WODs during the Holidays and WOD 56

I completed WODs 52, 53, 54, and 55 last week.  After a break for Christmas, I did WOD 56 on Monday.  I kept notes on those WODs.  However, I don't feel like writing up 5 WODs tonight. 

I'll start with today's WOD, which was #56.

Warm Up

Overhead Squats - 21 reps
Knees to Elbows - 21 reps
Box Jumps - 21 reps

X2

WOD
Segment 1
1000m row @ 15 strokes per minute

I finished the 1000m in 69 strokes, because I was focusing on tracking to the 15 spm.  This threw off my stroke power.

Segment 2
Parallettes Crunches - 30 reps - Holding each for 3 seconds
Pull-ups - 30 reps using a more difficult pull-up type than normal

For me, I usually use a double "red" band for pull-up assistance.  For this segment I did jumping pull-ups, making sure to hold at the top and controlling my descent.

Segment 3
12 minutes of -
Air Squats
Situps

I did 323 of this combination.   I stayed steady at 20 squats/20 situps per repetition.  At this pace, I was able to stay active the whole time.  A few months ago, I would not have been able to stay active the whole time.

A couple of things allowed me to stay active the whole time.  First, I am "fitter".  Second, I know my body well enough to determine a good pace for this particular pairing of exercises.  Previously, I would have blew through the first few rounds with nothing left for the last 4 or 5 minutes.  This time, I forced myself to slow down and think long term.  Twelve minutes doesn't sound like a long time, but when you doing squats and situps the whole time, it is...

Crossfit WOD #51

#Crossfit #WOD - Completed on Friday, December 18th, 2009 at Gravity Janes.

Today was the most relaxed workout I have had a GJ's.  I got to spend a lot of time on the Selma workout.  Selma is like a Fran workout, except you use a 24kg kettlebell and do single arm snatches instead of thrusters.  I'll include videos to help you visualize the work out.

Warm Up
Hands to Feet 15
Medicine Ball Cleans 20
KB Press 15/15 (15 per arm)
X 2

Workout

Segment 1
Selma consisting of

21-15-9 reps of

- KB Snatches (that is per arm for a total of 42, 30, and 18 reps)

- Pullups


It took me a long time, 25:26, to complete Selma.  I did the prescribed weight (24kg) on the KB snatches and I used a red band for pullups.  Usually I use a big green band for pullup assistance, but I'll never do full body weight pullups if I continue to use the green band. 

Segment 2
Row 300m
100 Push Press w/ 45lbs bar
Row 300m
100 Overhead Squats with wooden dowel

Goal for this segment was 12 minutes but I finished in 14:34.

Focusing on the upper body if good for me.  This type of work is identifying my weak areas and lets me know what I need to work on.  I think I'll have to spend some time outside of GJ's to improve my upper body strength.

This is a Fran workout



For Selma, replace the barbell thrusters with KB snatches.

WOD #50

#Crossfit #WOD

 This month must be shoulder and arm strengthing at Gravity Janes.  We have been doing a lot on the rings and overhead squats.  Actually, this is great since shoulder and arm strength are a couple of my weak areas. 

Warm Up
Hands to Feet 15
Wall Ball Cleans 20
Shoulder Press 15 on each arm
Overhead squats 20
X 2

I have learned to take it a easier during the warm ups.  I use to think I had to get the whole warm up in before the WOD started.  This impacted my ability to complete the WOD successfully.  Now, I work to get a little sweat going.  If I make it through the entire warm up, great.  If not, I am ok with that as well.

Workout
Segment 1
Row 100m for max stroke output
X 5

I took one second off my time on this event.  My low number is now 1:17.

Segment 2
Ring work - No real measure, just practice

The class was broken into 2 groups.  So while the other group did the row event above, my group did ring work.

Segment 3
Overhead Squat - 1 rep max was the goal
3 reps @ 95lbs
3 reps @ 100lbs
1 rep @ 135lbs
1 rep @ 145lbs
1 rep @ 155lbs
Failed @ 175lbs

I'm not sure I remember all the rep counts and lbs for this exercise.  I was sharing a bar with another person, so my wieghts and reps might be off.  I do remember were I failed.  I failed at 175lbs again.  This is the same place I failed at during my last 1 rep max attempt.  I was much closer this time.  I was this close to making it (visualize my index finger and thumd a quarter inch apart). Coming out of the squat, the weight got to far behind me.  I had to drop it before it damaged my shoulders.

Segment 4
100 KB Cleans for time @ 20kg

I finished this up in 6:48.  Not blazingly fast.  For the weight I was using, I was please.  However, I had to much left when I finished.  I should have up'd the intensity and worked harder on this one.

WOD #49

#crossfit #WOD

 So, I got this bright idea to run 4 miles last night.  That was all fine and good, until I had to do my WOD today.  My body was a little tired and my performance showed it.  Not my best effort...

Without Crossfit, I would never have been able to run 4 miles.  Prior to Crossfit, I couldn't even run a mile without knee and back pain.  Today, I was pain free today.  Maybe its mental, maybe its physical, or a little bit of both...but I'll take anyway I can get it.

Warm Up

Kettle Bell Swing 40
Wall Balls 40
Sit Ups 40

Work Out

Segment 1
V-Up for Max Time
I made it to 1:04.  One person made to 2:00 minutes.  That was impressive

V-Ups - 35 reps

V-Up for Max Time

I only made to 14 seconds this time.  The 35 reps did me in.


Segment 2
Deadlift - 5 reps in 60 secs
Exercise from the list
Deadlift - 5 reps in 60 secs
Exercise from the list
Deadlift - 5 reps in 60 secs
Exercise from the list
X 3

My Deadlift load was 225lbs

The list - which I really despised due to the amount of ring exercises.  I've not developed the shoulder and arm strength to use the rings yet.

Ring Pull Ups 10
Ring Dips 10
Ring Push Ups 15
Dips on the Dip Stand 15
Parallete Push Ups 15
Push Ups 20

Your score was the total numbers of round you completed with the required reps.  A perfect score would be 18.  I only scored 11.  I pretty much skipped the list exercises after the first round.

Not my best WOD, but it shows were my weaknesses are and what I need to work on.  Rings, Rings, and more Rings...

Sunday and WOD #48

#Crossfit #WOD
On Sunday (12/13/2009), I hiked Mt. Si in the afternoon.  The Mt. Si hike is 8 miles round trip.  It started off cold and stayed  that way for the entire hike.  I had the appropriate clothing with me, so I was able to add and subtract layers as needed.  It did snow on me the last 3/4 of the hike, which was kind of cool.  It amazed me to see people still heading up at 3:00 PM.  They must be confident in their abilities to navigate the trail by headlight.  This will probably be the last hike in Snoqualmie Pass for me this year.  With the snow coming, I'll have to settle for added weight  while doing the PooPoo Point trail. 


Washington Trails Association Mt. Si info: http://bit.ly/mt-si


WOD #48
Completed today at Gravity Janes.

Unofficial Warm Up (Got there early and was sucked into a per warm up warm up)

20 Wall Balls @ 20lbs
10 Round House Kicks on the Heavy Bag (5 per leg)
X 2


Jumping Pullups 10
Jumping Squats 20

Offical Warm Up

20 Rack Squats
20 Jump & Graps
20 Push ups
X 3


I did not complete all of these since I did the pre warm up.

Work Out

Segment 1
30 Box Jumps
30 Deadlifts @ 16kgs
30 Box Jumps
30 Deadlifts @ 32kgs (Using 2 16kgs KBs)
30 Box Jumps
30 Deadlifts @ 96kgs (Using 2 48kgs KBs)

All box jumps were performed on an 18 inch bench



Segment 2
Did the following for time...


Started with a 1000m Row (Only done once)


7 Hanging Cleans
7 Pullups
7 Push Presses
7 Pullups
7 Front Squats
7 Pullups
X 3 rounds

Finished with a 1000m Row (Only done once)


All weight exercises were done @ 95lbs
All pull ups were done with assistance


This was a great workout.  I wasn't worried about the weight exercises or the rowing.  However, I wasn't looking forward to the pull ups.  These are definitely my Achilles heel.


By the time the second row came around, I was feeling the cumulative effect of the workout.  When I finished, I immediately rolled of the rower and laid on the floor to recuperate for a few minutes.


I completed this in 22:30, which seemed to be a middle of the pack time.  Always looking to improve my time by increasing my intensity.