While stretching my calves, hamstrings, and hip flexors, I overheard MK talk about how the other groups did yesterday’s WOD outside, and how most of them got 7 or more rounds. That’s comparing apples to oranges, as walking with bar overhead vs. holding bar overhead and doing step-ups are two entirely different things. My calves wouldn’t be so damn sore today if I had walked with the bar overhead.
I dislike the song “Payphone”, as I can’t imagine anyone actually using a payphone. I am listening to both the movie soundtrack and OBC recordings of “Once”. Incredible.
Strength
Press
4×5 (sets across), heavier than last week
I lifted 85# last week, so I went conservative and lifted 95# today. For this first time that I can recall, MK emphasized speed – and I hadn’t been doing this prior to today. All 4 sets felt relatively easy. Lauren was kind enough to record third set, and she said, “That was fast.” MK observed last set and said (and I may not be recalling this correctly, as I tend not to listen closely when he talks), “That looked too easy.” (He may have said, “That looked too fast.”) He asked, “How much heavier is that than last week?” I said, “I lifted 85 last week and 95 today.” He scoffed.
Form, consistency, and then intensity. Right? Right.
Chest to bar pull-ups
3 on the minute x 10 minutes
I used my own weight vest. Is there anything wrong with that? I don’t think so. The other weight vests are smelly. Mine is not. I asked MK how much weight I should use, as last week I completed all 30 reps with relative ease. I was thinking 10#. He suggested 5#. I went with 5, and probably should’ve gone with 7.5 or 10#.
Michelle brought up the topic of CrossFit competitions, and mentioned that there should be weight categories. I wholeheartedly agree! And here come the haters. “You’re at an advantage for bodyweight activities. You can run fast. You have endurance.” And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why I’ll never compete. Never ever evah.
I completed all 30 reps with full range of motion and had less of a bend in my lower body than last week. After the last rep of the seventh set, MK once again scoffed at me. I asked, “Why the look?” He replied, “Do you really need to lift your chin for a chest to bar pull-up?” I jumped back up on the bar, didn’t lift my chin, dropped from the bar and said, “If I don’t lift my chin I hit my nose on the upper bar.” It’s self preservation. I’d rather lift my chin and not bloody my nose. Right? Right.
My drawing of pull-up bars.
Conditioning
For time
100 Kettlebell Swings
Last night I posted on Facebook that I was going to use the 70# KB. I had no intention of doing so, although I had every intention of using the 62# KB. And that’s what I did. I positioned myself at the end of the box facing the clock. As I was taping my hands, MK walked to the KB, looked at the weight, and said, “That’s not 70 pounds.”
As the weight was heavier than what I typically use, my goal was to complete in reps of 10, and with the exception of the first round (20 reps), that’s what I did. Even though I taped and chalked my hands, I had a difficult time keeping grasp of the KB handle. I also felt an occasional twinge in my left bicep, so I wasn’t overly aggressive with swings.
At one point Chad, John, and I were all swinging in the same rhythm, and I began to imagine the three of us doing a synchronized swimming routine. I would, of course, have to be the person that’s flipped out of the water.
I completed the KB swings in a time of minutes and seconds. I did not call time, nor did I give any indication that I had completed my last swing. In fact, I completed quite a few more rounds of 5 or more swings. MK asked, “What was your time?” I said, “I’m not done yet.” I did, however, have to let Lauren know that I had completed the swings, as she began to cheer for me during additional rounds. MK said, “I know what you’re doing. You don’t want your time on the board.” MK has a remarkable grasp of the obvious.
I give this met-con a score of 4.
