Workouts Lately & #WODSwap Swag

I’ve noticed a trend at CrossFit lately: the workouts are getting more challenging. Our coaches have been pretty open about the fact that workouts are getting harder (they’re doing that on purpose), which of course, means they’re also getting heavier. There’ve been a lot of overhead squats and lounges (hard) and body weight moves (especially hard), muscle-ups and Rx weights that are downright scary (110 lb overhead squats)! I’ve been pushing myself to go to these workouts, even when they look awful or I think I can’t do them because I know that’s the only way to get better.
Take for instance this workout with two 1,500 meter rows, toes-to-bar and pull-ups. I didn’t want to go but then, of course, I was so glad I did! #embracethesuck

Week of November 9th

Part A:AMRAP in 12 minutes of:1500 m Row Buy-InIn time remaining, AMRAP of:25 Air Squats20 Pullups15 Box Jumps

Rest 4 minutes, then:

Part B:AMRAP in 12 minutes of:1500 m Row Buy-InIn time remaining, AMRAP of:30 Toes to Bar15 No-Pushup Burpees

1+32 Rx / 1 +2 Rx

Rowing took about 7 minutes each round, which left just enough time in the workout to get in everything else, plus a little. I continue to struggle to string together my toes-to-bar and kipping pulls. I’d love any advice, articles or video tutorials on how to improve my technique. I literally do one pull-up (one toes-to-bar) at a time. It gets the job done but it’s certainly not efficient.

Part A:AMRAP in 5 minutes of:3 Snatch* (165/110)6 Snatch-Grip Overhead Lunge (165/110)9 Overhead Squats (165/110)Rest 2 minutes, then:Part B:AMRAP in 5 minutes of:3 Snatch* (155/105)6 Snatch-Grip Overhead Lunge (155/105)9 Overhead Squats (155/105)Rest 2 minutes, then:Part C:AMRAP in 5 minutes of:3 Snatch* (135/95)6 Snatch-Grip Overhead Lunge (135/95)9 Overhead Squats (135/95)*Snatch is power or classic

1+13 (75) / 2 + 9 (70) / 2+10 (65)

This was the worst workout, ever! It was SO hard! My shoulders were on fire during the overhead squats. I would literally throw the bar down after each set and want to run and cry in the corner!! I seriously cannot imagine doing this workout with the Rx weight — um, 110 lb overhead lunges? That shit cray!

Week of November 16th

“Fight Gone Bad”

3 Rounds: 1 minute at each station with 1 minute rest between rounds:Box Jumps (20”)Push Press (75/55)Row (calories)Wall Balls (20/14, 10’)Sumo Deadlift High Pull (75/55)

248 Rx

This was a great WOD! I really enjoyed it. Breaking down the movements into one-minute increments at each station really made it go by fast. Of course the wall balls were the worst!

My advice: Try to out-do yourself each round and beat the time you had before (or at least match it). A few people said they paced themselves too much and wished they would have pushed harder. The rounds go by quickly, so give it your all!

AMRAP in 20 minutes of:20 Thrusters (135/95) –> These were so heavy!20 Pullups20 Burpees

1+48 Rx 

Oh man, this was a WOD to remember! I walked in thinking that there was no way I would do the workout Rx (as prescribed) but I made a last-minute decision to try it with the caveat that I would take it slow, and boy, did I ever! It was one thruster at a time — they were TOUGH! HEAVY! The second round was especially challenging. There were a lot of failed attempts but somehow, I got through it!

Can you believe I enjoyed the burpees during this workout? They were the relief! #thatsnotright

“Mary” AMRAP in 20 minutes of: 5 Handstand Pushups 10 Pistols 15 Pullups

5+20

This workout really exposed a lot of my weaknesses! I decided to do handstand kick-ups in place of the handstand push-ups to try to get used to going upside during a workout. It was really frustrating because I’d often kick up and not fall back into the wall. I think handstands are just one of those things I’m going to have to do every. single. day. to finally get used to them. (I used a band for pistols and kipped the pull-ups.)

During “Mary” I wore the tank I got for the November #WODSwap with Wine to Weightlifting. I love it!

Part A: Bench Press 5-3-1+ (75%-85%-95% of 90% 1RM)

Part B: 21 Overhead Squats (95/65) 42 Double Unders 15 Overhead Squats 30 Double Unders 9 Overhead Squats 18 Double Unders

70, 80, 90 (12) / 6:33 Rx

Overhead squats are so hard! That is all!

This week (November 24)

100 Double Under Buy-In

9-7-5Muscle UpsOverhead Lunges (each leg) (95/65)

Rest 2 minutes, change weight, then:

9-7-5Power Clean (135/95)Jerk (135/95)

100 Double Under Buy-Out

26:53 (65, 95)

The scale for muscle ups were 3 chest-to-bar pull-ups and 3 push-ups for every one muscle up (so, 27, 21, 15). I decided to try something new and do chest-to-bar pull-ups from a racked barbell. It was hard to not use my legs, but I could definitely feel the burn when I focused on using my arms and chest (not legs). I really liked getting the motion of the pull-up rather than kipping. I’m still gunning to get a strict pull-up and I think racked pull-ups will help me get there!

Oh man, and I have to mention the jerks! Phew! Those were heavy! I didn’t think I was going to get through them all! Thankfully the coach gave me a few good pointers that seemed to help quite a bit: get under the bar; don’t try to push it up or out; get under it!

Do you string together your toes to bar? What about kipping pull-ups?

What about handstand push-ups; how did you work on those?

What are your weaknesses? Do you try to embrace them by doing them often?