Fun weekend in Jozi!

”The biggest magic is transmuting the passions”.

Monkey Business wod at CFJ! 

Was up in Johannesburg to intern for another CrossFit Level 1 Seminar this weekend. As always the cert it self was a great experience and brought me many new tools to my arsenal in the quest of becoming a better coach. Had a irritated throat the days leading up to the weekend but it never broke out and I managed to get a lots of fun workouts in Friday to Sunday.

Just gonna write them up here and post a few notes.

Friday, 4pm

25 min AMRAP Alternating Rounds with Lynda:

• 9m Rope Climb
• 9m Monkey Bar Traverse
• 9m Hand Stand Walk
• 2 Strict Muscle Ups

Our Score: 7 Rounds 

Asked Imtiaz at CF Jozi if it was ok if we came by to play around with some of this awesome equipment and as always we were welcomed with open arms, he even left the doors open while being out on a Safari so we could enter, thanks amigo!
Rope climbs is going better each time for me, and this was the first time in a while I could load up my wrist in a hand stand. MU was just put in there since I figured I would be demoing them at the cert and wanted to fine tune the strict ones.

Awesome wod without pushing too hard, just a hell of a lot of fun!

Saturday 5.30pm, Jamie’s B-day WOD, 8min AMRAP:

• 2 reps of 60kg Complex: 1 Power Clean + 1 Hang Squat Clean Thruster + 1 Push Press
• 2 Bar Muscle Ups

My Score: 9 rounds + 1 Complex

Great WOD! 

One of the Head Coaches at the Seminar, Jamie, turned 29 so of course he had the honor to put together the ”Coaches Workout” and this was a really fun one! I thought it would be a bit unbalanced with ”only” 2 MU’s but it turned out to be perfect. Didn’t really push it in the start since I didn’t know how my throat was going to react, weight felt fairly light and the second rep of Bar MU was actually easier each round. Obviously was rude enough to get the best score and beat the b-day kid with a couple of rounds..

Sunday 12.30pm, Double Trouble, For Time:

3 Rounds of 400m Run / 21 KBS @ 24kg
+
5 Rounds of 8 Stair Box Jumps (50cm?)/Bear Crawl Down the same Stair

My Time: 10’30ish?

Well, Jamie got to put this one together as well and as he said: I want to beat you so lets put some running in there. Said and done, I was miles behind Julian and finished more than 1 round of the Jump/Bear Crawl part after Jamie in 3rd place. Not much to say, felt strong on the first run where I just took Jamie’s back, swinged my way to the lead and then suffered big time on the second round. They say it’s the thin air on higher altitude, but I don’t wanna use that excuse, (more than I just did hehe).

All in all I had a great weekend, learned a ton, really enjoyed the workouts and feel filled with motivation to work really hard towards my goals. Funny enough I still managed to follow my plan for this week, so far, with only mono structural conditioning work. Did 10 slooow laps of 50m in the outdoor pool, in the shining sun this morning, and have planned to stay away from strength training at least until Friday to let all my minor injuries heal up properly and then push it hard towards at least the fitness of a teenage gorilla.

Namaste!

 

I like to Pull it, Pull it..

”The greatest meditation is a mind that lets go.”

- Atisha, Buddhist Quote -

11.30am, WOD Part 1

A. Strict MU, 1-1-1-1-1

B. WPU, 3RM:
18/5, 36/3, 46/3 PB! (I think)

C. CTB, 25-20-15 (60s rest):
27s, 42, 32 (all unbroken but only first consecutively). 

3h rest

3.30pm, WOD Part 2

D. TNG-Deadlifts, (15 = increase to next time, <12 = lower weight):
134kg/15

E. Row Intervals, 1 min on/2min off:
Goal average sub 1’35min/500m

1. 1’34.7 – 316m
2. 1’34.3 – 318m
3. 1’34.3 – 318m
4. 1’34.4 – 317m
5. 1’35.5 – 314m (!!!)

Body is finally feeling better after the weekends escapades. Need to work on my strict MU, good thing is that each rep got cleaner and cleaner actually. I’m not so good at this WPU-business, but I am improving. Stamina pull ups was actually meant to be 3*25, but also with the rule of getting at least two unbroken rounds, when 2nd was way harder than expected I wisely took the numbers down. Don’t wanna aggravate my easily inflamed elbow.

Fun to start following Mackie & Dave’s TNG Deadlit protocol, this weight was very light but want to focus on good form, (it could have been even better), and slowly work my way up. Mackie is up around 200kg’s for 15 reps now, maybe that’s something to aim for… in 2017…

Rowing? Well rowing is rowing = never fun, and this time I think it was close to kill me. Told Lynda that ”after three rounds you will feel ok, then you know you have done more than half”, but then at that point I my self had so many escape routes out of that room that I could have transformed all seasons of Prison Break into a 30 min cartoon.
While trying to avoid dying, I cursed my self for not doing that last pull on the last round with 3s to go which let it go from an average of 1’34, but I will still ”count it” as all rounds sub 1’35-average. Meaning that I have to try sub 1’33/1’34 next time, uack!

Time for another exercise I’m really good at during tomorrow’s active rest. Swimming, yay!

Namaste!

I will never again…

”One’s real life is often the life that one does not lead.”

- Oscar Wilde -

11.30am, WOD Part 1

A. Press, 3RM + 2*3@90%:
43kg/5, 61/3, 70/3, 77/2, 70/3, 70/3

B. Back Squat, 1RM + 2*1@90%:
102/5, 125/3, 143/2, 152/1, dnf…

3h Rest 

3pm, WOD Part 2

C. From OPT, 5 sets:

• Ring Dips, Amrap -2: 29-14-11-9-8
  20s rest
• High Box Jumps, step down, (80cm)
  20s rest
• Amrap DU in 30 secs: 61-45-55-63-55
  60s rest 

D. Russian Swings, 5*15 for speed, (30s):
21s, 21, 21, 20, 21

Did a lot of stupid things this weekend. Slept too little, ate even less and drank a little too much. Couldn’t do the planned row intervals due to aiching left elbow so chose to do Flight Sim and 100 GHD’s for time instead. Nothing really stupid with that, but missed too many times to get a PB in Flight and the stupidity shone through once again when I just trashed my plan of 4*25 GHD’s and did 40 straight in the first set. Obviously got smashed in the end and missed my PB with 10s, and the 5 min goal with over half a minute.
Now, that isn’t really the end of the world either now is it? No, but when you combine all the above and a few more moron acts, it’s easy to see that I have my self to blame for still being completely out of order. Hip flexors has never been this destroyed and the lack of nutrients, (alcohol doesn’t really count and one gluten free pizza in 48h isn’t really enough), has left the rest of my body quite unrecovered as well.

None of the above is much to whine about, but when I claim to be serious about my goals, it’s just not acceptable. And when it effects me as per today, well it just has to disappear if I wanna get even close to where I wanna be 6 months from now. Shoulders stiff and sore so felt quite uncomfortable already from the start in the press. Back Squats was just ridicilous, hip flexors and with them the rectus femoris is just gone so when 152kg felt like a ton, I decided to let it be.

”Metcon” went ok. Thought I did 30 dips, but stood corrected when I checked the video. Not the end of the world, on a good day I have way more in me. Box Jumps must have looked fun since I’m not exactly the tallest guy and trying to STEP down almost had me falling over a couple of times.

Good speed on the russian swings, shoulders pretty smoked as said so didn’t wanna go for full ROM.

No need dwelling in the past, think I honestly learned a few really important lessons this weekend, so from here on I can only either do what I know is needed or  shut the F up when it comes to not reaching my goals. Period.

Gonna do a couple of fairly light wods this week, today’s, tomorrow and then a ”Monkey Speziale” at CrossFit Jozi on Friday. Also looking forward to the trainers workouts at the Level 1 Seminar that I’m interning on again this weekend, they’re usually quite original. Then, next week I have to decided to make it a no weights week. Focusing on conditioning in the pool, at the track and on the rower for one week will hopefully let my wrist heal completely, (it isn’t really getting better at all right now, actually worse), and then I have a good plan for December, bring it!

Namaste!

 

OTM Failure…

”If better is possible, then good is not enough..”

12.15pm, WOD Part 1

A. Behind The Neck Split Jerk, find 2RM:
61/2, 84/2, 93/2, 102/2, 111/2, 120/1+F

B. Snatch Grip Push Jerk, 3*7 ”TnG”, (45s):
61kg/6, 70/7, 79/7

3h rest

3.15 pm, WOD Part 2

C. Death By OTM 3 Squat Cleans@70% of 1RM (79kg), cap 20 min:
12 Rounds

D. Max L-sit * 3, (60s):
25s, 10, 11

As always when I don’t get what I set out to do, I give my self a ton of excuses. ”Oh, my legs were tired from the runs yesterday already from the start. Oh, my arms are sore from the 100 PU’s Wednesday.” Etc, etc..
In reality I just need to suck it up and work harder for it.

Don’t think I’ve done Behind SJ’s for max weight before so these were some kind of PB’s. 120 felt so light on the first but then I didn’t focus on the lockout on the 2nd. In general my second lift is a little bit technically better in the jerk, which is why I wanted 2RM’s.
TNG Jerks was inspired by OPT, but since I don’t wanna put to much strain on my wrist I chose this snatch version over regular Push Jerks, felt as a good stabilizer for a solid lockout.

Like said, starting making excuses early in the on the minute lifts. Lower back started aching after like 4 rounds and that was when I set 12 as a shame level for my self, stupid because then I will never push my self past that. Haven’t quite decided yet, either I count this one and go for 2′s at 80% next week, or I just re-start it and make damn sure that I get the full 20 rounds. That isn’t really a requirement, but something I think would be good for me.

L-sits was funny, actually started dreaming of a full minute around 20 secs in, then crash, boom, bang and the fat lady sang.

Beach wod tomorrow and some 1 min intervals of row should make for a perfect comatozed version of my self for the reminder of the weekend!

Namaste! 

Now how did this happen!?

”Do not know yourself. I want to continue to surprise me.”

- Arielle Dombasle -

Some Pull Ups from yesterday. 

Wednesday, 12.30pm, WOD Part 1

A. WPU, Find 5RM:
18kg/5*2, 36/5 PB?, 41/4 (4RM PB)

B. Pull Ups, 5*20 (60s)
4 set UB, 22-24s, 15+5
Total Time: 6’24 min

3h rest

3.45pm, WOD Part 2

C. From OPT:

• 30 HSPU, used Parallettes and approx +3cm ROM
• 10 Box Jumps, 36″/90cm
• 1k Row (3’44min)
• 20 HSPU
• 20 Box Jumps
• 1k Row (3’55)
• 10 HSPU
• 30 Box Jumps

Time: 24’04 min.

D. Super Strict Ring Push Ups, 3*Max (-2)
15, 9, 7 

Haven’t been working hard enough on my WPU lately to expect anything more than this, wished I sucked it up and finished the 5th on 41 though, if I would have got it that is. Stamina PU feels really good, going for an all-out Angie in a couple of weeks so will be interesting to see both what my max number of reps will be as my time for 100 reps. Annoying to not get every set unbroken but grip just died.

Got my butt kicked pretty hard by both the HSPU’s in part 2 and by Lynda who was kind enough to share my pain and smoke it in just 18 minutes and change. Can’t do any press with an extended or flexed wrist so had to do it on parallettes which was a little to rough for me. Row obviously sucked big time, and the last round of BJ’s was a ”little bit” broken – 4-5 reps at the time.

Today, 3pm, WOD

A. 800m Time Trial:
2’27.5 min Unofficial PB (-9.5s!!). 

10 min active rest

B. 2*400m @ 80-85% (90s)
1’25min, 1’26

Woooow, had a weird feeling that I would finally get down under those 2’30 I’ve been aiming for, but to actually do it without a lot of running training just stokes me! Unofficial PB since it was done at the reservoir where I do my running, measured it with GPS twice and using MapMyRun, so it could be a few meters shorter, (or longer for that matter, hehe). But, compared to last time I did it I took 10 seconds off it, and that is the really important part!

Difference this time is that I for the first time ever for this distance decided to go for just under max sprint speed from the start and try to hold on for as long as possible, instead of pacing the start and then try to sprint. Also chose to go with the wind on the way out and into the wind on the way home, obviously made it super hard to breath but I timed my self and had 1’13 after 400m – to be able to basically keep that speed all the way in is just insane, (for being me).
Legs never felt this strong and endurable before, honestly didn’t felt them at all until afterwards when I wanted to die, puke and fall asleep – all at the same time. Funny enough, what hurt the most was my biceps from holding the sprinter position throughout, probably because of yesterday’s pulling volume.

10 mins wasn’t even close enough to make the 400′s an 80-85% effort, most likely 2 hours wouldn’t have been either, they sucked big time right from the start both of them.

As said, flipping stoked right now, I know it’s just a run, but feels great anyway. If this wrist could just heal up over night now, I’m feeling confident that I’m on the right track towards monstrous athletism!

Namaste!

I am a Rock

”Train your self to let go of everything you fear to lose.”

- Yoda -

3pm, WOD

A. Swim, 6*50 Freestyle

B. Swim, 4*50 Breast stroke

I will never be a great swimmer, that much is clear. Was hell of a lot nicer to do the swim during the day than being up in the morning when the air is still cold however, and my focus today wasn’t time at all, (didn’t even bring a clock), but to find the technique and get more comfortable in the water.

Alternated between 2 & 3-strokes per breath during the freestyle and tried to glide as much as possible on each stroke in the breast stroke. Still struggling with it, but the positioning in the water is starting to get there.

At night it was then time for Reebok to host an event for their biggest clients at our box and I got to present some of our best athletes in a wide variety of CrossFit exercises. The guys did really well and it was super fun not only to go all hip hop on that microphone but also to see how impressed the crowd was when the guys was lifting heavy, jumping rope like school girls and walking on their hands like that was their day job!

Also, the thing I probably got most exited about was a big poster of me from the Games (there was others with some of our athletes as well), wanted to bring it home and put it over my bed, but strangely enough some people thought that would look ”odd”?
Anyway, will make sure to take a photo of it and post it so you guys totally will understand what I mean…

Namaste! 

Chocolate Muffins makes you strong!

 

12.30pm, WOD Part 1

A. WU: 3*3 Skin the cat to Tucked Front Lever

B. Press 5RM, then 90% 2*5 reps:
43/5, 52/5, 61/5, 70/5 PB! (+5kg), 63/5+5

C. Strict Ring Dips, with turn out in top, 3*10 (60s):
10, 10, 8+2

2,5h Rest 

4pm, WOD Part 2:

D. ”WU”Squat Cleans:
61/5, 70/3, 79/3

E. Back Squats 3RM:
102/5, 125/3, 143/3, 152/3 PB!, 161/3 PB! (+13.5kg) 

F. Twisted Toes to Bar, 5*10 (30s)
Hands shoulder width, both feet must touch on the outside.
5*14-15sec 

Obviously very stoked about these scores! May not jump up and down quite yet though since there’s always a risk that Dave finds the old PB’s to be inacurrate. Do know however that the press felt very good, first time in a long while, and that 161kg is my old 1RM Back Squat PB which I am damn happy to be able to do for 3 now!

Forgot how good of a warm up ring gymnastics actually are, more of that to come, and actually found out that if I put my thumb on the same side of the bar as the fingers, it doesn’t irritate my wrist! Unfortunately that is not the position I’m ending up in when doing cleans, so as you might have figured out after the warm up for those on the minute lift, my wrist gently asked me to avoid that pressure, and don’t ask me what happened – but I actually listened for once!

On a new workout plan right now, where I go for volume every other day and lower intensity monostructural kind of training in between (swimming, running, hiking etc). Hoping that this will let my body recover enough to stop getting all these small injuries.

Twisted TTB was really good for me, thought I filmed them but missed to press ”record”, since they force you to work even more on body control. Plan was to do a short metcon after but yet again my poor planning left me out of time, probably good for the wrist though. Also got so excited about the 3RM that I did a Mackie and forgot to do the 90% follow up sets, next time!

Namaste!

Yes, I am still training…

”Try and fail, but don’t fail to try.”

- Stephen Kaggwa -

Friday, 3pm

A. WU, 20 min light run

B. 4 Unbroken Rounds for time of:

• 50 Double Unders
• 25 GHD’s

Time: 9’25 min

C. 3 Rounds not for Time:

• 25 Backward skips
• 5 GHR

Plan was to go the reservoir for 3*800m running, but when I got there it was closed for tree maintenance so I had to turn around. Was hoping for a sub 8min for the 4 RFT, but had everything unbroken til the last round of DU, where I tripped on 39 and then failed three more times before getting my self together. GHR is guaranteed a torture device and I am still sore in both hammies and abs…

Saturday, 8.30 am

A. About 200m of swimming and some treading water

B. 11.30am, Rowing: 5 Rounds 1 min on/1 min off, goal sub 1’38min/500m average

1. 1’37.7
2. 1’37.4
3. 1’36.7
4. 1’36.7
5. 1.33’7

Swimming was part of our class, but I had to stand on the side when we got to the other stuff, wrist can’t handle ins and outs. Rowing as fun as always, goal is to do these once a week and get it down to sub 1’30min/500m average within fairly soon (5-6 weeks or so).

Did a strength and gymnastics session around lunch today and now it’s finally time for the squat cleans on the minute.

Oh, how could I forget. After the Open Gym on Saturday morning 20 of our athletes and coaches headed out to Stellenbosch for a few hours of playing war. Haven’t played paintball in like 10 years and it was so much fun! Bruised right about everywhere obviously and getting shot in the throat sounds way more fun than it is, but all in all combined with an awesome T-bone braai afterwards that day didn’t leave much to wish for at all…

Namaste!

Getting comfy with rowing?

”One can chose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.”

- Viktor Frankl -

3.30pm, WOD

A1. WPU 5-5-5-5

B. Max Box Jump, 1-1-1-1:
80cm/1, 90/1, 100/1, 110/F, F, F WTF?

C. ”Christine”, 3 RFT:

• 500m Row
• 12 Deadlifts at BW, 79kg
• 21 Box Jumps, 50cm

Time: 9’55 min

OK, so according to the above quote, I’m gonna embrace my f#cked up wrist with a smile. It isn’t really any better at all so what could be more fun than taking the rest of the week off from any activities involving my hands anyway. Gonna do running, rowing and swimming. (Yeah, I know the two latter involves the hands, but it has proven to work for now).

WPU felt fine when I just tried a few PU’s, then I warmed up properly with hanging shoulder activations and the entire wrist started ”throbbing”, no go.

Whatever happened with my explosive power I don’t know. Just stood there like a clown watching the box at 110 and couldn’t understand what was so intimidating about it. More explosive training from now on..

Christine was right about the only thing I could think of doing, exercise-wise that is. And, let me explain. Nothing comfortable about the rows in here, just that I don’t get scared as a little girl every time I’m programming rowing anymore. Was expecting a better time, but then again rowing will always be my nemesis when it comes to metcons. Everything unbroken but breaks between sets too long.

Trying to stay positive as said, maybe a light volume week with some monotonous kind of conditioning is what I need anyway. But one thing that truly annoyed me was when I got back home and just double checked my ”I’ve done them All” t-shirts, and Christine is not on there!? Now tell me again, why would I ever do this kind of wod if it doesn’t count?

Namaste!

Shouldn’t be whining as long as I actually CAN train…

”Chaos is inherent in all compounded things. Strive on with diligence.”

- Buddha -

2.30 WOD

A. Incline Bench Press, 3-3-3-3, then 90% 2 sets * 3 reps:
84/3, 93/3, 102/3, 111/3, 102/3*2 

B. Ring Dips, 3*15 (60s)
UB * 3

C. From GWOD, 10 min Amrap Double Unders, every time you break do 20 Hollow Rocks!

Score: 429 DU + 100 HR, (181 DU first round, PB!)

Wrist even sorer today, which first put me in a bad mood. Funny enough, somehow it doesn’t hurt at all as long as the wrist is kept straight, (thank the universe for wrist straps), only when I put pressure on it while flexed/extended, like in Hand stands or even regular push up position. Aaaanyways, nuff whine. Felt strong in the bench, the 20ish degree feels good for the shoulder even though I actually should be able to do regular bench by now.
At 111, I was however making a little love to an invisible woman above the bench, (skyhumping), so I used the 90% sets from Mackies & Daves programming, felt fine.

Ring dips was super easy, don’t remember them being this easy last time? Might have to try my max in these shortly.

Double Under wod was cool, not so many things I can do right now so this one suited me perfectly. Happy with a PB but a little annoying to slip that close to 200 when I actually wasn’t really tired. After that though, got 70 at the most for the reminder of the 10 mins.

Swimming in the morning tomorrow and then I have planned for those Cleans on the minute, will see what the wrist has to say about that..

Namaste!