Amanda @ 135#

Today was my rest day but I felt the need to work on a few things. I wanted to work on heavy snatches and muscle ups. So, I came up with the idea of doing Amanda @ the men's RX weight. I weighed myself this morning, 138#, so this work out was pretty close to body weight. I played around with false grip vs non-false grip, still finding false grip to be better for me for now.

Let's first talk about the muscle ups: My first set of 9 felt okay, a bit slower than I had planned for but I was not sure how to pace and I didn't want to blow it. After my snatches, I came back to the rings and I flew. Muscle ups never felt better, and I have never been so excited to be back on the rings in a metcon because that's usually the most challenging part for me. My last set felt great, I was able to string a double together and finish off with singles in a timely manner.
The snatches.... they felt heavy today! This is exactly why I wanted to work on them. After muscle ups, which really fatigue my shoulders and core, better form was extremely necessary. In the video you can see me "fighting" for a few snatches, and barely winning. The snatches that were successful were completed with better form. I think to myself "fly the bar up and just get under it" There is too much to think about and if I start thinking about the position, or the deadlift I get thrown off. I wasn't trying to set a PR so perfect form wasn't necessary, just good enough form to sneak under the bar.

I estimated that it would take me about 30 minutes, but my time was a bit longer, I struggled with the snatches more than I thought I would, but it's still cool to be able to complete the work out Men's RX! It's been a while since I did heavy snatches so that's partly why I chose this work out. It was a good test to see how I could do both heavy snatches and muscle ups with a heavy shoulder work out. More consistent practice will help me improve my time in the future. I have only done women's RX at regionals as a team which I think Matt and I completed 17 minutes or so, I'd like to think I could do Amanda at women's RX in a decent time. 8 +/- 1 minute. Muscle ups will be the deciding factor, whereas the snatches in this work out hurt me. I could do 9-7-5 snatches unbroken and last time I did it I did 7-5 unbroken but I had small rests. When I do women's RX, I will probably do 4/5, 7, 5, and muscle ups in doubles or singles. I plan to test this soon, I just need to find the right time to do it (training schedule/attitude: since it is a benchmark I always feel more pressure).

So for today:
9-7-5
Muscle ups
Snatches (135#)

*@ bw 138#
*Female
*21 Years old

This was a good little boost because the past week of training was tough, I didn't do as well as I hoped and school is currently consuming most of my time/energy. I think the video does a good job of demonstrating how the work out almost gets "easier" for me as a go. Yes the reps decrease, but the # of failed attempts also decreases drastically.
I used to dream about snatching 135# just one time. Now I can handle it in a metcon. My current PR is just over 150# so 135# is about 90%...HERE WE GO!!

Touch & Go!

TRAINING:

part 1:
5 sets @ 97%:
5 squat snatch TnG heavy
5 power clean TnG same weight
10 explosive burpee broad jumps
rest walk 6 min b/t sets - record distance per set of BBJ's

rest 6+ hours

part 2:
Airdyne
40 sec @ maximal effort
Rest WALK 6:20 x 8
(record cals/set)

RESULTS:
1. 115# (21.30 m)
2. 115# (20.03 m)
3. 115# (20.54 m)
4. 115# (4) (19.63 m)
5. 115# (20.30 m)

Really happy that I was able to do 115# for the sets! Sets improve throughout the video. I really let my form and technique go when I do the tng reps. I cannot bring the bar down and get in a great set up position unless I rest the bar on the ground. As you can see in the video, my ass is way up.

Part 2:
No monitor on airdyne but kept it maxed out for 40 seconds which was the best i've ever done. Quads were burning and it was very uncomfortable. Realized that my seat has always been too low so I made it much higher and was able to keep better posture.

Double Day & Double PR!

TRAINING:
Part 1:
A. Back Squat - build to a tough single; rest as needed - NOT a 1RM
B. 85% of A - amrap x 1 set @ 30X0
+
50 HSPU for time:
every time you break you perform 4 rope climbs
Part 2:
-Max Snatch
-Max Clean & Jerk

RESULTS:
Part 1:
A. 225# (pr) saved a little, max today i would like to think @ 235#
B. 3 reps @ 190#... wow that was hard
+
12:54

all HSPU strict (15, 10, 10, 6, 9)
Part 2:
-Snatch 135#
- Clean and Jerk 165#
Wasn't really feeling the jerk. Shoulders were fatigued and I wasn't hitting 170#, and every retry I had to clean the weight again which wasn't exactly easy. So I decided to skip the jerk and max out on squat clean only and hit 185# (pr)

Max's & OPT

The first part of my training today was to find my max snatch, clean and jerk, and front squat for today.
Results:
Snatch 135#
C & J 165#
Front Squat 190#
Snatch: I was so close to 140#, and it is a little frustrating that I didn't end up getting it, but hopefully next time. 135# ties my previous PR and I hit it on my first try.
C & J: I haven't done a clean and jerk max since the 2010 norcal qualifier where I think I did somewhere around 140#. The jerk is clearly my limiting factor. I need to really work on my jerk and learn how to do it because I refuse to drop and I am always pressing the bar out.
Front squat: I am trying to build up my front squat but today I didn't feel very strong. 190# ties my previous PR, which is better than my attempt about a week ago, where I maxed out at 185#, but I really want to break 200# soon.
Part 2:
TRAINING:
5 sets @ 97%:
10 Front Squat heavy
5 rope ascents - 20'
Row 400 m
rest walk 6 min b/t sets
(add weight per set to FS)
RESULTS:
Did 6 rope climbs per round on a 14' rope, reach up to 15'

front squat load/ time

125#/5:40
130#/ 5:56
135#/6:26
140#/7:21
145#/ 7:51

all front squats were unbroken, and almost every rope climb was done in 2 pulls. i used a weight belt for my last set at 145# because my back/core was destroyed after 140#. Overall, I felt pretty good during the front squats. Last week I was squatting 150# and it was a tough triple, today I surprised myself and hit 145# for 10 unbroken reps which was pretty cool.

New Snatch PR!

TRAINING:
A. Snatch - build to a 1RM - rest as needed
B. Thruster practice - 7 min
+
C. 5 rds for time:
10 toes to bar
10 KBS - 1.5/1pd
10 burpees
RESULTS:
A. 135# New PR!
B. Thruster Ladder completed 145#, fail 155# (too far in front)
C. 8:47

Cadence Training Day

Today I did the WOD at my gym CrossFit Cadence. We started a "Mayleo Paleo" challenge, and although I am not committing, it will be a good time to clean up my eating. I have figured out the way I need to eat to get by and do well, committing to a true "Paleo" diet would be unnecessary for the time being;  Eventually I believe I will eat a very clean Paleo diet, but for now I will just stick to eating "healthier" without the stress of logging and watching every single food I consume.
I decided to do the test at the gym since I have only worked out once in the past week and fought a sickness. I feel weak and out of shape so I will see how much I improve on my health and fitness by the end of the month. I know there is a lot of room for improvement and I am excited to see what my numbers will be like in a month!
TRAINING:
1 attempt for max reps of:
-Strict Pull-Ups COVP
-Strict Ring Dips
- OHS @ 95#
then
For Time:
- 1 Squat Snatches (95#)+ 50 Double Unders
- 2 Squat Snatches (95#)+ 40 Double Unders
- 3 Squat Snatches (95#)+ 30 Double Unders
- 4 Squat Snatches (95#)+ 20 Double Unders
- 5 Squat Snatches (95#)+ 10 Double Unders
RESULTS:
- 12 Pull-Ups
- 11 Dips
- 17 OHS
Metcon: 5:23
*50, 40 and 30 DU were unbroken, snatches felt heavy. Last set of 10 DU gave me trouble, took about 25 seconds to complete.

Snatches, HSPU, T2B

Today I did the WOD from the gym I train at, Crossfit Cadence. The programming I have been following for the past few weeks (OPT) had a rest day programmed today. I skipped the training on saturday because I felt so awful from 11.3 and yesterday was a lighter work out, hoping to recover, so I needed to hit it hard today.
TRAINING:
5 Rounds:
-5 Snatch @ 95#
-10 HSPU
-15 T2B

RESULTS:
Time: 18:02

I had a lot more trouble with the HSPU than I usually do. HSPU are relatively easy for me, but I either have not been keeping up with the movement, or the combination between heavy snatches/ hspu/ t2b made it more difficult than I anticipated. I still would love to see any of these movements show up in the next few weeks of the Open! Here is a video of my work out (Rounds 1 and 5). I am definitely on my toes during my first set of snatches, but I think that got better in the later rounds. I need to get better at keeping my form/technique even when the weight is "light".

OPT Training: Complex, Dips, Pull-ups

TRAINING:

5 sets:
Power Snatch x 1
Snatch Balance x 2
OHS x 3
Hang Squat Snatch x 2
rest 3 min - weight must go up per set
+
Dips - 2-3 wtd; rest 20 sec
Chin Ups - 2-3 wtd; rest 3 min x 3
(wtd = weighted; last set toughest set)

Results:
"Complex":
1. 85#
2. 90#
3. 95#
4. 105# (Fail on Hang Squat Snatch)
5. 105# (Fail on Hang Squat Snatch)
+
1. Dips @ 20# x3, Pull-ups @ 20# x3
2. Dips @ 25# x3, Pull-ups @ 25# x3
3. Dips @ 30# x3, Pull-ups @ 30# x2

My Snatch Balance and OHS felt great, but as the weight increases my squat snatch balance is unsuccessful because of poor bar placement. I feel like I am quick to get under the bar, but my grip is not wide enough, and the bar is too far out in front of me to catch it in a stable position at the bottom of the snatch. I also need to practice the "hook-grip". I hate it, it feels super uncomfortable, but in my first attempt at 105# the hook-grip would have been beneficial because the weight felt like it was "slipping" out of my hand (slipping from lack of strength, I had chalk on my hands).


OPT Training: "Complex", Weighted Dips, Weighted Pull-Ups from Chelsea Ryan on Vimeo.

Snatch!

1 rep max snatch.
My previous pr was 122# and today I was able to do 130#. My form has improved a lot over the past few months. Although I still have a lot to work on, such as keeping the bar close to me and not raising my butt in the first pull, I am very happy with 130#.

Snatch PR! from Chelsea Ryan on Vimeo.