Totally Come A Long Way, Baby

This morning marked my fifth CrossFit Total.  The Total is a workout that consists of three attempts at a max for the backsquat, the press and the deadlift.  Your score, or "total," is the sum of your heaviest lifts.

My very first Total came right at the beginning of my CrossFit career - February 24, 2010.  I was as green as can be and a fish out of water.  I didn't know where the weights were and couldn't adjust the rack, let alone lift.  I wish I had this on tape.  My backsquat was 94 (I can't explain this number; it's what I wrote down.).  My press was 48.  My deadlift was 128.  Total: 270#.

I did this workout again that fall, on October 13, 2010.  By then, I had moved to CrossFit Metropolis.  I backsquatted 105.  My press was 55.  My deadlift score was zero.  I had started going for 145 (my then one-rep-max) and couldn't make it happen.  Total: 160#.

My next total was on January 30, 2011.  (Seriously, click the link - there's video.)  My backsquat was still 105 and my press was still 55, but my deadlift went up to 165.  Total: 325#.

I videotaped the next one, too - on March 20, 2011.  My backsquat was still 105.  My press jumped up to 65, and I deadlifted 190.  Total: 360#.

All of these feel like they happened in another life.  So much has changed in the past two years, and particularly since I started coaching last year.  My technique is better (phew!) and my approach to training is so much more methodical and deliberate.  In that first Total post, I talk about wanting to feel at ease at the box.  These days, Metropolis is very much my home.

Today, I backsquated 135 (PR), pressed 70 and deadlifted 200 (PR).  Total: 405.

Objectively speaking, my numbers aren't anything spectacular - there was a guy today whose deadlift alone was 405 - but I am super jazzed about the improvement that I continue to see.  

And as excited as I was about my gains, I was even happier for the woman I shared the bar with this morning.  She's fairly new to CrossFit, but dedicated and strong.  She bested me on every lift setting new - and substantial - PR's for herself.  It was exciting to be a part of that.

Looking back at these old posts, I see that it's not just me who has grown over the past few years; CrossFit Metropolis has evolved into such an amazing place.  We've come a long way since the days when we were a dirty little gym with two racks and two rowers and a single coach.  I can't wait to see what happens next.

-Gym Belle-

Flower power for 13.5 #gympressions

via Instagram http://instagram.com/p/XxSkKLkRKc/

Week in Review 3/17/13

It's been a hectic month, and I am seriously behind in my weekly updates.  It would take a lot of effort to recreate the two missing weeks.  Instead, I'll give you the highlights:

1. 5K PR: 26:05
2. Snatch PR: 75 lbs (three times!)
3. Tried Kira Stokes' Rip Ride at Revolve with the Fitmapped crew (first spin class in a long time)
4. Tried 13.1 twice on my birthday - scored 100 both times. 

And now back to our regularly scheduled programming.

Monday

Rest

Tuesday

Adult Gymnastics at Chelsea Piers.  

I had always been curious to try this class, and this week I really needed the playtime.  The class was 90 minutes long.  For the first 30 minutes, we stretched and then worked on hollow position holds and pushups - all good stuff.  The stretching made me feel less guilty about skipping yoga to go to gymnastics.  Once we were warm, we worked on kicking up to free-standing handstands, and then we started tumbling.  I was a mess, but the instructors were really encouraging.  I'm thinking that I should add a back handspring to my 2013 goals.

Wednesday

Oly Practice: Lots of shoulder mobility/accessory work, and then worked up to three 70lb snatches.

WOD: This was an utter disaster of double-unders and 95lb backsquats.  I still have whip marks all over my arms.

Thursday

10K time trial: 56:03.  This was a beautiful sunrise run with a friend, but not the true time trial I meant to do. I know I can do this  faster.  My 10K PR from 2011 is 54:04.

Friday

Shoulder mobility/accessory work.

Saturday

Oly Practice: Snatch: 53x2-58-63-68-73(f)-73(f)-73(f)-73(f)-73-73-73.  This was awesome.  Even though I technically snatched 75lbs three times last week, they were all super ugly power snatches, so, in a way, 73lbs felt like a PR.  And after four failed reps, it felt so good to start making that lift.

CrossFit Games Open WOD 13.2 (10 minute AMRAP of 5 75lb shoulder-to-overheads, 10 75lb deadlifts and 15 box jumps/step-ups at 20"): 195 reps.  I fell short of my 7 round goal, but I was happy with it.  Getting 75lbs overhead is no joke for me.  I jerked from the beginning, which I think was the right call.  Unfortunately, I had to break up the last two sets of five; that slowed me down a lot.  

Sunday

Endurance WOD: 3x 1000m sprints with 3 minutes rest between sprints:

1) 4:42 (7:34 pace)
2) 4:34 (7:21 pace)
3) 4:37 (7:26 pace)

-Gym Belle-