Friday (Funnies) - Rich Froning Jr. Edition

For Sarah and Kosta and their undying love for all things Rich...

11/21 - more legs... ouch!

WOD
12-9-6-3-6-9-12-9-6-3
Jump squats
Hand-release push-ups push press (18kg)
Sit-ups
Double-unders

8:38 (forgot to write my score on the board!)

I’m going to be really happy when I can just do the workouts as written without subbing movements – it’s getting tiring.  Anyway…

I liked this WOD – though it seemed like it’d be tricky to count going into it I didn’t actually use my wipe board that had the rounds written down.  I was too busy transitioning between movements (and there was a lot of this).  The jump squats (though torturous) went quick enough as did the push presses – going straight overhead is okay for my shoulder (light weight).  Initially Coach Match told me to do strict presses so I did for the first round of 12 before he told me to switch into push pressing so I could keep the same pace as the push-ups were going.  This worked well as I fed off of Kayla and tried to keep up with her throughout all the movements.  Sit-ups were solid and (oddly) fun while the double unders were fast.  I was wearing my new Inov-8’s and didn’t love skipping in them because they have a bigger tread that gets caught more than my Bare-XF’s do.  I managed all but one set however unbroken so it wasn’t a big deal.

New Shoes!

I LOVED seeing those who are just getting double unders and/or who can only do a few at a time doing double unders in this WOD.  It’s how it all starts – first it’s a WOD with small sets of double unders and before long it’ll be all WODs with double unders.  So proud to see the progress of everyone I train alongside. 

Post-WOD

Tabata Ski Squats

These sucked.  Every single 20 second round of them.  But we made it.  My legs were jelly afterward and after getting off my motorbike once I got home one leg actually buckled as I walked down the driveway to get the mail.  Slept in compression tights last night – they felt good!

Proof that I did actually do the WOD and also to show how Kayla and I coordinated our shirts, haha…

I (surprisingly) look bored... not the case at all! Ouch! Source

11/20 - Tuesday... pistols...

Tuesday update…

Strength
5-5-5 Front squat
20-30-40-40-40

These felt good.  I didn’t try and go any heavier both because Coach Match told us to not go super heavy and also because, um, leg fatigue.  They have been tired little ones this week.  Still recovering from Saturday.  Need rest.  

WOD
6 rounds
8 pistols
4 squat cleans (heavy) snatches (medium)
2 4 presses/jerks
9:10 (28kg)

I switched up the squat cleans for squat snatches because it’s the rotation of my shoulder with my hand in close to my body that still doesn’t feel good.  I also stayed with a medium weight and forced myself to use good technique on my squat snatches.  The first few I was pulling too hard from the ground but then with some feedback from Coach Match and I think also a little fatigue my technique got better and I could feel it as well.  Since I had a lighter weight I did for push presses rather than just two but still managed them all unbroken.   

The trickiest part of this WOD was the transition from the squat snatches to the presses as I didn’t want to put the bar down and then clean it from the floor again (tired legs) so I brought it down in front of my and then just jumped my hands in closer before hang cleaning it.  The pistols sucked.  That’s about it here – I used a red plate for counter balance but I’m happy there were only 8, killer.  So not nice.

11/19 – (Half) Cindy with a Twist

Been a bit of a delay in posting as there was a lot to write about the Affiliate and it’s been a crazy busy week so there is a lot to catch up on.

Monday it was back to the box and though my legs were still a little cranky my shoulder felt no worse than it did going into the weekend so that was a bonus – still hurting but on track to getting right.

Strength
60 sec bench press

I skipped this portion of the workout as I knew that it wouldn’t be good for my shoulder – baby steps easing back into things.  I know better than to let my ego get in the way.  I did a bit of shoulder work instead and cheered on Kayla when she went.

WOD
10 min AMRAP
5 pull-ups
10 push-ups (knees)
15 squats
Run 100m every 2 mins

6/19

I enjoyed this one though I mentally blocked out the fact that I was doing push-ups on my knees again.  Though it wasn’t that long ago that I was (still) doing push-ups on my knees it feels like a huge step back to go back there BUT… it’s for the best and I know this too.

Stimo was the smart one on this WOD and parked himself nearest to the door.  I should have done that as well but was in the middle of the room.  This was a bit awkward when I was trying to sprint out the door as I had to weave my way around people. Essentially it made me start off the run faster than I would have liked to get ahead and then chase Stimo into the box (where he’d instantly stop right in the way – ha!).  I managed to beat him in on the first run when we started evenly but on the next three he came in one or two steps in front of me and all I could hear was Coach Match’s – good work Stimo and this fueled me even more.  On the last run there was no way I was letting him come in first so I really pushed the 100m and beat him. It was satisfying. (um, why yes, I *am* competitive… haha).

The pull-ups, push-ups and squats were all fine.  I didn’t push as hard as I did on the last go of Cindy and I think mostly did sets of 3-2 on the pull-ups, wasn’t too bad through the push-ups as I was on my knees and then had full reps on the squats.  Kayla called me out (which is good) on the squats saying that I wasn’t always getting full depth.  From then on I really tried to and thought I was though afterward she told me that I would be good for a few rounds and then not get deep enough again.  She recommended that I video myself doing a WOD with a lot of squats so I can actually see if for myself.  I need to do this.

When we can back from each run we started wherever we had left off in the round – a couple of times I had to come back in and start into push-ups and this was probably the hardest since all the blood was flowing to my legs on the run.  The sudden transition was a bit of a shock. 

Murph is this weekend and I’m (still) planning to do it but I need to be prepared to scale back as the WOD progresses if I feel my shoulder acting up.  I’ve avoided push-ups again this week, subbing them out because that is the ‘crunchy’ feeling for my bicep/ shoulder so it will be interesting to see how it goes.  Must not let ego win.  That’s a hard lesson.

11/17 - Affiliate Cup 2012

Saturday was the Affiliate Cup 2012 hosted by Raw Edge Crossfit.  It was an awesome day filled with amazing teammates, a wicked Cooee crew (5 teams!) and an enthusiastic cheering section.  The workouts were challenging, new and exhausting and we’ll get to them all but first, let’s start with body parts.  More specifically body parts that are not exactly the happiest today.  A rundown – the sore muscles (glutes, quads, biceps), the bruises (shoulder blades, neck and forehead – yes, I’m that coordinated), and the shoulder – the poor little shoulder – surprisingly no worse than going into it (win!)

Amazing Team - After the last WOD of the day, still looking good!

Much more below the cut...

11/13 - squats box jumps and abs

Had a nice long chat with Coach Match before the session today basically wondering what to sub in for today’s WOD.  He wondered if perhaps I should just be resting entirely but I don’t want to do that though I am stuck with only a few movements that I can actually do (all lower body) – he just didn’t want me to become discouraged or bored doing box jumps and sit-ups etc. all the time BUT… I don’t mind that at all, I like the environment, the community and the varying format of the WOD as I tend to change movements and yet keep the same rep scheme or time domain, etc. So… today’s WOD (as altered).
WOD
8 min AMRAP -
8 OHS (30/45kg) squat box jumps (20”)
8 Thrusters ab-mat sit-ups with 10kg plate
8 rounds
The initial suggestion was back squats however I’ve already done two days of heavy backsquats on Sunday and Monday so we changed it up.  I’d originally proposed high box jumps (28”) but he thought that squat box jumps would more accurately represent thrusters (and also be a challenge!).  They were hard though with only 8 reps I could get through them fairly steadily and then it was the weighted sit-ups.  Normally I’d hold the plate overhead but with my shoulder as it is I just hugged the plate instead (and have bruises now where it was hitting my belly).  These also were steady.  I was hot but otherwise kept moving through out and managed to just squeak in 8 rounds.  I’m happy with that.
After the WOD we had a bit of a rest (didn’t feel like much at all) and then we did the afterWOD.  I knew it was going to suck but I also knew that the 1 mile time I had on the PR board was a crappy one that occurred the day after I’d returned from my trip back to Canada and I was pretty ill at the time – I actually think I finished the run then ran and vomited.  Good times.  I just had to get through the mile and chances were that I’d PR. 
AfterWOD
1 mile run or row for time

7:27 run

I started out with a bunch of the tall guys and for some reason both Jack and Glen were behind me.  Jack passed me not long into the run but Glen never did.  Odd as he’s got about 6” on me in height.  As we got to the first little downhill part of the loop Angie passed me.  My legs had suddenly become aware of all the box jumps and the previous two days of back squats and were a bit jello-like.  From there on I just tried to keep pace with Angie and I did but then she pulled out after the first lap (800m) as her knee was acting up.  Uh-oh, lap two on my own knowing that Glen wasn’t far behind – I could hear him throughout and see him at the turns.  I did not want to lead most of the way only to get passed in the end.  I decided to push it up the little hill and just try to hang on from there (200m) and I did.  I was happy with my 7:27 minute time as I’m not a runner nor will I (probably) ever be – I just don’t enjoy it at all.  That being said, when I was training (and ran) my half marathon in 2011 I had an average pace of 10-10:30 minutes/ mile so even without the running training I’ve significantly dropped my mile time (thanks Crossfit!)

Met up with Cam for coffee afterward and while it was fun it was also a little bit hard (though necessary) to be repeatedly told to take care of my shoulder and stop being stupid.  He even agreed that I might have to skip Murph on the 24^th which kind of makes me a little sad and while I’m not making that decision yet I am going to be a bit smarter – including doing everything I can to not sleep on my left side, maintaining a steady stream of anti-inflamatories and going for some dry needling (appointment scheduled for tomorrow).  I know I’ll be using it at Affiliate Cup on Saturday and that will definitely set me back but that’s a non-negotiable.  I’m committed to that and can do it without doing any damage I just get to pay the price afterward (in pain) but so it goes. 

11/12 - max box jump and back squats

Quick update on last night’s WOD…

Spoiler… my vertical jump was over half my body height… awesome.

WOD

3-3-3

Strict press

Max box jump (vertical leap)

33”

Then

3-3-3

front back squat

45-55-60-65

I modified both movements because of my shoulder (resting until Affiliate Cup).  I didn’t want to do heavy deadlifts again so Coach Tim and I thought max. box jump would be a good one and give me another score on the PR boards.  It was awesome.  Going into it I was aiming for 32” as this is a pretty standard boy height.  I started with 5 reps at 24” and 28” which were easy.  I was actually able to rebound on the 28” box which was wicked (I want to incorporate some 28” box jump reps into a WOD when I can).  After the 28” I started adding 10kg plates and this is where it became mental as I was afraid of faceplanting – there is no graceful way to bail on a (very high) box jump.  I managed the first plate and then stared down the two plates for a while before making it.  I decided to go for the 3 plates and it took a lot mentally including Coach Tim watching me attempt it.  He said I cleared it easily but I was done for the day – a bit too afraid to go any higher.  I was quite happy though when I measured it at 33” (84cm) – I’m 165cm (65”).

Although I had done backsquats on Sunday I didn’t want to push my shoulder with heavy weight in the rack position so I did them again.  I was well off my 3RM of 75kg but I’m okay with that as I don’t want to be sore and tired for Saturday.  The weight felt good as did my form – really engaging the glutes and keeping my knees out.

Went home and slept for 11 hours last night – wasn’t planning on it but apparently my body felt differently about it.  I really needed it though.  Back to the box tonight but going a bit easier tonight and tomorrow before two full rest days going into the comp.