Moving, Working, Learning, WODing

It has been a while since I've written. Sorry about that. I've missed it! 

Today I'm turning the keys over for my apartment and will officially living at the new place. I drove over there for 6 AM CrossFit on Tuesday and woke up at my normal time. I arrived with plenty of time before the workout began, and as an added bonus, I missed the traffic that I now face at rush hour since I moved to a much more populous part of Metro Detroit. I went to CrossFit on Monday too, despite having no less than thirty bruises between my knees and hips. (I will not be posting that photo. It's gross.) Here's the WODs from this week, although I don't remember the Warm Ups, they were probably lots of hip flexibility exercises, since I'm trying to get my squats in shape from that end now. 

Monday Night CrossFit:

Skill: 
Hang Snatch
I got up to at least 42lbs with the Hang Snatch on Monday, maybe even 52. I didn't write it down. This is a problem. During the group work, reviewing form, I think I was doing very well with the shrugging that is characteristic of the movement, and with some help from Coach H, I utilized the hip thrust/heel to toe momentum properly. During the practice with the PVC pipe in front of the class I actually wound up so much momentum that I threw myself off balance, which got me some attention from Coach Little J. He said that with momentum like that, I could Snatch 300 pounds... if I didn't fall over at the end (like I did). 

WOD:
21-15-9
-One Arm Kettlebell Swings (Each Arm) (20lbs. I thought this would be harder, I probably could have upped the weight.)
-Ring Dips (Medium Blue Band)
-Row 300 Meters between rounds

Time 10:27

Finisher:
-40 Ball Slams (20lb)

Extra Work Fun Time With "I":
It was biceps and back day with "I", and he had a new PR by doing 9 Muscle Ups unbroken! It was a great achievement  especially since he did them AFTER the WOD and proceeded to do a few more randomly as the night went on. I was super proud. He also helped me with "Skinning the Cat", which I'm not able to accomplish on rings, but can do on the bar. 
I did 50 Push Ups just because I was there, ten on my feet and 40 on my knees, and then talked to "I" about Pull Ups. I have been super anxious to stop using bands. I want to do an unassisted Pull Up so bad that it's getting a little frustrating. In order to go faster, I have been using less and less resistance on the bands, but I'm not able to do as many reps, 2 or 3 max usually. "I" told me that there was a better way to do things, and set me up with some ridiculously thick bands, the fat green one and the fat blue one. I felt stupid when I put my weight on it, as I didn't weigh enough to push them down to full extension of my arms, but he made me sorry for being cocky about it. 
He insisted that I do six sets of 15-20, saying that at the end of the day, when I want to get unassisted, improving my total Pull Ups by ONE will be a lot easier when it's vs. 100-120 than 2-3. One extra Pull Up out of 120 isn't that many, One more out of 3 is increasing my total by a third. It sounds silly when I type it up, but it made a lot of sense when he was telling me the theory. 

So good. 

So I did the goofy Pull Ups with the too-strong bands and went Chest to Bar in order to not feel as lame... but let me tell you, after about 8 or 9, I was fighting to get the rest of those 15. My arms told me to die in a fire and it didn't matter how thick those bands were. "I" helped me get a Super Set of 25 at one point, but I'm pretty sure venomous language was dribbling out with each extra Pull Up. 
After we finished with that, we used the bands to do some bicep work, and then made a new friend, "D". He can do Muscle Ups too, but he does them with a lot more force than "I" does. He then did a hand stand on the rings! It was scary to watch, especially when he showed us his torn bicep. (I was a little squicked out.)
To celebrate "I"'s Personal Record victory in Muscle Ups, we headed to my favorite restaurant, to celebrate with a delicious beer. 


Tuesday 6 AM CrossFit


Skill: 
Behind the Neck Push Press. 
7-7-7-7-7
I made it up to 42lbs, but I found I couldn't do seven reps as prescribed, so I dropped it down to 32. It was very challenging. My elbow didn't hurt me, but finding the strength for the Push Press from behind the neck is both awkward and very difficult.

WOD:
5 RFT
-10 Deadlift (75lb)
-15 Double Unders
-20 Abmat Sit Ups

Time: 11:28

Finisher:
Max Hold Squat Bottom (I got 1:01)




So anyway, moving went well. It was a lot of work, and it was a bit awkward at times, but I discovered that not only does the new location make me more inclined to go to the 6 AM class to avoid traffic, but having a housemate who is really dedicated to CF means that if I slack off too much, I feel ridiculous. So I am more hyped to go! Also, we always have something to talk about. Yesterday we decided as she was shoveling the drive way (in great pain) that CrossFit makes you better at functional movement... while simultaneously making you too sore to do any of it.