Friday, July 29, 2011

Crossfit Week 4 Summary

Results – I did 5 days this week so I’m pretty happy about that. My right shoulder is still feeling bad, but this week’s WODs haven’t aggravated it, so that’s a good thing. Physically, I feel like I’m pushing myself more & more at each time I go in. I was a bit on-the-fence last week regarding what I’ll be doing after my one-month unlimited membership is up, but this week made me more psyched about continuing my membership for another few months. I think going to Crossfit keeps me motivated & challenges me in different ways each time. I don’t see any significant changes to my body thus far. No weight gain/loss either, but I don’t gain/lose weight easily. I do feel like my arms & legs are getting stronger. I am also working on eating healthier during the week when I can control it & I hope to see results in the future.

Crossfit Day 17

July 29, Friday
Workout
– I feel pretty good today. They were still doing Benchmark WODs, so I did another WOD that Pat (the trainer) made up. It sounded pretty intense but I figured it was either that or practice something else, so I did the WOD.

WOD –1000m row, 40 Hand-Release Push-Ups, 60 Jump Squats, 30 Kettlebell Swings (35lb), 400m run for Time. My Results: 15:00 minutes.

I did the row in a little over 5 minutes, which was faster than I thought I’d do. I thought I would be extremely tired from it since we did the 500m row on Wednesday & I was huffing & puffing. But I also did that after the “Helen” WOD which was really exhausting. The hand-release push-ups weren’t too bad. This was the first time I did the jump squats. They do take a lot out of you since you have to end the squat w/ a jump, but I took little breaks in between & was able to finish them. I had more control of the kettlebell swing this time around & I was able to do them more consistently. And finally the 400m run. I’m at my most tired & I have to go outside to do the run. It was hot & humid outside & it started to rain when I was halfway through the run. The rain actually revived me & kept me going. Afterwards, I practiced toes to bars. I think I’m getting better at it, but I still need more work getting my toes completely to the top of the bar. It was a hard WOD, but I’m glad I’m continually challenging myself. I don’t think my body will ever get use to this, but I think that’s the whole point of Crossfit.

Crossfit Day 16

July 28, Thursday
Workout – I had a brain fart & thought I had to be at the gym at 6:45pm, but it was actually 6pm! Oh no, I was pretty late. I got there by 6:30pm. Luckily, they were doing a Benchmark WOD & they were doing it in 2 groups. I just made it in time to do the WOD w/ the 2nd group. I still feel like a jerk for being late. Where is my mind lately? I think I haven’t caught up on enough sleep so I’m been daydreaming & procrastinating at work lately & it’s messing w/ my head.

Benchmark WOD (need a judge) – 10 minute AMRAP – 5 Burpees then jump up onto 45lb plate, 10 Box Jumps (20”), 15 Wall Balls (6lb). My Results: 4 sets + 5 Burpees + 1 Box Jumps. Total: 126.

How nerve wracking it is to have a judge watch you every step of the way. If you don’t touch the ground on the bottom of the burpee, it doesn’t count. If you don’t extend your hips out jumping onto the 45lb plate or the box jump, it doesn’t count. If the ball doesn’t pass the 10ft line or if it doesn’t touch the wall or if your butt doesn’t touch the ball on the floor before you go up for a wall ball, it doesn’t count. I’ve been repeatedly frustrated w/ the wall ball exercise. It gets me every time. The squat & jumping to thrust the ball to the wall is tiring & it drains me of all energy. My judge was pretty motivating all along the way. He kept pushing me to do a few more in before the 10 minute is over & counting down my repetitions so it helped. I felt so completely out of shape! Plus I didn’t get a chance to really warm up so that probably didn’t help either. Well, I looked at other people’s results & I did decently well. I wasn’t at the bottom & I’m definitely not at the top, so all is good w/ the world again. I hope in a month I’ll be able to do more.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Crossfit Day 15

July 27, Wednesday
Workout – Again, I feel really nervous before going to Crossfit. I think I want to poop just thinking about it. *sigh*

WOD – “Helen” 3 Rounds for Time –400m run, 21 Kettlebell Swings (35lb), 12 Pull-Ups (Blue & Purple Band). My Results: 13:19 minutes. Finisher – 500m row. My Results: 2:33 minutes.

I knew the 400m run would kill me. There’s an uphill section when we run towards the stop sign around the parking lot & it’s a killer. I’m always struggling to go up, but I was able to do it in a little over 2 minutes. 400m equates to approximately 1/4 of a mile, so me finishing the whole “Helen” workout meant that I ran 3/4 of a mile, 63 kettlebell swings & 36 pull-ups in 13:19 minutes. I estimate that I would have run 1 mile in about 10 minutes which pretty fast for me normally. I upped the weight of the kettlebell for the 1st time & it was a killer. The 35lb bell is 30% of my body weight, which was rough because it was swinging me instead of me swinging it! I struggled w/ it but I’m glad I used it. The pull-ups weren’t too bad w/ the blue & purple bands. I still didn’t do the kipping motion since I feel like it takes more out of me. Until I get more comfortable, then I’ll start doing it. I think I might take the purple band off next time I do pull-ups. I was exhausted by the time I was done w/ the WOD. I could barely move my forearms because they were so tight. After the WOD, we had one more exercise to do. We finished the day off w/ 500m row (sprint). It was a gruesome 500m row, rowing as hard & fast as you possibly can. I felt ready to puke during the row. I did it w/ the 1st group & I was the last (out of 5 ppl) to finish at 2:33 minutes. I was okay w/ the time because it took a lot out of me to finish. I never knew rowing could be so tough!

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Crossfit Day 14

July 26, Tuesday
Workout
– I feel better today after a good night of rest. I’m more alert & awake during the day. But, once I got to Crossfit, I was sluggish & yawning the whole time when I was doing my stretches. I think I should have eaten something before going to work out. We started out going over the mechanics of the Clean. We start off mid-shin like we do w/ Dead Lifts, then we slowly straighten our knees a little so that we are mid-thigh, in a Hang position. There, we jump & shrug our arms up, pull up w/ our arms & get arms/elbows underneath the bar in the Clean position. The bar is now resting on your shoulders & you go into a squat. Then, you straighten your legs to finish. This move is very tiring. I was able to use only the 33lb bar. I didn’t want to hurt myself but pushing myself too much. We did 3-3-3-3-3 (5 sets of 3 at the highest weight we feel challenged by).

WOD – 7 Rounds for Time – 5 Hang Power Cleans (33lb), 15 Hand-Release Push Ups. My Results: 7:32 minutes.

I tested out doing 44lb w/ the Hang Power Clean but it was too much for me. I had no control of the bar or myself when I tried it, so I stayed w/ the 33lb bar. I will work my way up eventually. I thought the Hand-Release Push Ups were really going to take a toll on me, but I was able to get through them w/ no issues. I was all the way in the back so I only focused on the wall or closed my eyes while I did the push-ups. I was pretty fast w/ the WOD. I was the 2nd person to finish (after a guy), but I also used the least amount of weight on my Hang Power Cleans. I think I will try 44lbs next. We did 3x20 GHD Sit-ups afterwards. Those were a killer & made me super light-headed & tired.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Crossfit Day 13

July 25, MondayWorkout – I feel nauseous right before I leave the office to go to Crossfit. Just the thought of Crossfit makes me nervous. And I need the bathroom excessively beforehand. It’s my nervous twitch. But once I’m there, I’m pumped for what’s to come.

WOD – 3 rounds for 18 minutes – 1 min row (count calories), 1 min ring dips (blue band), 1 min double unders (jump rope), 1 min dumbbell push press (15lb), 1 min toes to bars, 1 min rest. My Results: 61-66-70 for a total of 197.

We did 3 rounds of 5 – 1 min exercises with a 1 min break after the exercises. It started off pretty well. I rowed furiously for 1 minute which only burned 11 calories. Then I couldn’t take my foot straps off fast enough so I lost some time then ran to my ring dip station (which was on the far side of the gym), then did my dips. I feel like it was easier for me to do the ring dips this time, which might mean I’m a little stronger now. Then off to do double unders. I still struggle w/ them, but I’ll have to keep practicing to get better. Next was the dumbbell push presses. The 15lb weight was good for me, heavy enough to keep me challenged. They get really tiring. Then lastly were the toes to bars. I was not able to get one full one, but I got closer this time. My swing was wider & my legs rose higher. I need to get my core (abs) & arms more engaged & continue to work on it. I pushed a little harder for the 2nd round & I did a few more repetitions. For the last round I pushed myself even more & I felt like I could have almost thrown up towards the end while doing toes to bar. I stopped when I hit 70, otherwise I might have actually thrown up. It was a good, challenging work-out. It’s keeping me on my toes & everyday it is something different. Afterwards, I did 3x20 GHD Hip Extensions. They get really tiring. Then I did 30 sit-ups on the ab mat. Today was a good day. I was feeling really slow & sluggish all this, and this was a great pick-me-up to end the day.

Monday, July 25, 2011

Weekend of Week 3

July 23, Saturday
Workout – None.

July 24, Sunday
Workout – Walking around city (~5 hours)

Crossfit Week 3 Summary

No workout on Saturday or Sunday. I’m was trying to push myself this week by going 5 times. It is tiring, but so far I feel like it’s been worth it. I’ve been constantly challenged & I want to get better at the exercises & get stronger. I am still unable to do a kipping pull-up, toe to bar, & the overhead squat (OHS), but I will continue to work on it.

Results – The kettlebell on Tuesday made my back sore, while the WOD on Wednesday scared the beejeesus out of me. It was pretty hard & intense. The run was definitely challenging having to run uphill part of the way & having to run 1600m (~ 1.25 mile) total, while also doing a total of 42 thrusters & 100 pull-ups (assisted) was crazy. Thursday’s free day at the gym gave me time to work on my kipping pull-ups, but I think I overdid it & now my right arm/shoulder hurts again (the same hurt I felt when I injure it from vball), so I might need to lay off on it for awhile. I’m eating a lot this week (hormonal) so it’s not a good thing. I need to control what I ingest, but it’s difficult when your body wants you to eat more. No noticeable changes to my body, but I feel good (other than the right arm).

Crossfit Day 12

July 22, Friday
Workout – We reviewed the OHS (Overhead Squats), then we did 5-5-5-5-5 Overhead Squats one weight across all 5 sets. I tried the 22lb bar & was unable to really do a OHS properly. My right knee turns in to balance myself as I get into the squat position. My shoulders/arms are tight, so when I attempt to squat, my arms come forward & I lose all balance. Pat, the trainer, says I need to work on my flexibility & to practice w/ the PVC pipe. So in the end, I was unable to do the 5 sets.

WOD – 10 minute AMRAP – 5 Hang Power Snatch (22lb), 10 Wall Balls (10lb). My Results: 7 sets + 3 hang power snatches.

The Hang Power Snatches weren’t too bad. You start at the hang position (middle of your thigh), then you push yourself up from the knees, shrug your shoulders & get your arms under the bar quickly to catch the bar overhead. Your arms stays straight, knees still bend & then you finish by straightening yourself up. After doing 5, we head to the Wall Ball. I used the 10lb ball & it was heavy for me. I do not like the Wall Ball for some reason. We squat down w/ the ball overhead, & then when we get up from the squat, we thrust the ball above passed the blue line. I always have to jump/hop a little to get the ball above the line. The whole movement is just so exhausting.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Crossfit Day 11

July 21, Thursday
WorkoutI am so sore today. Everything is sore. Arms, legs, back, abs, everything! I still muster some energy to go to Crossfit. It was our day to work on anything we wanted. I asked the trainer (Pat) to show me how to use the rowing machine properly. He showed me the 3 steps of rowing. 1) Push w/ your legs, 2) Open your hips, 3) Pull w/ your arms & you return in the opposite order (arms, hips, legs). It was different rowing knowing that I’ve been doing it wrong all these years. I did 1000m row warmup (~6 minutes), & then had Pat show me kipping pull-ups. I tried the blue & purple band this time & it seems to work pretty well. I’m still practicing the technique but I think I’ll eventually get it. He also showed me Toe to Bars. He actually had me lay on the floor holding onto a regular bar above my head, & then bringing my toes to the bar. Then he had me activate my arms while doing the same motion & it was much easier to do. I need to remember that when I practice on the real pull-up bar. I also practiced the Overhead Squats. I have trouble keeping the bar overhead. Another girl at the gym, Desiree, helped me out by suggesting taking my shoes off because the air cushion on the back doesn’t help w/ keep my heels on the ground. I tried the 22lb bar & it was a challenge for me. I stayed at the gym for about 2 hours just practicing & trying to get better & stronger. My arms definitely are killing me now & I have one blister in the middle of my right hand. Ouch.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Crossfit Day 10

July 20, Wednesday
Workout
- My arms, back & abs are sore from yesterday’s WOD, mainly from the kettlebell swings. Today’s WOD looks intense. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to do it but I’ll try my best.

WOD
– 50 Pull-Ups (blue & red band), 400m run, 21 Thrusters (33lb), 800m run, 21 Thrusters (33lb), 400m, 50 Pull-Ups for Time. My Results: 27:31 minutes.

After the pull-ups, my arms were dead tired. I thought the run would be pretty easy, but the last stretch is uphill & it takes a toll on you. Once you’re huffing & puffing from the run, you try to do your Thrusters. They weren’t too bad at first, but it really takes a lot out of you after doing 21 repetitions. The 800m run was torturous. Thankfully it wasn’t scorching hot out otherwise I would have passed out. I was keeping pace w/ Caite so it helped us w/ the uphill. She needed me to keep her going too. I needed her for company. Downhill was easier, longer strides & less work. More thrusters, which I took about 4 breaks in between, a final 400m run, then the last 50 pull-ups. I had my workout gloves which helped a lot. No calloused palms. The last 50 were hard. I took numerous breaks just to muster some energy to finish.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Crossfit Day 9

July 19, Tuesday
Workout – My hips are slightly sore today from the GHD hip extensions. We went right into the WOD along w/ the 5:15pm class (I went to the 6pm class), so there were tons of ppl today.


WOD –20 minute AMRAP – 7 Ring Dips (blue band), 11 Box Jumps (20”), 15 Kettlebell Swings (26lb). My Results: 9 Sets + 7 Ring Dips + 11 Box Jumps. Totals: 70 Ring Dips, 110 Box Jumps, 135 Kettlebell Swings.

It was an intense WOD. I cramped up on the Ring Dips again (after ~5th set) & had to massage it out on my right shoulders. My left shoulder got stiff towards the 8th set. 7 Ring Dips at a time is much more doable than 15 (as in a previous WOD). I used a higher box for the Box Jumps this time & I did decently on it. I did almost trip once towards the 9th set because my legs were nearly failing me. Thank goodness I didn’t hurt myself. I thought the kettlebell would be decently easy, but the more I did it, the harder it became, while keeping good form. After the workout, I tried out the Toes to Bars move. I’ve never done one before so I struggled. You are hanging on the pull-up bar, then you force your feet up to touch the bar. I was not able to do it, but one of the other girls (Carly) told me to try reaching my knees up to my elbows first, then try my feet to elbows, & then work my way up to toes to bars. Leo told me to keep my arms wider on the bar so I don’t swing all over the place. I was able to get in a few knees to elbows in a fluid motion, but it’s really straining on my arms. I still need to work on getting them stronger. This will be a challenge for me, but I’ll keep practicing.

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Crossfit Day 8

July 18, Monday

Workout – Another week of self-torture at Crossfit. We first went over Deadlifts & practice w/ a weight that we were challenged by. I used a 35lb bar w/ an extra 20lb of weights added. So I did 55lbs for Deadlifts. 7-7-7-7-7 – We did 5 sets of 7 reps at the weight. It was definitely tiring & I was feeling strain on my arms.

WOD –21-15-9 for time – Dumbbell (15lb each hand) Push Press & Jerks and Burpees. My Results: 10:59 minutes.

The 15lb dumbbells in each hand were heavy for me, but I was able to do the Push Presses into Jerks w/ them. It was hard for me to keep my arms straight & slightly behind my head due to weak/inflexible shoulders, but I kept trying to get better form. It was getting really heavy towards the end of the 3 sets. The burpees are pretty annoying since you have to go down on the floor, touch your chest to the ground, get back up & jump. They get tiring. I was definitely sweating to this WOD. Afterwards, I did 3x20 GHD hip extensions & 3x20 GHD sit-ups. I also practiced the kipping motion. The trainer showed me how to do it & showed me what I was doing wrong. So once my legs are swinging forward, I push my arms away from the bar, & then thrust my hips up while pulling up the bar w/ my arms. I was finally able to do one kipping pull-up (w/ the red band)! Yippee! I practice a few more, but I need to work on the timing. Now that I know what I’ve been doing wrong, I can actual practice the right technique. I’m hoping to get better at it.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Weekend of Week 2

July 16, Saturday

Workout – 2 hours total beach volleyball

July 17, Sunday
WorkoutNone. My right arm/shoulder hurts again. I know it’s definitely from too much volleyball. I even served side-arm instead of overhand, to prevent any further injury, but the spiking didn’t help. ARGH! I just want it to heal. I know I need to lay off on vball but I can’t help myself. I just love it too much. ARGH!!!!!

Friday, July 15, 2011

Crossfit Week 2 Summary

July 15, Friday
I won't be going in today for a workout nor Saturday or Sunday. I will try to go 4-5 times per week. I've done 4 times this week & I hope I'm continually motivated week after week.


Results: My arms, shoulders, legs & abs (basically my whole body) is sore today from the past 4 days of WODs. I do not see any noticeable results on my body just yet. I do think my face & arms look slimmer, but my face & arms were never fat to begin with. I am watching what I eat during the week when I can control it, but the weekends definitely ruin it. At least I’m trying though. I haven’t gained or lost any weight yet, but I’m not looking to lose/gain any either. I want to build my muscles & become stronger & hopefully get a 2-pack/4-pack/6-pack abs.

Crossfit Day 7

July 14, Thursday

Workout – My shoulders & abs are sore today from yesterday’s workout. It was our day to work on anything. We can do a previous WOD or make up one. Or we can just practice things we need work on. So another girl (Carolina) & I asked the trainer (Pat) to make up a WOD for us today that isn’t arm intensive. Once we warmed up, we were all set to do the WOD.

WOD –21-19-15-12-9 for time – Box Jumps (18”), Jumping Lunges, Sit-Ups (using ab mat). My Results: 11:03 minutes.

It wasn’t too difficult to do, but the first few sets were really long & since you’re using your legs a lot, it really tired you out. The jumping lunges were the most difficult since you have to touch your back knee to the floor & then jump to the other side for the next lunge. The sit-ups weren’t too bad since I like ab workouts. Afterwards, I did 60 GHD Sit-Ups & 60 GHD Hip Extensions. I then practiced my double-unders (jump rope) & was able to do 7 in a row (w/ a single jump in between). They are difficult to get the hang of since you’re exerting more energy for the double jumps. I also practiced my kipping motion w/ & w/o the bands. I can do it w/o the band, but I can’t pull myself up. I did 3 kipping pull-ups w/ the blue band. I also did 15 non-kipping pull-ups w/ the blue band. I will keep practicing.

Crossfit Day 6

July 13, Wednesday

Workout –My arms, back, abs, hip flexors & legs is sore today. I’m not sure how I will get through today’s work-out but I will try. Self-motivation sucks sometimes. :-P We were shown how to do a Deadlift, Hang Power Clean & Push Jerk & Split Jerk.

WOD –5 sets for time – 12 Deadlifts, 9 Hang Power Cleans, 7 Push Jerk (or Split Jerk) – used 32lb. My Results: 11:48 minutes.

It was very intensive on the arms & shoulders. I was able to push myself w/ 32lbs which was getting really heavy at the 3rd set of the Split Jerk, but I rested in between so that I can do everything safely & yet still challenge myself. I think I’ll work my way up to the 45lb bar, but I need to get my shoulders & arms stronger. It’s a work in progress. I practice the kipping motion for pull-ups & did some GHD sit-ups afterwards.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Crossfit Day 5

July 12, Tuesday

There were about 8 ppl in the class today. We quickly [tried] to learn the kipping method pull-ups, ring-dips & double unders (double swing of jump rope). Then we went into the WOD.

WOD – Modified workout: 5 sets of 20 Double-Unders, 100 Single Jump Rope, 15 Pull-Ups (green band assisted), 15 Ring Dips (blue band assisted). My Results: 32:58 minutes.

The double-under is harder to keep doing because they tire you out since you have to jump higher & swing faster. I was able to do the 100 single jumps fairly easily since I’ve had practice in the past. The kipping pull-ups using the blue band weren’t working out for me, so Tim had me change it to the green band (more support). I still could not get the kipping motion as it feels unnatural to me. I had Tim show me a few times during the work-out but I just ended up doing a regular pull-up which definitely tires you out even w/ the green band. I then attempted the assisted ring dips. My arms are definitely weak. After doing 5, my neck/shoulder muscle cramped up so I had to stop & massage it out. I told Tim & he said I could do push-ups instead, but I forged ahead w/ the ring dips. They are definitely tough. Each set was really hard for me. The jump rope was the easiest of the exercises, but it definitely wore you out from all that cardio. I would rest after about 5 pull-ups & continue. Same w/ the ring dips. I struggled w/ both exercises. I really didn’t think I could finish 5 sets, which equates to 100 double under, 500 single jumps, 75 pull-ups & 75 ring dips. That is a LOT of reps to do. I continued on & didn’t want to quit. I would rest when I needed it, but still continued to push myself. I thought the other girls were just about done so I kept up as best as I could. I actually finished before all the other girls in the class (some had less assistance w/ the pull-ups, etc so we all did slightly different work-outs; some were doing a harder workout than I was). Today was definitely a challenge & I was fatigued by it. I’m back to being nervous about the workouts. Haha After the WOD, we did the GHD Hip Extensions 3 sets x 20. I also do GHD sit-ups 3 sets x 10. Those really worked out my abs & back & hip flexors.

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Month 1 - Crossfit Day 4 after 10 days off

July 11, Monday
Workout – Crossfit class (45 min) – It’s been 10 days since I took the 3 day Fundamentals class, so I was really nervous going into a regular class. To be honest, I felt like throwing up thinking about the class, but I sucked it up & headed to the class. There were about 7 ppl in class. We did our own warm-up on the side while the previous class finished their WOD. Then we got to do 3-3-3-3-3 Back Squats. We kept adding weight to the bar until we feel challenged by it while doing the back squats. I ended up w/ 74lbs which is more than I had expected to be able to do, so that was great. We did 5 sets of 3. We learned to do GHD sit-ups. GHD is the machine we use (Glutes-Hamstring Developer). We have our legs in & bent when we lay down, but we straighten our legs as we shoot upright. This will work out our hip flexors. I didn’t really feel it in my hip flexors, more on my knees, which didn’t feel right, but as I did more, the pressure on my knees lessened. I also asked a gym at the gym on how to do pull-ups w/ the bands & doing the kipping motion. I couldn’t do the kipping motion using the bands. The band kept shooting my leg all over the place, but I was able to just stand on the band & do regular pull-ups.

WOD – 12 minute AMRAP (as many reps are possible) – 9 Kettlebell (26lb), 12 Hand-Release Push-Ups (on knees), 15 Box Jumps (18”). My Results: 6 sets + 9 Kettlebell + 5 Hand-Release Push-Ups.

This workout was actually doable for me. The hand-release push-ups were awkward since you have to get down to the floor, & then release your hand before you push up again. My arms are still pretty weak, but I will continue to work on it. My right shoulder issues from volleyball seem to have subsided ever since I started Crossfit. I think I’m strengthening my shoulders so the pain is no longer present. I hope I never feel the shoulder pains again. I would lay on my right arm to sleep & I’d have pain. I would just leave the arm out & it was in pain. Now I haven’t felt the pain in over 2 weeks which is great. The kettlebell & box jumps are decently easy but still challenging. I felt pretty good after the work-out & it has helped to make going to the gym less nerve-racking. There were 2 other ladies in the class that were newbies (they took the 1 mth fundamentals course) so I wasn’t alone. I told the trainer that I'll try to come in 4 days a week. We'll see how I do.

Friday, July 1, 2011

Crossfit Day 3 - Fundamentals Crash Course & Week 1 Summary

June 30, Thursday

Workout – 3rd day of 3-day Fundamentals Course (45 mins) – Arms & thighs are sore today. Need to loosen my arms/shoulders/back some more to increase flexibility. I’m psyched about being stronger on my upper body since I’ve had so many shoulder/arm issues due to vball. They expanded the gym to the space next door so it’s really huge now, but there’s some work they need to do to fix everything up. We did some warm-up exercises on our own. We were shown how to do Cleans, Power Cleans & Hang Power Cleans. There are a lot of different movements occurring at the same time for the Hang Power Cleans. First, we start off w/ slightly bent knees, w/ the bar around mid-thigh, arms straight. Then we push up w/ our knees, which we shrug our shoulders & pull up on the bar w/ our arms, then we roll our arms underneath the bar making sure our elbows are up & out, while the bar is resting on our shoulders. He showed us Burpees. In a standing position, go to the floor & have your chest touching the ground, then get up & jump & clap your hands over your head. For wall balls, we take a weighted ball by the wall. Squat down w/ the ball in front of you, then when you get up from the squat, you throw the ball up to the wall pass the blue line they’ve drawn & catch the ball & go right back into a squat, & repeat.

WOD – 12 minute AMRAP (as many reps are possible) – 5 Hang Power Cleans (22lb bar), 7 Burpees, 9 Wall Balls (8lb ball). My Results: 6 sets + 5 hang power cleans + 2 Burpees.

Oh my goodness, was I tried after each set. The Hang Power Cleans were awkward because it doesn’t come naturally but after awhile, you get the hang of it. The burpees were easy at first, but after a few more sets, they were getting extremely difficult just to get up from the floor. I had the most trouble w/ the Wall Ball because the ball was heavy for me & every time I got up from my squat, I had to jump a little in order to get the ball over the blue line. They took a lot out of me. I need a lot more strengthening work. This Crossfit thing is really tough. It’s like nothing else I’ve ever done before & my body is definitely not used to this intensity or the types of exercises we’re doing. I’m not sure how I’ll do for the rest of my month w/ the LivingSocial coupon, but I definitely feel the results thus far. My arms are sore as heck. Doing simple things like scratching my face takes a lot of effort. Pulling my hair back into a ponytail is extra hard because my muscles are so tight & sore right now. I feel soreness in muscles I don’t normally use at the gym. We have the 4th of July holiday weekend coming up so it’ll be 4 days off from Crossfit. I’m not sure if I’m ready to go back on Tuesday to begin my unlimited month just yet. It’s really intimidating seeing all these diesel bodies there, especially girls w/ 6-pack abs, but I will try my best to better myself at my own pace.
V took a free intro class at a Crossfit by his job too. So he’s been doing the workouts for the past 3 days as well & he's just as sore as I am. He’ll probably join & pay for membership for a few months, which is exciting because he’ll be doing something similar to me. We’ve been doing different workouts, but we all eventually learn the same stuff, so it’s great that I can share the same pain w/ him.

Crossfit Week 1 Summary (6/28 - 6/30)

The 3 day Crossfit crash course Fundamentals course is officially over.

Results
– My entire body is sore as heck. My triceps are bulging (from being so swollen) that scratching my face or washing my hair has become a chore. I try not to lean on my arms when I sleep since they are aching. I can’t feel my prior shoulder pains from volleyball since my arms are so sore right now. I don’t sleep on my right arm because it aches when I do, which also helps alleviate my vball injury. I’ve never worked this hard before, EVER! Not even when I used to do volleyball drills for 2-3 hours in JHS/HS. Crossfit totally kicked my butt this week. I’m excited about what is to come, yet nervous as heck at the same time. I hope the swollen muscles will go down because I need to wash my hair often!

July 1, Friday
Workout -
45 minute biking.


July 2, Saturday
Workout - 2 hour beach volleball

July 3, Sunday
Workout – 80 minute walking (~7.14 miles)

July 4, Monday
Workout – None. Light walking around the city.

July 5, Tuesday
Workout – None.

July 6, Wednesday
Workout – 20 minute swim (~15 laps)

July 7, Thursday
Workout – 30 minute swim (~30 laps)

July 8, Friday
Workout – None.

July 9, Saturday
Workout – 40 minute biking. 10 minute playing catch w/ softball.

July 10, Sunday
Workout – None.