Heavy Day

Tuesday at the gym was a heavy day. I was fresh from a rest day Monday and was excited to test myself.

the WOD:
Clean, Push-Press, Push-Jerk, Split-Jerk

1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1

complete the entire series without dropping the weight increasing weight each round.


I have not done most of these to failure so I was unsure where I could go. It looked like this:

R1: 95#s
R2: 115#s
R3: 135#s
R4: 155#s
R5: 175#s (push press is tough)
R6: 185#s PR (push press is ugly)
R7: 195#s Failed (was not able to push press and dropped the weight)
R8: 195#s Failed " "
R9: 195#s No push press. PR clean, and jerks (shaky on the the jerks)
R10: 205#s: Fail (could not clean)

I had never done this much weight on most of these so I was happy but I know I had a lot more in me. 205 is not far away.

On a less encouraging note my diet has been mediocre. I am staying close to the zone but have a tenancy to screw it up a little around lunch time. It does not help that my office if full of great tasting (not good for you) foods and the girl friend is celebrating a successful first semester of grad school. Those are not excuses my will power is just not up to these challenges just yet but I am still on the bus, I may be hanging from the bumper but I'm on the bus. I will survive the holidays!

A Weekend in Review

Thursday I did "2 minute defense" It was a tough one and maid your legs feel really heavy. I was doing alright but had a couple of drops that cost me about 30 seconds.

2 Minute Defense

5 rounds of:

1 power clean

3 hanging squat cleans

2 jerks

Sprint 200m

135#s

After the fifth round rest exactly 2 minutes then repeat (5 more rounds)

Pat: 11:31

Friday at my gym is WOD of your choice. The crossfit community recently lost a member of its family in San Diego; Miguel Flores and to honor him some friends came up with a WOD that they felt represented him. It was a ball buster and 185# cleans were a killer. I have not done many cleans but 185# is a lot. I was pretty banged up from this one.

"Miguel CFSD, A.K.A. McFlurry"
400 meter Run
21 185lb Cleans (Miguel's Body Weight)
21 Pull Ups
400 Meter Run
15 Dumbbell Thrusters 50lb
15 Pull Ups
400 Meter Run
9 185lb Cleans
9 Pull Ups
400 meter run

Pat: 44:00

Saturday was a different type of animal.

It was a team WOD. We were grouped off in to two teams. The team I was on took the big backhoe tire (about 400#s) and had to carry it 800m without setting it down. The punishment for dropping the tire: Fran. We were not dropping the tire. It was a challenge but we made it. My shoulders are bruised from the weight and my arms are covered in red marks and bruises. We then had to do team 500 push-ups with feet on the tire and 500 box jumps on the tire. I think the walk took us about 30 minutes. After the Saturday WOD I stayed for the Olympic lifting class. We did some snatch progressions followed by 5 sets of 3 front squat and 5 sets of 3 push jerks. Not sure what the weight was but nothing to heavy.

Sunday I ran. It’s been a long time since I have done any running of significant distance so it was a big deal to me. I did 4 miles on the treadmill. I went in hoping for 3 and would have been happy but I felt good and kept going. I kept the pace down and never pushed it really but I’m happy with the results. No hip pain or knee issues is a good thing and the work I’ve been doing with crossfit has me in better shape at this point then I realized. I will try to add some miles in more and more both on the run and in the pool. (I may even mount the hate machine if I feel like I need to punish myself.)

The Bear and 2 min Defense

The Bear Complex

As soon as I saw the name yesterday morning I was nervous and for good reason.

This thing is tough.

5 Full Rounds Of:

7 Sets Of The Sequence

Power Clean

Front Squat

Push-Press

Back Squat

Push-Press

Increasing weight

Break Up Or Combine Movements So Long As The Following Is Met:

-NO Resting On Ground During Sequence, Not Even To Re-Grip

-NO Jerks

-NO Receiving Cleans In Full Squats and Going Directly Overhead

-Cleans Start On The Ground

-Squats Go Below Parallel

-Push-Presses Finish In Full Lock Out

-Deadlifting To The Hang Is Okay Prior To Power Clean

-Squats and Push-Presses Can Be Combined Into Thrusters

R1: 95#s
R2: 115#s
R3: 115#s
R4: 125#s
R5: 135#s (failed on the 6th rep, completed last 2 after the drop)

I was warned to rest today and come back ready for Thursday. When I asked why, all he said was "go look up '2 minute defense' on the main site." So I did. Now I have 2 full days to worry about this

Staying on the Bus

Ok so I'm still on the bus. I got off the bus on Saturday for a little while but I didn't go too nuts. I got off on Saturday at the USC-UCLA game but that is a solid excuse. I ate a pre-made salad at a Raiders game on Thursday at the tailgate while everyone else had hot dogs and beer. I felt like a total gay but I sucked it up. In the past this kind of weekend would have been the kiss of death.

Old Pat logic:

Thursday:
"I'm at a football game; you can’t be on a diet at a football game. Just have a few beers and its not a big deal."

Friday:
Morning: "Well its Friday and you broke the diet yesterday what’s the big deal it’s just one bagel."

At lunch a couple hours later: "It is Friday and you already f-ed up breakfast, screw it give me a western bacon double cheeseburger!"

That night: "Well I had a bad day no reason to clean it up now, give me a 22oz Fat Tire and a plate of fries with that french dip"

Saturday:
"Its game day, I can’t eat clean at a football stadium, I'll take two bacon wrapped hot dogs along with 4 more beers please."

Sunday:
"Well I already blew this weekend, I will just eat whatever I want today then start all over again on Monday. Yeah that’s what I will do, back on the bus on Monday this time for real (sound of beer bottle opening at 10am.)"

I could have easily justified blowing the zone out for the extended weekend but I held strong(ish) and only gave in a little.
I am sure there are others that do this same thing but I was able to keep it together; for the most part. Saturday I did the "game day mentality and ate like a pig. Sunday I ate clean till dinner then had sushi and a beer. Not too bad. I know I should limit it to cheat MEALS not cheat DAYS but hey its game day and my Trojans had bruins to beat.


Had some good WODs last week caped off with "Death" on Friday. It wiped me out and my legs are still killing me today. I skipped workouts on Saturday because of the game and dinner with the in-laws then Sunday it was a mixture of laziness and conservation. My legs are still shot and my hip was bugging me on Friday so it was a good thing to give it another rest. (That is how I justify it so go to hell if you think it’s a lame excuse)

"Death"
Row 1000m
21-15-9 of:
75# front squat
abmat sit-ups

3 rounds for time

Pat: 31:20

Also: Shout out to my boy Nacho!!

Update

Day 1: 17 blocks and good WOD:

AMRAP in 20 min og
9 shoulder press w/ 2x 30# dumbbell
12 deadlift at 75% of 1 rep max (225)

Completed 8 full rounds

Note: I did 5 rounds at 225#s then dropped to 185#s

Day 2: 17 block and another solid WOD made harder by day 1's back killing

Row 15 cal
20 box jumps w/ 20" box

10 rounds

23:04

Back On the Bus!!

This is my bus.
There are many like it but this one is mine.
My bus is my best friend.
It is what keeps me from early onset diabetes.
I must master it as I must master my eating habits
Without will power my bus is useless.
Without direction my will power is useless.
I must drive my bus straight and narrow.
This is my bus.

No more excuses. My first attempt back to the zone was cut painfully short by a great vacation and an overall lack of effort but I think I am ready. I packed my lunch today and if dinner goes according to plan, and it should without a hitch, I will have a solid 17 block day. For me its not so much what I can and can not eat and I don't really get that hungry, the hard part is forcing down a breakfast. I try to do a 4 block breakfast but its hard. If I did not hate eggs with such a passion it may not be so bad but 4oz. of turkey at 5:45am sucks.

I am back on the bus committed. I plan on attending at least 3 crossfit classes this week as well so between the zone and the gym I think I will have earned the weekend.

Bus don't fail me now!