WOD 8/31/2015

Workout of the Day
A. Pause back squat @ 11X1 tempo (*1 seconds down, 1 second pause at bottom0 – Build to a 1RM in 5 sets– rest 3-4 minutes between sets *max of 20 minutes here 75, 85, 95, 105, 115, 115 was heavy but it wasn’t much of a struggle to get down and come back up-even with the pauses. I really just ran out of time. Also, I had no pain in my lower back or back in general while doing this movement. I was more concerned with my form then having a PR weight number. Win win.

B. Pendlay row @ 31X1 tempo (*3 seconds down, 1 second pause at bottom and 1 second pin the bar to your chest)– 6, 6, 4– rest 2 minutes between sets. I did 55 pounds for all 3 sets, again I was working on maintaining the correct form verses trying to go heavy. These were pretty hard by them selves with the 30 seconds down, hold one at the bottom, then 1 second to get the bar to the chest, and holding this position.

then
15 front squat from the floor
20 pull ups/ring rows
5 power snatches
20 pull ups/ring rows
15 front squat from the floor

I went with a lighter weight, because both of these movements I haven’t done in quite a long time. I used 40 pounds for the front squats and snatches, I also did ring rows instead of pull ups. Although, I should have used 55. It would have helped with better form for the snatches. The rings rows were really hard, but I loved them. I walked away relatively pain free from the workout. The entire combonation took me 6:08 minutes to complete. Then, I spent about 10 minutes form rolling after the workout. My legs and hips are really tight.

The last visit I had with the Chiropractor we talked a lot about him being less concerned with me trying to put the clean, snatch and front squat back into my workouts. However, not trying all three at once, and seeing how they will affect me, during the movement and after. I had every intention of taking his advice, however I got the worst cold of my life. This cold knocked me out for about 4 days. I am feeling better, but even with this Crossfit workout I wanted to take it slow coming back so I could attend more than one or twice a month.

Injuries shouldn’t make you quit moving

The last few weeks I have had an injury, I am not sure what exactly happened to cause it or if it was a few things that lead up to it. My hips and back have been tight and painful, but nothing horrible for a few weeks. After a barbell class, when I went into a back squat my left groin area just started shooting pain, like something snapped. Then on the next squat it wasn’t as terrible, then the pain wasn’t present for the rest of the lifting session. Then after the squats we did a power clean pull + hang clean pull + power clean + Hang clean. I did the entire set and increased my weight but at the end of the session, I felt a weak pain in my right lower back, and thought what the hell. But the pain was very dull, so I just cooled down and went home. Then the next morning when I woke up I could barely move. I took a few days off from doing these Olympic lifts and worked on body weight movements and upper body lifting. However, the pain was getting worse and more uncomfortable.
I decided to go see a chiropractor that uses ART, and the back pain was mostly because of how tight my hips were. Then I started to feel a little better and did a barbell class last Saturday. I felt fine through the lifting part, again the slight dull pain in my right lower back at the end of the lifting.
The workout was:
A. EMOM x 10 3 Front Rack Speed Squats @ 65% Focus on Speed

B. Squat Clean + Hang Squat Clean + Front Squat + Split Jerk Every 90 Seconds x 7 Sets

4 Sets
C1. Russian Twists x 30 Total
C2. Superman’s x 15

During the superman’s the pain was getting worse, but like a determined jerk I continued. After the workout I went through all the movements and stretching the that Chiropractor gave me to do. Then I used the foam roller and lacrosse ball to do a little mobility work and prevent the stiffness I might get from the movements.

I drove home and when I was walking up the stairs to get to the second floor the pain become unbearable. On a scale of 1 to 10 it was a ten. I spent the afternoon icing and heating, then doing some stretching on the floor. I am not sure what happened, but it was bad. I never want to feel that way again.

On Wednesday I went to the Chiropractor and explained the pain and the workout, he worked his magic. He asked me what type of workouts I plan on doing the next week. I responded with “I don’t know if I want to lift until my back feels better, and focus on my mobility, strengthening exercises for the area and stretching. Because I never want to feel like this again.” He told me to focus on my upper body, and doing body weight squats and lunges. He also suggested that I quit trying to go heavier with every workout, and concentrate on gradually increasing and slowing down how often I work out. He mentioned that I will actually get stronger doing a percentage of my one rep max for a few reps times a couple sets. Then every 2 weeks going at 100%, less likely for injury, overuse of the muscles, and I will get stronger overall. He also talked to me about what my goals are: Strength, losing weight, toning up my body, putting on bulk?

I told him to have better mobility and be a healthy human. I do not think I have been focusing on what my main goals lately. My mind is all over the place and never focusing long on one thing. There are so many things I want to do and I am constantly distracted. However, the last few days I have been spending lots of time on mobility and stretching, to get my back to just not hurt. That is my goal right now is to get my body back to normal, then I really need to focus on mobility even after I am feeling better, so I never have this much pain again.

I like that my chiropractor said not to stop moving, if I stop it is going to take longer to heal. We have a follow up appointment next Thursday morning. Last night I went to the box’s open gym. I did
10 sets of 2 reps strict press, EMOM @ 55 pounds
3 sets of 10 box step ups, 15 sit ups, and 10 dumb bell curls @ 15 pounds
3 sets of 10 dips on the box and 10 ring rows

My upper body was spent and in a good way. I didn’t have any lower back pain after or during the workout. So my plan is to attend the open gym on Tuesdays and Thursday, and hopefully on Sunday afternoons and work on my upper body and mobility. I do hope to get back to deadlifts, cleans and squats, I really enjoy the movements. For now, shoulder, arm and chest work.

Motivation-getting over my fear of Heavy Weights.

Where does this come from? I attended my Box’s barbell class last night and a woman I have been bsing with at events was there and we ended up being partners due to not enough racks. She is very strong and motivated.

I am still very scared to lift very heavy, because I am not sure I am doing the movements correctly. Having a lifting partner that forces you to break out of the mental cages in your brain is exactly what I needed. I needed a swift kick in the butt physically and mentally, and she was there to give it to me.

The work out was:
Push Press  5 sets x 2 reps with 2 second pause in lockout, Max @90 pounds for 2 sets
2 Clean lift off (knee) + clean pull Max @ 115 for 2 sets
Power clean + 2 TnG hang power cleans Max @95 for 2 sets

If I was on my own I would have done 70, 85, 70-she told me I do not give myself enough credit for how strong I actually am, and to quit being scared. The worst thing that can happen is I drop the bar, strip the weight and try again.

Lesson learned: get out of your head, and try it. Do not let your insecurities keep you from doing things. In my case yeah I can lift a lot heavier than I was allowing myself, and if I failed big deal, drop it, strip it and try again.

Workout 7.7.15

First off yesterday, it was to humid to go to the Box for me, I am such a wuss-I didn’t want to run or jump rope in the humidity. Also, I haven’t benched pressed or done ancillary work on my biceps or triceps. One of the best investments we made at our house was in gym equipment. Our power rack, barbell and Olympic weights come in handy, when you are being a baby because it is to hot outside to run and jump rope or when the snow and ice make it impossible to get out of the house. So tonight I worked on the following:

Bench Press (5,5,3,3,1) 95, 100, 105,110 and 115- at 115 I couldn’t push the bar off the rack, so I needed help. I did 1 and 1/2 reps-which is awesome. Last week I could barely push 100 pounds for 3-4 reps. Also, my dog isaac decided he wanted to get in on the benching.

Isolated Bicep Curls w/ Dumbbell: 3 sets with increasing weight- 25 pounds was to much and I couldn’t push out a lot of reps, and struggled with this much.

Pull ups-I can barely do these with the assistance of a very thick band, practice practice practice, is what is comes down to. However, this was the hardest movement I did of the evening.

Hammer Curls-I think this is my favorite movement for strengthening by biceps.

Standing Shoulder Press/Strict Press: This movement always sets my shoulders on fire, regardless of the weight. I have just been using our 45 pound barbell when I am doing these, tonight I thought i’d try adding 5 pounds per set. There was still a lot of burning but it wasn’t impossible for the remaining sets.

Tricep push back-I think i see better results from dips and skull crushers than this movement-however when I was pushing the 30 pound dumbbell, I felt my triceps working.

Air squats: No weight and why not. Squatting never hurt anyone.

7.6.2015 WOD

Today’s workout at my box looks awesome, except the burpees-burpees are the worst exercise, in terms of I can’t stand doing them and curse while I am doing them, but once I am done-it is magic. I feel accomplished, exhausted, and dead to the world.

I am working on some projects at home today and will not have time to leave to visit the box for this workout today-although I was able to do most of it at home

Part 1: Deadlifts– 4 sets x 10-12 reps rest 60 seconds ( 65, 70, 75, 80)
*20X0 tempo: 2 seconds down; no pauses
Dips 4 sets x 4-5 reps rest 90 seconds
*21X2 tempo: 2 seconds down; 1 second pause at bottom; 2 second pause at top

Part 2: 3 rounds for time:
25 kettle bell swings (16 pound kettle bell)
25 burpees

My 3 Rounds for time was 10:28, Burpees really test your ability to breath and make it through the movements. I had a hard time with the last part of this WOD, doing a total of 75 burpees is just a bit much for me right now. However, each round the first 10-12 were not impossible as they used to be, just reps 13-25.