Chelsea/Cindy

Chelsea: EMOM for 30 min of 5 pull ups / 10 push ups / 15 squats
Score: 5 rounds

Cindy: 20 min AMRAP of 5 pull ups / 10 push ups / 15 squats
Score: 12 rounds (+ 5 push ups)

Post: 3x10 good mornings @45#

Chelsea turned into Cindy once you fail a round in a minute. No rips! Push ups were the toughest, as expected.

CFC drop in!

Been dying to check out the new space since the grand opening and it is enormous with all the amenities! Really love the new space and congrats to Rudy and all at CFC for this amazing milestone!

Dropped in for a partner WOD on Saturday morning. Partnered up with Carolyn for 5 rounds of:
5 pull ups per person
10 burpee box jumps (16") per person, alternating
400m run
17:21

C&J PR!

PR: 130# C&J
PR: 135# jerk


Strength: C&J 1RM: 65-85-100-115-125-130(PR)-135F
From rack, Jerk 1RM: 135F-135(PR)

Metcon: 5 rounds of 15 push ups / 20 WB (14#, 10ft, rx) / 30 DU
17:44

Super excited about the C&J and jerk PRs! Not long ago, I wrote down my goal of a 125# C&J. I had struggled getting to 125# since the WCCF Meet more than a year ago (mostly failing the jerk). I failed a 130# squat clean 4x just two weeks ago! I didn't expect to see these PRs so soon but I'm happy! I did some snatch pull work last week which may have helped. Pull still needs work.
The jerk part was funny because I wasn't expecting to do it. After I failed my clean at 135#, Trey had me try the jerk from the rack since the racks were already out from other people using it. I failed the first 135# but he told me to try again. The second time, I had a more aggressive dip and drive and nailed the 135# to my surprise!
I suppose if I did add both oly lift PRs over the last week, I'd end up with an Oly Total of 210# (97.5kg) but I can't call it that because I didn't do it together. Would love to get to an Oly total of 100kg! Gotta get that 135# clean!
Metcon was horrendous... wall balls are probably at the top of my suck list because I am not good at the movement even though I am decent at squatting. I really think I need to practice breathing through those. Push ups ended up in 2s/3s but that was to be expected. DUs were aggravating my side shins a bit from all the jumping on Monday but I managed to get them unbroken in the last two rounds.

Side shin tenderness

Strength: 3 x ME ring dips: 3-4-3
Metcon: 4 rounds of 6 bear complex (65#, rx) / 46 DU / 16 box jumps (20", rx)
14:21

Must not have warmed up enough in first set of ring dips but 4 strict in a row is a PR!
Tried to move through at a good pace. My side shins (outside of leg) are a bit tender from the DUs and box jumps.

Snatch PR!

PR: 85# Snatch
Strength: subbed Snatch work
Metcon: 10 rounds of 10 push ups (rx) / 10 KBS (35#, rx) / 10 sit ups with ab mat
14:41

I've been thinking about fixing my pull so I subbed Snatch work for the strength work today. In the end, I did a bunch of hang power snatches and OHSes before I went into full squat snatch. Hit 85# perfectly and it actually felt easy. It gave me the confidence to go higher but was convinced to go past my planned weight increase. Failed 95# twice before I gave up. Should have gone 85-90-95 but I know I have 95# in me. I lost the bar in front (figures). I know that to get 95#, my pull would have to be perfect. Keep practicing!

Hips

Metcon: 800m run + 5 rounds of 6 PC (75#, rx+) / 6 FS / 6 burpees + 800m run
16:56

After looking at the board, I went with 75# as well. I thought about 85# but I knew the FS would destroy me at that weight so I kept it at 75#. Runs were long and slow.
With so many bars laying around, I cleaned 95# a few times and also 115# (PR!). Tried it two more times but failed both. The 115# was a bit ugly on the catch so I decided to go back to 95# and work on some technique. With JJ's help, I fixed my pull a bit. The cue that is working for me is Jon North's "Hit and Catch" drill. I'm not doing this perfectly and I still need to practice but need to keep this in mind to fully extend hips.

Lots of pressing

Strength: Strict Press 5-5-5-5-5-5: 40-45-50-55-60-65
Metcon: 12 min AMRAP of 10 box jumps (20", rx) / 40 DU / 10 HSPU (*mod*)
4 rounds + 32 DU

Matched Press 5RM PR. Last rep of last set of presses were tough but I made it.
The first round of HSPUs, I wanted to do them to 1 ab mat. I got to 9 and failed the 10th one 4x before I gave up and switched to the pike on the box. Kip was getting less efficient and I was overarching too much. Looking back, I should have gave the second round a shot to 1 ab mat.

Reflection time - milestones and goals

It's been almost 8 months since moving to the Seattle area and almost 5 months since joining Sasquatch Crossfit. We're happy to have found a great Crossfit community!
One of the major changes in my life since moving here is a reduction of stress. My job now is still quite challenging which keeps me engaged and busy while I am at work but once I leave, I am not expected to be on call 24/7 like how it was in consulting (nobody expects me to check my email on the weekends - what!).
Another major change in my life is that I am outside more. Way more. Every weekend, JJ and I find something outdoorsy to do... snowboarding, hiking, biking, canoeing... some longer duration activity to balance all the anaerobic work that we do at Crossfit. Also, thanks to the climate here, we keep our windows at home open almost year round and I get to work out out of a garage gym which brings in plenty of fresh air.
I think both these major changes have also had an affect on my sleep... it's higher quality sleep, whether I get enough of it or not.

Of course, all of the above has had an impact on my Crossfit abilities as well.

Getting enough rest is obviously paramount but the lower stress and the fresher air have contributed to my gains and milestones over the past 5 months.
Here are some highlights:
- The first time ever doing rx'ed push ups in a WOD (finally!)
- Stringing 10 TTBs in a WOD
- 250# DL during CFT (13# PR and 2X BW)
- Angie rx'ed
- 1:56 500m row
- Sub-10 Annie
- Sub-12:30 Helen
- 5 strict HSPUs to one ab mat
- 7 kipping HSPUs to one ab mat
- Hit quite a few new 3RMs and 5RMs on various movements

So what's next?
Wish list / goals:
- Butterfly pullups in a WOD
- Full ROM HSPUs in a WOD
- Sub-8 Fran
- Sub-6 Grace
- 125# Jerk 1RM
- 75# Press 1RM
- 500# CFT
- Muscle up

Thanks to Tara for inspiring me to write that list. I know those are not SMARTE goals... which is why I've termed these "wish list". I will work towards these but in an unstructured manner.

4 this week

Strength: BS 3-3-3-3-3-3 (95-115-125-135-145-155)
Metcon: 21-15-9 of DL (165#, rx) / pull up / slam ball (20#, rx)
11:32

I hit a BS 3RM PR at 155# at the beginning of December during the Wendler but regressed a little two weeks later due to lack of squatting. Today, I planned to finish at 155# and made it. Used too much quads on my last rep but felt ok overall.
If I remember correctly, my DLs went 9-6-4-1-1/7-3-3-1-1/5-4. In retrospect, I probably could have gotten rid of those singles at the end but I could feel my back arching a bit and my hands hurt from gripping. May have felt better than the last WOD with 165# DL but I can't be sure.
Pull ups went 7-5-4-3-2/5-4-3-3/3-2-1-1-1-1. Didn't resort to singles until later which is an improvement for me. Still got those blood blisters.
Broke up slam balls once in first two rounds, unbroken in last round.

Tied PR day...

Strength: Squat Clean 1-1-1-1-1-1 (95-105-115-125-130fx4)
Metcon: 5 rounds of 6 FS (75#, bm) / 6 PP (75#, bm) / 6 barbell burpees
8:10

Skipped 3x400m due to sore calves and hamstrings

I tied my Squat Clean PR of 125#. It went up ok but I noticed I caught the bar quite low. Four attempts at 130#, each incrementally closer. I think it's high enough but I am not getting under the bar fast enough and the final two attempts, I caught the bar way too low with elbows not all the way up. I think I need to work on the pull.
Metcon was fun! FS were UB but got slower as the rounds wore on. First 3 rounds of PP were UB, last two rounds of PP were 3-3 (with one fail in there). I tried to get through those barbell burpees quickly. That is, the hop was over the bar and dropped right into the next one. Couldn't keep up that pace in the last two rounds and my quads were burning.

PR day! Woohoo!

PR: 1:56 500m row
PR: 9:59 Annie


A. 3 rounds of 500m row (2-3 min rest): 1:56(PR)/2:05/2:09
B. Annie rx'd: 9:59(PR)

Looking at the board after walking into class, I saw plenty of sub 2s and needed to step up. First row was at a 1:53 pace for a good 200m before I relaxed and settled into a 1:58 pace. Butt was really sore about 200m into the second round. Third round I really tried to not fall below 2:10.
The 50/30/20/10 sets of DUs were unbroken. Tripped up in the 40 round. Sit ups went better than expected which is probably where the PR came from.

ME Monday: HSPUs

"Skill": 3 x ME HSPU (2 strict, 2 strict, 3 kipping all to one ab mat)
Metcon rx'd: 4 rounds of 42 DU / 21 KBS (1 pood) / 12 pistols / 400m run
20:30

Post: worked on kipping HSPUs... got to a set of 7 kipping HSPUs (PR) to one ab mat

Not quite warmed up for the ME HSPU sets so I ended up working on it a bit more after. PR is 5 strict to 1 ab mat so way off today.
Metcon was fine. Good push from Jamie (who I wasn't going to catch) and Noel (who I caught up to and tried to stay in front of). KBS unbroken. Pistols were toughest after a few rounds... tough to balance and had to redo a bunch of reps.

Push Press 3RM PR?

Strength: Push Press 3-3-3-3-3-3 (55-65-75-85-95-100)
Metcon: 12 min AMRAP
10 box jumps (20", rx)
10 jumping lunges (5 per side)
10 hand release push ups
8 rounds + 7 push ups

Post: 3 x 400m "sprint": 1:42 / 1:41 / 1:47

Never found my PP 3RM ever so I guess that's a PR. I didn't fail at 100# but could feel a slight arch. Can work up to 105# or 110# next time.
A little mad that I didn't make it 9 rounds even. Push ups were the limiting factor.
My PR 400m on a track is 1:32. I didn't think I'd hit a PR today and considering this was post WOD, I'm ok with it. The turnaround also eats up some time because I'm tempted to slow down before and after it too. Also, the "hill" on the way back was rough on that last round.

New week

Strength: FS 5-5-5-5-5-5 (65-75-85-95-105-115)

Metcon: 4 rounds of 50 DU / 10 hang clean (65#, rx) / 6 TGU (1 pood, rx)
19:35

Post: 1 ME set of kipping pull ups: 11
Post: 1 ME set of push ups : 11

Last recorded FS 5RM was from May 2011 at 105#. I knew I had more having nailed a FS 3RM at 125# in June 2012. I don't think I maxed out at 115# and only the last rep was slightly sticky/slow. Shoot for 120# next time.
I've never done a TGU with a 1 pood KB, let alone 12 of them per arm. These were the toughest and slowest on me. At one point, I thought my left shoulder was going to bend the wrong way but I held it together. Much easier on the right side than left side, no surprise. DUs and hang cleans were no problem other than my arms getting tired out from the TGUs. Definitely an arm burnout issue today... no chance to get too winded here.