Almost two weeks since last WOD!

Strength: 4 x ME deadhang pullup: 1-2-2-2
Metcon: 21-15-9 OHS (45#, mod) / TTB / PP (45#, mod)
10:04

First WOD in almost two weeks. Thanksgiving and a long week of working late made it difficult to get in the gym. Decided to take a lighter weight just to get back into things.

PR kind of day

Cycle 2 Week 2: Back Squat 1RM + 5%
5 reps @ 40% (65#)
5 reps @ 50% (80#)
3 reps @ 60% (95#)
3 reps @ 70% (110#)
3 reps @ 80% (125#)
3+ reps @ 90% (140#): 6 reps

Metcon: 4 rounds 50 DU / 6 Snatches (65#, rx)
8:00

Post: 3 deadhangs in a row (PR)!
Post-post: Worked on butterflies. Got 3 in a row (PR)! I think I'm really getting the hang of this kip now!
Post-post-post: 2 HSPUs to 1 ab mat but not in a row. HSPU to 1 ab mat is a PR!

I had four days off since my last WOD and it showed today!
Sixth rep at 140# was rough but I got it!
Metcon was good. DUs felt good and were purposely broken up. Snatches felt pretty good. Kind of liked how I forced 65# on myself because when I got tired, I really had to focus on that hip pop. I don't think I pressed too many out. All singles.
Really happy with all the post WOD work. I was really motivated by CFC's new Crossfit RX classes! You have to meet a series of tests before you're in. Here's where I'm at as of now:
1. Conditioning – Rx Fran (sub 8:00) or Rx Helen (sub 12:30)
-> 6/9/11: 8:53 Rx Fran. Need to get this one in again.
-> Never done Rx Helen. I feel like I have a better shot here but not sure.

2. Skill – 30 Double-Unders in 1 minute
-> Covered but no real stats for this one.

3. Bodyweight – Men 8 strict pull-ups/7 strict handstand push-ups to 1 abmat
Women 4 strict pull-ups/4 strict handstand push-ups to 1 abmat
-> 3 strict pull-ups in a row. Need to put in some work to get here.
-> 1 strict HSPU to 1 ab mat. Need lots of work here!

4. Strength/Mobility – Men (75% of bodyweight x 5 Overhead Squat) & (100% of bodyweight x 3 Front Squat)
Women (70% of bodyweight x 5 Overhead Squat) & (80% of bodyweight x 3 Front Squat)
-> 8/26/11: 95# (76% of BW)
-> 6/12/12: 125# (100% of BW)

5. Strength – Men Deadlift 315/Women Deadlift 185
-> 8/25/12: 250#

Need lots of work on bodyweight stuff and conditioning for sure!

Wendler Cycle 2

Strength: Back Squat 1RM + 5%
5 reps @ 40% (65#)
5 reps @ 50% (80#)
3 reps @ 60% (95#)
5 reps @ 65% (100#)
5 reps @ 75% (115#)
5+ reps @ 85% (135#): 6 reps

Metcon: 10->1 OHS (65# rx) / 10->1 WB (14# rx)
12:53

Post: 3x1 deadhangs!!!

In cycle 2 of the Wendler (what happened to deload week?) now. I was thrown for a loop when I saw the 1RM + 5% on the board and the 5:30pm class had tons of people so we were a little short on the smaller weights (2.5# and 5# plates).
Metcon time seemed pretty horrible. I haven't done rx'ed wall balls to 10 feet in forever and I was determined to get 'er done since I didn't realize last time that the line was not 10 feet (have to go over the line for rx). A lot of singles there.
OHS were slow and steady. This may be the heaviest OHSes I've done in a WOD and my back felt it. I didn't drop the bar because I didn't want to snatch it more than I needed to (all power snatches).

I was stretching out my back... hanging off the GHD, hanging off the pullup bar... then I thought I'd give a deadhang a shot (I shed 3-4 lbs since my last attempt) and I had one! Then, I got another! And another! I was pretty stoked! Made my day :)

Yay Paleo Challenge!

It's funny how paleo challenges always kick start my blog back up even though I'm not participating in the actual challenge. Started going paleo again (with a few cheat meals sprinkled here and there) about 4 weeks ago but since everyone's getting in on the challenge this time around, I thought I'd join in the fun. Besides, I could probably use a bit more discipline sometimes.
As I've blogged about before, I'm not cutting out all my dairy or salt or carbs. I eat butter, salty bacon from Meadow Haven Farms, and squash (butternut, delicata, whatever we get from Granor Farms... including the little bits of potato). To minimize the risk of us eating out (our real goal is to eat at home as much as possible), we do incorporate a bit of basmati rice into maybe a meal or two a week (hey, it's good with curry!). One thing that we can probably do better is to watch our portions... it got a little out of hand over the summer.
Anyways, happy as always to have challengers on board the paleo wagon, old and new. Hope you find this blog helpful.

Weight: 122.5#
Deadhangs (over-grip): 3 (YAY!)
HSPU (2 ab mat... might be closer to 2.5 since I had 1 ab mat and a pillow): 11 (okay, I feel like it had to be closer to 2.5).
I did attempt a 1 ab mat HSPU and I got a big fat zero.

Quick note on the HSPU... I've been avoiding these due to wrist pain. Given that I've been off CF for 5 weeks due to ankle, I was able to crank out 11 of these before I started feeling something in the left wrist.

7/26-31

After CFT on Monday, it took a few days before I recovered from being constantly hungry and needing lots of sleep...

Tuesday's Metcon on Thursday
Metcon with 63# and purple band: 9:12

63# may have been a little light but I was a little worried about the load on my left wrist... Turns out I had the right weight for the wrist but could probably go heavier when that’s better. Unbroken ring dips until last round. Unbroken box jumps except for a few trip ups.

Post: 10 deadhangs with a red band.
Cut it b/c my shoulders weren’t having it. Wrist wasn’t having kipping pullups either.

Was supposed to go paddleboarding on Sunday but we ended up glued to the CF Games! Managed to catch all of Elisabeth's performances and I was giddy with excitement watching her take first in WOD 6!!

The third heat saw Elisabeth Akinwale take an early lead, which she increased by doing the traverse unbroken in the first and second rounds. As in the previous heat, there was a big divide between the competitors. Many were slowed by the monkey bars, but they caused no trouble for Akinwale, a former gymnast. The crowd roared and jumped to their feet as Akinwale took the last round unbroken to finish in a screamingly fast 6:56, the fastest time overall for the women in this event. Angie Pye, in the same heat, had the second-fastest time in the event, 7:38.

She is such an inspiration and a super hero! I am so proud of her!

5/9-5/11

Monday: variation on an old WOD
5 rounds of 400m run / 25 squats: 14:18
1:56/2:09/2:06/2:18/1:56
:39/:43/:51/:47/:49
Wanted more running so halved the squats per round and upped the number of rounds. Not sure what happened to that fourth run there...

Tuesday, another beautiful afternoon! Went for a 30 min bike ride at a leisurely pace. Went about 4 miles.

Wednesday's was one I really wanted to do so I went to the gym despite my sore calves from Monday's run.
Pre-wod, I got in 2 consecutive deadhangs (over grip)! :)

Press 3×3 at 55# (I didn’t want to go too heavy in case I lost form… I tend to tweak something when I do that).

Metcon at 65#: 10:12
DLs unbroken. First 10 push ups on toes, remaining on knees. PCs were singles in round 2, elbows tend to cave in when tired. Burpees unbroken.
PS form was not so good… failed the first two snatches but good cues from Kurt to get back on track (thanks!). HSPUs to 2 ab mats… rough but I’m happy with that since it’s been a while since I’ve done 2 ab mats in a WOD. Cues from Kurt to split the floor as opposed to pushing off it was helpful, especially at the end.
Most of my time was spent at the PS and HSPUs. Body held up for most of that but left wrist felt a little tender.

Post-wod – 3 single deadhangs (under grip). Didn’t have any over grip DHs post metcon.

Diligent stretching with my trust lacrosse ball! Taking Jonny's advice and embracing the pain!

Toast

Man, I'm sore. First two in a row again and I really felt that fatigue. I don't think my triceps have fully recovered from last week's push up WOD yet but they're finally not too painful to roll out with a lacrosse ball. Damn. Today, my traps are super sore from those super fast HPCs on Monday! Good thing I have my trusty lacrosse ball here at work with me!

Monday's WOD
BS 5RM: 120#
Metcon: 4:56 (40# HPC, 6# WB)

Apparently, the last time I have a recorded BS 5RM was from 8/24/09 at 105#. I'm not exactly sure how comparable it is. 120# was rough on the 5th rep but thanks to Val and Megan, I got through it. That Metcon sprint was fun but even at a 6# WB, I still hate that movement. The cool thing is that I felt like my cardio and muscle strength was around the same... they both fell apart around 3:30.

Tuesday's WOD
Deadhangs: 0/5/5/4/3 (0 was my attempt without a band. remaining with red)
HSPUs on box: 5/5/5/4/4

I have a DH but I really have to be fresh to be able to do one. I was nowhere near fresh though...

Metcon: 11:59 (Jerks at 55#, 1 pood KBS)
Post: 2x500m: 2:22/2:19

I walked into this WOD with super sore traps so the goal was not to put the bar down on the jerks so I wouldn't have to clean the damn thing again. Success! I really fought hard to not put the bar down in the last two rounds. Thanks to Kurt coaching my breathing, I was able to make it through but man, I couldn't help but take those hyperventilating breaths to match the speed of KBSes. Burpees were consistently slow but unbroken. Broken once on the KBSes at each of the last two rounds.

Traps feel destroyed this morning. If it wasn't for that, I'd totally come in to do WOD 11.2 with everyone else but given that and also with my triceps still recovering, I guess I should wait one more day.

Milestone

Home pull-up bar: $20

2 deadhang chin ups (singles)
Can now do proper knees-to-elbows (max out at 4).

Doing a few whenever I wait for the laundry has paid off! Too funny.

Crossfit West Loop!

JJ and I decided to check out Crossfit West Loop today. The space is HUGE and this place will be amazing when it gets well-stocked. I'm sure the piano people upstairs are going to love us.

Today's WOD at CFWL

Back Squat: skipped due to hip
2x max deadhangs: Still don't have one yet but the negatives I worked on felt stronger than before. Try out alt grip next time.
1x max kipping pullups: 4. Felt weak today on these. I have been working on these quite a bit since I can't seem to do much else with the hip. Might think about resting a bit before attempting again.

Alt Metcon: JT (aka upper body killer)
21-15-9 of HSPUs / ring dips / push ups
11:00

HSPUs: pretty much unbroken through first round with 2 ab mats. I probably should have paced this in hindsight but I think I was too excited about doing this with 2 ab mats. When the 2nd round came around, I tried SO hard to stick with the 2 ab mats but my upper body was just so jacked from the ring dips and push ups that every time I went down to the 2 ab mats, my shoulders just refused to push me back up. I tried this 3 times before calling out to Kerry (thanks!) and asking for an additional ab mat. I just couldn't do any more using 2.

Ring dips: used flat clear band. Started with 10. Then sets of 5s. Second and third rounds were sets of 3s and 2s.

Push ups: When I got here the first round, I wanted so bad to do regular push ups but when I got chest to ground, I just couldn't get up. Tried twice before I finally gave in and did them on my knees. Even then they were like sets of 5 in the first round and sets of 2s and 3s in the remaining rounds.

This was probably one of the toughest WODs I have ever done. For all the ring dips / push up reps that I didn't get to lock out, I re-did them. Muscle fatigue was just ridiculous here but happy that I finally got this under my belt. I might be with JohnG on hating this WOD.

After the WOD, I rested a bit and wanted to get some cardio in. Goal at first was do double-unders until I could do 50 in a row. That goal quickly dropped to 20. I want to say I spent about 5 to 6 minutes doing double-unders and never made it to 20. The most I got was 17 before my arms were completely dead.

Breakfast @ 9:30am: 1 fried egg, shrimp with no-salt organic seasoning, sauteed spinach and peppers, crushed almonds, 1 americano

Light lunch #1 @ noonish: homemade chili (with chicken and beef) with pureed rutabaga (yum!)

Post-WOD @ 3:30pm: 1 clementine

Light lunch #2 @ 4:30pm: Chipotle salad (lettuce, chicken, fajita veggies, mild salsa, green salsa, guac)

Dinner @ 8:30pm: Half a slice of garlic bread with spicy marinara and 2 slices of pizza (one bleubird and one margherita) from Santullo's in Wicker Park. 1 Brooklyn Brewery Lager. A few sips of JJ's lo-cal Sprecher root beer.

Snack @ 12am: a few pieces of apple with sunbutter

Was supposed to go to The Bristol but they couldn't accommodate our large party of 9. Turned away from Mindy's Hot Chocolate too. Sad. I am one of the lucky ones and don't normally crave pizza... but if I were to cheat, I'd cheat with Santullo's pizza for sure!