My kitty, Meg!
As September 28 approaches, the day I lost my beloved dog, Xander, I’m becoming more and more depressed. I had myself a good cry on the way to CFZ this morning. I’m allowed. Most fellow athletes look like shit that early in the morning, so I don’t think anyone was even aware of my puffy eyes and frowned face. I certainly wasn’t my somewhat-but-not-all-of-the-time self.
My friend and Head Coach Michael Kelley led today’s session, and we began with a review of the snatch. Oh, joy. The snatch.
Snatch – Determine 1RM
I just wasn’t feeling it today, and this may be due in part to my having perhaps overdone it last night. You think? Who programmed that workout? Oh, right, Michael Kelley. While I feel much more confident with the snatch, I didn’t feel at all strong this morning. Here’s my dilemma: I’m strong enough to power snatch 90#, but balk if completing full snatch with 95#. I know that I have to keep the weight light and focus on form, form, form. Michael Kelley did say that my speed dropping under the bar has improved.
Today was to have been a partner metcon, but as there weren’t that many in attendance at the 6am session (for the second day in a row!) we were all able to complete the metcon solo. I would have done so, regardless.
15-minute AMRAP
60m sled pulls 100m farmer’s walk holding 52# kettle bells
10 box jumps
Maximum number of toes to bar
There was no way that I was going to pull that damn sled this morning, and Michael Kelley was kind enough to suggest substituting a 60m farmer’s walk instead, you know, because toes to bar doesn’t involve grip strength or use of the forearms. I made the workout that much more challenging by increasing the distance to 100m.
My legs felt stiff and tired. I wanted to jump 36” but settled on 35”. Could I have jumped 36”? Perhaps. However, I attempted this height a few times and was never able to force myself to jump. It happens. Or in this case it doesn’t happen.
I determined that I would complete unbroken, kipping toes to bar. In other words, as soon as I couldn’t string them together I dropped from the bar.
I completed the first 2 rounds of farmer’s walks without putting down the kettle bells. For the remaining rounds I put down the kettle bells at the 50m turnaround. In retrospect I should have done this for all rounds, if for no other reason than the handles of the 2 kettle bells are of different diameters, and when I placed them down at the turnaround I made sure to switch hands. I also jogged after the first 2 rounds, as I wanted to put down the kettle bells as quickly as I could. Talk about a test of grip strength…
I completed the first 4 rounds of box jumps unbroken and at the same, steady and rather quick pace. However, I missed the 5th jump during the last round, and banged my left shin. I attempted again – and missed again, once again hitting my left shin. I focused and completed the remaining jumps without incident.
Unbroken, kipping toes to bar are coming along swimmingly, and I completed in reps of 18, 14, 11, 11, & 11.
I completed a total of 5 rounds + 50m farmer’s walk; 550m, 50 box jumps, and 65 toes to bar total.
For the last 50m farmer’s walk I wasn’t thinking clearly, and walked to the farthest point, i.e., 25m, as the time ran out. Thus, I had to farmer’s walk the kettle bells another 25m to return to the box. Damn it.
Tomorrow is 1RM bench press with chains, kettle bells, etc. I can smell the testosterone already… Perhaps I’ll rest or go to CFD.
Ouch.
