Kick Start WoD

”Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try.”

You could almost think these things are my favorite exercises now, and you’d be right!

11.30 WOD:

• 10/8/6/4/2 Tire Flips @ 300 lbs
• 5/4/3/2/1 Rope Climbs ”Over the top”
  Only first two rounds OVER.

Time: 14’40 min

Beautiful sunny day in Cape Town today, I do like the sun more, period. Also beautifully bruised on my thigh and scraped on the shin since kick starting the body after this recovery week with some fun outdoor stuff felt like an good idea. Those ”over the top” climbs really gets to your arms, as I said after the wod: ”Feels like I’ve done 200 biceps curls..”.

Feeling quite strong however, decided to not risk falling down and to keep the intensity higher by leaving out the over the top part for the last three rounds and I felt decently fast actually. It will be very interesting to see how I perform on Monday when it’s time for some heavy lifting again!
After the workout today, Jobst ”interviewed” me for the Games site. Not sure if I really want that stuff to get up there considering it was a lot of goofing around in there…

Now it’s time for a well deserved wheat free chocolate cheescake brownie(!) and ”Thor” in 3D!

Namaste! 

Another misty Hike

”Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”

- John Muir -

There's suppose to be a mountain somewhere around here?

Almost chickened out on doing today’s planned hike to ”my” cave on the Pipe Track. Knowing that going up there alone in a thick mist might not be the smartest thing almost got to me. But, hey since when did doing the smart thing start being equal to what I chose to do?

Ah, there you are..

Funny how things work, I used to be this guy who loved the sun, still do, but so much that I couldn’t even think about going out if there was the slightest drizzle in the air. Now, all of a sudden I’m really enjoying the early days of winter down here. Pushed the tempo quite hard, and without having planned to do so, I reached the cave within 40 minutes of my start. A new ”PB” by at least 10-15 mins I would guess..

The Indiana Jones Stairs looked even more mysterious than usual!

Glad I wasn't here when the side of this mountain decided to landslide.

Didn’t wanna spend too much time at the cave risk getting cold, obviously enjoyed my breakfast Dark Ritter Sport and some meditation before I headed back though.

The view from the cave, a bit less spectacular than last time..

On my way down the drizzle turned into a light rain, but today I couldn’t care less. Strolled down in a slow pace since I knew I was a bit early for my needling appointment with Dr. Stuart.

Usually one can see ocean, beach and Camps Bay here!

So, end of my recovery week tomorrow when I will kick start the system with a hopefully intense metcon of Tire Flips and Rope Climbs! Shoulder has been very iffy and not quite improving as I was hoping during this week without any work for it, until today! It feels so much better after the needling today, and that’s a first as well when it comes to this specific injury. Fingers crossed and I can hopefully start pushing my self harder and harder from now on when it comes to upper body work as well…

Namaste!

Faster, but not fast enough!

”Every time I go out and race it’s a goal to go out and run faster than I’ve done before.”

- Paula Radcliffe -

Not hard to find motivation with these surroundings, <3 Stellenbosch!

12.30 pm WOD

A. 400m Run @ 100%:
1’01.9 min PB! (-2.6 sec).

10 min rest

B. Death by 400m, as many rounds sub 1’20 min as possible – 90s rest between rounds
Score: 2 – 1’17/1’19 min

C. Cool Down, 400m at 2’00 min.

The track lay beautiful in the sun and with a temperature just around 20 degrees, the conditions felt perfect. Only because I spent last night mentally preparing to be running in the rain a short shower hit us exactly when I started my first round and lasted for about the 20 mins the entire workout took me. Not complaining though, like running in the rain and it didn’t slow me down at all on the first round.
According to Ellie, my timekeeper, I started very slowly into the wind and the first 200m took me about 36s, which means that I finished the last 200m around 26, not bad at all. Maybe I would have hit that sub 1 min 400m I was aiming for if I didn’t have to run around the janitor doing some maintenance in the end of the last curve? Nah, I think I got the most out of this and just have to wait a little longer to get there.

The Death by ended faster than planned, was hoping for at least 3-4 rounds, but after the first all out effort, I just didn’t have anything left to push on with when the rough got rougher. Will get another shot at getting some more endurance work in on the tracks on Monday already when we have planned to go back for a grueling wod I’ve been wanted to do for quite some time!

Namaste!

Easter traffic on the Mountain?

”In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.”

- Buddha -

Winter is approaching.

”It was a cold and windy day in the end of April..”

So, at the same time as my old hometown is turning winter into spring and eventually summer, Cape Town is going in the opposite direction. Usually I’m not a man of the colder seasons, but I have to admit that I for some reason find it quite cozy this time around.

First day of my recovery week and I decided it was time to climb Lions Head, it had definitely been too long, but so did apparently a whole lot of other people. While the Swedish are trying to survive the not so thought through combination of season celebrations and highly trafficked roads, not seldom with alcohol involved, I tried to do the same. Make my way through heavily trafficked roads that is. If I usually meet maybe 10-20 people on my way up and down, it was at least 100 lost souls making today’s trip more interesting.
Being as impatient as always, I simply stayed off the main track and climbed and scrambled where ever I could find my path, probably the best way to climb this mountain if you ever wanted an adventure!

Did my yoga routine on top and switly ran down. A hefty wind and a light drizzle made the descent quite demanding, not that I would want it in any other way.

Knowing that the rest is what I need to get stronger and better, I think I can actually handle the boredom of this ”no gym”-week. Lots of plans for the next phase, lots of motivation to get whatever needs to be done done, and a real hunger to really walk the walk of purpose which I know will lead me to where I wanna be in the long run – can’t wait to get back in the game!

Namaste!

Ugly Deads & a Weird Chipper

”In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.”

- Coco Chanel -

10 am WOD

A. Deadlifts, 5-5-3-1-1-1:
165kg/5, 174/5 PB! (+5kg), 184/3 PB! (+9kg), 193/1, 207.5/F, 207.5/F

B. Chipper from CrossFit.Com:

• 25 Walking Lunges
• 20 Pull Ups
• 50 Box Jumps @ 20″/50cm
• 20 Double Unders
• 25 Ring Dips
• 20 Knees to Elbows
• 30 KBS @ 32kg
• 30 Sit Ups
• 20 Hang Dumbell Squat Cleans @ 2*15 kg
• 25 Back Extensions
• 30 Wall Balls
• 3 Rope Climbs

Time: 15’40 min.

Last day of training before my recover week! If you thought your deadlifts were ugly yesterday Dave, think again, huh?
Funny thing when I get worn down by high volume training is that my strength always seems to be in there. ”Maybe” a little too eager when I decided to go for 10kg more than my 1rm after that quite heavy 193. At least it got off the ground. Pretty sure I will get these weights when I hit this in a few weeks again however.

Had no motivation to do any kind of metcon at all actually, but when I literally was about to hit the shower, I found this weird chipper on .com and fell in love. Seems like they really just pulled a bunch of exercises and numbers out of that hopper this time and mixed into a wod that had no logic in it what so ever, exactly what I needed! Best scores on .com was just under 10 mins so my half ass show wasn’t so impressive. But, I was just happy to get a ”bleed through” kind of workout done, and to practice a few not so common exercises is always good. And hey, I finally got to jump on that girlie box…

Already fine tuning the workouts for the next phase in my program, how I ever will be able to stay away from gym training for a whole week is a mystery to me.

Namaste!

Done with the Sectionals!

”Courage consists in the power of self-recovery.”

- Ralph Waldo Emerson -

Speeded up, still feels like slowmo when I’m watching it…

11.00 am, WOD

A. Power Snatch, Max for Day:
52/3, 61/2, 61/2, 61/2 

B. Sectionals WOD 11.6 – 7 min AMRAP:

• 3 Thrusters @ 100 lbs/45 kg
• 3 CTB Pull Ups
• 6 Thrusters
• 6 Pull Ups
• 9 Thrusters
• 9 Pull Ups
  And so on, adding three reps per exercise and round…
  
  

Shame Level: 90 reps (15 round), Goal: 126 reps (18 round), Dream: 168 reps (21 round)

Score: 104 reps 

Snatches was way off today, shoulder hurt and I had no leg drive what so ever. Decided to call it on 61 and just did a few ”alibi” lifts. They did get a little better at the end at least.

Gotta love my dream level for 11.6!
I am very close to the end of my 6 weeks cycle and as expected, I am running low on gas. Don’t have any kind of extra gear to put in there when it gets heavy. And like Forrest Gump, that’s all I have to say about that…

Feels very good that I am done with these Sectionals however. What started out as a fun concept of qualifying has just drained the motivation out of just about anyone I know competing. We shouldn’t complain too much though, professional athletes in just about any sport have way longer seasons than this. Still, I’m so over it.
Can’t wait to have an awesome recovery week that will consist of some hikes and running, don’t wanna let my self off completely since I know that only makes my re-start longer. Very excited for the next phase in my programming for the Regional and will probably have to twist my own arms to not start it early after a couple of rest days.

More about that later, tomorrow it’s time for another outdoor wod and this one has a lot of promise to it, think you will like the video if it comes together as I have planned!

Namaste & a very Happy Easter! 

Press it & an Alibi Sectional WOD!

”Much good work is lost for the lack of a little more.”

- Edward H. Harriman -

4 out of 5 sets…

9.30 am, WOD Part 1

A. 5*5 Push Press @ 84 kg
5, 5, 5, 4+F(!), 5

Happy to be able to repeat my 5RM PB (almost) 5 times, why didn’t I put on an extra kg to get another PB in the books?
Fourth set I just didn’t focus enough on the drive and missed locking out the last rep, not to worry, feels 100% sure that it was just a lazy mistake.
Overall the overhead position felt much more solid now, but my midsection and lower back seems to be struggling in the lockout. Times for some heavy over head carries perhaps!

Still not amped about Sectionals 11.5, gonna do it this afternoon to get it done with. Even though I’m not expecting any kind of monster score, I better put my act together and at least try to perform something outside of my comfort zone. No workouts shall be wasted!

EDIT:

4.10 pm, WOD Part 2. Sectional 11.5 – 20 min AMRAP:

• 5 Power Cleans 145lbs/65kg
• 10 Toes to Bar
• 15 Wall Balls @ 20lbs to 10″ Target

Score: 7 + 12 Wall Balls = 237p

Easily one of the top 3 most boring WOD’s I’ve ever done. Knew that before and nothing I was trying to tell my self during changed that, wanted to push it but just felt nauseous from about the second round. Two good things however: I’ve done it and we also discovered that our WB-target beam is about 0,5-1 feet ”too high”. Felt like a huge win to get to throw that nasty little ball a shorter distance.

Looking forward for tomorrows rest and then I’m gonna redeem my self on Friday when I have planned to smash 11.6!

Namaste!

Motivation = Low, Strength = High.

”The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our goals too high and falling short, but in setting our goals to low – and hitting our mark..”.

- Michelangelo -

Back Squats and guess what?

4pm WOD

A. Back Squat 5-3-1-1:
135kg/5 PB! (+5kg), 140/3 PB! (+6kg), 152/1, 160/1 PB! (+8kg) 

B. 30 Box Jumps @ 80cm:
Time: 1’04 min PB…

C. Strict Weighted GHD’s, (18kg vest):
10, 8, 7

Already when I stepped inside the gym today I knew I wasn’t hungry enough for heavy 5by5′s. Last week of this cycle and I’m definitely feeling the effects of this heavy program. However, I’m also seeing the results it has given me! My different squat lifts keeps on sky rocketing and are without a doubt where I made most progress. Today I felt strong throughout, even if the last rep took me 6 seconds to complete..

Plan was to do some 800m runs after this, but since I might be doing that on Friday, (since when does ”might” make up for lost sessions..?), and I was quite unmotivated, I just let it be today. For the box jumps I was concerned for my stiff achilles tendon but found a technique that I thought kept me at the perfect pace, was very surprised when I looked up and saw that I missed that 1 minute mark again.
Weighted GHD’s was a nice change from the ones I’ve been doing for speed, way different with load.

Finally we know the last two WOD’s for the Sectionals, I say finally cause I’m frankly a bit tired of this concept now. It was fun in the beginning and I feel so damn lucky not to have to re-do every workout because everybody else is, and that would be the only way to have a chance to qualify in Europe for instance. Still I feel that 3-4 weeks would have been way enough, I don’t really see the need for your training to either be taken hostage by HQ, forcing you to program around whatever they throw at us each week, or you taking the risk of getting overtrained by doing the same exercises over and over again.
Seriously, 20 min AMRAP? Why not just run a marathon.

Enough whining, I will do these two last WOD’s today and on Friday. Will see which one fits better in my plan, and then next week is a full week without any gym training what so ever. First time in a long while that I’m actually looking forward to resting…

Namaste! 

Better Balanced Athlete?

”Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves – regret of the past and fear of the future.”

- Fulton Oursler -

10.30 am, WOD Part 1

A. Technique, 5 rounds on ze minute of 3 Pos-Clean & 1 Split Jerk @ 70kg
High Hang Clean, Hang Clean, Power Clean & Split Jerk

B. 5*5 Power Clean @ 93 kg

C. Power Clean & Split Jerk @ 84 kg, 5-4-3-3-3

Maybe 70 kg was a bit heavy for the ”technique” part, felt quite good during but tired after. Wasn’t even close to getting 93 on my third lift and just knew that if I would keep on trying each set would take me forever, and be butt ugly. Not saying 84 was super good looking either, but at least I could handle that weight. Each round took me about 1-1’15 mins so not exactly touch n go..

4h rest

4.30 pm, WOD Part 2 – 3 * 6 min amraps:

• 5 Wall Walks/Climbs
  Start and end in a push up with the feet against the wall, top position is hands as close as possible with the nose touching the wall. 
• 10 Burpee Box Jumps

D. Score: 2 rounds + 2 Wall Walks

Rest Exactly 3 mins

• 7/7 Alternating TTB/CTB
• 14 Ring Push Ups

E. Score: 3 rounds

Rest Exactly 3 mins

• 250m Row
• 3/3 Alternating KB-Snatches @ 32kg

Score: 3 Rounds

Wanted to try this concept of metcons for a while and I loved it. Chose quite technique craving exercises today to get a little more of ”allround efforts” into the mix and on the first two it was definitely muscle fatigue that got me, first on the Wall Walks that are way harder than they look and secondly when I already during the second round of E. had to break up the TTB/CTBs due to lack of control.
Last couplet was more of a conditioning Q, even if I liked that i forced my self to switch hand for each rep. Basically made me do 1 & 1/2 swing per rep.

So what about the ”Balanced Athlete” business? Well, first of all I’m obviously referring to me putting more of skill efforts in there, but today I also tried some new stuff in my warm up from T-Nation. Very fun and I will definitely use these regularly. Can’t really say I was as Ninja like as the dude in the videos, especially not on the last one, but hey practice makes perfect.

On another warm up note, I really have to cut my WU’s down. Almost taking me an hour with all the mobility and other stuff I’m having in there atm. Must be more efficient…

Namaste!

When will I ever learn…

”Learning without thought is labor lost.”

~Confucius

”How I almost broke my elbow…”

 8.15 am, WOD Part 1 

A. Clean Max for Day:
84kg/3, 93/1, 102/1, 111/F+F

12.05 pm, WOD Part 2

B. For Time:

Buy-In – 100 Double Unders
Then:

• 20/16/12/8/4 KBS @ 32 kg 
• 10/8/6/4/2 Tire Flips @ 300 lbs
• 5/4/3/2/1 Rope Climbs over the 1st floorFinished 5 and only 1 on second round…

Buy-Out – 100 Double Unders

Time: 21’10 min

My OL-technique needs a lot of work. Felt easy all the way up to 102, maybe should have gone for 107 before bumping it up to 111. No problem getting the weight high enough but I suck at wrapping my elbows around the bar, today it almost cost me one of them..

For the metcon, plan was to do only the tire flips and rope climbs for more of a sprint work. As usual I filled it out with other stuff, and it turned out to be too much. Rope climbs are always fatiguing my grip, however it then is smart to throw KBS in the mix then is something I should have known before. Almost lost my grip and fell on the first climb of the second round, decided to let them be from then on and just pushed the tempo for KBS and Tire Flips.
No worries though, as spent and out of energy as I was after this wod, it must have been good.
What also feels good is that I now am so used to the 32kg KB that it feels about as easy swinging that as the 24 did before, I can keep on going ”forever”.

What’s not good is my shoulder, the combo of over bar burpees and high reps  in the OH-pos was what killed it the first time and after yesterday’s Sectional WOD, I can tell yet again that I really need to stay away from that kind of workload.
Only one week left of 5 by 5′s before it gets a full recovery week however, just need to stay smart about it for 7 more days and then after that rest I both hope and truly believe that I can be rid off these problems.

Namaste!