11/29 - One holiday down, one to go

Thanksgiving was fun, had lunch at Hyde Park Grill with my gf and good friends. I've had Thanksgiving there a few times and I like the fact that it's one meal and you're done. There aren't tables of crap I don't need to be eating all over the house for days on end and no family drama!

I'm really enjoying my Monday's off. It's awesome to have three-day weekends every weekend! It will not be fun to go back to a full work week in January 2011, but for now...it's great!  Woke up this AM and made a good breakfast, took the dogs for a walk, did some laundry, and headed up to Crossfit Central for a KB class.

Crossfit Kettlebell 

Warm Up:
Arm bar stretch, 5 both right and left arm (16kg)

10 Turkish Get up (16kg)
I didn't finish all 10 in time, only 8 (or 7?).

WOD:
5 Rounds, 15min cap
21 KB Swings (24kg)
250m run
12 Ring Dips
I completed 4 rounds + 19 swings RX

11/24 - More squats? For real? Yes.

After yesterday's WOD (185lb squat-cleans), the legs were pretty worn out today! I knew that once we got warmed up and started the WOD, they'd feel better so off I went to the double-C's for some kettlebell fun and another great workout. Well, to say the least I saw the board and knew that the pain train was coming! The 2nd WOD is a killer!

Hope everyone has a happy & healthy holiday. Happy Thanksgiving everyone :)

Crossfit Central KB 

WOD1
5-5-3-3-2-1
KB Overhead Squat
KB I used: 16kg, 16kg, 16kg, 16kg, 24kg, 24kg

WOD2
On the minute do a rep, on 2nd min ad a rep, and each minute after, add another.
Min 1 - 1rep, min 2 - 2 reps, min 3 - 3 reps.... Min 10 - 10 reps

KB Snatch -> front squat -> thruster  - 24kg
Made it through minute 8 & 8 reps, minutes 9 & 10 also 8 reps

11/23 - Challenged!

Today, the WOD challenged even the most fit and strongest men and women that show up ready to take on whatever they throw at us. As of my class, there were two people in the whole gym that finished the WOD as RXd!

Crossfit Central WOD

10 Rounds for time:
2 Squat Clean, 185lbs
4 Handstand Pushups
8 Pullps
17:52 -- Rx squat cleans & pullups; not quite RX HSPU, but getting closer!

11/19 - Challenge yourself vs Scale

Option 1: Use the bigger weight, as long as you can use proper technique, resulting in slower time for WOD

Option 2: Use lighter weight, resulting in faster time for WOD

Generally I am an Option 1 type of person. I like the challenge. "Get stronger!" is something you will hear a lot from Crossfit Central coaches -- mine anyway! 

Today was one of those days. I chose to stick with a bigger kettlebell, and ended up with a DNF in the WOD.

Crossfit Central KB Class

Standard warmup

2 rounds:

30 kb swing, 16kg

30 situps

250m run

Couplet WOD

Key: 

KB Snatch, 24kg = KB

50' Lunge walk w/KB overhead, 24kg = LW

15 KB, LW, 12KB, LW, 9KB, LW, 6KB, LW, 3KB, LW

20 burpees

15 KB, LW, 12KB, LW, 9KB, LW, 6KB, LW, 3KB, LW

40 burpees

Finished through 9 KB snatch of 2nd round & just under half the lunge walk, RX

11/18 - ehh.. yeah.

Not a lot to write about with this one. It's yet another reminder of something I need to really do a lot of work on.

Crossfit Central WOD

3 rounds
3 Overhead squat
9 Back squat
18 Burpees
2 shuttle run
10:40 

Rx is 155lbs... I did 75lb OHS & 155lb back squat.

11/17 - New movements

One of the cool things about Crossfit is the concept of "constantly varied." Every time I show up to class and we do something I have never done before, it's really interesting to find out if the technique, weight, or what will be the biggest hurdle. Today was technique!

Crossfit Central Kettlebell WOD

5x3 KB floor press
32kg for each

3 rounds, 24kg
25 H-2-H
20 uppercut, between the leg, switch
15 box jump
7:02

H-2-H - swing bell up with one hand and at eye level switch to other hand swing again, repeat switch
uppercut to between leg - from rack position down between legs, around the left leg back to rack, then repeat around the right leg etc.

11/16 - Tangible Results

When something you put effort into pays off, the feeling can't be beat. Today's regular Crossfit Central WOD was kettlebell-based, so I figured that the efficiency and extra strength gained in kettlebell classes would pay off. Man, the KB snatch in today's WOD at the RX weight was not easy, but did not kill me. I felt like I could knock them out pretty fast! Pullups, on the other hand, were too slow.  Gotta keep crankin'

Crossfit Central WOD

21-15-9
KB Snatch, right arm - 24kg
KB Snatch, left arm - 24kg
Pullups
8:22 RX

11/12 - Teamwork WODs x 3!

What a good, yet brutal, time today at Crossfit Central. We had a team WOD today, and it was a good one!

Crossfit Central KB Class
WOD1
Team of 3, complete the following twice for time:
150 American KB Swings (16kg), then as team move to:
25m Farmer walk, 2x24kg
25m shuttle run
25m burpee broad jump
  each person does the 25m movements then once all have completed move to:
400m run
Team time: 15:21 RX

WOD2
Team of 2, 4 min AMRAP
One person hang from pullup bar, 12kg bell held between feet while partner does 100' butcher run
6 teams, butchers first come first serve...faster you get there the more rounds you get done.
Team score: 5 rounds, 1/2 of 6th round

WOD3
Team of 2, 4 min AMRAP
One person does 100' butcher run while partner holds 24kg bell in rack position while in full squat.
6 teams, butchers first come first serve...faster you get there the more rounds you get done.
Team score: We did 8 rounds and 1/2 of 9th

LEGS = SMOKED :))

Awesome!!

11/11 - Celebrate Veterans Day

Man, it seems like a long time ago! I guess I am getting old! My time in the Army was amazing, and I wish I had more appreciation when I was still in. I remember the pride of earning my jump wings and beret. The above photo was taken in 1996 by a buddy of mine out at Ft Irwin during NTC. I was putting on my beret when he snapped this candid shot. It helped me meet a lot of chicks on AOL - thanks Smullen!

To the boys still in, good hunting!

To those that have served, a mutual salute. Cheers!

Crossfit Central WOD

Weighted pullups
5-5-3-3-1-1 

I did deadhangs for all, no extra weight  

3 rounds
10 Dead lift, 225lb
25 Pushup, chest to floor
2:55 RX

LOVE this WOD...because both movements I am good at :))  I think I can do faster, and I plan to do this one from time to time.

11/19 - Back to work

I am really enjoying not working Mondays! I have, in theory anyway, every Monday off until 2011!

Today I did not want to go back to work, but luckily I have my 12:15 Crossfit Central class to break up the work day.

Crossfit Central WOD

7 rounds
5 burpees
10 toes to bar
15 KB swing, American, 24kg
17:59 (can't put RX since I used box to reach bar and toes hit it between reps - I did touch or put toes over the bar each time though)

11/5 - Three WODs of fun!

Friday's are always fun, yet rough, at CC KB class. It's pretty easy to tell when it's a Friday, isn't it? Everyone seems to be in a good mood.

Today we had three WODs to do, so we got a quick warmup in and got down to business.

Crossfit Central Kettlebell 

WOD1
1-2-3-2-1 Turkish Getup, alternate arms, 20kg
--Untimed

WOD2, 10min AMRAP
12 box jump,
9 elevated pushups (feet on box)
100' dual KB overhead walk (24kg)
--6 rounds & through pushups of round 7 RX

WOD3 (Team of 4)
9 snatch, 24kg
50' run to 100' butcher run
* After you do 9 reps snatch, move run 50' to get the butcher, run it 100' then run to back of line. Each time you move up, the person behind you moves up to next thing.
- Team did 5 rounds, and we were ahead (Coach Chris H. was on my team, which helped) :))

11/4 - Inverted what?

 Inverted burpees.  For real?  It's rather odd to be in a class where people are laughing at themselves for being so uncoordinated, cussing the next move, then back to the usual for the pullups. It was good to do something new, though maybe next time I may try to use the wall for my inverted burpees so i can get my feet higher w/o the fear of flying over and crashing down :))

Crossfit Central WOD
3 Rounds
15 Inverted Burpees
9 Front squat, 155lb
21 Pullups
14:56 RX

The TEMPUR-Cloud Pillow ... a-freakin-mazing!

I am not really someone to pimp a product, and I am not trying to make any money here :)

That said, I bought a new TEMPUR-Cloud Pillow by Tempur-pedic six days ago. It was, to be honest, a bit hard to swallow a 129.99 plus tax pill for a freakin' pillow, but I figured sleep is something you do eight hours every night of your life so maybe it's worth it.  

I have been sleeping great since buying it!

1) No more waking up with sore neck

2) No tossing, turning, & "re-fluffing" pillows in the middle of the night to try to get comfortable

You can get 20% off at Bed Bath & Beyond with the coupon they send out or sign up with your junk email account on their website and they'll email you one.

I would re-buy this today.

Good sleep is a good thing!

11/3 - Swining & lifting the house

I call the 32kg (~73lb) kettlebell "the house." Today Coach Chris H. challenged me to go to that 32kg bell for the WOD. It's one of those things where it REALLY freakin' sucks during the WOD, but after you're pumped that you pushed yourself and took on the challenge.

Crossfit Central Kettlebell WOD
Strength/Skill
5x3 dual KB clean from floor - used 24kg all 5 sets

WOD
400m run
3 rounds: 15 kb deadlift, 15 squat jump, 15 kb American swings (32kg bell)
400m run
12:05
  

11/2 - Dead Man's Row

Todays' WOD is one that I've always wanted to try, but man I had no idea how hard it would be. There are a lot of options for strategy. You can row your ass off and be dead for the dead lifts, or row slower and then have to do a lot of dead lifts for a good score.

This is the "Dead Man's Row" from the 2010 Sectional Competition. Row 2000m then you have 10 seconds to do as many dead lifts as possible in one set. Each rep is 5sec off 2k row time to find your score.

Crossfit Central WOD
2000 M Row
Max Dead Lifts, 275lbs


Row 7:47, 8 dead lifts (40 sec) = Score: 7:07

Yes, my legs feel like rubber. I made the mistake of not stopping at top of dead lift to breathe! 8 reps is freakin' bullshit. I can do more. I will do this WOD again.

11/1 - Welcome to November

Seriously, it's already November 1... unreal!  This summer flew by so fast.

Crossfit Central Kettlebell

3x3 KB Press
16kg, 24kg, 32kg

AMRAP 9min (16kg bell)
9 Russian twist (each hit on right side = 1)
9 seated press
100' kettlebell run
8rnds + 4 press