So I found out the PTO's gym offers free body rolling massage classes like two-three times a week.
Attended one on Friday, and it was pretty awesome. I'm used to using tennis and lacrosse balls, and they had these some rubber balls. I think next time I think I might bring my own. I have a HUGE knot in my right shoulder blade that I've been working on, but it's still there. Will prop see Olga next week.
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Max 1 rep Power Clean
On Thursday, my usual rest day, we did Power cleans. I couldn't ignore that, so I made Friday my rest day instead.
Def wasn't feeling pumped. I got up to 205 fairly easily. I then tried 215 and failed, then 210 and failed that as well. At first I thought that was a PR but then realized that 205 was actually my PR.
I left feeling.... strange. I never really worked up a sweat, I just didn't feel like I had pushed myself hard. Well, I think I pushed myself pretty hard, I just didn't have much in the tank.
All in all, feel really good.
Def wasn't feeling pumped. I got up to 205 fairly easily. I then tried 215 and failed, then 210 and failed that as well. At first I thought that was a PR but then realized that 205 was actually my PR.
I left feeling.... strange. I never really worked up a sweat, I just didn't feel like I had pushed myself hard. Well, I think I pushed myself pretty hard, I just didn't have much in the tank.
All in all, feel really good.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
partner wod and mastering the butterfly kip
So we had a partner wod, lots of running, some handstand push ups, and pull ups as well.
The run was good, found a good pace
The HSPU were good, I still use a full 45# plate with a 10# on top of that, but I got in a lot of reps in so it was a good workout. Damn I hope I get stronger with this exercise.
But what I want to talk about is my pull ups. I tried to use the butterfly kip, but it just wasn't coming very easily. I kept getting these stop-and-go's, so most of the time I did the standard kip. However, near the end and near exhaustion, I found the butterfly. I got in around four reps, and these were really easy, smooth, Danny-esque reps. A visiting Xfitter, commented on how I was nailing it. I think those four reps were better than anything I've done before, and I remember thinking, "gosh, my arms are a lot closer than I thought they should be." So maybe I should try a narrower grip, I don't know. But what I do know is that on Wednesday I felt, for the first time, that I truly had the butterfly kip.
The run was good, found a good pace
The HSPU were good, I still use a full 45# plate with a 10# on top of that, but I got in a lot of reps in so it was a good workout. Damn I hope I get stronger with this exercise.
But what I want to talk about is my pull ups. I tried to use the butterfly kip, but it just wasn't coming very easily. I kept getting these stop-and-go's, so most of the time I did the standard kip. However, near the end and near exhaustion, I found the butterfly. I got in around four reps, and these were really easy, smooth, Danny-esque reps. A visiting Xfitter, commented on how I was nailing it. I think those four reps were better than anything I've done before, and I remember thinking, "gosh, my arms are a lot closer than I thought they should be." So maybe I should try a narrower grip, I don't know. But what I do know is that on Wednesday I felt, for the first time, that I truly had the butterfly kip.
Back Squat with chains
I don't know why, but I feel like I'm starting to get weaker, not stronger.
Tuesday was find your 5 rep back squat max with chains, and I only got up to 205#. This is the same as my front squat a week ago. I got one rep in of 225#, but that was it. I think my issue is finding proper depth with the chains. Because it's so much lighter at the bottom, it's easy for me to dip 3" below parallel. Regardless, had a good time, and had an even better time coaching.
Tuesday was find your 5 rep back squat max with chains, and I only got up to 205#. This is the same as my front squat a week ago. I got one rep in of 225#, but that was it. I think my issue is finding proper depth with the chains. Because it's so much lighter at the bottom, it's easy for me to dip 3" below parallel. Regardless, had a good time, and had an even better time coaching.
Snatch WOD with lateral burbees
Another variation on the first WOD at the MAC hopper last year:
12, 9, 6, 3 of
Snatch
lateral burpees
The Rx'd weight was 135, but since that's my 1 rep max I went down to 105#. My technique isn't as near as good on this one as it used to be, I have difficulty diving under the bar and catching it. But I think I chose a good weight, it took me 9:39 and Melissa said my first set looked good, but by the time I got to the last set it was kind of ugly.
I think one factor for the plateau is not just technique but core strength. I think 135 was as high as I could get without really engaging my core, and now my core is finally starting to catch up with everything else. Now I feel like it's more technique. Just need to keep practicing.
12, 9, 6, 3 of
Snatch
lateral burpees
The Rx'd weight was 135, but since that's my 1 rep max I went down to 105#. My technique isn't as near as good on this one as it used to be, I have difficulty diving under the bar and catching it. But I think I chose a good weight, it took me 9:39 and Melissa said my first set looked good, but by the time I got to the last set it was kind of ugly.
I think one factor for the plateau is not just technique but core strength. I think 135 was as high as I could get without really engaging my core, and now my core is finally starting to catch up with everything else. Now I feel like it's more technique. Just need to keep practicing.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Helen workout on Friday
Sorry to post wod's out of order, but I thought Friday's Helen was post-worthy. So we did Helen:
3 rounds
400m run
21 KB swings at 54#
12 Pull ups
I've had issues with running. It seems I have two gears: fast and slow. I can't really figure out a nice, medium pace. When Harold shouted "3-2-1 go" I started out in the rear of the pack. After a few steps I decided to see how fast I really could run, so I ran as fast as I could, a real sprint. It was fun zooming in between people and passing everyone, even the amazing Russ. I have no idea what time I ran that 400 in, but all I knew was 1) I was the first one to finish and 2) I had absolutely nothing left. Even though I did the KB swings unbroken, and did the pull ups in 3 sets of four, I was the LAST person to start the second round. It really wasn't too pretty, and I was kind of laughing at myself for so totally not gaming the workout. I did try to do some of the Pull ups with the butterfly kip, and a few times I really started to feel like I was getting it, albeit I was a little rusty.
On the second round Harold pointed out that I wasn't getting the KB high enough. Instead of getting it overhead it was somewhere at a 45-60 degree angle. I fixed that right away, it didn't seem any more difficult, but it did feel like it took a lot longer to complete one swing. Ah the difficulties of being so tall.
Anyways my time was something like 13:39. I'm glad that I didn't just resign myself to jogging the 400m, but damn, I need to find a pace that leaves something left for later.
3 rounds
400m run
21 KB swings at 54#
12 Pull ups
I've had issues with running. It seems I have two gears: fast and slow. I can't really figure out a nice, medium pace. When Harold shouted "3-2-1 go" I started out in the rear of the pack. After a few steps I decided to see how fast I really could run, so I ran as fast as I could, a real sprint. It was fun zooming in between people and passing everyone, even the amazing Russ. I have no idea what time I ran that 400 in, but all I knew was 1) I was the first one to finish and 2) I had absolutely nothing left. Even though I did the KB swings unbroken, and did the pull ups in 3 sets of four, I was the LAST person to start the second round. It really wasn't too pretty, and I was kind of laughing at myself for so totally not gaming the workout. I did try to do some of the Pull ups with the butterfly kip, and a few times I really started to feel like I was getting it, albeit I was a little rusty.
On the second round Harold pointed out that I wasn't getting the KB high enough. Instead of getting it overhead it was somewhere at a 45-60 degree angle. I fixed that right away, it didn't seem any more difficult, but it did feel like it took a lot longer to complete one swing. Ah the difficulties of being so tall.
Anyways my time was something like 13:39. I'm glad that I didn't just resign myself to jogging the 400m, but damn, I need to find a pace that leaves something left for later.
Saturday Wod. No, really! I attended a Saturday WOD!
Woke up after 5 hours of sleep, was a bit dehydrated and didn't have time to eat. However, I knew that even with all those things making me not want to work out, I'd still feel better going.
So go I did.
Not feeling particularly energetic, I decided to do the strength WOD instead of the metcon:
Push press
1x 1x 1x 1x
I managed to beat my old PR of 165 by push pressing out 170. On that attempt (and the previous rep where I hit 165) I had a bit of an epiphany. With a heavy push press, there's a moment where the bar stops traveling upwards from the hip thrust and you have to start pressing it out with your shoulders. On the 165 and 170 rep, when that transition occurred I thought 'Oh God this is too heavy for me'. However, I was patient, didn't give up, and ended up pressing the weight out. I learned that my body was stronger than what I remembered, and I trust it a little bit more now to handle heavy weight. Pretty much everyone else was done, but I decided to go for 175. I tried it, but I was just too tired to do it.
I think one thing that really helped me was goal setting, I knew what my previous PR was, and so I figured out what I needed to ramp up and break it.
Afterwards we did the workout "tailpipe". Thankfully I had LTC Dan as my partner, because he is a very fast rower. Tailpipe:
Three rou
nds of:
One person holds 2 53# kbs while the other rows 250 meters, then switch
We did it in sub 6 minutes, I know my row times were 42, 48, and 52 seconds. Holding the KBS was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I really had to go find my happy place. You're supposed to stand up straight and hold your head up high. I did no such thing, slouching and lowering my chin as much as possible. However, I never dropped the weight, and I'm proud about that.
So go I did.
Not feeling particularly energetic, I decided to do the strength WOD instead of the metcon:
Push press
1x 1x 1x 1x
I managed to beat my old PR of 165 by push pressing out 170. On that attempt (and the previous rep where I hit 165) I had a bit of an epiphany. With a heavy push press, there's a moment where the bar stops traveling upwards from the hip thrust and you have to start pressing it out with your shoulders. On the 165 and 170 rep, when that transition occurred I thought 'Oh God this is too heavy for me'. However, I was patient, didn't give up, and ended up pressing the weight out. I learned that my body was stronger than what I remembered, and I trust it a little bit more now to handle heavy weight. Pretty much everyone else was done, but I decided to go for 175. I tried it, but I was just too tired to do it.
I think one thing that really helped me was goal setting, I knew what my previous PR was, and so I figured out what I needed to ramp up and break it.
Afterwards we did the workout "tailpipe". Thankfully I had LTC Dan as my partner, because he is a very fast rower. Tailpipe:
Three rou
nds of:One person holds 2 53# kbs while the other rows 250 meters, then switch
We did it in sub 6 minutes, I know my row times were 42, 48, and 52 seconds. Holding the KBS was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I really had to go find my happy place. You're supposed to stand up straight and hold your head up high. I did no such thing, slouching and lowering my chin as much as possible. However, I never dropped the weight, and I'm proud about that.
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