Training Day 20

3 Sets For Warmup
10 Banded Good Mornings
60 second Banded Hip Flexor Stretch
3-5 Ice Cream Makers
20-30 second Pseudo Planche Hold on Rings

+

A. OHS- 3RM, take off 5% for 3, then take off 10% for 3
(205--got 225 once, so that's two PR's.)

B. Power Clean @ 215- 20 reps for time
(4:46--HECK YEAH! They felt great until the last 8-ish. My form started to break down then, but up to that point, I felt really strong.)

+

3 Rounds:
20 Calorie Air Bike
30 Burpees
(12:13--OUCH. Legs were gone.)

Training Day 19

For Time:
30 MU
Row 2000m
(5:12 for MU--down from 6:08. Row was 8:07--definitely not my PR, but my legs were exhausted.)

Rest 8 minutes

For Time:
50 HSPU
100 Calorie Air Bike
(4:16 HSPU--last time was 3:54. I definitely should be better at those. My HSPU have felt so much better. 9:13 for the Air Bike--that just sucks.)

Rest Until You Get To EBCF

10 min AMRAP
Double Unders
(605--up from 453. I thought it was lower, so I thought I got a 170 rep PR. But I'll still take a 152 rep PR.)

Training Day 18

A. Snatch Cluster 1.1--tough set
(175--I hit 185 once and stood it up a second time, but I never got it all the way under control and my arm buckled. SO I say I got 185, but I figure 175 is what you want to know.)

B. Clean and Jerk Cluster 1.1--tough set
(225--thumb ripped when I went to pull 235)

C. Front Rack Lunge--Max Unbroken for 50ft
(195--this was rough!)

D. Reverse Hyper-- 3x20; Rest as needed
(getting easier. Doesn't hurt anymore.)


Bad news. I think my scoliosis is getting worse. My hips are becoming noticeably off (the left one is higher). I could technically just be really tight, but I've been hitting mobility a lot, especially in the hips/back.

Training Day 17

Didn't Run

5 minutes @ High Effort
7 Push Press (135)
7 Box Jumps (36)
7 TTB
(3--should have gotten more, but my shoulders didn't feel right. They were a little tender from last night)

Rest 3 minutes

5 minutes @ High Effort
3 MU
6 Burpees No Jump
9 KB Swings (70)
(3+7--KB Swings didn't feel good on the erectors)

Rest 3 minutes

5 minutes @ High Effort
5 Strict HSPU
5 Deadlifts (225)
25 DU
(3--deadlifts put a dull pain in my L4/L5 area.)

Rest 3 minutes

5 minutes @ High Effort
10 Front Squats (95)
5 Calorie Bike
(5+5--only one that felt decent.)

As I said, the KB and the Deadlift hurt my back. The KB was muscular and higher (more lower T and upper L), and the deadlift hurt on the spine (typical spot--L4/L5). I spend a lot of time warming up and activating muscles, but I think I'm getting sick again. My body just felt weak and inflamed. After workout, I spent some time mobilizing hips, hamstrings, and glutes.

Training Day 16

3 Sets for Warmup
10 Banded Steps
5 Richardson Curls
20 second L-sit on Rings

+

A. RFE Split Squat with KB's @ 30X1-- 8RM/leg
(70 per leg. Felt like I could have gotten a little more on left leg, but not the right. This is up from 55# per leg.)

B1. Close Grip Bench Press @ 30X1-- 1RM; Rest 30 seconds
(235--last bench press max was 215 at the same tempo, and it wasn't close grip. Huge improvement there.)

B2. Weighted Pull Up @ 20X1-- 1RM; Rest 2 minutes
(64--down from 70 on my last max, but I'm also 13 pounds heavier, so that's actually a 7 pound increase. That counts, right?)

C. TGU-- 1RM per arm
(70 per arm. Didn't feel comfortable enough to attempt the 88. I could barely press it with two hands.)

+

Grace
(2:17--30 second PR from the last time I did it.)

Training Day 15

3 Sets For Warmup
10 Banded Good Mornings
60 Second Banded Hip Stretch
3-5 Ice Cream Makers
20-30 Second Pseudo Planche Hold

+

A. Snatch Cluster 1.1.1--build to tough set
(135,145,155x3--I wasn't very consistent. I missed several lifts.)

B. Clean and Jerk Cluster 1.1.1--build to tough set
(185,205,225--missed the third rep at 225 twice. Then decided to just hit it a few more times because it felt decently solid, I just couldn't do it 3 times in a cluster.)

+

For Time:
Row 500m
100 DU
Row 500m
(4:47--Rows were both right around 1:42. Tripped up on DU a good bit. Wasted about 15 seconds tripping.)

+

Rever Hyper--3x20

Sometimes, People Can't Understand

When you are achieving your goals, you want people to be on board with you. You want people to support you in everything that you do. You want people to understand why you are doing it, and you want them to push you because of that. But what happens when they can't understand?

This past Saturday (October 18), I was doing a small local competition. It was only two workouts, and we do it once a month for a few months a year. It's never really a big deal, and I never try to practice the workouts at all. I just keep going through my regular routine. But this time was a little different.

We started off with two minutes of max rep chest to bar pull ups, rest 2 minutes, and row 1000m for time. Didn't seem too bad. I felt alright. I came in 2nd on the pull ups and 5th on the row. My legs were pretty shot from the row, but it was nothing I had never felt before. But as time passed between that event and my next one, my body started to wear down. I could feel myself getting more fatigued, but it was only one more workout.

I started stretching to get ready for the next workout. I was working on my hips and lower back mostly, because I have a bad lower back and the workout involved a lot of hips. It was 21 snatches, 42 pistols, 15 snatches, 30 pistols, 9 snatches, and 18 pistols. The snatch weight was 115, which isn't really heavy at all. I did my 21 snatches and felt fine. I was wearing my weight belt because I didn't want to sacrifice form at all, but when I started the pistols, I felt weird. So I did my 42 and took my belt off. I did my 15 snatches. They were much slower, as I could feel my back starting to lock up. I finished that and started my pistols again, and I felt it. My back was completely locked up, and it was not going to be pretty for the rest of the workout.

So I pushed through. The last two minutes of my workout, I was fighting tears. I had people yelling at me to keep going (not knowing what was going on in my body), and I had my body yelling stop! It was the most pain I have ever felt in my life. I had never collapsed after a workout with tears in my eyes, but I did this time. My friends got me up and outside to get out of sight of people, and they started to help me move again. Alex (one of the trainers I work with) started stretching me out. I couldn't stand up straight, so I could barely walk. After she got finished stretching me, I could finally move again for the most part. My back was still hurting, I was still crying, and my coach came to talk to me.

He came over and cracked a joke telling me to just walk on my hands to my car (because I love handstand walks). We exchanged a few words about how much pain I was in, why it happened, and what I should do to help, and I left. Later that day, he sent me a text saying that he understands it is hard, but I finished and that's what was important (which I believe is his way of saying he's proud I didn't give up, but he's kind of hard to read due to his dry personality and lack of emotion.) We talked a little about a coaching moment from the day about being positive in workouts because I went in with a negative mindset, and then I told him how I felt about having a chronic condition as an athlete.

I told him "the hardest thing about the back situation is I don't know how I'm supposed to take it. It's not an injury, so I feel like I'm supposed to be able to just work through it. But that clearly doesn't happen." I said this not expecting some amazing words of wisdom or response. I just wanted someone to know that I'm lost in this, and I feel like I've lost some of my identity as an athlete. I feel like I have to find it again, and that's really hard. But his response was "I wish I had more answers for that."

See, that's the thing. He can't have more answers for that. He's never been through this (and I hope he never has to be in my shoes), so he can't understand how I feel. HOWEVER, he can help me to figure out how to do everything I want to do--even with this disease (let's call it what it is--degenerative disc disease). He can teach me how and what to stretch. He can help me to continue to strengthen all of the supporting muscles, and he can help me to find my identity as an athlete again.

So what does it mean when people can't understand how you feel? Absolutely nothing. They can still support and push you as much as you need them to. It's up to you to stop feeling sorry for yourself and put in the work.

Training Day 14

Gymnastics Play Session---which I kind of do every chance I get.
(Got my first freestanding HSPU! Mark it in the books!)

+

2 Sets @ 85%
Max Reps Unbroken MU w/ weighted vest
Run 800m
Rest 4 minutes
(6 MU and 3:18 run--4 MU and 3:25 run. MU got interrupted with the vest. I'll figured something better out next time.)

2 Sets @ 85%
Max Reps Unbroken Kipping HSPU w/ deficit
Row 1000m
(10 HSPU and 3:52 row--7 HSPU and 3:56 row. Fell off the wall on rep 8 of the seconds set. I wasn't at muscle failure on that set. Just lost balance.)

1 Round Not For Time:
30 Ring Dips
30 Pull Ups
100 DU Unbroken
(2:55--even though not for time. 5 sets of 6 on Ring Dips. 20 and 10 on Pullups so I didn't begin to redline. 100 DU unbroken first set.)

Training Day 13

Active Recovery

20 minute Row @ Z1

+

Hip, hamstring, IT Band, and back muscle mobility.  Focused a lot on erectors/thoracis muscles--those are the ones that are still tender.

Training Day 12

JAAL

WOD 1
2 minutes max rep CTB Pullups
(58--first set was 38)

Rest 2 minutes

1000m Row
(3:32--ouch)


WOD 2
21-15-9
Snatches
Alternating Pistols (42-30-18)
(DNF--made it through the 9 pistols. Back locked up after round of 21's, and it was absolutely terrible.)

Training Day 11

No Front Squat today

A1. Close Grip Bench Press @ 33X1, 5x3; Rest 20 seconds
(155,160,165,170,170)

A2. Weighted Pullups @ 20X1, 3x3; Rest 2 minutes
(15,20,25,30,30)

B. Weighted Wind Mills- 3x5 slow and controlled/arm
(26,26,35--hurt going down with my right arm up, but not my left. I could touch the ground easier the way that hurt, though, so it was weird.)

+

For funsies
3 Sets Unbroken:
4 Pullups
3 CTB
2 Bar MU

Training Day 10

3 Sets for Warmup
10 Banded Good Mornings
60 Second Banded Hip Flexor Stretch
3-5 Ice Cream Makers
20-30 Second Pseudo Planche Hold on Rings

+

A. Back Squat @ 20X1- 4RM, then take off 5% and do 4, then take of 10% and do 4
(320 for 4RM--dropped 5% and only did 2 reps then back decided to not cooperate. Next time.)

B. Power Snatch @ 125- 5/minute for 10 minutes
(Didn't feel too hard, but got pretty tiring the last 3. Held hook grip the whole time for the first time since before Pensacola--which means I'm finally getting my grip back.)

+

150 Calorie Air Bike for Time
(11:19--you said I should have been around 11:00. That was not happening today. My legs gave out pretty quickly--like lactic build up was terrible! My recovery was a lot faster afterward than it ever has been, though.)

Training Day 9

3 Rounds @ 85%
4 Unbroken MU w/ weighted vest
400m Run
Rest 2 minutes b/w sets
(1:57,1:47,1:55--the differences came from the run. I could feel when I was running the right pace and when I wasn't.)

+

3 Rounds @ 85%
5 Kipping Deficit HSPU
500m Row
Rest 2 minutes b/w sets
(2:14,2:13,2:14--deficit was 25kg plates + 45lb plates and they felt amazing!)

+

3 Rounds @ 85%
8 Ring Dips
8 CTB
50 DU
(:52,:49,:57--messed up on starting my DU twice in the last set. Got them unbroken when I finally started.)

Today was a good day. I had a lot of fun, and I really felt like I was getting great work in.

Training Day 8

A. Snatch Cluster 1.1.1.1- Build to tough set
(165--tried 170 twice and missed the 4th rep both times. I did 5 sets of the cluster)

B. Clean and Jerk Cluster 1.1.1.1- Build to tough set
(225--I did 185 once and 225 twice. Missed the 4th rep.)

C1. RFE Front Rack Split Squat @ 3030-- 3x8/leg; Rest 30 seconds b/w legs
(95--not very comfortable. I felt so weak)

C2. Reverse Hyper- 3x20; Rest as needed
(50 pounds on it. I hated them, but they definitely help.)

I supersetted the last two because I was short on time.

Training Day 7

Run 20 minutes @ Z1
(ran about a 10:30 pace. Ran 1.98 miles according to my phone.)

+

5 minutes @ high effort
7 Ring Dips
7 Box Jumps (42")
(5+3)

Rest 3 minutes

5 minutes @ high effort
7 CTB
14 Wallballs
21 DU
(3+17)

Rest 3 minutes

15 Ring Push Ups
15 Deadlifts (95)
(4)

Rest 3 minutes

5 Burpees
10 Thrusters (75)
(4+2)

I recruited Rhonda, Josh, and Lauren to do my workout with me, scaling as needed. It was a lot of fun, and I felt so much better about these sets than I did last week. I did feel very taxed today, though.

Training Day 6

3 Sets for Warmup
10 Banded Steps
5 Richardson Curls
10-20 Second L Sit on Rings

+

A. Front Squat- 1RM with 6 second pause at the bottom, 10 second pause at top before racking
(265--missed 275 twice. Just couldn't quite get out of the hole.)

B1. Close Grip Bench Press @ 33X1- 5x4; Rest 30 seconds
(135,145,155,155,155)

B2. Weighted Pull Ups @ 20X1- 5x4; Rest 2 minutes
(25#)

C. TGU- 1RM per arm
(70--heaviest weight at EBCF, but I probably wasn't getting the next weight)

Training Day 5

3 Sets for Warmup
10 Banded Good Mornings
60 Second Banded Hip Flexor Stretch
3-5 Ice Cream Makers
20-30 Second Pseudo Planche Hold on Rings
(first ice cream makers)

+

A. Back Squat @ 20X1- 5RM, then take off 5% and do 5, then take off 10% and do 5
(300--then 285--then 270. I felt pretty good and decently strong in the squats, especially when I took off the percentages. It felt better then than it did before I reached 300.)

B. Power Snatch @ 115#- 5 on the minute for 10 minutes
(Yes--felt fine. Grip is still giving me trouble.)

+

3 Sets @ 85%
7 Unbroken MU
400m Run
Rest 2 minutes
(2:00,2:04,2:09--the run made the difference. And my MU got slow on the third set for the last two.)

Rest 5 minutes

3 Sets @ 85%
7 Deficit Kipping HSPU
500m Row
Rest 2 minutes
(2:21,2:27,2:29--Rowing sucks. HSPU were on 45+35)

Rest 5 minutes

3 Sets @ 85%
3 Bar MU
5 CTB
7 Ring Dips
50 DU
(1:00,1:24,1:26--first set was completely unbroken. Second set I broke ring dips once and messed up a lot on DU. Third set was hard for me to do ring dips; I ended up breaking like 4 times, but DU were unbroken)

Training Day 4

No Run

5 minutes @ high effort

5 HSPU

10 Russian KB Swings (70)

15 Box Jumps (24)

(5+2--HSPU with 45's and an abmat. Decided I wanted to work with a small deficit today. Box jumps all rebounding.)

Rest 3 minutes

5 minutes @ high effort

5 CTB

10 Wallballs (20)

30 DU

(3+8--felt sluggish and wallballs were hurting my back a little.)

Rest 3 minutes

5 minutes @ high effort

10 Ring Dips

10 Deadlifts

10 No Push Up Burpees

(3+26--Ring Dips were hard. Arms were fatigued from yesterday along with HSPU and Wallballs)

Rest 3 minutes

5 minutes @ high effort

2 MU

10 Thrusters (65)

30 DU

(4+2--MU were on rings with a REALLY long chain, which means it basically took my kip out of the picture)

Training Day 3

3 Sets for Warmup
10 Banded Steps
5 Richardson Curls
10-20 second L-Sit on Rings

+

A. Front Squat- 1RM with 7 second hold in the bottom and 13 seconds at the top
(260--felt really solid. Scared of trying to go up because of Clayton saying I shouldn't lift heavy)

B1. Close Grip Bench Press @ 33X1- 5x5; Rest 30 seconds
(135,145,155,160,165)

B2. Weighted Pullups @ 20X1- 5x5; Rest 2 minutes
(50,40,30,30,30--I got a little ambitious from the start)

C. Turkish Get Up/Arm- 3RM
(62/arm--heaviest weight they had. May have been able to get 70)

+

20 minute AMRAP
20 Squats
15 HR Pushups
10 Pullups
200m Run
(11+45--did this for fun because the owner wanted me to do it with him. I beat him by almost 2 rounds :))