Thursday, September 30, 2010

Fight Gone Bad V

Another awesome video by Koz... Fight Gone Bad V at CrossFit OldTown. 


CrossFit Oldtown - 2010 Fight Gone Bad from Mike Koslap on Vimeo.

Playing Catch up!

Holy bananas I'm such a slacker it's ridiculous! I haven't had any new posts about wods or any rambling posts with my thoughts for awhile. Geez Louise, how terrible! There have been an assorted varitety of things in Katieland that have kept me away.... mainly that I've just been working a lot of doubles and when I get home I'm just to wiped out to do anything. So, I'm going to keep looking for a job and hope that something comes along, cause this whole working in the restaurant all the time thing is starting to wear pretty thin. Bad tippers hurt a lot worse than they used to.

But anyway... I haven't been slacking in the box though. I got in 5 days for the last two weeks and I'm already in for 3 this week... so we're slowly getting back to our old self around here. Not too easy to do, but I'm working on it. I also have a master plan for really and truly getting back in the Zone and losing some weight now. I've done it in the past where I've tried to go just straight up cold turkey and that simply does not work for me. So, my plan is to take it week by week and get a little further in this week. This week is week #1 and my goal for this week doesn't revolve around eating at all. My goal for this week is to go the whole week without soda or coffee. I feel like breaking my sugar addiction can only benefit me for one, and two, getting rid of all that extra sugar will hopefully get my body back on a cycle and allow me to start feeling better. I've felt pretty pootastic lately. I'm not going to lie. I've just felt sluggish and not myself. So we're trying to break the habit for real this time.

I know I've said all this in the past, but I've said it with a half-hearted conviction. This time, I really want to make it stick. This time, it's not just about vanity (as it's been for the past several times). This time, I feel terrible. In the past it was more about how I looked. Now, it's gotten to a point where I just FEEL gross. After this week of hopefully no soda or coffee (I'm on day 4 as of today) week #2 is going to focus on making sure I have a Zone breakfast.

Ok so million dollar question, why did I choose Zone and not Paleo when CLEARLY all the research indicates that Primal/Paleo is the best? Good question. Different strokes for different folks. I think I wrote a post about that awhile back. Basically, I need the structure of the Zone right now. I'm sure that after some time, I will start to feel better and the structure of measuring everything will chafe. At that point, I will feel confident and comfortable enough to make the change over to a Zone/Primal. For right now though, I need to work on reducing bad foods to portions and keeping things in a balance. Once I've done that, then I can take a serious look at going Primal. I am not someone who does well with cold turkey. If I'm giving up soda and coffee, I will go insane if I try to give up everything all at once. So, soda/coffee now, Zone first. Primal later.

Eating for me is a huge struggle. There are folks out there who can look at food and be like, meh. It is what it is and ignore it. I am not one of those people. I have long been an emotional eater, and I've attached a lot of feeling to food. It's going to take awhile for me to break those habits. I thought I did it once, but slowly but surely as the reigns loosened an all out crash was in store and we are right back at square 1.

So here's the plan that I have devised (smartly I think) for myself....

Week #1- No soda no coffee
Week #2- Week 1+ Zone breakfast
Week #3- Weeks 1&2 + Zone lunch
Week #4- Weeks 1-3 + Zone snacks
Week #5- Weeks 1-4 + Zone dinner
Week #6- All in

I figure this way, I have time to allow my body to adjust slowly to the changes instead of shocking it entirely. I'm drinking a lot more water now that I'm being conscious of it and I already do feel better. I just need to keep that feeling square in my mind so that I don't start craving soda and coffee. We'll see how things go for me.

So playing catch-up... here are some wod postings from the past several days....

Friday- Max Snatch-115 120(fX7) I had this over my head and just could not lock it out!!! So frustrating.
Saturday- FGB- 271 (worse than last year, I was not pleased)
Monday- Cindy- 14.66 PR! (I second guessed myself at the white board and wrote 13.66 thinking there was no way I did that many but I'm 99.9% sure that it was 14.66)
Tuesday- Max C&J- 145 PR! 155(fX5) I can clean and jerk more separately but together that was the most I've ever done. I had 155 in a VERY PRETTY squat clean and lost it about halfway up... I just couldn't lock it out. It's there though. It's there.
Wedneday- Nate- Since I don't have MU's, I modified this to work on my weaknesses. I did 8 dips and 8 pull-ups to sub for the MU's. I did the HSPU to 2 abmats and a thin floss for the dips. Dips are still a big chink for some reason as are HSPU's. Hard stuff but I did 5 rounds. Lots of dips, and lots of HSPU practice. Ouch. Shoulders are tender today! :P

Today is a rest day... 3 on and my shoulders are smoked, but I can't imagine why! :P Tomorrow is first Friday though so I'm trying to figure out what I should pick to do to myself. Last FF I chose CF Total.... what should I do this time?!?!?!

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Slacking!!!

With a capital SSSSSSSS!!! I  am so fired! I just haven't really thought about writing up a post! What's wrong with me?!? I will write one today for sure... it's FGB day!!!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

It's complicated... or maybe COMPLEX?

I do make myself giggle sometimes when I write up my blog titles.  I guess you could say I'm easily entertained by my crafty way of inserting our wod into my titles.  Lord, I really do need a life don't I? Or maybe a hobby.  Perhaps I should take up knitting.  No? Ok, not so much. 

Monday's wod was indeed a complex however, and I have to say for the first time in a SUPER long time, I actually enjoyed myself at CFOT.  Lately working out for me has been such a rough thing, that to have it be almost fun again was good.  It's funny.  I read a post on the Whole 9 today where Melissa talked about being bored with CF.  It's not funny that it happened to her, but it's funny that it so closely parallels what I've been going through.  It's not that I don't like CF, but it does feel like I hit a plateau of sorts and it just wasn't as fun.  Kind of like what I always say about my writing and letting others know people go through the same things, it was nice to see her post that.  It made me realize that other people have gone through what I'm going through.  So hopefully the time away has done it's job, and hopefully things will continue to get fun for me again. 

As for Monday, the complex was fun.  It looked a bit like this.

Add load each time until you find your max.

3 Power cleans
3 Jerks
3 Front squats

Weight- 135

Aha, but there was a caveat.  Hands can't leave the bar.  Nope.  No can do.  Must stay on there.  It sucks because jerking and receiving back to the chest are hard, especially with a heavy weight for the jerks.  However, I like heavy things so this was fun.  Jerks felt good for the first time in a long time and although my split was a little unsteady, the jerks themselves felt good. All in all, a good day in the box. 

Oh, we have a new guy in the box and he likes to make videos.  :P So here's his latest work with the complex.  He's putting together some great stuff.  Gotta love it!

Saturday, September 11, 2010

Fight Gone Bad 5! DO IT NOW!

Folks, I'm posting up again about FGB V in hopes of garnering a little support for these worthy causes.  Fight Gone Bad V will be supporting the Livestrong Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project, and the CrossFit Foundation.  If you are a reader and you are not participating through your affiliate, please consider donating to my page.  These organizations need our support and a $10 donation would be awesome! I'm hoping to raise $500 and am SOOOO close.  Please click the link to go to my page and donate.  I'm serious.  You don't have to pledge a million dollars, but if enough people give $10 donations, I will be able to hit my goal! Think about it.  It's giving up two Starbucks lattes this month.... trust me.  I know. 

For the love of God, DO WORK!

This week.... yeah, this week sucked.  I'm just gonna throw that out there.  This week was all about work... and lots of it.  A little of the CF variety, a LOT of the employment variety.  After FF last week, I left and went into work.  Since it was a Friday before a holiday, we were pretty steady all day and I wound up not leaving until the switch over to night shift happened.  I came home and crashed for a bit before going to the FF party at night, but didn't stay out too late since I was a double Saturday.  I had the best intentions of hitting a Saturday wod to get in 5 wods last week, but it just didn't happen.  I went off to work on Saturday for my double, came home that night, went to bed, got up Sunday, did a double again, came home, went to bed, got up Monday, did a double again, went to bed, got up Tuesday and did it again before having off Wednesday.  Needless to say, I wasn't too thrilled at doing "Tabata This" on Wednesday. 

I'm not going to lie, it pretty much sucked.  The numbers weren't ATROCIOUS but they still could have been better.  I went in order, and wow, that made it worse.

Tabata This
:20 work :10 rest
8 intervals
Remain on an exercise for all 8 intervals before moving
1:00 rest in between exercises

Pull-ups- 7
Push-ups- 5
Sit-ups- 13
Squats-13
Row-2 (cals)

Ok, so two things... ok I lied.  3 things, no, wait, yes.  3.  A.) I was so close to having 8 pull-ups it's ridiculous.  I got 8 in all of the rounds, right up until the last one, and so of course, I had to record 7 since you only record the LOWEST number in Tabata.  F' you tabata! 3.) I suck at push-ups and they destroyed my arms.  I did not hit the hero wod today because my arms are still shot.  I apparently need to do something about my arms since they keep getting me into trouble... ie rhabdo at sectionals... and lastly F) My rowing sucked because for the first :20 of work, I was late strapping in and only got 2 cals by the time the machine kicked on.  I couldn't do any better than that no matter what, so that blew. 

PS- Do you love how none of my letter or numbers were actually ordered right?! ;) I did do that on purpose... just sayin'...

So after that, I wasn't feeling frisky Thursday, so I took a rest day.  I came back in on Friday just in time to do Filthy Fight Gone Bad.  BTW, have I ever mentioned that I don't like anything that involves metcon? Again, just sayin'.  If FGB wasn't for such a good cause, there is no way in HELL you could pay me to do it.  Well, maybe you could... are you paying in chocolate? If you're paying in chocolate maybe...

So Filthy Fight Gone Bad is what it sounds like... all the fight gone bad movements in increments of 50, except the rower.  So, it goes a little something like 'dis.

Cash in-500 M row
50 wall balls
50 high pulls
50 box jumps
50 push presses
Cash out-500 M row

Soooooo about that Tabata This I did Wednesday... yeah it made me sore.  So trying to row, do wall balls, push presses, or high pulls was really interesting.  I should have been at least a minute faster but damn it if I didn't just hurt.  I know my sporadic attendance at CF is part of the reason I keep getting so sore, but I can't really combat that too much with my work schedule.  I'm sort of all over the place.  Regardless, I got this in in 19:13 so it was ok.  Again, should have been at least a minute faster, but I did what I could, with what I had in the tank. 

Today was supposed to be a hero wod, but since I have yet to recover and I had to work, I settled for a 3ish mile run.  I usually run about a 10 min mile pace (slow I know) so I ran about 15 minutes out and 15 back.  So I'm not 100% sure of the distance, but it's right around there.  My knees were starting to ache again by the time I got back, so I ended at a good time.  I know I'm not speedy, but to get the lactic out, and still get some work in, it was a good choice.  I'm going to try to run again tomorrow or swim since I'm off all day, that way I at least still get 4 workouts in.  Regardless, this week was full of work!!!! :P

Monday, September 6, 2010

First Friday: Pick your poison!

"Every Rose has it's thorn......" Um.... not that kind.... Thank you though for giving me an opportunity to use Brett Michaels in a blog... AWESOME! :P I think I now need to douse my blog in Lysol.... what? You've seen "Rock of Love" right?!?!?! I think my blog could probably contract something just from using his pictures... some of those girls.... *shivers* Yikes... Anyway, are you surprised that I'm digressing and I haven't even actually STARTED my write up yet?!?

So yeah, it's been a busy few days here in Katieland. I've been working a lot of doubles the past few days and just haven't had time to get around to writing up my latest wod.  I took a rest day on Thursday since I hit Monday-Wednesday straight, and because I knew that Friday was first Friday.  CFOT hit the CF Total the day right after the 4th of July.  Most agencies and businesses were closed then since the holiday fell on a Sunday, but I still had to work that day.  It sort of sucked... but anyway, I'm digressing again.... I'm sure you're shocked by that.  So the bottom line is that I missed the CF total.

I decided then that I should do the CF total for my First Friday wod.  Every first Friday of the month we get to pick what we want to do.  It's fun.  I usually chose a strength wod, but not always.  There were a few months where I chose Josh everytime.  That might actually be my favorite wod.  OHS and pull-ups! :) Again... digressing.  So this month, I chose the  CF Total.  We've never actually done the CF Total (prior to 7/4), and I'm not sure why.  I think probably because it takes so long to do (as I have now learned) but it's also really really tiring. 

I love lifting heavy things and very rarely do I ever feel "tired" after lifting.  My muscles may twitch or jump a little because I've definitely pushed to fatigue, but I never feel tired, like I do after a metcon.  On Friday, not so much the case.  I was wiped out.  The CF total totally kicked my butt.  And the really awesome thing about it!?!? I had to go to work right after that.... :P I know that you're probably like, big deal so what? Well considering that I'm a full time server right now until I put all the pieces of my humpty dumptied life back together, that means I get to stand on my feet, hold heavy plates and trays, and in general attempt to USE my body after these wods..... um... about that.  Yeeeeeah.  "I'm going to need you to come in today." Sorry, now THAT was randomness at it's finest but the "yeeeeeah" made me think of it.  And if you have no idea what I'm talking about go Google "Office Space". 

Anyway, the CF total..... here it is in all its awsomeness....

Back Squat- 215
Strict-90
Deadlift-265

Total-570

Ok so here's the skinny on this.... the back squat was -10 from my PR.  I had 225 on the bar, and was 80% of the way up when I shifted my weight to the balls of my feet and not my heels and I was done for.  I dropped back 10 lbs to 215 and got that so I would have a successful lift between 205 and 225.  I was not happy that I missed the 225.  I was so close that it should have come up but I leaned forward and got on my toes.  I know better.  Still 215 is nothing to sneeze at. 

Strict press... I honestly could barely hold the bar since apparently I jacked my left hand up.  No idea what I did but the nerves running between my thumb and pointer at the base of my hand... shot.  I think it may be tweaked from carrying plates, honestly.  Ours are really heavy duty at work, and since we don't use trays for food, we carry with hands and arms only.  I think I tweaked it carrying plates, but regardless, it made it hard to grip the bar to go overhead.  So 90 it was.  -7 from my PR.

Deadlift.... not to shabby.  After the strict and bs I was pretty tired.  No lie dude.  I was wiped.  Not to mention, after the dl/abmat/ring dip wod last week, I'm amazed that I could DL.  I dropped weight so many times that day because form was just UGLY.  That was the whole reason I only got 2 wods in last week.  So I'm AMAZED that I was able to deadlift what I did.  It was like night and day.  I stopped myself at 265. I maybe could have gone 275, but I felt my back start to round at 265 and honestly, after last week, and knowing that I had 5 days of work ahead until a day off,  I really didn't want to risk it.  Standing for hours on end with a sore back is no fun... just in case you ever get the urge to try it, I'm telling you, don't do it! For my DL, yeah, I hit 300 once, but it was in an adrenaline fueled environment, so honestly, I'm going to continue to count 275 as my DL PR.  So, this particular case was -10 from my PR.

Considering the time I took off and everything that's happened in the past few weeks/months, I'm pretty pleased with that total.  I wish it would have been 580 (missing that BS really bothered me) but aside from that, I think I did well.  I maintained good form and was close to PR's on all lifts, so really that's a pretty good indicator of my ability.  To be able to almost maintain my true max on each of those is pretty solid.  I know that's the idea, but to be able to ACTUALLY max all three times when you've already done two other lifts before hand is hard.  So I'm pleased with where I wound up.  Now I sort of now what to expect for next time.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Cleans and double unders...

This really ought to be sufficient enough to explain how I feel about the wod today... :P

After today's wod:


Katie: So I spent about 5 minutes doing the cleans and that means it took me 13 and a half minutes to do the double unders. *shakes head*

Jerry: Actually, it took you more like 2 and a half minutes to do the cleans. You finished the first round in :20.

Katie: So, then you're saying it took me 16 and a half minutes... to do the double unders.

Jerry: Yeah.

Katie: Oh. I really hate double unders.
 
Today's WOD
5 cleans (115)
30 double unders
 
Time: 18:55
 
It REALLY actually took me that long to do the f'ing double unders! I HATE double unders.  But that made my third wod this week.  Yay for me.  I'm getting back to my old self... yes in the CF way but others too.  Now let's just hope I figure out this job situation soon.