The Bare Necessities

Interval Angie

100 pull-ups

Rest 2 minutes

100 push-ups

Rest 2 minutes

100 sit-ups

Rest 2 minutes

100 squats

My times for the individual sections were 8:02/4:25/3:23/2:50 for a total time of 18:48. I was pretty darn hungover from the Ranger's game the night before so this performance was definitely lack-luster, but still a lot of fun. I used a new taping technique to protect my hands on the pull-ups during this WOD and it worked perfectly. For future reference:

http://crossfitvirtuosity.com/blogs/articles/172-ive-got-to-hand-it-to-you-part-3

Warm Round Of Applause

Back Squat

1-1-1-1-1

After each single, complete 3 box jumps as high as possible.

Rest 5-7 minutes, then:

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

knees-to-elbows

clapping push-ups

225# was my final and heaviest load... used a 30" box with 2x45's and 1x35 plate stacked on top. I pulled a 7:14 on the metcon with push-ups being the determining factor, although I was able to stick with the claps for the duration.

Deliverance

Heavy Helen

3 rounds AQAP
400m Run21 Kettle Bell Swings @ 2pood
12 Pullups, Chest to Bar

Today was hot. Real hot. 15:36 rx'd... pitiful. Completely blew it on the C2B and ripped some of flesh off my paws in the process. G-Rant out.

Howlin' At The Moon

Press
5-5-5-5-5

I warmed-up/worked-up to 105# then stayed there through all 5 working sets. Each set was finished with the kind of slow, suffering reps that seem so impossible when your in the middle of the effort, but are super gratifying when you stick through the pain and complete the movement.

The 105# is very weak, but the good news is that it was my 1 rep max just a few short months ago and now I'm "tossin" it up 5 reps at a time. I do need to be more mindful of my lumbar curve during this movement, I felt some strain in my upper low back towards the end of the WOD.

The hot topic in the gym today was the three wolf tee which Sam Z wore during the WOD. The power this majestic garment bestows is immeasurable... Hell, even the Washington Post picked up on it:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/21/AR2009052104472.html?g=0

lol redic

Get A Grip

"Tabata Something Else"

Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises.

This was a fun 'lil number. I tried to keep pace with Russ, but ended up eating dust (as usual). My pull-ups really suffered during this one due to a slippery grip. I did have a small comeback however when I got chalked-up... big difference! Push-ups are a weakness fo sho... I did stay full ROM though. I look forward to hitting this WOD again.

Pull-67
Push-76
Sit-96
Squat-106

Total-345

On The Move

"Randy"

For time:
75 x 75# Power Snatches

This WOD was a blur... all I remember is someone shouting "DON'T LET GO OF THAT BAR!!"

Total time was 6:20

Blood In The Streets

Today's WOD:

AMRAP in 15 min of:
10 Medicine Ball Cleans, 20 pound ball
10 Burpees

Today was another gorgeous, sunny day so we opted to do the WOD outside in the driveway. Dave P. Fulton was my partner and he kept me honest with the rep count. I walked/crawled away with 9 full rounds plus 10 cleans.

A Do Run, Run, Run...

4 x 800m sprints

2:41 2:45 2:54 2:59

A beautiful, breezy, sunny day... perfect for a little pain.

The Bet Heard Around the Gym

"Jackie"

For time:
1000m row
50 Thrusters, 45 pound barbell
30 Pull-Ups

I had a 3:38 row and total time of 9:46. The interesting thing with this WOD was that we were being charged fouls if we had to break for rest during a set. For each foul we were penalized 5 burpees. I had a total of 5 which was a low-average amount. I wish I had taken more rest BETWEEN exercises before initiating a set, this would have helped keep that foul count a little lower (dunno how it would have effected my total time tho).

The good news is I didn't have to do a single burpee because good 'ol Sam made a bet that if anyone could do the entire workout in less than 12 minutes with no fouls he would do EVERYONE'S burpees. Big-ups to Russ for taking that bet to the bank. By the end of it Sam had to cash in on 200 plus burpees.

Awesome.

Below The Belt

Front Squat

3-3-3

Rest 5 minutes

5 rounds for time:

10 pistols

10 ball slam to box jumps (holding the ball)

I ended up topping out at 185# on the front squats, and I barely snuck in the last rep of the third set. This is a solid gain for me though, which I can contributed to improved flexibility, mechanics, and comfort.

The quickie at the end was a pulse-raiser. I used a 30" box and a 14# med-ball, as well as a red-band on the pistolas. I noticed a huge difference in the relative strengths of my legs, and will need to address this if I want to see significant increases in my lower body power output

I Hate It When I'm Wrong

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:

10 box-steps with 45# barbell
20 lunge jumps
5 chest-to-bar pull-ups


My man Russ asked before this WOD which segment I thought would be the "limiting factor." Having done lunge-jumps in the past I figured they would be a breeze, and the pull-ups were only rx'd a 5 per round so I answered that the box-steps might be a beotch once we got into it.

I was wrong.

The lunge-jumps got CRUNK after round 5... the box-steps definitely helped up the ante on these damn things and they got my lungs (and thighs) burning. By the time I made it to the pull-up bar I had to take a second and transport some oxygen across the sarcolema of my taxed muscle fibers and allow my buddy bicarb to buffer my systemic pH which seemed to be dropping like panties at prom. Long story short, I only pulled 9 full rounds, 10 step-ups, and 15 lunge-jumps.
Afterwards we had a little cookie where we partnered up with 2 others and did a rotation of 30 mountain climbers, L-sit hangs, and planks. The trick was that you had to hold the hang or plank for as long as it took each partner to blast through the mountain climbers. Simple right? Yeah, well I f*!ked it up. Little beknownst among civilians and other non-Marine military personnel, Marines do all their exercises at a double-count. For example, if you were told to do 20 push-ups you would do 20 four-count push-ups which in reality is 40 push-ups. Well, when my turn came around for mountain climbers I proceeded to do them as I was taught by Uncle Sam's Misguided Children. 60 mountain climbers later my agonizing buddies and their toasty abs were screaming my name. Oops...

Wrong again.

Brush Ya Shouldas Off

I'm f@*$! sore today... my delts, pecs, bi's, and lats are tighter than Jay Z's lyrics. BOOYA! Yes, that just happened. Anyway, I obviously cringed when I saw today's WOD:

Thrusters
1-1-1-1-1-1-1

I haven't had what I would call a "healthy relationship" with thrusters thus far. Granted, we have only met 2 times previous to today's WOD, but I distinctly remember a full dose of physical and mental anguish being served up during each rendevous. This probably has a lot to do with my technique which, as far as I can tell, is piss poor.
For whatever reason I have an issue with releasing my grip from the barbell when entering/exiting the bottom of the movement. This forces my elbows down, causes my scapula to protract, and ultimately decreases the efficiency of my power transfer since I'm unable to maintain an ideal verticle posture or chest-to-bar contact throughout the movement. Sam gave me notes today and he seemed to think that this was a flexability issue. While I don't doubt I would benefit from some added flexibilty through my shoulder girdle (who wouldn't), I think this is more a mental problem than any. I don't feel comfortable releasing my grip because 1.) I want to maintain "full control" of the weight I have chosen to place my body beneath and 2.) I haven't developed a technique that will allow me to quickly transition my grip while accomodating both the front squat and push-press segments of the movement. I have a feeling I will learn how to push the bar into the air with chest and semi-open palms, then transition to a closed grip somewhere during mid-flight with wrists under the bar. Time will tell. Until then I'll just have to shake off the soreness, brush my shoulders off, and keep on keepin' on.

Today's loads were:
135, 140, 145 (f), 145, 150 (f), 150, 155 (f), 155 (f)


Weight: 172.6

A Second Helping of Pain

10 rounds, for time of:

10 Ring Dips
10 Pull-Ups

I used el bando rojo for the ring dips on this number, kipped my chin over the bar for the pull-ups. This WOD probably would not have been as bad (and I might have finished) if we hadn't done 50 chest-to-bar pull-ups earlier in the week. My hands looked like raw hamburger after the fifty... they like hammered shit after the hundred we did today.
I was half way through my 9th round when I hit the time cut-off at 15:00 min. I stopped midway though the WOD to tear off the grip tape I had around my hands and this cost me dearly. We also had judges/counters today to keep us honest... good stuff.
On a side note, I can't wait to be able to do ring dips at high volume without assistance. My last 2 crutches are the band on rings and the ab-mats on HSPU's. THEN all I gotta do is master muscle-ups and double-unders before my CrossFit repertoire is complete... at least on a novice level. Self improvement is sweeet and like my man Spencer says, it's all about the pursuit.

Word.

Cash Only Please

Another beautiful day for pain:

3 attempts for maximum weight:
Overhead Squat, 15 reps

Then, Cash Out:
5 minute cumulative plank hold

I pushed 90# on the OHS's on my second round of 15 and was going for my 3rd attempt when we ran out of time. I feel I could have worked 100# successfully, albeit painfully. I am super proud of my progress with the overhead movements in the last 4 months. My last 1 rep max for OHS was 135# and now I'm doing nearly 70% of that for 15 reps with no rest whatsoever (the bar never comes down from the overhead position). I think there's some asian proverb that would be appropriate to quote here... sumthin about collecting pebbles and building a temple? I dunno, better luck with the philosophizin' next time I suppose.

2:30, 3:57, 5:01 were the times on my clock during plank torture, sooo I took 2 x 5 breath rests. Delightful.

Weight: 171.4

Qual-ee-fuh-cay-shee-un

We had the CrossFit Games Southwest Regional Qualifiers hosted at GSX this weekend. It was an awesome spectacle of strength, determination, and pure comptetiveness. Today's WOD was actually the 2nd WOD for the qualifier and I'm glad I had the opportunity to experience first-hand just how fit these athletes are. The workout?

50 chest to bar pullups
50 burpees

Simple right? Not. So. Much.

I watched guys pull though this in just over 3 minutes IN THE RAIN, but 4-5 min was a more common score for the male leaders. The top 3 female qualifiers pulled 6-7 min. I did this as rx'd and finished in 7:55 with only a handful of non-counted reps. My hat is off...