personal record: power clean

It's not a big PR but nonetheless it's a new personal best. I went from a 90# clean to a 95# this evening. I did attempt to move up to 100# but I just wasn't feeling it this evening. I know I have it in me but after Monday and Tuesday's WOD's my back is feeling pretty sore. Safety first. :)

personal record: deadlift

This evening I set a new personal record on my Deadlift. In October I did a 200# DL and this evening I did a 225#. I did attempt three times to do a 245# but I couldn't do it. That is ok, I will do it next time. Thankfully, this time I thought to have my PR recorded. Enjoy! :)

P.S. I am such a giddy girl sometimes. 

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.

post reflection on the sugar challenge

So it's been four days since the sugar challenge I was in ended. And you'd think that I went out and indulged in sweet treats, right? Well I didn't, not exactly. First it didn't help that right after Christmas I caught the Flu bug and was out of the game for a week. I am feeling tons better but still walking around with a nagging cough. So my diet didn't change a whole lot since my taste took a while to return to normal, though I think it's still off a bit. This down time gave me some time to think and reflect on what I learned from this challenge and how I want to proceed from here. For starters, I no longer crave any of my old favorite treats, which is a fantastic thing. I broke out of a bad habit and formed some new ones due to this challenge. I was hoping to accomplish not wanting to fall back to my old ways. So yesterday I decided to indulge in a sweet treat. I purchased this small little SnackWells pack of four cookies. These were one of my go to treats that were suppose to be a healthier choice but were riddled with not so good things. I managed to eat two cookies when I decided to throw the pack out. Not because I had had enough, but because the taste of the cookies were awful. I am amazed how I can now distinguish the taste of something made with good quality ingredients, and bad stuff.

I have no desire to go back to my old eating habits. I have full intentions on continuing on the same path I established during the challenge. I will allow natural sweet treats from time to time, and the occasional alcohol induced outings but I have no desire to ruin all that I have accomplished. I got goals I want to reach. This is the only body I have, I want to treat it right!

happy new year's

Welcome 2014!

I feel like I ended 2013 on a high mark! Lost 3# on the last week of the sugar challenge and the last week of the year. I feel good about my body even though it is not where I want it to be just yet. I feel more confident in my abilities in CrossFit though I know I still have a lot to accomplish and learn. But I still have that desire and that is the most important thing, I think. So what will 2014 bring? I hope it opens more doors for me. I am enrolled in school again and classes begin on January 6th. I will be applying to get into the Fitness Technology Program this Spring. I think it is safe to say CrossFit has changed my life in many ways than expected. I am also considering in competing at a CrossFit competition later this year. What?! Yes, I am. So yes, 2014 will be a good year. 

What are you working towards for 2014?

This photo was take from Pinterest.