CrossFit - 28Nov

CFT

- 1RM Back Squat
- 1RM Shoulder Press
- 1RM Deadlift

Another "bad" day. I just feel like even though my stamina and muscular endurance are improving, I can't catch a break with the strength stuff. This is why I started the MEBB program a few weeks ago. Yeah, maybe I'm fatigued from yesterday/last week/last month....but what about every other CFT that I've done: it's not like I was fresh for those. Hell, I was fresh for the PL competition and I still was stuck at 275 on the Squats.

Today I barely was able to get 145 on Shoulder Press, and still can't get 285 on the Squats. I only did 315 on the Deadlift because I'd lost all my drive at that point. I'm going to stick with the MEBB stuff until the next CFT comes up, and if I don't see improvements, then I'll just have to accept that it isn't working and go back to just doing the WODs.

Soccer - 27Nov

Played vs. the high school team today. They are basically a JV team, and it was pretty much a waste of laundry. I didn't do anything, just stood around in the goal for an hour and occasionally kicked a ball or two.

CrossFit - 26Nov (pm)

After the soccer game did today's WOD.

Weighted Pullups
1-1-1-1-1-1-1

45
55
65
75
85
95 (PR)
100 (F) The bar was about eye-level.
95

Soccer - 26Nov (pm)

Played in goal tonight. Didn't get much action, I'm still really rusty. Hopefully, I'll be able to start getting back into form soon.

Athletics - 1
A Squad - 1

CrossFit - 26Nov (am)

"Elizabeth"

21-15-9
- Cleans
- Ring Dips

Just like last time, this was brutal. The cleans take so much out of you that by the time you get to the rings, you're in full O2 debt. Good stuff! I can tell I'm still feeling the effects of being sick. I feel back to normal, just seem to get winded sooner than usual.

Total Time: 19:05

CrossFit - 25Nov (pm)

MEBB

5 x 5
- Weighted Ring Dips

Felt pretty good. It's definately tough keeping everything steady with the extra weight, but I'm happy with this being my first attempt at weighted dips (on the rings!).

25
30
35
45
50 (F #5)

CrossFit - 24Nov

"Nancy"

5 Rounds
- Run 400m
- 15 x 95-lbs Overhead Squats

This was pretty brutal. I made sure that every rep was honest: butt-to-ankles. OHS are definately a major weakness of mine. Need to get savvy with them before the Cert.

Total Time: ~21:25 (I finished in 22:25 but was at the crappy 24-hour gym on base and some guy took my OHS bar after my first run, so I had to get a new bar and set it up.)

Soccer - 23Nov (pm)

Played against the #1 team - NEX. We held them scoreless until 10 minutes left in the match. I played defense and central midfield until after the 3rd goal when I finally went between the posts. I made one breakaway save to at least keep the score down. It's been way too long!

Athletics - 0
NEX - 3

Soccer - 21Nov (pm)

First game of soccer in 2+ years. Played right defense and sweeper. It felt great to get back out there. I even got an assist on 1 of Nate's 2 goals!

Athletics - 7
NEX Generation - 1

Rest Day - 23Nov

OK, I'm sick. It's sinuses and a little bit of phlegm in my lungs, but nothing too serious. I'll sleep it off in a few days.

CrossFit - 22Nov (am)

Was supposed to be 30 muscle-ups for time, but I just wasn't in it today. Felt sick and run down. After only getting 8 MUs in 28 minutes, I just call it a day and went to bed.

CrossFit - 21Nov(am)

"Helen"

- Run 400m
- 21 KB Swings, 55-lbs
- 12 Pullups

Gonna try to go sub-10...gotta find 14 seconds somewhere!

Got my sub-10 (and a 40-sec PR)!

For the record, eating a pint of Ben and Jerry's New York Super Fudge Chunk 7 hours prior to the WOD is a BAD idea. I was fighting back Pukie the entire time...I'm proud that I've never met him, and I kept the streak alive today, even though I had a RAGING headache and 20+ minutes later I still feel worse than I've ever felt after a WOD.

Total Time: 9:34

CrossFit - 20Nov (am)

Today's WOD was Clean & Jerk (3-3-3-3-3), but since I'm still working with the MEBB stuff, I changed the workout to 5x5.

- 135
- 145
- 155
- 165
- 185 (F #5)

I'm really happy with this. My right wrist is still bothering me a little bit, so I couldn't get as aggressive as I wanted to on the last set. Overall though, very good day! I felt completely in control on almost every rep.

Rest Day - 19 Nov

Ah, good ol' rest day!

CrossFit - 18Nov (pm)

"Filthy Fifty"

For time:
- 50 Box Jumps, 24" box
- 50 Jumping Pull-ups
- 50 Kettlebell Swings, 35-lbs
- Walking Lunge, 50 steps
- 50 Knees to elbows
- 50 Push press, 45-lbs
- 50 Back Extensions
- 50 Wall Ball shots, 20-lbs ball (subbed 18-lbs ball-didn't have 20-lbs)
- 50 Burpees
- 50 Double Unders

Even though my time was slower than last time, my K2E were much better and I subbed 100 single unders instead of doing the double unders. I finished the Burpees at 29-flat, so I was definately ahead of pace by about 1 minute - give or take - compared to last time I did this workout.

Total Time: 32:27

CrossFit - 17Nov (pm)

"Michael"

3 Rounds for time
- Run 800m
- 50 Back Extensions
- 50 Sit-ups

I was wiped out today; put out 100% - no sandbagging and came in at an abysmal 24:01...well off my best time but considering the fact that I've put it all out there 3 times in less than 24-hours, I'm not upset at all.

Total Time: 24:01

Swimming - 17Nov (am)

I did the Swim Across the Bay here on base this morning, 2+ miles with a strong freaking current. I felt great until there was about 3/4 through, then my legs started cramping every time I tried to push through the current. I'm really happy with this though, I've never swam even remotely close to this kind of distance/time. The top finishers were around 1:40 minutes, so this was a loooong 2 miles.

Total Time: ~2:15

Powerlifting Competition - 16Nov

Today was the Powerlifting Competition on base that I've been waiting for. The winners (overall and for each event) were determined by percentages of bodyweight. The events were

- Squat
- Deadlift
- Bench Press

The rules were essentially you get 3 attempts per exercise, hopefully building up weight each time.

I did a nice, easy squat warm-up consisting of 5 x 95, 3 x 135, 1 x 185 prior to the start.

Squat
245
275
295 (F)

My PR is technically 315 (and it may not have been full range - I didn't have anyone around to watch my depth, it felt like it was...but after today I have a feeling that it wasn't) but that was at 195-lbs, so I'm not too discouraged...I just need to keep working on my squats! I KNOW I've hit 275 butt-to-ankles before, so I think I'm going to regress and call that my TRUE PR and work from there.

I then did a warm up for the Deadlift: 5 x 135, 3 x 185, 1 x 225

Deadlift
315
345
385 (Tie PR!!!) This was UGLY!, but that's OK, a lift is a lift.

I was debating if I should go with 365, 375, or 385 for my final lift almost all the way until it was time for me to step back up to the platform. I felt good at 345, so I decided, "Hell, why not!" It paid off, but it was DEFINATELY my max.

Warm up for the bench 3 x 135, 1 x 155

Bench Press
185
215
235 (F) - Got hung halfway up. In hindsight, I should've gone 225-lbs, but I was feeling confident after the Deadlift and 215 felt pretty easy. Sometimes you just gotta go with your instincts and not be afraid. It just didn't pay off this time. After the competition, I went to the weight room and hit 225 just so I could tell myself that I COULD hit that weight.

Total Weight: 875-lbs (4.81 x bodyweight)

I was hoping for 5 x bodyweight, but I'm very happy with these results for my first competition. Unfortunately, they didn't have running totals going after each event, nor did they tell everyone's final standings, maybe they'll post them somewhere so everyone can see were they fell overall. The winner put up a total of 1305-lbs at 195-lbs bodyweight, so I was way in the back...but can he do a muscle-up? HAHA!

I wanted to thank everyone on the CrossFit.com forums for giving me ALOT of great advice that REALLY REALLY helped me out!

Rest Day - 15Nov

On CrossFit.com today, the mental WOD is to select and post your favorite quote.

I WILL PERSIST
By Og Mandino

I will persist until I succeed. I was not delivered unto this world in defeat, nor does failure course in my veins.
I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd, I am a lion and I refuse to walk, to talk, to sleep with the sheep.
I will hear not those who weep and complain, for their disease is contagious. Let them join the sheep.
The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny.
I will persist until I succeed.
The prizes of life are at the end of each journey not near the beginning, and it is not given unto me to know how many steps are necessary in order to reach my goal.
Failure I may still encounter at the thousandth step, yet success hides behind the next bend in the road.
Never will I know how close it lies unless I take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another and yet another.
In truth one step at a time is not that difficult.

Powerlifting - 14Nov (am)

Prep workout for Friday's Powerlifting Competition

5-4-3-2-1
Deadlift: 155
Bench Press: 115
Squat: 135

I feel like apologizing for today's 3 Bars of Death aka "Linda," I feel like it's my fault since I mentioned that bitch's name. I'm terrified to see what would happen if I said it 3 times into a mirror...

Anywho, it should go without saying that this workout would've been WAAAAAY too easy under any other circumstance. I took my time and really focused on form/technique (especially the pause at the bottom of the BP). It only took me about 7 minutes to go all the way through, and I barely broke a sweat, exactly how I wanted it.

What was messed up was that Justin was doing the real "Linda" - albeit scaled down for his first time with her - right next to me, so I blasted through mine and then motivated him for the next 35 minutes (42 total). He was cussing me the whole way, "How the hell did you convince me to start this CrossFit stuff?!" I just laughed and told him to get back on the bar...