Crossfit is better after naps

Husbeetle was off work early today, so we napped. Well-deserved since we woke up at 3:30 to get him out the door by 4 for his hike at 5. I even stayed awake after making him his eggs. Craziness!

WOD:

Push jerk: 3-3-3-3-3 75% of max

Metcon: 5 rounds

• 10 kettle swings (24k/16)
• 7 tire jumps (jump in/jump out)
• 5 pull ups

Results:

Push jerk: 65-85-95-95-105m-95-100m

Metcon: 9:43

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OK, for the record, I know I did way to many sets of push jerks, plus I didn't do what I was supposed to do, with sticking with 75% of max. Oh well. :) Looks like 95 is definitely my 3RM on that movement, though, considering I missed 105 and 100.

I totally jacked up the metcon. I did 10 jumps in the tire instead of 7 - DOH! Up until round 5 when the guys that were finished started counting for me. When they yelled "2 more" after I finished 5, I realized what happened. Hilarious. :)

Pullups on the white band are awesome, I am flying up over the bar. But when I tried a "naked" kipping pullup during my warmup, I couldn't get up. I think it's time to get back into those dead hangs -- I haven't been strict about doing them recently. And also I should work on just my kipping swing without any bands -- I know the band inhibits the forward movement at the bottom of the kip.

Off to walk the dog for my final cooldown.

Easy day at the gym, thank god

This morning I felt like I got hit by a truck when I got out of bed. Very very sore. I have learned my lesson and will never leave the gym without stretching again. Going shopping at Target and the grocery store in flat flip flops with no support was probably a bad idea as well...

Amazingly someone had a longer time than me yesterday, and they didn't even do the ring dips, just did bench dips! I am shocked.

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Overhead squats -- 5-5-5-5-5 (working sets)

Metcon: 20-15-10-5

• Clapping pushups
• Slam balls
• 20'' box jumps

Results:

OHS -- 25-35-45-50-55

Metcon -- 9:11 ("toes" pushups)

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We weren't supposed to go for a PR on the OHSs, just do working sets and focus on form. My heels were lifting up a little as I came up out of the squat, so I need to work on keeping the bar back until I get more upright.

This has increased my desire to get some new flat-soled shoes to use for lifting. I did a bunch of reading on the Crossfit boards the other day, and I think I'm sold on getting some indoor soccer shoes, like Addidas Sambas. With less heel cushioning, I should be able to drive my heels down in the ground more on squats, deadlifts, all the Oly lifts that start from the ground. And a soccer shoes should allow me to wear them for shorter running workouts as well.

For the metcon, I decided to skip the claps, and just attempt to do all the pushups on my toes instead of doing clapping pushups on my knees. I did all but 4 of the pushups on my toes, so that rocked. Gotta keep working on those for sure

Worked on double unders after the workout, and actually managed to get a couple. I'm starting to get the hang of how to flip the rope with my wrists, and also keeping my arms at my sides as I jump up. My biggest challenge for these seems like it will be conditioning -- I just get out of breath really fast.

Tomorrow AM will be my last day this week, and then I'm out of town on Saturday and Sunday, so those will be my rest days. But on Sunday I'll do a brisk walk up the giant hill my parents live on -- that's always good for a deep burn in the good old butt. :)

Overhead strength

WOD:

push press -- 5-5-5-5-5

Metcon: 3 rounds for time:

• 10 pull ups
• 10 push ups
• 150m sprint

Results:

push press -- 65 - 75 - 85 - 90 85 - 85

Metcon: 6:12 ??

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My brain is gone, I have no idea what my time was for the metcon. I think just over 6 minutes? Or was it under 5? Whatever... Needed to run faster and do the pushups faster. I'm getting better on the pullups -- I did an unbroken set of 10 in the first round. My kip is coming along, though I'm back to using the blue band instead of the white. Based on a bunch of research I did, it is better for me to build up more shoulder strength before I really start kipping in earnest.

On the fourth set of push presses, I got 90 up once, and then dumped on rep 2. So I just went back to 85 and did two sets with that to finish. Though I think maybe I should've tried 90 again. I just didn't use enough butt when I dumped it -- it was on its way up, and I just couldn't straighten my arms. But I can at least bump my push press 1 rep PR up to 90, from 85. Woot! :)

Throwing heavy weights around

Today's WOD was a good one. I'm overall very proud of what I accomplished. I can't believe how strong I am getting! I love it!

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WOD:

power clean 1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Metcon*: 4 rounds

• 15 box jumps 20"
• 15 kettle swings (24kg / 16)

Results:

Power clean: 85 - 95 - 105 - 115 - 120 - 125 - 130 (attempted, but couldn't get it up)

WOOT! I felt like I was *truly* a CrossFitter today as I loaded 5 more pounds and 5 more pounds. I even garnered a little cheering section of a couple guys from the 4pm class. Good times in the gym. :)

Metcon: 7:42 Rx

I did awesome among the women who performed this as prescribed. I think I could've manned-up and done all sets of the swings unbroken. I broke the first set into 10 and 5. But all in all, great!

*Metcon = metabolic conditioning; in other words, a part of the workout specifically meant to be very high intensity

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While I'm feeling stronger and faster in the gym, I'm avoiding weighing myself. I just don't want to know...

Sometimes I get so discouraged when I see the scale, and see that the number hasn't moved. That disappointment about my weight diminishes my pride in the athletic improvements that I've made in the gym.

It's like my brain says: "Well, it's all well and good you rowed 2k in under 9 minutes, but you still don't fit back in your jeans, nee-ner-nee-ner-neeeeee-neeeeerrrrrr."

I really don't want to perpetuate an attitude that all that matters is my weight, or an attitude that getting stronger and fitter is not as important as being thin.

But at the same time, one way to see if I'm doing the right thing with my diet is to check in with the scale.