Category: Squats

new, old friends.

“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

WOD:

I. Strength:

Back Squat – 5-5-2-2-1-1; rest 2 minutes between sets

Completed: 5 at 85lbs., 5 at 105lbs., 2 at 125lbs., 2 at 145lbs. Then ran out of time. Doesn’t matter, because was working with most awesome partner, Carmen aka. Hot Booty. Yes, you read that right. No, it’s not a typo. Carmen is a new friend who feels like an old friend.

II. Conditioning:

155/105 pound Squat Clean and Jerk, 30 reps

For time.

(10 minute time limit)

WOD Demo

Completed: started at 65lbs. When reached rep no. 25 in under 5 minutes knew I had gone too light. Added 20 more for 85lbs. total and completed another 15 reps for 40 total in 9:57 with Hot Booty cheering me all the way to the finish. Fran, at RX is in my sights. Legitimately for the first time ever.

Barbara

“When you love someone, you love the person as they are, and not as you’d like them to be.” ― Leo Tolstoy

WOD:

I. “Barbara”

5 Rounds for Time:

20 Pullups

30 Pushups

40 AbMat Situps

50 Air Squats

*Rest 3 Minutes Between Rounds

Completed: in 42:73. With special thanks to the gentleman next to me named Rob who was cheering the class the entire way. Rep after endless rep. The hardest part for me, the pushups, which were scaled to using a box so to focus on form and core. When you go to failure on a pushup, it’s some sort of dead zone and there’s no going back. After the initial strong set of 5 or 8 or even 10, once you fail, that’s it. And all you’re left with is 2 or sometimes 1 at a time, till the end.

No Pressure.

“It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop.” ― Confucius

I grind my teeth when I sleep. The dentist gave me a mouth guard. It helps, but I don’t always wear it. It’s not very comfortable. I would say I put a lot of pressure on myself, but I’m not really sure how my level of pressure compares. I can’t vouch for the pressure other people put on themselves. I’m not in their head. There’s simply no way to know for certain.

Here’s a sampling of questions I ask myself during the day: What are your Goals? Are you making progress towards them? How do other people succeed? What is your definition of success? If you suddenly had everything you ever dreamt you wanted, would you really be happy? Isn’t struggling kismet to happiness? Nothing has any real value unless it is earned. Haven’t I struggled enough already? Sometimes I wonder how much more I can take. Then I tell myself to get over myself, that I’m not living as a slave, or drinking from a sewer, or lacking shoes for my feet. Enough already. So, really, what I am is lucky. Do I have too many opportunities? Am I paralyzed by indecision? Do you think I’m indecisive?

See. Pressure. It can go on from there. Spinning out of control into a web of what if’s and self-doubts. All mapped out and processed in my brain before my head leaves the pillow. It doesn’t take long. Pick a direction, any direction, and the mind can take you there.

Back to Goals. How precise do you need to be in setting goals? I think you have to be pretty darn precise. No mamby-pambying. No scaling. Your goals should be RX. The more specific, the better. Have you ever just sat down and written a very specific list of exactly what it is you want in life? Want to achieve? Very. Specific. List.

No pressure.

WOD:

I. 5 Sets:

3 Push Presses (Heavy)

Max Strict Pullups

Completed: Push Press at 85lbs. Wanted to go heavier. Simply was not able.

*Rest 2 Minutes

II. 7 Minute AMRAP:

10 Jumping Squats

5 Handstand Pushups

Completed. Scaled to release push-ups.

Sometimes I get really overzealous with the weight. I just want to set it up and LIFT IT. The really HEAVY shi*t. But wanting to, and being able to, are two totally different things. Yeah, Being able to Press 125lbs. would be really cool. 100lbs. even. But simply wanting it will not make it so.

You know what comes next.

I have to set the Goal, the very specific goal of being able to press 100lbs. by (insert specific date here). And then put a plan into place to do it. And then, here comes the most important part: Do It.

Execute the Plan.

What’s the difference between Pressure, putting pressure on yourself, and feeling Vested?

Vested to me means you just wake up and do it. It’s a part of who you are now. Pressure to me says, resistance, resentment, a lack of true desire.

Tabata

“The love, born of beauty was not mine; I had nothing in common with it: I could not dare to meddle with it, but another love, venturing diffidently into life after long acquaintance, furnace-tried by pain, stamped by constancy, consolidated by affection’s pure and durable alloy, submitted by intellect to intellect’s own tests, and finally wrought up, by his own process, to his own unflawed completeness, this Love that laughed at Passion, his fast frenzies and his hot and hurried extinction, in this Love I had a vested interest; and whatever tended either to its culture or its destruction, I could not view impassibly.” ― Charlotte Brontë, Villette

WOD:

I. “Tabata Something Else”

Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds following this progression

Intervals 1-8: Pullups

Intervals 9-16: Pushups

Intervals 17-24: AbMat Situps

Intervals 25-32: Air Squats

*There is no rest between exercises.

Completed: Scaled to Ring Dips and knee push-ups. Succession of 8, 5, 9, and 10.

256 total.

End of Summer Throwdown ~ Day 2 of 4

And there will come a time, 
you’ll see, with no more tears.
And love will not break your heart, 
but dismiss your fears.
Get over your hill and see 
what you find there,
With grace in your heart 
and flowers in your hair.

-Mumford & Sons

WOD:

I. End of Summer Throwdown WOD 2

Team 5k Row

*Partition rowing as needed

Completed: In 19:04. with most awesome partner, John. He kept his pace right around 1:45/meter the entire time. If you row, you know this is fast. Way. I started out around 1:45, but found it difficult to maintain. We broke it up into 750 meter increments, and I ended up somewhere in the neighborhood between 1:58, while John maintained his blistering pace. On total we finished with an averaged 1:54/meter. Knuckle Bump!

II.  Tabata Air Squats

Then onto Strongman! And my weary body said something it rarely ever, if ever says; Deadlifts, oh no. I was tired. But completed the 6 minute AMRAP; 3 Deadlifts (160lbs.) and 3 Keg Press (57lbs.). Lost count on rounds. No matter. Just happy to have participated.

Was thinking since its back to school shopping time, and am loving the Fall weather, why not do some back to WOD shopping, CF style, with a new lifting belt, shoes, wraps, and pair of socks. Yeah. No.

Rediculosity.

But the shoes, the Inovs. I love those, and its getting close to time to retire the purples. Perhaps on the anniversary. Bring on Day 3.

Memorial Day WOD

Nothing like a community coming together. This is what we do best at CF. There was only one WOD today. At 10am. In memory of a lost friend, Stephen. While I didn’t know Stephen, I am a part of the community he was very clearly much a part of as well. We are all connected.

“Stephen”

10 Rounds:

10 Burpees

200m Run

30 Air Squats

Completed: Somewhere around 34 minutes. I was thinking of every excuse as to why I should stay home today. So glad none of them stuck.

good.

I sketched this today. Well, traced overlay. Was attempting to illustrate one of my favorite photos of Oliver. It always amazes me how good he is. What do you think dog’s think about while they’re at home all day? I imagine he’s sleeping mostly, in between looking out the window and surveying the minions. Don’t make me come out there, Mr. squirrel.

He’s so patient, and obedient, and good. How we love our furry friends. They put up with us like no one person would.

WOD:

I. “Tabata Something Else”

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

Intervals 1 – 8 = Pullups

Intervals 9 – 16 = Pushups

Intervals 17 – 24 = AbMat Situps

Intervals 25 – 32 = Air Squats

*There is no rest between exercises

Completed: avg. between 8 – 10 reps per round. Except for the pushups, where I was at 5. My arms were pooping out all over the place. Read: total fail. It’s an odd feeling when you can feel your muscles about to give out. You feel powerless against it. They just shut off communication to the brain and get a mind of their own. I’m just glad I’m only inches from the ground when this is about to occur.

II. 4 Rounds:

30 Seconds Flutter Kicks

30 Seconds Rest

Tomorrow’s WOD is 100 Burpees. That’s it. 15 minute time cap. Really? Where’s the steel and the bumpers and the chalk and grit and power. I guess it’s just me up against my own body. Thing is, Burpees are definitely a struggle. Most likely are for every one. No PR’s there. Trust me.

Here’s the thing, do I find some excuse not to show tomorrow? Working late. Got to get to the grocery store. These socks sure do need mending.

Or do I show? Where’s the discipline. The obedience. We. Shall. See. Bets anyone?