Month: April 2012

and just like that

“…true freedom is impossible without a mind made free by discipline.” – Mortimer Jerome Adler

Happy Monday!

Sometimes I don’t include the warm-ups in the WOD posting, for whatever reason the WOD always gets the majority of my attention usually because it is the one kicking my ass. But, not today. Seems the warm-up had something to say too. It was determined not to be overlooked. Today the warm-up had a voice. And it came in loud and clear.

Warm-Up:

Row 500m

10 Pistols

Row 500m

15 Burpees

Row 500m

20 Jumping Alternating Lunges

Completed. And then wondered how it was possible that we still needed to WOD. Nicely done, ACF. Way to dazzle and keeps us on our toes.

WOD:

I. “Diane”

21 – 15 – 9

Deadlifts (225/155)

Handstand Pushups

*12 Minute Time Cap

Completed: Kevin suggested keeping our weight the same as the last time we hit Diane. Mine was 105lbs. in 5:35 back on 4/3/2012. While it felt kind of light to me, I listened to the our local CF Savant and kept the weight the same. So glad I did. My time: 4:37. Knocked off almost an entire minute from my last PR in less than a month.  Woot. Also noticed I’m getting lower to the ground on the ring push ups. Very interesting.

And just like that, all my stresses from the day melted away into nothingness. Therein lies the secret to my love affair with CF: Measurable personal successes captured in perfect moments.

II. Run 1 Mile for Time

Completed: 9:35.

saucy pants no more

I’ve been drinking the cool-aid so much recently… hitting the WOD’s and high-fiving a bunch of PR’s and feeling like I can do just about anything. That’s right, anything. Alas, sure enough – Just as I get all saucy pants, a WOD comes along and I can’t even finish.

Just to be clear: This has not happened in a while. And it does not feel very good. Suddenly my beloved CF becomes an adversary, and in reaction to it I feel standoffish, resentful, trying to act all cool like, whatever, ‘Go on ahead and do whatever you want.. see if I care.’

Betrayed.

But once I get over my own ego. And this does not happen instantly. And once I get over… my own ego…I realize it’s moments like these when It’s time to pick myself up and dust my ass off (after all its been handed to me but I won’t take it because I have my pride so it gets dropped to the floor in a pile of dust at which point I still refuse to reach down and pick it up), that I wake up to the reality that there is no finish line, you can always do better, and instead of treating these moments like a trip to Hoffman’s for an ice-cream cone, maybe if I really want to grow past my own mediocrity I should start showing up for what it is I think I really want.

Warm-Up:

Junkyard Dog Warm-Up

WOD:

I. “DT”

5 Rounds For Time:

12 Deadlifts (155/105)

9 Hang Power Cleans

6 Push Jerks

Completed: 4 Rounds @ 75lbs. And the buzzer rang. Just to be clear, the WOD called for 5 rounds in 15 minutes. Suck-it.

*20 Minute Time Limit

II. Heavy Prowler Sprints

These are fun.

I’m just here to work

“I don’t know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everyone.” ― Bill Cosby

Warm-Up:

Agility Ladder Drills

WOD:

I. For Reps:

5 Minutes Max Thrusters (95/65) – 65lbs. RX! 28 reps total

4 Minutes Max Handstand Pushups – scaled to ring push ups, 65 reps total.

3 Minutes Max Kettlebell Swings (70/53) – at 35lbs. 48 reps total.

2 Minutes Max Burpees – 12, or maybe 16 total. Oh my it gets a little dark right around here…

1 Minute Max Calorie Row – 17 calories total

Completed: Reps stated above in bold.

II. Farmer’s Carry Relay

Completed: with two 45lbs. kettle bells.

Long weekend ahead, lots to do for work. Will find the time to CF on Friday. Go on over and read Clark’s post on Complacency. Well stated. There’s been a bit of that going on around here. Dare to dream what might be if I just get out of my own way and let myself do the work.

the drone of the engine

Work is so busy these days. Our team has gone from 5 to 2. And we are coming upon our busiest time of year. Feel like the second to last man standing at the Okay Corral and out of ammunition. It gets so busy, so many requests coming and going, so many different moving parts, layer upon layer of perpetual projects in motion, an all-encumbering machine that steams ahead one hefty chug after another, and I’m running around like a crazy person trying to grease the tracks, hoping nothing falls through the cracks. This is usually when the headaches begin. They are muted and can last for hours. I can still function when they appear, but they are there with me nonetheless throughout the day, reminding me of the drone of the engine and its eternal need to be fed.

Which is one huge reason why I Crossfit. Because when I step into the Triple Wide, and it’s 3, 2, 1… Go! The sound of the droning engine disappears, and with it the headaches, and all I can see is the lovely tangible task in front of me, the steel of the bar, the heft of the bumpers, my sweat on the floor, and my body getting stronger.

Warm-Up:

2 Rounds:

Run 400m

15 Situps to Straddle

15 Situps to Pike

5 Reps of “Inchworm”

WOD:

I. Complete 32 Intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for Max Reps:

Intervals 1 – 8 = Wall Balls (20/14)

Intervals 9 – 16 = Toes-to-Bar

Intervals 17 – 24 = Box Jumps

Intervals 25 – 32 = Russian Swings (70/53)

*There is no rest between exercises

II. Within 4 minutes of completing the final interval:

Run 800m for time

Completed: Goaled at 8 reps per round. The box jumps were extra tough, managed 5 on the low side, 10 on the high. The extra good news, RX on the Wall Balls at 14, and kettle bells at 53lbs. Still knees to stomach level on the T2B. All together with the warm up and WOD, we ended up running a mile. This was good as it reminded me that I signed up for a HALF MARATHON, and in case you haven’t heard, a HALF MARATHON requires RUNNING. Oh. Right. That half-marathon-thingy. We’ll get there.

I do believe it is time to look into getting Level I CF Cert. And while the Certification Classes are offered all over the country, they are sold out through September. Maybe the engine drones for others too.

The Now

“True progress quietly and persistently moves along without notice.” ― St. Francis of Assisi

It’s been two days since hitting a WOD. Can you tell me why then it seems like so much longer?

There are so many benefits to CF for me, the least of which incredibly is the physical. These WOD’s are an opportunity to literally stop my brain’s non-stop train of thoughts and incessant processing. The WOD’s force me to focus on the absolute here and now. Instead of trying to plan and calculate every piece of my future, my job, my home, my finances, my family, everything… Ugh, exhausting.

When it’s 3,2,1, Go… the thought parade is brought to a halt and leveled back to zero and all I can see in front of me is the next move. That’s it. Oh the pure joy of the Now. What a blessing.

There are added benefits of course, primarily in the form of some new PR, some personal milestone reached not necessarily planned for except by the very act of simply showing up.

WOD:

I.  In 12 Minutes:

Establish a 1 Rep Max Press

Completed: 1RM of 75lbs. PR! At first I tried to add too much weight too fast, and failed. In slowing down and building in smaller increments I was able to build capacity and reach the PR.

II. “Angie”

For Time:

100 Pullups

100 Pushups

100 AbMat Situps

100 Air Squats

*25 Minute Time Limit

Completed: In 21:58.

Saturday Team WOD

Team WOD results: 

Station 1 – Box Jumps and overhead hold: Box jumps @ 20″ and Over head hold @ 25lbs.: Total reps 176.

Station 2 – Back squats @ 75lbs., team held during reps: Total reps 169.

Stations 3 – 14lbs. Wall Balls and pull up hold: Total reps 194.

Station 4 – 250 Meter row: Total meters 1634.

__________________________________________

Signed up for a Team WOD today. My first ever. Nothing like a little friendly CF competition. Charity WOD and BBQ to raise money for St. Jude’s. Feel like I might throw up from fright. But, I guess that’s why we do these things. To face that fear and see it thru to the other side. When working with a team I push extra hard. Want to match the efforts of the team and of course want to WIN. Go Team!

Ever wonder the definition of Godspeed or God Speed? Turns out: “It comes from the Middle English expression “God spede (you)”, a wish for success and fortune for one setting out on an enterprise, voyage, adventure, or travels. It may also mean good luck.”

They just posted the Team WOD. If I thought I might throw up from fright before, pretty certain I’m destined to now. Just have to put one foot in front of the other. Show up. And the rest will come. 3, 2, 1..Go!

Team WOD:

In Teams of 3-4:

Station 1:

Accumulate as many Box Jumps/Step Ups as possible in 7 minutes (30/24)

Scale Box Height as necessary.

Jumps will only count while another teammate has a 45lb Bumper plate locked out overhead.

Scale bumper weight as necessary.

Station 2:

Accumulate as many Back Squats (Women), Front Squats (Men) as possible in 7 minutes with 95lbs.

Bar cannot come to the ground. If it does it will be a 10 burpee penalty for all teammates.

Station 3:

Accumulate as many Wall Ball Shots as possible in 7 minutes (20/14)

Reps only count while another team members is in a pullup hold with their chin over the bar.

Scaling will be on rings with their chest to the rings in a ring row position.

Station 4:

AMRAP 250m Row in 7 minutes:

Each athlete must attempt to row an entire 250m.

*3 minutes Rest Between Stations

Friday Happy Hour

“Those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.” 
― Bernard M. Baruch

Warm-Up:

Run 400

20 Hip Extensions

20 Alternating Jumping Lunges

WOD:

I. “Zimmerman”

Complete as many rounds as possible in 25 minutes of:

11 Chest-to-bar Pullups

2 Deadlifts (315/205)

10 Handstand Pushups

Completed: Deadlift at 160lbs. Scaled to ring pull ups and 20 hand release knee-pushups per round. Finished just 10 pushups shy of 8 rounds.

II. 4 Sets:

20 Weighted Anchored Situps

Completed: With 10lbs. Thanks Annie for being a great partner!