My performance on tonight's WOD was just freaking L-A-M-E.
I got done with lifeguard class, showered and drove over to the box right away, since yesterday I skipped the WOD after going home after class. But once I was there, I still didn't want to be there...
As a result, I totally took it easier on myself that I should have, broke up sets into smaller sets than I should have, rested more than I should have. Booooooo.
I guess the excuse is, "oh, you just spent 2 hours in the pool." But whatever. What is the point of showing up, if you're not really SHOWING UP?
--
"Barbara"
5 rounds for time:
20 pullups
30 pushups
40 situps
50 squats
Results: 47:05
Despite a crappy effort, I still finished as Rx'd, and as a result I can say I completed another benchmark WOD as prescribed (not sure why I left this one off my 1Q10 goal list?). That is the redeeming element of today.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday & Saturday
Short and sweet WOD on Friday morning, between coaching 0630 and 0830.
6 rounds for time:
5 handstand pushups
10 burpees
15 abmat situps
150m sprint
Results: 17:39
Biggest news here -- I finally kicked up into a handstand against the wall! I started out with my head on top of 3 abmats, and did a frogstand to a headstand, and then pressed up. A little bit of messing around with that, and I decided it was time to kick up. I took some video with the iPod, but that corner of the gym has a lightbulb out, so it turned out really dark. In any case, I did the WOD by kicking up into a handstand and lowering to 2 abmats. Not the most stellar attempt at HSPU, but still an improvement for me, so I'm happy.
Next I need to find out what's better -- continuing to practice full ROM with the harness, or doing negatives while in the wall-supported handstand.
--
Saturday I coached the 0930 WOD -- we did the same group WOD I went through on the 2nd day of my certification seminar.
Here's the writeup we put on the website:
We only had 3 ladies come in this morning, so I did the WOD with them. We took out the SDHPs since we still didn't have 5. I had fun, and I think they did too. :)
Afterwards I took them through the core stabilization work that I did with Jenn at CrossFit Pittsburgh. With the 3 following exercises: round 1, 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off; round 2, 45 seconds on, 45 seconds off; round 3, 30 secs on and off.
All in all, a fun morning. :)
My sister just left yesterday, and my parents are arriving this afternoon for a visit, so I'm off to clean and put lots of bedding and towels through the wash. :)
6 rounds for time:
5 handstand pushups
10 burpees
15 abmat situps
150m sprint
Results: 17:39
Biggest news here -- I finally kicked up into a handstand against the wall! I started out with my head on top of 3 abmats, and did a frogstand to a headstand, and then pressed up. A little bit of messing around with that, and I decided it was time to kick up. I took some video with the iPod, but that corner of the gym has a lightbulb out, so it turned out really dark. In any case, I did the WOD by kicking up into a handstand and lowering to 2 abmats. Not the most stellar attempt at HSPU, but still an improvement for me, so I'm happy.
Next I need to find out what's better -- continuing to practice full ROM with the harness, or doing negatives while in the wall-supported handstand.
--
Saturday I coached the 0930 WOD -- we did the same group WOD I went through on the 2nd day of my certification seminar.
Here's the writeup we put on the website:
In 12 minutes your team of 5 will perform as many reps as possible of SDHPs, pushups and box jumps. The time it takes to complete one 50m waiter's walk will determine the rotation intervals for your team. There's a rest station, so go hard!Basically the team members rotate from station to station. During the hand off, the person who was just performing the movement tells the person who is arriving to "relieve" them what the current rep count is for that movement. At the end you add them up for the total. The faster you do the waiter's walk (it was a sandbag carry at my cert) the faster your team members rotate through.
5 stations
1. Rest
2. Kettlebell Sumo deadlift high pull (24kg/16)
3. Pushups
4. Box jumps (20'')
5. 50m waiter's walk (45#/25 plate)
Final team score is total # of reps completed.
We only had 3 ladies come in this morning, so I did the WOD with them. We took out the SDHPs since we still didn't have 5. I had fun, and I think they did too. :)
Afterwards I took them through the core stabilization work that I did with Jenn at CrossFit Pittsburgh. With the 3 following exercises: round 1, 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off; round 2, 45 seconds on, 45 seconds off; round 3, 30 secs on and off.
- handstand holds
- plank
- wall sit
All in all, a fun morning. :)
My sister just left yesterday, and my parents are arriving this afternoon for a visit, so I'm off to clean and put lots of bedding and towels through the wash. :)
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
"DT" and catch-up
Yes, I am going to post about the cert. But my sister is here visiting (an unexpected, yet delightful surprise!) so that may take a few more days. I have some notes written down about my thoughts, and I'll add some more to that as well.
Monday I just did swim class, since I was still feeling a bit sore from the cert. Tuesday I took a total rest day, and skipped swim and CrossFit. Tonight it was back in the pool, with a WOD afterwards with the CF Camden trainers.
"DT"
Five rounds for time of:
155 pound Deadlift, 12 reps
155 pound Hang power clean, 9 reps
155 pound Push jerk, 6 reps
Results: 15:36 @ 85#
Deads were unbroken all 5 rounds. Cleans were in random sets. Did a few rounds of unbroken push jerks, maybe 3 of the 5. Cleans were definitely the limiting factor in this WOD.
The "traditional" women's scale would be 105#, Dave prescribed 95#. After finishing the WOD, I was left wondering if I should've done 95... I always feel that way after I scale. But after an hour in the pool, I didn't think I could handle the 95# hang power cleans.
Good WOD overall.
Monday I just did swim class, since I was still feeling a bit sore from the cert. Tuesday I took a total rest day, and skipped swim and CrossFit. Tonight it was back in the pool, with a WOD afterwards with the CF Camden trainers.
"DT"
Five rounds for time of:
155 pound Deadlift, 12 reps
155 pound Hang power clean, 9 reps
155 pound Push jerk, 6 reps
Results: 15:36 @ 85#
Deads were unbroken all 5 rounds. Cleans were in random sets. Did a few rounds of unbroken push jerks, maybe 3 of the 5. Cleans were definitely the limiting factor in this WOD.
The "traditional" women's scale would be 105#, Dave prescribed 95#. After finishing the WOD, I was left wondering if I should've done 95... I always feel that way after I scale. But after an hour in the pool, I didn't think I could handle the 95# hang power cleans.
Good WOD overall.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Lots of links
Well, I haven't done a CrossFit WOD since Tuesday, but I had swim class on Wednesday and Thursday evening, so that was plenty! I also did a little swimming in the ocean this afternoon -- I'm in West Palm Beach, FL for my Level I certification seminar at CrossFit BGI.
Over these last few days I have collected a ridiculous number of links.
--
"I CrossFit because it's ridiculous." - great post about why CrossFit is different, and why we love it. H/T tarynrom (twitter, blog)
--
Chef Rachael tried CrossFit, and loved it! Woot!
--
Lisbeth Darsh -- I would love to visit her gym, be trained by her, WOD with her, and then pick her brain. Her newest post is a thing of beauty: "Call It What It Is".
I want to try this recipe: Paleo Fried Shrimp. It uses almond meal. The only problem is my fear of cooking shrimp -- I am always paranoid that they're not cooked enough...
--
This video of movement standards really made me think about how we do things at our box. I would like to incorporate their standards for wall ball shots. Now that I've thought about it, not catching the ball after throwing it is totally a cop-out and it makes sense that would cause a rep to be thrown out.
--
Informative article about building bones -- osteogenesis.
--
I want to order a spiral vegetable slicer so that I can try making zucchini noodles. At which point I can try to make zucchini spaghetti and meatballs.
--
After tweeting with @jensinkler and reading this (quote below), I feel like I shortchanged myself by not signing up to compete in a CF Games sectional... My thoughts have/had already been on doing a local competition, like the Garage Games that were held in February, to "get started". But why couldn't it have been CF Games? So what if I sucked compared to the top 20? I could still say I did it. Ideas to ponder...
Over these last few days I have collected a ridiculous number of links.
--
"I CrossFit because it's ridiculous." - great post about why CrossFit is different, and why we love it. H/T tarynrom (twitter, blog)
--
Chef Rachael tried CrossFit, and loved it! Woot!
--
Lisbeth Darsh -- I would love to visit her gym, be trained by her, WOD with her, and then pick her brain. Her newest post is a thing of beauty: "Call It What It Is".
It’s your mind calling the shots, not your body. It is your mental discipline that is failing, not your physical capacity.--
I want to try this recipe: Paleo Fried Shrimp. It uses almond meal. The only problem is my fear of cooking shrimp -- I am always paranoid that they're not cooked enough...
--
This video of movement standards really made me think about how we do things at our box. I would like to incorporate their standards for wall ball shots. Now that I've thought about it, not catching the ball after throwing it is totally a cop-out and it makes sense that would cause a rep to be thrown out.
--
Informative article about building bones -- osteogenesis.
--
I want to order a spiral vegetable slicer so that I can try making zucchini noodles. At which point I can try to make zucchini spaghetti and meatballs.
--
After tweeting with @jensinkler and reading this (quote below), I feel like I shortchanged myself by not signing up to compete in a CF Games sectional... My thoughts have/had already been on doing a local competition, like the Garage Games that were held in February, to "get started". But why couldn't it have been CF Games? So what if I sucked compared to the top 20? I could still say I did it. Ideas to ponder...
"Just as you need to practise in the gym to get good at the lifts, you have to practise competing. From controlling your nerves to warming up effectively or getting in the zone, there are circumstances that are unique to the competitive environment and very difficult to reproduce in the gym. So practise them by going to lots of meets and just getting on with it."
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Deadlifts and pushups - mainsite WOD
Today we did the mainsite WOD from March 10.
This was my second day of doing the 6pm class after my 1 hour swim class from 4-5. My arms / shoulders were already tired before attempting this!
But at the same time it feels good to do my own little version of "two-a-days". :)
All my pushups were on the toes, and I am feeling stronger with them every day. I did the first set unbroken, and then started off each subsequent round with at least 5 in a row. This was a great prep WOD for my first attempt at Cindy, which I am planning on undertaking sometime before the end of March.
Deadlifts felt great. At this weight, it wasn't my legs that gave out, it was my grip / forearms. My back also felt great, so I know that means I've improved a lot on form. Even just that short time that I worked on PTP really really helped improve my form.
10 rounds for time:Result: 20:15
15 deadlift (135/85)
15 pushups
This was my second day of doing the 6pm class after my 1 hour swim class from 4-5. My arms / shoulders were already tired before attempting this!
But at the same time it feels good to do my own little version of "two-a-days". :)
All my pushups were on the toes, and I am feeling stronger with them every day. I did the first set unbroken, and then started off each subsequent round with at least 5 in a row. This was a great prep WOD for my first attempt at Cindy, which I am planning on undertaking sometime before the end of March.
Deadlifts felt great. At this weight, it wasn't my legs that gave out, it was my grip / forearms. My back also felt great, so I know that means I've improved a lot on form. Even just that short time that I worked on PTP really really helped improve my form.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Filthy Fifty - the rematch
So, back in October, during a trip up north to visit family, I DNF'd on Filthy Fifty at CrossFit KoP.
The posted WOD for 3/14 is again Filthy Fifty, with a reminder link to compare back to October.
In a wonderful turn of events, the WOD my box schedule for today was Filthy Fifty, so I was able to finally make an attempt to finish this WOD and get a baseline time.
It turned out pretty ugly. But I got it done.
I probably wouldn't have felt so beat down if I hadn't attended a 1 hour swimming class just prior to doing this WOD. And also if it wasn't my first time back in the pool in about 6-7 months.
Oh well, that's definitely a "varied stimulus" that should produce some bad ass adaptations! :-D (Yes, I have been studying my CrossFit manual for the cert this weekend.)
I definitely dawdled a good bit during this WOD. Probably enough to take off 5 minutes. I was feeling decidedly beat down and wussy.
In bullets:
The posted WOD for 3/14 is again Filthy Fifty, with a reminder link to compare back to October.
In a wonderful turn of events, the WOD my box schedule for today was Filthy Fifty, so I was able to finally make an attempt to finish this WOD and get a baseline time.
It turned out pretty ugly. But I got it done.
I probably wouldn't have felt so beat down if I hadn't attended a 1 hour swimming class just prior to doing this WOD. And also if it wasn't my first time back in the pool in about 6-7 months.
Oh well, that's definitely a "varied stimulus" that should produce some bad ass adaptations! :-D (Yes, I have been studying my CrossFit manual for the cert this weekend.)
"Filthy Fifty"
50 reps of each movement, for time:Results: 41:25, Rx'd
Box jump, 24 inch box
Jumping pull-ups
Kettlebell swings (24kg/16)
Walking Lunges (50 total steps)
Knees to elbows
Push press, (45lbs/25)
GHD Back extensions
Wall ball shots (20/14)
Burpees
Double unders
I definitely dawdled a good bit during this WOD. Probably enough to take off 5 minutes. I was feeling decidedly beat down and wussy.
In bullets:
- Box jumps: It felt good to jump the 24'' box -- seems like all I've been doing lately is the 20''. I like the big one better.
- Jumping pullups: felt weird! I haven't done one of those in a very long time.
- KB swings: 2 sets of 25. Cake.
- Lunges: Could've been a lot faster, and in larger sets.
- Knees to elbows: Done in sets of 5. I'm still using a good bit of kipping at the bottom to get my knees up. But I do try to engage the shoulders and get my back parallel to the ground when I get to the top. These really hurt my hands!
- Push press: Sets of 25, 15, 10. 25# felt super light after the 55# for Fight Gone Bad.
- Back ext: Started with 25 straight, not sure of the rest of the breakdown. Felt fine doing them, but OWWWWWW, my back was one big ass spasm when I was finished. I could barely climb off the GHD.
- Burpees: When I got in my groove, I was pumping these out. Tried to do sets of 10. The last 10 were really brutal... I actually took some pointers from that video of the Guvernator at the CF Games Ohio Sectionals, where he's watching a deadlift-burpee WOD. The girl doing burpees in that video had a great technique.
- Double unders: THANK GOD I can do these now. Got the first 40 in sets of 10-ish. Last 10 were ridiculous. My shoe came untied and that laces were getting caught in my jump rope, so I just ripped it off so I could do the last one. That got a laugh out of my spectators. My anger amuses them. :-p
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Intervals on vacation - oldie but goodie
Today I re-purposed a vacation WOD that I originally got from the former CrossFit Philly, now Urban Athlete.
4 rounds. 1 minute of each exercise. ~2 minutes rest between rounds.
4 rounds. 1 minute of each exercise. ~2 minutes rest between rounds.
- Deep In & Outs
- Thrusters (used 12# dbs I found in my sister's basement)
- Reverse Lunges
- T-stabilization pushups
- Planks
Friday, March 12, 2010
20 minutes
Tried to leave home early enough to make it to Ultimate CrossFit for the noon WOD, but I didn't time it right. So I did a vacation WOD here at my sister's house. Yes, I am road-trippin' yet again. :)
Max Rounds in 20 minutes:
5 Pushups
10 Situps
15 Squats
Results: 18, I think -- my niece was writing my tally, and I think she was a little generous :)
Thanks to CrossFit Troy for the nice list.
I purposefully picked this one cause it wouldn't be super challenging, but I could still work on my pushups and get my sweat on. Mission accomplished.
Max Rounds in 20 minutes:
5 Pushups
10 Situps
15 Squats
Results: 18, I think -- my niece was writing my tally, and I think she was a little generous :)
Thanks to CrossFit Troy for the nice list.
I purposefully picked this one cause it wouldn't be super challenging, but I could still work on my pushups and get my sweat on. Mission accomplished.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Helen
Well, I can check this one off my 1Q10 goal list now.
Today we tackled Helen, and I beat her down! Beat my old PR by over 3 minutes!
"Helen"
Runs were decent - it helped that I was at the back of the pack chasing a bunch of really fast people. Made me feel like I was going slow and couldn't slack off.
Swings were excellent -- all unbroken. Only thing I could change here would be to rest less, grab the bell and start swinging faster after completing the run.
Pullups were great. Even though I only got one set of 5, I was still putting at least 2 or 3 together, and only did a couple singles. Today I also instituted a new practice of mounting the bar by jumping from the ground. I feel like I use climbing up on the box as a way to waste time. Since I'm definitely tall enough to jump up to the bar, that is how I'll be getting up there from now on. I also think it helps my grip to grab with both hands at once, instead of one hand at a time like I do when I use the box.
Overall I'm really happy with this WOD!
--
One other note about goals -- I can check off the "1 unassisted ring dip" as well! After coaching the 0830 class, I was just messing around on the rings and did an unassisted dip! Hollah!
--
Also, tonight I wore my new shoes. Nike Lunar Trainers.
I got these as a shoe to wear when I run long distances, and as a transition shoe between the super-stabilizing shoes I wore previously, and my super-low-support shoes I have been wearing in the last few weeks.
To illustrate:
Nike Air Structure Triax
Equivalent of my New Balance shoes:
Enough talk about shoes -- time for a shower and a dinner date with my husband! :)
Today we tackled Helen, and I beat her down! Beat my old PR by over 3 minutes!
"Helen"
3 rounds for time:Results: 13:09
400m run
21 kettlebell swings (24kg/16kg)
12 pullups
Runs were decent - it helped that I was at the back of the pack chasing a bunch of really fast people. Made me feel like I was going slow and couldn't slack off.
Swings were excellent -- all unbroken. Only thing I could change here would be to rest less, grab the bell and start swinging faster after completing the run.
Pullups were great. Even though I only got one set of 5, I was still putting at least 2 or 3 together, and only did a couple singles. Today I also instituted a new practice of mounting the bar by jumping from the ground. I feel like I use climbing up on the box as a way to waste time. Since I'm definitely tall enough to jump up to the bar, that is how I'll be getting up there from now on. I also think it helps my grip to grab with both hands at once, instead of one hand at a time like I do when I use the box.
Overall I'm really happy with this WOD!
--
One other note about goals -- I can check off the "1 unassisted ring dip" as well! After coaching the 0830 class, I was just messing around on the rings and did an unassisted dip! Hollah!
--
Also, tonight I wore my new shoes. Nike Lunar Trainers.
To illustrate:
Nike Air Structure Triax
Enough talk about shoes -- time for a shower and a dinner date with my husband! :)
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
PTP Day what?
Monday morning my regularly scheduled life was interrupted by some kind of stomach bug or food poisoning. EWWWWW.
No stomach pains or other "issues" on Tuesday, but I was just "blah" and husband was away for work stuff, so I ended up skipping that day too.
As of today everything is back to normal, except I feel funky due to eating toast and peanut butter while I was sick. I just couldn't really think of anything else to eat. Other than bananas and applesauce. I am thanking God I didn't throw up, because I hate throwing up.
I am not sure where to "restart" with my PTP, because I am leaving Friday AM to go out of town for the weekend. The one bad thing about working on deadlifts is that you can't really do it "on the go"...
I have a trainer's meeting tonight -- I could arrive early for that and get my deadlifting in them... we shall see...
--
Since I was feeling unsure about how to continue my PTP program, I went ahead and attended the 0830 WOD at my box. It was a tabata day. We did bottom-to-bottom squats, pushups, double unders and situps.
Squats: 18-15-13-11-8-7-7-6
Pushups: 10-8-7-6-5-5-5-5
Double unders: 9-9-7-6-9-9-10-7
Situps: 15-14-12-11-11-11-10-10
My only "victory" today was the double unders. Everything else was crappy.
For squats, I think I just wasn't focusing? Instead of moving through the pain and cramping, I just let it cripple me and stop me from moving. Good practice for my cert (holy crap it's in 10 days!). Hoping I can get 3-4 more practice sessions of bottom-to-bottom before then.
And what the heck was up with my situps? Total crap. Pushups were passable.
In any case, I'm just glad my ass was back in the gym. I was feeling very de-motivated yesterday, and it worried me.
--
This video is freaking cool. I love Oly lifting. It was posted by Ultimate CrossFit.
No stomach pains or other "issues" on Tuesday, but I was just "blah" and husband was away for work stuff, so I ended up skipping that day too.
As of today everything is back to normal, except I feel funky due to eating toast and peanut butter while I was sick. I just couldn't really think of anything else to eat. Other than bananas and applesauce. I am thanking God I didn't throw up, because I hate throwing up.
I am not sure where to "restart" with my PTP, because I am leaving Friday AM to go out of town for the weekend. The one bad thing about working on deadlifts is that you can't really do it "on the go"...
I have a trainer's meeting tonight -- I could arrive early for that and get my deadlifting in them... we shall see...
--
Since I was feeling unsure about how to continue my PTP program, I went ahead and attended the 0830 WOD at my box. It was a tabata day. We did bottom-to-bottom squats, pushups, double unders and situps.
Squats: 18-15-13-11-8-7-7-6
Pushups: 10-8-7-6-5-5-5-5
Double unders: 9-9-7-6-9-9-10-7
Situps: 15-14-12-11-11-11-10-10
My only "victory" today was the double unders. Everything else was crappy.
For squats, I think I just wasn't focusing? Instead of moving through the pain and cramping, I just let it cripple me and stop me from moving. Good practice for my cert (holy crap it's in 10 days!). Hoping I can get 3-4 more practice sessions of bottom-to-bottom before then.
And what the heck was up with my situps? Total crap. Pushups were passable.
In any case, I'm just glad my ass was back in the gym. I was feeling very de-motivated yesterday, and it worried me.
--
This video is freaking cool. I love Oly lifting. It was posted by Ultimate CrossFit.
--
If this could be my dad too, I would be sooooooooo happy and thankful. Unfortunately he has no interest in quitting smoking. And it's not even like he is married to someone who smokes and that's what's stopping him. It's the other way around -- my mom has had to put boundaries on where he's allowed to smoke to try to protect herself. No more smoking in the house at all (he used to smoke in his office), no more smoking in the car when she's riding with him.
*sigh* I hate that he smokes, and that he has watched both of his parents (smokers) and one brother (smoker) die of cancer, and he is currently watching another sister (smoker) fight cancer. How does that not get through to you? And the man is obsessive about taking vitamins for prostate health, because prostate cancer runs in the family -- but why can't he come to terms with the fact that quitting smoking is the single most powerful preventative measure that he could take? So frustrating.
OK, sorry, I was just gonna post the link, but then I had to rant. This is something the really, really bothers me. I don't want to watch my nieces and nephews, or my own children if/when I have them, watch their grandfather die of cancer like I had to watch my grandfather die of cancer. It is fucking horrible.
--
I've finished my first re-read of the Level I cert "manual". If you're curious, here's the link. It's basically a compendium of many of the early issues of the CrossFit journal, the Level II study materials (points of performance and fault correction for 9 foundational movements) and a few articles about rhabdo/safety. It's excellent in my opinion! What a great resource. The early version that one of our coaches sent me did not include everything, so today I will do my first read-through on the new additions, and then I'll be ready for a final re-read of it all next week sometime.
One note on content though -- there is a section on Zone. That is not my thing, so I hope there aren't too many questions on that. I should really make it a point to memorize the carb-fat-protein percentages though, just in case... With my crazy history of disordered eating, the last thing I need to do is weigh and measure. I'm in the food quality camp all the way baby. :)
I am good at taking tests, and the exam at the end of the certification seminar will only be 50 questions, but I am really nervous! Maybe it's just because I haven't taken a test in so long. I also wish there were some practice questions to try out so I could get a feel for the testing format. I will report back here afterwards, and hopefully that will help others who might be nervous. :)
--
I have been thinking a lot about where I go after my Level I... I read an "affiliate snapshot" on the affiliate blog (which of course I can't find now...), and the interviewee talked about sticking with the basics. There are so many different "extra" certifications that sound really interesting. Endurance, rowing, Olympic weightlifting, kettlebells, gymnastics, mobility. While it would be amazing to be able to bring specialized knowledge back to my home affiliate, what I really need to focus on is just becoming a coach. Figuring out my own style, learning to manage a class efficiently, finding that sweet spot between correction and encouragement, learning how to get the very best out of each athlete in my class.
It's basically what Glassman talks about in his Virtuosity article.
So with that in mind, the only additional training I'm even considering is the Coaches Prep Course or the Level II Course. I'm intrigued by the prep course, but I'd like to see how the Level I testing shakes out, and how that will impact Level II stuff before I invest any more money.
And of course I'm going to be busy enough with doing the ISSA personal trainer course as well as a few aquatics courses locally. Those two are mainly meant to give me a better chance of getting a paying job at either the local rec center or the base gym, though I'd love to just do CrossFit.
If this could be my dad too, I would be sooooooooo happy and thankful. Unfortunately he has no interest in quitting smoking. And it's not even like he is married to someone who smokes and that's what's stopping him. It's the other way around -- my mom has had to put boundaries on where he's allowed to smoke to try to protect herself. No more smoking in the house at all (he used to smoke in his office), no more smoking in the car when she's riding with him.
*sigh* I hate that he smokes, and that he has watched both of his parents (smokers) and one brother (smoker) die of cancer, and he is currently watching another sister (smoker) fight cancer. How does that not get through to you? And the man is obsessive about taking vitamins for prostate health, because prostate cancer runs in the family -- but why can't he come to terms with the fact that quitting smoking is the single most powerful preventative measure that he could take? So frustrating.
OK, sorry, I was just gonna post the link, but then I had to rant. This is something the really, really bothers me. I don't want to watch my nieces and nephews, or my own children if/when I have them, watch their grandfather die of cancer like I had to watch my grandfather die of cancer. It is fucking horrible.
--
I've finished my first re-read of the Level I cert "manual". If you're curious, here's the link. It's basically a compendium of many of the early issues of the CrossFit journal, the Level II study materials (points of performance and fault correction for 9 foundational movements) and a few articles about rhabdo/safety. It's excellent in my opinion! What a great resource. The early version that one of our coaches sent me did not include everything, so today I will do my first read-through on the new additions, and then I'll be ready for a final re-read of it all next week sometime.
One note on content though -- there is a section on Zone. That is not my thing, so I hope there aren't too many questions on that. I should really make it a point to memorize the carb-fat-protein percentages though, just in case... With my crazy history of disordered eating, the last thing I need to do is weigh and measure. I'm in the food quality camp all the way baby. :)
I am good at taking tests, and the exam at the end of the certification seminar will only be 50 questions, but I am really nervous! Maybe it's just because I haven't taken a test in so long. I also wish there were some practice questions to try out so I could get a feel for the testing format. I will report back here afterwards, and hopefully that will help others who might be nervous. :)
--
I have been thinking a lot about where I go after my Level I... I read an "affiliate snapshot" on the affiliate blog (which of course I can't find now...), and the interviewee talked about sticking with the basics. There are so many different "extra" certifications that sound really interesting. Endurance, rowing, Olympic weightlifting, kettlebells, gymnastics, mobility. While it would be amazing to be able to bring specialized knowledge back to my home affiliate, what I really need to focus on is just becoming a coach. Figuring out my own style, learning to manage a class efficiently, finding that sweet spot between correction and encouragement, learning how to get the very best out of each athlete in my class.
It's basically what Glassman talks about in his Virtuosity article.
So with that in mind, the only additional training I'm even considering is the Coaches Prep Course or the Level II Course. I'm intrigued by the prep course, but I'd like to see how the Level I testing shakes out, and how that will impact Level II stuff before I invest any more money.
And of course I'm going to be busy enough with doing the ISSA personal trainer course as well as a few aquatics courses locally. Those two are mainly meant to give me a better chance of getting a paying job at either the local rec center or the base gym, though I'd love to just do CrossFit.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
PTP Days 5 & 6
I highly recommend starting the PTP program on the 1st day of the month. It makes it easy when the date and the day of the program are synched up. :-D
No time to blog yesterday, I was running all over the place.
I was working with a milspouse friend at the base gym on CrossFit basics, so I did my deadlift and press there. I actually had a conversation with the on-base firemen about kipping pullups, which I was doing during my warm up on one of the squat racks. They are kind of attention grabbing in a "regular" gym. Of course I took a moment to try to sell CrossFit, we'll see what comes of it. :) I also had a fun conversation with a 65-year-old guy who competes in bench press competitions -- it's some variant of powerlifting where you can compete in a single event. He was cool, and I might swing back to the base gym next week to get some pointers from him and his lifting partner.
At our box we sign up for 5Ks and running events, but to keep it inclusive, I think we need to branch out and see if we can participate in things like powerlifting meets or Olympic weightlifting meets. One of my best friends at the box Allie is still working on her body comp, so her running is still really slow. But she out-lifts the rest of the ladies in the box by 30, 40, 50 pounds. A big part of me just wants to put her in the spotlight and let her beat us all soundly. :) She totally deserves it because she works her ass off, and never gets upset or frustrated, just keeps on plugging away.
Hopefully I will be posting more about that idea soon!
Anyway, back to the PTP stuff.
PTP Day 5:
So I went to the box and did Fight Gone Bad. I'll make up those sprints soon, though.
Here's the breakdown for my FGB, though I know no one cares about the rep breakdown other than me. :)
Wall ball: 11, 12, 12
Box jump: 28, 23, 19
Push press: 18, 14, 11
SDHP: 20, 16, 16
Row: 11, 11, 10
Total reps: 232
At first I felt good about those numbers, but after we all finished, I realized that I was in 3rd place, and had only been beaten by 4 and 7 reps. WTF???? Makes me think to myself I could've pushed out a few more reps here and there if I had know I could've pumped out the highest female score at my box.
So, as far as I'm concerned, Fight Gone Bad and I have a rematch sometime SOON.
--
This morning I coached the 0930 class, and we did "Team Cindy". In pairs, only one partner works at a time, and whole rounds must be completed before switching off.
There was some debate before we started about how much "waiting around" would have to be done, but I enjoyed doing the WOD that way. I think it is a perfect way to prep to do Cindy, which I would like to do sometime soon (afterall, it is in my 1st quarter goals). By having a break while your partner works, you can not only cheer them on, you can also move a lot faster each time it's your turn.
I starting losing my pushups on about the 5th of 6th round that I completed... That sucked. But I'm happy to say that I only had 1 really awful round for pullups. I pretty much was able to complete 5 in a row on 6 or 7 of the 9 total rounds that I did. Being able to do pullups is freaking wonderful. Now to get those dead hangs...
Squats were cake, makes me happy I've been working on them a lot. :-D
--
In two weeks I will be at my cert -- yikes! I need to re-read the study guide. I wish they provided some practice questions or something, I just feel like I don't know what to concentrate on since there are about 90 pages of material!
I also need to visit a copy shop and have them print and bind it for me, with extra pages added for notes. They provide some notes areas in the PDF file, but not enough for me.
No time to blog yesterday, I was running all over the place.
I was working with a milspouse friend at the base gym on CrossFit basics, so I did my deadlift and press there. I actually had a conversation with the on-base firemen about kipping pullups, which I was doing during my warm up on one of the squat racks. They are kind of attention grabbing in a "regular" gym. Of course I took a moment to try to sell CrossFit, we'll see what comes of it. :) I also had a fun conversation with a 65-year-old guy who competes in bench press competitions -- it's some variant of powerlifting where you can compete in a single event. He was cool, and I might swing back to the base gym next week to get some pointers from him and his lifting partner.
At our box we sign up for 5Ks and running events, but to keep it inclusive, I think we need to branch out and see if we can participate in things like powerlifting meets or Olympic weightlifting meets. One of my best friends at the box Allie is still working on her body comp, so her running is still really slow. But she out-lifts the rest of the ladies in the box by 30, 40, 50 pounds. A big part of me just wants to put her in the spotlight and let her beat us all soundly. :) She totally deserves it because she works her ass off, and never gets upset or frustrated, just keeps on plugging away.
Hopefully I will be posting more about that idea soon!
Anyway, back to the PTP stuff.
PTP Day 5:
- Deadlift: 115, 105
- Press: 55, 50
So I went to the box and did Fight Gone Bad. I'll make up those sprints soon, though.
Here's the breakdown for my FGB, though I know no one cares about the rep breakdown other than me. :)
Wall ball: 11, 12, 12
Box jump: 28, 23, 19
Push press: 18, 14, 11
SDHP: 20, 16, 16
Row: 11, 11, 10
Total reps: 232
At first I felt good about those numbers, but after we all finished, I realized that I was in 3rd place, and had only been beaten by 4 and 7 reps. WTF???? Makes me think to myself I could've pushed out a few more reps here and there if I had know I could've pumped out the highest female score at my box.
So, as far as I'm concerned, Fight Gone Bad and I have a rematch sometime SOON.
--
This morning I coached the 0930 class, and we did "Team Cindy". In pairs, only one partner works at a time, and whole rounds must be completed before switching off.
There was some debate before we started about how much "waiting around" would have to be done, but I enjoyed doing the WOD that way. I think it is a perfect way to prep to do Cindy, which I would like to do sometime soon (afterall, it is in my 1st quarter goals). By having a break while your partner works, you can not only cheer them on, you can also move a lot faster each time it's your turn.
I starting losing my pushups on about the 5th of 6th round that I completed... That sucked. But I'm happy to say that I only had 1 really awful round for pullups. I pretty much was able to complete 5 in a row on 6 or 7 of the 9 total rounds that I did. Being able to do pullups is freaking wonderful. Now to get those dead hangs...
Squats were cake, makes me happy I've been working on them a lot. :-D
--
In two weeks I will be at my cert -- yikes! I need to re-read the study guide. I wish they provided some practice questions or something, I just feel like I don't know what to concentrate on since there are about 90 pages of material!
I also need to visit a copy shop and have them print and bind it for me, with extra pages added for notes. They provide some notes areas in the PDF file, but not enough for me.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Rest day hodge-podge
Cool article about women in CrossFit, and how they can become more competitive. Some of the statements made about women are a bit stereotypical, but I think they're still valid for enough women that it's not over the top.
I love this enough that I want to put the main points here:
--
A few thoughts on eating Paleo that I like. Here are two slightly edited quotes:
Train the mind as well as the body, and make winning a habit. Zach Even-Esh posts cool stuff. Which I now find cause I'm doing Twitter.
--
I am dying to sign up for a CrossFit Endurance certification, and I just saw an announcement about one in my local area... Now to talk to husband about spending yet more $$$ on my CrossFit stuff...
This new urge probably has a lot to do with the fact that I'm thinking about signing up for an Olympic distance triathlon sometime this summer or fall. Olympic (or intermediate) is the next step up from sprint distance -- 1.5 km (~1 mi) swim, 40 km (~25 mi) bike, 10 km (~6 mi) run. Instead of spending money on a cert, I probably should spend it on a bike with a frame that actually fits me.
My biggest reason for trying the next "level" is that I want to swim longer. My 2005 sprint tri I swam for 13:47, and in 2007 I swam for 18:43. I need more time in the water, cause that's where I kick ass. :-D
PS - I did the Philly Women's Triathlon (sprint distance) twice. It rocked. Hence I'm leaning towards the fall tri because it's a women-only event.
PS2 - Why Swimming is Different from CF Journal. I'm so excited to be getting back into swimming. Can't wait to see how my upper-body strength gains will translate in the pool.
--
Did some searching and found a bit of information about the accreditation process that is underway for CrossFit certifications. The biggest impact it has on the community is the introduction of a 50 question test as part of Level I. There's a study guide linked from the FilFest page, which I have read -- it is an awesome compilation of some of the best CF Journal articles.
I love this enough that I want to put the main points here:
- Embrace your competitive nature
- Challenge your definition of beauty
- Nourish your body
- Track your progress
- Train with the guys
--
A few thoughts on eating Paleo that I like. Here are two slightly edited quotes:
"Eating without regards to hunger, satiety and fullness, eating just because you can without regard to a block prescription, is a recipe for disaster."
"What is working for me may not work for everyone, which is why I love the expression Your Mileage May Vary. It is so wonderfully vague! What that means is that Paleo has no rules. Paleo is indeed very freeing. It forces introspection, experimentation and adaptation. Goals factor into what constitutes YOUR perfect Paleo."Working hard to find MY perfect Paleo. It has been a challenge so far, but I know it will make a huge difference in the rest of my life once I figure it out.
Train the mind as well as the body, and make winning a habit. Zach Even-Esh posts cool stuff. Which I now find cause I'm doing Twitter.
--
I am dying to sign up for a CrossFit Endurance certification, and I just saw an announcement about one in my local area... Now to talk to husband about spending yet more $$$ on my CrossFit stuff...
This new urge probably has a lot to do with the fact that I'm thinking about signing up for an Olympic distance triathlon sometime this summer or fall. Olympic (or intermediate) is the next step up from sprint distance -- 1.5 km (~1 mi) swim, 40 km (~25 mi) bike, 10 km (~6 mi) run. Instead of spending money on a cert, I probably should spend it on a bike with a frame that actually fits me.
My biggest reason for trying the next "level" is that I want to swim longer. My 2005 sprint tri I swam for 13:47, and in 2007 I swam for 18:43. I need more time in the water, cause that's where I kick ass. :-D
PS - I did the Philly Women's Triathlon (sprint distance) twice. It rocked. Hence I'm leaning towards the fall tri because it's a women-only event.
PS2 - Why Swimming is Different from CF Journal. I'm so excited to be getting back into swimming. Can't wait to see how my upper-body strength gains will translate in the pool.
--
Did some searching and found a bit of information about the accreditation process that is underway for CrossFit certifications. The biggest impact it has on the community is the introduction of a 50 question test as part of Level I. There's a study guide linked from the FilFest page, which I have read -- it is an awesome compilation of some of the best CF Journal articles.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
PTP - Day 3
Wow, I have a feeling my blog post titles are going to be really boring for the next few weeks. :-p
I decided that I don't want to completely "tune out" from the programming at my "home" box while I'm working on PTP, so I will incorporate metcons where I can. Like today I did the daily WOD for my cash out, instead of 5-5-5-3-3-3 back squat as prescribed by PTP.
PTP Day 3:
I also participated in two team WODs after our trainer development meeting tonight. Sprinting 150m with a sledgehammer, and then completing 100 reps of DUs, squats, K2E's and pushups as a team. And oh yeah, one team member had to hold a handstand while 2 others were working. Mandy is a slave driver! :-p
Let me just say that I have really earned my rest day tomorrow after all that. They only thing I want to do is tabata squats -- maybe. We shall see. :)
I decided that I don't want to completely "tune out" from the programming at my "home" box while I'm working on PTP, so I will incorporate metcons where I can. Like today I did the daily WOD for my cash out, instead of 5-5-5-3-3-3 back squat as prescribed by PTP.
PTP Day 3:
- Deadlift: 5 reps @ 120, 110
- Press: 5 reps @ 60, 50
5 rounds for timeResults: 13:3? -- something like that :)
- 20 box jumps, 20"
- 20 situps
- 150m sprint
I also participated in two team WODs after our trainer development meeting tonight. Sprinting 150m with a sledgehammer, and then completing 100 reps of DUs, squats, K2E's and pushups as a team. And oh yeah, one team member had to hold a handstand while 2 others were working. Mandy is a slave driver! :-p
Let me just say that I have really earned my rest day tomorrow after all that. They only thing I want to do is tabata squats -- maybe. We shall see. :)
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
PTP - dia dos
I did *not* feel like working out today... But, I did...
PTP Day 2:
Tomorrow will be my 4th day on... this should be interesting...
PTP Day 2:
- Deadlift: 5 reps @ 115# and 105#
- Press: 5 reps @ 55# and 50#
- Cash out: 16:02
5 roundsWow, I was freaking sluggish on the cash out. I seriously considered doing only 3 rounds, but forced myself to do all 5. My left shoulder still feels weird with some movements, and the left arm snatches did not feel very good for some of the reps. My elbows feel a bit "crunchy" too, today.
10 DB snatch, 5R/5L (30#)
10 1-arm KB swing, 5R/5L (16kg)
10 burpees
Tomorrow will be my 4th day on... this should be interesting...
Monday, March 1, 2010
Restarting PTP
Today I restarted the Whole9 / CF 603 PTP program.
For reference:
Day 1:
Keeping my shoulders relaxed at the start of a K2E, when I'm just hanging from the bar, helps A LOT. I am kipping / swinging a bit to start the motion, but to make up for that I am making sure to engage my shoulders and really get up into a good final position before coming back down. I need to take some more video to make sure my back is getting close to parallel to the ground.
I would've done the cash out faster if I didn't have to pee in the middle of my 2nd set of DU's.
Press felt soooooo easy. Deadlift too. I think sticking to this program will be an exercise in patience, and will also teach me a lot about working with future clients who want to get stronger. Since one of my interests is training the older crowd, I think first-hand experience in a gradual strength-building progression will be invaluable. For someone who is older and worried about losing strength, strength gains seem like they would trump metcon / aerobic conditioning in importance.
For reference:
- post comments on doing PTP here, thread will be monitored
- view entire program here
Day 1:
- Deadlift: 5 reps at 110 and 105 (was supposed to be 100, but I screwed up my plates)
- Press: 5 reps at 50 and 45 (yay starting from new 1RM of 85 on press)
- Cash-out: 3rds, 30 DUs, 15 K2Es -- 11:45
Keeping my shoulders relaxed at the start of a K2E, when I'm just hanging from the bar, helps A LOT. I am kipping / swinging a bit to start the motion, but to make up for that I am making sure to engage my shoulders and really get up into a good final position before coming back down. I need to take some more video to make sure my back is getting close to parallel to the ground.
I would've done the cash out faster if I didn't have to pee in the middle of my 2nd set of DU's.
Press felt soooooo easy. Deadlift too. I think sticking to this program will be an exercise in patience, and will also teach me a lot about working with future clients who want to get stronger. Since one of my interests is training the older crowd, I think first-hand experience in a gradual strength-building progression will be invaluable. For someone who is older and worried about losing strength, strength gains seem like they would trump metcon / aerobic conditioning in importance.
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