On Hard Work

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Good Morning!

I ‘d like to think that I live a colorful life– Trying new foods, being fearless by diving into new adventures… Even those that scare me a bit, not caring a bit about what folks think, taking calculating risks, generously giving from the heart, helping others improve the quality of their life and hall-assing from the status quo nonsense. Yep, that is me and without apology.

With a few hefty personal and professional goals ahead of me in 2015, I have much work to do. Roger Staubach’s quote resonated with me this morning and I realize that I need to shift priorities, establish a new balance between daily fitness, family, career, and fun.

Hmm… This shall be interesting and fun. Similar to bodybuilding, it is time to shift things up a bit. 🙂

Have a maaaaarevlous day peeps!

Workout Of The Day

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“To the timid soul, nothing is possible.

To the aggressor,

everything is possible.”

– John Bach, NBA Coach

Monday, December 16, 2013 –  (8 more shopping days til Christmas)

Warm Up:       3 Rounds – 5 Jump Squats, 10 Push Ups, 10 Air Squats

Mobility: 7 Min

WOD: 21 – 15 – 9

Power Clean (115/75)
Burpee
Rest 2 Min
**REPEAT**
20 Min Cap

SWOD: 5 Min EMOM of

5 Strict Press **Go Up As Needed**

Buyout: Cal Row 2 Min AMRAP
Rest 1 Min

2 Min AMRAP ABMAT Sit Up Wall ball (20/14)

The word “timid” is often and inappropriately associated with females.  Growing up I was surrounded and dominated by males my age and older. One particular cousin made it his business to try— notice the word “try” to show me that boys always win over girls.  Ha! Ha!  Pre-puberty years created an equal playing ground and I also enjoyed the wins.

Only two months separated us in age, but once the teen years arrived, the physical battles became an uphill battle.  In my mind, beating 15-year-old Curt was always possibly.  To win, I physically fought hard and sometimes dirty.   In the back yard, I took the hits, never let him see me cry, bit down and came back fighting with a vengeance.

Today we laugh at the silliness of our competitive spirits, but those early years seasoned me and toughened me well for life.

The WOD today was definitely not for the timid.  LOL!  As with many WOD’s, the door to the mental opportunity to quit is always cracked.   From the start, you’ve gotta slam the door shut.  If not, you’re done.

21 – 15 – 9 Power cleans and burpees were exhausting today.  I tried to make the 20 minute cap, but ran out of time after my last 9 power cleans.  I fell short, by 9 burpees.  But the good?  I did my first 21 at 75 pounds!!!  Heeey!!  I dropped down to 65 pounds for the 15 and 9.  What a different 10 pounds can make!    I am also mindful that I cannot afford injuries while training for the spring’s figure competition.  Better safe than sorry.

Okay, so the 5 minutes of strict press were no joke either.   I completed the first minute with 55 pounds.  I managed to squeeze out 4 on minute two.  When I could not get the bar past my the top of my head without using my legs, I knew I needed to decrease my weight.  There’s no shame in my game.  Respectfully I finished the rounds with 45 pounds.  I’m getting stronger!

I’m finally running out of steam and need to re-energize…   SLEEP!

Sweet dreams!

Tuesday’s WOD

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The “big storm” forecasted for the Jersey Shore today was a bust.  By six this morning, the school closing list was longer than I cared to read.  My district was not on the list because they opted for an early dismissal at 12:15 p.m.  By three this afternoon, the roads in my area were wet, but were not impacted by the snow.

By noon I planned to drive straight home and take a much-needed siesta.  Now ask me if I took my nap?  No!  Instead I went to CrossFit.  I know.  How the heck did I go from sleeping to an doing an intense workout?  Well for the past two weeks, I have worked out hard in the gym, but missed CrossFit.

While I prepped my steel oats in a crock pot, I dreamt of sleeping knotted up on the sofa under a soft throw blanket.  Then my friend nudged me with a text, “Are you going to CrossFit?”  It has been a few weeks since we’ve taken a class together.  I floundered for a minute or two, then I realized that I should go, so I agreed to the 3:30 p.m.

Today’s WOD

Warm up:

3 rounds
10 kb swings
10 push ups
10 jump tucks

Mobility: 7 min

SWOD:

8 min EMOM – 2 cleans, go up as needed

WOD:  “Roy”

5 rounds
15 deads 225/155
20 box jumps 24 inch/20 inch
25 pull ups

25 min cap

November 11, 2013, I dead lifted 75 pounds (25-15-9) in CrossFit.  Wow! What a difference a month makes.  I did five rounds at 125!  Woot! Woot!

I started my pull ups with a medium-sized blue band, but quickly abandoned it for a green band.  It felt good to be back in class; I missed the rush.

Anyways, I didn’t think I would finish the WOD within the 25 min cap, but darn if I didn’t come close!  Thanks to a coach who pushed me through round four, I only fell short of completing round 5 by 13 pull ups!   Kudos to Lisa; she is good at pushing hard.

The mind is so powerful!  The ability to control our mind is rooted within us.  Yet, if we are not careful, we can easily fall victim to negative thoughts, which can sabotage our ability to succeed.

I “thought” I was too sleepy to do anything, but I was wrong.  After CrossFit, I felt energized.  I’m so glad that my friend texted me.

Training for next year’s figure competition is going well.  I am amazed at my progress and the subtle changes in my body.  Within the week, I will post pictures.  For now, I must get me some Zzzzz.

Sweet dreams!

Say WOD?

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At school today, every time a student or colleague asked, “What’s today’s date?”  I eagerly responded, “11-12-13” and chuckled.  I know– corny! LOL!   Little did I know how much counting I would do later this afternoon.

Gingerly I stroll into CrossFit. I glance to my left to casually read the WOD, hand written on the white board, and stop dead in my tracks. To clarify what I think I just read, I move closer re-read the board.  Mmm… the numbers didn’t change.  Oh my! How on earth am I going to do all that?

“Angie” had been waiting for me all day. What the heck!?  Really??  All in one day?  “Angie” is the WOD (workout of the day)

WOD:   Angie

100 Pull ups

100 Push ups

100 Sit ups

100 Air Squats

*You cannot move on to the next exercise until you complete 100 of the first exercise and so on.

A green band assisted me with the 100 pull ups.  After that, the WOD was all about my will and my desire to finish.  My classmates moved faster than me, but I focused on my counts, my form, and just finishing the WOD.  I was the last woman standing.  Seriously, as I started my sit ups, they (2 women and 3 men) were finished and had moved on to cooling down and stretching.  Steadily I focused on finishing.

The best way to complete a WOD like this is to break each exercise into sets of 10.  Pause and do 10 more and so on.  It reminds me, of my approach to running long distance. You focus on each step, then each mile and before you know it, you’ve reached your distance goal of 10 miles or whatever your goal is.

I completed the WOD in 25:39!    Until we meet again Angie!

Monday’s WOD

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SWOD: 5 rounds of:

OTM (on the minute) 1: 3 Snatch (TNG) @ 75% or Med light + 30 Du’s (double under’s) or 15 Box jumps
OTM (on the minute) 2: Rest
3 mins for transition
4 EMOM (every minute on of 5 back squats @ 80%, Last set do AMRAP (as many reps as possible) score reps
2 mins transition

WOD:
21 – 15 – 9
Deadlifts (225/135) use Snatch grip
HSPU (handstand push ups)

Today was my first day back to work since last Monday.   Family and friends don’t think that I have days when I don’t feel like working out, but I do.  Today was one of those days.   Time seemed to pass in super slow motion.  You know, like the instant replay during a Sunday afternoon pro football game.

Folks don’t realize that days like today, I push myself just to get there.  If you’re committed to a healthy lifestyle or maybe you have a personal goal of some sort, you have no other choice but to push yourself to do what you gotta do.  I set a goal to compete in May.  And although I could not work out with my trainer today, nothing prevented me from squeezing in an hour-long crossFit class.  So as tired as I was, I went to class.  Of course, I felt better afterward, but the long day has finally caught up to me.

Right now, I’m too sleepy to say what I really want to say.  My eyes are watery and runny like I’m watching some sad love story.  On top of that, I’m slowly bopping my head to the grove of Jaheim’s, Appreciation Day CD, which of course, is putting me in a completely different mode.  Ha! ha!

Anyway, I’m a little irked with myself.  Why?  Because I heeded to the instructor’s warning a little too much to be careful with the deadlifts.  I only lifted 75 pounds and in the end, I realized I could have lifted a heavier weight.  I blew through the 21-15-9 deadlifts and handstand push ups, off the 20 Inch box, in less than 6 minutes.  Next time I am going to take the time to figure out my max and work my way from there.

Okay, seriously, after CrossFit, I sat on the sidelines of B’Dazzles’s football practice til 8 p.m.  I’m delirious and have to get some sleep.

Sweet dreams!

Better Than A Cup Of Coffee

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WOD:  “Titus”

10 Min AMRAP

5 Thrusters (155/115)

5 Burpee Over The Bar  *Score total reps

3 Min Rest/Transition

SWOD:  3 RDS

6 Turkish Get up (3L/3R)

Then Do:  5 RDS:

5 Strict Toes To Bar (3 Sec. up/down)

10 Strict V-Ups (3 Sec. up/down)

Working out at 9:30 a.m. on a weekday morning  was invigorating!  Oh how I miss it!   When the instructor asked for feedback about the WOD, I said that, “it was better than a cup of coffee.”

True, I’m getting stronger, but 115 pound thrusters for the women?  Nope.  I don’t think so!  LOL!!  I worked hard lifting at 75 pounds because I’m still perfecting my form.  I like to remind myself that form is more important than trying to impress others with heavier weights.  In due time, the heavier weights will come.   With a competition six months away, this is not the time for an injury.  My score:  20 (in 10 minutes).

The Turkish Get ups are difficult and require good focus.  I left a puddle of sweat on the floor, but I did them well;  consistently and methodically.  Yay!!  It’s hard to imagine that back in July, I could barely do one Turkish Get up.  That is one of the amazing benefits of CrossFit.  If you stick with it, you will see results.

No matter how hard, you push and push until you think you have nothing left.  Then… push some more!