CrossFit Paul

I tweaked my lower back ever so slightly yesterday while doing squats with chains. In addition, I didn’t sleep well last night, as Meg and Zac decided to sleep not beside me, but on top of me. I was nonetheless at CFZ by 5:35, if for no other reason than because Burt asked if I would arrive early to give him some extra time to stretch.

Perhaps most importantly, I was wearing my new Lululemon Response shorts. No, the picture isn’t of yours truly, as I don’t shave my chest. Yet.

Every year or so I take the Myers-Briggs test, and I did so last week. I am ESFJ, in other words Extravert, Sensing, Feeling, and Judging. What often comes as a surprise to others is that I have a very slight preference, a mere 11%, for extraversion. At my core, I am an introvert, and there are times when this is quite obvious. This morning was one of those times.

I greeted Burt and Lux, and Burt almost immediately commented that I wasn’t my normal, bubbly self. While others gathered in a group by the front of the box and conversed, I took a Lacrosse ball and a resistance band to my spot in front of the garage door; in other words, at the opposite end of the box and as far away from everyone else as I could — without actually leaving the building. I wasn’t upset with anyone or about anything – I just wanted to be left the hell alone. I tend to get what I want.

By the way, I have to be an extrovert when I coach, and I always am. Right? Right?

Michael Kelley instructed us to do 10 walk-outs combined with a “Spiderman” lunge each leg, followed by 20 leg swings each leg. I had completed a mere 8 walk-outs when everyone had either completed all activities or had begun leg swings. I stopped at 8 walk-outs, did 10 legs swings each leg, and then joined the group for box jumps. Today was a little different in that we jumped on a box and landed in and held a full squat. I completed 2 x 10 box jumps on 24” and 30” box. I rather enjoyed this, if for no other reason than I jumped on my own damn box. Oh, we did box jumps wearing weightlifting shoes, so the landings were loud.

Oly Lifting
20 Minutes to find Max Clean & Jerk

Michael Kelley did a very nice job of reviewing proper form for C & J. I completed reps @ 75, 95, 105, 115, 125, 135, and 145#, my bodyweight. I know it’s psychological, but holding my bodyweight over my head is quite a surreal experience, and something I don’t often do. As the lift was successful, I attempted 155#, and failed twice. With time running out, and with all eyes upon me, I attempted 155# one last time.

I walked up to the bar, looked at the wall in front of me, completed a full squat clean, stood up, took 3 or 4 audible breaths and thought, “Just get the bar over your head. That’s all you need to do. Get the bar overhead.” I dipped, drove the bar over my head, and locked it out. What I didn’t do was split-jerk. While still holding the bar overhead I said, “I didn’t even split that. What the f@ck?” Michael Kelley chuckled. I asked, “Does it still count?” He replied, “It doesn’t matter how you get it overhead, so it counts.”

Having 10# more than my bodyweight is very, very surreal. Oh, that’s a 5# PR.

Conditioning
3 Rounds for calories, seconds, and reps of:
1 Minute Max Calorie Row
1 Minute Max Hold L-Sit
1 Minute Max Double Unders
1 Minute Rest

As there were far too many people in the 6am session, not everyone started with the row. Michael Kelley insisted that I do this metcon. I’ll admit that my heart wasn’t really in it. I set no goals. Did you read that? I set no goals. How often does that happen?

I began with L-sit, which meant that I did double unders, rested a minute, and then rowed.

I held the L-sit for 55, 40, and 35 seconds, completed 58, 55, and 51 double unders, and rowed 17, 18, and 20 calories for a total score of 349.

Accessory
Sled Pulls

As I saw Chad at Anderson Chiropractic Center at 8, I had time to pull the damn sled as the 7:15 session (just four in attendance!) WODded. I put 185# on the damn sled. That’s more than Michael Kelley weighs. I completed 3, 60m pulls, pulling the sled forward and then backward 30m. While I had to stop two or three times the first two rounds, I was able to pull the sled the full 30m forward and backward without stopping the last round. I felt very light-headed at the end of each 30m pull.

As I was pulling the sled backward the very last time, Burt drove his VW to the back parking lot where I just happened to be. I thought, “Burt probably thinks I’m mad at him, as I wasn’t my usual self today — and because I jokingly gave him the ‘stink eye’. I’d better let him know that I’m not mad at him.” I yelled, “I love you, Burt! I love Burt!” I was still yelling this as I approached the open garage door of the box, and Kristin said, “Burt’s already left.” This made me smile.

I finished the morning with 100 tri-cep pull-downs and face pulls. At Michael Kelley’s direction, I used a red instead of green band, and did all reps very quickly.

I picked Jeff up from the airport at 4:45, and we made it to the box at 5:12 with just enough time to change into exercise clothes. I had no interest in doing additional accessory work and/or doing the metcon again, so I instead decided to work on C & J form with the 5:15ers.

I did reps @ 75, 95, 105, 115, 135, and 145. Sound familiar? I then did a rep at 155, matching this morning’s weight. Unlike this morning, it only took one attempt. I put 165 on the bar, failed, lowered the weight to 160, and completed the lift on the first attempt. Once again, I did a full squat clean — and then merely push pressed the weight overhead. Once again, I held the weight overhead for a long time, as I Cheri said, “Why didn’t you split jerk? Why didn’t you split jerk it?” I said, “Because I didn’t have to.” I think this may have been funny to the 5:15ers, as they gave me a round of applause. Aw, shucks, folks, I’m blushing just thinking about it.

Oh, that’s another 5# PR. May I just say I achieved a 10# PR and call it a day?

I did one last attempt at 165. I was able to complete a full squat clean, and the bar got over my head — but I wasn’t able to lock it out — probably because I once again push pressed it. I had no intention of attempting again, and instead was just going to practicing jumping with the weight. Michael Kelley thought I was indeed attempting another PR, and said, “Why not just work on form? Put 70% of your one rep max on the bar, and do a clean & jerk every minute on the minute.” As the 5:15ers were two minutes into the metcon, this would leave me ten rounds. As I don’t like math, I stripped the bar and left the 45# plates on the end for a total of 135#. Uhm, 70% of 160 is 112, so 115# would have sufficed. I completed 3 rounds and thought, “If my bodyweight feels so surreal, why not try to get used to having that weight over my head?” I added 2, 5# plates for a total of 145#. (Burt, I weight 145 pounds. I just thought you’d like to know.) I did 7 reps at this weight.

My form is improving, although I still tend land on my heel with my back, left foot. I need someone, anyone, yelling at me to remind me. Any takers?

Tags: clean & jerk PR

This entry was posted on September 4, 2012 at 8:08 pm and is filed under CrossFit. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.