Mobility Training - 1RM OHS

We did a 1RM overhead squat on Monday this week.  While I've gotten stronger since I did this for the first time quite awhile ago, I went from 115# to 165#.  I have to give most of the credit for this to increasing my mobility.  For more information on mobility training, check out Kelly Starret's blog at MobilityWOD...

I also have a blog post on mobility on the Crossfit Troy website if you'd like to check it out.

Helen - 100909

I did Helen for the first time today. Forgot to write down my time though so I'll have to grab that and post it tomorrow.  Sometime between 16 - 17 minutes though I think.

Pullups:
I used a 'smaller' band (harder) for the pullups than I've used in a workout before, taking advantage of the fact there's only 36 of them in the workout. 

Kettlebell swings:
I used the 44lb kettlebell, basically because all the 1.5 pood were taken, and I really didn't feel like using the 2 pood.  Went unbroken the first two sets.  Broke the third into 12/9 because my grip was shot from the pullups.

Running:
Substituted 400m rows for the runs because my heel has been bugging me again.

RESULT: 16:55

[41/300]

Psyching Myself Out

We did a 1RM front squat today.  Though I got a PR (205#, up from 195#), I felt like I could have done more.  My rack position is a lot better than it used to be.  My hip flexibility is better, and I'm stronger as well.  I probably could have done 225# (or at least 215#).  So what gives???

I psyched myself out.

The 205# was hard, but I felt pretty strong doing it though.  I had two problems.  The first is that I came a little forward onto the balls of my feet as I was coming up.  I doubted my flexibility and ability to make the higher lift as a result.  The second item was that I tried changing to a crossover grip for a 225# attempt.  It just felt weird.  This also added to the doubt that I could make 225#.  Looking back, given my state of mind at the time, I think it was a good call to stop where I did.  I didn't have the confidence that I would make 225#.  If I don't 'know' that I'm going to make a lift, then I'm not going to make the lift whether I attempt it or not.

Cindy - 100902

So the last time I did Cindy was about 2 months ago.  That time I scored 12 + 3 rounds.  Modifications were doing jumping pullups and doing pushups on my knees.  Used the same mods this time around and hit 13 + 24 rounds, adding almost 2 rounds in 2 months.  Last time it was also about 95deg. in the gym, so I'm sure that had something to do with the difference.

I'm behind the group one week on the Wendler cycle.  My body was telling me it needed a break a couple weeks ago so I did one less CF workout that week, and took the week off from Wendler.  Started the second cycle this past week, and things seem to be going pretty well.  Other than bench press, everything seems to be improving.  Though I actually did the bench a few minutes after doing Cindy (140 pushups), so that number being low is to be expected.  :-)   Results for this last week are below...



WENDLER - SECOND CYCLE: WEEK01

STRICT PRESS
(140# 1RM)
Money round: 115# x 10 reps

DEADLIFT
(345# 1RM)
Money round: 280# x 10 reps

BENCH PRESS
(205# 1RM)
Money round: 165# x 6 reps

BACK SQUAT
(275# 1RM)
Money round: 225# x 12 reps

I Get a Gold Star

Well... actually... I'm giving myself a gold star.  I did 90 (assisted) pull-ups in a workout yesterday.  45 more than I had ever done in a workout before.  Yea!!! 


WOD: Eva
Run 800 meters
2 pood Kettlebell swing, 30 reps
30 Pull-ups
5 Rounds
 
Note: Modified to three rounds, used 44lb kettlebell, and used black band for assisted pull-ups.  Still took me about 40 minutes.  :-)
 
 
Eva example...
 

StreetFighter Endurance Challenge

Just found out tonight that Crossfit Troy is going to have a special challenge for Fight Gone Bad 5 this year.  They're having what they call a StreetFighter Endurance Challenge, and I am SO doing it!  Now if I can only figure out why I actually get enjoyment out of putting myself through stuff like that. Who knows.  Should be a real test, and a lot of fun!

Today's WOD:
Ground to Overhead, any weight, anyhow, max weight moved in 7 minutes.

75lb barbell * 70 reps C&J = 5,250lbs moved in 7 minutes.

Re-examining

OK... so getting the posts up for every workout with the results has become tedious... already. It shouldn't be tedious, it should be fun! If it's tedious, then there's something wrong and it's time to re-examine how and why I'm going about things. So here's what I'm thinking. Very basically, I want to...

• List my Fitness goals.
• Track and comment on my progress towards those goals.

So, for the goals I already have a few that I've shared with others, but I'm going to re-evaluate those as well and see where I might want to make changes. As far as tracking progress that may be best done by noting the benchmark stuff. Workouts where I'll be doing them again in the future at some point so I can make a comparison and see if I'm any better.

I'm considering using performance on workouts as my main tool of measurement, and just not even weighing myself at all. At least resorting it to secondary status. The reason being that if I improve workout performance (especially in bodyweight type workouts) weight loss will happen automagically! It will be a side-effect of my efforts to improve performance. If I want to get, say, 25 rounds in Cindy, then it just ain't gonna happen if I weigh 300 lbs. (or if it does, just start calling me Superman!). :P

In re-evaluating, I think I'm more motivated by performance. Saying I've lost a bunch of weight would be (and has been in the past) pretty cool. But being able to say that I did a 25 round Cindy as Rx would be pretty freaking awesome!

I'm remembering the Kelly Starret vid where he's talking to the trainers telling him how what he does isn't as cool as some of the other Crossfit subject matter experts. That he's the f'ing stretching guy. Ha! :D He goes on to explain that he sells it by telling you that it will increase your performance. You will get a faster time, be able to lift more, be able to jump higher. Similar thing here. If my main 'vision' is to be able to absolutely kill any and all Crossfit WODs (be really good at any type of workout for any non-Crossfitters reading this), in order to make significant progress towards that goal then everything else (eating 'right', working out regularly, etc) will have no other chance but to happen.