one on one: day eighteen

I think Coach Joon is trying to kill me, no seriously guys he is! Ok, he's not but today I really felt like I was literally moments from death, more than once. But hey I survived to live another day and probably another session of evil torture. LOL. I do actually appreciate being pushed even when at the moment I am feeling utterly miserable. I am exceeding the boundaries I thought I could never pass and I am always surprising myself. Joon always states he knows I have it in me, and slowly I am believing him but sometimes I just don't feel that confident until I actually prove it to myself. This is what I did today:

Warm-up: 500m Row

4 x 30/30 Row [2 Blocks <130m]
First Block: 145, 141, 138, 138
4 Min Rest
Second Block: 147, 133, 108, 135

6 Min Rest

KB Ladder @ 35# (5 - 10 - 15 - 10 - 5):
Swing
Goblet Squat

4 Min Rest

4 x 30/30 DB Push Press + "Hell" Rest

25 Raised Push-ups

Cool Down:
100 Calories AirFit (Easy/Moderate)
Finished in 15:04

Ok, so with the rowing 30 seconds on and 30 seconds off going all out was the first part of my death! I had to go full capacity and give everything I had and in the the first block I did. By the time I had to do the second block I did my best to give my all but I was seeing stars, getting side stitches, and breathing heavily. I was learning to push through my threshold, this shit is no joke! After my 6 minute rest I had to do the KB ladder and that proved to be difficult as well. I didn't feel completely ready or rested, I ended up taking far too many breaks but I pushed on through. The next malicious, I mean movement Joon had me do was dumbbell presses. I started with just 10# weights and quickly had to move to 5# weights. For 30 seconds I had to do presses than for 30 seconds hold the damn weight up above my head. Listen, there is NO exaggeration with it being called "Hell" Rest because it truly is. I absolutely sucked at this and kept dropping my arms down and whined the entire time. Sorry Joon, and thanks for putting up with me. The push-ups weren't so bad but still hard and then the AirFit I took it easy on.

All in all it was a good session, pushed through some uncomfortable moments and I know I am capable but I still play the mental game. I am amazed at how good at rowing I am getting, I am curious to see how long I can go before I can't take it anymore. I may have to try that some day.

This photo was taken from Pinterest.

one on one: day twelve

Typically my one on one sessions with Joon are Tuesday and Thursday every week, but this week we moved our Thursday session to Friday (today). This was probably a blessing in disguise actually because I woke up Thursday morning with an awful pain in my right knee. The night before I did a WOD that had lunges and pistol squats in them. Naturally my pistol squats were modified as it was my very first attempt at them, ever. Anyway, I don't know if it was the WOD itself or just a combination of things leading up to Thursday morning that was causing the knee pain. As soon as I made it to work I had to change my shoes as I began to limp slightly. When my boss, a chiropractor, got there I had him take a look at my knee. Now if I have never said this before, I'll say it now, he's an amazing chiropractor and I am so forever grateful not to only work for him but to be his patient. Ok ok, back to my knee, he checked it out and adjusted it. Apparently I managed to get my tibia to rotate medially at the proximal end and the fibula to set back and rotate laterally at the proximal end. Essentially this was a bad thing and most probably the cause of all of my discomfort. Thankfully though the adjustment was enough to help and I was walking like new. I intentionally decided to avoid all lunges and squats for the rest of the day.

So then today arrived and my knee felt great this morning. I felt pretty good, slept well finally and was curious to see what Joon would have me doing. And so this is what I did:

Warm-up: 500m Row
Extended Warm-Up:
     Row 6 x 100m (Sprint)
     -30 Seconds Active Rest-

KB Complex (25# for 5 Sets):
     5 Single Arm Swing- Left
     5 Double Arm Swing
     5 Single Arm Swing- Right
     5 KB Snatch- Right
     5 KB Snatch- Left

Work Up to a Heavy Deadlift: PR'd at 235#
Then,
     5 x 2 @ 80% of 1RM

AMRAP in 5 Minutes:
     5 Jump Squats
     10 KB Push Press
     15 Calories Airdyne

Let me just say that getting a PR on my Deadlift was freaking awesome! My last 1RM was 225# that I got last January and when I attempted to lift that again a few weeks ago, I couldn't get passed 195#. The rowing is getting easier too, I think whatever Joon has me doing is actually working. Imagine that! I hate KB but I can do them, I just hate that I always end up with sores and bruises on my wrists and/or shoulders. The airdyne though? I detest and there is absolutely NOTHING Joon can do to change my mind on that. I know it will help with my training but it's an awful piece of machinery!

I end this post with some exciting news, which many of you will already know. Today I officially signed up for my very first official CrossFit competition. I will compete next to many of my CrossFit Stumptown gym mates on the 17th of this month. I am both nervous and excited and am eager to see how I do. Naturally I want to win, but I will be happy not coming in last! :) I will keep you posted on how I do at the competition!

Photo taken from Pinterest.

one on one: day eight

It's the day after getting my Mojo back and though I am happy, I'm still feeling on edge. I want him to make a full recovery and not worry that at any moment he will need to be rushed to the vets again. So for now we are taking it one day at time and thankful for every moment we have with Mojo.

None of this of course changes the fact that Joon continues to kick my ass into shape. I came into this session feeling a tad bit tired but ready for whatever he was prepared to throw at me... or so I thought. This is what I did today:

Warm-up: 500m Row
Extended Warm-up:
     3 Sets x 2:
          Row for 15 Calories
          10 Hollow Rocks

Rest 1:1

Then,
     3 x 2min of the following KB Complex, rest 1 min between each 3 min round.
          One-hand Clean
          One-hand Jerk
          Right-hand Snatch
          Left-hand Snatch
          Two-hand Swing
          Two-hand Clean- Goblet Squat- Press Combo
          (all done in 25#)

Then,
     20 x 20 Front Squat @ Max Effort (45#)
   
Rest 5 min

Then,
     3 Rounds
          5 Slam Balls (15#)
          20 Lateral Skiers
          (completed in 1:39)

My least favorite of this session was the Row/Hollow Rocks, that is probably because it's a breather. The KB work was fun, but definitely hard. I learned quite quickly how not to clean a KB and have growing bruise to prove it. But by the end of that segment I think I was getting the transitions down. The front squat made me feel like I was locked into an enclosed space even though I had the entire gym to roam around in. Holding the bar for an entire 20 reps made it really hard to breathe. Joon says it's primarily mental, and I know he's right. But man it sucks! For the last portion of our session, Joon wanted me to get the 3 rounds done within 3 minutes, and I laughed at him. Than he said and to surprise him, get it under 2 minutes, I laughed even harder. I had every intention on going as hard and fast I could, and even though this was another breather for me I didn't expect my legs to feel as dead as they became by round three. Well I didn't only surprise Joon, but I surprised myself by getting it done in under 2 minutes. WHAT! Yup, I guess I'm just that awesome. :::wink wink:::

Joon states that he can tell I am getting fitter and stronger. I have to admit that I agree with him but it's odd to acknowledge this about myself. I think if you just see me walking down the street you would never guess that I once deadlifted 225# or that I can back squat 175#. I also don't feel like anyone would guess that I could actually run 200m now without stopping, and maybe one of these days I will surprise myself by running a full 400m without stopping as well. What I have noticed is that I am growing more and more confident with each session/WOD. I am testing my boundaries and pushing through walls. I'm excited to see what else I am capable of and proud of myself for pushing through.

Photos taken from Pinterest.