Stephanie Starts Crossfit

[StephanieShine]

Started Crossfit on 2/27 because of the 3 on / 1 off schedule. Yes, everything about crossfit allured me, especially the gymnastics skills, but above all, the real reason I gave it a shot was the scheduling. I was doing hour long workouts twice per week, skipping or half-assing it most of the time because of my bust schedule and lack of adequate sleep. I am proud to say that after a few weeks I am not only sticking with it but excited for every workout! This warrants me starting a log =]

Starting Stats:
5 foot 2, 112-114 lbs, ~21% BF according to a cheap BIA scale, 19.5% when I was calipered back in September.
Squat - Wont even mention because of the poor form I had
Deadlift - 135 lbs
Bench Press - 65 lbs
Pull Ups - Right now doing 70 lbs x 6 on the Lat Pull Down Machine

2/27/11
Cindy
5 Pull-Ups (Used the gravitron machine to take 50 lbs off my body weight)
10 Push-Ups (On Knees)
15 Bodyweight Squats

Only did 7 round in the 20 minutes.
Wow, incredible soreness for 3 days after, tolerable on days 4 and 5 but still terrible even after hot bath and multiple days of foam rolling.

2/28/11 - Had to take the day off. Quads were screaming.

March is Here!
3/1/11
Deadlifting 3-3-3-3-3
Used 135 lbs, first time trying this weight. Used lifting straps. Got to 5 reps on my last set, felt good.

3/2/11
Row 1k
20 lb DB Snatch (25 each arm, 10 each arm, 10 each arm)
Row 1k
*Didn't time this because I spilt up the rowing between clients while I was working and because I was being taught the snatch for the first time. I like it so far, the barbell snatch is still a bit intimidating. My triceps are strangely feeling sore.

3/3/11
Back Squat 3-3-3-3-3
First two sets used 105 lbs, Last three used 95 lbs, got tired really quickly and the last set suffered a bit.

3/4/11
Off


3/5/11
"Little Orphan Annie"
30-25-20-15-10-5 Double Unders and GHD Sit Ups
Not ready for double unders, so I did twice as many regular jumps. Kinda fun actually. Tried the GHD sit ups for the first time today. Looked at a bunch of different videos on form last night but I guess it just didn't click. Tried the first 3 rounds and got a weird pain in my throat. A friend said my neck looked really awkward the way I was doing it. After the 3rd round I finished with regular sit ups from the floor with a half foam roller under my lumbar spine. Still hard. My abs were sore for days!

3/6/11
"Conquest"
Row 1K
21-18-15-12-9-6 Sledgehammer Strikes and Ring Dips
The rugby team was using the tire today and I couldn't come up with a replacement for the strikes so I did two more 500 m Rows. Instead of Ring Dips I did tricep dips off a bench. I know, weak.

3/7/11
21-15-9 Sumo Deadlift High Pull and Overhead Squat
Used 30 lbs for both. Shoulders aren't my strongest point. Need to learn more about the overhead squat technique as far as what to do with my upper body.

3/8/11
Off

3/9/11
Endurance WOD
5 Rounds on 1 on x 3 rest on the treadmill
Rest speed about 3.5 mph, sprint speed around 9 mph
Distance: 1.78 Miles

3/10/11
ME Bench Press
20 lb bar x 15
30 lb bar x 12
45 lb bar x 8
65 lbs x 1-1-1-1-1
Thank god for (supportive) spotters!

3/11/11
Endurance
Row for 15 Minutes
Distance: 2,6?? m (Will have to double check my notebook on that)
Loving the rowing lately so I threw in another endurance day. Took it fairly easy with some random high intensity periods.

3/12/11
Off

3/13/11
Back Squat
Bodyweight x 15
45 lbs x 12
55 lbs x 10
65 lbs x 8
105 lbs x 1-1-1-1-1

FAIL

I was focusing on depth and couldn't get myself up back through my sticking point at 65 lbs squatting to a low box. I ditched the weights and went back to the 45 lb bar and did 5 sets of 8 full squats. Need to work on depth a lot more, but still have questions about how to tackle that.




Take away notes from the first couple workouts:
Keep learning the Olympic lifts
Keep squatting fully, even/especially if it means lighter weights
GHD substitution until I can work on my technique more
Keep practicing gravitron pull-ups aggressively trying for unassisted in the near future.
Add some double under practice into my warm-ups a few times per week



3/14/11
"Nicole"
As many rounds as possible in 15 minutes; Run 200m and Max Pull Ups x Max Weight

Scaled the pull ups back, because I can't do one on my own yet. I use a gravitron machine for now. My last pull up workout was 50 lbs of help and sets of 5, so this time I did 40 lbs of help and sets of 5.

For the running I could either use the suspended track, which was .09 miles per lap (200 m = .124 miles) so that wouldn't work out very well. I used a treadmill closest to the door, but it was still shaving seconds off my time going between the treadmill room and the room with the gravitron. On the treadmill I alternated between running .12 and .13 because I wanted to get as close to 200 m as I could.

I only got to 5 rounds, so for the next time this workout comes up I'll maybe do two rounds of pull ups and run twice the distance just to reduce the inbetween time. Is it okay to modify the WOD that much? Its the best I can do (that I can think of) for my situation.

[FrmrHoss]

That was one hell of an introductory post to a journal! CrossFit is better than nothing, and if it keeps getting you up and motivated for workouts, then I say, keep it up. Cindy is an absolute bear from what I remember.

What kind of questions do you have about back squats and reaching depth?

[StephanieShine]

I usually squat 95 to 105 lbs with my legs hitting parallel, but crossfit wants you "full" squatting so that the top of your leg goes below parallel (hip joint below the knee joint) and when I tried full squatting with my normal squat weight it was a frustrating fail. Seems like I am super weak right at that sticking point (between normal and full squats)

Its not a matter of mobility or and hip issues or anything. I can full squat body weight just fine and anything up to 45 lbs. 55 lbs gets a little shakey but I can pull a few reps off. My question is more about the programming for working on my full squat. Right now I'm just going to try adding about 5-10 lbs per week, practicing 5 sets of the most reps I can once or twice a week in addition to the 3 days on / 1 day off crossfit workouts. The folks on the crossfit forums suggest not doing Max Effort Black Box because they see me as a novice because my full squat is so light. But my deadlift, bench and other less important lifts are spot on for my bodyweight and I have been lifting for years with a body building routine. I am thinking of trying starting strength again but want something different than what I have done in the past.

[FrmrHoss]

I usually squat 95 to 105 lbs with my legs hitting parallel, but crossfit wants you "full" squatting so that the top of your leg goes below parallel (hip joint below the knee joint) and when I tried full squatting with my normal squat weight it was a frustrating fail. Seems like I am super weak right at that sticking point (between normal and full squats)

Its not a matter of mobility or and hip issues or anything. I can full squat body weight just fine and anything up to 45 lbs. 55 lbs gets a little shakey but I can pull a few reps off. My question is more about the programming for working on my full squat. Right now I'm just going to try adding about 5-10 lbs per week, practicing 5 sets of the most reps I can once or twice a week in addition to the 3 days on / 1 day off crossfit workouts. The folks on the crossfit forums suggest not doing Max Effort Black Box because they see me as a novice because my full squat is so light. But my deadlift, bench and other less important lifts are spot on for my bodyweight and I have been lifting for years with a body building routine. I am thinking of trying starting strength again but want something different than what I have done in the past.

So you can reach full depth fine, but just can't squat with the same load as you can to a "hamstring parallel" position? Are your sitting back enough to maintain tension on the hamstrings to help you off the bottom? Personally, I would think that starting strength, and if not SS, at least a basic linear progression like that should help bring up the squat. Also, depending on your actual sticking point in the squat it may be an issue of glute activation, in which case there are a bunch of fun exercises to do (I get a bunch of comments from the other "bros" at my gym when I'm doing barbell hip thrusts lol).

[maybesew]

A lot of women at our gym squat to parallel when they think no one is watching them. To get them below I usually cue them to widen their stance a bit. and when they get below parallel their response is usually "oh i can feel that now" So like frmr said it could be an issue of tension in your hamstrings, and don't be afraid to go down a bit on weight to achieve proper depth and then work back up. but both crossfit and rippetoe/starting strength want you below parallel

just remember

weight in the heels
knees out
chest up
below parallel

[StephanieShine]

3/15/11
Endurance
Row at Damper 7
20 Minutes Non-Stop
Distance as 15 Minutes: 2,563
Final Distance: 3,340

3/16/11
Off

3/17/11
Annie
50-40-30-20-10 Sit Ups
100-80-60-40-20 Jump Ropes
Time: 21m 26s

The Sit ups were the killer, mostly due to sore glutes.

[StephanieShine]

3/18
Deadlifting
15 x 45 lbs
10 x 85 lbs
5 x 115 lbs
3 x 135 lbs
1+ x 145 lbs (Did 4 Reps!)
Previous 1 RM: 152 lbs
New 1 RM: 158 lbs =]


3/19
Max Effort Shoulder Press
Warm-Up:
10 x 20 lbs
8 x 20 lbs
6 x 24 lbs
5 Rounds of 1 x 40 lbs
Was able to complete 2 reps each time and on the 5th set did 5 reps so I moved up to 50 lbs and tried the workout again;
5 Rounds of 1 x 50 lbs
Was able to do 2 reps for all 5 sets.
Previous 1 RM: 40 lbs
New 1 RM: 52 lbs

3/20 - Rest Day

Very happy with increasing my 1 RM on both days. Ever since starting crossfit, I've increased my deadlift at almost every attempt, even though I have deadlifted less times than I would have following my old program.

[FrmrHoss]

Well done on the deadlifting PRs.... I find that DLs really can progress with less frequency than other lifts, mainly b/c they are so taxing on the CNS. I've done my best work with deads just doing 1 heavy workset per week. Keep up the good work!

[StephanieShine]

3/21

"Kaiser Soza"
30 x Handstand Push Ups
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1:
KB Swings (50-70 lbs)
L-Sit Pull Ups

Scaled Down To:
30 x Push Ups on Knees
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1:
Kb Swings with 20 lbs
Rows with 40 lbs
55 Crunches

Time: 8:46

[StephanieShine]

3/22
"Basics"
3 Rounds of;
50 x Push - Ups
50 x Squats
50 x Sit-Ups

Did Push-Ups on Knees, and did a few sit-ups but finished off with crunches. This workout was extremely boring to me. So I rushed through it, which is the point for most WODs but I feel like I could have done it better. Finished at 15:48.

[StephanieShine]

3/23 - "Skill Development"
3 Rounds at your own pace;
:10 sec L-Sit
20 x GHD Sit Ups

Had to modify and do 10 second 'tuck sits' and sit ups instead of GHD sit ups.

3/24 - Rest Day
It's really clear to me that I need to keep sticking with this and keep perfecting the basic movements before I can move onto the bigger, cooler gymnastics skills. Spring is officially here and thats kind of motivating =]

[StephanieShine]

3/25
"Scurvy"
Row 1,500 m
50 x Ring Push Ups
50 x Wall Ball
100 x Walking Overhead Lunges

Used an 8 lb dynamax ball instead of the 20 lbs that is perscribed. Did walking lunges with 30 lbs (Rxed at 25 to 45 lbs)

Time: 26:15
My client got a better time than me but overall this was a great workout, got my heart rate up and kept it there! Today was my first time using a heart rate monitor during a Wod.

3/26 - Rowing Endurance
2,000 m
Finished in 12:02 (Wanted 12 flat)

[StephanieShine]

3/27 - "K-Cup"
In as few sets as possible:
35 x L-Sit Pull-Ups
Then 5 Rounds of:
7 x KB Swings
12 x Push - Ups
Finish with 50 x Knees to Elbows

Scaled down to:
35 x Sit Ups
35 x 40 lb Row
5 Rounds of:
7 x KB Swing 20 lb
12 x Push Up on Knees
Finish with: 50 x Crunches

Total Time: Stopwatch messed up. Around 9 Minutes total.

3/28 Rest Day

3/29 - "Learned Trauma"
5 Rounds for time:
15 x Med Ball Cleans
15 x Wall Ball Shots

Scaled from 20 lb ball to 10 lb ball
13:41

3/30 - "Guts"
For Time:
21-18-15-12-9-6:
GHD Sit Ups (Did on floow)
Slam Ball with 20 lbs (Used 10 lb ball)
7:52

Lots of Foam Rolling After

3/31 - Skill Develoment
6 Rounds of:
:20 Sec L-Sit
Practiced one leg at a time holds

4/01 - Rest Day

4/02 - Moving Day - Good test of GPP. Exhausted afterwards.

[StephanieShine]

4/03 - Endurance WOD
Choose between swimming, biking, rowing or running.
My Pick: Run 1 Mile on 6% to 15% Incline.
Not a runner at all, so went for the 6% incline.
Time: 14:15

Wow endurance really isn't my thing. Could have sprinted this and done better, but stuck the whole thing out at between 4 and 6 mph to build endurance and stamina.

[StephanieShine]

4/04 - Muscle Up Training
120 Pull Ups (On Gravitron with 70 lbs help)
120 Dips on Bench

Time: 19:13
This was a boring workout, but tough. I would much rather do the 30 muscle ups and be over with.

4/05 - Rest Day

[StephanieShine]

4/06 - 10 x 100 m Sprints
Allowed 90 sec rest in between, but I was in a hurry so I took about 60-70 seconds each time. Started around 8 mph, jumping up by about .2 each round, last round maxed out at 10.2 mph.

[StephanieShine]

I have alot of catching up to do as far as actually posting my workouts . . .

4/07 - 2011 Games Open 11.2
AMRAP in 15 Min
9 x Deadlift (95 lbs)
12 x Push Ups (On Knees)
15 x Box Jumps (20 in)

Only got to 4 rounds. Felt exhausted this morning for some reason. Probably related to yesterdays poor nutrition.

4/08 - "Breakfast & Kegs"
Run 800 m
20-15-10-5 each of:
Wallball - 10 lbs
Burpees
Time: 21:58

4/09 - Rest Day

4/10 - "JT"
Scaled to Push Ups on Knees, Bench Dips, Push Ups on Knees
21-15-9
10:25

4/11 - Skill Development - L Sits and Back Extensions

4/12 - Endurance - Run 1.5 Miles - 18.48

4/13 - Rest Day

4/14 - Diane - 95 lb Deadlift, Push Ups on Knees - 8:31

4/15 - "K-Cup" from CFNH - 16:06
Only had a 20 lb Kettlebell, needed heavier but it still hit the back end the next day =]

4/16 - Skill Development - Sit Ups and Handstand Holds

4/17 - Rest Day

4/18 - "Leominster"
200 x Jump Rope
21-15-9: 30 lb DB Thrusters / Sit Ups
200 m 30 lb Farmers Walk
17:58

4/19 - Bike Endurance - 2 miles at 6% Hill - 10:10

4/20 - "Stabilize"
5 Rounds for Time:
5 x 90 lb Lunge
60 Second Plank
5 x 50 lb Push Press
About 40 minutes

4/21 - Rest Day

4/22 - "Everglades"
4 Rounds for Time:
Row 500 m
Run .4 miles
37 Minutes

The WOD as Rx'd was Run 400 m but I didn't know the conversion off the top of my head.

[StephanieShine]

4/23 - Deadlift
7 Sets x 1 RM
My old max, about a month ago, was 145 x 4.
So today I did 145 x 3 and 145 x 4. My max hasn't changed, which is good seeing how infrequently I deadlift. Man it was hard through and I should have done a more throughout warm up for it.

4/24 - Skill Development
Practice L-Sits for 10 Minutes
Wrists were sore after!

4/25 - Rest Day

4/26 - G-wod: 21-15-9
Handstand Push Ups - Did on knees
Pull-Ups - Used Lat Pull Down Machine
Hollow Rocks - Did Sit ups, but I think now Im ready for the next progression
8:55

[StephanieShine]

4/27 - Skill Work and 10 mph Sprints
Practice for 15 Minutes: 3 Sets of 5 GHD Sit ups, 6 x One Minute Planks, Frog Stand Attempts/Holds

4/28 - For time:
100 x Bench Dips
50 x Pistols (25 R, 25 L)
50 x BW squat
100 x Sit Ups (Still extremely sore from yesterday!)
Time: 14 Minutes


Finished with MWOD Couch and calf stretching

4/29 - Rest Day

4/30 - Bench Press
20 lbs x 15
30 lbs x 10
30 lbs x 8
45 lbs x 5 - 5 - 5

My chest is very weak!

5/1 - Got this off the Gwod Site...
21-15-9 for time:
DB Overhead Press (30 lbs)
Pull Ups (40 lbs help)
Time: 7 minutes

5/2 - Another Gwod Workout;
3 Rounds of:
10 x Toes to Bar (Did hanging leg raises)
:15 x Hold L Sit (Had to do 3 sets of 5 seconds)
10 x Kipping Knees to Elbows (GHD Sit Ups)

5/3 - Rest Day

5/4 "Helen"
Run 400m
21 x KB Swings
12 x Pull Ups

** Ended up doing 440 meters each time because the track I use isn't a nice equal distance per lap.
My conventional gyms heaviest KB is 20 lbs. So thats what I used. Still got my heart rate up but I am ready for something heavier!
The pull ups were done on a gravitron with 40 lbs help.

Time: 19:49

[StephanieShine]

Today is the first day of my new Paleo Challenge. I am not doing this through a box or any gym or any group, but hopefully I can keep up my motivation! For the next 30 days I will keep a journal logging my workouts, energy, food intake, and make time to keep my mind relax and my home clutter free. I made a little points system based on other challenges I have read about...

Food:
Black Tea 3x/ Week - Add 1 Pt at end of week
Bulk Cooking on Sundays - Add 3 pts at end of week
120 g Protein Daily - 1 pt per day
Carbs - 70 g or less - 1 pt per day
Carbs - 120 g or more - DEDUCTION of 1 pt
3 Whole Food Meals per day - 1 pt
More than 2 servings of nuts per week - DEDUCTION of 1 pt
Supplements Daily - 1 pt

Fitness:
Foam Rolling: 2x Week Earns 1 pt, 3x earns 2 pts, 4x earns 3 pts
Mobility: Same as above
WODS: 3x Wk earns 1 pt, 4x Week earns 2 pts, 5x Week + earns 3 pts

Lifestyle:
Tidy Up every night - 1 pt
9+ Hours of Sleep - 1 pt
6- Hours of Sleep - DEDUCTION of 1 pt
Relaxing and playing with the kitty - 1 pt / day


Starting Stats:
Height: 5 '2
Weight: 114 lbs - BF: 22.9% - Fat: 26.1 - Lean 87.9
*Goal here isn't necessary to loose weight but I'm teetering back toward skinny fat and that needs to change.
Waist: 25 3/4
Hips: 31 3/4
Right Thigh: 21 1/2

*Measuring these points specifically because I probably have excess estrogen. Starting Day 1 I will be switching to progestin-only birth control pills and I want to see if that switch, along with more dialed in training, makes a difference in fat storage.

Bench mark workout: Deadlift 145 x 4





DAY ONE
Going well so far, its only 10 am and I have had two solid meals, both with protein. And I competed a Deadlift WOD, bumping my max from 145 x 4 to 145 x 5 for 3 sets. Right after I did an Ab focused WOD and did two mobilities for legs after (counts as one session)

[gbg]

Hi just thumbed through your entry's and noticed you're having trouble hitting depth on squats, I'm assuming because this is a crossfit workout you will eventually be doing cleans and snatches?

If so, it's important you learn how to hit the proper depth right away, I noticed they wanted bellow parallel.
With the Oly lifts you will be going ATG on the bottom so the need to learn this from the start is vital.
Sorry if I'm wrong, just assuming from what I read.

If I'm correct, you want to descend quickly on your squats so you get good rebound out of the whole, this will eventually carryover to your oly lifts.

[StephanieShine]

5/7
21-15-9
Tricep Dips (on gravitron) 60 lbs assistance
Pull Ups (on gravitron) 70 lbs assistance
Handstand Hold

Didn't time it because of other people using the gravitron and running back and forth between the stretch room to do the handstands. Would have been too awkward to do in the lobby of the gym and there was no other space.

[StephanieShine]

Opps, edit to the post above - 5/7 was a rest day, I did that wod on 5/8.

5/9
Not exactly a WOD but did a few hours worth of hiking and swimming with friends.

[StephanieShine]

5/10
Gwod - 10 Minutes of Pull-Up Practice
Did Lat Pull Down Machine because I was at the campus gym where the bands suck.
70 lbs (5x5)
60 lbs (5x5)
80 lbs x 1 but my back was toast by the end

Then...
Deadlifting! No straps today, trying out the over/under grip with heavier weights
Warm up sets:
65 x 15
85 x 12
105 x 8
115 x 6

Working Sets:
150 x 5 PR!
160 x 2 PR!

Going to stick with 160 lbs for my working sets until I can get my form 100%, right now I'd say its about 95% need to thrust my hips forward a bit at the top.


5/11 - Rest Day

5/12 - Gwod plus Lift
Gwod today was just hip openers and leg swings for mobility.
Squatting was scaled back today because my calves are still sore from hiking.
Warmed up then did 5x5 with just 65 lbs.

[StephanieShine]

5/13 - Gwod plus Bodyweight
1 Min x Max Push Ups - 13
1 Min x Max Gravitron Tricep Dips w/ 50 lbs assistance - 12
75 GHD Sit-Ups in 7 Minutes

5/14 - Gymnastics Skill Work
Bridges, Bridge Get-Ups, With Spotter: Front Walkovers x 5, Back Walkovers x 5

5/15 - Rest Day! Man is my entire body sore! I really need to get a foam roller to keep at home.