Regionals

Goodness. I really, really wanted to be at the North Central Regionals in Chicago this last weekend. The Games website did not do a good job of keeping the less fortunate up-to-date. I want to know what is happening every second. I want to know who is competing on each team. I want to watch the elite athletes on their form. I want to criticize everything they do. (see, all encompassing.) Friday at work may have been a little less than productive because of the time I spent on Facebook to check updates from people there and the Games site. Whoops.

Week 5

Monday: 

• Press: 3x5 @ 60#
• Conditioning: Broken Karen - 6rds of 25 wallballs, 90 seconds rest - 18:38
• Assistance: band bicep curls, ring dips

Tuesday: 

• Oly: Snatch Balance 7x1 - 88#
• Power: 3x10 seated box jumps -> 24" box

Wednesday: 

• Deadlift: x5 up to 170#
• Assistance work: forgot!
• Conditioning: 8x200m sprints - Avg: 42 seconds

Thursday:

• Conditioning: Recco (10, 9, 8...1) 73# push press and pullups - 11:40
• Assistance: GH Raises, split squat

Friday and Saturday: 

• Unscheduled rest day. 

Sunday: 

• Squat: 3x5 @ 125#
• Bench: 3x5 @ 72

All Encompassing

It's funny how everything comes full circle. My husband started at CFO (when it was still out of UNO) a few months before I did, which was a few months after my sister started. It was like the two of them were instantly more bonded and spoke in some bizarre-o language that I couldn't understand. (What the hell is a "pood" and why anyone wanted to do anything called a "burpee.") I loathed hanging out with the two of them because I was certain they were going to talk about this workout they did and I kept thinking, "How awesome could it be?" Then, I started Crossfit (4+ years ago). I was completely obsessed with it; it was at the core of most of my conversations. I wanted to tell as many people as possible about how awesome of a sport it is and how it can do amazing things for your body and mind.

About 1 year into Crossfit, I realized not every single person I talked to cared about the amazing-ness that is CF. Although this was a surprising realization, I decided that it shouldn't be taking up 95% of my conversation topics and 100% of my thought process. (It may have been closer to 90% and 95%, I have to leave room for family and ZachR.) So, I backed off. Little did I know at the time, but backing off about thinking about Crossfit, at least in my world, meant backing off of Crossfit. I stopped going to the gym regularly; I didn't watch videos on efficient movements. I stopped being a part of the gym athletically - I still hosted/attended plenty a party.

Full circle: 6 weeks ago I was presented with an opportunity that I couldn't turn down: Training for the 2013 (or14) Open and hopefully Regionals. Crossfit has, once again, become all encompassing. It is all I think about. I wake up early most mornings to get a workout in before I go to work all day. I watch videos at work when it's slow. I read as many Journal articles as I can. I am as exposed to Crossfit as I can be right now. I talk to anyone that will listen about anything from PR's or crazy Regional workouts, from the athletes to the benefits of functional movements. I am seriously considering buying a plane ticket for Chicago this weekend to go watch Regionals. It surprised me how easily I could slide back into caring about how well I perform. It has once again taken over my world, and I am 100% alright with that. (I just hope my husband is on board. :) )

Week 4

Monday: 

• Press: 1 + (6 reps) @ 68#
• Conditioning: 25, 20, 15, 10, 5 of GHD Situps, Back Extensions, and DU - 4 sets of tabata for missed DU
• Oly: Hang Power Clean: 4x8 @98# (75%)
• Assistance: chin ups 3x2, tricep extensions with band

Tuesday: 

• Birthday AMRAP: 1 beer, 1 burger, and ice cream for 1 baseball game. 

Wednesday: 

• Deadlift: 1+ (8 reps) @ 175# (PR)
• Assistance work: weighted step ups, 3x15 hollow rocks
• Conditioning: The Chief - 16 rds+ 9 reps (PR)

Thursday:

• Conditioning: 3 rds: 3 min work, 1 min rest of 12 2 tap (touch above head and below feet) situps, 9 16# wallballs, 6 hang power snatch (@55) = 7 rds + 5 reps
• Mobility: a lot

Friday: 

• Squat: 1+ (2 reps) @ 138 (ROUGH!)
• Bench: 1+ (5 reps) @ 83
• Assistance Work: RDL 5x4 @103#, 100 Mountain Climbers, HSPU Negatives 3x5, Shrugs 3x10 @103

This week started out really strong for me and then I crashed. I am not sure what did it, but by Friday I was done. Squats felt super heavy and I was extremely discouraged afterwards. However, I got through my first round of strength relatively unscathed, and with increasing the weight on a few lifts. Onward and upward...

Deload = Reload

My deload week could not have come at a better time. Not only was ZachR out of town all week leaving me with sole responsibly of our puppy, but I was wrecked both physically and mentally. I was tired and groggy most of the mornings I got to the gym (which was 5 of 6, btw). My body decided that I couldn't move a lot of weight, or move any weight quickly, for that matter. Mentally, I was exhausted and distraught; my lack of confidence lately has really been taking a toll on my training.

I think the thing that will hold me back the most in my pursuit of the Open/Regionals/Games will be my confidence level. I don't like trying something and not succeeding. I don't want to let people around me down. I am extremely competitive and truly get upset when someone calls time before me. I have a skewed body image (as do most women). I am not as strong/fast as I know I could/should be.

I was given an article to read recently that spoke all about how to increase your confidence as a Crossfitter. It had some pertinent information that I am trying to take to heart: fake it till you make it, befriend people better than you, never stop trying. Since my confidence level isn't through the roof, I have to act like I have all the confidence in the world. I have to approach every workout like I am going to kick it's ass. I need to walk with my head held tall at all times. Becoming friends with other competitors is brilliant advice; you can discuss workout strategies or struggles you both have had. Chances are, they have been nervous or apprehensive before as well. The last piece should be the most obvious, but it is the most difficult for me. I really like to give up on something if I don't think I can succeed. I have always been a fan of the easy way out; although, I absolutely turned a corner when I decided to train.

Week 3

Monday: 

• Press: 15(+) @ 40#
• Conditioning: 5 rds: 45 seconds work, 15 seconds rest of T2B and burpee box jump over (20in) = 83
• Oly: Hang Power Clean: 4x8 @83# (65%)

Tuesday: 

• Conditioning: AMRAP 10 minutes: 3 ring rows, 3 ring dips (with blue band), 3 ring pushups - 7ish rds - I stopped counting after 2. 

Wednesday: 

• Deadlift: 15 @ 105#
• Assistance work: 3x10 pistols, 3x15 GHRaise

Thursday:

• Conditioning: 5 rds: 45 sec work, 15 sec rest of 65# Overhead Squat (OHS), barbell rollouts, renegade rows = 167
• Mobility: a lot

Friday: 

• Squat: 15 @ 85
• Bench: 15 @ 48
• Assistance Work: RDL 3x12 @63#, GHD 2x20, HSPU Negatives 3x5, Shrugs 3x10 @63

Saturday: 

• Conditioning: Partner AMRAP 25 minutes: 15 box jumps (20"), 100m sprint, 15 power cleans (55#), 100 double unders, 15 double wall balls (16#), 100m sprint, 15 pullups - 4rds + 1st run. 

I don't usually go to Saturday morning workouts 1) because I don't want to drive all the way there on Saturdays too and 2) I workout Monday - Friday hard and get the weekend off. However, my sister just joined the gym and really wanted to work the vodka out of our system from Friday night so we went. She did more of the work than I did, but I think we broke it up rather well. She's fun to workout with because she is so much better than me that I just want to be like her.

This week really helped restore some of the confidence I had been lacking. In my brain, I know the weight was light, but I was happy that it felt light. I needed a few days that made me feel strong. I am more excited for this upcoming week where I get to do 1+ for my 4 lifts.