Week 34 - EMOTM WOD's...

log Entry:

So I just want to take some time to rave about EMOTM WOD's....

On Wednesday I did EMOTM for 20 minutes:
                                                     2 Power cleans w/ 225 (increase to 3 reps half way)
                                                     4 over bar burpee's
I just have to say, that if you are ever on a trip. Recovering from an injury. Want to get in great skill work. Or just get stronger while getting conditioned. Do EMOTM training. 

I think there is a reason why Rich Froning and some of the other big name CrossFitter's do this type of WOD set up quite a bit. Because this type of training forces you to have to improve on form as you get tired.

What I mean by that is that by time the 15th minute came around on Wednesday's WOD, I was starting to get really tired. But I still had to get each set done in under 20 second's if I still wanted ample time to rest. So what I had to do was rely on my form to carry me through the rest of the workout. Because when you become really fatigued in EMOTM workouts, you can't just muscle through the movement, because your going to end up failing, and haveing to rest an entire minute before you can pick up the bar again, or jump on the ring's again, or what ever. 

Plus EMOTM workouts are a really good way to avoid overtraining. Because you are still allowing for rest in the workout. But since the focus is form and being efficient. You actually build better body mechanics and learn how to recover faster. Plus you can make this type of training as intense or non-intense as you'd like.

All great athlete's do some sort of interval training in there practices. And EMOTM is just that. So its a great way to improve in CrossFit and continue to get fit.

See! I love this type of training. But at the same time nothing compares with good ole' fashioned CrossFit WOD's. But it is very easy to overtrain and plateau if all you do are WOD's like Fran or Murph. So inspect your training. And balance out what kind of workout's you need to do.

Week 33 - 13.4... plus pictures

13.4....

            I heard what the workout was and I was excited. I did the WOD at Firebird CrossFit, and lo and behold.... I sucked! HAHA 89 reps at 6:30 in the morning was a good wake up call.

I think it's interesting at how at ease and at peace I am about sucking so bad on these WOD's. Last year I would be freaking out. I think that I am learning something important for when I come back and compete again.... That CrossFit isn't everything, and its not the end of the world if I don't PR or do phenomenal on WOD's. I think that I am also learning how to approach the Open for when I come back.... Last year I would get myself super pumped and work super hard to get into the zone and perform "OK." This year I am learning how to relax and almost not care. For example. Last weeks WOD was the repeat workout from last year where my PR was 257, but I scored 250 last week. Last year I tried to get super serious and super focused. This year, I'm out of shape, my conditioning sucks, and I woke up about half an hour before I even did the WOD. And I was only seven reps short from my PR. For a missionary that's pretty good. 

So moral of the story. Its good that I am doing the Open WOD's while I am out here on the mission because it is teaching me to relax, and perform in a very chilled, and  noncompetitive state.

But it was a super fun workout, and I will definitely be doing it again in the future.   

Week 32 - Focusing on the Open Workouts

I want to start focusing on the Open Workouts....

Last Monday, I did 13.2, and I got 258 reps. TERRIBLE!!! Today, I did 13.3 and got 250 reps. TERRIBLE!!!! and NOT a PR.

But you know what? I am fine with that. My goal isn't to compete with anyone. My goal right now is to learn how to compete with myself. So what am I doing? I am eliminating all access to the Games Site and any information about what is going on in the CrossFit world. Other than what I here through the grape vine. 

Right now my focus is to work on my weaknesses: Running, high rep body weight movements, conditioning, just to name a few. And I have been doing just that. I have started to only allow one strength specific day in the weak. The others are conditioning and focusing on actual CrossFit. No weird and bizarre branch of it. To my training I have started to add at least 2 days in the weak where I do a Track workout. And I am already noticing changes. For one, my legs are oddly enough, getting stronger. 

On Saturday, I PR'd my 100 M Sprint with a time of 11.87 seconds. 

But most importantly, I am focused on fighting and conquering any sort of mental weakness, or fear of success.

After all I have 17 more months of not competing with anyone in CrossFit... except myself... So I need to beat myself, so then, I can beat others. 

Week 31 - "I am out of shape"

Monday:12 min AMRAP

             6 squat Cleans

             12 pull ups

             24 double unders

             6 rds+3
later...

          4X200M Sprint

          4X400M Sprint

          2X800M Sprint

          2X1 Mile Repeats (7:04, 6:58)

Tuesday: "Altered 13.1 Open WOD"

               17 Min AMRAP

                40 Burpees

                30 snatches w/ 135

                30 Burpees

                30 snatchesw/135

                20 Burpees

                30 snatchesw/ 135

                10 burpee's

                AMRAP snatches w/ 225

                

               145

Wednesday: 15 MIN AMRAP

                    9 DL w/ 225

                    12 Hand Release Push ups

                     15 box jump (30+ inch object)

                     5Rds+ 22 reps

Thursday: Active rest and Stretch

Friday: "Up scaled Open WOD 11.4"

            10 min AMRAP

             60 bar facing burpees

              30 Overhead squats w/ 135

              10 Muscle ups

               100 reps or 1 round PR

Saturday:

               "J.T."

               21-15-9

               HSPU

               Ring Dips

               Push ups

               11:58 (slow)

So after this week I have come to the conclusion... I am out of shape :) Thankfully my strength numbers have stayed about the same, but I am slow. I am grateful I am admitting this now, because it gives me something to work on. However, I am grateful that I am still performing "Okay" on WOD's. But its just that. I need to start focusing on WOD's not Strength work. So my workouts will be a lot of conditioning work. However, just to still stay strong I'll put more focus on form when it comes to lifting weights in the work outs. Even though I am missing the Open. I am grateful for the rest that I am receiving. I need it. It will help me come back and be better than I was before. There is still much to look forward to in the future. So I am having faith and moving forward.

Week 30 - Fire Bird Crossfit Session

Blog Entry:

Monday:
             "Nate"
              2 Muscle Ups
              4 Hand Stand Push ups
              8 KB Swings w/ 2 pood
              13 + 2 MU's
Later...
            Basketball
Tuesday:
             5 Rounds:
             15 DL w/ 225
             15 Ring Push ups
             30 Hollow Rocks
later...
            10X2 Speed Box Squat w/ 135
            3X6 GH Raise on ground
Wednesday: 
                  3 rounds:
                  100 Double Under's
                  40 yard sand bag run w/ 120 lbs
                  400 meter run
                  15:59
Thursday: Rest
Friday: 20 min AMRAP
           5 Squat Clean Thrusters
           10 Burpee's
            15 Toes through rings
             6 rounds
later...
            3X10 (25 on last set)
              Box Squat w/ 225
              3X6 GH raise on ground
Saturday:
               3 Rounds:
               10 bar muscle ups
               1 P-bar walk across
               20 box jumps on 20 inch's
               200 meter run
               20 box jumps on 20 inch's
               1 P-Bar walk across
                1 bar muscle up
                22 something
Sunday: Rest

On Monday I went to Fire Bird Crossfit again. The owner Chuck wanted me to do Nate. So I said I would. The workout went well. I am pretty sure that I didn't PR. But I still put up a respectable score. The only movement that went unbroken was the Hand stand pushups. I quickly realized that, body weight is what I need to focus on. I remember what a very good friend  of mine named Justin Thompson told me before I left: "If you come back and you still suck at running and body weight, I'm gonna laugh." 
So Justin, I'll take your advice, I'll start humbling myself and work on what I suck at.

I want to say GOOD LUCK to everyone this 2013 season. I will do the workouts modified do to the amount of equipment that I have. I miss not competing this season or next. But I'm looking at it as a resting period.
Steve and Omar... Kill it this year and go individual already!     

Week 29 - Have a great season!

Elder Yates writes:

I am running short on time, so just post "GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE IN THE OPEN!" and "HAVE A GREAT SEASON!"

Week 28 - My Mom was amiss...

This is his Mother who updates this each week - sorry to be so slow in getting this out... There will be two posts today here is last weeks.

Monday: 3X5 Back Squat w/ 275
             1 Rep Power Clean 275
              7 rounds w/ 90 sec rest per round:
              200 meter run
              7 thrusters w/ 115
              1:04 slowest
              1 rep snatch 225
Tuesday: 20 min AMRAP:
              10 pull ups
              10 box jump on 30+_ inch tree stump thing
              10 KB snatch w/ 26 kg (each)
              6 rds + 6 pull ups
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 6 rounds:
               5 Hang power snatch w/ 135
               10 pistol squats
               20 sit ups
               12:35
Friday: 5-4-3-2-1
           225 Clean and jerk
           Muscle ups
           10:00 flat
Saturday: 8X400 M Relay Sprint
               4 sprints per person
               12:03
               later...
               EMOTM for 20 minutes
               5 hang squat cleans w/ 135

This week was LEGIT!!! I'm just going to talk about Monday though. I went to Firebird CrossFit, and I'll just say I am pretty happy with my performance for being exposed to little quality CrossFitting for the last six months. 

I wanted to see how close I could get to my last max's on Power Clean and Snatch, without going all out. I came 10 pounds less on my previous max each. Each weight though, went up far smoother and easier than I remember however. 

Then I did the work out. I started of with hitting 3 straight rounds of :59 seconds. Then it progressively got slower. But I was happy with my performance. And the box owners were impressed to the point that the head owner tried to persuade me to compete for their team in the Open and at a local throw down in May. I politely declined..... I'm out here to serve a mission not to compete in CrossFit.... But it was fun!