My Gnolava

Well - I survived! I got my a$$ thoroughly kicked, but I survived. The whole experience was so awesome that I can't wrap my brain around what I've just been through. My quads and traps remind me at every move. After yesterday's thruster/squat-clean workout (which I scaled and didn't complete!) I sat in an airport, on a plane or in my car for 6 hours. I'm stiff. I learned a ton of stuff. I am now on fire to give the Zone a try. Things I was proud of myself for: good deadlift form, decent clean form - after some good coaching, kipping swing came easy (pullups were too hard on my elbow - more later), knees-to-elbows felt easy on the higher bar, GHD situps were not impossible, my intuition about the inner workings of the program were spot-on... Things I am now ready to work on: upper-body work, shoulders are weak and inflexible, diet, form on any of the overhead work, flexibility for squats, running, intensity of my approach to the WODs... My elbow - today there's h...

I did an 800m run on the treadmill last night. Followed that with some foam roller work. Feel pretty good today. Leaving in the morning for Virginia Beach - The CrossFit Cert. This may be my last post until I return. Wish me luck!

Woke up this morning with elbow pain. I suspected that this would happen, no use makes it worse. My body is like this - if I don't keep moving, I get aches. Went for a swim this morning. Might do some foam roller work and some yoga.

WOD Puppies: For time: 10 Handstand push-ups 2 L Pull-up 8 Handstand push-ups 4 L Pull-ups 6 Handstand push-ups 6 L Pull-ups 4 Handstand push-ups 8 L Pull-ups 2 Handstand push-ups 10 L Pull-ups Total time - 6:12 Pull-ups with band. HSPU from 4th step. Time to rest. Peaceful Easter!

WOD Four rounds for time: Run 400 meters Rest 2 minutes Total time - 14:30 (approx) Did this as rx'd! We got our new treadmill. I think I can go at a faster pace, once I get used to it. I increased the pace for each round and was at 12.7 kmh at the end. For the first 400m, I ran like I was 5'5" - tiny quick steps. I think I was running as if I might need to jump off. Next 400m I was doing the same and then thought - hey ,I've got long legs - and thus cut the rhythm in half! Much better! I wore my VFFs and had not one sign of pain from the neuroma. I stayed on my toes and used a slight heel "kiss" which felt right. I invite suggestions from my running readers - pose method? worth it? I think I am a natural at barefoot running style as I have super wide, high instep feet and very strong ankles (never turned one in my 4 years as a middle hitter/blocker). Next chance I get, I'll take it to the track. Have a happy Easter as we celebrate the Gift that makes us...

WOD Fight Gone Bad Buttercups: Wall-ball, 10 pound ball, 8 ft target. (Reps) Sumo deadlift high-pull 15-25 pounds (Reps) Box Jump 10" box (Reps) Push-press 15-25 pounds (Reps) Row (Calories) Score - 210.7 Wall-balls were subbed with dumbbell tosses, box jumps were to the 2nd stair, the weight was 45#. Wow! I understand the title!!!! We got our treadmill today (Thursday - this post is late). I'll be able to test it with the 400m's. Where is everybody?

I took another rest day. I substituted for two classes Tuesday evening which means I worked from 7AM to 10PM. Needless to say, I was exhausted yesterday. I hated seeing Fight Gone Bad come up, since I haven't yet done that one. I also know that it's one for the cert. My plan - do it today and stay one behind up through the next rest day, then take an active rest week. This puts me at "ready to go" when I get to the cert! Next week is our Spring break, so this all works out just right. Fight Gone Bad - coming up this afternoon!

WOD Nate Puppies: Complete as many rounds in 15 minutes as you can of: 2 Muscle-ups 4 Handstand Push-ups 8 12kg Kettlebell swings Women 8kg If you do not have a muscle up use a 2/1 sub of Assisted or beginner pull ups and bench dips 8 rounds The actual scale says 12 minutes - but I had 15 in me! I did not have the 3/1 sub for the Pack scale in me, however. The HSPU were with my toes on the 4th stair. I got a much better angle this way - not too hard. 1 HSPU in 1 year? hmmmmm The KB swings were with 20lbs (9.1 kg). This will have to change as I barely felt these.

WOD Nicole Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of: Run 400 meters Max rep Pull-ups Didn't feel like scaling all the way to puppy or buttercup so I did this: As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes: Bike 0.5mi Band assisted pullups x 5 and bodyrows x 10 5 rounds with 40 seconds to go. Still stretching the elbow using the nerve glides. Felt a twinge here and there throughout the pulls - but all-in-all not too bad. I got my big sis interested - we'll see...

WOD Michael Puppies: Three rounds for time of: Run 600 meters 15 Back Extensions 25 Sit-ups Total time - 15:00 Subbed rower - 75 strokes and supermans. Sweating. The "rounds" workouts can kinda bore me. They're also a real challenge.

WOD Tommy V Puppies: 35-55 pound Thruster, 12 reps 15 ft Rope Climb, 6 ascents 35-55 pound Thruster, 9 reps 15 ft Rope Climb, 3 ascents 35-55 pound Thruster, 6 reps 15 ft Rope Climb, 1 ascents Total time - 5:55 Used 45# and did 15/12/9 on the thrusters. Did bodyrows using a rope and switching hands for 30/24/18 reps. Felt decent. The squat thruster with the bar was a first time event for me. I need to check my form on the front squat portion of the move.

WOD Run 5k Total Time - 22:06. Bike sub - 6.3 mi Increased the resistance on the bike. Will stay at that until the time drops again.

WOD Lynne Puppies: do 5 rounds of max push ups max pull ups or beginner pull ups Round - Pullups - Pushups - 1 real - 10 - 3 assisted - 10 - 3 assisted - 10 - 3 assisted - 10 - 3 assisted - 6 First pullup brought back the pain. Did some nerve glides and got relief. Pushups were easy. Switched to subs with the band for the rest of the pullups. Also took it lite. I probably could have done more - but didn't want to risk the progress I've made in the last few days with the nerve glides (see the link on the right.) I'll take an easy swim in the morning since it will be rest day.

WOD Hang squat clean 3-3-3-3-3-3-3 reps 45# - 45# - 45# - 55# - 65# - 75# - 75# Not bad. At these weights I feel like it's difficult to avoid using the arms! I felt best at the higher weight - when I really concentrated on form. The main problem I had was getting under quickly. I need more and more work on my squat flexibility. I thought the actual catch was not bad when I did get down quickly enough. I noticed that, without really thinking about it, I had caught the bar on my front delts. Thanks to the visual cues of Starting Strength! It was a bit painful to drop the weight back to my thighs. I need to check my form on that portion of the movement. We got snow today! This time last week it was 76 degrees. The lilies are at 8 inches. Time for spring.

WOD Diane Puppies 15-12-9 95-135 pound Deadlift Handstand push-ups Total time = 3:55 WHEW! Dealifts were with 145#. HSPU were from arm of couch. Almost tied my time with 45# more on the DL and harder HSPU.

WOD Cindy. Buttercups: Complete as many rounds in 10 minutes as you can of: 1 Jumping Pull-ups 4 Push-ups 7 Squats 10 rounds. This was a drop from last time by 3 rounds. I did 4 real pullups and subs were band-assisted. I ran out of steam - but I did more work.

WOD Filthy Fifty Buttercups: 10-15 Box jump, 10-15 inch box 10-15 Jumping pull-ups 10-15 Kettlebell swings, 12kg Walking Lunge, 10-15 steps 10-15 Ab-Mat Sit-ups 10-15 Push press, 20-25 pounds 10-15 Back extensions 10-15 Wall ball shots, 10-16 pound ball 10-15 Burpees 10-15 Standard Jump Rope Jumps Total time - 16:24 Used the 3rd stair for the box jumps. Finally got my bands for band assisted pullups - did all this way (saving the elbow). Situps were on the floor (no Ab-Mat), back extensions were supermans, wall balls were 10# dumbbell throws, push press was with 60# (felt great!), burpees were the killer only did 12 (I think), jump rope was easy as usual. My time went up on this one but so did the work - higher box, better pullup sub, higher lbs on presses.

WOD Linda Puppies 10-8-6-4-2 Deadlift Bench press Clean Total time - 13:00 I used 135# for the DL, 60# each for the BP and Cleans. All went well. I love my oly weights! The deadlifts felt great. I'm gonna keep creeping the weight up. The cleans felt the best they have. It only hurts my elbow when I lower the weight. I swam a few laps this morning. Working on the elbow.

Just bored and playing with the templates. I'm trying to get adsense to work. It's stuck on the PSA for Katrina.

WOD Angie Puppies and Buttercups: For time: 20 Pull-ups or 25 Beginner Pull ups or 30 Jumping Pull ups 20 Push-ups or 30 Box Push ups or 35 Wall Push ups 20 Sit ups (do not do crunches) 20-50 Squats (depending on ability) Total time - 5:15 Went for the pullups after a lot of warmup. I got 3 full pullups before I went to bodyrows. I tried to focus on using the left, non-dominant arm. My right arm has had the most pain -I really have been dependent on it. I found the place to stretch - fist closed, open-arm, raised about 15deg above inline with my shoulder. I rotate the elbow and push my thumb away from my wrist. I felt near immediate relief! I stopped with 20 squats. I did 20 pushups with a break at 15. I had to stop because of the elbow. Playing tennis tomorrow for the first time since I've been doing this stuff (April 2007.) Can't wait to see the results - of course I'm prepared to stop if my elbow doesn't cooperate!