WOD june 25

18 min AMRAP

15 Box Jump 

12 Push Press

9 Toes to Bar

Due to my pulled muscle modified wod:

15 Step-ups 16in

12 Push Press 45lb

9 Knees to Elbows

(8rounds +27 reps)

(i had to be very carful with lifting the barbell when starting the push press) 

On the up side, my muscle is getting better! I stretch it gently before and after workouts, and am paying extra attention to my movements. 

Upside of getting hurt is a HEIGHTENED SENSE OF BODY AWARENESS! 

WOD june 24 (pulled muscle)

Update:

On Friday I pulled the above highlighted muscle... Wow, I must of been doing something crazy to pull that, right?! No, I was actually "stretching". Ya. Irritating. How did this happen? The workout was a long one, and I was a little nervous (as I often am) for the workout. So my mind was on the workout, and not on what I was doing. I did a stretch: standing on left leg, touching ground in front of me, with right leg extending in air. First off, my leg should have never been locked out. Second, I was trying to hurry! NEVER HURRY A STRETCH! ....and....POP GOES MY MUSCLE. 

HOW DO YOU TELL IF YOU HAVE A PULLED MUSCLE:

1. Recognize whether the pain you are experiencing is an ache or a severe tightness that restricts movement. The swelling and muscle constriction in a pulled muscle is more intense than that of a muscle ache. Occasionally it will feel like the muscle is spasming when it is used.

2. Feel the muscle and check for swelling. A pulled muscle will have a buildup of fluids inside the muscle tears. The swelling may appear subtle at first, and appear stronger after a few hours.

3. Check the feeling in the muscle after two to three days. A pulled muscle lasts for two to three weeks when cared for properly. A muscle ache will generally only last for approximately two days.

4. Check for bruising. Pulled muscles can sometimes appear bruised or discolored as well as swollen. A dent may also appear over the area.

5. Be aware of the point the muscle actually began to hurt. A pulled muscle will often "pop" at the point of injury. An immediate decrease in muscle strength often follows, along with intense pain.

Get Immediate Relief

1. 1
   Rest the muscle. When you strain a muscle, stop doing the activity that caused it to be strained. Pulled muscles are actually rips in muscle fibers, and further exertion could cause the tear to grow larger and lead to a serious injury.^[1]
   • Let the amount of pain you feel be your guide. If a pulled muscle occurs while you're running or playing a sport, and you have to stop and catch your breath due to the severe pain, the best thing to do is sit the rest of the game out.
   • Take a few days to recover from the pulled muscle before resuming the activity that caused it.
2. 2
   Ice the muscle. Icing the area reduces swelling and helps ease the pain. Fill a large food storage bag with ice cubes. Wrap it in a thin towel, to protect your skin from getting damaged by direct ice. Hold the ice pack to your sore area for 20 minutes at a time several times a day until the swelling has gone down.^[2]
   • A bag of frozen peas or another vegetable also works well as an ice pack.
   • Avoid using heat, which won't reduce inflammation caused by a pulled muscle.
3. 3
   Compress the area. Wrapping the site of the pulled muscle can reduce inflammation and provide support to prevent further injury. Use an ace bandage to loosely wrap your arm or leg.
   • Don't wrap the area too tightly, or you might inhibit circulation.^[3]
   • If you don't have an ace bandage, cut an old pillowcase into one long strip and use it to compress the area.
4. 4
   Elevate the muscle. Raising the inflamed area can help the swelling go down and provide it with the proper rest it needs to heal.
   • If you pulled a muscle in your leg, rest it on an ottoman or chair while you're sitting.
   • If you pulled a muscle in your arm, you can elevate it using a sling.
5. 5
   Take a pain killer. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS) such as aspirin or ibuprofen reduce pain and help you move around more easily with a pulled muscle. Be sure to take no more than the recommended dosage, and never give aspirin to children.

Prevent Pulled Muscles from Occurring

1. 1
   Warm up. Pulled muscles happen when your muscles get overstrained, which can often occur as a result of exerting yourself before you've properly warmed up. Take the time to stretch and get your muscles warmed up before you participate in a physical activity.
   • If you enjoy running, take a light jog before doing sprints or faster running.
   • If you play a team sport, jog, play catch, or do light calisthenics before diving into the game.
2. 2
   Do strength training. Incorporating weight lifting and other strength training into your exercise routine can help prevent the chance that you'll pull a muscle during an activity. Use free weights at home or work out in the weight room at the gym to build a solid, strong core and keep your muscles limber.
3. 3
   Know when to stop. It's easy to get caught up in the moment when you're doing a physical activity and force yourself to keep going even when the pain in your leg or arm indicates you should stop. Remember that putting more strain on a pulled muscle will only make things worse. If you cause a deeper tear, you may have to sit out for an entire season instead of just one game.

Lastly. 

TODAYS WOD

WOD #1

2min ON/1min OFF

K2E

ROW (for met)

Strickt Pull-ups

(35, 507, 15w/red band)

WOD #2

3 rounds

30 Squats

30 Med-ball Sit-ups 10lb

Time: 9:01

My Coach, as most good Coaches would, modified my workout due to my pulled muscle... 

-I took it nice and easy, yet still getting a good workout in. CrossFit is not about showboating. It's about efficiency. Do YOUR best, not someone else's. It's okay to slow down to prevent injury. Be in the moment, not nervous for the next.

WOD june 21

In honor of the longest day of the year... a really long WOD.

For time complete the following: 

Run 800m 

Run 400m backwards 

10 Pull-ups 

20 Burpees 

30 T2B 

40 WallBalls 20/14# and 10ft/9ft 

50 Double-unders or 200 singles 

Plank position 1:00 

Plank position 1:00

50 Double-unders or 200 singles 

40 WallBalls 20/14# and 10ft/9ft 

30 T2B

 20 Burpees 

10 Pull-ups 

Run 400m backwards 

Run 800m

(subbed T2B>Leg Lifts, Singles)

My Time: 41:55

Unfortunately I pulled a muscle... Taking two days to analyze... I will keep you posted. 

NOT A HAPPY GIRL!

WOD june 20

WOD #1

Hang-squat clean

3-3-3-3-3

Difficulty: 25-50% of BW, 51-100% of BW, 101-150% of BW, 151%+ of BW 

Do a light enough weight so that you can actually catch the weight in the rack position at the bottom of the squat. The priority is proper mechanics versus going heavy. Understand what it really means to catch the weight in the rack position. In the rack position, the weight is resting on the shoulders and only balanced by the hands.

(I worked up to 60lbs, with perfect form)

WOD #2

For time complete 5 rounds of:

400m Run 

Do one of the following after each 400m run. Do each one once.

Body Hurdles

15′ Rope Climb

Weaver

Monkey Bars

12′ Wall Climb (Up and over)

20 KBS 55#/35# 35#/20#

20 Box Jumps 24″/20″

Time cap of 20 minutes.

(I completed 3rounds + 400m run + 3bars short of monkey bars)

1st obstacle- body hurdles

2nd obstacle- rope climb

3rd obstacle- wall climb (up & touch)

4th obstacle monkey bars

Realized, i'm actually pretty good at rope climb... :)

WOD june 19

For those of you who don't know (all of you)... I have a messed up lower back. I often wake up in tears due to the pain it causes me. My lowest vertebra is fused forward, and my hips are somewhat folding into each other. Ya, it's painful. Due to my misalignment I have chosen (with persuasion) not to dead lift. I got to the box today and the WOD was the CROSSFIT TOTAL. Yes, I have done it before, and yes, I suffered for it after. 

In 99.9% cases your coach will help you either modify or sub any movement you need, for one reason or another. But with the WOD being CROSSFIT TOTAL, modifying or subbing a movement defeats the purpose.

NO EXCUSES. 

It has been a painful realization, mainly to my pride, that I needed to tell my coaches about my back. I've been taught it is better to heal, then to do further damage. If you know you are hurt, you shouldn't chance hurting yourself further... You are only putting yourself back. A new line I just heard that fits this is: "sharpen the saw",meaning- if you are trying to cut down a tree with a dull saw (sure you can do it) but it will be grueling. If you take time to "sharpen the saw" aka: HEAL, you will progress much faster, and find joy and satisfaction in your work.

My coach gave me a different workout. :)

4rds for time:

100 singles

15 squats

10 push-ups

10 lunges

Time: 7:24 (short and sweet)

I then did 50 sit-ups, and stretched my back out on the GHD. Stretching back out (back extensions & hip extensions) = HEAVEN! 

WOD june 15

WOD #1

Regional Event #7

Four rounds for time of:

15 foot Rope climb, 2 ascents (Ground to Standing x 6)

100 foot Sprint (4 x 25′ Shuttle run if storming outside)

4 Squat cleans (225/135#, 165/105#, 115/75#, 65#/35#)

100 foot Sprint  (4 x 25′ Shuttle run if storming outside)

Time cap: 10 minutes

Scoring The athlete’s score is his or her total time for completing the workout. If they do not finish the entire workout within the 10-minute time cap, the score is 10:00, plus a one-second penalty for each rep not completed (every 100-foot sprint constitutes one repetition).

Rest 10 minutes

MYTIME: 9:15- 65lb

WOD #2

21-15 and 9 rep rounds of:

Left-arm Kettlebell snatch, 55/35#, 35#/20#

Right-arm Kettlebell snatch, 55/35#, 35#/20#

Pull-ups

MY TIME: 12:38- 20lb

(NOTE TO SELF: BUY SOCKS FOR ROPE CLIMB!!! BURNED LEGS DON'T FEEL SO GOOD!) 

WOD june 14

WOD 

2013 Regional Event #6 

For time: 

100 Double-unders 

50 Handstand push-ups 

40 Toes-to-bar 

30 Shoulder to overhead (160/100 lbs) 

90 foot Walking lunge with bar in front rack (160/100 lbs)

I did a modified version:

500 Singles
50 Push-ups
40 Leg-lifts
30 Shoulder to overhead (65lbs)
90 foot Walking lunge with bar in front rack (45lbs)
(If you get done quickly, then practice double-unders)

I broke this workout up into five rounds:

My Time: 18:47

Then worked on Double Unders! PRed with doing two double unders in a row! I can do a double under: jump, jump, jump, double under, jump, jump, jump, double under.... But today, i did two in a row! :) 

WOD june 12

WOD

2013 Regional Event #4
For Time:
100 Wall Balls (20/14lb>10'/9' target)
100 Pull-ups
100 Air Squats
100 One Arm Dumbbell Snatches, alternating (45/30lb)

I broke this workout up into 10x10:
10 rounds of:

10 wall-balls
10 pull-ups
10 air squats
10 one arm snatches

My time: 46:37
(ya, it was hard, and i tore my hand on the last five pull ups, but i did it)

WOD june 11

WOD #1

2013 Regional Event #2

Overhead squat complex

7 Minute ladder of:

3 Overhead squats

For this event, the athlete will have 7 minutes to perform 3 overhead squats at increasing weights to the highest weight possible. Each athlete will begin with a barbell loaded to one of four starting weights of their choice (see below) and a stack of plates. It will be the athlete’s responsibility to load the bar to the correct weight each lift. Once the event begins, the barbell may not get lighter throughout the 7 minutes. The men must make increases in 10-pound increments, while the women must make increases in 5-pound increments.

Athletes will not have a rack, but may get the barbell into the overhead position using any technique they choose. If the athlete uses a full squat snatch to get the weight overhead that will count as the first repetition, as long as all the overhead squat requirements are met.  After a squat snatch, the athlete must perform two additional overhead squats to complete the set.

I used the Snatch to get the weight overhead, focusing on good form.

Starting weight: 45 Ending weight: 60 

Ya, it seems light, but it was where i needed to be.

WOD #2 2013

Regional Event #3

For time: (Time cap of 10 minutes)

30 Burpee muscle-ups 

(after 7, jump up and do a pull-up)

Given I am unable to do a muscle-up, I subbed in a pull-up.

My time was 5:35

WOD june 5

I was actually EXCITED about today's WOD! Cardio! Not that i love, even like, cardio... BUT I NEED IT! :)

WOD #1

5 Rounds

1min ON / 1min OFF

(complete as many reps as you can in one min, then rest one min)

10 Box Jumps (20in)

10 Burpees

10 Indian Sit-ups

(Couldn't find a pic of full movement. Sit on the floor with your legs butterfly style. The flat of your feet touching each other. Lay back, as if to to a sit up, and use that momentum to stand up. 1.)

10 KBS (35lb)

Rounds/Reps

1/19

2/19

3/20

4/21

5/22

A WOD like this is to help you understand you pace. The goal is to go hard, and be consistent. Your score would be the lowest number of reps completed. Mine being 19. It's not really normal to go up in reps as you go alone. Usually the tendency, and what you want to avoid, is to go down in reps. But i felt good about my pace. Maybe next time i can make it to the KBS!

WOD #2

25 min. AMRAP

(as many rounds as possible)

200m Run

15 Sit-ups

200m Run

15 Ring Rows

100 Single Jumps

15 Squats

200m Row

(Completed: 3rds + 7 ring rows)

FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU HAVE SUGGESTIONS FOR THE BLOG, OR OTHER TIPS FOR ME! THANKS, AND...

WOD june 4

Back by popular demand: MY WORKOUTS! or WODS!

Todays WOD (workout of the day) is called a 'Chipper'... Why, because it's grooling. You "chip" away at it until it's gone, done.

30 Hang Cleans

500m Row

20 Clean & Jerks

800m Run

10 Snatchs

My Time: 13:41, #45
Notes: I could have gone heavier, but due to an alinement issue in my lower back... doctors orders: keep any type of dead-lift light (or not at all). Given there is no way i'm not going to do CrossFit, i choose to go light, until my back is healed anyways. :) NO EXCUSES! Given i went light, i still gave it my all. As i do in every WOD.

Thoughts: Rowing is more complicated then it looks... I realized to get the most out of my pull i need to treat it as a lift: keeping my head neutral, not letting my butt stick out, straight back, power in the legs... the major difference is at the return, coming up on your toes while keeping form.