WOD - Wednesday, 1/7/2009

10 rounds for time:-
15 Double unders
15 Kettlebell swings, 24kg (16kg)

The work out took me about 13 minutes, however I had some progress with my double unders and today on my first attempt I did 10 consecutive jumps before whipping my butt with the rope (not nice on these cold mornings). While I never managed to get 15 out in a row, the improved technique sped my work out up and reduced the total amount of energy expended - efficiency. Happy Days!

5 rounds:-

Front Squat 3 reps
Max Pullups

61kgs front squat today.

WOD - Monday, 29/6/2009

AMRAP (as many rounds as possible)in 20 minutes of:

• 42kg (30kg) Thruster, 5 reps
• 42kg (30kg) Hang Power Cleans, 7 reps
• 42kg (30kg) Sumo Deadlift High-pull, 10 reps

Good morning! When I woke up this morning I was happy to see this on the Crossfit website as I was pretty sure I could get the rxd weight (prescribed female weight) quite nicely on all these lifts. Then my joy soured as I realised it was one of these "as many rounds as possible" (AMRAP) in 20 mins. This would really gas me, and I am afraid my conditioning still really sucks.

I managed the weights quite well, however I am still resting in between sets and reps for 5 and 10 seconds here and there which just chews up valuable time. I kept to the female rxd weight and ground through it for 7 rounds.

WOD - Friday, 26/6/2009

Press 1-1-1-1-1 (35kgs)
Push Press 3-3-3-3-3 (41kgs)
Push Jerk 5-5-5-5-5 (43.5kgs)

Increment across sets and exercises.

I am so pleased that this was my last work out for the week. I am totally hammered from the entire week's training and my poor old body really needs 2 days rest. Yesterday I had a skills session with Matt, and there is just so much to learn. I am feeling rather over whelmed and totally in awe of all the Crossfit athletes that can perform all of the skills. Rest and recover....then start again!

WOD - Thursday 25th June

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:- (3 rounds)

• 400m run
• 30 Kettlebell Swings 16kgs
  
• 30 Double Unders

Well you can only laugh when this type of cardio burn turns up as the WOD. Definitely nothing here that is playing to my strengths, and in fact I felt and looked like an off season powerlifter huffing and puffing through the entire 20 mins. However it is done......next.

WOD Wed 24th June 2009

Back Squat, 5-5-5-5-5 reps (70kg max)

I felt like I was getting back into to the groove with my squatting today. Definitely more in the tank, but I am taking it slowly. In fact I am surprised at how well I did today after yesterday's annihilation.

After the session 2 of the girls asked if I wanted to practise handstand push ups with them. After getting over the whole upside down thing, I shocked myself and did 5 1/2 reps. Very excited about this as I am pretty sure the big powerlifting triceps are about to come in handy!!

As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:-

7 Thrusters 30kgs
12 Knees 2 Elbows (knee raises for me)
21 Box Jumps

5 rounds

This was truly evil and painful. In fact when we finished one of the guys that started Crossfit at the same time as me said "...this is the first time I have had the taste of blood in my mouth for at least 2 weeks". He was right, and there were a number of victims out the front doing the puking thing.

Monday 22/6/09 WOD

Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1 (max 110kgs)

Finisher - 4:06

• 4 rounds for time
• 80kg Deadlift, 3 reps
• Burpee, 10 reps

Annual CrossFit Brisbane HARD'NUP Challenge

CrossFit Brisbane will be holding our annual "HARD'NUP Challenge & BBQ" on Saturday, 8th August 2009. This event is a celebration of the growth of CrossFit in Brisbane and will mark our 1 year anniversary of being in our own building at 39 Clarence St, Coorparoo. Last years event, held as our official opening of the new premises, was huge and we expect this year to be bigger, better and whole lot of fun.

The event will be OPEN TO EVERYONE, and we will be catering for all fitness and ability levels. We are encouraging ALL members of CrossFit Brisbane to be involved, and hope that we will see representation from as many affiliates as possible. Bring a team, it is going to be a fantastic day of competition and camaraderie.

We will be opening registration in July and posting further information on the website in the coming month, so stay tuned. SO, what should you do to prepare?? ... CROSSFIT!

The Thunderbird walk

Three rounds for time:-
50 Squats
40 Double Unders (20)
30 Pushup/MB Clean 8kg
20 Pullups (Jumping)

How hard could it be?

It was 23 mins of total torture, resulting in the total loss of co-ordination and the Thunderbird walk to the car. Any Crossfit work out that does not invovle barbells always strikes terror in my heart, as I know it will be a total cardio bust. While it may not going anywhere to building my physical strength it certainly adds to my strength of character.

I need to sleep now, for many hours.

Lisa

Uh ha moment! (again)

I am at the point in my life that I can admit to making mistakes, even when I really would have loved to have been right. This morning's work out of the day was one of the CrossFit bench mark work outs called "Fran".

"Fran"

• 21-15-9 reps for time:-
• Thrusters 42kg (30kg)
• Pullups

I am now in my 7th week of Crossfit from a relatively unfit start. I was sore and tired this morning form the previous 2 days' work outs and my plan was to do a lighter thruster and work harder on my pullups. I have been doing jumping pullups and gradually moving to smaller boxes every couple of week and today I planned to jump of 3 weight plates. On telling my plan to Matt he told me it was a cop out and I should do more than the 20kgs planned on the thruster. He said " ....at 10am today how will you feel about going light on the thrusters? Any achievement on the improvement on the pullups will be lessened because you didn't push your thrusters."

I dropped my bottom lip, added 5kgs to my bar and scanned my memory to where I had put my voodoo doll and knew exactly what I would be thinking at 10am when I was inserting those pins!!!!

I completed my first Fran with 25kg thrusters and jumping pull ups in just under 10 mins.

So how do I feel at 10am? He was right. I wouldn't have felt that the increase in difficulty in the pullups was as valid if I had have ripped through an easy set of 20kg thrusters. In fact I could have done 27.5kgs or even the rxd weight of 30kgs. It would have taken more time and I would have been in a more pain, but I could have done it.

I know Matt well enough that he didn't tell me to increase the weight just so he could be right (although tomorrow when I tell him he was right & I was being soft, he will grin that evil smile), and this takes me back to when I first started to become a competitive powerlfiter.

The lesson that I have re learnt today is that it is ok to struggle, it is ok for the weight to be really heavy, it is ok to have doubts about abilities, and it is ok to fall......but it is not ok short yourself as you will never improve at anything.

"Diane"

• 21-15-9 reps for time
• Deadlift 100kg (70kg)
• Handstand Pushups

Well this will be fun. 21 reps of 70kgs deads will really take it out of me to start with, and I have never done handstand push ups so there will be some learning and a definite scaling on this today. I am pretty hammered after yesterdays cardio craziness - quads and pecs mainly, but at least my shoulders triceps and hammies are ok for this challenge.

"Cindy"

Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:

• 5 Pull-ups (jumping pullups)
  
• 10 Push-ups
• 15 Squats

14 rounds

Humbled to the CrossFit God

Today I had a very humbling experience at CrossFit, and I sit here exhausted and in awe of some of the local athletes. The work out was as follows;

• Five rounds for time of:
• 25kg Thrusters, 21 reps
• 21 Double-unders

I am not sure why, but one round in an I was in a world of pain. I ended up doing 4 rounds instead of 5, and any thought that I was getting the hang of CrossFit has just blown up in my face. I could say that I am new to the sport, the weight was more than I have done on thrusters etc, etc...........but in truth I was just smoked.

So I now have 2 days to finish eating humble pie and get ready for more new challenges.

Lisa

I am up at 4.45am to take my daughter to rowing and it is 4 degrees - this is Brisbane!!!!!!

I love this CrossFit T-shirt!

My favourite things about Crossfit (after 6 weeks)...

• No scales, no callipers - no one gives a shit!


• No mirrors - no one gives a shit!


• Fun stuff everyday -no plan (or obvious plan).


• Surprisingly difficult, surprisingly easy (ish)


• Well qualified, well trained staff - you can't get away with crap form


• Chalk, noise, laughter - or is that just me laughing at myself?


• Measurable outcomes everyday.


• Everyday is an event and a competition.

The first thing I do every morning is go to the website http://www.crossfitbrisbane.com/ and check out the work out of the day (WOD).

Am I about to go to the dark side??????????

Lisa

WOD Tuesday 9th June

For time, perform an inverted ladder with the following two movements.

• 10-1 reps of Burpees
• 1-10 reps of Deadlift, 70kg

ie, 1st round is 10 burpees + 1 deadlift, 2nd round is 9 burpees + 2 deadlifts etc, last round is 1 burpee + 10 deadlifts

I did this in about 12:30 minutes. The good news is that my burpees are definitely improving, although I guess it helps to do them at the beginning of the work out rather than as a "finisher" when there is no chance of good form. I am still getting a little messy on form as I tire, but my cardio fitness is on the up!!

My new goal is to be a Crossfit Chick!

Happy Friday

For time:-

• 100 reps x 15kg SDHP, (Sumo Deadlift High pull)
  
• 50 reps x 15kg Thruster, (squat o/h press combo)
  
• 30 reps x Burpee
  

Is this someones idea of a joke?

Well it was 12 1/2 mins of pure hell.....I was hoping that my strength may help me through but after about 40 SDHP reps I realised this was all about fitness and very little about strength, except for the mental aspects. I was travelling OK and keeping pace with the "Crossfit Chicks"until the burpees - then they caned me. It took me at 60 seconds longer to do the 30 reps, and it has reconfirmed some weaknesses. 1) I need to get fitter - this is just time now, 2)I need to drop some body weight so I have less mass to move around - as this is my rest year I think I will just let this happen organically as i get fitter and accept that it will slow me up a bit and, 3) I need to work on and stick to good technique; I am better to break the reps into smaller groups of good technique and rest for a few seconds in between, than use a non efficient effort and keep rolling through the reps. Challenges!!!!!

I am part of a story that is on Channel 7's Today Tonight program at 6.30pm this evening.