Front Squats

Todays CF Mainsite WOD

3,3,3,3,3
Front Squats

I've done a lot of front squats in the past but I've always crossed my arms in front to balance the bar on my shoulders. Today I used the proper "rack" position for the first time. I don't think my fingers have ever gotten that much of a flexibility workout! I also had my elbows up in the front much higher than I thought I could get them.

I didn't try to push too hard on these today.
135
155
185
205
225

I also watched a Planet Fitness trainer teaching the proper alignment for the shoulder angle while using a pec-dec to an older woman. That kind of made me sad. It's hard knowing the tremendous benefits of squatting, deadlifting, pressing and pulling and seeing people stuck doing partial curls on a machine.

Every time I attend planet fitness from now on I intend on wearing a CrossFit shirt, just to see if I can get some folks to take a better look at their fitness.

SGA Viking Press

My good friend Vince just made a Viking Press, a strongman implement that looks like a big log with handles for pressing at one end and a hinge attached to something large on the other. I figured hmmm, I have something like that already made at Spectrum. A Balance Beam. Here's a video of the Spectrum Gymnastics Academy Viking press in action!

Pull up-fest 3-20-09

This was crazy.

Ten rounds for time of:
3 Weighted Pull-ups, 30 pound KB
5 Strict Pull-ups
7 Kipping Pull-up

I made the 1st two rounds with out a problem, then it went down hill from their, the third round I only made 6 total pull ups then I made 8 and 10 for the rest of the sets. I stopped using the KB at the fifth set because I wasn't even able to bend my arms by then with the KB on my feet. All in all I did 101 pull ups in 21:45.

And I got a rip dang it!

Split Jerks Wed 3-18

The WOD was 7 singles of a split jerk. I've never really done too many split jerks and never really for much weight. I did the Burgener warm up and some wind mills with a 35# dumbell. I did 135, 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, 185. 185 is more than I've ever put over head and it went up really easily. I've got to do more next time. The CrossFit thought about putting weight over head is that you can push press approximately 30% more than you can press and you can jerk 30% more than you can push press. My overhead press max is 175# so I should be able to jerk around 280#. Not sure that I could really get that much up but I'm happy to start progressing towards it.

On another note I was at Planet Fitness doing this workout and it was definitely amusing to catch some of the looks I was getting while doing the exercises I was doing. I had to wait a bit for the the squat racks because a couple of guys were dead lifting in them, unfortunately they were somewhat trainwreck, injury waiting to happen DL's but at least they weren't doing curls! I really need to take these opportunities to coach!

Inflatables

I've given myself a new challenge for every monday. At my job at Spectrum Gymnastics Academy, I have to put away 3 large inflatables that we use for birthday parties. I've decided to start timing myself each Monday. I've done it twice now and the first time was over 8 minutes and today I did it in 5:57! The thing about today was that I set up the straps that bind the inflatables in easily accessible places.

Crossfit Total

Ok so today was the CrossFit Total, 1 max rep for Back Squat, Overhead Press, Deadlift, add those numbers together for the total. The last time I did this WOD I hit a personal best in the deadlift (435#). Since then I've hit 435# a couple of times again but I'm kind of stuck there. A few weeks ago I tried 455# and that didn't get off the floor, so today I tried 445# and almost had it but almost doesn't count. I've got to count the 405# as my last hit lift. On the bright side I tied my PR in the Overhead Press 175# and I'm on my way to, albeit slowly, a 400# squat, today I did 335# my PR in the squat is 365#. So my total was 915#.

CF Providince and 3-3-09 Mainsite WOD

On Saturday I went to Crossfit Providence in RI and had a great time working out with their Sat crew. We did a workout that smoked me! We started with the CF warm up then practiced some snatch technique for a bit before the WOD. For the WOD we did 3 rounds for time of 20 pull ups, 30 KB swings (american) with a 53# KB, 40 box jumps to a 24" box and 50 wall ball shots 20# ball.

35 minutes - that was rough!

Barbara -

On Tuesday I did Barbara

20 pullups
30 push ups
40 situps
50 squats

well 2/3 of Barbara only 3 of 5 rounds. I did the first round in 5:00, the 2nd round in 5:47, and the 3rd round was in 5:21. Next time I do "Barbara" my plan is get all 5 rounds done.