This is Chong showcasing his pirate face. I have to give a special shout out to Chong for entertaining my conversation with Eric about "dating preferences." Yes, it is different when you say that you prefer "exotic brunettes." Hope you got a kick out of that silly mess!
Warm-up Run 800 meters Stretching Practice burpees and overhead squats
WOD: Jeremy Complete 21/15/9 reps for time of: Overhead squats 45# Burpees
Joanne's Final Time - 13:01
Notes (to myself) about this workout: Technically today was a rest day. However, I chose to do this WOD because it incorporates two movements I need to work on. Okay. In truth, I need to work on everything. But I've been wanting to do this one in particular. When I talked this over yesterday with Eric, he said I could do it with the RX'd 65# weight. However, I guess I wasn't feeling it today because I had to scale down to 45#. No big deal.
Today was a lesson in nutrition. My eating hasn't been all that great this week and I can feel it. I came in today pretty low energy. Perhaps I've just been tired because of the not-so-good eating and I simply needed a rest day. This is probably why CrossFit recommends the 3 on, 1 off WOD schedule. Today was my 4th day in a row and even Eric could see I didn't have as much energy as I usually do.
Regardless of being low energy, I finished in 13:01. This is faster than the 15 minutes I was anticipating. Yea for me.
Today's CrossFit Games athlete is Brad a.k.a. Bradass! And yes, what a bad ass he is! I have only the greatest things to say about the lovely man who affectionately refers to me as his "Manila Wafer." (It's an old joke, but we get a kick out of laughing about it anyway.) Brad is one of our CrossFit trainers and all around athletic stud. Brad's an old pro when it comes to the world of sports. One of my favorite memories of Brad was watching some vintage 80s videos of him kickboxing. Yeah. He was into kickboxing before it became en vogue.
This is Bradass doing pull-ups at the Games. They switched the standard so that you had to touch your chest to the bar instead of your chin over the bar. Believe it or not, Brad is 52 years old! Um. I don't know a lot of 25 year-olds with this kind of build. Again, one of the many reasons why he's known as Bradass! Congrats to one of my favorite people on the CrossFit Games!
WOD: Joanne's Burpee Hell! Complete 100 burpees for time
Joanne's Final Time - 18:42
Notes (to myself) about this workout: I was on a total roll transcribing that I decided to switch my yoga from today to Friday. It was worth it because I got some good work done. Also, my abs are sore and I just needed the rest.
In truth, I was totally afraid of today's WOD because I hate burpees. I did them, but I hate them. Yeah. I did them with a full push-up. The good thing is I understand the movement better and know how to do more of them in a row. Okay. Five burpees in a row doesn't sound like a lot. But it's way more than doing them one at a time. I told Eric that I felt like I was doing more "flopees" than burpees because it felt like I was just flopping on the floor. UGH.
One of the refreshing things was running Eric through this WOD. Though his form is way better than mine, he struggles with the time like I do. As always, great job Eric!
Today's CrossFit games athlete is Jason K. I don't get to workout with him much, but I do know he's a pretty intense guy. Here he is sporting one of One World's signature shirts. Yeah. I gotta do more of that: Train not to suck at life. I think everyone should have a shirt like this. Okay. Maybe this photo isn't fair because it's a backside shot. I just wanted you all to see the cool t-shirt that has people ranting and raving.
In all fairness to Jason K., here's a photo of him and his wife Tia. I've trained with Tia before and she rocks. Meaning, Jason and Tia are a couple who totally rock! Congrats to Jason on the games and to Tia for standing by her man!
Warm-up THREE rounds of TEN reps of: Samson stretch Shoulder Rolls Overhead squats Full push-ups Bar dips GHD Back Extensions GHD Sit-ups
WOD: Helen Three rounds for time: Run 400 meters 35# Kettlebell swings 12 jumping pull-ups
Joanne's Final Time - 15:21
Notes (to myself) about this workout: I was supposed to run today. But I was just plain tired. I forgive myself.
Though I always say I hate kettlebell swings, I have to declare that they are awesome because it's a total body movement. The swing mostly comes from the hips, but in order to keep a steady kettlebell, you need to tighten your core and make sure your legs are solid. Of course, your arms and upper body need to be solid too. I think today's WOD with yesterday's adventures on the GHD machine really worked my abs. I finished in over 15 minutes. It doesn't sound like a lot, but most people finished in under 11 minutes. I'm not complaining. Each swing counted and each jumping pull-up counted. I was happy to finish in under 16 minutes. I was glad that Jolie was there before I did my WOD to check my form. Watching her do "Helen" was awesome. She finished in about 9 minutes. Her pull-ups are a total work of art. What I would do to be that graceful.
As always, thanks to Eric for his help. You rock, coach!
Today's CrossFit Games athlete is Mia S. Unfortunately, I don't know Mia well, but I do know she works her butt off. We were working out once at the same time and I recall Mia doing two WODs in a row. Now that is total CrossFit dedication. Congrats to Mia on the CrossFit games!
Warm-up 1 hour of yoga TWO rounds of TEN reps of: Samson Stretch Shoulder Rolls Overhead Squat Full Push-Ups GHD Sit-ups Back Extensions
WOD: Michael Three rounds for time of: Run 800 meters 50 GHD Back Extensions 50 GHD Sit-ups
Joanne's Final Time: 45:35
Notes (to myself) about this workout: As always, this WOD was hard because I did the actual GHD sit-ups and back extensions. For any of you who have done this, you'll know they work your entire lower body because you have to tighten and isolate. So you're not just working your abs and lower back, you're also working your hamstrings, glutes and quads.
It took forever, but with a little prodding, some laughter, and my usual smart mouth, I got through it. As always, a big thanks to Eric for running me through this WOD.
Whenever you do this or any workout, I highly recommend stretching. Personally, I take 5-10 minutes after the WOD to stretch. It makes the day after much more bearable. I'll let you know tomorrow how I'm feeling.
Today's CrossFit Games athlete is Stef. I *heart* Stef because she's my she-ro! She's totally dedicated to CrossFit and her blog can be found here. Not a lot of people have the pleasure of training with Stef because she goes at 6:30am. I remember Stef when we called her Stefaroni and she used to struggle like I do during the WODs. But struggle no more. Stef is a bonafide CrossFit stud. In the two years she's been at it, she's now one of One World's top female CrossFitters and has lost over 35 lbs. She went from a size 12 to a size 4. I have mad respect for this woman! Congrats on the games, chica!
On Saturday I was supposed to do a 5 mile walk. I went to the Nike store at Valley Fair to do it with the running club that meets there. Unfortunately, we only did 3 miles. It's okay. This week I'm upping the mileage and stuff.
I decided to sign up for the Nike Human Race event happening on August 31. I'm walking it with Diana. It should be fun. Can you imagine a global running event? Wild! And it's FREE! (Okay, if you're at a race location, you have to pay. But if you do the virtual race, it's free.)
For those of you who want to get started running and such, do visit your local Nike store and join their running club. It's free, fun and at the end of the month, you get to enter a drawing to win FREE shoes! Margaret had a stroke of beginner's luck because she won the shoes this month. YEA!
I started the day with a 4 mile morning run. My pace was 12:06, my fastest so far. The run started slow because I was wearing my new hydration belt. Anytime you're carrying two extra pounds of stuff on your butt has got to slow your run down. Plus, I was running in the morning and it takes a while for me to get into an early morning groove. I was surprised that my pace was faster than the run before. And yes, I *heart* my new hydration belt!
Pictured here is my crazy trainer Eric. Yes, he's as crazy as the photo shows. I have to give him props for staying late today and helping me with my time trials. Truth be told, I've always avoided the time trial days because I just don't want to know. A very big thank you for pushing me through a slow and painful process. My triceps are sore now.
Warm-up Run 800 meters Stretching
WOD: Time Trials Complete each of the following exercises for time. You may complete them in any order. Rest as long as necessary between exercises.
Notes (to myself) about this workout: I'm not big on time trials because they simply tell you how slow and weak you are. But I guess you have to do them in order to track your progress. I did much better on the run and row than I had anticipated. I usually do the run in about 2:30 and the row in about 2:45. The pull-ups were challenging, but I'm constantly working on them. The sit-ups were tough because I did them on the Abmat with legs in the butterfly position. I finished as fast as I did because Eric held my feet for most of the reps. It's much harder when no one is holding your feet down. Finally, the most challenging for me was the push-ups. This is the first time I didn't do them on my knees. I actually did the push-ups on my feet. I have a lot of form to work on, but I'm hoping that when we do these time trials in a few months I'll see some improvement.
Yesterday Margaret and I stopped by the lululemon store in Berkeley. Ever since Freddy declared lululemon a "chick" store, I've been baffled. The lululemon men's gear is so up Freddy's alley. Anyway, during our visit, I stumbled upon this bag. For those of you who don't know, lululemon bags are the shizz! I received my first one from my best friend who gave them away as bridesmaids gifts last year. Unfortunately, the ones she gave us are a little too small for my gym needs. Instead, I use the bag for my makeup jobs because there are so many cool compartments.
So yes, I stumbled upon this bag which was marked way down. I'm talking WAAAYY DOWN! It was well over 50% off. Plus, it's PURPLE! Ahem. Did I ever mention that purple is my FAVORITE color? Not only that, this bag matches my yoga bag. So yes, it was too good to pass up. I HAD to get it! When I brought it to Margaret's place, I immediately transferred my stuff and OMG! it's a fabulous bag! There's a separate shoe compartment on the bottom that holds my size 9 extra wide shoes and corresponding socks. There are two main top compartments for clothes and toiletries. There are also tons of pockets and things. I can also store workout essentials like gloves and a jump rope and still have room to boot. I LOVE this bag.
My other lululemon purchase was this hydration belt. I hated my old hydration belt from the marathon because the band was made with ballistic nylon, and it tends to cut into your waist and stuff. This belt is constructed really well because it hooks on to you instead of having to velcro it on like other ones on the market. All the attachments that hold the bottles and the extra pocket are completely movable. Finally, the material is so soft that you can wear it around your waist without any poking or snagging your precious dri-fit. You can also wear it higher, under your bust if you like.
I'm not big on hydration belts and have been just carrying my bottle. However, carrying the bottle can be a pain and I do need pockets to carry my keys and such. I took the belt for a test drive this morning and it takes me some getting used to. However, I was fine by the end of the run. I'm not big on the little bottles, but I can hang because everything else about the belt is great.
Yes, I highly recommend a visit to lululemon and I highly recommend these products. They totally rock!
Today's CrossFit Games athlete is Brian G. I don't know too much about him because he trains in the very early morning and well, I don't get up that early to workout these days. I do know that he's a local firefighter and according to Freddy, a CrossFit ass kicker. I think that's all we need to know about Brian G. As always, congrats on a job well done at the games!
Notes (to myself) about this workout: I was sad to walk into yoga and find that Dolian is sick today. Tamara, a woman who used to take yoga with me a LONG time ago was the substitute. I totally enjoyed the class because Tamara lets us sink into the poses much longer and it was a little more relaxing than usual. Having her was a great switch up and it was exactly what I needed today.
Unfortunately, Eric also had to back out of today's WOD. Not a big deal because technically, today is a rest day. I still wanted to get a workout in, but I wanted to take advantage of bringing down the intensity. Additionally, I wanted to work on my jump rope skills. Right now, I'm not quite there at doing the double unders. I need to speed up my jump rope rotations. Once I coordinate that, I'll get to the double unders. Today's WOD was good practice for that. I also liked that I had to do a shit load of sit-ups and I focused on doing a good Abmat sit-up.
Though light, I was happy with today's "recovery" WOD.
Again, going along with the CrossFit Athlete profile that's on the One World site, today's athlete is Will Blaker. He's pictured here with his daughter Gabby and his wife Audrey. Truth be told, I want to say I've worked out with Will maybe once. All I remember was that we were doing the "Filthy Fifty" WOD and he was the only person crazy enough to say, "I've never done the 'Filthy Fifty.' I'm really excited to do this WOD today!" Yeah. Only someone who hasn't done the "Filthy Fifty" would be excited to do it. Sure enough, he totally "beasted" the WOD. Sick! That day Will also confessed to being a total Rocky fan. Hence, he totally knew the songs I put on James's ipod. Kudos goes to anyone who *hearts* Rocky and any music from the films! Congrats to Will on his performance at the CrossFit games.
Warm-up 4 mile run
THREE sets of TEN reps of: Shoulder Rolls Overhead Squats Push-ups GHD Sit-ups GHD Back Extensions
WOD: Cindy Complete as many rounds as you can in 20 minutes of: 5 jumping pull-ups 10 push-ups (on knees) 15 squats
Joanne's Final Count: 11 rounds exactly!
Notes (to myself) about this workout: I haven't worked out in the past four days. Now for most people, that's no big deal. But for me, whose sanity rests on working out, four days is a long time to not work out. However, I refuse to shoot myself in the foot because I think my left shoulder really needed the rest. I strained it last week by lifting too much weight. I think it was the push press WOD that did me in. Needless to say, to get back into the grind was great.
I started with a 4 mile run. Again, I did the 4:1 pace and was surprised because at the end of my run, I discovered that I did a 12:13 pace. It's my fastest so far and almost an entire minute faster than when I started my running training. I'm a big believer in interval training because I notice that I tend to push the speed towards the last mile or so because I just want the run over and done with.
Also, I *heart* my Nike SportBand. It rocks!
For today's WOD, Eric had me do a different one that what posted on either site. He chose "Cindy" so I could work on my jumping pull-ups and my push-ups. The last time I did a full-on "Cindy" was last year and I did 12 rounds and 11 squats. Though I did only 11 rounds today, I'm confident that every move counted. Majority of my pull-ups were with my chin over the bar. Though I had some difficulty keeping my back tight and planked, my push-ups were much better than before. Of course, my squats were pretty strong. I no longer use the medicine ball and do a full-on squat where I break the 90 degree point. They're hard, but I really feel them. They turn my legs into jell-o.
Overall, I had a great WOD. As per Eric's suggestion, I'm moving my runs to Tues/Thurs mornings and keeping my CrossFit WODs in the evenings. He mentioned that I may be working out too much in a small period of time, so breaking it up AM/PM would be advisable. He's a nurse by trade and has a lot of technical knowledge about exercise and such. So I'll gladly take his advice.
Warm-up 4 mile run Three rounds of: 5 jumping pull-ups 10 push-ups 15 squats (Note: On the last round, I didn't do the squats because we had to start the WOD. Ahem. No complaints here.)
WOD: Randy Complete 75 power snatches for time. 35#
Joanne's Final Time - 17:45
Here's a video of what the power snatch is. Yeah. We had to do 75 of these fuckers!
Notes (to myself) about this workout: Technically in CrossFit terms, today is my day off. However, I'm not following their traditional schedule. My goal is to do CrossFit four days a week. Hence, why I do it Monday-Thursday. This morning I could tell why they do a three day on, one day off schedule. By the fourth day, you really are spent. It also doesn't help that Mon-Wed my CrossFit workouts are at night and on Thursday it's in the morning, leaving not a lot of recovery time.
This morning started with a four mile run. It took me 50 minutes and I averaged about 12:34 per mile. I forget that all my runs have been 3 miles and under. The jump from 3 miles to 4 miles doesn't sound like a lot. However, it does make a difference because that's 25% more that I usually run. I did the run at an interval pace and I finished. From here on out, my practice runs will be four miles. This first one was tough, but as time goes on, it will get easier.
I'm glad that I decided to walk the actual race and the long mile training because the blister issues are surfacing again. I don't want to go through that again. Some ways I'm dealing with it are: 1) I'm finding that I really like BlisterShield because it works better than body glide by making sure the feet stay dry. The powder absorbs the yuckiness and seems to be working okay. 2) I'm using the Under Armour heat gear socks. They're thin and allow my feet to breathe.
Today's WOD required 75 weightlifting movements. I opted to go light - 35#. I'm sure if Eric were there, I'd have to do at least 45# or more. I opted light because I was tired and wanted to nail the movement. Again, I finished pretty slow because most people finished under 12 minutes. At least I now know what a power snatch should feel like.
What we have here is the very fashion forward Freddy at the CrossFit games. Remember Freddy's fashion rule? Always match your shoes and your shorts. Nice. Um, I'm not sure I like these shorts. Dearest Freddy, I think you're better off doing your shopping at Lululemon. I'm sure that they'll have lots of gear that will match your tattoos!
Warm-up One hour of yoga. Row 1000 meters THREE sets of TEN reps of: Samson Stretch Shoulder rolls Overhead squats Push-ups GHD Sit-ups GHD Back Extensions
WOD: Fat Helen Complete five rounds for time of: 400m run 21 kettlebell swings W:35# 12 jumping pull-ups
Joanne's Final Time - 34:38
Notes (to myself) about this workout: Technically, today was a rest day or a make-up-a-WOD day. My stupid ass decided to do "Fat Helen" because I wanted to work on the pull-ups. I'm not sure it was such a good idea now. Though I did jumping pull-ups, I did the RX'd weight on the kettlebell swings. I didn't think I could push that, but Eric said I could.
The thing about pushing weight is that you can definitely feel your mistakes and your form. Pushing weight also makes me extremely aware of how weight training is a whole body experience. The body has to be tight and loose at the same time. If you've lifted some major weight, you'd know what I'm talking about. Though Eric makes me lift a lot, I usually appreciate it afterwards.
This WOD was TOUGH for me because of the 35# kettlebell and I was really trying to do better with the pull-ups. I was winded after round two and I thought I was going to die. Sweat was dripping from every part of my body. It sucked! If you videotaped me I looked like I was going to cry most of the time.
On the brighter side, I thought it would take me about 40 minutes to finish. So to finish under 35 minutes was a gift to me. Granted, most people finished well under 30 minutes. But I have no complaints. At this moment, as I'm trying to get back into CrossFit shape, I'm trying to make every movement count. I really want to take advantage of the health benefits of CrossFit, so if I have to take a lot longer to get solid movement, I'm okay.
Another thing I decided was to have a consistent warm-up. I'm going to incorporate the movements I need work on and I'd like to address my problem areas such as my tummy. Hence, why today's warm-up was a little more structured.
As for yoga, we just found out that the thermostat is now in a lock box. Meaning, no more heated yoga. Personally, I'm okay with that because I'm naturally warm-blooded and get sweaty anyway. As usual, today's session was great. I'm trying to build up to not having to take so many breaks and today I was almost there.
OWMA Quotable Quote "I hate you now. I'll thank you later. But I hate you now." - said by me to Eric
This is a total deadlift no-no. When I saw this photo of Chris, my heart bled and my lower back started to ache. Admittedly, I don't know Chris well, but I see him training like a monster! Congrats on CrossFit games!
Warm-up 40 minute run Push Press Drills
WOD Push Press 3/3/3/3/3/3/3
Joanne's Final Weight - 45/65/70/75/80/85/90x2/90x2
Notes (to myself) about this workout: As per Margaret's suggestion, I finally printed out the Nike training schedule for the half marathon in October. I'm a few weeks late for their training, but as long as I follow the program from here on out, I should be fine. Basically, the program outlines two short running days, one long running day, one rest day, and strength/cardio/cross training suggestions for the rest of the week. I think I'm pretty much on target as long as I incorporate more running and start dedicating myself to those long Sunday runs.
For today's run I did interval training where I run for four minutes and walk for one minute. This 4:1 pace is what I used when I did the marathon a few years ago. Surprisingly, today's run was my farthest and fastest, making my pace under 12:30. This is a huge improvement from the 13:00 I usually run. I think something has to be said about interval training. I've decided that long or short, this is the method I'll be using to get me through the running.
I ran at about 5pm, which is a nice time to run because it's not too hot. I firmly believe that there's nothing like running outdoors. The treadmills just don't cut it because you can't simulate the elements. For example, today's run ended hard because I was running against the wind. My pace felt slower and slower and I just had to fight it. Truth be told, I can't stand running, but I like what it does to me and what it means to me. Enough said.
When I first looked at the WOD, I was actually excited to be lifting some heavy pounds. Before today, my max on the push press was 72#. Today I did 90#, but couldn't do the three in a row. 90# was pushing it and I became wobbly. In fact, at my first 90# attempt, I hit my chin against the bar and now I have a busted lip. Poor J-Ro. I thought the push press was one of my stronger lifts, but like everything else, it's something I definitely have to work on. I was hoping I could do all three reps the second time, but I could only pull off two. It's okay. I just have to work harder next time.
As always, a big thank you to Eric and all the other folks who cheered me on during the WOD.
Happy 43rd birthday to our very own Freddy! He didn't show up because well, even CrossFitters get to have their bday off for some cake and ice cream! I love this photo of Freddy as his alter ego Fredrica. Long story. You have to be a One Worlder to figure it out.
WOD: Happy Birthday Freddy! Complete the following for time: Run 400m 43 jumping pull-ups Row 500m 43 push-ups (on knees) 430 jump rope turns 43 sit-ups Row 500m 43 squats Run 400m
Joanne's Final Time - 34:40
Notes (to myself) about this workout: This WOD sucked! Okay, they all suck. This one took a long time for me because most people finished under 20 minutes. I swear that half that time I took was with the jump rope turns. I can't do a double under for shit, so to do 430 single turns took forever. I'm not lying when I say it took half the time. The ipod played four songs while I was jump roping.
Another thing I have a hard time with is pull-ups. I did the jumping pull-ups today. The WODs are taking forever, but I'm trying to be a good sport and sticking to it. It's all I can do at this point. Eric, my trainer, says I should give myself three months to nail down the movements. For now, I shouldn't pay attention to my time. I'll take that advice. Though winded at the end, I did feel like I could have pushed harder. I think that's an eating thing. Unfortunately, my eating hasn't been the greatest these past two days. Protein. Protein. Protein. I also need to eat a little before the WOD for some energy.
Yoga was great today. The room was a little cooler and I'm really liking the late afternoon classes. It gives me the entire day to work on my stuff.
Today's CrossFitter is Maria. Truth be told, I don't know Maria well but I see her training all the time. She's fierce, yo! According to the One World folks, she got big kudos on her form during the CrossFit games. That's how you "beast" a WOD!
Today my body was just simply drained. I couldn't get up for my early morning run or to do my early morning spin class. CrossFit was closed for the day and I couldn't make my evening class. Therefore, I did a two hour belly dance class. It's not as bad as it sounds. It was the intro class to this session. Dolian invited me to join. It was a good workout. It wasn't intense, but it still worked me and was a great supplement to what happened the past week.
I'm really looking forward to working out next week because my half marathon training starts. Yea!
This is the uber-CrossFit couple, Chong and his wife Mel. Currently CrossFit One World is profiling the athletes that performed at the CrossFit Games this past weekend. Yesterday was Jolie's day and today is Chong's. As everyone has said on the site, Chong is an extremely strong competitor with impeccable form. Further, he's a great instructor. I always see him in the mornings during his one-on-one sessions and I'm always envious because I can tell his students learn a lot from him. Today, I had the chance to get a little coaching from him and it was great. Kudos to Chong on his performance this weekend. Of course, kudos to Mel because she's just so awesome!
Warm-up one hour of heated yoga "Grace and then some" warm-up
WOD: "Grace" (and then some) Complete 30 squat clean and jerks for time.
You must perform a a squat clean, or a power clean with a front squat (Hip below the knee). The bar may go overhead to a full lockout position by any means (i.e.- jerk, push press, thruster, shoulder press)
To get a better idea of what the movement should look like, here's CrossFit Unlimited's Jason Khalipa doing this WOD. In an upset, Jason won the men's title at the CrossFit games this past weekend. A BIG congrats to you and the folks at CrossFit Unlimited.
Joanne's Final Time - 14:07, using a 65# weight.
Notes (to myself) about this workout: This WOD is much harder than the usual "Grace" WOD because this includes a squat in the middle. Also, the prescribed weight is a lot higher. I think "Grace" is usually somewhere around 95# for women and 135# for men. This one required 100# for women and 155# for men. The movement is much bigger and it's a total body workout. I thought for sure it would be doable because it's just 30 movements. Yeah. I was wrong.
I took a while during the warm-up to nail down the movement and decide the weight I was going to use. I was hoping I could get by on 45#. Naturally, Eric pushed it to 65#. He and Chong actually thought I could push it to 75#, but opted not to just because we're trying to get down my form. Eric didn't want me to get weak at the last part of the WOD.
After doing the WOD, I will say that I'd like to try upping the weight to maybe 75#. For today, 65# was plenty. In fact, it was a huge jump from the 35# I did last week when we did "Grindy," which required the same movement. I was floored at how hard this WOD was and how much it took out of me. I was spent after the first 10. Working with Eric and at times with Chong, their focus was really doing the movement as clean as possible. I really had to focus on form. The heavier weight doesn't allow you to slack because you can feel the mistakes you're making.
I can see why someone would pay for a personal trainer or train with a partner who's going to push you. Eric cuts no slack at all. He knows enough about fitness and such to understand what I can and can't push. Sometimes you need that. I've decided to change up my CrossFIt schedule to get in more training with him. As mentioned before, I'm trying to commit to CrossFit Mon-Thurs. Starting next week, I'll do Mon-Wed evenings to train with Eric and the crew. I'll go on Thursday mornings for my fourth WOD. As Eric suggested, I'm not going to weigh myself for three months. Actually, my next major doctor appointment happens in September, so I'll get weighed in then. I'm hoping to see some results. Cross fingers please!
As mentioned before, I'm not big on the Oly lifts. However, I've had to do them these past few days and all I can say is that as much as I can't stand them, I see why they're important. I find that just one WOD significantly changes the way I carry and can feel my back muscles. A lot of women are concerned about lifting too much because they fear bulking up. My answer to that is to look at people like Stef and Jolie. They're not bulky at all, but can really lift some heavy weight. This tells me that weight lifting is great to become leaner. How bulky you get is, I presume, a diet thing. But what do I know, right?
That's it for now. Kudos to Eric for doing a 570# deadlift today for the CrossFit Total. 570#? That's just so sick!
A big congrats to Queen Jolie, who placed 5th overall at the CrossFit games.
Warm-up Row 1000 meters THREE sets of TEN reps of: Samson Stretch Shoulder Rolls Overhead Squats AbMat Sit-ups Push-ups
WOD: "Nancy" Complete five rounds for time of: Run 400m 15 overhead squats 33#
No time recorded.
Notes (to myself) about this workout: The soreness from last night's deadlifts are kicking in. My back on the sides are really sore. Surprisingly, my butt is okay. On the One World site, today is a rest day with the option of making up a WOD or working on the overhead squat. I decided to do what the 6:30am kids did and worked on Nancy. I used a 33# bar which is heavy enough for me to feel challenged, but still maintain consistency when doing the WOD. The next time I do Nancy, I'd like to see if I can push it to 45#.
The main issue I've had with Nancy is that I tend to fall forward (I blame it on the boobs!). According to David, my right arm tends to go about 4 inches back farther than my left arm. I can't quite feel the imbalance when I do the overhead squat. I will say that when he corrects the alignment, it feels funny. I wonder if I just have funny alignment. Hmph.
Since today was technically a rest day, I took my time with the WOD, especially with the run. I could have gone faster, but didn't. I've done this WOD and I just didn't want to die, that's all. But this WOD at full intensity is crazy! Your legs feel like jello afterward! I'm glad I got to work on the overhead squat and am looking forward to making it better.
I skipped on my standard run because I felt sore and just couldn't get up. Hence, why I'm glad Nancy had some running in it. I'll go running on Thursday.
Finally, I thought this video gave great advice about uphill and downhill running. Thanks for sharing this, Freddy!
Warm-up Heated yoga - 1 hour Joe D's Deadlift and burpee warm-up
WOD Complete 5 rounds for time of: 5 deadlifts 133# 10 burpees
Joanne's Final Time - 15:23
Notes (to myself) about this workout: This was my first WOD that my new CrossFit coach Eric ran me through. First off, a big thanks to Eric because he wasn't even training today, but was nice enough to run me and Imran through today's WOD separately. Granted I did the WOD with the 6pm crew. However, Eric followed me through the whole thing. It was tough.
Okay. Reading the WOD doesn't look so bad. But actually doing it was crazy! I wanted to die! I'm not big on the heavy lifting. However, it really helps when someone is there pushing you. Eric made me do a 133# lift. WTF?! I don't think I've ever done more than 95# on the deadlift just because I fear injury. But as Eric says, you can't expect your body to change unless you push it. So there I was pushing myself today. I was one of the last to finish, but I didn't care. My concern was to do the WOD as "cleanly" as possible. I did the best deadlifts I could do. Dare I say, I might be able to add a few more pounds next time I do this WOD. Also, I did real burpees with knee push-ups. That's another thing I don't usually do because I usually skip the push-up all together.
As I've mentioned before, I'm really loving being back in CrossFit. I don't care if I finish last. Right now, it's about getting better form and doing the workout. Balls to the wall, bitches!
Right now, my body is a little sore as expected. But in the week and a half that I've been back, I can honestly say that I can see how my body has already changed. I haven't checked the scales and don't plan to until next month. My jeans are back to how they felt when I was in the Philippines (Did I mention that at my last doctor appointment I gained 10 pounds since coming back?!). I appreciated the heavy lifting because it made me feel the contours of my body better. I could feel the strength of my back and core, which is what happens when you have someone poking your shoulder blades and yelling in your ear about form "butt out, tits out!" (Yeah. Let's just say that CrossFit isn't exactly where the politically correct collide. It's okay. I'm a tough girl and can appreciate the banter.) ha ha ha!
All in all, it was a great WOD and I'm caring less about time and more about form. I'm actually looking forward to tomorrow. Yea.
On the yoga front, I'm noticing that the evening classes are tougher, but I'm performing better because my body is warmed from the day's activities. I'm getting stronger in areas I was struggling with before. It's great. I so *heart* Dolian!
Finally, the photo above was taken at the CrossFit games that happened this weekend. Kudos to all the competing athletes, especially those from One World. You guys rock!
For those of you who don't already know, this is Freddy, One World's OG CrossFit trainer. Yeah. He's ripped. But he also waxes his eyebrows, so don't get too intimidated by the tattoos and muscles galore. (Sorry Freddy. I so had to out you on that one!) Anyway... the main CrossFit site featured this video of Freddy sharing his training tips. Last year, Freddy placed 12th overall at the CrossFit games, which are going to be held this weekend in Aromas, CA.
So what are Freddy's training tips? Here they go in no particular order... - cut out the drinking - cut out the smoking - no more strip clubs (you loose sleep that way) If you must do these things, please do them in moderation. Freddy's final and most important tip is: MATCH your shorts with your shoes! Nothing makes an athlete perform better than a matching outfit.
By the way Freddy.... Lululemon does have men's clothing. You'd go crazy finding matching outfits for your WODs because they feature "seasonal colors." How Freddy is that?! Who knows, Lululemon might even help you shave another minute or two off your "Filthy Fifty." You'll never know unless you try!
WOD: "Grindy" Complete the following for time: 10 clean and jerk 45# 5 rounds of 5 pull-ups/10 push-ups/15 squats 10 clean and jerk 45# 5 rounds of 5 pull-ups/10 push-ups/15 squats 10 clean and jerk 45# 5 rounds of 5 pull-ups/10 push-ups/15 squats
Joanne's Final Time - 35:16 (Note: I modified by doing jumping pull-ups and push-ups on my knees; I did deep squats without the ball)
Notes (to myself) about this workout: Today marks 5 days in a row of CrossFit. In truth, I can't remember the last time I did five days in a row. My goal is to go four days a week. I went today because yoga and belly dance were cancelled. I thought I would take the day off. However, I really wanted to get a hang of some of the olympic lifts. Next Friday I volunteered for the cert, but it looks like I'm going to have to cancel because I completely forgot that I committed to work that day. UGH! I was really looking forward to working on some of my form.
Anyway... This was tough, but I was glad I went. I actually like doing cleans. With Oly lifting, you have to be really patient and not go crazy with the weight. That's totally fine with me. I just like lifting some weight. I don't need to lift heavy. One step at a time is all I ask.
I'm still trying to figure out the eating thing. UGH! I'm eating better and am keeping a journal which is great. My only issue is the timing of meals and stuff. Like working out, eating requires discipline. I'm working on it.
Happy 4th of July to you all! I'm heading out to the city today and then tomorrow going on adventures with my gals!
Finally, I'm posting the videos from the One World CrossFit site so you can have a sense of today's WOD. I'll try to do that on a regular basis as well. Again, HAPPY 4TH!
WOD Run 800m for time four times. You may rest as long as you wish between efforts. If you need to scale this workout try running 4 x 400m.
Joanne's 4x800 - 5:31/5:28/5:26/5:30
Notes (to myself) about this workout: Today was my running/CrossFit day. However, since today's WOD was all running, I just did CrossFit today. Though significantly slower than everyone else who did the WOD, I was actually happy with my times because my mile logs in at around 13 minutes. So to have a half mile at 5:30 is pretty decent. I'm just not a sprinter.
I'm feeling good about CrossFit these days. It's good to be back in the grind of that "CrossFit soreness." I just need to pay attention to eating because these days I actually forget to eat. It's not a good thing. On a better eating note, I'm getting accustomed to eating better food. Last night we had my mom's birthday dinner at Kalesa. The food was great but I passed on the fried chicken and kare kare (I know!), had a courtesy two pieces of lechon. I'm listening to my body much better and it's telling me what I really need, which is good.
Below is Freddy's crazy warm-up from yesterday. Enjoy!
Warm-up THREE rounds of: Row 200 meters Run 200 meters Jumps Box jumps 10 Ab Mat sit-ups 10 Push-ups
Power Snatch Drills
WOD Power Snatch 5/3/3/3/1/1/1 Joanne's Weight: 35/45/45/50/50/50/50
Notes (to myself) about this workout: I'm not sure if I actually did this WOD correctly. However, I don't think it really matters because the weight I'm lifting isn't heavy enough. What I really needed to do was get the form down. Now, I have a sense of the movement, but I still need to figure out a proper thrusting movement.
I don't usually like the Olympic Weightlifting WODs. However, I decided to just suck it up and do this one because I need to stop running. It wasn't as bad as I was anticipating. It's good to lift a little weight now and then.
Today is my mom's birthday, so I'll be missing my yoga class tonight.
WOD: The Filthy Fifty Complete the following for time: 50 box jumps 16" 50 jumping pull-ups 50 kettlebell swings 15# 50 walking lunge steps 50 knees to elbows (modified) 50 push press 25# 50 back extensions (on floor) 50 wall balls 6# 50 burpees 100 jump rope rotations
Joanne's final time - 43:41
Notes (to myself) about this workout: I started my morning with a three mile run. It took about 40 minutes. I'm really loving the Nike SportBand because it does help me keep track of mileage and pace. It seems that at every run, my pace gets better and better. Today's run felt really good. I still have to stop and walk every now and again for three miles, but this has been my best run do far. I'm also loving my new running shoes. They feel like clouds. They cost a pretty penny, but they'll last, which is nice. Kudos to the nice guy at the New Balance store in Santana Row for helping me out!
I'm feeling good because I'm feeling like I'm back to my old self again. I feel healthy and strong. My only issue is eating. With all the stuff I had to do, my first meal didn't happen until after 12 noon today. Before then, I just had a banana that I managed to sneak in. I have to do better at timing my meals. I will say that keeping a food journal helps. The idea that I have to WRITE everything makes me more conscious of what I eat. Also, I'm missing the portions at the Philippines and have been trying to mimic them. Right now, I just hate the uber-stuffed feeling that the portions here give you. So far, so good.
The WOD was tough today and 1) I pat myself on the back for actually finishing it. 2) I give kudos to David Lee for refusing to let me slip by. No matter how long it was gonna take me, he was gonna make sure I finished. It was great. I had to do a lot of modifications, but I was just glad I finished. At the end of the WOD, I was dripping wet with sweat. Even Roman had to ask if I had just taken a shower. Whatever dude. Don't make me play more 80s rock for you. Anyway, I was spent, but a good kind of spent.
I've decided to drop my Thursday morning spin classes and focus on CrossFit. I just feel it's going to help with my running. I'm due for a half marathon in October and the conditioning is just better. Also, in the few CrossFit WODs I've been doing, I can feel my body change. It's a good feeling. Getting back on my feet is frustrating, but I'm doing the best I can and am actually liking it!
This is Chong showcasing his pirate face. I have to give a special shout out to Chong for entertaining my conversation with Eric about "dating preferences." Yes, it is different when you say that you prefer "exotic brunettes." Hope you got a kick out of that silly mess!
