Reporting In

It's been awhile since I posted because I've been extremely busy.  I'm going to try and update the past few days.

USAW Lv 1 Sports Performance Coach Certification
This cert. was by far the BEST coaching course I have ever taken.  Right away, Glenn told us that he was going to skim through the book so we could go straight to hands-on coaching.  We spent the first day reviewing and going over progressions for the snatch.  Since this is arguably the hardest lift to master/coach we ended up running over and having to finish on Saturday.  We also went over Jerk and Clean progressions (separately) and power assistance exercises.  Overall, the weekend was awesome.  I met some great people and had a lot of fun learning how to be a better coach.


Monday after the cert. I really wanted to work on some Olympic Lifting.  I abandoned my CrossFit stuff for the day and instead focused on the Snatch.  I used the progressions as my warm-up and then attempted to max out.  The session went like this:

Snatch Progressions (OH Squat, Snatch Balance, High Hang Snatch, Above/Below Knee Snatch)

Snatch
75x3
95x1/1
115x1/1
135x1/1/1
145x1
155xF
155xF
160xF
165xF
165x1 (7.5lb PR)

Back Squat
225x3x3



Today I decided to work on the Clean&Jerk.  I went through similar progressions as I used for the Snatch.

C&J
75 - singles
95 - singles
115 - singles
135x1
155x1
155x1
185x1
215xF
215xF
215xF
215x1 (10lb PR)

There's something to be said for persistence!  I knew the biggest thing holding me back on this lift was my brain.  Once I finally talked myself into proper set-up and execution it went up nicely...notice I didn't say easily.

CFNE WOD

12-9-6-3
Front Squat, 135lb
Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups
Handstand Push-Ups
7m 51s

By far the hardest thing about this WOD was the HSPU.  I need to get better at bodyweight gymnastics stuff (pistols, HSPU) if I stand any chance at sectionals....ugh

10 min Ladder
1 Power Clean, 155lb
1 Muscle-Up
2 PC
2 MU
etc.




6 Rounds + 3 PC

Legs are spent from the past 4 days.  I don't think I'm going to do a double today....

10 Minutes to Save the World...

10 minutes...600 seconds...it doesn't seem that long.  More on that later.

My legs were pretty stiff today.  Not one of those I-can't-walk-down-the-stairs feelings, but the now-that-I'm-trying-to-squat-I-can-tell-my-legs-hurt feeling.  I foam rolled my glutes and stretched out for a bit before I started my workout.  I normally try to work up to a heavy front squat single, but today decided to stop short due to my legs and lower back still feeling awkward from Sunday (super cushy couch = bad for backs).

Front Squat
up to 185x1

Power Snatch
75x3
95x3
105x2
115x2
135x2x3

Power C&J
135x2
165x2x3



10 min. MAX Muscle-Ups
40 total reps (30 @ 6:43 - 2min PR)

My. Shoulders. Are. Fried.  My strategy going into the 10 minutes was to try and hit 5 muscle-ups every min/on the min.  That would have successfully landed me 50 reps in the allotted time.  10 minutes didn't seem that long at the start and it actually went well initially. I think I managed to maintain that for the first 4 minutes (20 reps), but then missed number 5 on minute 5.  After that it was a struggle to string more than 2-3 together at a time.  My plan fell apart and I ended up just doing as many as I could, when I could muster the strength.  In any event, I hit a 30 muscle-up PR so I'm happy.

Power Up

Lots of workout updates for today, as I worked out twice.

Workout 1 - 3pm

Front Squats
warm-up sets up to 155
190x3x5

Snatch
singles w/ 115, 125


Workout 2 - 5pm

Overhead Squats
95x5
115x5
135x5
145x5
155x3


9-7-5
Deadlifts, 315
Muscle-Ups
6min 58sec


Messing around:

Ring Handstand Push-ups - 2 sets of 3 reps

Muscle Up, Up, and Away

I've been feeling strong lately.  Like super freakin' fantastic awesome strong.  I thank paleo for that and I will NOT be going back to my old eating habit anytime soon.  I will introduce a cheat meal+dessert on Saturdays, however, but only after thoroughly running myself into the ground first.

Paul came to the 11:30 class today (dog troubles, I'm told) and did the WOD.  He was his normal charming self...I only cried once.

Today's strength was sort of a "recovery day"...

Front Squat (heavy single)
135x1
165x1
185x1
205x1
215x1
230x1

Power Snatch
95x3
115x2
115x2
135x2
135x2

Power C&J
135x2
155x2
155x2

I was planning on doing a Muscle-Up WOD today and then saw that Spencer Hendel (CF Charlotte/games competitor) had posted one on his facebook status with MU's in it....so I did that one instead.

3 Rounds: 
30 Double Unders
7 Muscle Ups*
35 Push Presses (45# dumbbells) 
..........
*For every MU you get without coming off the rings, subtract 5 PP.  
So, for example, on the first round, you get all 7 MU straight, you don't have to do any PP. Round two, you get 4 and come off, you have to finish the MU, then do 15 PP.


Time:  7:48

I had no choice but to use 40lb dumbbells, which made this WOD slightly more bearable.  Remember how I mentioned I felt strong?  I was able to split the Muscle-Ups into 5 and 2 every round, which means I only had to do 10 push press.  That's the most I've ever been able to do in succession...in the middle of a WOD.  *Self-pat on the back*

Also, Paul Potorti is a very kind old lady.  He gave me a paleo-kit and a chocolate milk after the workout.

Arm Bender...aka Triple WOD

So today starts out with the interesting fact that I forgot to bring a workout t-shirt.  My first bright idea was to check LFF for some Silver Sneaker or gym shirts...no luck.  That's fine, there's a Dollar Tree right next store.  Note to readers, Dollar Tree does not sell t-shirts. I decided to just head to CF Durham and work out in my hoodie when I realized I could just buy a shirt from CF.  I ended up buying an XL which is way too long, but did the necessary job.

On to the exercise!

WOD #1 - "Strength"

Power Snatch
75x3
95x2/2/2

Power C&J
95x3
125x2/2/2

Work up to heavy Front Squat
135x1
165x1
185x1
205x1
225x1


WOD #2 - 30 Muscle-Ups for Time
8min 40sec (40sec PR)

Rest 5min.

WOD #3 - Helen
3 Rounds:
400m run
21 KB Swings, 24kg (52.8lb)
12 Pull-Ups
8min 15sec (3sec PR)

My lats are destroyed.  Now I know how my clients feel when they tell me they can't reach their arms above their heads.  Needles to say, I will not be working out again tonight.

Double Day

Holy Front Squats Fatman!  Working up to a heavy front squat every day is going to be tougher than I thought.  My goal is to shoot for 225 each time, but after struggling today I'm not sure how realistic that is for next time.

Morning Session:

Clean&Jerk
95x1
115x1
125x1
135x1
165x1/1/1/1/1

Front Squat
135x1
185x1
205x1
225x1

AMRAP 8min
5 P. Clean, 165lb
10 Ring Dips
5 Rounds + 1 PC

Evening Session:

50-40-30-20-10 Double Unders
10 Burpees
5min 51sec


Weighted Chin-Ups
+20kg x3
+24kg x3
+26kg x3
+32kg x3/3/3

My legs hurt...*whine*.  My eggs cooked in bacon grease seem to have helped a little.  Now it's time for an apple smothered in almond butter and some DVR.

Thus ends the boring blog of the day.

Squats, squats, squats...and CrossFit Clayton

Since I maxed out yesterday and squats, press, and deadlift I was a little hesitant to try and max out again today.  My initial plan was to do front squats, snatch, and clean&jerks....but after taking a little longer to get to LFF than I planned I decided I would just do front squats.  I had no idea how it would go...


Front Squats
135x5
155x2
155x2
185x1
225xFAIL
225x1
240x1 (PR)

Ended up going better than expected.  Legs/lower back were def. feeling my efforts from yesterday, but I managed to pull out a PR.  Immediately following, I headed to CrossFit Clayton for a WOD and to visit my friends Matt and Austin.


CrossFit Clayton WOD:
3 Rounds:
21 Power Snatch, 95lb
50 Squats

10min 44sec

This sucked after all the heavy squatting yesterday and today.  I managed to do all P.Snatches in a row on first set...and then aimed to break them up into 7's on the 2nd and 3rd rounds.  The air squats came in 2's, 3's, 5's....they sucked....but I toughed it out.  All in all it was a great time and I'll def. be back to do some WODS with Matt and Austin.

locking out