place to work out?  What are we telling our girls when we say they can't play with the boys?

At CrossFit Monterey, the girls play with the boys.  They lift heavy shit off the ground, they do handstand pushups, and they tear their hands open on the pullup bar.  They aren't expected to lift the same weight as the guys, but they're sure as hell expected to work every bit as hard.  They don't worry what people think of them mid-workout, because they're too worried about getting the damned workout done.

They sure as hell don't walk.

Training 8/18/2009

Cheat Meal: You're doing it right.  #27 (chicken, bacon, avocado) from Campagno's Deli, the best sandwich shop on the planet.

I was supposed to go heavy today (hang power clean 5x1.)  But my hands just weren't having it.  Once I got past 155# I couldn't hang on to the bar through the 2nd pull.  Tried to push jerk, but shoulders and core were too fried.  Just went with a quick (not-so-quick) circuit.

4 rounds for time:

50 double unders

15 swings (55#)

Completed in 6:03

Slow.  Shoulders were fried and I didn't have my jump rope...not ideal circumstances.  Rest tomorrow and hopefully I'll be ready to hit it hard on Thursday.

Training 8/17/2009

Some of my athletes from CrossFit Monterey goofing off at a coffee shop after the WOD.

4 x 800m run, full recovery between efforts.  First one is max effort, and the goal is to stay within 20 seconds of the first effort for the second, third, and fourth.

3:08 (PR by 7 seconds)

3:18

3:30

3:34

Not bad...didn't stay within 20 on all of them, but pretty solid.  I'm happy with this.

1x15 overhead squat - 155# (11.)  Could get 15 fresh, my hip flexors were already wrecked by the time I came to this.

In other news, I now know what my rant for the next rest day will be...

Training 8/16/2009

That guy's been ready to go for a while.  I am trying to take good care of it...my tears never heal fast.  Hopefully with enough first aid it won't stick around long enough to sideline me.

4 rounds:

Max set of handstand pushups on dumbbells

Max set of pistols, right leg

Max set of pistols, left leg

This was untimed.  I rested between the handstand pushups and pistols, but not between the right and left leg on the pistols.

HSPU:  3, 2, 3, 3.  Primarily an issue of body position right now.

Pistols (left leg with support): 14 right/12 left,  10 right/12 left, 6 right/6 left, 5 right/6 left.  I surprised myself with the right leg.  My PR was 8 and I haven't practiced in a good 6 months.

4 max L-sits on dumbbells - :21, :20, :18, :15.  Clearly need work.

AMRAP in 10 minutes:

10 push press (85#)

10 pullups

8+10+1, with 20# vest

Back After A Not So Short Absence.

Sometimes I forget this blog exists until I get bored logging my WODs on a textedit document.  Apparently it took over a year this time.  I'm going to start posting my training again, and on rest days I will probably rant about something that bothers me.  Today I'm starting a slightly more mono modal focus with my training, in order to allow me to better focus on weaknesses, primarily Olympic weightlifting, running, and advanced gymnastics.  Here's the lay down.

Weightlifting Goals:

Clean & Jerk - 280#.  Currently 235#, but a 245# clean and 255# jerk seperately.  I feel like I can get this with some dedicated practice, it's just a technique issue.

Snatch - 195#.  Currently 170#, again technique.

Deadlift - 440#x5, currently 460#x1.

Squat - 350#x3, currently 350#x1.

Gymnastics Goals:

Muscle Ups - 12 from full extension, turnout not required.  Currently about 8.

L-Pullups - 15 with no dropping of feet at bottom.  Currently 11 with some drop.

Handstand Pushups - 20.  Currently 11.

Pistols - 20 per leg.  Currently 8 on right and 2 on left.

Running Goals:

400m - Under 1:10.  Currently 1:18.

800m - Under 2:55.  Currently 3:15.

Garland Ranch 5k - Under 34 minutes.  Currently 38:09.

Training will be on a 3 on/1 off schedule, but there will be 3 "set" days which rotate with each cycle in order to allow me to hit all of my focuses with equal intensity.  Each day has a primary focus and one or two secondary focuses.  The secondary focuses can be switched to different primary days, to keep it varied.  Here's how it looks.

Primary 1: heavy Olympic lifting

Primary 2: running (distance or sprints)

Primary 3: advanced gymnastics

Secondary 1: 1 heavy, low rep set of a slow lift

Secondary 2: 1 timed or high rep set of a slow lift

Secondary 3: 1 timed or high rep set of an Olympic lift

Secondary 4: metcon circuit

First WOD will be in about an hour and a half.  Will post results and thoughts later.