Rest Day

Helped out with the wrestling tournament, we're definitely getting better at this :) Then watched The Thing, which was pretty good. Not an awesome film, but definitely enjoyable. School tomorrow :/

Everything's better with a flamethrower...

Rest Day

I helped set up for the wrestling tournament, which I'll also be helping out at tomorrow. If things were a little different, I might actually be wrestling tomorrow. Oh well. I really need my rest today anyways, to recover from yesterday and midterms. On Monday the slate will be wiped clean, and I can try to avoid my self-destructive patterns :) Oh, I don't know if I've mentioned this, but I got 1960 on the SAT. It definitely wasn't my best effort, and if I were in a different situation I would take it again, but the score is more than adequate to get into CSU Northridge. Valley Crossfit, here I come :)

Front Squat

3 x 5 Front Squat (75/85/95#)

Followed by some core work.

Yeah this was bad. The second set I had to break up 4-1, and the last set I hat to break up 2-2-1. I also had some weird pain in my right elbow, I'm not sure what that was about. It took some work to get this workout in, since there wasn't a "Body Conditioning" class because of midterms. Luckily, Mr. Chiroi was kind and let me just work out when his basketball team was in there. 

Then, I got some extra work carrying mats into the gym in preparation for the wrestling tournament tomorrow (10/23). 

Right now, I'm SUPER sore. My legs aren't that bad, but my collarbone and shoulder are :/ I have normal pain in my collarbone, but my shoulder joint is sore if I just touch it. Patience :)

Rest Day... Kinda

Today, our "Body Conditioning" class had their final, Fight Gone Bad. We do it a little differently to tailor to the students' skill levels and also because we don't have rowers. We substitute jump rope singles for rowing(10 jumps = 1 rep), we use kettlebells for SDLHP (20kg/24kg), we use lower weights on push press (65/45#), we do throwdowns(20/12#) instead of wall balls(I don't know why however, since we have dynamax balls, and everyone is fully capable of doing wall balls), and our boxes are lower, partly because the kids in wood shop apparently either don't know how to measure, or they don't know trigonometry/basic geometry.

It was "kinda" a rest day because I was running around a lot setting stuff up, putting stuff away, and cleaning bars that people dropped from push press. I took some video, I'll try to upload it tomorrow (10/23).

I'm pretty excited because this new girl, Kelci Marsh, got the third best score on FGB on her first try. She got 306, which is 70 reps behind what I got this same time last year. I don't really have any competition in this class, but it looks like she'll be a challenge in the future :) I'll have to make sure to set some records that will be hard for her to break next year.

This day I also had my psychology final, which I aced of course. Though it didn't help that I didn't have time during first period finals to finish my study guides, even though I was able to complete them in record time before we actually too the final.

And then.... studying for Friday's finals... So I got distracted for an hour watching kitty videos on YouTube, then again reading Cracked.com articles. So I ended up staying up until four in the morning, trying to finish my study guide and newspaper project. The newspaper project turned out alright, AP Bio... not so much. I'm just glad it's over.

But I digress. For your entertainment:

Press

3 x 5 (45/55/60#)

It's been awhile, sorry :( Midterms really jacked a lot of stuff up. Anyways, I don't remember a ton about this... Later I know my collarbone hurt, but less than it did last time, so that's good I guess.

Mmmmmm... Bacon.

Rest Day

I watched Transformers: Dark of the Moon, and it was pretty good. I do so love stories in which the world [almost] ends. I think I'll be adding some light, short met-cons to my programming, I really need the endorphins because I'm getting kind of really stressed out. I'm kind of stuck in a hole right now, and the only way to get out is to re-evaluate and deal with a lot of stuff. I'll be fine though, I'm a survivor. I just need to believe in myself a little more :)
 Cool video:

Ideas are bulletproof.

This Weekend... (Deadlift)

sucked and was very unproductive. Ah, stress. It didn't help that I had to run our "Body Conditioning" class since we were down a teacher and(for most of the period) a sub. And we have a substitute teacher for English for at least two weeks. And we have midterms this week... Considering this, I think I'll be adding some met-con to my program. I'll have to start out light, and I'm not sure if I should follow my class' programming, or just do my own. And hopefully my collarbone can hold out, because I'm really going to need the endorphins.

Today:

3 x 5 Deadlift (105/120/135#)

Pretty easy, except for the last set of course. My knee wasn't weird at all either, so that's good :) We'll see how press goes on wednesday.

Front Squat/Push/"Knee Tucks"

3 x 5 Front Squat (70/80/90#)

followed by

3 rounds of:

20 Wall Push Ups

15 "Knee Tucks" - my track coaches call them kick-outs, but they do them faster while Convict Conditioning recommends a 2-1-2 cadence.

The front squats were definitely heavy, haha. The last set was really tough, I only to made it to 4 before I had to rack it. Also, there was a slight rounding of my back when it started getting tough, so I should probably add back extensions as an assistance exercise. I also think that I'll go all the way down on these, since one of the reasons I'm working on front squats is to improve my cleans. I'm very flexible, so it would be beneficial to develop strength in the bottom position of the clean.

My collarbone is also feeling 100% better from Wednesday, yay :) 

I'm also in the process of planning my workouts for my upcoming excursion to Spain. My sister will be studying abroad in Madrid for the winter quarter, so my Nana and I will be traveling with her in Spain during winter break. I'm working on figuring out which CrossFit gym(s) in Madrid to visit, including transportation, etc. so that my Nana would be more likely to accept my proposition. Fun stuff :)

So far, I'm liking the strength portion of my program, but it still feels lacking. I'll definitely be re-evaluating my program over the weekend, in between getting a new passport and getting my act together before next week's midterms.

Rest Day

Today(after checking facebook and updating this blog...), I will be studying for my AP Biology test tomorrow. Fun, lol.

Remember to exercise your mind as well as your body!

Here's a cool animation of DNA replication:
http://www.johnkyrk.com/DNAreplication.html

And here's a cool video about white blood cells, with an awesome soundtrack of course.

Press

Yesterday's WOD

3 x 5 Strict Press (40/50/55#)

Ahahaha, this weight was so puny :) In the first set, my left elbow was feeling a little funny, but I popped it and it was fine after that. But however light the weight seemed, my collarbone didn't like it :(

AC = Acromioclavicular Joint
SC = Sternoclavicular joint

Last Night:
     - Pulling shoulders forward: right SC hurts, kind of a sharp pain
     - Pulling shoulders back: both sides hurt, the right a little more than the left.
     - Pulling shoulders down: same
     - Pulling shoulders up: nothing
     - Rotating (forward and back): equal pain
     - Arm Across Chest - nothing

This Morning and Today:
     - Forward: AC hurts more, right side of course
     - Back: same
     - Down: nothing
     - Rotating: nothing
     - Arm Across: nothing

So now, I'm icing it, and I plan to go ahead with next week's press workout. I will ice soon afterwards though, and see if that makes any difference.

Two steps forward, one step back :)

Eat Move Improve's Skill Guidelines...

Just a place for me to keep track of my progress :)

http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/12/skill-guidelines-for-building-strong-useful-adaptable-athletes/

AW - Against Wall
B - Bar
BW - Bodyweight
DH - Dead Hang
DPU - Dead Hang Pull Ups
FS - Free Standing
G - On  Ground
HSPU - Handstand Push Ups
KPU - Kipping Pull Ups
OAH - One Arm Handstand
PB - Parallel Bars or Parallettes
R - Rings
ROM - Range of Motion
RTO - Rings Turned Out
SL - Straight Legs
SA - Straight Arms

Locomotive
     Run - 100m
          Level 1 - 20 sec.
          Level 2 - 16 sec. - sometime in 7th grade... so Spring 2007
          Level 3 - 13 sec.
          Level 4 - 11.5 sec.
          Level 5 - 10.5 sec.

     Run - 400m
          Level 1 - 120 sec.
          Level 2 - 85 sec. - 82 sec. Spring 2009
          Level 3 - 60 sec.
          Level 4 - 54 sec.
          Level 5 - 48 sec.

     Run - 5k
          Level 1 - 36:00 - 25:52 (first ever 5k) October 2009 LINK
          Level 2 - 24:00
          Level 3 - 18:00
          Level 4 - 15:40
          Level 5 - 14:00
   
     Row - 500m
          Level 1 - 150 sec.
          Level 2 - 110 sec.
          Level 3 - 90 sec.
          Level 4 - 83 sec.
          Level 5 - 80 sec.

     Row - 2k
          Level 1 - 12:00
          Level 2 - 9:00
          Level 3 - 7:45
          Level 4 - 6:50
          Level 5 - 6:20

Bodyweight Skills and Gymnastics

Pushing
     Push Ups
          Level 1 - 5 Push Ups - 27 Push Ups Spring 2010
          Level 2 - 20 Push Ups (R)
          Level 3 - 5 Tuck Planche Push Ups (PB)
          Level 4 - 5 Straddle Planche Push Ups (G)
          Level 5 - 1 Planche Push Up

     Dips
          Level 1 - 3 (PB)
          Level 2 - 10 (PB)
          Level 3 - 30 (R, ROM)
          Level 4 - 15 (RTO and held at 45 degrees past parallel)
          Level 5 - 15 (RTO and held at 45 degrees past parallel, straight body, leaning forward at 45 degrees)

     HSPU
          Level 1 - N/A
          Level 2 - 5 (AW, G)
          Level 3 - 2 (ROM, AW, PB), 15 (AW, G)
          Level 4 - 15 (ROM, AW, PB), 2 (FS, PB)
          Level 5 - 15 (FS, PB)

     Handstand Press
          Level 1 - Headstand (Elephant) Press
          Level 2 - 2 Press to Handstand (G, any way)
          Level 3 - 2 Straddle Press to Handstand (G, SA, SL)
          Level 4 - 5 Pike Press to Handstand (G, SA, SL), 1 Press to Handstand (R, any way)
          Level 5 - 3 Pike Presses to Handstand (R, SL)

Pulling
     Pull Ups
          Level 1 - 3 KPU (chin over bar) - 5 KPU Fall 2010
          Level 2 - 20 KPU, 12 DPU (chin over bar)
          Level 3 - 40 KPU, 20 DPU (chest to bar)
          Level 4 - 25 DPU to lower sternum
          Level 5 - 25 DPU to belly button

     One Arm Pull Up
          Level 1 - N/A
          Level 2 - N/A
          Level 3 - 10 sec. negative
          Level 4 - 1
          Level 5 - 5

Combined
     Muscle Up
          Level 1 - N/A
          Level 2 - 1 (DH, R, RTO at top(?) and bottom; symmetrical, 1 (B, symmetrical)
          Level 3 - 10 (strict, DH, B)
          Level 4 - 5 @ 1.25 BW (R)
          Level 5 - 30 in 2:30 (R, kipping okay), 2 @ 1.5 BW (R)

Holds
     Planche
          Level 1 - 15 sec. Frog - since forever... 30 sec. 10/10/11
          Level 2 - 15 sec. Tuck
          Level 3 - 10 sec. Advanced Tuck
          Level 4 - 5 sec. Straddle
          Level 5 - 3 sec. Lay

     Back Lever
          Level 1 - Skin the Cat (Piked, SL)
          Level 2 - 10 sec. Advanced Tuck
          Level 3 - 12 sec. Half Lay
          Level 4 - 10 sec. Lay
          Level 5 - 20 sec. Lay

     Front Lever
          Level 1 - Skin the Cat (Piked, SL)
          Level 2 - 10 sec. Advanced Tuck
          Level 3 - 8 sec. Half Lay
          Level 4 - 5 sec. Lay
          Level 5 - 12 sec. Lay

     Handstand Hold
          Level 1 - 60 sec. (AW)
          Level 2 - 120 sec. (AW), 15 sec. (FS)
          Level 3 - 45 sec. (FS)
          Level 4 - 10 sec. (OAH, Fingertip Assist)
          Level 5 - 5 sec. (OAH)

     L-Sit
          Level 1 - 5 sec. Tucked L-Sit
          Level 2 - 25 sec. L-Sit
          Level 3 - 60 sec. L-Sit (G), 10 ft. L-Sit walk
          Level 4 - 30 ft. L-Sit Walk
          Level 5 - 75 ft. L-Sit Walk

Legs
     Broad Jumps
          Level 1 - 6 ft. - since forever? 6'10" Spring 2010
          Level 2 - 8 ft.
          Level 3 - 9 ft.
          Level 4 - 10 ft.
          Level 5 - 10.5 ft.

     Standing Vertical Jump
          Level 1 - 10 in. - 14" Spring 2010
          Level 2 - 18 in. - Spring 2011
          Level 3 - 24 in.
          Level 4 - 28 in.
          Level 5 - 34 in.

     Standing Box Jump
          Level 1 - 18 in. - since forever...
          Level 2 - 30 in. - since forever...
          Level 3 - 40 in.
          Level 4 - 50 in.
          Level 5 - 60 in.

     Pistols
          Level 1 - 5 Step Ups on 24 in. Box
          Level 2 - 5 Pistols
          Level 3 - 5 Pistols @ 1.25 BW
          Level 4 - 5 Pistols @ 1.5 BW
          Level 5 - 5 Pistols @ 1.75 BW

     Natural Leg Curls
          Level 1 - N/A
          Level 2 - 1 3-5 sec. Negative
          Level 3 - 1 8-10 sec. Negative
          Level 4 - 3 Concentric
          Level 5 - 10 Concentrics with Eccentric   <- I honestly have no idea what this is...

Parkour Specific
     Climb Up
          Level 1 - Beginner (Any means necessary) - since I was... idk, 8?
          Level 2 - Intermediate (symmetrical arms)
          Level 3 - Advanced (symmetrical arms, SA)
          Level 4 - 10 Clapping Advanced Climb Ups, 5 Advanced Climb Ups @ 1.15 BW
          Level 5 - One-Up (hanging position to the top of the wall in one motion), One Arm Climb Up

     Wall Run Vertical
          Level 1 - 22 in.
          Level 2 - 40 in.
          Level 3 - 52 in.
          Level 4 - 62 in.
          Level 5 - 70 in.

     Vault Exit Distance (3ft. Wall)
          Level 1 - 4 ft.
          Level 2 - 8 ft.
          Level 3 - 10 ft.
          Level 4 - 12 ft.
          Level 5 - 12.5 ft.

Weight Training
     Weighted Dip (PB)
          Level 1 - 3 @ BW
          Level 2 - 1.4 BW
          Level 3 - 1.7 BW
          Level 4 - 1.9 BW
          Level 5 - 2x BW

     Weighted Pull Up
          Level 1 - BW - Spring 2010
          Level 2 - 1.4 BW
          Level 3 - 1.7 BW
          Level 4 - 1.9 BW
          Level 5 - 2x BW

     Bench Press
          Level 1 - .85 BW
          Level 2 - 1.2 BW
          Level 3 - 1.5 BW
          Level 4 - 1.75 BW
          Level 5 - 1.9 BW

     Press
          Level 1 - .5 BW - 70# @ 125# BW Spring 2011
          Level 2 - .75 BW
          Level 3 - .95 BW
          Level 4 - 1.1 BW
          Level 5 - 1.2 BW

     Deadlift
          Level 1 - 1.5 BW
          Level 2 - 2x BW
          Level 3 - 2.4 BW
          Level 4 - 2.75 BW
          Level 5 - 3x BW

     Back Squat
          Level 1 - 1.25 BW
          Level 2 - 1.75 BW
          Level 3 - 2.15 BW
          Level 4 - 2.4 BW
          Level 5 - 2.6 BW

     Overhead Squat
          Level 1 - .65 BW - 105# @ 125# BW Spring 2011
          Level 2 - 2x BW
          Level 3 - 1.3 BW
          Level 4 - 1.45 BW
          Level 5 - 1.65 BW

     Clean and Jerk
          Level 1 - .75 BW - 100# @ 125# Spring 2011
          Level 2 - 1.25 BW
          Level 3 - 1.6 BW
          Level 4 - 1.85 BW
          Level 5 - 2x BW

     Snatch
          Level 1 - .6 BW - 80# @ 125# Spring 2011
          Level 2 - 1x BW
          Level 3 - 1.3 BW
          Level 4 - 1.45 BW
          Level 5 - 1.65 BW

Rest Day

Feeling alright, my ass is a little sore, but it's 5:26 and all's well!

Get it? Surreal?

Deadlift/Pull/Frog

3 x 5 Deadlift (100/115/130#)

followed by

3 rounds of:
20 Wall Pull Ups
30 sec. Frog Stand Hold

The deadlifts were pretty easy. The loads were slightly different (99/116/131) from the calculations because all of our bumper plates are in kilogams for some reason. Wall pull ups were hella easy, but good for the joints. My first frog stand needed a little stabilization from my toes a few times, but by the third hold I was pretty solid.

Beginning - Phase 1

Today marks the first step in my journey forward :)

Some background...
I've been dealing with some on and off shoulder girdle injuries for the past few years. So far, it's been a two steps forward, three steps back, five steps forward kind of process. We've all been there. While I've learned patience and caution, I've also lost a lot of confidence in myself, my body, and what we are capable of. Now, I've constantly been told how much potential I have, and I believe it, but I just haven't believed it enough to really act on it. But I want to prove to everyone, and especially myself, that I can live up to and even surpass that potential.

Yeah, I have a lot of crap to deal with (we'll get to that later), but I figured that it's time to stop making excuses and just get out there and see what I'm capable of. And that's where this blog comes in. I'm very bad at regularly sticking to anything unless mandated by law (a.k.a. school), so hopefully posting in the blog regularly will instill a little self-discipline, as well as having the added bonus of tracking my improvements and failures :) Yes, failures. Everyone fails at something, and I hope to fail many times, but to learn something new from my failures.

Phase 1 - Healing
My goal in this phase is to fully heal my collarbone (duh) while gaining strength, honing skills, and building back my confidence. I've researched, consulted, etc, until I settled on Wendler's 5-3-1 program with deadlift, front squat (my arch nemesis), and press, with some random stuff like planche progressions and bridges and also some not-so-random stuff like push ups thrown in the mix. So I'll just see how these four weeks work out, and I'll just go from there.

I've had to work from barely being able to do 8 push ups after my rotator cuff injury (July 09) to almost 30 push ups, and I'm freaking 17, so time really isn't an issue. I'm just picking a direction and seeing how it turns out. Wish me luck :)