USMC PFT

Usually I don't post on my rest days, but now that I've made it my goal to post more than just WOD recaps in this blog, I'd like to start using rest days to write about other topics. I thought about adding "Rest Day" to the title, but I don't know. We'll see... Maybe I'll just add that as a label...

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I didn't include it in my goals post, but one additional thing I'd like to do during 1Q10 is measure my current abilities based on the USMC PFT (Physical Fitness Test) standards for women.

This idea first occurred to me soon after meeting my husband (he's an active duty Marine) four years ago, and I've thought of it from time to time since then. Now seems like as good a time as any to put the idea to the test.

The tentative plan is to measure my performance now (as soon as possible after I get back home from this trip), and then again at the end of March. Hopefully I will get a higher score in March. :-p Even though he will roll his eyes and think it's cheesy, I'll get my husband to administer the test; we'll use the track on base and the pullup bars by his office (same place we took the 1st kipping pullups video).

Minimum acceptable performance for me (female, 28 year old) would be:

1. 15 second flexed arm hang
2. 45 crunches in 2 minutes
3. 3 mile run in 32:00 (10:39 min/mile)

I can definitely do the minimum right now, so at least I know I won't fail. :-p

In order to score a perfect 300 points as a female, I would need to do the following:

1. 70 second flexed arm hang
2. 100 crunches in 2 minutes
3. 3 mile run in 21:00
   

200 points is the minimum score for 1st class fitness classification for some of my age. There's no set way to get that score -- I could rock out the run and situps, and not do as well on the flexed arm hang, and get 200. Etc, etc, etc.

HSPU breakthrough

Strength: 3-3-3 max rep sets of handstand pushups (HSPU)

This afternoon I had a HSPU breakthrough -- I finally woman'ed-up and got into the crazy harness thing with two bands. Yikes, that felt *strange*. But at least I finally had a positive experience with being upside down. :)

Note to self: a good reason to setup pullup stations next to a wall is so that you can walk your feet up the wall to get upside down when you're using the bands to assist with HSPUs.

**can't find a picture of the assisted HSPU setup; I'll have to take one myself to illustrate next time I write about these**

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WOD:

30-20-10
Overhead Squat (115/80)
Burpees

Results: 14:30 -- 53.5# OHS (was using a 33.5# ladies bar)

Also of note, I did this from the ground. Which means instead of placing the bar back on the rack, I dropped it to the ground when I had to rest, and then did power snatches (and a couple hang power snatches) to get it back into overhead position.

Bad side effect of that -- I started out with too wide of a grip, and my left wrist was killing me during the first round. That really slowed me down - I was resting more for the wrist than my shoulders or legs. Bryan straightened me out, advising a narrower grip than my usual snatch grip.

Another coaching input from today to remember -- keep the range of motion in the OHS a bit shallower. I am already well-aware that I am a super-deep squatter, I just never thought about how I might be going too deep for the purposes of something like a metcon. Food for thought, I will definitely incorporate that advice in the future.

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Kipping video from after the WOD and some wicked planks (thanks Mie!). I actually did two in a row before this video was taken -- had a little bit of trouble getting the recording to start. Hence why I crap out on the 2nd and 3rd attempts that were caught on camera. :) No biggie, all I really wanted was a historical record of my kipping form now, so I can compare it to how I look in 3 months.

Update: Trying to embed the Vimeo video. Also, for some reason it was uploaded upside down? I dunno -- maybe something I need to figure out with my iPod.

Kipping pullups - Jan 6 2010 from c wiss on Vimeo.

Fran and Helen had a lovechild

I was so close to Rx on this, I could taste it... Damn pullups...

"Playing with Fran and Helen"
3 rounds
Run 400m
15 Pull ups
20 Thrusters(95/65)
25 KB Swings(1.5/1.0 pood)

Results: 30:27

Biggest reason for that finish time was my first set of pullups. I tried my damnedest to get all 15 without any assistance. I made it to 13, failed 2 or 3 times, then got on the "mental floss" for the last 2. 2nd round I made it to 7 or 8 before I had to use the skinny band, and pretty much the same thing for the 3rd round. But I was pretty much just getting one at a time, so it took FOREVER. Better to learn how to do pullups than to finish first, but I was just really freakin' tired when I got down to the last set of thrusters and kb swings.

In keeping with my experience at CF KoP the other day, I could only do sets of 5 for the 65lb thrusters. But I'm cool with that. I'll work my way up to longer unbroken sets.

I disappointed myself a bit on the kb swings. The 1pood bell felt almost light and airy after the 45lb bell I used recently, but yet I didn't do all 25 in one set. 2nd and 3rd rounds I did do a set of 15 to start, so I kind of vindicated myself there.

Run was pitiful. Me and the track and a stopwatch need to become better friends. Running slow just depresses me because I know how fast I've been in the past. After I work on my distance for the 1/2 marathon, then it's time to work on some speed drills.

CrossFit Total @ Ultimate CrossFit

My first CrossFit Total!

When I saw the WOD on the Ultimate CrossFit blog, I was so stoked! Now that I've had a few months to work on my back squat, press and deadlift, I was ready to see how I could perform in this benchmark.

"CrossFit Total"
Squat - 1, 1, 1
Press - 1, 1, 1
Deadlift - 1, 1, 1

There is no time limit for each lift. You can warm up all you like, but you must choose a rep to be your first attempt. You only get three attempts at each lift, so if you fail at any attempt it still counts as one of your reps. Scoring: Take your top completed reps from each category and add them together for your total.

Results:

• Back squat - 155, 160m, 155
• Press - 70, 75, 80
• Deadlift - 175, 180, 185
• Total: 420

According to the CFT ranking charts in the mainsite FAQ, I'm "Intermediate" for my bodyweight. I think that's good considering I just started using barbells in mid-August.

For back squat, I'm happy because my goal was to add 10 pounds to my last PR (145) to make my PR the same as my body weight. Hopefully when I do my weigh-in once I get home from vacation I've lost some more weight, and then I will happily announce I can back squat more than my body weight. :-D

For press, I think I should've started at 75, which was my 3RM at CrossFit KoP the other day. But when I warmed up with 75, I couldn't get it up, and that's why I dropped back to 70. I dunno. But will be aiming for 85-90 next time I go for a 1RM on press. Utilized some great advice from Swine -- keep elbows wide to keep your shoulders engaged in the upward movement; my elbows want to drift forward, which makes it harder to apply force upward on the barbell.

For deadlift, I'm satisfied. My goal was to surpass my current PR of 175, if I could do it while maintaining good form. I accomplished that by 10#, and Brian was kind enough to watch my form, which he said looked good. Hollah! This makes me feel very confident about my 1Q10 goal of a 200# deadlift -- I think it's absolutely achievable.

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The noon class at Ultimate CrossFit is such a fun group of people, and it fits perfectly into my schedule when I'm helping out my sister. AM classes don't work because of getting the kids on the bus, and PM classes don't work because the kids are already home from school. I really wanted to try to visit CrossFit Charlotte this week, but I don't think it's gonna fit since they don't have a noon class... Bummer...

I'm glad I brought my giant bag of stuff with me, because there was a need for an iPod and I had my new one with me. I chose to play them my "cheri's getting sh** done" playlist, which seemed to please the crowd. I should put it on for my CF Camden peeps soon. :)

Also, I finally got a picture of my favorite CF wall art that I've seen so far:


Yes, that is Kool-Aid man busting through the wall while swinging a kettle bell over his head. LOVE IT. Cheesy, yet motivating. The same description I hope I have as a coach. :-p

There's also another cool piece of art on the other side of the box:


I'll probably be back over there 3-4 times this week. I might do 5 days on (Mon-Fri) since I took a day off yesterday after only 2 (pretty easy) days on.

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Random note: I rowed my warm-up 500 in less than 2 minutes. Booyeah! :) Also, I love the skinny pull-up bars a UCF. Did 3 kips in a row without dropping off the bar. I think I need to bump that goal up to 10.

Butts!

Well, on New Years Eve I got up on stage to dance to "Baby Got Back" since I'm rocking a great CrossFit booty these days, and to keep it up I thought I'd redo this butt-killing vacation WOD since my home gym posted it as the WOD at the box today. :)

50-40-30-20-10
Squats
Situps
Pushups
Lunges (50R/50L)

Results: 31:20

This time around was MUCH better, not as much feeling like I was gonna vomit. :) I did all my pushups on my knees so I could keep up the pace. Slowing down the pushups would've pushed my finish time in the 40's, and I gotta get cleaned up so I can go out to dinnah with my seeester. :)

Goals

I sat down yesterday to write goals for 2010, and my sister pointed out that I needed a shorter time frame. So we decided 1Q10 goals would be perfect, especially since my Level I certification will be taking place the weekend of March 20-21, right at the end of 1Q.

Goals for 1Q10

Oly 1RM PRs --

• Deadlift: 200# (currently 175#)
  
• Overhead squat: 90# (currently 55#) (updated 1/12/10, after new 80# 1RM)
  
• Power clean: 155# (currently 125#)
  

Bodyweight --

• Pullups: 8 kipping in a row; 3 deadhang (updated 1/10)
  
• Pushups: 30 "manly style" in a row
• Ring dips: 1 unasssisted Completed 3/11/10
• Handstand pushups: 3 (updated 1/10)
  

Skills --

• Doubleunders: 10 in a row Completed 2/14/10
• Knees to elbows: 3 with perfect form (updated 1/10)
  
• Row: 2K in 8:30 (~2:08 min/500m pace)
• Run: 5K in 27:57 (9:00 min/mile pace) Completed 2/20/10 -- 27:10 Bridge Run
• Run: 1/2 marathon in 2hrs 30mins (Critz Tybee Run Feb 6) Completed 2/6/10 -- 2:20:00
  

Benchmark WODS --

• Cindy - unscaled; no assistance on pullups, no "knee" pushups
• Fran (added 2/16/10) 10:59 on 2/15/10
• Grace - 95# C&J; under 5 minutes
• Helen - unscaled; no assistance on pullups (added 1/13/10) Completed 3/11/10
  
• Karen
• Kelly
• Nancy - 65# OHS
• Filthy Fifty Completed 3/15/10

Personal growth, learning and contribution to CF community --

• Develop my own warm-up and cool down routines to reflect goals
• Research and practice POSE running
• Complete Level 1 certification
• 5 more "field trips" to other affiliates: CF Charlotte, CF Amelia Island, CF Hyperperformance (Savannah, GA), and one of the JAX and St. Augustine affiliates
• Promote community and camaraderie in the box by learning every name and keeping my attitude positive
• Put time and energy back into our box -- plan & execute two whiteboard projects: tracking individual PRs, and top 5 times for benchmark WODs
• Participate in Radical Women Q&A with Stephanie Completed 1/20/10 -- link
  
• Blog more about emotional/mental lessons I learn from CF, not just WOD recaps
  

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There's "TBD" next to handstand pushups, because I'm not quite sure how to measure my progress in that area. What is the next best incremental step?

Right now I'm doing two things in that area.

One, I'm working on frogstands / headstands during my cooldown after nearly every workout.

Two, I'll be starting a new approach to getting comfortable overhead, thanks to Nikki. She suggested I start next to a wall, facing away. Then walk my feet up the wall until I can't go higher. From there, work on moving my hands back, closer to the wall, so that I get more and more "upright". This will help me get my comfortable upside down, and also help me train my shoulders so they stay active.

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This post was inspired by Steph's 2010 goals.

Happy New Year!

Today I planned to just post about my goals for the next 3 months and 2010, but I ended up doing a quick workout to flush out the last vestiges of my icky feeling from drinking last night. :)

WOD:
7 rounds
7 squats
7 burpees

Results: 7:25

I did some single jump ropes, squats, pushups and double unders to warm up. Afterwards I worked on some headstands/frogstands.

I'll save the goals post for tomorrow, because now it's time for dinner and a movie.