CrossFit Update.

prepare yourselves.. lots of CrossFit talk ahead!

This one's been long overdue! I've gone back to CrossFit three more times since i last blogged... and guys, all i have to say is i LOVE it. It feels like home. 

I love having a coach to give me pointers and to tell me to add just that little bit of extra weight or eek out that one last rep when my brain's telling me that I can't. 

I love being competitive with myself. 

I love pushing myself far beyond what I thought I could. 

I love how everyone sticks together, and everyone cheers the last person on til the end. 

I love the sweat, I love the challenge, I love it all. 

Yeah, I've tasted the crossfit koolaid.. and I'm never going back! The funny thing is, I really was doing a lot of this before in my IFT Barbell class and didn't even realize it. But I also know that there's so much I don't know how to do, and every class I go to I learn something new. 

sweaty post WOD happiness. classic excited Julianna face of course!

Anyway, here's a little recap of the past few days. 

Sunday 6/16/13

Against a 10 minute clock:

1 shoulder press (135/95)

1 L pullup

2 shoulder press

2 L pullup

... continute pattern as high as possible in 10 min

+ 

For time: 

3 rounds:

10 squat cleans (135/95)

20 KB swings (70/53)

30 Double unders

I used 58# for the shoulder press, and used a blue band for the pull-ups. I barely made it through the pull-ups by the end of the 10 minutes, it's definitely one of my weaker skills! Then for the WOD, I used 63# for the squat cleans, a 26# kettlebell, and did 90 singles instead of double unders. Obviously, scaling everything. I could have gone heavier on the squat cleans, but there's always next time! I have no idea how women at my box were using a 53# kettlebell. It's so humbling to see how hard everyone else works, I can't wait to get to where they are someday. 

I took Monday off because I was sore, although I really wanted to go since this week is PR week and we were doing back squats, which I actually haven't done before, surprisingly. Not to mention the WOD was Cindy, which I've only done 10 minutes of before (and I died) and it is 20 minutes long. But I figured that taking the day off was a little bit smarter since I haven't ever done more than 2 days in a row of this type of thing before. 

Yesterday was my kind of workout! I'm great at running and bodyweight stuff (for the most part) so when I saw this WOD I was so stoked. 

Tuesday 6/18/13

Take 15 minutes to establish a 1RM deadlift

+

Max effort 1 mile run

+ 

AMRAP 7 min:

Burpees

I PR'd my deadlift (183 pounds, woot woot!) and on the mile ran it in 6:14. I came in first at my box on that one! And then I did 91 burpees in 7 minutes. I *think* that would've been a PR, but the last time I did the same sort of thing, it was 100 burpees for time and I did them in 8:03. I think I might have been able to fit in 10 more burpees in a minute. I can't wait to beat it next time! Goal is to get 100 in 7 minutes. 

Today, I really, really did not want to go to CrossFit. I've never done clean and jerks before, and that was the entire WOD. I can clean just fine, but I've never done a split-stance jerk (where you basically jump into a lunge as you launch the bar overhead). Because of that, though, I got myself out of bed and I went because if I don't challenge myself, when am I ever going to get better? 

today's WOD:

Wednesday 6/19/13

Take 20 minutes to establish a 1rm Clean and jerk

+

"Grace"

For time:

30 clean and jerk (135/95)

My coach was awesome and helped me make sure I had the movement right in the beginning. I think I caught on pretty quickly, and got up to 103# for the 1rm. I think I could've gone heavier, but with this type of lift, it's so easy to let your head get to you (I mean, you're holding a bunch of weight right over your head!). I almost stopped at 98# when I didn't get 103 on the first try but then tried again after my coach came over and gave me a few pointers, and I got it! 

For Grace, I used 83# and finished in 8:19. I was the last one to finish at my box (most people were done in under 5 minutes and the last person to finish before me was about 7 minutes) but it was really cool because everyone was cheering me on at the end. I was so proud of myself because I made it through with a weight that was pretty heavy and challenging for me. 

After I finished Grace, my feet were killing me! I have been wearing my Nike frees this whole time, but now I want to look into getting a shoe specifically designed for CrossFit. 

Food + first year + summer bucket list updates are coming! For now, I'm off to work soon & tomorrow I'm going whitewater rafting with my dad and brother. Can't wait! 

for those of you who CrossFit, what's your favorite shoe(s)?