Category: Ring Rows

Thrusters.

“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.”
― Emily Dickinson

I. CrossFit Games Open WOD 12.5:

Complete as many reps as possible in 7 minutes of the following rep scheme:
Thruster, 3 reps
3 Chest to bar Pull-ups
Thruster, 6 reps
6 Chest to bar Pull-ups
Thruster, 9 reps
9 Chest to bar Pull-ups
Thruster, 12 reps
12 Chest to bar Pull-ups
Thruster, 15 reps
15 Chest to bar Pull-ups
Thruster, 18 reps

Etc. until you just can’t go anymore, or the clock runs out.

Completed: at 65lbs. Scaled to ring rows. 12 Rounds plus 7.

There’s something about Thrusters. When I see them in a WOD I immediately get crazy nervous.

Thankfully these days I’m somehow long past not showing up for a WOD that scares me. No matter what’s prescribed if it’s my day to go, it’s my day to go.

Before it was 3, 2, 1 … Go! for today’s WOD as I was setting up my bar and my rings, my stomach turned in on itself and my heart started to pound. It was that old familiar dreadful fear. I didn’t want to do what I was about to do. And the thoughts began to creep in; ‘You don’t have to do this, go lighter on the bar, skip today and come back tomorrow..’

Thrusters in particular have this effect.

I didn’t leave. I stayed and completed the WOD. And just like all those days before chronicled here, I was so happy I stayed and fought through the fear.

There’s a lesson that needs to be learned although I’m not quite sure it ever will be: it never gets any easier. The fear never goes away. It simply does not. The fear revisits with all its intensity and indifference and sometimes feels even worse than the time before and you still have to find that certain something within yourself that says, I’m ready. Let’s go.

do it.

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the thinks you can think up if only you try!” ― Dr. Seuss

Part I. Barbell Gymnastics:

Clean and Jerk: 5 x 2 – rest 30-60 seconds.

Completed: at 65lbs., 75lbs., 85lbs., 90lbs., 95lbs.

Part II of this WOD looked really difficult and I was scared going in.

Part II. Conditioning:

3 rounds for time of:

50′ Burpee Broad Jump
20 KBS 32/24kg
15 C2B Pullups
10 Thrusters 135/95#

(17 minute time limit)

Completed: in 13:47. Scaled to Kettlebells at 45lbs., Thrusters at 65lbs.

Hodge Podge-ing

Train with Dean today, resistance deadlifts and push jerks. Then…

WOD:

I. For Time:

10 Clean and Jerks (185/120)

15 Muscle-Ups

Row 30 calories

Completed: in 10:13. Loaded up the bar @95lbs. for the Clean and Jerks. A manageable weight, I told myself. Till Ke-Ho changed the rep count to 15 Clean and Jerks for us slackers who didn’t load the bar for death. Felt as if, towards the end of the 15, all my hard work on form the hour before with Dean went out the window as I fatigued and tried as I might to focus on form. Just ended up doing whatever it took, including poor form, to get the damn bar over head.

II. 5 Attempts

Max Unbroken Double-Unders

Completed: Not really. Mostly a series of hodge podge single-unders. Originally forgot the jump rope in the car. Was pouring rain and blowing sideways outside and was not as motivated to finish out the WOD. Already been here working for 2.5 hours, I rationalized. Poor decision on my part.

Just rereading this post now. While I felt as if I was focused and working hard while training with Dean, its apparent I started to fall a part and make excuses for it during the WOD. If you commit to something, you should commit. Not hodge-podge it through, puttering out at the end. That will get you nowhere. I do this often. In many arenas. At least my commitment to hodge-podgeing is consistent.