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Hello! I have just started CrossFit and I LOVE IT! This is a thread to track my WODs and general thoughts and musings. I did On-Ramp at the beginning of March, and this week marks the start of playing with the big boys and girls in the proper classes. MONDAY 16.03.2015 Warm up: 3 rounds of - 200m run, 10 power cleans (25kg), 10 press ups WOD: For time, 25 minute cap: 50 burpees 400m run 21 power cleans (25kg) 800m run 21 power cleans (25kg) 400m run 50 burpees So so proud of myself for just finishing this one, in 22:08. Paced myself and paid attention to form over speed, especially on burpees. I hate them but am determined to get better at them and learn to love them. My weaknesses will become strengths! WEDNESDAY 18.03.2015 Warm up: 500m run, shoulder mobility work, lunges WOD: For time: 25cal row 50 situps (GHDs were prescribed, but if we hadn't done them before then we had to sub for regular) 100 single arm overhead walking lunges (10kg dumbell) 50 situps 25 cal row 13:08 Loved this one, big fan of rowing, abs are pretty good and I like a good lunge. Pleasantly surprised by overhead shoulder and arm stability, only a light weight, but happy with my form and consistency. FRIDAY 20.03.2015 Warm up: 400m run Today I was introduced to handstand pushups, which just highlighted my poor upper body strength. We did several variations - on the floor, on the box, and then had a go at handstands. I was able to do a handstand against the wall unassisted - yey! However handstand pushups are a long way off, but that's ok. WOD: 8 minute AMRAP 3 handstand push-ups 3 cleans 6 handstand push-ups 3 cleans 9 handstand push-ups 3 cleans 12 handstand push-ups 6 cleans Etc., adding 3 reps to the handstand push-up each round, and 3 reps to the clean every 3 rounds. This was a really tough one for me, managed 1 round plus 6 box pushups, 3 cleans, 9 bpu, 3 cleans and 12 bpu. Upper body strength needs some serious work but I knew that anyway and it was just cool to be upside down. I also did the early morning class (6:30am) this time and it was a very different vibe, really small class, very chilled and quietly focused. Quite a nice change of pace. MONDAY 23.03.2015 Warm up: 3 rounds of - 200m run 30 double unders 20 lunges 15 squats WOD: 'Kelly' 5 rounds of: 400m run 30 box jumps (20") 30 wall balls (I used a 12kg as it was the lightest I could find) 35 minute cap. Managed it in 32:38. This one was so hard. Hardest by far. I had to keep lying to myself to get through it, just another 10 jumps Em...and then another 10...and so on. However, I did it! And within the time limit! Yey! My running is so much better than I thought it would be. Weird. I've always considered myself a crap runner. Maybe that Insanity stuff has paid off in my cardio... WEDNESDAY 25.03.2015 Warm up - can't remember! WOD: A - 3 rounds for time: 500m row, 21 burpees, 12 pullups B - 50 strict handstand pushups, broken up how you wish. This was a good one for my ego, in that I didn't do as well as I was expecting. It's good to be humbled. Rowing was fine, I like that, and I knew pullups were going to be tough, even with the thickest resistance band, but my burpees were just not feeling as good as they have done. My hspus were a variation on the box, and although they just highlighted my poor upper body strength, the coach also commented on my good positioning and flexible shoulders. I'll take that FRIDAY 27.03.2015 I know I did it, I think it was 15.5 but may have got my dates a bit muddled! Anyway if it was it looked like this: For time: 27-21-15-9 Cal row Thrusters (scaled for me, 45lb bar) I actually really enjoyed this one, as I like rowing and feel that my lower body is pretty solid, and my overhead position feel good. However I did worry that I'd gone off to fast in the rowing, but as we were doing it in 2 waves I now had quite a few people encouraging me, and it is tough to slow down when that happens! I think I managed it in about 10 mins something which I was chuffed with There was also something very motivating about the workload decreasing each round. MONDAY 30.03.2015 Warm up and mobilise WOD: 100 pistol squats 50 GHD situps 25 muscle ups This one was awesome!!! It was a morning class with a guy called Hendy who is brill, very calm, gives lots of helpful feedback. I like the vibe in the morning. Everything was scaled, but I managed to do the full 100 squats on a box which was the second hardest option (hardest being on the floor as then you have to lift the other leg). I was planning to do 50 on the box and 50 holding onto a bar but was feeling really good so went for it. I'm so pleased, all those years of ballet have really paid off in my lower body strength and balance. As this was my first time with GHDs I was capped at 10 and then did the other 40 as regular situps which I was happy with, and it was cool to try out the scary looking contraption. Muscle ups were progressions from the floor with rings at shoulder height, just happy that I'm able to hold my own bodyweight. All in all, a cracking session full of cool stuff. WEDNESDAY 01.04.2015 5 rounds for time: 40 double unders 30 wall balls 20 box jumps 10 power cleans Rest 2 mins Anything with '5' before the rounds is going to suck. And this did. Scaled - wall balls with a 12kg instead of 14kg, and 45lb cleans. I hate wall balls. Almost managed to make the whole thing in the time cap (30mins) but just missed out the last 10 jumps and last set of cleans. Oh well, lots to work on! FRIDAY 03.04.2015 Partner WOD, 2 rounds for time: 200 double unders 50 OH squats 50 synchronised burpees 1 mile run This one was a bit of a revelation, as I discovered my DUs are SO MUCH BETTER THAN I THOUGHT! Like 30 something unbroken better, rather than single-double-single-double etc. These and my squats were definitely what I brought to the partner table, my burpees and running sucked. Fortunately I had a very motivational partner and she got my through the cardio hell to finish the whole thing in 45:11. Phew. THURSDAY 09.04.2015 Bit of a break for easter, and here we are again: A: Snatch 1-1-1-1-1 The goal is to set a new PB (which I did, adding 10kg to my 35lb bar!) B - EMOM 10 mins: 1 snatch, 2 OH squats C - 3 min AMRAP rope climbs So nearly didn't go when I saw all this. At 6am it just looked like a whole load of crap I didn't know how to do. But I put on my big girl pants and went anyway. So, snatches are hard. But possible I like OH squats. And my rope climbs were a scaled progression version - phew! Also my first experience of an EMOM and I have to say, I quite liked it. SATURDAY 11.04.2015 Warm up (all outside, the sun has been sighted in Wales!) 400m run, lunges and mobility WOD: For time: 400m run 21-15-9 thrusters and pullups (training bar plus 20lbs and a thick resistance band for me) 400m run 21-15-9 as above 400m run 23:15 (within time cap) This was a tough one, not a massive fan of running or pullups, cardio and upper body strength are my 2 weakest areas. I do like a good thruster though Also I was really not feeling it this morning, so just going and completing it was a massive win. MONDAY 13.04.2015 Warm up: 250m row, 20 light (10kg) wall balls, 250m row, 20 wbs, 250m row WOD: A: Every 2 min, for 7 sets, perform 5 back squats at 75% 1RM B: 3 RFT - 10 deadlifts, 50 double unders This one was awesome, full of stuff I like. It was exciting/scary to squat with fully free weights (at my old gym I was working on a machine, kind of halfway between a free rack and a smith, moved forward and back and up and down). As such I didn't go too mad, 65kg. I know I've done heavier in the past, but completely free is a different ball game. It was so much fun to be in a rack again! My deadlifts need work, I think I was still in squat mode, need to work on my back position and bending from the hips not the knees. My hamstrings are super flexible so there shouldn't be any issue. As such I went for 55kg on these to make sure technique was good. My double unders - yey! So pleased that I am able to these so much better than I thought. Allowed me to finish in 7:57 WEDNESDAY 15.04.2015 Warm up: 400m run, mobility - walk outs (loved these), duck walk, burpee broad jumps (ugh) WOD: A: Hang squat clean: 3-3-3-3-3-3 (gradually working your way up to your 3RM) B: 4 RFT 400m run 21 Plate GTOH 12 burpees onto plate Today was an interesting one. I'm still finding out how much I can lift, and focusing massively on technique, but I felt like these started to click a little more today so that was exciting. Made it up to 40kg but I know I can do more. Trying really hard to go slow. Part B was the hardest WOD I've ever done. My cardio and upper body strength are my weakest areas, and it just really hurt. It was also a WOD of firsts - 1) I came last, as I knew I would. There were only 3 of us in the class (mid morning), me and 2 guys who had been coming a lot longer than me, so the writing was on the wall. However, it was ok, the competitive person in me was cool with it. It had to happen sometime, and it was partly because of the other first - I RX'd part B! First time writing RX next to my name, and IT FELT GOOD. So all in all, a good workout. Just highlighted what I knew, got to work on met con and upper body. Looks like a run tomorrow... FRIDAY 17.04.2015 Warm up: 400m run WOD - Partner! 3RFT (22:35) One person working at a time. 80 double unders 60 kb swings (24kg, scaled to 12kg) 40 cal/row 20 push jerks (50kg, scaled to 25kg) This was a brilliant WOD. I went in the evening so I could partner up with one of the other on ramp girls I haven't seen for ages. Afterwards I think I could have gone heavier, but as a lot of these workouts are a matter of exploration, this was my first time doing push jerks (love them) for example, I think it's better that I didn't. I got a PB on my DUs though, 40 unbroken!! Oh yeah. My rowing is also feeling really strong, little tweaks the coaches have made to my technique are really starting to help. Tomorrow is my first PT session - whoohoo! SATURDAY 18.04.2015 PT - first session! This was awesome, just what I had hoped it would be. A 800m row to warm up then a chat about strengths and weaknesses. He asked for top 5 things I want to work on, and 2 things I think are strong: To work on: 1. Endurance (read: running and burpees) 2. Squats (strength) 3. Deadlifts (technique is not as hot as squats, plus more strength please) 4. Bodyweight upperbody - pushups, dips, rope climbs, pullups etc 5. Oly lifts Pretty good/like: 1. Rowing 2. Thrusters Then we did a lot of work with a pipe focusing on squat, deadlift and overhead press. My mobility is really good, so getting down into squat is easy for me. However, he did just what I wanted him to do and corrected a few little things which made it SO MUCH HARDER but at the same time MUCH BETTER and MORE POWERFUL! It's amazing what a difference little tweaks can make, and how valuable an outside, highly trained eye is. He told me not to go so low, to squeeze my abs and butt, and push forward through my hips. Felt a lot more solid, engaged and explosive My deadlift technique is really not that great, as my flexible hamstrings make it quite tough to 'feel' when I'm in the right position (I know, some people have such hard lives!) We drilled this a lot, and it did feel better, but I think this one is going to take a while to nail. Overhead strict press was good, vaguely remembered it from on-ramp but it makes sense to me. I feel rather proud of my shoulders when I do it, they feel nice and strong and 'active' Well done shoulders. We then did a lot of work on the snatch, a lift I hadn't done yet. It is hard! So much to remember, but it really started to make sense and I actually really like it as a lift. After all this pipe shenanigans it was time for a little WOD. I had become so focused on technique that I was almost a little surprised when he said it. It was 15-12-9 snatches and burpees over the bar (snatch = training bar plus 20lbs), (6:53). Oh man I hate burpees. But I am determined to make them a strength! It was interesting to see how much the technique helps (duh!) when you're tired. He gave me homework - to practice squat and deadlift positions which I'm going to try to do daily, even if its just me in my room. Happy days!!