Amy's Road to Balance

Bacon Sizzle...

2010-04-09T19:25:00.000-07:00

This is my legs on Tabata squats. Yowza! Rudy asked if I still loved him after that and honestly, I'm really not sure. Ha! What a night!

So after a rest day, yesterday, I had an average amount of soreness but it definitely stirred the injury a bit. The intercostal tear was a bit more tender and I could feel a bit of soreness in the serratus..a little on the side and a bit in the back. Nothing major but definitely a sign to ease a bit on rep intensity for upper body.

Today's warm up:
20 jacks - did with just one arm since it didn't feel so great Wednesday
16 Side Lunges
20 situps
3 rds of 15 sec hold superman with hands to side and turned up
3rds:
7 KB Swings (only to mid-point vs. overhead) - 15#
7 air squats
7 push ups

All felt fine. Super excited that the KB Swings felt so good!

Then 3 sets of 50 back/hip extensions with at least 2 min rest between sets. Intense for sure. Tried to stay really deliberate with movement to make sure I was fully engaging the hip muscles and rounding each vertebrae. No pain with those, so on to a wod...

TABATA SQUATS (Definition: A simple workout designed to inflict pain and/or punishment)
8 rds of 20 sec. top to bottom/10 sec hold at bottom
So that's what muscle failure feels like! Not fun AT ALL. But, a great workout none the less. I was swimming in the weak sauce after about round 3 and by the end, my legs would only hold me in a squat hold for about 6 seconds. Crazy! Can't wait to try that one again. Apparently, the traditional way to do it is to take your lowest amount of reps out of all the rounds and that's your score. Rudy obviously went a bit easy by letting me avoid that rule tonight but I'm sure he'll stick it to me soon enough.

Great day at the box!

And don't worry Kimberlyn(aka the absolute BEST massage therapist in the world)..I spent a ton of time stretching and rolling out the hip flexors after and now I'm off to soak these muscles so I can walk tomorrow!

Push ups...check, wall balls...check

2010-04-07T18:37:00.000-07:00

Back in the LP tonight and had a pretty successful day! Made it through the warm up with minor discomfort:

30 jacks
10 Burpees
15 WB Slams with 6#WB
16 Lunges
40 side to side w/ 6# WB
10 pvc pass thrus
10 pvc good mornings

Felt a sharp twinge at the tear-site from the jacks. Was totally unsure about the burpees, so I went a tad slower than I would normally and they went okay, so I picked it up a bit towards the end. All else felt just fine.

Bryce took us through Pose running technique and I LOVED it. Legs feel so much more fluid and speed seemed to come so effortlessly this way. Can't wait to use it on my jogs to and from work this summer.

Since there was no pain with the WB work, Rudy had me join in on todays WOD:

21-15-9
Hang Power Snatch ( I subbed straight push-ups; unbroken in first set/5-5-5 in second, 3-3-3 in third)
10# wall ball ( had to break it up a bit and can't remember progressions but would have fought for unbroken in the old days using a 10# ball!!! Geeze!)

Time: 6:03

Had no issue catching the ball and going right back into squat. Seems that as long as I have my arms close when engaging the core and lats, I am fine. When I have arms overhead and away from the body, as in an overhead squat or the up motion of a jack, I feel the pain.

Pretty sure the roughest part is holding back but I really thank Rudy for walking me through this at a pace that will keep me on the mend and getting stronger. It means a ton, Coach! And Kerry, you are the very best friend ever!!! Thanks for supporting me everyday and reminding me to put my recovery first...you're the dreamiest! ; )

So far though, tonight felt great. I am going to hit the tub for a salt soak so that I don't get as sore as last week!

April 1 - Workout 1...Yay!!!

2010-04-01T18:27:00.001-07:00

It's been one whole month since my last post and I finally have something to say... I am BACK! I am so thankful to have taken a full month of recovery for so many important reasons. Mostly, my body needed the down time and unfortunately it took a tear to make the point. However, I gave it plenty of rest and TLC and the freedom to be a slacker for a while and now I feel ready to step back into the box. Now my biggest problem is not getting to far ahead of myself! I have to say that when I look at this photo, it makes me desperate to get back to 100% so that I can continue with my o-lifting and get on my goal of hitting the 3 bars of death @ my body weight. But for now, I'll start with a 400m run. Any action is way better than no action!

Rudy wants me to list the warm-up in addition to my wod so we can track anything that might cause an issue. So, here it goes...

Last night's warm up consisted of a 400m run, 10 inchworm push-ups, 4 runs of lateral drills, 20 hollow rocks with a pvc, 10 pass thru's with pvc, 2 runs of leg-lift/toe-touch. Hope I didn't leave anything out.

Then an AMRAP in 5 minutes of double-unders...got 62. Practice much? Obviously, not lately!

After all that, no pain and feeling good so Rudy gave me some options for a workout. I chose:

2 rds for time:
50 air squats
400m run

Time: Who cares and don't want to know! It felt amazing just to be moving like that again. Plus, I literally felt like I was dragging 500lbs behind me so I'm positive it was a fairly embarrassing number.

I kept trying to get Rudy to test me on some lifting movements, but no dice. The man's got a plan and I am sticking to it. Ultimately, I want to continue with my training, injury-free and if that means baby steps for a while then so be it. As it stands today, I have no pain, super minimal soreness to the tear-sight and my quads are cryin' from the squats...all is well!

Back for round 2 tomorrow night so I can't wait to see what Rudy has in store...

One last thing...I really want to speak to the 1 month off choice. A good 3 and a half weeks had everything to do with actual muscle pain and tenderness, however, there was a large part of me that sort of fell apart mentally and physically from the stress of preparing for sectionals. I guess you could say that I had a bit of burnout. My body was completely out of wack and I can't say I still feel quite normal just yet, but I am trying to figure it out. Mentally, I had lost perspective and CrossFit had become a job. I was spending 45% at work, 45% on training and 5% on me...not a good balance, which was my goal from the beginning. Obviously, I was having a challenge understanding what a balanced training regimen looks like for me. Regardless, I realized that CrossFit is something I love in my life and I was not ready to go back until it felt like a choice versus an obligation. Yes, it is hard to motivate yourself sometimes and sometimes you most definitely don't feel like going all balls-out in a workout, but you should always have a sense that you are doing it for you. I needed time to myself to regroup, see friends I hadn't seen in the 2 months of training, room to sleep in a bit, watch movies with my ass firmly planted on my couch for hours at a time and to eat a non-paleo treat every once in a while. My life is always about discipline and now it is time to allow the fun too. I am lucky to have found a workout community and family that stands for both in my life, but ultimately it's up to me to keeping finding the balance.

With that said, I am psyched to be back among all the amazing CrossFit Chicago peeps and super grateful for all the encouragement they have given along the way. And Rudy, you are the best and I totally trust your methods...but don't expect me to stop asking you when I can lift, anytime soon. It will be just like a kid asking, "Are we there yet?" It's true...I'm probably going to drive you crazy but at least I'm determined!

Forced Vacation

2010-03-01T13:51:00.001-08:00

The verdict is in. Went to see the folks at Mandie's work today (thanks, Mandie..you were right, Dr K. rocks!) and was diagnosed with a strained serratus and intercostal muscle with possible tear to the intercostal. I suppose it serves me right for continuing to lift heavy weight when the pain wasn't getting any better. It all finally came down on my head when I was out with the girls Saturday night and let out a big sneeze. I actually felt and heard a big pop in my chest. I had to go to the bathroom so that I could kneel down on the floor to catch my breath! Wild. I pretty much spent the whole next day on the couch, not moving or talking very much. Had some acupuncture for the inflammation and then counted the hours until my doctor's appointment.

All I can say is...a shot of ibuprofen does wonders for the pain! I just wish it made being out of the gym for 2 weeks a little easier to swallow. I keep thinking over this idea that when you don't listen to the signs life is sending you, it keeps screaming louder and louder until you listen. I am listening now! The frustration has slowly gotten higher and higher because working out at 80% is not half as fun, or comfortable, as when your body is at 100%. Now, I can't even imagine lifting my purse with my left side much less doing an #85 thruster! So...I will rest and make good use of the time so that I can come back a healthy, happy me. Who knows what kind of trouble I can get into in two whole weeks!!! ; ) I already had the delicious meat nachos from Smoke Daddy's in order to cheer myself up...AND IT WORKED! Speaking of trouble, the pic above is a very fond memory of my best pal, Shellie, and me on a cruise...definitely up to NO good in a club, as only Texas girls can do it! It makes me laugh just looking at it so I put it in todays post.

Honestly, I am bummed to not be able to shoot for the Affiliate Team and tackle those amazing qualifying wod's, but it is just not in the cards and the best I can do is take the best care possible so that I can get back as SOON as possible.

"Life is like a blanket too short. You pull it up and your toes rebel, you yank it down and shivers meander about your shoulder; but cheerful folks manage to draw their knees up and pass a very comfortable night." - Marion Howard

Woa is me : (

2010-02-26T20:01:00.000-08:00

Yup. The rib is screaming my name, so I am off to see a doctor as soon as I find one. After the chipper on Wednesday, felt stiff but nothing out of the norm after I have aggravated the area. Then, I sneezed at work on Thursday and all hell broke loose! It hasn't gotten better since and it's painful to breathe. I did the Thruster/double-under workout today and those movements felt fine but I am getting kinda stressed about this now. I don't know how to proceed in training without having a clear idea of what's going on. If anyone out there has a good recommendation for who I should see, let me know.

OKAY! That's it for my whiny-pants session. Down to the fun stuff.

Tonight's wod:

Back Squats 3-3-3+ 1RM + #10 @ 63/72/81%
#88/103/114 x 14!!!

I can't wait to see what my new one rep max will be for the CrossFit Total. Back squats really get to me, for some reason, so I am really pushing to improve.

Then, 15 minute AMRAP:
30 Double-unders
10 Thrusters #45

Total: 5 rounds, 6 du's ...wha, wha, wha....ahhhh, du's. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways...but DEFINITELY not in 1's and 2's! Totally my fault for putting them on the back-burner for a few weeks. I haven't really even picked up my jump rope since before sectionals so I need to get back to practicing them again. At one point, I could at least string 7, but tonight was a sad, sad show.

On a lighter note, thrusters felt great! I picked up some time by remaining unbroken, with the exception of loosing my balance in one squat and falling back on my rump roast. Man, I'm a rockstar! ; ) Seriously, ya'll, it was a comedy act...but at least I kept going!

Diet...

6:30am - 1 L water

8:00am - Breakfast
2 eggs, 1oz turkey breast w/ sauteed chard, brussel sprouts, mushroom in coconut oil
8 oz coconut water with supergreens
1 spoonful raw almond butter

12:00pm - Larabar
1 L water

3:30pm - Lunch
4 oz grass fed steak w/ steamed broccoli
handful of nuts

5:15pm - Pre wod
2 oz turkey breast w/sauteed chard, brussel sprouts, mushroom in coconut oil

16 oz coconut water consumed during and after wod

8:00pm - post wod
2oz turkey

9:00 - Dinner
yellow tail sashimi
spinach with pine nuts, dried cranberries, olive oil
1 L water

E - my Hero!

2010-02-24T19:38:00.000-08:00

Erin C, all I have to say is you must be one tough beeatch to have a a chipper wod like that posted in your honor! Cheers to you, my friend, you totally deserve it. You have inspired and supported so many of us and I can't wait to to cheer #16 on at regionals!! To those who are wondering, the photo was me, Erin C and Megan, post award ceremony at sectionals where Kurt brought a pony keg and a bottle of champagne for us to bust open. Did I have a glass of both, you ask??? Yes, please! Not too paleo, but TOTALLY worth it!

Today's work out was at the West Loop location so had to do a bit of subbing for lack of rowers and lack of a rib at 100%. It was so hard to not do pull ups, though!! Went all Rx on weights at #35 kb and #53 on all lifts.

E-Diesel Chipper

For time:
30 Kettle Bell Swings Rx at 1 pood (#35)
30 Push Press Rx at #53
30 Box Jumps - 20"
30 Overhead Squats
30 Pullups - Subbed 30 strict push ups
30 Sumo-deadlift high pulls
30 Cal on rower (subbed 30 shuttle runs)
30 Front squats

Time: 15:47

Really focused my rests so I stayed efficient and had no wasted energy on failed attempts. KBS's were unbroken. Broke once on Push Press. All others stayed in large chunks of 5's or 10's. The runs flowed but seemed to go on forever!

Pre-Chipper, we worked on Snatch technique with light weight. Did a few drills Rodger gave me with pvc then with #33 bar. Did a few full snatch at #33 and 45.

Post-Chipper, I did the Press work from yesterday's wod...

Press 3-3-3+
#5+1RM @ 63/72/81%

#55/62/68 x 5

All I have to say is that DID NOT FEEL FUN after that workout!

THEN...the last day of Jonny's Oly Lift class from 7:30 t0 8:30. So sad to have it come to an end but I got a ton out of it and felt honored to be amongst the first class to graduate. Thanks for all your effort and patience, Jonny. It was fun, informative and you're simply awesome. We worked some great warm up drills for snatch and cleans then had open time to practice at whatever weight. Did some cleans at #75 and then some snatches at #53. Good times. Here's a link Jonny sent of me doing Jerks a couple of weeks ago at #75...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dsQMqCbbAQ

Diet...

7:30am (getting up later and later these days!!) - 1 L water

8:45am - Breakfast
2 eggs, 1oz turkey w/ sauteed chard, brussel sprouts, mushrooms in coconut oil
1 spoon raw almond butter
8 oz coconut water with minerals and supergreens

1 L water

12:45pm - Lunch
3 oz turkey w/steamed broccoli and a bit of sauteed veggies left over from breakfast
handful and half of nuts

1 L water

4:00pm - Pre wod
1 pemmican bar
steamed broccoli
6 nuts

16oz coconut water consumed during and after workout

8:30 - Post wod/dinner
1 larabar
2 oz turkey breast

1 L water

Decompression Leads to Success!

2010-02-22T18:58:00.000-08:00

I have been laying a bit low this week and it's doing me good. I was pleased with the my performance in last week's workouts but really needed to allow myself some space to get back into a balanced routine that doesn't wear me out mentally and physically. Burning an intense candle at both ends with a buzzing work schedule and intense workout regimen has been amazing but impossible to continue for a year going forward. My intention after sectionals is to keep in training mode in how and why I am approaching each workout...almost approaching it like I am competing at regionals, in order to keep the momentum up for next year's sectionals. However, I will also find a way to have a bit of time to see non-CrossFit family and friends too. I mean, I love you guys but jeez!! ; ) So, this week, I allowed myself to have a non-work/non-workout day on Sunday, spent sleeping, cleaning the old apartment and seeing a show with some great friends of mine (Insert sigh of decompression here).

Then, today, after feeling a bit more like good old Amy, I headed out to Buffalo Grove to work with Roger on today's workout...

Olympic Total (sum of both lifts is total score)
1RM Snatch
1RM Clean and Jerk

Roger was excited to help me find my 1RM's but his first question was "How fresh are you? What workout did you do yesterday?" When I told him I had two days rest, he was jazzed! So, we got to it...

He started me with typical warm up and drills on snatch at #33 then #53 and then started working me up in weight. The progression went...35-36-37kilos (#77-79-81.5 and change). All PR's!

For C&J...#99-104-110PR-112PR

So, ended with two great PR's
Snatch - #81
Clean and Jerk - #112

Total=#193

Surprisingly enough, though he gave me that funny over-the-glasses, you-CrossFitters-are-crazy-look, he was willing and ready to time me on the Metcon of 30 reps for time @80% 1RM Snatch, but the session ran out. I will definitely be making this one up this week but for now, I am celebrating a great PR night at Gattone's.

As far as the body goes, I am feeling pretty good with the exception of my intercostal muscle (the rib pain). I played around last week with some pullups and knees-to-elbows and they knocked the wind right out of me as if someone had just punched me in the side. That must be where the inflammation came from in the first place. Though I feel it after workouts and some lifting, it's definitely not bad...until I do pu's, handstand push ups, etc... So, again, I am taking a bit of time from those things to get this healed. I am seeing an acupuncturist and massage therapist to keep inflammation low and good circulation going to the surrounding muscle and tissue. I feel confident that it's already getting better but I am not used to accommodating injury so I'm trying to do this right the first time. Finger's crossed it's a fast mend!

Diet...
7:30am - 1 L water

9:30am - Breakfast
2 eggs, 1oz turkey w/chard, mushrooms, broccoli, brussel sprouts in coconut oil
2 spoonfuls raw almond butter
8oz coconut water w/minerals and supergreens
1 L water

1:30pm - Lunch
3oz lean ground pork w/sauteed chard, brussel sprouts, mushrooms in coconut oil
1L water

2:30pm - Snack
handful nuts

4:00pm - Pre wod
Larabar (coconut cream pie) These are actually fairly pure in ingredient these days...dates, unsweetened coconut, almonds, cashews, extra virgin coconut oil...not too shabby!
1L water

16oz coconut water consumed during and after workout

7:30pm - post wod
pemmican bar

1 L water
9:00pm - dinner
2oz turkey w/sauteed chard and brussel sprouts in coconut oil

Jumpin' In

2010-02-19T21:05:00.001-08:00

Today's workout felt so great. Not sure where it's coming from but I'm running with it! We started with some strength training on back squats...one of my least fave and weakest lifts.

Back Squats 5-5-5+
1RM+ #10 @ 58.5/67.5/76.5%

#83/95/107 x 10! Yea! I think I'm ready for the second round of crossfit total to see if I can hit a new 1 rep max.

The metcon...

500m row
10-8-6-4-2 reps of #55 thrusters/power snatch
500m row
Time 10:20

Really limited any rest in between sets and pushed through unbroken. The rows were more efficient than I typically achieve. I think I stayed between 2:05 and 2:07.

Like I said before, I'm not sure where the fire is coming from but I'm milking it for every ounce! Sectionals was such an amazing perspective to gain and it has really expanded my confidence. I feel it when I walk into the box everyday since being home. I love seeing improvement in myself and the mental game is 75% of it for me. I can't really explain it but it feels like I've let go of a lot of the old thinking that would hold me back or make me doubt my abilities. Instead, I have replaced it with new approaches to try, just to see if it will improve performance, or understanding my abilities better to know how to push the limits a bit more. I am so excited and can't wait to see where I'll be in a month.

Diet...

7:15am 1 L water

8:40am - Breakfast
2 eggs, 1 oz baked salmon w/sauteed chard, mushrooms, broccoli in coconut oil
1 spoon almond butter
8oz coconut water with supergreens and minerals

1:30pm - lunch
4oz ground bison w/steamed broccoli
handful nuts
1 L water

5:45pm - Pre wod
2oz no salt turkey
sauteed chard, broccoli, mushrooms in coconut oil
half handful nuts

8:00pm - post wod
16oz coconut water (consumed during and after wod)
2 oz no salt turkey

10:30pm - Dinner
3oz baked salmon, steamed broccoli
2 spoonfuls raw almond butter

1/2 L water

Good Fun

2010-02-17T20:24:00.001-08:00

With as much blood sweat and tears that accompanies this outrageous workout regimen I have become ridiculously addicted to, at the bottom of it all, it must be F-U-N. This photo was going into WOD #2 of sectionals. I was so amped to be there and excited to push my boundaries with Clean and Jerks that I couldn't help but laugh and smile...plus, my judge was awesome and super fun to talk to!

Tonight, however, was yet another example of the type of fun that comes along with being a die-hard member of CrossFit Chicago. We had open house at our brand new box!!! It was amazing! Rudy has kept it under such tight wraps so I couldn't wait to see it and get a workout in. There's so much space and I dig the second level where you can look down onto the main floor while people are pushing through a metcon to encourage them along or just flat out heckle them...which ever is appropriate. ; ) We had so much space to work in and Bryce took us through some great warm ups then we went right into a partnered metcon...

5 laps
50 squats
5 laps
40 situps
5 laps
30 push ups
5 laps
20 burpees
while one partner runs, the other completes a skill and then they switch off
Time 7:23

Partnered with Eric W, and of course laughed my a** off because there is never any warning about what might fly out of his mouth!

After that, I figured I would head home...but no! It was simply too fun being in the new space, checking out the new pullup bars, chatting with everyone who was just as excited about our new home as I was...fantastic time with great people.

Another great part of the open house was setting my CrossFit goal. I chose to do Linda(aka 3 bars of death), at prescribed weight, by October 2010. This means, I will do...

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps
Deadlift @body weight x 1.5
Bench Press @body weight
Cleans @body weight x .75
No time cap...just to finish/survive

So, I guess this means I will be losing as much weight as humanly possible before October! Just kidding!

Diet...

7:00am 1 L water

8:35am - Breakfast
2eggs, 1oz no salt turkey w/ sauteed chard, mushrooms, broccoli in coconut oil
8oz of coconut water with minerals and supergreen
1 spoonful raw almond butter

1 L water
12:30pm - Lunch
4oz baked salmon w/ steamed broccoli
about handful and half of nuts

4:15pm - Pre-wod
2oz no salt turkey w/sauteed brussle sprouts in coconut oil
1 L water

16oz coconut water during and after wod

8:45pm - Post wod/dinner
4oz turkey w/ sauteed chard, broccoli in coconut oil
1 L water

My kind of victory!

2010-02-15T07:34:00.000-08:00

I survived sectionals! It was everything I thought it would be and more. So cool to watch everyone give it their all and achieve some pretty impressive goals. For me, I feel amazing because I wanted to go Rx and I DID IT!!!!

Saturday
WOD 1 - Air Force WOD (20 minute time cap) - a continuous clock will beep at the beginning of each minute, the athlete has to stop and complete 4 burpees each minute until all 5 barbell skills are finished.
Men # 95/Women #65
20 Thrusters
20 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls
20 Push Jerks
20 Overhead Squats
20 Front Squats

Time: DNF'd...but I made it through OHS which I thought could possibly kill me!

WOD 2 - Clean and Jerks - AMRAP (as many reps as possible) in 5 minutes
Men #155/Women#105

Total Reps for me: 7

#105 is my 1RM for Clean and Jerks, so to get 7 felt pretty good! Small amount compared to most of the badass female competitors, but for me, TOTAL VICTORY!

Last but not least...Sunday's WOD
For total reps/calories
5 Minute Row
4 minutes of 20" box jumps
3 Minutes hang squat snatch @ #45
2 minutes #13 wall balls
1 minutes handstand pushups
Total: 159

Wall balls were hell at that point...I don't even know how many I actually got but it wasn't great. The row felt good. Hit 70 box jumps and could have gotten more had I focused my breathing/rest a bit more. My snatches felt GREAT! That was the best part! Went Rx again and kept great depth in one smooth motion. I attempted HSPU's 3 times and got within an inch or so twice. The third went to the floor but pushing back up was a different story all together!

All in all, I look at the scores and though I did not finish the first wod, there were female competitors that placed within the top 30, who had similar scores to me on the other various wods. I held my own amongst some pretty elite athletes after only 7 months of CrossFit training and that feels pretty fantastic. I found some great motivation and focus as to where to go from here regarding my training and I feel more than ever that I am capable of anything with enough hard work.

Oh but there's more...

Coming back from sectionals, there was one more WOD left to tackle...KUMA'S CORNER for Amy's Birthday wod!

Yesterday, I turned 34 and have spent the last 2 months on strict diet and training. First day back in Chicago, I along with 12 other crazy CrossFitters, hit Kuma's for some 10oz burgers dripping with all kinds of delicacies and followed it up with Sweet Mandie B's Cupcakes. I want to vomit in my mouth a bit when I think of how I felt last night after all of that! Regardless, it TOTALLY hit the spot and I am back in training mode.

Tonight's workout was excellent! Went in late and pushed through the strength portions from yesterday and today.

Press 5-5-5+ 1RM=#80+#5 @58.5/67.5/76.5%
50/57/65 x 11

Deadlift (yea!) 5-5-5+ 1RM=#225+#10 @58.5/67.5/76.5%
136/159/180 x 10

Then I did an AMRAP (12 minutes)
3 Hang Squat Cleans (65% of 1RM Clean) #65
6 Burpees
9 Kettlebell Swings @ heavy weight (#44)
Total: 8 rounds

All KBS's unbroken until last round thanks to Kerry being all up in my face about it ; )...you know that's how I like it Fighter Sister! All cleans and burpees unbroken. It felt great to be back in the box and working hard. I feel a drive or maybe it's a confidence, that is stronger now after going through sectionals. That is my kind of victory!

Diet...back on the chain gang...

7:00am - 1 L water

8:45am - Breakfast
2 eggs, 1 oz no salt turkey breast w/ sauteed chard, broccoli, mushrooms in coconut oil
2 spoonfulls raw almond butter
5oz coconut water with minerals and supergreens

1 L water

1:30pm - Lunch
4oz salmon w/ steamed broccoli
2 handfuls of nuts

7:00pm - Pre wod
2oz no salt turkey w/ sauteed chard, broccoli, mushrooms in coconut oil
6 nuts

9:00 - Post wod
2 oz no salt turkey
1 L water

10:00pm - Dinner
2oz sardines w/ sauteed brussle sprouts and mushrooms in coconut oil
1 L water

Just like Phillip

2010-02-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

I feel like Mike Myers in that SNL skit where he was the kid with the harness who lost it when he ate chocolate.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/18878/saturday-night-live-phillip

I am having to restrain myself from pushing this week. I have invested my energies wisely by focusing on lifting sessions without going too high, icing my tender rib after workouts and throughout the day, warming it up in prep for workouts, etc... When I contemplate why this is happening now, I realize it is a gift, forcing me to be mindful and considerate to my body in this week leading up to sectionals.

So, I decided to do some work on Handstand Pushups for a bit. Warmed up with 2 abmats and dropped down to one. Kinda dumb because I wore out quickly. Realized that I was looking at the abmat instead of gazing straight ahead which gets my head closer to the mat. Genius! They are still a challenge getting all the way down but I chipped away at singles to work on it. REGARDLESS, I am chomping at the bit to do the Air Force WOD! I kept watching all the rest of the group doing it and kept strolling over to a #65 bar to do an OHS every so often...you know, just to see. I can't wait to see what I can do and to experience the thrill, exasperation, mental challenge a wod like this will create. BUT, I will reserve that for Saturday, knowing that right now, 3 days before the actual WOD, it is the time to have faith in my body, my mind and my intuition.

So I did Tuesday's metcon:
5 rds:
10 burpees
10 wb (#12)
Time: 7:02
Lame time. I kept redoing wall balls because no one was there to judge the reps and I wanted to make sure they were clearing the line. Billy S mentioned later that I was really launching them up there which made me feel better but it's hard to tell...and fact is, #12 should be a given at this point. I did notice that position helped a lot for me...oh, I don't really want to spend too much thought on it. MOVING ON! : )

At the end of the night, I know I have worked hard, and learned so much from all the amazing coaches, a-coaches and fellow athletes around me that this moment, these challenges we face this weekend, they are already ours. We have already won. I love you guys and am super proud to be a member of CFC. I will be in your face pushing you along your journey and I am honored to have you guys there pushing me.

Diet...
7:20am 1 L water

8:30am - Breakfast
2 spoonfuls raw almonds butter
2eggs and 1 oz turkey breast w/ sauteed chard, mushrooms, zucchini in ghee
5 walnuts
SOOOO hungry this a.m.
8oz coconut water(not sure why but the body really needed it for hydration)

2:00pm - Lunch
4oz bison burger w/sauteed chard, broccoli, zucchini in ghee
2 handfuls of nuts

5:00 - pre wod
2oz turkey breast w/sauteed brussel sprouts, zucchini and mushrooms in ghee
4 oz coconut milk with supergreens and minerals

1 L water

8:45 post wod and oly class
4 oz bison burger

10:00 - Dinner
salmon and broccoli
10 pecans

1 L water

This Girl Loves the Jerks

2010-02-08T12:55:00.000-08:00

Had a bit of a challenging workout this Sunday. In the West Loop box, I tackled Saturday's workout.

Bench Press 5-3-1+
1RM+#5 @67.5/76.5/85.5%

70/80/90 x 5

Did much better at a balanced bench press. Normally my left over-powers the right arm and I managed to stay pretty even in this cycle. Then I went into the metcon...

The Alaskan Qualifier:
4 rds:
3 CTB Pullups (did 6 kipping pull ups)
3 Ring Dips
500m Row
6 Thrusters(Rx is #95, I went #75)
Time: DNF...24:16 (time cap of 20)

Felt pretty fatigued and apprehensive but decided to stay smart and go at #75 to protect the rib. I remained unbanded for the dips and pullups. Still had to chip away at both. Having trouble getting low enough on the ring dips, however, so several failed to live up to "legit" standards. Though the thrusters went very smoothly, I know that chipping away at pu's and ring dips took a lot of time. My rows were anywhere from 2:05 to 2:15 which is slower than I would like but only about 8.5 minutes of the total. Frustrated for sure. Didn't feel 100%.

What was really cool about the day, was pushing on my fellow athletes. I paid attention to their shifts in focus and breath, when they transitioned from a place of power to a place of pain or mental defeat. I stood right next to them to remind them of their abilities and to visualize themselves much stronger. I was not going to let them fall apart, give up or forget how strong they are. It was amazing to watch these ladies fight through and it inspires. It teaches me and reminds me of the dialog that needs to be there in your mind. The picture you see before that lift and the mindset that makes or breaks you. So thanks for that, Erin, Kerry and Mo. It was inspiring to be there through your individual battles and to see you push your way through. Great job!

After the workout, I had an acupuncture visit and then a fellow massage therapist worked on me for almost 3 hours!! It helped a lot and she discovered that the rib thing is most likely an intercostal muscle slightly pulled from the rib. Nothing bad, just a bit inflamed because I haven't had much down time. Regardless, I see her again Thursday morning for some more treatment and then will just continue to keep it warm for workouts and ice it after.

For Monday... I decided to rest this morning and then focus my energy on my Oly Lift session with Mike and Roger tonight. Super fun! We did more snatch work and Roger says my form is getting really smooth. I have some drills to take home and do for about 5 minutes each day that will keep me in touch with waiting/feeling for the power position before I explode into the dip and drive. We kept weight fairly lower tonight, thankfully. Then we worked into jerks! Focused on split jerk form and then got to step up the weight. Topped out at #100 tonight but that felt really smooth. I can't wait to try for my max. Seriously lovin' the jerks!

Now, I'm off to ice the rib. Have a great night, all.

Diet...

7:00am 1 L water

9:30am - Breakfast
3oz lean ground pork w/ sauteed brussels sprouts, mushrooms and zucchini in coconut oil
1 L water

11:00am Handful nuts

2:00pm - Lunch
3oz ground pork w/steamed broccoli
handful nuts

4:00pm - Pre wod
4oz coconut milk with minerals
1 L water

7:00 - Post wod
1.5oz turkey breast

7:45 - Dinner
6oz top sirloin steak w/ steamed broccoli, small salad
1 L water

Kerry and I have decided to try every steak place in Buffalo Grove after our Oly sessions...tonight was Jimmy's Chophouse. Not bad!

Thanks, Buddy Lee

2010-02-05T21:43:00.000-08:00

Great Friday WOD...

Back Squats today 5-3-1+ reps
1RM +#10 @ 67.5/ 76.5/85.5%

95/107/120 x 5

Depth and form good. Gotta get my hip flexors loosened up though. It feels like that might be holding me back a bit because it's super uncomfortable going into those squats. Oddly enough, it doesn't seem to bug me as much on front squats, OH, thrusters or oly lifts. Not sure what that's all about...

The back/rib situation is still feeling pretty tender. It was even super sensitive to do jumping jacks in the warm up. I'm getting some body work done Sunday evening so that should do the trick, but until then, I want to be smart. So on tonight's wod, I subbed Power Snatch for Power Cleans at #55. That is a pretty light weight for me so Bryce doubled my reps each round.

Metcon:
20 Power Cleans
50 Double unders
16 PC
40 Du's
12 PC
30 Du's
8 PC
20 Du's
4 PC
10 Du's

Time: DNF on 1st rep of last set of Du's...poop.

All power cleans unbroken and felt solid. No pain with that lift so it was a good sub for sure. Glad for the double reps, otherwise it would have been to easy. Regardless...double unders are still too slow...even with a super snazzy Buddy Lee jump rope! Couldn't seem to string together more than 4 or 5 and that was in between a ton of 1's and 2's.

Then, on to Whole Foods to restock some veggies...no kale. I wonder how long it takes for your skin to come back to a normal color after Beta-Carotene overload? Anyway, got ingredients to make this paleo treat for the CFC Ladies Potluck tomorrow night. So simple, super good fats, will definitely NOT be coming back to my house with it because I apparently have zero resistance and cannot stop dishing out a huge spoonful...though I do have to taste test my own work, right?!

Diet...

7:00 am 1 L water

8:15am - Breakfast
3 eggs w/sauteed chard and broccoli
6 nuts
1 L water

12:30pm - Lunch
half handful of nuts
4oz bison w/sauteed chard and broccoli
1 L water

5:30pm - Pre wod
4oz coconut milk with supergreens and minerals
16 oz coconut water (consumed during and after wod)

8:30 or 9 - Post wod
pollock fish w/ squash, peppers, eggplant

11:00pm - huge spoonful of almond butter concoction for tomorrow
1 L water

Stickin' to my Ribs

2010-02-04T18:52:00.000-08:00

So, a little catch up is necessary tonight...

Wednesday's workout felt great. Did 15 minutes of work on double unders and kipping pullups. Du's are coming along nicely and can string 5 to 6 together more consistently. Managed to string 3 kipping pu's together at a time. Still feel a hesitation before the third one happens but it's a comin'! Then...

Freddy's Revenge!
5 rounds:
5 shoulder to overhead (did Jerks) @ #95
10 Burpees
Time: 8:24

All day I was curious to try #105 and maybe should have. I did #95 and finished in 8:24. First set unbroken, broke once in 2nd and 3rd rounds, 4th and 5th broke twice. No cleans necessary, thank god! Form felt pretty good and I didn't have to repeat any reps. Burpees all unbroken and at good pace. Feeling stronger everyday and my mental game is coming along the more I relax and let my excitement take the lead. I just don't want to be anxious anymore. Jumping in and trying is far more fun than freaking out about the unknown.

Jonny's O-Lift class Part 2 was great this week. We focused on more snatch form but then got into cleans, one of my fave's! Jonny took some slow-mo shots with JJ's camera. Did four snatch reps, one of which I totally fell on my a**! The next two had arc on the lift so went forward in the squat. They aren't the best examples of my snatches at this point but fun to be able to see where I went wrong and which one's are stronger. Jonny talks a lot about keeping your vision forward and visualizing a successful lift. I dig that. Eyes on the prize, right Jonny?! Anyway, here' the video working with a #33 bar...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMdPXQUtgKQ

In retrospect, one good reason that I held back on #105 for Freddy's was that I had developed a bit of pain after my Oly Lifting session with Mike and Roger on Monday night. It came from my intercostalis erector muscle in my back. It made it kind of hard to breathe and was pretty sore Monday night and Tuesday. Thankfully, I had a rest day on Tuesday and kept the muscle warm. It felt better on Wednesday but after the wod I was pretty sore again. Went into Jonny's Oly Lift Class and was really feeling it.

Had plans to go to the 6am class this morning but after waking up all night with discomfort, I decided to give it some more rest. A couple of therapist at work agree that the muscle is so tight that its pulling on a rib. Yowza! I can actually feel the rib because it's tender in the front of my ribcage. Regardless, I'm getting a couple of bodywork sessions this week to work it out and it should be golden. Just need to baby it a bit again tonight and keep it warm.

Never the less...progress feels good and I am more and more excited for next weekend!

Diet...
7:00am - 1 L water

8:30am - Breakfast
3oz sardines w/sauteed broccoli, chard in coconut oil
8oz glass of water w/minerals

12:00pm - few nuts

2:00pm - Lunch
3.5oz ground bison w/sauteed broccoli, chard in coconut oil
1 spoonful coconut oil
1 L water

5:00pm - handful nuts

8:00pm -Dinner
4oz turkey breast w/ sauteed chard in coconut oil
2 handfuls of nuts
1 L water

Total nut overload today. By the way, I've been eating so much kale that I am turning a bit yellow in skin tone because of all the beta carotene! Kinda funny. I'm really going to have to branch out a bit....don't want to turn into an Oompa Loompa.

Sore, Sore, Sore

2010-02-02T18:54:00.000-08:00

Man, I am soooo sore after that Oly Lifting session, ya'll! Glad to have some recovery time and a bit extra sleep tonight.

Diet...

7:00am 1 L water

8:40am - Breakfast
4oz ground pork w/sauteed zucchini, chard and broccoli in coconut oil

12:00pm - few nuts

2:00pm - Lunch
4oz shredded beef w/sauteed zucchini, chard and broccoli in coconut oil
1 spoonful coconut cream
1L water

6:00pm - few nuts

8:30pm - dinner
4oz salmon w/sauteed chard, zucchini, brussel sprouts in coconut oil
sprinkle of sprouted pumpkin and sunflower seeds
1 L water

Good Energy

2010-02-01T10:31:00.000-08:00

Attended the 9am class this morning. Always love Ivy and the crew!

Press 5-3-1+ 1RM+#5 @ 67.5/76.5/85.5%

55/65/73 x 5

Presses feel stronger and stronger every time. Ivy did notice that I am not locking out my right arm as quickly as my left so there is a bit of a tendency for the left to overpower. I felt that on Friday nights OHS too. Need to figure that one out.

The metcon was number 3 in the Hell's Half Acre Regional:
21-15-9 reps of
24" box jump
#35 Kettle Bell Swings
#65 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls
Time 8:02

Determined to go Rx on this Wod and it felt surprisingly good! I really think I regained a lot of strength this week by allowing some good rest. I normally have issue with box jumps at 20" and to go at 24" definitely made me nervous, but I did just fine! The SDHP's felt good at #65. I can finally say #65 ain't heavy, Rudy!!!! KBS were completely unbroken at #35, as they should be. I finally feel some strength improvement showing and all it took was a bit of rest to allow some good energy back into the game.

Did the optional post wod:
3x max ring dips (90 sec rest in between)
2/2/2

One rep improvement from last week. Not great but getting better.

Kerry and I headed back out to Buffalo Grove this afternoon for some Snatch and Clean work tonight with Mike and Roger. So fantastic! Kept working a lot on Snatch form with the bar and then added weight. Got to about 31 kilos (#68) for me tonight. My transitions are getting smoother and slowly getting to the power position a bit more rapidly...Mike says we just need to find the off switch to my brain! So true! I am still processing so much info but it is gradually becoming more automatic. Great progress from last week, however. Cleans felt really great. Worked up to about 41 kilos (#90) and spent some decent time there. Need to keep finding my power spot before I explode. I get super close and make it work but I want to get there consistently. Ahhh, money well spent...and then we stuffed ourselves with steak after. Perfect.

Diet...
7:00am 1 L water

8:15am - Breakfast/pre wod
2 eggs w/sauteed chard, broccoli in coconut oil
4oz coconut milk with minerals

10:30am - Post wod
1/2 pemmican bar
16 oz coconut water (consumed during and after wod)

1:30pm - lunch
4oz shredded beef w/ sauteed brussel sprouts ad chard in coconut oil
pumpkin and sunflower seeds
1 L water

4:00pm - Pre workout
1/2 pemmican bar
16 oz coconut water (consumed during and after workout)

7:30pm - Post wod/dinner
salad with apples, cranberries, pecans, celery drizzled with olive oil and balsamic
7oz filet mignon w/steamed broccoli
mint herbal tea

1 L water

Gettin' Diiiirty

2010-01-31T12:38:00.001-08:00

Felt luuuuuvly to get an extra hour of sleep and step into the WL box for the Dirty South WOD. Super fun group this morning with Billy Q, Megan T, Karen C, Erin C and Anthony D....and of course, Jonny V (phat hair and all!).

Jonny had some great warmup activities that really got the blood pumping but also worked some agility into the mix with lateral sprints and wall ball tosses. Super fun...even though Erin and I lost and had to do 20 burpees. Sorry Erin!

Worked the Jerks...

3-3-3+ @ 1RM + #5 @ 63/72/81% (1RM=100)

66/76/85 X 13

Would be interested to get a current 1RM to see if I have increased. Jerks are feeling pretty good these days, especially now that I am learning to receive the bar better...ouch! Banged the chin pretty good in the first set so that reminded me about head position pretty quick-like!

Metcon: WOD #3 from 2009 Dirty South Regionals

8 min AMRAP
5 Clean and Jerks (Rx is #95, I did #92 because I didn't have single lb weights)
10 CTB Pullups (aimed for chest but at least unbanded pu's)

Total: 2 round and 9 pu's....uuugh...1 stupid pu away from a 3rd round??!!

None the less, #92 felt good! I wanted to at least give Rx a try and an AMRAP is a good way to do it. So glad I did. Definitely felt stronger today than I have in the past few days. In reflection, I think I will try Tuesday as my rest day because it will follow an A.M. wod on Monday and a 2 hour Oly session with Mike and Roger on Monday night. Then I will slide back in to the wod's for Wednesday, Thursday morning, Friday and Sunday.

Another thing I tried today is acupuncture. I mentioned in yesterday's blog that I had been noticing changes like skin breakouts, water retention in my legs, etc...most likely as a result of increased training, adrenal fatigue and whatever else. I truly believe that balance is the key to health and many factors affect this. The treatment was SUPER relaxing and she gave me a couple of herbs to toss into the mix to build my blood(yang) and balance out the wind and heat in the kidneys that is leading to my breakouts. Chinese medicine has proven an interesting and effective tool for me in the past so I will keep you guys posted on the results...never hurts to keep the mind open!

Diet...
7am - 1 L water

9am - Breakfast/ Pre wod
2 eggs w/sauteed chard, broccoli, zucchini, sprouted pumpkin and sunflower seeds in coconut oil
4oz coconut milk w/supergreens and minerals

11:30am - post wod
1/2 pemmican bar
16oz coconut water (consumed during and after wod)

4:00pm - Lunch
4oz shredded beef w/sauteed brussel sprouts, chard, bit of pumpkin and sunflower seeds in coconut oil
1 spoon coconut cream
1 L water

8:00pm - Dinner
2.5oz lean ground pork
steamed zucchini
handful of nuts
1 L water

Feeling Stumped

2010-01-30T18:56:00.001-08:00

Sorry to post this a day late but here it goes...

Went into the box Friday night to workout after a nice rest day. Didn't have a 1 rep max for front squats so worked towards it.

Front Squat
75-95-115(f) ...still want to work on this as I had to go in the first heat for the metcon and didn't get to finish. I feel I could have at least hit 100 if given a chance to back down a bit from 115. I could definitely go higher than #95.

"Jeremy"
3 rounds, 21-15-9 reps of:
Overhead Squats at #55
Burpees

Time: 7:27

50% of my 1RM would have been #47 so I went a bit heavier. Tried #65 to see how it felt and it would have been ridiculous, so I went with #55. My form got pretty ugly towards the end. Right arm had to really fight to lock out and I tended to look like I was doing the "I'm a little teapot" dance...you know, "tip me over and pour me out". Alex held me to legit depth(thanks Alex!!!) so I had to repeat a few. The burpees were unbroken. I broke in the second and third rounds of OHS and can't remember if I broke in the first. It's a haze at this point. Getting that bar back up after a break was NOT fun at all!

Glad I went heavier. I know it's the only way I will get stronger, but I feel a bit frustrated. I can't tell if I'm getting stronger or standing still. My body definitely felt tired for a few days and I keep trying to go heavier...it just doesn't seem to be going anywhere quickly. Patience is DEFINITELY not easy for me when sectionals are 2 weeks away. I have to fight the mental battle of feeling like an idiot for doing this. Then I remember that it's the experience I am gaining. You never know until you try. I may look like an idiot, but in the end, who gives a crap?! I'll give it my all, learn from it, and keep moving forward.

Diet for Friday was as follows...

7am - 1 L water
8:00am - Breakfast
2 eggs and 1oz turkey breast w/ sauteed chard, zucchini and peppers
handful nuts

12:45pm - Lunch
1 baked pork chop w/ sauteed chard, zucchini and peppers
1 spoonful coconut cream
few nuts
1 L water

5:15pm - pre wod
2oz turkey breast w/sauteed kale, chard, zucchini
4.5oz coconut milk with supergreens and minerals
water

7:45pm - Post wod
1/2 pemmican bar
water

9:00pm - Dinner (first semi-cheat in weeks. Went to Vermillion with Kerry, Danielle and Alex..super yummy and we tried to stay paleo)
1 coconut milk, saffron and coconut cream cocktail
tiny legume and scallop truffle
2 Mussels in coconut milk broth
a scallop
skirt steak for main meal
nibbles of dark chocolate molten yummy goodness, pumpkin bread pudding and Mexican hot chocolate

Saturday menu was back on the Paleo train

6:00am 1 L water

7:15am - Breakfast
2 eggs with 1oz turkey breast w/sauteed chard, zucchini, squash, kale in coconut oil
handful of nuts

2:00pm - lunch
1 baked pork chop w/sauteed chard, zucchini, squash, kale in coconut oil
1 spoonful coconut cream
few nuts
1 L water

6:30pm - few nuts

8:00pm - Dinner
4oz turkey breast w/ sauteed chard, zucchini, broccoli in coconut oil with sprouted raw pumpkin and sunflower seeds
1 L water

Trying to do less mushrooms and peppers. I have been breaking out pretty badly on my face since I started ramping up my workouts and wondering if nightshades might be contributing to the inflammatory response. We'll see what happens...

Allure Magazine!

2010-01-28T18:27:00.000-08:00

Happy rest day to all! Had a great workday full of some excellent clients. It also felt so great to get some good sleep and allow for some recovery.

A big announcement for me, however, is that I made it into Allure Magazine for the February issue! Their directory for the best facialists across the country...I'm on page 94. Just wanted to toot my own horn a bit...TOOT, TOOOOOT!

Diet...

7:00am - 1L water

8:40am - Breakfast
2 eggs, 1oz turkey breast w/ sauteed chard, mushrooms, zucchini in coconut oil
6 walnuts

1:30pm - Lunch
4oz baked salmon w/sauteed chard, mushroom, zucchini in coconut oil
1 spoonful coconut cream

8:00pm - Dinner
4 oz turkey breast w/sauteedd chard, broccoli, zucchini in coconut oil
handful of walnuts and pecans
1L water

Man! I need to spice some things up. I'm dying to try Zack's paleo lasagna recipe...

Oly Lift Maniac

2010-01-27T19:43:00.000-08:00

Today was a nice deviation from the typical routine. I went into the West Loop box and, after yesterday's smack in the tired old face, did a nice little skills workout and then went into Jonny's first O-Lift class.

Skills:
3x max HSPU's (hand stand push ups)
6/5/5

Still working with one ab mat. These are tough and the arms felt a bit more fatigued than usual. Typically I can get about 10 in the first round.

3x max Ring Dips (unbanded)
1/1/1 yahoo! sad, just sad

200 double-unders
These are feeling better. Randy made a great point about the elbows staying tighter to the body. When I really focused on that, I could string 6 together pretty easily.

Then...(insert horn music here)
Jonny's first Olympic Weightlifting Class!!!! I felt very privileged to be a part of the this prestigious group. Anj, Carlo, Chuck, JJ and I will now become the best lifters at the box...or we will absolutely drive Jonny insane. Who knows, but it will be super fun to see which comes first. Anyhoo! Jonny did a great job. We spent a ton of time on proper stance, the dynamics of the explosive jump, and the grip. It really helped solidify a lot of the stuff I worked on with Mike and Rodger, Monday night. Doing the two classes back to back is going to be a great help. I can't wait for next week...I think I just might be turning into an O-lift Maniac. I can't seem to get enough!

Diet...
7:00am 1 L water

8:40am - Breakfast
2 eggs and 1 oz turkey breast w/sauteed chard, mushrooms, broccoli, squash in coconut oil
handful walnuts
1 L water

12:30pm - Lunch
4oz baked salmon w/sauteed chard, broccoli, mushrooms, squash in coconut oil
1 spoonful coconut cream

1 L water

5:00 - Pre wod
3 oz turkey breast w/sauteed chard, kale, mushrooms, zucchini in coconut oil
4.5oz coconut milk with supergreens and minerals
small handful of nuts

7:00 - Post wod
1/2 pemmican bar
16 oz coconut water (consumed during and after wod)

9:15pm - Dinner
2 oz turkey breast w/ handful of green, yellow, red and orange pepper slices
1 sm spoonful of coconut cream
1 L water

Like a Mack Track

2010-01-26T18:09:00.000-08:00

So I technically DNF'd (did not finish) this morning in my workout. I finished in 9:23 with an 8 minute cap. Ouch! The weight wasn't even that heavy for me, normally, but this morning it felt like a huge challenge. We started with my fave in the strength cycle...deadlifts...and we all know I heart deadlifts! However, this morning, they definitely didn't heart me back.

Deadlifts 3-3-3+ @ 63/72/81% of 1RM(#225)

142/162/182 x 7

The form was good and it was a solid performance but #182 felt heavier than it should have and there's nothing heart-worthy about that! Then the metcon...

5 rounds:
7 Hang Squat Cleans @ #68
7 Burpees

Time: 9:23 : (

When I finished, sure I was a bit bummed to miss the cap, but I really fought a mental fight in my head to get through. At round 2, I was wondering if I could do this. The burpees were a piece of cake but the weight just felt so freakin' heavy! I made a mental shift right then and there. I kept stomping my feet to really get aggressive at the bar, I took short breaks when I had to and listened to Zack when he said not to waste energy on failed attempts. I pushed through. I finished it.

Rudy asked if I felt tired. Let's see, I did Hell's Half Acre double wod's on Sunday, a 9am workout on Monday and 2 hours of Snatch work later that night, woke up this morning to get to the 6am class for this workout...I know there are a ton of CrossFitters that could do twice that and be fine. But me? Yup, I was tired. By the time I got home to shower, eat and get to work, I felt like I had been hit by a Mack truck. It's amazing what poor planning does to my performance. Once again, a lesson in listening to your body. When I set my alarm last night, I asked myself if I should be going to the 6am. Maybe it would have been more efficient to take a rest day today and jump back in for a wod tomorrow night, especially since it will be followed by another O-lift class.

Who knows. Regardless, I had a full workday and am home for the rest of the night. My bed awaits so that I can catch up on some sleep and rest my bones for a new day. I am proud of my effort and still enjoyed the challenge.

Diet...

4:30am 1 L water

5:15am - Pre wod
2oz turkey breast w/sauteed chard in coconut oil
4.5 oz of coconut milk with supergreens and minerals

7:15am - Post wod
1/2 pemmican bar
16oz coconut water (consumed during and after wod)

8:30am - Breakfast
3oz baked salmon w/ sauteed chard, zucchini, mushrooms in coconut oil
1 spoonful coconut cream
1 L water

11:30am handful of walnuts

2:30pm - Lunch
3oz lean ground pork w/sauteed chard, zucchini, mushrooms in coconut oil
1 spoonful coconut cream
1 L water

8:00pm - dinner
handful walnuts
3oz turkey breast w/sauteed chard, kale, mushrooms, zucchini

1 L water

Open and Empowered

2010-01-25T19:07:00.000-08:00

Today was a great day!

Thought I would take this morning to rest after the 2 wod day yesterday but today's wod just looked too good!

9am

Press 3-3-3+ @ 63/72/81% of 1RM
#51/58/65 x 9 reps

These felt nice and solid today.

Then went into the Metcon...
3rds for max reps wall balls(#14), KBS #35, double-unders, 1 minute rest

1st round: 23 / 23/ 17
2nd round: 18 / 20 /13
3rd round: 16 / 20/ 11

Total reps: 161

I went in open to the experience, focused on my game and set my mind towards go. I remember taking a few swift kicks to that #14 wb to get my adrenaline pumping and felt that inner voice say, "you got this." The #14 wb wasn't going to defeat me this time! I maintained consistent pace and rarely put the ball down. Managed to hit the 10ft line pretty easily. Had Chris counting legit reps so there were a few do overs but not many. They felt sooo much stronger! Kettlebell swings were unbroken until last round...broke once and then quickly picked it back up and pushed for 3 or 4 more reps. So excited to actually do DU's in a wod! There is definitely room for improvement but it felt good to string some together and not have to sub singles or tuck jumps.

5:30pm
Kerry and I headed to Buffalo Grove to work with Mike and Roger at Sports Performance on some Olympic Weightlifting for a couple of hours. We focused mostly on Snatch form with a #33 bar and added light weight off and on. It was so amazing to work through some of the drills and really get a strong feel for the various positions, speed and explosion from the power position. Towards the end, we started to get a bit heavier. I ended at #55. Loved it! So super valuable and am going to start incorporating sessions with them every week.

It was a great day of learning and keeping myself open to new experiences. Staying focused on my own game and giving it my best all out fight has been a constant theme for the past few days and it's working.

Diet...
7am 1 L water

8:30am - Breakfast/pre wod
2oz baked salmon w/sauteed mushroom and kale in coconut oil
4.5 oz coconut milk with supergreen and minerals

10am - post wod
1/2 pemmican bar
16oz coconut water (consumed during and after workout)

3:30pm - Lunch/pre wod
shredded beef w/sauteed kale, mushrooms in coconut oil
2 spoonfuls of coconut cream
1 L water

7:30 - post wod
1/2 pemmican bar
16 oz coconut water

8:45pm - dinner
3oz lean ground pork w/sauteed chard and mushrooms in coconut oil
handful of pecans and walnuts
1 L water

2 WOD Kinda Day

2010-01-24T13:50:00.000-08:00

I actually had a date last night and was, ridiculously, more anxious about the impending workouts today than meeting a total stranger for what could potentially be a great or completely awkward experience. Anyhoo! It ended up being a nice distraction so that I actually calmed down, enjoyed myself with non-CrossFit conversation for a bit, slept well and felt ready to tackle the unknown this morning.

Hell's Half Acre

9am @dear old CFC Lincoln Park - WOD 1 with Kerry and Mo...

3rds:

10 Squat Clean and Jerk (Rx is 105, I did #85)

500m Row

Time 17:08

Obviously, time could always get better and the weight was scaled. My 1RM is #100 for PC so had to be realistic and keep my body safe from injury. Was even a bit apprehensive to do #85 but women'ed up and did it. I felt great about it. It was a fight, but most of all, I didn't let the mental aspect..aka fear, defeat me. I was determined to get through it and I did.

1:30pm @ Brand-spankin' new CFC West Loop - WOD 2 with Kerry, Mo, and Alison...

50 CTB (scaled to unbanded pu's)

50 Burpees

Time: 15:41

Again, time is huge and had to go with pu's at this point but what's even huger (sounds like a pre-school word but makes a solid point) is that I pushed myself through 50 pu's in a row. Got a nice rip from it that I noticed AFTER I had given bloody high fives to everyone and their mother, but finished it. Much thanks to the ladies in it with me, plus Heather, Jonny and Rudy, for pushing me through. Felt like I aged a year by the time I was done. The burpees were easy at that point. Fell into a zone and did them unbroken because I needed to scrape together any time possible. Probably spent 1-2 minutes on those. Bottom line, must start stringing pu's together. In a wod, I'm trying to do whatever I can to get through unbanded, but in practice, that is my focus.

Alison, thanks for giving me King Kong's band-aid. ; ) My entire palm is now protected from danger!

Also, the new box is great, Rudy! I'm serious about the dance-off by the way...Jonny, I know you can put that together...; )

The lesson? I know people say it is good to fear the workout. For me, it seems best to get out of my head and remember that, blood, sweat or tears, I choose to do CrossFit because I love the challenge and ultimately have fun pushing myself to new heights. Fear is just useless, anxious energy that distracts me from a solid, confident focus. So, I choose to enjoy the excitement surrounding these wod's, to see how far I can take it and how much I can improve. I am always focusing on positive outcome versus a negative and I am always having fun through the process. This way, nothing can stop me from moving upward and onward...not a chance.

Diet...

7:15am - 1 L water

8:00am - Breakfast/Pre wod

2 eggs w/sauteed chard, mushrooms in coconut oil

4.5oz coconut milk with supergreens and minerals

10:30 - Post wod

1/2 pemmican bar

16oz coconut water (consumed during and after wod)

12:00pm - Lunch/Pre wod

3oz turkey breast with steamed broccoli, peppers, onions

handful of walnuts

1:45pm - Post wod

1/2 pemmican bar

16 oz coconut water (consumed during and after wod)

7:00pm - Dinner

4oz lean ground pork w/ sauteed squash, mushrooms and rainbow kale (fancy!) in coconut oil

2 handfuls pecans and walnuts

1L water

Refreshed and Kickin'

2010-01-22T19:20:00.000-08:00

Felt super great to get a workout in on a Friday night. I got 8.5 hours of sleep last night thanks to my rest day and it was worth every second. Had a super busy day at work and was ready to blow off some steam.

Bench Press 5-5-5+

1RM + #5 @ 63/73/81%

60/68/77 x 14 reps

These felt good and solid. I fought for a 15th but just couldn't get the bar up.

3 x max Push ups (straight)

32/12/6

Metcon:

21-15-9

(40% 0f 1RM Press = #33)

Sumo Deadlift High Pull

Push Press

Then 500m row

Time: 4:34

Form felt great, super fast and unbroken. My row was 2:07 so that has room for improvement. Felt so weird to just work with the barbell but that told me that breaking sets was simply not an option.

Diet...

7:15am 1 L water

8:40am - Breakfast

3 eggs w/sauteed zuchinni, mushrooms in coconut oil

1 spoonful raw almond butter

1 L water

1:45pm - Lunch

4oz lean shredded beef w/sauteed kale, mushrooms, zuchinni in coconut oil

2 spoonfuls coconut cream

5:30pm - Pre Wod

4oz coconut milk w/supergreen and minerals

2 oz turkey breast

8oz coconut water

7:30 - Post Wod

3.2 oz pemmican bar

8oz coconut water

9:30pm - Dinner

2oz turkey breast

handful of mixed bell pepper slices

handful of pecans

1 L water

Seriously, I think the coconut milk drink with the supergreen is a great energy source before workouts. I have felt really good having it within an hour or so before workouts. Fills the belly without being heavy and really gives a pick-me up. The supergreen is a mixture of greens like alfalfa, spirulina, wheat grass, chlorella, etc.. and acidophilus and lactobacillus which are concentrated sources of friendly bacteria for the digestive system. Super healthy stuff...

http://www.earthincommon.com/grainfields-super-greens-grams-p-110.html

A Breath

2010-01-21T18:43:00.000-08:00

After a very busy day at work and a tank on empty, I caught the warning flag of rest. I decided that it was time to go home, crawl into bed and just be quite for the night...truly relish a rest day.

Diet...

7:00am 1 L water

8:30am - Breakfast

3 eggs w/sauteed chard, mushrooms, broccoli in coconut oil

4oz coconut milk with supergreens and minerals

1 spoon coconut cream

1:30pm - Lunch

4oz ground bison w/ sauteed chard, mushrooms, broccoli in coconut oil

2 spoonfuls of coconut cream

6 walnuts

1 L water

8:15pm - dinner

shredded beef w/sauteed kale, broccoli, mushrooms in coconut oil

spoonful raw almond butter

handful of walnuts

1 L water

Have a great night everyone!

Letting Go

2010-01-20T21:17:00.000-08:00

Okay, so when you finally rip, does that mean you are an official CrossFitter? HELL YES! Best wound I've had in a long time and to be able to say it after getting 50 unbanded pullups...straight tough! ; )

Turkish Getups today for the first time. It's a pretty cool and focused exercise. Went with #20 kb @ 3 reps on each side then stepped up to #25. Then...

AMRAP in 12 minutes:

5 handstand pushups (1 ab mat)

10 pullups (no band, just nervous stomach)

15 jump squats

Total: 5 rounds, 2 hspu's

If you can't tell, I am still riding on the high. Really?! 5 rounds?? That's 50 pull ups! I didn't even notice the rip until about 15 minutes later, I was so excited. HSPU's felt decent. Went unbroken until 4th round. It took me 5 tries before I got the last rep to lock out. Still had to chip away at the pu's but tried to at least string the first two together in each round. I am starting to get the feel for the push off the bar. It's right there, I can taste it!

I read a Daily Om email that I get once a day. It said, "With a willingness to release your attachment to specific outcomes today, you will allow the universe to manifest something even better." What it was alluding to was the idea that when you stop trying to control it, life has a way of delivering more than you ever could have expected. Good or bad, there are always lessons learned and battles overcome. It forced me to stop thinking in terms of good or bad workouts, and all the anxiety that surrounds the fear of failure with those thoughts. Instead, I focused on knowing that I was going to give it all I had and embrace the outcome for whatever lesson it had to teach me. The result? A heck of a lot more fun and 20 more pullups than the previous day. I think I like this approach.

Diet...

7:15am - 1 L water

8:45am - Breakfast

3oz sardines w/sauteed kale, mushrooms, and zucchini in coconut oil

2 spoonfuls of coconut cream

1 L water

1:00pm - Lunch

4oz ground bison w/sauteed kale, mushrooms, zucchini in coconut oil

2 spoonfuls coconut cream

6 walnuts

1 L water

4:00 - Pre wod

4oz coconut milk with supergreen and minerals

2oz turkey breast

8oz coconut water

1 L water

6:45 - Post Wod

8oz coconut water

2 oz turkey breast

7:30 - Dinner

Ate more delicious meat than one person should be able to handle, with Kerry and Erik. Oh, and a couple of vegetables from the salad bar...yummy!

1 L water

"You are impatient today!" Rudy T.

2010-01-19T18:48:00.000-08:00

(Sigh)...the power snatch. I had 1 good one for every 3 not so good ones today. Early arm bends, snatching at mid-thigh versus from the pocket...yes, Rudy, you were right. I was very impatient today. I've been working on this form a ton these past two weeks and the same things keep happening. Rudy says with olympic lifts, some days you have it and some days you fuckin' suck at it. You can guess which day was today... The good thing is, it was all a reminder of patience. Perseverance.

Power Snatch 5-5-5+ @+5 63/72/81%

47/54/61 x 6

I worked through the sets and my form was okay, for the most part, but I am looking for strong and dead on. I know that I can't continue to increase in weight efficiently if I don't make the form work for me. Patience.

3x5 glute-ham raise - these were interesting! I've never done them on the machine so it took a second to get the hang of it. Rudy said that if you feel you're being stabbed in the hamstrings then you are probably doing it right. Um, awesome...?!?!

Metcon:

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

Hang Power Cleans (60% of 1RM = #60)

Ring Dips (thin band)

Time 6:41

This seemed to flow pretty quickly and I only broke once in the 4th round when my grip was about to let go. Good workout, but...the thing that I couldn't get out of my head after, was patience. The hang power cleans were legit, but could they have been better? Yes. I was more focused on speed, which is important, but in the end, the quality is what gets you through.

"Patience and perseverance have a magical effect before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish." - John Quincy Adams

I dig it...great lesson learned today!

Diet...

4:30am(yawn) 1 L water

5:00am - Pre wod

2oz turkey breast w/ sauteed chard, mushrooms in coconut oil

4oz coconut milk with supergreen and minerals

7:00am - Post wod

1/2 pemmican bar

16oz coconut water (consumed during and after wod)

8:30 - Breakfast

2 eggs w/sauteed chard, kale, mushrooms, zucchini in coconut oil

2 spoonfuls raw almond butter

1 L water

12:15pm - Lunch

6oz baked catfish w/ sauteed chard, zucchini, mushrooms in coconut oil

2 spoonfuls coconut cream

5:30pm - handful walnuts

8:00pm - handful walnuts while waiting for dinner to cook

9:00pm - Dinner

3oz bison w/sauteed broccoli, mushrooms and kale in coconut oil

1 L water

What a Rush

2010-01-18T13:57:00.000-08:00

Believing in your abilities. Finding the determination. Shutting out the fear of failure and digging down deep to find some inner strength...that is why I am doing this! When I look into 2011, I can see myself competing at the games. I can't wait to experience the energy at sectionals this year so that I can see what I'm made of and get a feel for what I need to strive for. But it's the everyday fight, the individual steps, the small victories that make this journey so rich. It doesn't matter how many people tell you how strong you are or how great you did, if you don't believe it yourself. They don't have to know, but YOU DO. You have to believe that you are made of the stuff no matter what people say, how slow your time, how psyched you felt or how hard you fell. It's all a lesson in confidence and faith in yourself and I am so grateful to be learning this lesson in a way that will expand my physical, mental and emotional strength.

At CrossFit, I am a member of what I believe to be an elite team. A family, even. Support is undying, laughter is constant but strength is the foundation. Every time I state a goal, ask a question or need some guidance, someone is there. When I have a victory, like the small one I felt today, not only have I gotten there with a ton of help and feedback from others but with a ton of loud voices pushing me through and cheering me on when I have achieved what I set out to do. Yet another gem along this road. Thank you, guys!

This introspective moment comes on the tail of today's workout. I even dreamed about it before hand if that gives you any insight as to the anxiety level...geez!

Press 5-5-5+ @58.5/67.5/76.5%

#43/50/55 x 12

These felt super strong and focused on explosive rebound off the chest.

15 Handstand Negatives - went to 1 abmat for these

Then the Metcon:

3 rds for time:

10 CTB pull-ups

10 Front Squats

10 Burpees

Time: 8:35

As posted constantly on this blog, pullups have been a HUGE battle for me mentally and physically. After yesterday's success on the Baseline, today's workout was now or never. My sights were set on getting those pull ups done, unbanded. I didn't care how long it took, I was going to finish with 30 unassisted, legal pullups. Obviously CTB is a bit of a long shot so I just focused on kipping and I kept the Front Squats at #65(50% of 1RM). I remained unbroken on squats and burpees and, thanks to Emmitt and the rest of the 9am crew, I knocked em' out, 1 by 1. Yea, me! Emm was an amazing coach, pushing me but also nailing me on anything less than 100%. Thanks, Emm!

I certainly could have handled a heavier weight on the squats but I had to keep my mental game wrapped around this one victory today. However, form was good, burpees were fast and steady. Next, it will be important to get into a rhythm and string those pu's together. All in all, my focus was clear and I achieved what I set out to do today.

Diet...

7am - 1 L water

8am - Breakfast

2 eggs, sauteed kale, mushroom, broccoli in coconut oil

4oz coconut milk with supergreen food and minerals

1 L water

10:30 Post WOD

1/2 pemmican bar

16 oz coconut water (consumed during and post wod)

2:15 - Lunch

handful of walnuts

6oz Lean Ground Pork

sauteed kale, mushroom, broccoli in coconut oil

spoonful of coconut cream

1 L water

7:00 - Dinner

3oz turkey breast

sauteed chard and mushrooms in coconut oil

handful of walnuts

Seriously peeps, that ground pork is so unbelievably yummy. It is part of the shipment I get from US Wellness Meats and I am obsessed with it. I am also truly digging the Pemmican bars too. They are an easy, true source of pure protein after a workout and I have tried them all. The original formula with honey, cherries and sea salt are the best (tastes a bit like cheese crackers, oddly enough) and post wod is the perfect time to eat them. If you access the NTPtalk link on my blog page, it not only takes you to this meat provider, but it also lists other great food resources, recipes and articles for you to peruse.

ALSO! A number of us have been talking about mad chocolate cravings lately. Low and behold, there is a blurb on NTPtalk's facebook page about a lack of magnesium being the possible culprit. It gives great whole foods that can give you an extra kick of it to tide the cravings. Click on the link and scroll down to the Cookie Monster photo on their page to check it out... http://www.facebook.com/pages/NTPtalk/131029544020

Going to get some early z's tonight so I can hit the 6am class tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Workin' through it

2010-01-17T18:12:00.000-08:00

Felt back in the game today. It's true that it does your workouts good to have a mental and physical break for a day. Went in for the 9am class and tackled Saturday's wod...

Back Squats 5-3-1+ @ 95/10/120 x 3

Actually did 6 reps @ 120 but only counted 3 due to 2 reps hitting parallel and 1 just above. My hip flexors have been pretty sore and they were really hurting during this strength portion. I spent a lot of time on the foam roller later and that helped a lot. I think it may be time to invest in one of my own. Regardless, more stretching is necessary and I was thinking of heading to a Bikrim yoga class to get some thorough stretching in this week.

Then, 3x 12 reps GHD situps

Metcon:

5 Power Snatch (#59 - 75% of 1RM)

10 burpees

Time: 4:05

Form could always be better on these and spent a ton of time with Jonny, post-wod working through snatches, but felt good about the wod. All unbroken, which tells me I probably could have gone a bit heavier but still a really good challenge for me.

After resting, Jonny suggested I do the baseline along with a newcomer, Keri, since I've never done one before. Why not?!

500m row

40 squats

30 situps

20 pushups

10 pull ups

Time: 9:something...didn't remember to write it down from the board

Flew through all of it pretty quickly...and then, the pull ups. I hopped to the bar, got 1 good one and then tried to fizzle. Luckily, my best pal just wasn't going to let it happen on her watch. Kerry looked at me a said, "You are NOT going to need a band"...and I didn't. I chipped away, 1 by 1, but I got to 10 without a band. Thanks for pushin' through those with me, Lady. You are the best!! Jonny said that portion took about 4 minutes of my total, so it will be exciting to see how much I shave off the Baseline total with efficient pull-ups.

After, did 10 sets of 5 #20 wall balls. I tried to keep rest in between super short...3 quick breaths and continue to the next set...because I wanted to fight fatigue while still trying to launch as close as possible to the 10ft line.

Then worked on double-unders some more with my favorite rope : ) (I actually ordered your replacement today, Rudy!!). Managed to string 6 together a couple of times.

It was a good day.

Diet log...

7:00am 1 L water

8:00am - pre wod

2 eggs with sauteed kale, broccoli, mushrooms in coconut oil

4oz coconut milk with a supergreen food and minerals

1 liter water

10:00ish post wod

1 stick uncured turkey jerky

coconut water

11:00 still post wod as I continued to workout

1 pemmican bar

coconut water

2ish - Lunch

big salad with about 6oz grilled chicken, cucumber, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, pine nuts, mixed greens, dash of olive oil, balsamic and lemon

8:00pm Dinner

4oz baked catfish

sauteed kale, zucchini and mushrooms in coconut oil

2 spoonfuls of almond butter (there, feel a little better, Jonny?? 2 whole spoonfuls! ; )

Definitely went a little heavier today on portions but felt good and still very paleo. The drink pre wod, with the coconut milk, has a ton of probiotic quality and good mineral content. It was a great suggestion by my dear old mom to give an extra kick of energy for the workout. It did seem to work nicely. I will keep ya posted on that one.

Another note I wanted to add was that I have decided to try playing with the workout times this week. I realized that a workout after a full work day as a body worker, might not be the best use of my energy. So, I decided to try a few morning classes this week, sprinkled in with a few evening classes, to see how that affects my overall performance. Again, I'll keep ya posted!

Sleep well, all!

Smart Rest is Good

2010-01-15T19:48:00.000-08:00

I came into the work out today mentally and physically exhausted. I spent all day in a really positive frame of mind, telling myself I was going to crush that workout.

25-20-15-10-5

KBS #40

20" Box Jumps

#14 Wall Ball

Time 18: 30

Wall balls killed me, which sucks because I've been working so hard at them for the past two weeks. I wasn't consistent in getting to the 10ft line and I had to take a ton of breaks which cost me time. I was actually leading my heat in the first round until I got to the freakin' wb's and then I think I started to loose my positive focus. I gave it my all and will continue to work on wb's @#20, maybe by incorporating them within a short wod so that I can add fatigue on top of the challenge. I definitely let my mind defeat me on this one.

Presses felt great today, though. Did 5-3-1+ @ 75/85/95% of 1RM.

54/62/69 x 6

Also did 2x max deadhang @ 3/2

Unfortunately, didn't have time to do the max kipping and that is what I really need work on right now.

Ultimately, I learned a good lesson on the benefits associated with smart rest for both the mind and the body. This is week two of bumping up from 3 workouts a week to unlimited. I have done 5 workouts in a row with yesterday being an active rest day that wasn't actually so restful. My body was tired and pretty sore. It would have been smarter to do some skills work and keep snatch work at lighter weight. Regardless, though I have a 10 hour workday tomorrow, I am looking forward to a bit of rest after. Then I'm gonna hit it hard on Sunday.

Diet today had a bit more fat in the mix. I was feeling seriously hungry and the body felt tired. I had a busy work schedule and a crazy workout ahead of me, so I needed a bit more fuel than normal...

7:15 - 1L water

8:40 - Breakfast

4oz turkey breast

sauteed kale, broccoli, mushrooms in 1/2 tsp coconut oil

1 spoonful coconut cream

handful of walnuts/pecans

Famished this morning!!

1 L water

9:30 - tiny bit of coconut cream before first client because stomach already growling

1:15 - Lunch

3.8oz bison

sauteed kale, broccoli, mushrooms in 1/2 tsp coconut oil

1 spoonful coconut cream

handful of walnuts/pecans

1 L water

5:30 - pre wod meal

2oz turkey breast

handful walnuts/pecans

8oz coconut water

8:15 Post wod meal

1/2 pemmican bar

8oz coconut water

9:30 - Dinner

sauteed kale, broccoli in coconut oil

handful nuts

1/2 pemmican bar

1 L water

Snatched Some Active Rest

2010-01-14T19:10:00.000-08:00

Snatches, ahhh snatches. Spent my active rest day with Rudy, a camera and #53. Made some good progress working with a #20 bar for form and then a bar loaded at #53, but there is more work to be done. Had to focus on finding the pocket and trusting myself to launch the bar above my head from there.

Trusting yourself can be a true challenge. I have the tendency to bend my arms early because I lack the trust to get from pocket to overhead successfully. The more I kept the bar close to the thighs all the way to the pocket and snatched, I could keep the arms straight. Something else that helped was focusing on pulling the chest back when snatching. It forced me to open the hips and pull myself under. Again, not perfect, but getting there the right way is my goal. Being aggressive and trusting myself to launch the weight has to be there every time.

Also, I saw Erin C working the #95 for Grace when I came into the box, so I wanted to see what the c&j felt like at Rx. Heavy but successful! Worked a few reps at that weight before all the snatch practice and spent some time making sure the hips were fully extending. Need to be very conscious of that in my cleans.

All in all, I was feeling pretty sore from yesterday and had a long day at work. Glad I came in to spend some focused time working on those lifts and continuing to perfect them. Can't wait to hear Rudy's take on it all. Him and that crazy camera...man, it's torture to watch crappy form in slow-mo, over and over!! : )

The menu today...

7:15 - 1 L water

8:30 - Breakfast

2 eggs

sauteed kale, mushrooms, broccoli in 1/2 tsp coconut oil (can you tell I LOVE kale??)

spoonful coconut cream

11:00 - tsp coconut cream

1 L water

1:30 - Lunch

4oz ground bison

sauteed kale, mushrooms, broccoli in 1/2 tsp coconut oil

Spoonful coconut cream

1 L water

6:30 - Pre wod meal

2 oz turkey breast

handful walnuts/pecans

8 oz coconut water

8:15 - Post wod meal

half pemmican bar

8 oz coconut water

9:15 - Dinner

3oz turkey breast

sauteed kale, mushrooms, broccoli in 1/2 tsp coconut oil (big surprise!)

handful walnuts/pecans

1 L water

Interesting observation about breakfast. I have always had 2 eggs in the morning with veggies and good fat. This week, as posted previously, I decided to try other meats for breakfast and felt much more satisfied until lunch. Today I went back to two eggs and was starving by 11, hence the bit of coconut cream before lunch as fat can satisfy hunger and give some extra fuel. I know that eggs do not contain as much protein as a portion of meat but the difference for me was incredible! I'm going to bump to 3 eggs tomorrow and see what happens but it's looking like meat or fish in the AM might be a better fit for me during this heavier training time.

Crazy kind of tired

2010-01-13T18:39:00.000-08:00

The workout today was great...reunited with my best friend, the pull-up.

"Barbara"

3rds (3 min rest in between):

20 pull-ups (thin band)

30 push ups

40 sit ups

50 air squats

Times: 3:06/4:10/4:16

First round was all unbroken and felt good. Second round broke once in pu's, 2 times in pushups and made up some time with unbroken sit-ups and squats. The third round was a push. Broke several times in the pull-ups and push ups. I refused to go to my knees so I kept chipping away until I was done. Remained unbroken on sit-ups and paused once on squats...shouldn't have done that because I could have used all the seconds I could get!

Also worked on Snatch Balance pre-Barbara and they felt pretty good. Topped out at about #73 for work on form.

After a rest, Rudy had me do 10 reps of Clean and Jerks at #85, for time. Time was 1:37...felt more like 10 minutes! I want to try that one once a week until it's under a minute. Rudy said I could save time if I kept hands on the bar versus dropping it and to shoot for at least 5 before I pause. Ultimately, I need to have it at #95 and shoot for "Grace"...30 reps for time. Excited about this one and to see how quickly I can shave off my time.

I really want to spend more energy on this type of work, in general, in addition to the daily wod's. I think it will build good stamina and, of course, work my strength levels. Rudy, if you're reading, I'm giving you free rein on this one!

At the end of the night, I slowly dragged my tired and aching body to Whole Foods for more veggies. Here's the diet for today...

7:15 - 1 L of water

8:30am - Breakfast

4 oz turkey breast

sauteed kale, broccoli, mushrooms in 1/2 tsp coconut oil

1 spoonful of coconut cream

1 L of water

1:15pm - Lunch

4oz turkey breast/lean ground pork

sauteed kale, broccoli, mushrooms in 1/2 tsp coconut oil

1 spoonful coconut cream

1L water

4:30 Pre-wod meal

2oz turkey breast

handful of walnuts and pecans

8oz coconut water

6:30 Post-wod meal

half pemmican bar

8oz coconut water

8:20 - Dinner

2oz turkey breast

1 green pepper

handful of walnuts and pecans

1 L water

As you can see, when my schedule gets hectic, I tend to cook multiple portions at once. In the morning, I make enough veggies for breakfast and lunch. I also tend to cook a couple of different meats to keep in the fridge so that I can just portion out as needed. I also much prefer to cook with coconut oil because it stays stable at high temperatures so it remains a healthy fat.

I have played around with the zone portioning but have found that with a very active career and working out 5 times a week, I need more to sustain me. I simply listen to my body. If I am shaky or hungry, I have a bit more protein or good fat. When I am satiated, I stop eating. I continue to get leaner and build muscle mass which is a good goal for increased performance and strength. I also have plenty of energy, sleep well and the digestion is good. Really important to pay attention to those things.

Now I am off to get my 8 hours sleep...don't think that should be a prob tonight!

Pull up or shut up

2010-01-12T19:37:00.000-08:00

Went into the box for the 2k row right from work. Interested to see how this would feel as I have not really done any other endurance row up to this point. Warmed up with some double-unders and a little rowing technique with Rudy and Bryce.

Time was 8:54.

Tried to keep the chest up and back straight. Release the pull at the end of my stroke and let it pass my knees before my knees bend. Focus on pushing hard from the heels. I really started to get it all and I felt pretty steady as far as breathing and energy. At about 300m I started my sprint. I feel good about it considering that I am improving on form but super excited to do way better than 8:54. I know I have it in me.

After the row, I worked on double-unders some more. Have yet to string more than 5 but it's starting to feel a lot more fluid. Did 5 x 5 #20 wall balls, then worked on kipping pu's with Jonny. Still a frustrating endeavour, those pu's. I refuse to go to sectionals attached to a band so it's super important to me to get past that in the next 2 to 3 weeks. When I get a truly good kip, I know I can take off. I just have to figure it out.

Food Log for today...

7:00am - 1L water

8:30am - Breakfast

3.5 oz turkey breast

Sauteed kale, mushrooms, and zucchini in 1/2 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp coconut cream

1 L water

12:45pm - Lunch

4oz lean ground Pork

Sauteed kale, mushrooms, and zucchini in 1/2 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp coconut cream

1 L water

7:30 - Pre-wod meal

2 oz turkey breast

handful of walnuts and pecans

8oz coconut water

9:15 - Post-wod meal

1/2 Pemmican beef no salt bar

8 oz coconut water

9:50 - Dinner

2 oz turkey breast

1 red pepper

small handful walnuts/pecans

1 L water

I heart Deadlifts!

2010-01-11T20:23:00.000-08:00

Once again, I heart deadlifts!

Went into the box to do the CrossFit Total tonight. Spent about 3 hours (geeze-o-pete!) getting to 1rm in Back Squat, Press and Deadlift. Hit my previous max on both the squat and press at #130 and #80 respectively. Couldn't seem to get higher than those so I was seriously hunting down a PR for my favorite lift. Started at #190, then went right past my previous 1rm of #200, straight to 215 and it felt smooth! So, I went for #225. It felt smooth on the lift but I had to fight to lock it out. Got it though...new PR for DL is #225! ...What's that, Christy Phillips? Your DL is 275? Well, I'm just #50 away from you and zeroing in fast! : )

Okay, I'm done with the trash-talking now...

I have to say, it was super inspiring to be a part of our CrossFit community tonight. When I look around at all the members fighting for new PR's and cheering each other along...it felt amazing. Not to mention all the badass women we have kicking around weight and building some intense strength. Truly inspiring to see!

...and big props to Coach Chris for his excellent music selection. Felt good to dance to keep the muscles warm in between sets and release some tension! Good times.

I plan to get my 2K row in tomorrow night after work. Will be interesting to see how that feels after adjusting my approach.

One additional thing I will be posting is my food log. I have been paleo for about 4 years now and have seen amazing changes even before it was in combination with CrossFit. I am participating in the Challenge because it's always fun to see what can happen when you tweak things in relation to your goals and what new tricks/tips you can learn in the process. I seriously love eating paleo and have very easily and satisfyingly made it a lifestyle, not a diet. The coolest part is that there are so many options and you start to fall in love with food in a whole new way. It takes an adjustment but once you figure out your way, you rarely desire things that just don't make you feel good anymore...

9:00am

1 liter water

Breakfast - 10:00am (day off so slept in a bit)

zucchini and mushrooms sauteed in 1/2 tsp coconut oil

4 oz lean ground pork (so, so yummy)

1/3 tsp coconut cream

6 walnuts

1 Liter water

Lunch - 2:30

salad with mixed greens, cucumber, tomato, roasted peppers, pine nuts, about 6oz grilled chicken, dash of olive oil, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar

glass of water

Pre-wod meal - 4:45

2oz no salt turkey

6 walnuts

8 oz Coconut water

Post wod meal - 9:00

3oz pemmican beef bar

8oz Coconut water

Dinner - 10:00 (pretty late for me actually)

2oz turkey

sauteed kale, mushrooms in 1/3 tsp coconut oil

handful of walnuts and pecans

1 L of water

Determined to Get There

2010-01-10T14:12:00.000-08:00

I love days like today! The days that remind me of how fun this journey can be. The small successes in the form of PR's or new skills improved upon, the tired in your muscles when you've given it everything you've got, and all the laughs you had with the people that were there with you. I dig it.

This morning's workout had me excited but nervous. I actually had a dream where I told Rudy I was going Rx at #95 for the jerks and he said, "Nope! #85!" After a lot of conversation, I ended up going with #75 and found it to be a good challenge. I want to know what it would have felt like to do #85 though, so I've toyed with maybe doing it again later in the week...maybe as a 2nd work out.

Bench Press 3-3-3+ 1RM+#5 @70/80/90%

67/76/86x 5

BP's felt good today. Fought that last one hard and attempted a 6th but just couldn't get the bar up.

Metcon:

500m row

30 burpees

10 jerks (#75)

Time: 5:57

The rows are getting better! Kept the rows at 21-24/m and seemed to zip through fairly quickly. The burpees were unbroken and kept a good even pace. Broke in the jerks when I couldn't lock out...6/3/1. Tried not to break before that last rep but just didn't have the control.

Tackled some ring dips with Mandie, post wod. Had never tried unbanded and was able to get two. Not completely legal, I'm sure, but just slightly above parallel to ring. Cool to give it a go, though.

About an hour later, tackled some skills work. After the past couple of days, there was no way in hell I wouldn't be slapping around some skills enemies. The #20 wall ball work has really been helping. After about 5 sets of 3, now getting to the ball to the bottom of the 10ft line, I decided to use the #14 and see how high I could launch it. Yup! Launched it to the ceiling...cleared the red line! Definite step forward and a Rx weight achieved.

Next, pull-ups. Did some programming with Mandie...40 sec on, 40 rest, 30 on, 30 rest, 20, 10. Got a few good chin above bars but still struggled with the rhythm. Alison pointed out that I don't push off the bar in my kip so it makes it impossible for me to gain momentum. So I practiced finding the push from the bar. Super helpful and going to keep working that one out.

Then on to double-unders. Snagged Rudy's Buddy Lee again and managed to string 5 together (PR)!!! Found the more I keep wrists tight to my body and down, the more success I have. Another forward step and something to build on.

These things may frustrate me, but they won't beat me. If I can't get it one way, I'll try another until I do. I'm determined to get there. Good times!!!

Testing me

2010-01-09T05:21:00.001-08:00

Finding it hard not to feel mentally defeated from a harsh battle with some skills enemies of mine this week. It has been a tiring week of transition. I added another shift at work and bumped my workouts up to 5 days a week all at once. I was feeling fairly exhausted coming into the box last night but needed to push through.

The strength cycle with OHS was just the perk I needed. I am still so amazed at what specific work on form can do to accelerate your progress. I struggled so hard to find good depth and strength in any squat before. Now, depth is never an issue and though I still have to check things like keeping upper body stable, rolling back on heels, etc...my form is solid and I feel confidence and strength with the weight. That is an empowering feeling.

Worked 3-3-3+ @ 93 +10 @ 70/80/90%

65/75/85 x 4

Felt good about these sets and strength moving forward.

3x max pullups

did dead-hang pullups 2/1/2

Metcon:

42 steps OH walk Lunge (#25)

21 pull- ups

30 steps

15 pu's

18 steps

9 pu's

Time 8:00

Not loving the time but, mostly, not loving the pull-up's. I truly attempted both 1st and 2nd rounds unbanded and just started to wear out. I got 1 every so often but nothing consistent, so I would hop onto the thin band. REALLY slowed me down and I DO NOT want to go to sectionals without a kipping pull-up!

Double unders are my second main irritation for the week...and that's all I can say about it right now.

Ended the night with about 10 sets of 3, #20 wall balls. Now hitting the bottom of red line but still aiming for above. Getting higher and more direct.

So, I feel strength is moving forward, which is the main part of my goal. Pull-ups took a major step back and I have to wrap my head around a next step...

Double-under, you tease!

2010-01-07T19:00:00.000-08:00

Just when I thought I was getting somewhere with double-unders...

Did the metcon from Wednesday at home tonight after work.

5 rds:

20 dbl-unders

20 push ups

20 squats

Time: 15:24

Spent a large majority of that 15 minutes on the first round of dbl's. I could only manage 1 at a time if I was lucky. FINALLY made it through the 1st round and switched to 4x singles with occasional attempts at dbl-unders. I stuck to my word about push ups and did all sets straight. I remained unbroken until 3rd set where I broke once, twice in 4th and 4 in the 5th. All squats unbroken. Pushed really hard through the push ups and took short breaks only when I lost good form but lost a lot of time on the double unders. Didn't feel too winded after this one so maybe I should have subbed tuck jumps instead of singles.

The only difference I can think of is the length of the rope from Rudy's to Kerry's Buddy Lee. Kerry's is the one I used tonight and it is a bit longer. It also felt a bit awkward doing them in my tiny living room. Who knows...

I did spend another 15 minutes after the metcon on double-unders to see if I could work it out but it just wasn't happening tonight. I'm going to work on it some more tomorrow night at the box.

A Fun Fight

2010-01-06T19:48:00.000-08:00

It was my first day of going to the box after a busy work schedule and it felt great to focus some of that energy back into me. My whole career is about nurturing others, which is so gratifying and most often, completely reciprocal. Was curious to see how it might effect my energy level, etc..but man, getting the chance to get aggressive felt amazing after working in a spa all day!!!

Got some great feedback from Bryce to continually improve my Power Cleans and felt pretty strong about my sets.

3-3-3+ @ 100+#5 @70/80/90%

67/77/87 x 18 reps

L-sits were interesting but consistant...did holds on parallete bars for .16/.15/.14.

The AMRAP is where things really got interesting.

10 mins:

3 back squats (65% of 1RM = #85)

6 burpees

9 KBS (#45)

5 rounds, 8 KBS!!!!! 1 rep short of a 6th round!!!! @#$&!!!!!

Back squats felt so great and Kurt watched my form each round...all good and deep! Burpees were like a breather and all unbroken. The KBS's were tough. First 2 sets unbroken, only broke once in the 3rd, then a couple of times in rounds 4 and 5. That last rep...I fought SO HARD for that last rep, but in the end, just didn't make it. Had I pushed through that 3rd set a bit harder and spent a second less catching my breath before picking up the bar for the last round of back squats, I would have had it. Truly, I was shooting for 7 rounds but to end with 1 rep shy of a 6th??? Tragic.

At the end of the day, the fight was hard but super fun. I feel great about getting this far with a KB weight that a week ago I could barely do well. I can definitely say that I made my reps count tonight with legal form and at a heavy weight. #55 is where I'll be in 1 - 2 weeks. I want to keep practicing on that one during skills sessions to get me there.

Also spent a bit of time on #20 wall balls and double-unders before class. Borrowed Rudy's Buddy Lee jump rope and BOOM...got 3 together, right off the bat. That's the rope for me! Must have it. The wall balls need more focus. I have to do whatever I can to not only launch the ball up to the line but above. Tough for a shorty but never impossible. I'm making it happen come hell or high water!

"Rest Day"

2010-01-05T19:18:00.000-08:00

No rest for the wicked!!!!! : )

I have a long work day on Tuesdays so no gym tonight. HOWEVER, in staying true to my goal of something to improve myself everyday, I began my morning with 5 minutes of double under work, 50 butterfly sit-ups and an Eva T's WOD...the Invisible Fran. 21-15-9 air squats and push ups(straight) for time. Time was 3:57. The push ups were pretty broken in the last round but knees are absolutely not an option!

Seriously...double-unders...seriously. Whatever the hell kinda wall I keep beating my head against is not helping me string more than 1 or 2 together. I have a cable speed rope but have had much better luck with what I think was a weighted rope...needless to say, I am on the search for anything that will help me bust them out. Suggestions are welcomed...

Anyway, on to my 8 hours of sleep. Excited to head over to the box after work tomorrow and get my Power Clean on.

Still Snackin' on Humble Pie

2010-01-04T17:40:00.001-08:00

Alright, so today was still a step forward...but that's after Rudy pulled me a few steps back for Jerk work. After, I found I was still able to push through my strength cycle weights with good form but needed to focus more on keeping elbows up and opening the hips. I'm looking forward to more insight with Jonny's O-Lift class, for sure.

I continue to have to talk myself down a bit from jumping ahead of myself in weight. Form before function. However, I also should not discount that 3 good reps at #93 ain't bad and will get better quickly with proper technique.

Now about pull-ups...grrrrrrr. Had some great skill work yesterday with Alison and feeling closer to strong unassisted's but I still needed a band to get through today's wod and that sucks. I tried to be as unbroken as possible but the last 2 rds were a bit more challenging for my grip and getting my chin above the bar. I chipped away as quickly as I could but if I am using a band, I should be flying.

metcon:

4 rds (10 min cap)

15 pull ups

15 Push Press (60% of 1RM Press = #48)

Time 6:51

Not sure how to feel about the #48... added a challenge with Rudy that if I broke at all, I would owe him 10 burpees. Sorry Rudy, no burpees for you today!!! I remained unbroken in all 4 rounds and definitely felt the fight towards the end the 3rd and 4th rounds but I always struggle with going heavy versus going fast in a metcon like this. Impatient, I guess. Maybe #53 would have made for an interesting metcon???

I have a couple of observations to note in the sleep and nutrition category. I have been challenging myself to get at least 7.5 to 8 hours of sleep lately. I have found interesting results in my body overall. More than just supplying me with more energy and better recovery time, I have found that I stay leaner and my body has less of an inflammatory response. This basically means less fluid retention, better digestion and less stress on the adrenal glands...which definitely stay fairly stressed when a body is in training. The below article is pretty insightful...

http://www.mercola.com/article/sleep.htm

The other thing I have found is coconut juice(or some say coconut water). Because I am pure paleo, I ban juices because they are always loaded with sugar. I've seen it around and after researching it a bit, I decided to give it a try to hydrate during and after workouts. I find I stay more hydrated than drinking water because of the plentiful electrolytes and it replenishes potassium better than fruit juice or bananas. It helps digestion and and has little sugar. Most brands tend to have around 12g of naturally occurring sugars which is even less than pure grapefruit juice. It has been much better than popping fruit after workouts and it tastes yummy too. Good stuff to wash down some pure protein after a wod!

Oh yea, Steam Roller!

2010-01-03T17:37:00.000-08:00

I'm feeling really jazzed about my workout today. Found my 1 RM max for the overhead squat and power snatch. My OHS is #93 and my PS is #78. The power of finding good form is amazing to me. It gives me confidence in a whole new way. Even if it's a weight I have not lifted yet, I am ready to give it a try. I felt fear dissipate and ambition build. I can taste the strength I am gaining everyday.

When the AMRAP rolled around and I calculated my weight at #80 for Clean and Jerks, Rudy said #83 and I said go. I loved the challenge and knew that with that mental game, I had won before I had even started. In 4 min, I hit 12 reps. I could have squeezed a few more in, had I not stood looking at the bar a few times. Regardless, I approached it with no hesitation and no fear...and am ready for more as soon as possible!

After the wod, I spent some time on skills...wall ball reps (5x5 @ #20), pull-up dev with work on kipping and butterfly, kb swings for form and technique using #45 and #55. Still struggling a bit to get that #55 kb above my head but I am close. It's all about the Rx weights for me from here on out and anything I can do to push myself there, I'll do.

Also learned a great way to get aggressive at the bar. It helped me hit my 1RM on the snatch, for sure. Plus, it made me feel kinda bass-ass. : )

Another conversation with Rudy that made me think, is this idea of being connected to the process. This blog, of course, is ideal for this very thing, but it's more than that. It's doing something, anything, everyday, that improves me in some way. Whether it's 100 double-unders in my living room, a CFC wod for time or a skills session, it all moves me forward and keeps me connected to my goals. It's helping me savor every moment of this journey and improve in the process. Nothing has felt better in the past couple of days than moving forward, whether it was a baby step or a leap.

So, here it goes...I commit to one thing, everyday, that helps me be the best athlete I can be. Off we go!

New Year, New Way

2010-01-01T20:11:00.000-08:00

Feeling a little weak, mentally, when approaching the box tonight. Had an awesome time last night with pals and a nice healthy portion of vodka so I spent a lot of time today rehydrating and resting up for the workout. I knew I would be coming face to face with one of my most frustrating lifts...the back squat. Finding the depth is what kills me! I have the flexibility but I know there is something connected to the positioning of my upper body and my confidence in the drop. I started the strength cycle at my old weights but still wasn't hitting the depth...I could feel the heat building in my face, I was so frustrated.

Then Rudy pulled me back. Reminded me that form comes first.

This is really how I learn best. I need to understand the positioning and lock in something before I add heavy weight on top of it. I like to do things right the first time, not have to break all these bad habits and start from the beginning. We worked with bar position, stance, feel of the depth...and then it clicked. Much more efficient with high bar position, more upright torso and a bit wider stance for me. Made me feel much more in control so that I could really drop into full depth naturally. My new 1 rep max is #130...5 pounds below the previous but the depth and quality of my squat were right on. I feel certain that I have moved past a block and that is a success. Thanks for the help, Rudy!

Back Squat -
120 - 125-130-135(f)

3x max push ups (straight leg)
25-7-5

3rds:
25 box jumps (Rx)
15 Front Squats (#53)

Time 7:03

All squats unbroken. 1st round box jumps unbroken, then broke 3 times in 2nd, 4 times in 3rd. Kept the breaks very short to stretch the hip flexors and jumped right back in. Trying to really keep a more efficient pace with box jumps..no more baby hops in between and focusing on pushing through the cramping. I'm trying to only stretch when I feel that flexor keeping me from clearing the top of the box.

All in all, walked away from the box tonight having broken through a wall with a new way to approach an old rival. The roles are reversed, back squat, and now you're mine!

Oh, and I also now know that I actually can make it through a wod after stupid amounts of alcohol the night before. Good to know, just in case. ; )

Balance

2009-12-30T07:49:00.000-08:00

So I woke up this morning with an all too familiar feeling of being overwhelmed and had to check back in with myself on something...

In starting this journey I realize one lesson is key...balance. Of course physically but most importantly, mentally. I am a person that seeks the lesson in everything. It shapes me as a person and helps me to move forward in my life, breaking bad patterns and creating healthier, more productive ones.

Training for this competition is a hefty challenge towards this all important life lesson. I have always been what some would call "Type A". No more. I am learning that if something doesn't feel good, it's not for me. Now, I'm not talking about a hurts-so-good kinda thing, like a WOD, but anything that makes you feel bad about who you are. Life, ultimately, should feel good, so that even in the tough times, you can embrace what you gained from going through that experience. It should feed you, not deplete you.

Part of this is caring more about what other people think versus what I think. Oh yes, like so many others, I fell victim to this far too often. Constantly comparing myself to someone else, seeking validation from someone other than me, letting it ruin my day because I let it make me feel I did not measure up, etc...BLAH! Exhausting. NOT FUN. NOT GOOD. NO MORE.

So, this is the highest commitment I make to this process and why I say "Be your own athlete", because if I am going to do this at all, I will do it from a healthy, strong mental perspective that builds me up instead of tearing me down. Encourages my physical health instead of creating stress that wreaks havoc on my body. Promotes happiness and abundance, not fear and lack.

...and who defines this for me? I do.

Post with Personality

2009-12-29T21:22:00.000-08:00

Power Clean 5-5-5+ @ +#10 65/75/85%
59/68/78 x 15

3 x 20 Back Extentions

Metcon: 30-20-10
Deadlifts #118
Wall Ball #14

DNF (30-14 -)

Rudy wants personality in my post? Here it goes, coach...

A DNF on a wod at 6am in the morning F'n sucks!

I was pretty tired considering I traveled all day from Portland yesterday, made it to the 7pm class, still on west coast time so I couldn't get to sleep until midnight, only to wake up again at 4:30am so I could eat and get to the 6am class for more.

I did, however, use the prescribed #14 wall ball for the first time and I was proud of my deadlifts. I have to get those wall balls working for me, though. Rudy suggested keeping my arms raised at shoulder height, ball in front of face, so I'm not exerting so much energy every time. I definitely felt a difference when practicing that way. I refused to count balls that didn't hit the line so I did A LOT of repeat reps....A LOT.

Obviously, this slowed me down terribly but I refuse to think of it as defeat. Rudy challenged me to go Rx and I accepted. I fought as hard as I could and for that, I feel good about today. I will use better strategy next time...break in to sets of 5, keep my arms raised in front and have better control of the ball.

My power cleans felt good but man, those back extensions were exhausting for some reason!

All in all, wall balls on the suck list but I keep on moving forward in strength. Good night.

Step One

2009-12-28T20:06:00.000-08:00

I am beginning my 4th week of training. Spent everyday in a private gym over the holidays to keep up with CFC's strength cycle while in Portland and I am so glad I did.

Press - 5-5-5 @+#5 65/75/85%

50/58/65 + 7

Ring Dips (pink band)- 3 x max

25/12/10

4rds: max reps 45 sec w/15 sec rest

burpees - 15/15/14/11

KBS (#45) - 20/12/7/5

Row(cal) - 9/9/9/9

Total Reps - 135

Great challenge to bump up on the KB weight...definitely had to break up and fight through the last two sets of swings, so that cost me some reps. I typically worked at #35 kb and tried the #55. After 3 attempts, still couldn't get it above my head, so I went with the #45. #55 kb, you are mine!

Also, I officially signed up for sectionals in February, so have 1 and half months to get ready.