experienced progression

Monday was my first day back to CrossFit after dealing with the Flu and though I finished the WOD in it's entirety, it wiped me out. I couldn't muster the energy or the will to go on Tuesday, so I rested instead. This morning I woke up feeling much better in my lungs and congestion is almost gone, think I am almost completely better. Besides some soreness in my hamstrings, I figured I could manage to do tonights WOD. Work up to a heavy shoulder press, and then AMRAP* in 15 min of 10 pull-ups, 10 ring dips, and 10 lunges.

First of all, I haven't done a shoulder press for a while and found that I kept wanting to do a push press. Our coach tonight was one of the coaches that usually teaches earlier in the day, Megan. She saw me struggling a bit and I told her how I kept wanting to do a push press. She gave me some valuable advice! Megan said to tighten my core, quads, and hamstrings, this way I wouldn't be tempted to dip down because I'd essentially be locked out. So I gave it a go. Voila! I was able to do my shoulder presses, and worked up to a new heavy at 65#. That is a 10# increase for me. Which also suggests that if I can do a 65# shoulder press, I should now be able to do a heavier push press… I better get to work on those!

During our warm-up this evening I attempted to do lunges to see if I could without any pain. If you have been keeping up with my blog, you know I have been dealing with some right knee pain. I've been working hard in staying vigilant with mobility work, doing squats correctly, and resting when needed. I was absolutely surprised that I had absolutely no indication that my knee had any issues. I lunged with no problems. At that moment I thought my body is really beginning to adapt and accept the movements and training I have been learning and doing at CrossFit all these months. So I assessed again what our WOD was and decided to move up to the next phase of the pull-up. I have never been able to do a strict pull-up. I've been working on it from time to time and notice very subtle changes but it's been slow going. But during a WOD, doing attempted strict pull-ups won't do a whole lot for you. When I first started CrossFit and tried to do a banded pull-up, it wasn't happening. I was 20 or so #'s heavier than I am now, and didn't have much arm, shoulder, or core strength. So I started from the VERY beginning, jumping pull-ups. Well tonight ladies and gentleman, I had decided it was time to move up. I tried using a band and after a couple of rounds of figuring out my movement and adding/changing bands, I am finally doing pull-ups! Oh. My. Word.

So tonight was a night of progression. My knee is on the mend and pain free. I learned how to focus on a shoulder press and did a heavier weight. And I am now on banded pull-ups. I am so in awe of the human body and how it changes and works. Things I never thought possible are now possible, or at the very least closer. Progress is such an amazing feeling.

*AMRAP = as many rounds as possible

This photo was taken from Pinterest.