Sectional Prep WODs 1-30-10

7:00 AM WOD - Crossfit West Houston

AMRAP in 12 minutes:

5/5 1-arm kettlebell thruster (35 lbs.)

10 chest to bar pull-ups

15 double unders

Rounds: 4 + thrusters + 3 pull-ups

I was initially scared to death by the chest to bar pull-ups, but they really weren't all that bad! So that is nice to know that I can do them, and I will make them my standard from here on out. Thrusters with the kettlebells were a little awkward, and again that dang left side was much weaker, but I was able to breeze through these. Double unders were ok - I was able to knock out 5 or 6 at a time before I got tripped up. I am continuing to work on these so I am confident they won't be a problem in the near future. Turns out Friday's WOD was a pretty good warm up - thrusters and double unders. I placed 3rd out of the 7 girls that worked out, so that was awesome. It was not a competition, just a group WOD of Houston athletes competing in the Austin Sectionals in March. But, it is nice to see how you stack up against some of the best Crossfitters in Houston!

1:00 PM WOD - Bayou City Crossfit

400 meter run

3 rounds of:

7 cleans (105 lbs.)

14 box jumps (20 inch)

7 burpees

400 meter run

Time: 12:52

I did not fare so well on this one. I do really well on the fast body-weight stuff, but when it comes to heavy weights (and 105 lbs. is heavy to me!) I really slow down. Those cleans were really tough - my previous 1RM PR was 103 lbs.! I finished 6 out of 7 on this. I was initially really dissapointed, but thinking about it now, I am pretty proud of myself. It was heavier than I have ever done, and the time was pretty decent. I would say I was within 1 to 2 minutes of everyone, so that is not too bad. Taking off today (Sunday) as I feel like I have been hit by a truck! Back is super sore from the chest to bar pull-ups, and traps are really sore from the cleans - I was shrugging the heck out of those.

Finishing the first 400 meter run.

105 lb. cleans!

Burpees. Please note that that is air (hopefully) in my shorts. I do not believe it is my ass filling them out.

A few thanks -

Thank you to Coach Laura for pushing me every day. I would not be anywhere close to where I am now if it wasn't for your programming, constant encouragment and setting the bar for where I need to be. Thank you for waking up at an unGodly hour yesterday to go with me to Crossfit West Houston and then Bayou City Crossfit in the afternoon. Thanks to Donna and Ginger for making the Bayou City trip, as well as the great photos! Thanks to Dr. Taylor for helping me get stronger on my Olympic lifts - technique is the only thing that got me through those cleans yesterday. Everyone at Crossfit Bay Area - thank you for your support and encouragement and I love working out with yall. And a final thanks to Rob at Crossfit West Houston and Vic at Bayou City Crossfit for hosting the Sectional Prep WODs. It is really nice to take advantage of the great Crossfit community here in Houston. Gracious - it sounds like I am warming up for a Grammy acceptance speech or something! I know I haven't even won anything, but I am really happy with my progress and I just wanted to make sure everyone knows that there is no way I could have done this on my own.

WOD 1-29-10

AM "Walk Through WOD" - light weights, more of a stretch out WOD to get me ready for Saturday.

AMRAP in 12 minutes:

15 double unders

15 thrusters (45 lbs.)

15 kettlebell swings (25 lbs.)

Forgot to write the rounds down...I think it was over 4 though. Shoulders/pecs were super tight from Linda so the KB swings and thrusters definitely helped loosen things up.

PM Olympic Lifting WOD - stayed pretty light here also, focused on technique

Snatches: 6 x 2

15k - 15k - 25k - 25k - 30k - 30k

Clean and Jerks: 6 x 2

30k - 30k - 35k - 35k - 35k - 35k

In retrospect I should not have done the afternoon workout. I just did not have any energy and I hated feeling like I couldn't give it my all. Last Friday I felt fantastic, but I was just drained this Friday.

WOD 1-28-10

"Linda" (scaled, 1/2 of RX)

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Deadlift (0.75 bodyweight = 110 lbs.)
Bench Press (0.50 bodweight = 75 lbs.)
Clean (0.40 bodyweight = 60 lbs.)

Time: 23:07

Thought this one would be much easier! Cleans just wiped me out. Was good though - a nice strength WOD.

For time:

21 Pull Ups
21 Sit Ups
800 m Run
18 Pull Ups
18 Sit Ups
600 m Run
15 Pull Ups
15 Sit Ups
400 m Run
12 Pull Ups
12 Sit Ups
200 m Run
6 Pull Ups
6 Sit Ups
20 Walking Lunges
3 Pull Ups
3 Sit Ups
10 Walking Lunges

Time: 21:33

Pretty good one! Time was a little slow because I had to be careful on the pull-ups. My hands are still healing from a couple of weeks ago and I didn't want to risk a rip.

WOD 1-25-10

"Fight Gone Bad"

Max reps in 1 minute at each station:

Wall Ball (14 lbs.)
Sumo-Deadlift High Pulls (55 lbs.)
Box Jumps
Push-Press (55 lbs.)
Row

3 rounds

360 total reps. Felt pretty good! Need to get the reps up a little bit but this was 100 reps more than the last time I did FGB in July!

WOD 1-23-10

Back Squat: 5 x 5
25k - 45k - 45k - 50k - 55k

Then...

4 rounds for time of:

200 meter sandbag run (50 lbs.)
20 weighted overhead lunges (10k)
5 handstand push-ups
10 ring rows

Time: 13:30


55k (121 lbs.) back squats - please ignore the face. I remember when 121 was my one rep max - now 5 reps at 121 aren't even that tough!



Trying to keep up with Donna on the sandbag run!

WOD 1-22-10

Olympic Lifting WOD, Friday evening

Overhead squats with 3 second hold at bottom: 5 x 3
15k - 25k - 35k - 35k - 35k

Coach Thea had us really focus on "sinking it" at the bottom and hanging out down there for 3 seconds to build confidence for catching it low on the snatch. When she said sink it, she meant ass to floor. These were definitely tough, but being able to do 35k for 3 sets really built my confidence for the snatch.

Snatches (with focus on catching low, rather than a power snatch into overhead squat): 8 x 2
15k - 15k - 20k - 25k - 27.5k - 35k - 35k - 35k

35k seems to be my sticking point for now - and up until today I have always been timid and caught it in a "power" stance. I was able to do a full snatch at 35k with catching it low, so that was awesome. Gotta clean up the technique a little bit and I'll be able to add some weight on there soon.

Front squats: 5 x 5
35k - 45k - 45k - 50k - 55k

WOD 1-21-10

Skill work

Then...

2 rounds of:

50 knees to elbows
40 kettlebell swings (30 lbs.)
30 dumbbell push press (20 lb. dbs)
20 lateral burpess
10 bodyweight deadlifts (145 lbs.)

Time: 27:53

This was a horrible workout for me - I don't know why but I felt so dizzy during the whole thing. None of the movements were especially tough, I guess I was just having an off day. Would like to do this again and take at least 5 or 6 minutes off!

WOD 1-19-10

15 minutes to find 1RM snatch:

Was able to power snatch 35k, believe I can do 40k. Will concentrate on this Friday.

Then...

"The Chief"

5 rounds
Max rounds in 3 minutes of:
3 power cleans (subbed 120 lb. front squats)
6 push-ups
9 squats

1 - 2
2 - 2
3 - 1
4 - 1
5 - 2

A pretty poor showing, but those front squats really got me. Had it been a power clean I would have had much higher rounds. But, leg strength is what I really need so I am glad I subbed in the squats.

WOD 1-18-10

Max Effort Shoulder Press

3 - 3 - 3 - 1 - 1 - 1

20k - 25k - 30k - 35k - 37k (PR) - 40k (fail)

Failed the 40k, but the 37k was a 4k PR from when we last did this on 12/17.

Then...

3 rounds for time of:

10 tire flips
Tire drag (approx. 50 yards)
15/15 sledgehammer
400 meter run

Time: 18:44

Run WOD 1-17-10

Run 10 miles.

Ran 2 beforehand in 16:25.

Ran 10 with the group and I was able to finish right at 1:40. It was a beautiful day, even a little hot.

WOD 1-14-10

Back Squat 5 x 3

35k - 35k - 45k - 45k - 50k (did not max out)

Then..

"Chelsea"
Every minute for 30 minutes:

5 pull-ups
10 push-ups
15 squats

I made it 26 rounds. Muscles/cardio felt fine but the pull-ups just ripped my hands to shreds. It was pretty bloody so I did not do the last two rounds. I have had a lot of success with my tape grips, but I guess they just could not withstand that volume. Even though I was shy 4 rounds, I was still super sore in the lats the next day.

WOD 1-13-10

3 rounds of max handstand push-ups

1 - 7
2 - 7
3 - 4

Then...

5 rounds for time of:
15 knees to elbows
15 sumo-deadlift high pulls (65 lbs.)
10 burpee box-jumps (19 inch)

Time: 18:50

WOD 1-11-10

Front Squat: 5x5
77 lbs. - 82 lbs. - 87 lbs. - 97 lbs. - 107 lbs.

Wasn't feeling so hot and legs were very tight from Sunday's run, so I did not go very heavy on these.

Then WOD of...

4 rounds for time:

10 L/R Turkish get-ups (20 lbs.)
15 kettlebell swings (40 lbs.)
15 ball slams (12 lbs.)
200 meter run

Time: 25:34

Those TGU were nasty! They seemed to take forever. 20 lbs. was pretty heavy for me in rounds 3 and 4, shoulders were giving me more trouble than the core.

Run WOD 1-10-10

2 miles alone, 9 with the group.

2 miles: approx. 16:30

9 miles: 1:30

It was SO cold - right at 35 degrees and very windy. I only average a 10 minute mile, so that is much slower than last weekend. But it was very cold and I didn't feel well, so I will chalk it up to that. Hopefully can get right back in the groove of 9 minute miles next weekend.

WOD 1-9-10

"Filty Fifty"

50 box jumps (19 inch)

50 jumping pull-ups

50 kettlebell swings (30 lbs.)

50 walking lunges

50 knees to elbows

50 push-presses (45 lbs.)

50 back extensions

50 wall balls (14 lbs.)

50 burpees

50 double unders

Time: 32:04

Last time I did Filthy Fifty, it was in 30:28 on 7/15 in the extreme heat. This time it was in extreme cold! I much prefer the heat. It was probably about 30 degrees in the gym. My time went up a couple of minutes, but I also went up in weight on a couple of movements and did double unders rather than subbing in single unders.

Weight increases:

Kettlebell - 25 lbs. to 30 lbs. (was able to knockout 50 straight, 30 seemed so light)

Push press - 35 lbs. to 45 lbs.

Wall ball - 12 lbs. to 14 lbs.

Double unders rather than single unders

So, hopefully next time (in a moderate temperature) I can get my time back into the 30s, or even sub 30.

During the push-press. Not sure how my shorts got so high in the back!

WODs 1-8-10

AM Met-Con

AMRAP in 20 minutes of:

10 burpee pull-ups
20 overhead walking lunges (10k)
10/10 muscle snatches (25 lb.)
500 meter row

3 rounds


PM Olympic Lifting

Snatch pulls from the hang: 5 x 5
25k - 35k - 40k - 40k - 50k - 50k

Deadlift to the knees: 5 x 5
50k - 60k - 60k -70k - 70k

Behind the neck wide-grip press (3) into overhead squat (3): 6 x 3+3
15k - 15k - 20k - 20k - 22k

WOD 1-7-10

Deadlift
1 - 1 - 1 - 1 - 1 -1

80k - 85k - 95k: maxed out 95k, which is well below my PR, just feeling weak! Have felt on the verge of a cold the past few days and I guess that's what it was.

Then..

"Fran"

21-15-9
Thrusters (65 lbs.)
Pull-Ups

Time: 7:35

I was not expecting that time at all! It is a PR by 5:40! The last time I did Fran was 10/15 and my time was 13:15. I thought surely my time would be bad after doing so poorly on the deadlift.

But, I am very happy that I did well! And I say "well" relatively - I know I need to be around 5:00 to hang with the elite Crossfitters. But at least I am moving in that direction!

Mid-kip!

CFE WOD 1-5-10

1 mile time trial, rest 3 minutes.

Then 3 x 400 meter repeats holding mile tt pace, 30 seconds rest between.

1 mile: 8:36

400 1 : 1:52
400 2: 1:53
400 3: 1:51

Well my sprints were definitely faster than my TT pace. I would like to think on a good day that would be my 400 split time for a mile, but it was just so cold today. It was below freezing and my body is just not used to that. After the 3 minute rest I could barely feel my legs - was such a strange feeling! So I just ran as fast as I could for the intervals because I wanted to get back in the car. Is it weird that I am praying for 100 degree temps? I perform so much better when it is hot. Anyways, CFE WOD felt good other than the cold, and I am really getting back on track with these - interval WODs Tuesdays and Thursdays and the long tempo runs on Sunday.

WOD 1-5-10

Hang Snatch
6 x 3

15k-20k-25k-25k-30k-30k

Then..

4 rounds for time of:

Bear crawls 60 feet
15 pull-ups
15 slam balls (12 lbs.)
5 handstand push-ups

Time: 15:22

HSPUs again!! Continually getting better at these, used a more efficient kick up today. Even though I dread it whenever I first see them on the board, I am happy they are in the workout. Need to get these down! HSPUs = good shoulder and core strength, and both of those are essential in almost every Crossfit movement.

WOD 1-4-10

Bench Press
5-5-5-3-3-3

65lbs.-75-80-93-98-99 (99 lbs. for 1 rep, failed 2 and 3)

Then..

"Melissa's Birthday WOD"
23-13-10

Weighted sit-ups (10k)
Bench step-up kicks
Floor wipers (67 lbs.)
DB alt. press (20 lb. dbs)

Time: 8:00

Run WOD 1-3-10

2 miles by myself: 16:05

8 miles with group: 1:14:00

This run felt great! I averaged a 9 minute pace and that is exactly where I need to be. Was pretty cold but I really enjoyed the course we ran and was very motivated. Feeling good with the runs! Also I got a new Adidas running jacket and it was great! Warm enough but did not get overheated.

WOD 1-2-10

50 Russian Twists (12 lb.)

Then...

5 rounds for time of:

5 hand stand push-ups
15 slam ball (12 lbs.)
15 kettlebell swings (40 lbs.)
200 meter run

Time: 16:17

HSPUs continue to be my Achilles heel, but I am continually improving. Will be a major focus over the next few months.

WOD 1-1-10

Push Press
3-3-3-1-1-1

25k-35k-40k-45k-49.6k-53.6 fail

49.6k was a PR (up from 48k on 10/19)

Then...

"Squat a Metric Ton and Run"

4 rounds for time:
30 squats @ 75 lbs. (I used 77)
Run 400 meters

Time: 21:36

The number of reps you do is based on the weight you choose to squat, so I went with the higher reps and lighter weight. I will probably go a little heavier next time.

Pictures from Christmas

I had a great time with my family this Christmas - below are some pictures from Christmas morning.

Chad and Meredith

Hugging my little man Podamus (yes he is wearing a red sweater).

Michelle (pre-Snuggie) with Emma

Brit and Emma

Working on my Kung-Fu moves on Brittany's new trampoline.

Chad getting some air!