Catch Up

Workouts Since 7/12:
This is a rough estimate; I did do more workouts since, but can't remember. Today starts the beginning of writing down my workouts. Maybe I will if I buy a cute little notebook... I'll probably still forget or lose the notebook. I'm bad at that kind of thing. Shoot, today is also the day I stop making excuses.

7/17
5 Rds - 8 SDHP (75#), 10 renegade rows (baby kb), 12 lateral stick jumps, 20 sit ups - 9:35

7/20
Front Squat: 3x5 @135

7/23
Back Squat: 3x5 @160
Bench Press: 3x5 @85

7/25
Light weight cleans and snatches

7/26
Back Squat: 3x5 @165
Press: 5x3 @75

7/29
Hang Clean: 1 rep @ 145* (10# PR)
Team WOD: 8 rds - 4 HSPU, 8 box jumps, 12 wall balls, 6 stone to shoulder, stone carry
*I cleaned 155#, but couldn't stand up with it - need to work on front squats.*

7/30
Back Squat: 2.5x5 @170 (5# PR)
Bench Press: up to 90x5
Power Snatch: 5x3 @68
Played around with butterfly pullups - they are getting there.

Absence Makes the Back Grow Stronger?

I have not been as dedicated to my posting over the last 2 weeks. Unfortunately, after I hurt my back a couple weeks ago, I haven't worked out much. I've played around with some movements and done light squats, but that's about it. My back is one of my most valued body parts, so I decided to use a longer time off to let it heal. I'm happy to say I feel like it is back to about 98%. It is no longer noticeable during workouts, so I'd say I'm good to go. 

This week, I was able to back squat 157.5#x5 (I forgot the other 2.5# plate to make it 160.) That is more than I've been able to lift ever and I'm super pumped. While my back was acting up, I spent a lot of time figuring out a new grip on the bar; I'm now in a hybrid between low and high bar back squat. My upper back is more tight since my hands are closer, but I didn't lose the power of the low bar. I really like where my squat is right now. I am very excited to see how far I can get on this new strength program. I'm certain my press and bench are better than ever also, I just care a lot less about those. 

Later this week, I'll post all my workouts. I'm also going to start trying to put some of the Paleish meals I make on here (pictures included). 

That's all I have for now. Happy Hump Day!

Strong vs. Skinny

This has been, and will continue to be, a struggle for me while trying to get stronger. Never, ever in my life have I wanted to look like the chick on the right, but I have always wanted to have the abs of the woman on the left. She is amazing and I am jealous. I understand that while lifting semi-heavy things on a regular basis, my met-con ability will diminish. I understand that I am not supposed to be killing metcons right now so that I can move heavier things. I understand that I would rather be strong than skinny. I understand that being more lean requires a lot more dedication to the food I put in my body. BUT I want to be effortlessly skinny. I want to be able to put on any outfit (workout or otherwise) and know my body looks good. I want to be able to walk around the pool/lake/beach in my swimsuit and not think other people are laughing at my muffin top. 

I don't know how to flip that switch. I get that there is a difference between wanting something and working your ass off (literally) for it. I just don't know what I need to do to convince myself to work for it. I start 30 days of Paleo and then break on day 13 because I want ice cream or my mom is making a very nonPaleo dinner or I don't feel like cooking for the 13th day in a row. I workout for a few weeks and then I need a week or 2 of being lazy. I start to feel confident after a few good days of lifting, then bottom out because I can't get a new snatch PR.

I am not necessarily trying to flip the switch to strive to be more like anyone else; rather, I am trying to flip the switch to be confident in my own skin, to be proud of the work I've done to get MY body. I'm never going to have Stacie Tovar legs or Jenny LaBaw arms. My legs and arms will do just fine and will still be able to move big weights...once I get stronger.

The current strength cycle that was tailored to me is hard. Squats come up often and are heavy. I only get to do power cleans (my fave) once every 2 weeks. Luckily, I'm doing this cycle with another woman who has way more responsibility at home (3 kids) and she is going through the same craziness I am. She is struggling with different issues, but they are all under the same umbrella; she is worried about getting "bulky." I am very thankful that I have her on my team so I can chat/rant/babble with her about the stressors/failures/successes.

Like I said, this will continue to be a struggle for me. If I put my mind to it, I can get more lean. However, that's not my goal right now. I don't really want to put on extra weight either, but I will if it means I can get a body weight clean and jerk or a strict HSPU. :)

7/5
Squat : 3x5 @ 145
Press: 5x3 @ 70

7/6
A) 5 min AMRAP: 1 DL (155), 1 HSPU, 2 DL, 2 HSPU... - 10 reps. (FIRST EVER WOD WITH HSPU!!)
B) 7 rds: 30 DU, 15 WallBalls (14#, 10' target) - 14:41


7/7
Squat: 3x5 @150
Bench: 3x5 @80


7/9 - hurt my back doing something wonky
Squat: 3x5 @155
Press: 5x3 @75
Deadlift: 1x5 @180

7/10,12 - back recovery days

7/11
Bench: 3x5 @85
Tried to squat, but my back wasn't having it. 

Cheater, Cheater, Pumpkin Eater

One of the reasons I am happy that I started my Crossfit career at Crossfit Omaha is because they instill the importance of quality of movement in every single one of their athletes*. (*this does not mean that every athlete at CFO doesn't cheat the movement, but at least they know they are cheating when they do it.) They do this to make sure their athletes are safe when they start moving up in weights. When I started there, they would call my @ss out if my chest didn't touch the floor on a push up or my hips were above parallel on a squat. Ricky, Joe, and team will no rep anyone - case in point, at the Games last year, Joe no repped Annie T during a workout. 99% of the time, they put quality of movement worlds ahead of quantity.

I am so incredibly thankful for that mentality a majority of the time. Occasionally, I really wish I could count a wallball that didn't quite clear 10ft or I could count my HSPU to an abmat as a strict HSPU. It's not a real rep. I know this, I just sometimes don't like admitting it. While I love the 402 community, not everyone is honest with their reps and it drives me BATTY! A jerk is not counted unless the elbows and hips are all the way locked out above the head; a pull up isn't a pull up if your chin isn't above the bar with your head in the neutral position. The thing I have to keep reminding myself, though, is that (most of) these athletes at 402 aren't at the gym for competition. They are there to better their fitness and, in turn, their quality of life. In the grand scheme of things, incomplete ROM isn't the enemy. The enemy is being sedentary and they have already beaten that by showing up at the gym ready to take on whatever Mike throws at them.

However, I will continue to hold myself to the competition standard while doing workouts at any gym. I will do my best not to get comfortable with anything less. I will sacrifice 1 extra rep while training to make sure my form is perfect. I am fully counting on my trainer to help me with that. 

Anywho, I have started my new strength program and I'm not 100% sold on it. It's a lot of volume with huge jumps in weight that I'm not used to. I know I need to gain the strength but I'm not sure I want to be squatting 3 days a week.

Here is the breakdown of my last few workouts. I will make a better effort of noting my non-strength day metcons on here, because I'm bad at remembering them.

6/20
Squat: 3x5 @ 140
Press: 3x5 @75
DL: 1x5 @190

6/22
Fran: 7:50?


6/25
Squat: 3x5 @ 140
Bench: 3x5 @75

6/26
5 rds: 10 push jerks (73#), 20 HR pushups, 2 rope climbs, 200m run - 21:14 = sucky!

6/27
Squat: 3x5 @115
Press: 3x5 @ 60
Power Clean: 5x3 @90

6/29
OHS: 113 (5#PR)
Clean & Jerk: 128 (5# PR)
Snatch: 93 (tied PR)

7/1
Squat: 3x5 @ 135
Press: 5x3 @ 65

7/2
Jackie: 11:05ish - kicked my ass.

7/3
Squat: 3x5 @140
Bench: 3x5 @75
Power Clean: up to 113x3

Just keep lifting, just keep lifting...

I have really enjoyed the first 8 weeks of strength. I needed to put forth a legitimate effort and truly try to gain strength. I did Crossfit for a long time hoping to get stronger, but I never actually tried. I get really scared when there is a lot of weight on the bar; I get anxious as soon as I see what the WOD is; I convince myself I can't do it before I even attempt. My goal for the previous 8 weeks has been to change that, to some extent. I still get nervous before a workout, but I don't talk myself out of it. I use that anxiety and turn it into motivation. I decide I want to prove I can move that weight, get 1 more rep, etc. I am still working on not talking myself out of a lift before I attempt it, though. I really don't like to fail and going for a new PR is scary.

The next strength cycle is going to kick my ass and truly bring to light my weaknesses. I will have to decide, every day, that this is something I want to do. I am doing this for me; it's a choice I have made and continue to make every time I step foot in the gym. I want to bring my weaknesses to the forefront so I can make them strengths. I want to give my self something new to strive for.

It sucks that the new strength cycle started on one of my lowest weeks. I am not sure why, but all of a sudden, I was lethargic, angry, and disappointed in myself. Light weight felt super heavy and I convinced myself often not to go to the gym. I am letting the ugly voices in my head talk me out of things I know I can do.

Then, I read an article, What Will You Do Today, by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig and it was exactly what I needed to see. I need to stop all the negative talk that's in my brain; I need to reassure myself that my goals are MY goals. My goals are not based off of what anyone else can do, but they are based solely on becoming stronger, faster, better than I was yesterday. This is going to take as much, if not more, effort than getting my ass to the gym, but I need to learn to think about myself in a positive light. To start myself off on the right foot: I got a PR on Fran today! It wasn't exactly how I thought I'd do, but a PR is a PR and I am damn happy about that. It's a great start to my new mindset and the weekend.

Happy Friday!

Why I Eat the Way I Eat

Since I started Crossfit a few years ago, there have been a couple different types of "meal plans" that are suggested to crossfitters. The first one I tried was Zone. That is having a specific quantity of food, but the quality didn't matter. I lost weight while doing this, but I think it's because I wasn't eating enough. I'd pick a cookie (2 blocks) over 4 cups of broccoli (1 block) and be satisfied for a short while. However, as knowledge about food and it's effects on the body progressed, the views on what is healthy has progressed as well.

That's when I found Paleo. (If you haven't heard of Paleo, do research now!) Although not at all regularly or very strict, Zach and I have been doing Paleo for a while now. Paleo is all about the quality of food you eat; the only guideline is to eat real food. Eat meat that used to have a face, eat veggies or fruit you could harvest yourself, enjoy eating healthy fats. It's not at all a diet; it is a way of life. Do active things, eat well, sleep. We've done a few installs of 30 days of strict paleo; however, we have found that after those 30 days, we have the tendency to binge on all the things we "couldn't" have during that time. Since we've had time to alter (not even close to perfect) our Paleo aspirations, we have settled into more of a routine for the typical week. Mostly meats and veggies for lunch and dinner, eggs and fruit for breakfast, but we'll still have the occasional rice or tortilla with dinner. I will always indulge in ice cream after a few day.

Zach is getting back on the healthy bandwagon, so we are doing 30 days of Paleo to reset the button. It is so much easier if your friends/family/significant other joins you in your attempt to get healthy. If I am eating grilled chicken and asparagus and Zach walks in with a queso burrito, I'll ditch my bird and go halvsies on a horribly delicious meal. When he is eating the grilled goodies with me, I have an easier time stomaching it.

That all being said, we aren't going to be able to do 100% Paleo 100% of the time. Perfection is not a realistic goal for us. I am going to cheat a little this weekend during College World Series.  (My only cheating during CWS through 3 shifts was 2 cookies and a couple sodas: no ice cream, no hot dogs, no pretzels.) I am going to have some wine with dinner occasionally. I won't refuse to eat with my family if they are going to somewhere that isn't the most paleo conducive. I will absolutely have ice cream; I'll just try and limit the amount and frequency.

Just like my training, it's going to be a work in progress. I'm going to have cravings for less-than-ideal food or will have a craving to cook less and throw something on a tortilla. I will have to choose, at every meal, that eating correctly is beneficial to my body for so many reasons. Those benefits, by far, outweigh my desire for a quick, sugary fix. (See the Whole9's guide to off-roading.) I am going to try to be 90% Paleo from now until the Regional competition next year.

We are 12 days in and I'm feeling great! Here's hoping the next year goes as smoothly as the first 2 weeks.

Distraction

I am not sure why, but I expected for life not to get in the way of my training at all. I anticipated smooth sailing and all my friends and family to fall in line. I was wrong. Life does get in the way. A lot. If I was single, socially awkward, and unemployed, I would have a lot more time for training. I am not any of those things - at least not more socially awkward than anyone else in my family.

Ideally, my week would be perfectly scheduled and I would have ample time for training, spending time with my family, and have time to hang out with friends. HA! That lasted about 1 week. Then, 1 morning I didn't want to wake up. That shifted an entire week's schedule, which includes cooking dinner 4 nights a week. Then, we go out to dinner with my dad and I'm trying to squeeze a 2 hour training session into 1 hour. I got tired and my workouts suffered. 

I have decided to shift my schedule and allow myself more leeway in training. I am going to workout Monday through Thursday and Saturday. If I don't get into the gym in the morning, I'll make a slightly easier dinner that night that won't take as long. I am lucky to have a husband that will help with the cooking (or finding take out) when I am running behind or too sore or tired to stand in the kitchen even to warm something up. 

2 weeks ago, life got in the way. My husband and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary and I did nothing in a gym to celebrate. Last week, I am went on a family vacation. This week, I was sick and then I am going to Iowa for a family party. The following few weeks are the College World Series and I will be exhausted from working 12 hour shifts at a restaurant near by. My family will always come first, regardless of how well my conditioning is going. It's going to be a lot of work and I will have to decide how dedicated I really want to be. 

Week 6

Monday: 

• Press: 65x3
• Conditioning: 
• Assistance: band bicep curls, dips

Tuesday: 

•  can't remember. 

Wednesday: 

• Deadlift: up to 5@170
• Assistance work: gh raises, split squat
• Conditioning: 200 m sprint x8: avg time - 42sec

Thursday:

• Conditioning: 6 min AMRAP: 5 supinated ring pulls, 7 75# SDHP, 5 burpee box jump, 1 min rest, 3 min AMRAP, 1 min rest, 6 min AMRAP - 150 reps (wrecked my knee for a couple days on a failed box jump)

Friday through Monday: 

• Unscheduled rest days. 

Tuesday: 

• Squat and bench: wrong #'s

Week 7

Tuesday: 

• Press: 45x15
• Oly: 83# clean x3, 93# jerk x2
• Conditioning: 500 m row, then 3 rds: 20 dips, 50 DU, then row 500 14:50ish

Wednesday: 

• Deadlift: 125x15 
• Assistance: band bicep curls, dips

Thursday through Tuesday: 

• Unscheduled rest days. Vacation + sick = no gym time.