I feel like every 2 weeks I am doing a Man Fran (21-15-9 reps of: 95# thrusters and pullups) or some variation of it. Sunday, Feb 15, I was supposed to do a complete Man Fran with Meriah and one of our athletes, Marky Mark. We were all either sick or still recovering from the awful cold that went around Bozeman, so we put it off for another week. Well, Meriah was out of town and Marky Mark was still feeling weak and recovering from the plague, so I was left alone to do Man Fran. My metcon was supposed to be kept to under 10 minutes on Sunday, so I knew Man Fran wouldn't cut it. I was also feeling tired from Saturday's WOD. I thought about switching it up and just doing a different workout, but I got talked into doing 15-12-9 reps of 95# thrusters/pullups. Almost a Man Fran.
Below, you will find the complete video, for your viewing pleasure. It's 10 minutes long. It's not all that exciting. I need to edit it and add some fast forwarding....but maybe I'll just do that to the actual Man Fran, assuming I ever get around to doing it!
Today was SO MUCH FUN! Despite the fact that it's February, and I'm in Montana, it was 59 degrees today. (Global warming is a joke? Riiiiight.) Even though I had no time, and even though I had a gazillion things to do around the house and at the gym today, I had to get out on my bike. So, we loaded up the car and drove an hour west to Pipestone Pass, near Butte, MT. It's almost always dry out there, and as much as I dislike the motorcyclists that overtake the area on the weekends for most of the year, I have to admit that they make the most wonderful, flowy, smooth trails ever. We didn't head out until about 2 p.m., and not before doing my WOD:
Warm-Up
50 Double Unders
Squats, burpees, pullups
Shoulder Press 5-5-5
Warm-up: 45x5x5, 50x3
55x5
60x5
65x5
Shoulder Press 1x12 @ 45#
Shoulder work felt good. I really concentrated on having a good overhead position without a hyperextended back. I kept my abs tight and kept the weight overhead for a few seconds on each lift. I've just got to get stronger overhead.
Metcon: 7 Rounds For Time of: 65# SDLHP, 10 reps 10 Ring dips
9:12
I used a purple band to assist my ring dips for all but the first round. The first round alone took 2 minutes, and I was already down to doing singles for the ring dips. Not sure why those were so weak today. I threw on the purple band and went a LOT faster.
Skill Work: Pistols
Regular ol' Pistols, 5 each leg, consecutive
Overhead Pistol, PVC, 2 each leg
Overhead Pistol, 15# bar, 2 each leg
Check out the mad air I am getting! Okay, so the timing was bad. Mikey had a great time mountain biking; I had a blast getting out and getting small amounts of air; Sam, our older dog you can see in the background above, was WAY more energetic than ever before, and I was still able to beat Ben uphill :) Four for four.
Tomorrow I take off for skiing in Park City for 3 days. I'm planning a visit to CrossFit Park City as well as participating in a Dutch Lowy seminar on Saturday. Should be a great week. I doubt I will have much for internet access while on a "family" vacation (Ben's family), so I might not post again until I get back. I will try to leave you with an interesting video though. We'll see if Vimeo cooperates.
I'm going to keep this post short. I'll add some musings tomorrow, but I just want to get my WOD on "paper" before the night is up. I've been up since 5 a.m., slinging lattes, and then at the gym, and then out to dinner with Ben and his parents. We're headed to Park City, UT to go visit Spealler (I mean, to go skiing and visit Ben's sister) on Tuesday and we had to make plans. Always nice to get dinner :)
Warm-Up
500m Row, slow-ish. I am really feeling yesterday's WOD.
Chest-to-bar Pullups, 3 sets of 5 on our new bars (large diameter, outside)
Pushups
Squats
WOD
Front Squat 5-5-5
45x5x3
75x5x2
95x3x2
115x5
125x5
135x5
That felt strangely hard. I am pretty darn tired today. I took a lot of warm-up. I was sort of coaching some athletes during open gym, and was getting in warm-up sets while they were out on a run or warming up. I have no idea what a 3RM for front squat is, but I knew that if I wanted to be able to do more next week, I had better stick with 135# today.
Skill Work: Snatch, 35# hang snatch and 65# full snatch
Haven't snatched in a while. That felt good.Really good. Must snatch more.
Metcon - 10 minutes or less
"Almost a Man Fran" 15-12-9 reps for time of: 95# Thrusters Chest-to-Bar Pullups
9:43
That was really hard. My legs pretty much had nothing left. My back was still feeling that 20 rep DL set from 3 days ago. The only thing that felt good was the pullups, but my grip was totally giving out. I was going to do the whole Man-Fran today, but I knew I had to keep the metcon under 10 minutes, and I knew that the whole 21-15-9 would take me more than 10 minutes. On a good day, without some front squats first, I think I could get Man Fran in under 10. For sure. Especially from the rack, but I don't really believe in Fran from a rack. Fran is meant to be done from the floor, like pretty much all WODs. Obviously the overhead lifts or back squat WODs should be done from the rack, but any metcon should be taken from the ground.
It's bed time. All I can say is that 95# is HEAVY.
Today's workout was one of those workouts that makes you question why in the hell you are doing this in the first place. I mean, really. This workout sucked. It was hard. Really, really hard.
But, it's not like I didn't know it would be hard. As soon as it showed up on CrossFit.com last Sunday, I wanted to do it. Why? I knew it would be hard. I hate rowing. I am starting to sort of like burpees, and I love to run. So, what could be better than:
3 Rounds for time of: 500m Row (at least it's first so I can get it over with) 21 Burpees (no, not 20. 21) 400m Run (collapsing on the floor after a run is much easier than after a row)
I was nervous. I was thinking about it when I was trying to fall asleep on Friday night. This morning, I had to work at 5:30 a.m., but then I traded someone shifts so I got off work at 11, in time to do the WOD in the "heat" of the day, at noon. (Incidentally, I have to go back to work at 5 p.m. to close the restaurant. Yay.) As soon as I realized I was going to get to do the WOD a few hours earlier than I thought, I got really nervous.
I was extremely hungry this morning, too. I ate both of my meals before 10 a.m., and was starving by noon. I suppose for this WOD it's better than being too full. I think it might have something to do with what I ate yesterday. More on that later.
Warm-Up
A gazillion Overhead Squats with a PVC
Some pullups - gymnastics kip with a band
A few situps
A couple of pushups, and burpees
Brief running drills
3 Rounds for time: 500m Row 21 Burpees 400m Run
17:18
Sweet.
My goal was under 17. My first row felt good, and I'm pretty sure it's the fastest row I've ever done as part of a WOD. I slowed down in the second row, and then even more in the third. I had my eyes closed for most of them, but I know they were slower. Wasn't "with it" enough to get split times. I wouldn't have been as fast without Justin yelling at me. I wanted to muster a "shut the fuck up" but couldn't find the breath or the energy.
My hope was to do the burpees all in a row, but that wouldn't happen. I ended up doing sets of about 3 for the most part. I did my first 7 in a row on the last set. I might have had some counting issues and did some extra burpees. My brother, Justin, thought I was done, but I thought I had 3 more, so I did 3 more.
The run was good. I am fairly sure that the third run was my fastest. Couldn't wait to be done. Justin was giving me split times, which I'm not sure I liked to have, but it definitely made me run faster the last run, hoping for under 17 minutes. So close. Well, sort of.
Okay, so, food yesterday. I was going to post yesterday, but I splurged on a flourless chocolate cake. It's from the Cafe I work at, so I could get the nutrition facts easily, but had to wait until this morning. Other than that, I had a good eating day. As it turns out, the cake isn't as bad as I thought. It's got almonds and hazlenuts in it, and not a lot of sugar.
1 slice of heavenly flourless chocolate cake:
Calories: 355
Protein: 8 g
Carbs: 21 g
Fat: 25 g
So, that brings up my daily total to (Friday, Feb 20):
Calories: 2447
Protein: 122 g (20%)
Carbs: 97 g (15.9%)
Fat: 168 g (61.8%)
Those percentages don't quite add up. Hmm. Well, I didn't want to upgrade to the Gold Membership of The Daily Plate, and that's the only way to add a custom food. If somebody reading this has a Gold Membership and wants to enter the info for my Flourless Chocolate Cake for me, and then I can add it to yesterday's menu, that would be rad. Also, the values are kind of off the top of my head. I left the piece of paper at work. But, my mind is like a steel trap when it comes to numbers, so I'm pretty sure they're right (Don't believe me? Ask me what my "insert name or description of any workout I have ever done" time is, and I will be able to tell you my time, as well as the time of my workout partners!). Even with that chocolate cake splurge, my carbs are still below 100 grams for the day!
I am wondering if my excessive hunger is due to my sugar splurge last night. Or, if the heavy lifting and lower calories is kind of catching up to me. I just ate my lunch. I'm not sure if I am going to make it through the day with only 1 more meal (and 3 lousy ounces of steak!)
And, I just realized I forgot to do my gymnastic work today. I think I'll go practice HSPU. I got my first HSPU the other day. I got 2 of them! I need to get more. "Diane" here I come!
And, for your viewing pleasure, here is a video of my awesome boyfriend picking up 500#. Incredible. He only weighs 180#!
Here's a neat video from a while back. It's of me cleaning 135#. I was stuck at 125# recently. My all-time PR is 132#, but I never did that very well, and I could barely stand up under it. I got a new women's bar in the mail, and I guess it must be lucky, because my first time using it I set a new PR of 140#. Unfortunately, I didn't get that one on video. A 135# clean was a huge goal of mine, so that's why the video camera was out for it.
Today is a wonderful rest day. I had plans to go mountain biking, but the weather might not be cooperating today. I'm going to wait it out an hour or so and then decide. Hopefully I go so I can come back with pictures :)
Very hungry today. I ate my first meal, post WOD, at 9 a.m., and my second meal at 11 a.m. I think partially it's because I had less fat with my breakfast than I usually do.
Warm-Up
100 double unders (NOT consecutive!)
Pullup work - ring rows, gymnastics kips
Squats
Situps
Deadlift 3-3-3
95x5x2
135x5
165x1
185x3
195x3
200x2 (wtfuck?)
Deadlift 1x20. I used 150lbs for this. That was really, really hard.
Metcon - cancelled.
The metcon got put off until the p.m., because we ran out of workout time. The evening rolled around, and quite frankly, I couldn't imagine doing a WOD. I was so incredibly sore. I probably couldn't have even mustered a metcon after the DL workout. I also love CrossFit because the WODs are short and working out doesn't take over your life. I feel like doing a WOD twice a day kind of goes against what I love so much about CrossFit!
I can't explain that failed 3-rep at 200#. I was hungry, sore, pretty tired. I just did a 5-rep at 200#, just a couple of weeks ago. I just suck at deadlifting. :-/
Food today:
Calories: 2355
Protein: 109 g (17.7%)
Carbs: 101 g (16.4%)
Fat: 180 g (65.9%)
I piled on some extra fat at dinner. I was really hungry and the idea of another dry salad wasn't very appealing. I think I can already see a difference in my body composition, from just a couple of days of this new "diet".
Tomorrow is a glorious rest day. I can't wait, 'cause I get to sleep in (a bit) too!
Phew, what a day. Food today was eaten in only 3 meals, since I was skiing during lunch time. I had a normal breakfast, and an extra large lunch (smoothie, hamburger, AND an egg), and a sort of big dinner, too. Here's the summary:
Calories: 1947
Protein: 103 g (21%)
Carbs: 81 g (16.4%)
Fat: 136 g (62.6%)
Perhaps a bit low on the calories and the carbs. I got a little thrown off when I condensed my meals to 3 instead of the normal 4. I didn't really feel extra hungry though, except for while I was skiing, but that's to be expected.
Man, I am SORE today. I think it's mostly from the run, but I can feel some upper body soreness as well. Actually, it's probably a combo of the run and "Cindy". My adductors are really sore. That's my biggest complaint of the day.
Buy-In:
Bitch and moan for about 30 minutes. Had some personal problems going on. Needed to get the stress out.
For time: 30 Double Unders 30 Squat Cleans, 95# 30 Ring Dips 30 Double Unders
12:45
Ben's am amateur photographer. I really like this photo though!
This was my first workout doing real ring dips (besides 30 muscle ups for time a couple of weeks ago). It was tough. My last 10 dips were all singles. I think I'm ready for "Elizabeth".
WOD #3 Alpine skiing, in powder, 3 hours, AMRAP (As many RUNS as possible).
I wasn't planning on going skiing today, but the beacon was flashing. (A flashing beacon indicates a certain amount of new snow at Bridger Bowl). We had about 7 or 8 inches of new snow today, and I had some new boots to try out.
When I got back to my house my legs almost gave out. My right leg in particular. I thought I was sore before - I am really sore now. I am going to do some serious R&R tonight.
I went on a little run today with the pups. It was so incredibly beautiful outside around 1 p.m. When I got home from the gym around 11, it was snowing outside. I ate some lunch, and surfed the net. A couple of hours later I took the pups out for a potty break, and couldn't believe the weather. I decided to take Mikey, the puppy, on a run by himself. No such luck. Sammy, our older dog, can hear me putting on my running shoes from all the way upstairs! I don't even know how she heard. These weren't even my normal running shoes! I hadn't even grabbed the leash yet! It's like she can read my mind.
So, I took both of them. Sam needs the exercise, Mikey needs the practice and socialization. They pulled me down the block, so I stopped and had a little chat with Sam.
Me: Samantha, you KNOW that you can't pull. You need to run beside me. You need to set a good example for Mikey. He doesn't know any better. The two of you combined practically outweigh me. It's icy out. I will turn around and go home if you keep pulling.
Sam: *wiggles, scoots closer, looks apologetically into my eyes, paws my leg, wiggles again*
Me: Do you understand me? You HAVE to chillax, girl.
Alright, we start running. Sam runs right beside me and never, not ONCE, for the rest of the run does she pull on the leash. She really does understand every word I say. Mikey, on the other hand, is completely clueless. He's only 5 months old though.
Okay, food today:
Calories: 2039
Protein: 110 g (20.5%)
Carbs: 95 g (17.7%)
Fat: 148 g (61.8%)
Um. Weird. I ate the exact same "zone" proportions as I did yesterday, but I ended up with 500 fewer calories. Actually, I would say that I ate even a little MORE today than yesterday, because I had an extra glass of wine in-between meals at a social business-networking opportunity that I went to. This zone thing is weird.
New Training started today. I have decided to go with a CFSB-esque program. I need to get stronger. I have modified the program to fit my needs and desires. I love doing 3 days on, 1 day off, so that's what I am doing instead of the CFSB program laid out in the recent CrossFit Journal article.
Day 1 of each 3 day training cycle will be just a metcon - and it will be around 20 minutes or so, give or take. These will be my AMRAP in 20 minute days. OR, my Filthy Fifty days. OR, my 5k run days. You get the idea. This is my major deviation from the CFSB program laid out in the above-linked journal article.
On Days 2 and 3 of each training cycle I will do a focused lift. I will follow this order: Back Squat, Deadlift, Front Squat, Shoulder Press. I will include a short (and maybe heavy) metcon on those days.
I was really, really hoping for 20 rounds. I was on-pace until almost 10 rounds. After 10 rounds, I looked at the clock and I had 9:50 left. (I was a few seconds behind because I had to start the clock AND turn up the music). At that point, I think I lost all motivation, knowing I wouldn't get 20 rounds. I was sure I'd get 18 rounds still, so I guess I didn't try as hard as I should have.
Interestingly, today was the first time I did Cindy where I felt like it was an aerobic workout. Usually I reach muscle failure so early on the pushups that I spend most of my time resting. Today, I was able to keep pushing and I was breathing much harder than ever before during this WOD.
Overall, I am pretty satisfied. I felt like crap when I woke up this morning. I wasn't able to fall asleep until about 11:30, and I wake up at 4:20 to go to work. I was tired and very hungry when I woke up.
I cannot fathom how people can get 26 rounds in Cindy, not to mention 36!!!
I will also include gymnastics skill work each day. I started today. I need work. Today I worked on some forward rolls, but I realized that I can't really do them because my back remains too arched. I went back to doing some basic somersaults, and even those need work. So, I worked on some hollow rocks. Yikes.
That's me, on the Zone diet (12P/8C/24F). The Daily Plate says that I should be eating 2547 calories per day to lose 1 pound a week. Uh-huh. Who knows, they could be right. It sure makes me wish I had been tracking my food more religiously. I have absolutely NO idea how much I have been eating lately. I don't feel starved or deprived at all right now. I am even enjoying a glass of red wine with my dinner. I'm not even stuck on the Zone - I just figured this was a good starting point, and using the Zone block system makes it super easy to track my food. If I do this for 2 weeks, I will have a great idea of what I have been eating, so when I make changes, I can really figure out what what works for me or not.
Tomorrow I start training again. I think I have finally kicked this cold. I'm a little apprehensive though - I haven't taken this much time off since....summertime. It should be okay - it's only 3 days! I'm going to start off with "Cindy". I can't wait. I haven't done "Cindy" in months, and last time I did, it was with chest-to-bar pullups. I'm going to do it with regular ol' chinups tomorrow. I'm hoping for 20 rounds!
I have to apologize for my slacking on my new blog. I am sick.
As a result, I've spent a couple of days NOT working out, but browsing other people's workout logs and results (yikes - check out, for example, Shana from CrossFit East Decatur. That chick is beastly) , and considering what sort of training program I should be doing. CrossFit dot com WODs? My own programming? Gant Grimes hybrid programming? CrossFit with a Strength Bias?
That all depends. Do I need to get stronger?
Here all my all-time PRs:
Deadlift: 215
Back Squat: 220
Front Squat: 198
Clean: 140
Jerk: 130
Shoulder Press: 87
Here are my recent PRs:
Deadlift: 215
Back Squat: 175
Front Squat: 165
Clean: 140
Jerk: 120
Shoulder Press: 83
All of those were with a bodyweight of 125-130. My current bodyweight is about 130.
So, as you can see, I'm not really very strong. I mean, that deadlift is just weak. I know that I shouldn't compare myself with other people, but I know girls my size with a deadlift of 280, or more. (And, I'm going to forget about Jodi Bainbridge for now, with a 3xBW deadlift).
But, let's take a look at my recent benchmark WOD results:
Helen 9:25
Fran 5:26
Angie 23:15
Jackie 9:31
Grace (85#) 4:12
Pullups: 24
Muscle Ups: 3
Not BAD. The most recent of those PRs was Fran, which was just a couple of weeks ago. I had been training for Man Fran with a friend of mine. We started with 5-3-1 reps, then went to 7-5-3, then 9-6-3, and then most recently 12-9-6. After just a month of that, I took 63 seconds off my Fran time. I think I might be on to something.
What I'd like to do is get stronger AND faster. I think the way to do this might be to try the CFSB program, at least for 1 cycle. I am going to take a couple of more days off, though. I am still sick, and I'd like to lick this cold before I resume training. I know that a strength biased program will require even more calories than usual, and I haven't been hungry at all right now. It's almost 1 p.m., and I've only eaten once today!
Today's WOD is one of my least favorite. Maybe it's because I suck at it. Maybe it's because it's just HARD. At any rate, it always takes me a ridiculously long time to complete and I can never do as much weight as I had hoped.
Warmup: About 400m of rowing. I felt like CRAP. Should have taken the sign.
I just shouldn't have even left home today. I am still sick, fighting off the plague. I have Man Fran planned for Sunday, but if I'm not feeling any better then I'm not doing it. I am even pondering taking a full rest-cycle. On a positive note, I used today's session to work on my skill. I took some video, too. I learned that my technique is awful for the PP and the PJ. My dip is too slow and also too low. Not sure how to rectify this most readily.
Apparently I have caught what the rest of Bozeman has - the plague. And I think I am doing better than most people. It's a terrible sore throat, stuffy head, headache. Eventually it turns into a fever, and then lingers for a few more days. I'm not there yet. Hopefully I can fight it off.
I was really not hungry today. So far, I have eaten about 1300 calories, which puts me about 1300 calories short of my usual amount. I am planning on eating more, but the only thing that sounds good is ice cream. My throat HURTS.
Warm-up: 3 x 10 of: OHS w/PVC Squats Pushups Pullups or a variation (i.e. ring rows)
WOD 090212
5 Rounds for time of: 25 American KB swings, 20kg 25 Situps (using an Abmat) 25 Romanian DL w/20kg KB 25 Knees to Elbows
33:37
That....was awful. I didn't push really at all. If I went hard my head wanted to explode. I know I should have rested. But, I took today as a core workout day. I knew the intensity wouldn't be high at all, so I just sort of got the work done.
Check it out! That ass, on the left, in the blue shorts...that's mine! And Meriah is on the right. And WE are FAMOUS!!! This photo, courtesy of crossfit.com and Dave Re Photography, is being featured on crossfit.com today!
Sunday was my 1 year CrossFit Anniversary. It's hard to believe that just one year ago I was so sore I couldn't move, I still thought of CrossFit as something I would do just once or twice a week, and couldn't do a pullup (I could barely do one jumping pullup).
And now, I own a CrossFit affiliate and training has become my full-time job. I love it. It's really tiring at times, especially when my blood sugar drops and I get really exhausted. But, it's so rewarding. I love coaching people to a PR, or coaching them through something they never thought they could do.
And, now, I CrossFit 3 days on, 1 day off, like clockwork. I hate missing workouts. I have to remind myself that I CrossFit to prepare myself better for my primary sport - downhill mountain biking. Well, mountain biking in general, but DH racing is just tops. I WILL miss workouts this summer in order to go mountain biking. That's life, and that's okay with me.
I guess here is a great place to list my 2009 goals, for CrossFit and for Mountain Biking.
Strength:
225lb DeadLift
225lb Back Squat
200lb Front Squat
150lb Clean and Jerk
Benchmark WOD:
Sub 4-minute Fran
Sub 4-minute Grace
Elizabeth and Diane as Rx'd
Cindy: 20 rounds
Helen in 8:20
Sub 20-minute Angie
Sub 4 minute rounds of Barbara
Isabel as Rx'd
Other CrossFit:
5 Muscle-Ups in a row
A strict Muscle Up
Sub 10-minute Nasty Girls
Top 5 at the Rocky Mountain Regional CrossFit Games Qualifier
Level 2 cert, KB cert, Oly cert, Kids cert!
Running:
Bridger Ridge Run in 4:45
Sub 6-minute mile
Sub 20-minute 5k
Mountain Biking:
Joyride Ladder Drop
Clear every jump in A-line
Beat my local rival in a race.
_________________________________________
Today's WOD
Warm-Up
Row 5 minutes
Air Squats
Pullup work with bands and on rings
Burpees
Wallball, 14#
Back Squat 5-5-5-5-5
125x5
135x5
145x5
155x5
165x5
That 165# was hard. My all-time max is 208. I have LONG ways to go to get that back. Not even sure that's a good idea. I don't want to sacrifice strength for speed in the WODs.
I am a CrossFit trainer that lives and works in Bozeman, MT. I am a co-owner of Bridger CrossFit. I have my Level 1 CrossFit certification, Level 1 CrossFit Running and Endurance certification, Level 1 CrossFit Gymnastics certification, and my USA Cycling Level 3 Coaching certificate. My favorite sport is mountain biking, particularly downhill and freeride. I also love to trail run, run on the track, swim, do triathlons, and race criteriums. I have two dogs, 6 bikes, and a wonderful boyfriend named Ben.
