My goal for the Open 14.2 workout was to make the second round. That meant I needed 40 reps in round one. I got 35. Damn it. Judging by the amount of “Fran Lung” I have right now, I feel like I left it all out there and just came up short.
Looking back, the one change I could make is to go just a touch slower on the overhead squats (OHS). I knew OHS was going to be my strength, and the chest to bar pull ups were going to get me. So I came out as fast as I could go on the OHS, and half way through I fell down. Just lost my balance. That cost me some time and at least a couple reps. I did the second set unbroken with very little trouble.
I had a few no reps in there, which were legit calls, so no complaints.
Overall, this was a super exciting wod, and is very motivating for me to train harder. I know I can get out of round one. I’m so close.
If you do CrossFit, you will fail at something. What I have found is that the longer I’ve been doing CrossFit, the more often I find myself on my butt. I think this is due to the fact that this training gets you much more comfortable with pushing yourself.
When I started out, I was very nervous about hitting my red line. I would load less weight on the bar in an effort to play it smart. I would pace myself, and focus on getting through. And every once in a while I’d tempt fate so to speak, and push it. I’d go an extra 10 pounds, or I’d jump back up on the pull up rig when my fore arms were on fire. I’m finding those every once in a whiles, to be happening more and more frequently now.
I was listening to Christmas Abbott on this week’s episode of the Wodcast Podcast, and she made a comment about needing 15 minutes after a workout just to get her head back on straight. Made me recognize that the top athletes are pushing themselves to be at or near failure every WOD. Which makes me think that I could be pushing myself harder every day. I go hard, but I know I could go harder.
Well, we knew they were coming, stupid double unders!! I did 90, so I’m happy, but just so much wasted energy going into them. 2-4 sometimes 5 singles go into getting just one double. Ah well, it was damn fun, and I’m looking forward to 14.2!
For those keeping score at home, I got 129 reps today.
I can’t wait for the first CrossFit Games Open WOD to post today. I’ve really been enjoying all the speculation on what it’s going to be. The best guess that I’ve heard is a couplet of burpees and a ground to overhead movement. I’m hoping for a burpee and snatch.
What ever it is, I’m pumped, and I can’t wait for the announcement!
I just logged my 600th workout on BeyondTheWhiteboard.com today. Felt great. Very glad I stuck around for the accessory which was a 2 K Row for Time, and I crushed my last attempt by 17 seconds, which was just a couple months ago. After I did my CrossFit Level 1 Trainer Cert in December, I changed my workout schedule. Instead of trying to get in every day, I decided to intentionally mix in rest days. I started by changing to 3 days on, 1 day off, then over the past month, I’ve moded to the following (to fit a 7 day schedule)
Monday: Rest
Tuesday: WOD
Wednesday: WOD
Thursday: WOD
Friday: Rest
Saturday: Olympic Lifting
Sunday: Deadlift themed WOD (can be any WOD, as long as its got DL’s in it)
This schedule seems to be really working for me. I feel a lot better during the WODs and I’m able to push to 100% effort every single day now, whereas prior to this, by Friday/Saturday I was feeling like crap after 5/6 days on in a row.
Sometimes I forget not everyone is fluent in CrossFit. Yesterday I programmed a 21-15-9 wod, and more than a couple of my folks didn’t know what it meant.
So 21/15/9 means do 21 reps of each movement then 15 reps of each movement then 9 reps of each movement.
For example, Fran is 21/15/9 Thrusters (95 pound for guys 65 for ladies) and Pull Ups
That means you do 21 thrusters, then 21 pull ups, then 15 thrusters, then 15 pull ups, then 9 thrusters, then 9 pull ups. That’s it, easy day :)
A fellow CrossFit-er and someone I have learned a great deal from wrote a nice article about another unique aspect of CrossFit. There is no “velvet rope” separating the super stars from the average Joe’s (and the below average Joe’s like me for that matter). We get to train right next to legit Games level athletes all the time. Like today, I was banging away at my 65# PSN’s right next to guys doing 50% more weight and 100% more faster… and it’s all good.
Imagine you’re at the driving range, working on your golf swing. You’re just an average day chopper, hoping for the off-chance you’ll catch one flush at the 150 yard marker. Someone comes up next to you, lays down a basket of balls. You look up…it’s Tiger Woods.
A scenario like this is close to impossible. But in Crossfit, the possibility of encountering the world’s best is high.
I must also say, I was enjoying the Rich Froning interview on the Wodcast Podcast today (more on their fantastic podcast later), and Rich mentioned that he is not at his box much these days and has handed over the day to day training to his cousin. That aside, I still want to drop in at CrossFit Mayhem!
What an experience. I completed the Level I CrossFit Trainer Certificate course just before the holidays at 810 CrossFit. I really don’t know where to begin. It was awesome. I have been running a Fit Club at work since last spring, and I thought it would be a good idea to get some real training. When I saw the Level 1 class come up locally, I jumped at it.
First off, I learned a ton just by going through the 150 pages of pre-read material (Training Guide & Handbook). That is no joke, and you really should plan on reading that if you want to pass the written exam. The material covered everything I was hoping to get and way more.
The actual seminar was outstanding. I’ve been very lucky to have attended many professional development workshops, conferences, courses and training, and I can say that the CrossFit Level 1 course ranks among the top in how professional and well run it is. The CrossFit Level 1 trainers clearly have all had tons of training. Their presentation skills were fantastic. They were super engaging, and entertaining, and very attentive to the needs of the class. They also knew their shit. Everything they said seemed very well coordinated, and consistent. They were very buttoned up. The course is $1,000, and after going through it, that seems very cheap.
Aside from learning how to coach the 9 foundational movements, muscle ups and pull ups, I learned a lot about how to be a better CrossFitter. The top 3 things I got are:
Have fun with CrossFit, but take this seriously.
Focus on form, then add weight. I’ve personally cut 30-40% off all my lifts coming out of this class, so I can make sure my form is damn near perfect. I’ve been doing reduced weights for a few weeks now, and I could not be happier. It’s a big ego check at the door, but this is the only way to really get done what matters.
The Medicine Ball Clean is awesome.
One quick note about the written test. I found it to be really hard. I read, I studied, and I pride myself on being a pretty good test taker, but this was tough. Study up for it. The week between taking the test and getting the results was kinda stressful. I’m definitely very proud to be able to know say that I’m an official (not certified, because CrossFit does not certify anyone) Level I CrossFit Trainer.
There is a discussion going on right now on the GORUCK Tough Facebook page regarding the best quotes from GORUCK. While most involve a colorful exploration of the “F” word, my favorite is this little gem:
Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.
It is sooooo true. We all have to put in hard work, and a lot of the time it sucks. We all have the choice in how we deal with the suck. You can let the suck consume you, and typically those around you, or you can embrace the suck. You are always free to choose your reaction to what is thrown at you, even pain.
An example from the GORUCK challenge was when the team was carrying the logs, which dealt out some real pain. Chris, our leader at the time, had the gang singing songs and laughing while carrying this several hundred pound piece of rotting wood up narrow trails over roots and rocks and creeks for an hour or two, in the dark. Instead of focusing on how much that sucked, i.e. suffering through it, the team leaned in and laughed their way through it. Same pain, very different experiences.
This applies to so many aspects of my life. I always have a choice, and I’m gonna choose to smile over suffer 100% of the time. The way you choose to react to a situation is wildly contagious. If you are part of a team, you can bring the team down with your complaining and whining. People will follow you down that trap. By the same token, put on your damn happy face and bring the team up. They will follow you in that direction too.
Today was my first day back in my 7:30AM class in a few weeks. I had been out due to injury for a week, then work travel then family travel. I’d been getting workouts in, just not at my regular time and a few on my own.
Within 3 hours of the first 7:30 class I missed I had gotten a text and a Facebook message from two folks asking where I was and if I was alright. There were a couple more people reaching out over the past few weeks, and then today several people approached me and asked where I was and if I was alright.
I love the team mentality that CrossFit creates. It’s wildly motivating. It makes hitting snooze and sleeping in for an extra hour and a half much less likely.
I know that if I miss a WOD, I had better have a damn good reason, because my “team” is going to hold me accountable.
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