Doing the work

”If you train hard, you’ll not only be hard, you’ll be hard to beat.”

- Herschel Walker -

10.45 am, WOD Part 1

A. 5*5 Push Press @ 84 kg:
84/5, 84/5, 84/3, 84/4, 93/1, 102/F

Gambled a little bit here since I only did 5by5 at 75 kg last time, two weeks ago. Not really efficient with my dip & drive, where’s my 30% extra from the press CrossFit.com?
Did the same as in the FS yesterday and started going heavier but didn’t have that PB in me today. More practice needed.

5.30 pm, WOD Part 2

A. Unbroken Hang Power Clean Ladder, 1/2/3/4/5/4/3/2/1 for time:

Time: 2’37 min

Exactly 3 min rest

B. Death By Unbroken KBS @ 32, 2/4/6/8… reps

Score: 9 min/18-round (+3/3/4 last round).

C. 3*20 Reverse Hypers, unweighted, 60s rest.

Hesitated a lot if I really should do these since my forearms are really smoked from the 120 PU’s yesterday, but gambled again and this time I won! Think I could do a lot better in both metcons here but still happy that I pushed through. For the last round of KBS I was spent, picked it up but felt defeated already. But, for once I didn’t just walk away, I at least tried to get some extra work in. Exactly 100 KBS in exactly 10 mins, could be better but still good workload.

At the late Advanced Class I let the guys practice the movement standard of the 2nd WOD for the Sectionals and then I put together a really cool chipper, if I can say so my self. Called it the ”Chris Dirty Thirty” and since the guys did such an awsome job and it actually looked like so much fun, I promised that I would try it my self sometime during next week, stay tuned for that suicide mission!

Namaste!

Video from yesterday.

A few rounds of yesterday’s body weight metcons.

CrossFit Games Open Sectional Event #2 released!

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 15 minutes of:

• 9 Deadlifts (155lbs / 70kg)
• 12 Push-ups
• 15 Box jumps (24″)

Looks interesting. Lighter versions of the exercises from Throwdown Series last week and they should suit me well. The time domain, not so much. But what’s a good score here? I’m guessing we will see some scores up to 12-15 rounds?

Namaste!

Need to work on my Stamina.

”The first step toward change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.”

- Nathaniel Branden -

[Uploading a very uninteresting video with the metcons, will post it tomorrow morning.]

3.30 pm, WOD Part 2

A. 8 Min AMRAP Mary:

• 5 HSPU
• 10 Pistols
• 15 Pull Ups
  Used Butterfly

Score: 5 Rounds + 5 HSPU’s.

Exactly 5 min rest

B. 7 Min AMRAP Cindy:

• 5 Pull Ups
  Regular Kip
• 10 Push Ups
• 15 Squats

Score: 8 Rounds, 5 PU’s, 5 PshU’s.

Body weight work is clearly what I need. Was aiming higher for both, that I couldn’t even get 10 rounds in on Cindy is just bad. Tore a fat callus on my finger during Mary, but if I would waste less time moaning about that, I might actually get some real work done.
Weakness this is, weakness work on you should, weakness will be no more. I’m telling you, I’m going all Yoda on the ass of the bodyweight stuff if that’s what’s needed to improve..

+100 Pull Ups was a while ago, will be interesting to see how the shoulder reacts to that. Decided to do another round of the anti-inflammatory stuff today because the A/C-joint started swelling and aching again. Considering how much it improved the last week however I expect it to heal up completely if I just work around it for another week.

Tomorrow morning we will know the second workout for the Sectionals, hopefully that is, you never know what HQ might mess up this time. Rumor has it that it will be something involving Wallballs, CTB-PU’s & Box Jumps, but since I’m seeing it all as training I don’t really care. I just wanna know!
That’s something HQ managed to pull off really good – we’re all sitting here like kids the night before Christmas and can barely wait to open that gift of another WOD, right?

NOD:

• 10.30 10g BCAA’s, ZMA, Creatine, 8g Fish Oil
• 12.15 40g Whey, 30g Dried Cranberries
• 12.30 300g Scrambled Free Range Eggs, 55g Feta, 2 Carrots, 2 Tomatoes, 50g Blueberries
• 15.00 10g BCAA’s, ZMA, Creatine
• 15.55 40g Whey, 2 Kiwis
• 17.00 300g Free Range Chicken Breasts, 100g Black Olives, 200g Sweet Potato
• 21.00 400g Grassfed Beef, 150g Broccoli, 100g Spinach
• 23.00 8g Fish Oil, ZMA

Namaste!

At least I’m Stronger & Faster…

When other things suck, turn to the things you love the most.

11.15 am, WOD Part 1

A. Front Squats, 5-4-3-1-1:
116kg/5 PB! (+5kg), 116/4, 120/3 PB! (+7 kg), 130/1 PB! (+5kg), 135/F

B. 5*20 GHD-Sit Ups, 60s rest
33 PB!/34/35/37/36s  = 100 GHD’s 6’57 min PB!

Some things in my life I can’t change, some I can. Decided to leave the bad stuff out and just push the training today. This is my ”exit strategy” for 5 by 5-days when the weights get too heavy. Obviously felt good to be able to get all these lifts in, hopefully 5 by 5 @ 116 will be doable next time. At 135 I was mentally drained and satisfied, just sat down with the weight and dropped it.
GHD’s felt superfast and light today. Haven’t timed 100 before, but still think it’s an ok time…

Part 2 coming up in a couple of hours, all about bodyweight work. Will be interesting to see how my pistols work after this. I hope that an extra hour of sleep right now, of course with my recovery pants on, will make things easier.

Namaste!

Low volume apparently

”No other life form knows negativity, only humans, just as no other life form violates or poisons the Earth that sustains it. Have you ever seen an unhappy flower or a stressed oak tree?”

- Eckart Tolle, The Power of Now –

10.30 am, WOD Part 1

A. Technique, 5 * OZM of: Snatch High Pull, High Hang Snatch, Snatch Balance @ 43 kg

B1. 5*5 Snatch High Pull @ 61 kg
120s rest
B2. 5*5 Snatch Balance @ 52 kg
120s rest

Was meant to work on higher weights but felt a bit off in the receiving pos, tired shoulders from OHS. High Pulls felt really good however, worked on pushing my knees out even more in the bottom and that gave me a feeling of really exploding in the second pull. Worked on speed and landing in balances and towards the end it worked fine. None of the exercises was especially heavy so can easily increase quite much next time.

6.20 pm, WOD Part 2

3*800 m Run, 1st: 100%, 2-3 at 85-90%:
2’37 min PB!, dnf, dnf… instead a nice light sprint back to the gym, approx. 70% effort for 5 min…

First of all, I don’t know what my PB is for 800m but this is the fastest I have on record. Secondly, this is getting annoying. Second week I had planned this wod and not being able to finish it. Today I felt really fine, legs of course less tired than last week and my POSE-stride felt really good. So, what happened?
I don’t know if it’s the ”wheat & gluten-free” pizza from yesterday or if it’s because I started experimenting with a little more carbs today, but let’s just, (without going into details), saying that nature called after half my 800m-lap and I couldn’t really sprint like I wanted to.
Think higher carbs is cool though, felt really energized, was fully recovered after 60s and it makes a lot sense to me that an athlete that not necessarily is trying to cut weight primarily would need more muscle glycogen than I have given my self lately.

Obviously, I’m not talking about pasta or bread here amigos. Sweet potatoes is the nizzle when it comes to carbs and I think it will do wonders for my conditioning workouts!

NOD:

• 10.00 10g BCAA’s, ZMA, Creatine, 8g Fish Oil
• 11.45 40g Whey, 30g Dried Cranberries
• 12.30 300g Scrambled Free Range Eggs, 55g Feta, 2 Carrots, 2 Tomatoes
• 15.30 450g Grassfed Beef, 100g Spinach, 150g Broccoli, 200g Sweet Potato
• 18.00 10g BCAA’s, ZMA, Creatine
• 18.55 30g Whey, 60g Dried Cranberries
• 19.15 300g Free Range Chicken Breasts, 100g Olives, 100g Cabbage
• 23.00 ZMA, 8g Fish Oil & Zzzzzzzzzzzzz….

Namaste!

Saturday = Fun Day!

”When you surrender to what is and so become fully present, the past ceases to have any power. You don’t need it anymore. Presence is the key. The Now is the key.”

- Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now -

3 Sets of OHS, some Flips and Rope Climbs!

9 am, WOD Part 1

A1. 5*5 OHS @ 79 kg
4*70/5, 79/7 PB!

A2. 5*10 Pancake Split Sit Ups

Wanted to try max reps at BW, I’m actually down to 77.5 now, and felt really strong. Without the previous sets I think I soon can get closer to that dream level of 15 reps!

12.15 pm, WOD Part 2

B. For Time:

• 10/8/6/4/2 Tire Flips @ 300 lbs
• 2/4/3/4/5 Rope Climbs, approx 4m

Time: 16 min 29 sec…

C. Tabata Tire Jumps, approx 45 cm
19/17/16/15/15/15/15/15 = 127

Obviously meant to do the Climbs all the way up to 10 as well. Tried a new technique with the foot wrap today, but screwed it up by first pulling the wrong leg up every time and that smoked my arms. More training needed, but still gotta love these kind of workouts!

Been eating clean the last days and feel so much better. Last two kind of bad results in metcons has both been due to local muscular exhaustion in one exercise. Getting stronger while losing weight however so I think I can take my self down to around 75 and benefit in bw-movements. Combined with putting a bigger focus to them in the conditioning program, I think I’ll get around this problem pretty fast.

NOD: Basically same as yesterday, inkl. the glass of Barista. Gonna start adding Coconut Milk and some fresh fruit from Monday and on. Wanna be sure the cals are enough for me to recover between workouts!

Namaste!

Technique, Muscular & Conditioning Failure – Interesting…

”Watch any plant or animal and let it teach you acceptance of what is, surrender to the Now. Let it teach you Being.”

- Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now –

Some OL…

11 am, WOD Part 1

A. Technique – Hang Power Clean & Jerk:
43kg/3+3, 61/2+2, 84/1+1

B. Max for Day, Hang Power Clean:
93kg/F, F+1 Power Clean, F, F…

C. Max For Day, Split Jerk:
84kg/1, 93/1,  102/1, 107/1, 111/1 PB! (+1kg), 116/F, F

So apparently my technique in the clean is totally gone when it comes to the Hang. After the second miss I was just frustrated and wanted to know if I lost my strength all together, but the PC from the floor worked. The third attempt was about chin high, just forgot to wrap the elbows under it. Split Jerk felt decent at least, still not fast enough under the bar but seriously 116 was sooo close…

3 hours later

3.30 pm, WOD Part 2 – Throwdown Series Event #2:
Dream: <10 min, Goal: <12 min, Shame Level: 15 min.

• 750m Row
• 21 Dead Lifts (225#/155#)
• Ring Push Ups (30 men / 30 women)
• 15 Dead Lifts (225#/155#)
• Ring Push Ups (25 men / 20 women)
• 9 Dead Lifts (225#/155#)
• Ring Push Ups (20 men / 10 women)
• 750m Row

Time: 15’46 min…

From the Rules: ”8. Ring push up LOCK-OUT: locked elbows at top with hand palms FACING each other.”

That one thing was enough to smash me completely. First row so slow and easy at 2’45 min, first round of the couplet so consciously broken with a good pace and then on the second round of the Ring PSHU’s I just died. That little rotation in the end to face the palms felt like a mile long and every rep felt like doing death by cable cross or something. No excuses, same for everybody, I just couldn’t handle it.
My technique wasn’t very efficient at all with elbows to far away from the body, but hey at least I now have another goat on the never ending list and it also looks like I owe my self a Tabata Row or Burpees next week! (NO chance I was rowing after this, barely made it through the last 750 m, and using the shoulder as a ”being smart”-excuse for not doing burpees).

EDIT: Forget to mention, Jobst got a nice revenge on me from the Sectional WOD when he smoked me with his 13’10, well done amigo!

So with the three failing areas of today, there’s not so much left to be good at as a CrossFitter, huh? Weirdly enough, I’m not too bummed out about this. I felt more energized today after eating clean for two days and felt quite strong, except for the pressing ofc, throughout. Deads was very easy, probably shouldn’t even have broken them, (11/10, 8/7, 9).

Tomorrow is another day and at the gym there are now two new flipping tires at 300lbs each waiting for me to toss them around! Hmm, maybe the always beautiful glass of Barista is helping me smile as well.

NOD:

• 10.30 10g BCAA’s, ZMA, Creatine, 8g Fish Oil
• 11.55 40g Whey, 30g Dried Cranberries
• 12.00 400g Grassfed Beef, 1/2 Avocado, Mixed Veggies: Broccoli, Cauliflower, Red Cabbage
• 15.00 10g BCAA’s, ZMA, Creatine
• 16.00 40g Whey, 70g Dried Cranberries
• 16.15 300g Chicken marinated in Coconut Oil & Habanero Sauce
• 19.30 300g Scrambled Free Range Eggs, 55g Feta, 3 tbsp Coconut Oil, 100g Spinach, 2 Tomatoes, 1 glass of Barista Pinotage
• 22.00 8g Fish Oil, ZMA then Sleeep!

Namaste!

Low on energy?

”Energy and persistence conquer all things.”

- Benjamin Franklin -

10.30 am, WOD Part 1

A. Technique: 5 * 2-position Power Snatch on ze minute @ 52 kg

B1. Strength/Work Capacity: Weighted Pronated Pull Ups, 5*5  @ 18kg
30s rest to B2.

B2. Box Jumps:
90cm/5, 100/3, 110/F(!), Kneeling Snatch Jumps w PVC-Pipe/3
2 min rest to B1

Something feels a bit off, might be poor nutrition or the anti-inflammatory tablets I’m eating again (diklofenak). They are however making the inflammation and swelling go down a lot so hopefully my shoulder will heal after a week on these. Haven’t done WPU in ages so took it very easy with them, could probably have done 5 by 10 with the single vest. Box Jumps on the other hand just wasn’t there. Exactly as yesterday I lack all kind of explosiveness..
Snatches felt decent though, really focused on throwing my hip open as hard as possible.

3.30 pm, WOD Part 2

20 min AMRAP:

• 50 Unbroken Double Unders
• 25 Unbroken* Wall Balls @ 20 lbs

Score: 6 Rounds + 50 DU’s + 6 WB’s

Really had to smack my self to not skip this weeks longer metcon, the demons gave me all kinds of excuses. Did this one when I was following OPT more than a year ago and think I did 4 rounds at that time, that said I’m not really proud of this either.
* Since I suck at WB’s I gave my self the same rules for ”Unbroken” as we do for our beginners: As long as the ball doesn’t touch the floor it’s ok.

Actually got the fourth round in consecutive fashion, but the other had 2-3 times per round where I just had to catch the ball from a failed rep. Good sweaty workout however, and healthy for me to train at my wallball-technique after the f#ck up in Fittest in Cape Town.

Rest Day tomorrow and then Throwdown Series event #2 on Friday!

OK, so I really have to look over my nutrition, think my bad chocolate cravings is a sign of not eating enough. I think that I should have at least one more meal in during the day, 5-600 extra cals, maybe I should ask the Diet-guru, Dave, cause I need to get back on track now. So if you think about the last few days, and forget about the obvious cheat in today’s NOD, wouldn’t you agree that one more high protein & fat meal has it’s place?

NOD, really didn’t wanna publish this one…

• 10.00 10g BCAA’s, ZMA, Creatine
• 10.30 WOD Part 1
• 11.00 40g Whey, 20g Dried Cranberries
• 11.30 300g Scrambled Free Range Eggs, 55g Feta Cheese with herbs, 2 big Carrots, 2 Tomatoes, 50g Blueberries
• 14.00 20g Almonds
• 15.00 10g BCAA’s, ZMA, Creatine
• 15.55 40g Whey, 30g Dried Cranberries
• 16.30 300g Free Range Chicken Breasts, 100g Olives
• (20.45 100g Ritter Sport, again…)
• 21.10 100g Salami, 125g Camembert

Namaste!

Get your head back in the game!

”Unless you’re willing to have a go, fail miserably, and have another go, success won’t happen.”

- Philip Adams -

2.30 pm, WOD

A. Back Squats 5*5, (180s):
115kg/5 (1+1/4 reps), 125/5 * 4 sets

B. GHD Sit Ups, 5*20, (90s):
37s, 38, 38, 39, 39

C. 800m @ 100%, 800m @ 90%, 800m @ 90%:
2’56 min(!), dnf, dnf…

Some days you have it, some you don’t..
During the first set of squats I decided to change my programming, doesn’t really make sense to me to have the technical work mixed up with my workload program? So, from now on it will be 5by5′s regular back squats every other week as well. They felt strong but a bit unbalanced today. GHD’s was easier than ever before, forgot to fix the bench with weight plates for the first round, think I can get it down even faster.

OK, grey clouds over Cape Town today, felt like I ate to little, or simply: I was just not motivated today.
Barely warmed up after walking the 10 mins to the reservoir, made excuses all the way around for my first 800m-lap and was just totally out of any kind of explosiveness. Actually ”sprinted” the last half, but must have looked like Jim Carey in The Pet Detective or something cause I was anything but fast.

Well, well tomorrow is another day and since I comforted my self with some chocolate just now, I expect nothing but super human powers tomorrow!

NOD, Need to shape up when it comes to planning and preparing my meals:

• 11.30 Breakkie: 300g Scrambled Free Range Eggs, 55g Feta Cheese, 2 big Carrots, 2 Tomatoes, 8g Fish Oil
• 14.00 10g BCAA’s, ZMA, Creatine
• 15.45 40g Whey, 50g Dried Cranberries sweetened with Pineapple Juice
• 16.30 120g Canned Tuna, 100g Green Olives, 50g Raw Organic Almonds
• 21.00 Coke Zero & Ritter Sport with Hazels, not even dark choc since they didn’t have that one…
• 21.30 400g Grassfed Beef, pan fried in 2 tbsp Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, 200g Broccoli
• 23.00 8g Fish Oil, ZMA

Namaste!

Surprisingly fit!

Technique tips would end up being a whole book, but buy all means please shoot!

3pm, WOD Part 1

A. 5 * On ze minute: 1 Hang Power Clean, 1 Squat Clean & Jerk @ 61kg

B1. Power Clean, 4*5 @ 84 kg
(30s)
B2. Nose to the wall HSPU’s, 80% effort:
10, 10, 8, 6
(120s)

C. Power Clean & Jerk @ 84kg: 3 reps

2h rest

D. ”Baseline”, For Time:

• 500m Row
• 40 Squats
• 30 Sit Ups
• 20 Push Ups
• 10 Pull Ups

Time: 3’42 min

5 min rest

E. Tabata KBS @ 24:
11, 10, 10…… 10, 10 = 81 reps

F. 3*20 Unweighted Reverse Hypers
(60s)

Technique in OL feels a bit rusty, mildy said. First two rounds of 84kg PC’s was with resetting, last two rounds TNG, witch obviusly turned my already poor technique into a butt ugly one..
Carl Paoli-style HSPU’s is very healthy for me since it makes it hard to arch too much, like them!
Had to speed up towards the end witch is why I did three C&J’s instead of the full last round, rusty is the word.

After a couple of hours I wanted to go for ”2-3 short and light” metcons. Never done the Baseline before, but considering I now have the fastest time in the gym I have to be satisfied. Kept the row slow at 1.39,5 for 500m and the rest was ofc unbroken and swift. The surprise I’m talking about is that considering last nights way later then planned braai, the more then planned 3 glasses of wine  and how it made me feel when I woke up, I had no expectations whatsoever.. Really felt like everything was easier than I thought today and I recovered like never before, the tabata was basically just a little bit heavy on the last two rounds. Could have gone with the 32kg-KB, but wanted to work the full intervals if possible. Next time!

NOD: Too little, I know…

• 12.00 306g Scrambled Free Range Eggs, 55g Feta Cheese with herbs, 2 tomatoes, 2 carrots, 8g Fish Oil
• 14.30 10g BCAA’s, ZMA, Creatine
• 15.55 40g Whey, 50g Dried Cranberries
• 17.45 10g BCAA’s, ZMA, Creatine
• 18.30 40g Whey, 50g Dried Cranberries
• 19.30 300g Free Range Chicken Breasts, 100g Olives, 3 tomatoes, 100g Cabbage
• Popcorn & Coke Zero(!) to Red Riding Hood, good movie!

Namaste!