So lately I have been thinking about the 2013 Crossfit Games. The 2012 just concluded and there are rumblings around the gym of entering an affiliate team for next year. Initially I found myself thinking "man we have a lot of work to do to be ready for that." I was thinking of pistol squats, muscle ups, handstand pushups and lifting loads that are higher than what most are putting up right now. I found this to be negative self-talk in the sense that I was listing all the reasons that it would not be enjoyable. Then I realized that working hard and with focus to overcome the weaknesses, work the margins and truly improve overall work capacity is exactly why we are there and why I am employed as a trainer. Instead of a daunting task, I recognized it as a rewarding one. Every gain that is made, every second that is shave, every new movement that is mastered will be cause for celebration. It will move us closer to the goal of truly competing in the games rather than just signing up for them. Of course anyone is free to register in the open. In my mind however, if you are going to sign up then you are going to compete. So we have until next March to try and train our weaknesses. The focus will be good. I already know that it will drive me to become a better athlete myself. I will work out the bugs on my muscle ups and pistol squats and work to build up my rep count on handstand pushups. Even if we lose, we win. We will be stronger, healthier and more capable and by measuring ourselves against the world we will know exactly what we need to do in order to beat them the next year.
My conclusion is a simple one. Competition is good.
Warmup: 20 Overhead Squats, 20 Pushups, 20 Situps
The WOD:
Run 800 meters for time
then
TABATA (8 minutes of 20 seconds work/10 seconds rest)
Push Press (75/45) (2 minutes)
Situps (2 minutes)
Pushups (2 minutes)
Air Squats (2 minutes)
then
Run 800 meters for time and try to go faster than the first 800 meters
Cashout: 15 Pullups, 15 Ring Dips
First 800 meters 3:16
ReplyDeleteTABATA Score: 53
Push Press score 7
Situps Score 15
Pushups Score 15
Air Squats score 16
Second 800 meters 3:02
I can't figure out how to edit.
ReplyDeleteThe score for each movement in TABATA is the lowest number of reps you complete in one of the 20 second intervals. My 7 for Push Press was the lowest. Other rounds were 12, 11, 8. So my score was 7.
First, great post.
ReplyDeleteSecond, this will suck more than yeaterday.
Third, my quads (especially the right one?)and my chicken arms hurt. I like that feeling. It means I really worked hard.
Finally, I am going to rock this WOD.
Jenn, is your left quad stronger than your right? Ideally we should be "symetrically sore" after our workouts. If the right one is "more sore" then I would venture a guess that it either is not as strong as the left yet or something was mechanically incorrect. Focus on keeping the knees out over the toes on the squats/thrusters and such. If the knees turn in or collapse in at all (on either side) it will cause imbalanced soreness at best and injury at worst. If the knees not "tracking over the toes" is the mechanical flaw then spend some time in the bottom of your squat position with your hands pressed together and your elbows pressing out against the thighs. Press in with your thighs against the elbows. When the knees move in on the squat it is usually due to weak adductors. The glutes and the hamstrings also play a role, but the adductors are the #1 culprit.
DeleteWarmup: 20 Overhead Squats (I used a 20# kb and I held it at my chest instead of overhead.) 20 Pushups (on my knees), 20 Situps
ReplyDeleteThe WOD:
Run 4.12
Push Press 30# - 6
Situps - 9
Pushups - 10
Air Squats - 10
Run 4.03
*Those are pretty decent run times for me. When I was a young twenty-something I struggled to do sub 19 minute 2 milers.
Cashout - thanks for that
About the squats. I am equally weak in all of my muscles. :) But seriously, my knees do collapse in, especially when I get tired. I am aware of it. And I work on it with every squat, most espeically weighted or high rep squats. I know the squat stretch you speak of, and I will add it to the end of every workout. Thanks!
See? It is possible to help someone with Crossfit over the internet. It is even easier if the athlete, in this case you, has a foundation of knowledge to work with.
Delete