Crossfit log for Wednesday, November 30th

Really good workout today.

It was a 20 minute AMRAP:
10 Thrusters 65# (scaled was 75#, Rx 95#)
2 lengths weighted overhead walking lunges (35#) about 22 steps
2 lengths "waiter walk" 16kg kettle bell
4 lengths "farmer walk" 2 20kg kettle bells.

Did 4 rounds + 5 thrusters. Those lunges were killer after the thrusters!

Had a breakthrough finding my rack position on the thrusters. Finally! Hands wider than shoulders but elbows in at shoulder width allowed me to rest the bar on my deltoids without breaking my wrists, and more importantly not resting the bar on my fingers, but in the palm of my hand. Granted my elbows weren't as high as I'd like for say a front squat, but worked well for the thrusters. I need to try heavier now!

Crossfit log for Monday, November 29th

I want to get this down before the feeling fades.

I missed Crossfit this morning because Dex was up at around 3:30am to 4:30am and my alarm had been set for 5:30am. Well, when I got back to bed lets just say the alarm was no longer set, but I digress.

I decided to go tonight, but on Mondays the 7:30pm class (the only one I could go to), wasn't Crossfit, it was Olympic Lifting, with professional weightlifting coach Daniel Robitaille.

"Today we'll be doing the snatch". Crap. I've never done a snatch and I can't even overhead squat, a necessary part of the snatch. Thankfully he asked if there was anyone who had never done a snatch before, and sadly I was the only person to raise their hand.

"Okay, I'll keep a closer eye on you", and I suddenly felt like he was in my corner.

The first thing we did was overhead squats to warm up. I just couldn't do them. Not sure if it's a shoulder mobility issue, or a thoracic spine mobility issue, immediately Dan turns to Francois (our Crossfit coach and Dan's protégé) "You know what he needs? He needs to do a split snatch" then he turns to me and says "They don't do it anymore, but I did it in my day and held the Canadian record doing it".

He seemed almost excited by the prospect, like he'd been waiting for some time for an opportunity to teach someone this technique that had fallen into disuse.

So after a few minutes of instruction and a couple of trial lifts with an empty bar, I was doing snatches like everyone else, but in my own special way.

Then we started putting weight on the bar and working parts of the lift, just the catch, just the landing, driving with the bar across our shoulders instead of from the ground, catch it, then squat (or for me lunge), the putting pieces together until we had a bit more weight on the bar and were doing the full snatch.

It started to gel for me, and more often than not I actually looked like I knew what I was doing. To receive praise from a guy like Dan, who's been there and coached world championship bronze medallists says a lot. He asked me three times "Are you sure you've never done a snatch before".

I pulled one really good one off and from across the room I heard him yell out "Now that was a good split snatch".

It was really gratifying to have someone of his experience giving such positive praise for my effort, telling me I was a strong athlete and had great body control. Granted, he's a coach, it's his job to do that, but it felt wonderful. Really wonderful.

Crossfit log for Saturday, November 26th

Good workout today

"Helen" meets "Grace"
Helen is 3 rounds for time
-run 400m (more like 300m)
30 kettlebell swings
12 pull-ups

Grace is 30 clean and jerks (Rx was 135# men/105# women)

It was a two person teams. Both had to compete each of the three runs from Helen together, the rest could be traded of at will.

But we had to use the same kettle bell and the same bar bell.

I teamed up with Kamil, who sometimes comes to the morning workouts, we are pretty evenly match, I'm better at some things, him at others.

We agreed on 75# for the Grace, but afterward I think we agreed that 95# would've been doable.

We finshed in 14:08.

I'm stronger in the pull ups so he wanted to start them and I'd take over when he hit his limit (usually 4 or 5), so first round of Helen he did 15 kb swings, then I did 15, so he'd be ready to go on the pull ups, next round I finished the run ahead so was aloud to start the kb swings, and did 10, the he did 10 and I finished with 10 while he went to the pull up bar. Third rounds I was back first again, but could only manage 5 swings, then he did 15 and I finished with 10. It worked out well.

Grace went well, considering the fatigue from Helen. We split up the clean and jerks unevenly Kamil taking most of them (K/J : 8/7 5/5 5).

Crossfit log for Friday, November 25th

DNF
4 rounds for time:
15 Thrusters 95#/65#
20 kettle bell swings 20kg/16kg

I don't know what went wrong today. I chose the women's weight and still only managed two rounds before throwing in the towel.

I've been sore in some corners around the shoulder, 65# thrusters shouldn't be a problem for me.

Now on top of shoulder mobility, hamstring tightness I think I can add upper thoracic mobility to the mix.

Well I guess the bright side is that the more weakness I find, the more of them I can work to correct.

Crossfit log for Wednesday, November 23rd

Cindy is another one of those WODs I've been looking forward to doing, ever since I learned to do the kipping pull-up.

Finally got my chance today. Cindy is a 20 AMRAP: 5 pull-ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats.

Almost made it to 12: 11 + 10 squats.

My limiter was the push-ups. I think it's because I have a bunch of knots in my upper lats near the shoulder, in my delts and my traps again near the shoulder, not to mention my ticeps, tight pecs and biceps. Essentially I'm a mess.

Needless to say I'll be doing some mobility work at the gym at lunch.

After the WOD I did something called a Landmine bar twist, tabata (8 rounds of 20 seconds all out, 10 seconds rest, so 4 minutes).

Basically holding one end of a 45# barbell with the other end anchored to a pivot point on the floor, you rotate your body keeping your arms straight, bringing the bar to waist height on one side, than back up to the start position, and down the other side. Good core workout.

Feels good to get a solid workout done.

Crossfit log for Monday, November 21st

Fran really does a number on some major muscle groups.

Traps are a bit sore, lats are really sore, pecs are tight, triceps are tight, delts are sore, biceps are tight, hips are tight.

Always make for an interesting workout, next time.

Back squats went okay. No PRs to be had, wasn't looking for any!

Did 5 sets of 8-5-5-3-3 at 115-135-135-155-155.

I have an issue when I push my knees outward to open my hips, my feet tend to splay (like a duck), which is not ideal. Tight aductors aparently. So focused on that today, and it went well.

The WOD look fairly easy.
3 rounds for time
12 burpee tuck jumps
8 strict press

I went 8:04, and sucked on the presses. I can't push my body through my arms and I can't seem to lock out my elbows. Ever. I'll talk to my RMT about it, see if she has any ideas.

My triceps and shoulders were still trashed from Saturday, so I had to resort to push press by round 2.

I'll go work out the kinks at lunch at the Y.

Crossfit log for Saturday, November 19th

Today we had a choice to make. We could either do Jackie, or we could do Fran. It was an individual choice, not a group one. Two people opted for Jackie, since there were only 2 rowers, I figured it would make sense to just do Fran.

Jackie is row 1000m, 50 thrusters @ 45#, 30 pull-ups, the thrusters are light, but rough after the row, and 30 pull-ups is 30 pull-ups.

Fran is three rounds, 21, 15 and 9 reps of 95# thrusters and pull-ups, so a total of 45 each, but the thrusters are heavier and they are broken up.

I've done Jackie before in 15:09, at prescribed weight and unassisted pull-ups, but I can't to 95# thrusters and have to scale it to 75# (which took me 9:44).

I decided to try and do Fran at 85#, 10# closer to Rx.

It was rough. Took me 13 and half minutes. The pull-ups were fine, but man that 10# more make a big difference.

Some that were lighter weight and assisted pull-ups were close to 6:00 and Francois said they needed to up the weight and us less assistive bands. So I think that's my plan. I'll go back to 75# until I can go sub 7:00 or sub 6:30 before I increase the weight again.

So at the very least, I got a good plan out of today's workout.

Crossfit log for Friday, November 18th

Despite the fact that I despise Turkish get-ups, I had a great workout this am:

5 rounds for time:
10 hang power clean 85#
2 turkish get-ups 12kg - left side
2 turkish get-ups 12kg - right side

14:38. Rx for the "blue" or scaled group, which I am still solidly in.

Had to do power clean, which is fine, I can't drop into a squat to receive the bar well enough yet.

Cleans definitely got better once my arms were too tired to do the work instead of my hips and traps!

Crossfit log for Tuesday, November 15th

Today was a team WOD. Two 3 member teams
- Run 2 laps ~ 250m
- Box jumps (not sure about the height, which got lower half way through!)
- KB swing 16kg for me

While 1 member was running the other two would tally up box jumps and kettle bell swings. Getting back from the run, get the current number of box jumps from the jumper, and keep counting from there, while the jumper get the current number of kettle bell swings from the.. um.. swinger and keeps counting from that number. Swinger goes for a run. Rinse repeat. For 25 minutes.

The sum of the total numbers of swings and jumps was the score.

I was teamed up with Jennifer and Laura. Our total was 1002 (if I remember correctly 521 swings + 481 jumps)

The teams were closely matched, I think they had like 985 or something. Anyway, very close.

Crossfit log for Monday, Novermber 14th

Good workout today.

The "scaled" workout called for 5 rounds of 5 x 225# (for men, 135# for women) dead lifts and 30 x double unders.

I can't dead lift 225 twenty five times, so I scaled it further to 165#.

I started out trying to do double unders, but got frustrated and did the alternate (tuck jumps) which also suck, but don't require as much skill.

Finished in 9:27

We did weighted planks, that was interesting. I know there's been some controversy about them, but even the 10# plates are 18 inches in diameter to the weight is distributed away from the lumbar spine.

We did 3 sets of 1 minute each. The first one we did with no weight, then I tried with 20# and that went well, the next one I put on 35# (to match Laura, mother of 1 year old twins who I wasn't about to let go heavier than me!) it was tough, Felt it mostly in my shoulder, trying to hold a hollow body position. I don't love them. I think hollow rocks and event regular sit ups give a better abs workout than planks.

Beer Mile!

Today's WOD:

4 rounds for time
-drink a beer
-run 400m

Official rules can be found here.
Colour me impressed Dave B.

Much like the last beer mile with my buddy David Grant , I was slower drinking the first beer than DB and my buddy Chris, and once again ego kicked to try and catch the leaders. Although my mind was saying, take it easy, you'll catch them on the second beer.

Well apparently not, Dave just ripped through beer #2 and I was out of breath from trying to catch up. Even Chris got out of T2 before me.

I kept them close during lap 2, but tried to dial it down so I wouldn't be so out of breath and hopefully drink my way closer to first place, but still Dave was out of T3 before I even started my beer. I finally caught up to Chris on lap 3, had dropped Al and knew there was no way I'd catch Dave, although he was running pretty slow on his final lap, I knew I couldn't drink fast enough to catch him.

When I left T4 Irongirl yelled out 8:20, so I knew sub 9:00 was out of the question, but knowing I had no beer to drink I turned it on for the last lap, I wish I had taken splits. I'll try and upload my Garmin data and figure them out.

9:47 is still a PB, and my first legit distance (first was a short track, second was a "Garmin measured" trail). The Garmin Walk with Delilah and Dexter measured 410m, the extra 10m will be attributed to Garmin inaccuracy.

It was a great event, it was nice to have 4 runners, there were 2 no-shows and Rick bailed due to a sore back, which was too bad, 7 runners would've been so cool. Next time perhaps.

It sure was a wicked buzz all afternoon!

Thanks racers for coming out! Thanks fans and spectators for cheering us along, and laughing at us. Thanks Rick for the great photos.

Thanks especially to Kiza for your help and patience. You're the best.

Crossfit log for Friday, November 11th

Did back squats today:
12 - 10 - 8
115# - 135# - 135#


Remembrance Day WOD:

11 min AMRAP
11 kettle bell snatch right hand 16kg
11 pull ups
11 kettle bell snatch left hand 16kg
11 wall balls 20#

4 + 5 kb snatch right.

Crossfit log for Wednesday, November 9th

Today's Workout of the Day:
3 rounds for time:
15 Thrusters 65lbs
2 lengths kettle bell farmer walk 20kg kettle bell in each hand
15 ab-mat situps
2 lengths kettle bell farmer walk 20kg kettle bell in each hand

13:59

The first round of Thruster were rough until I found a rhythm and I was warmed up. Perhaps a better warm up next time.
Sit-ups were the worst, my abs were still sore from yesterday.

Prescribed weight for the Thrusters was 95lbs men/65lbs women, but they had a "scaled version" which was 75lbs men/45lbs women. I tried 65 to warm up and found it tough, so stuck with that. In hind sight, with a proper warm up I should have done 75lbs.

Prescribed weight for the kettle bells was 24kg men/16kg women (I don't remember the scaled numbers), here I split the difference and went with 20kg.

Strength:
Dead lifts 15-12-10-10 135# (did only 7 on the last one, I was done).

Running log for Wednesday, November 9th

So I did a treadmill workout I've been meaning to try at lunch today.

It's from an old issue of Canadian Running in a piece by Matt McInnes (http://runningmagazine.ca/2009/10/secti ... he-spring/)

He calls the workout "Frog in a pot of boiling water" and describes it thus:

Matt McInnes wrote:By the end of this workout, you’ll be running at a pace that you never would have thought possible from a cold start. Again, start at the pace of a typical moderate run. Now increase your pace by 0.5 km/hr every two minutes. How long is the workout? You decide. An appropriate starting pace will allow you to get to 20 minutes without significant exertion. (For a longer workout, increase the pace only every three or four minutes.) You’re unlikely to last beyond 30 minutes. Humans, unlike frogs, always jump out of the pot.

The treadmill I use at the Y can only be adjusted in 0.2 km/h increments so I alternated 0.4 and 0.6 km/h increases. Started at 5:39/km pace (11.6 km/h) and after 2 minutes went to 12.0, then 12.4, 13.0, etc... made it to 14:00 maxing out at 4.27/km.

I'm going to do this workout regularly and see how long I can go. I might start at 6:00/km next time for a longer workout.

Crossfit log for Tuesday, November 8th

Surprisingly good workout today. My shoulder was achy from the flu shot, but didn't seem to impact the workout.

Started with the WOD.
10 AMRAP:
-2xDead lift (I did 135#)
-10 ring push-ups

I did surprisingly well in the ring push ups, considering how lately the regular push ups have been giving me so much grief.

Managed 4 rounds + the dead lifts of round 5 and 5 push ups. I'll take it.

For strength we did 4x12 barbell rows. I did 75# and it was borderline too heavy.

Then we did ab work, 3 rounds (I did only 2 because I'm a wimp)
10 v-snaps
20 hollow rocks
1:30 hollow plank

Good workout.

Crossfit log for Monday, November 7th

Rough morning at Crossfit.

We did strict shoulder press and it sucked. I was able to do 12 the first round, but was doing them wrong. Bad back position, bad rack position, not finishing with an externally rotated shoulder, etc...

When I did them properly I couldn't get past 7 reps. And that was only 65#! Was supposed to do 12-12-12-10-8 getting heavier on the last two.

Next time, just the bar, and focus on technique. It's not like in a WOD where intensity is important, the strength portion is about just that, strength; and technique.


The WOD was brutal:
10 rounds (yes that is a one and a zero - ten)
5 burpees
10 Kettle bell swings (16kg)
15 toe to bar (ended up doing knee to elbow, because toe to bar is really really hard).

The first two rounds, trying to get my toes to the bar took a lot out of me. Made the rest of the rounds worse.

25:03

Longest WOD ever! (well not really, but it seemed that way while I was doing it).

Crossfit log for Friday, November 4th

Strength. Front Squats.
5-5-3-3-3
135-135-155-145-145

My rack position is getting better. Back is still weak, especially after the massage yesterday, Angela warned me that I wouldn't be as strong for a day or two. Thankfully, cause I sucked.

WOD
15 min AMRAP
Push Press (95#/65#) did 75# then dropped to 65#, it was impossible to keep my core braced.
22 overhead walking lunges, (45#/25#) did 35#, brutal.
30 med ball twists 20# did 20# yay me!

Managed only 3 rounds with the weight change in the middle of the second round on the push press.

It was horrible.

On the good side, I've been on this Paleo diet for almost a month and I'm down 8lbs and under 180 for the first time in a long while.

Crossfit log for Wednesday, November 2nd

Strength - Sumo dead lifts (without the high pull)
10-8-6-6-15
135#-155#-185#-185#-135# (12 reps on the last one)

185# was probably a bit too heavy, I couldn't hold my back braced for all 6 reps. But sometimes you have to push you limits to find where they are.

WOD:
4 rounds 25-20-15-10
Wall balls 20#
Push ups

I hate push ups. I did them in sets of 5, resting my burning triceps for several seconds in between sets. But at least I didn't resort to my knees. Took longer but worth it.

Time: 11:11

Core:
3 rounds of :
-15 hyper extensions,
-15 ring rows,
0:45 sec hollow plank

Then 100 ab-mat situps. Got to 50 without problem, after that is was a "just get them done". Brutal.