CrossFit: If You Want to Get Stronger, Eliminate Time Caps

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit Workouts

I remember a few years ago when I first started CrossFit that I would get frustrated when I got time capped. Some CrossFit boxes are particular about this and become upset if you keep working out after time is called. That would just annoy me.

CrossFit and Time Caps

Being time capped in a CrossFit WOD was particularly irksome when it was one that climbed in weight, and I wouldn’t get a chance to try the heavier weight.

Today was one of those CrossFit workouts where the weight climbed, but today (like most of my workouts), I ignored the time cap. I got to do the heavier weight (in today’s example, it was thrusters), and I got to do a bunch of them.

Then I realized something: I’ve gotten stronger since last year because I’ve done heavier weights more frequently because I never time cap myself. I just do the workout until it’s done or keep going because I like the challenge and the rush.

It’s a shame CrossFit classes have to time cap because of the limited time they have. Try to workout more by yourself with no time cap, and you’ll see results, guaranteed.

crossfitmomm taking rest days in CrossFit hot crossfit chicks

Part 2 of the Reasons to Work Out are Overblown

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit

Enter another dilemma to working out that many face — you’re too sore to go and do the things you want to do.

In part one of this blog series, we discussed how the reasons to workout are overblown because you are so tired after your workout session that you don’t want to go and do anything else. Here, it’s a very similar situation.

For me, I’m sore all the time. My muscles are tight, even after a massage. And there are days where it’s hard or even painful to move. Recently, I’ve been wondering what it’s like to not feel like this all the time. Is this worth it? I keep asking myself. Lately, I’ve begin to question my workout routine.

THE NEED TO CHANGE IT UP

As I’m experimenting with different workout routines, I’m still trying to find the right balance between being physically fit and being too sore to enjoy my physical fitness. I’m trying a new strategy: more rest days.

Instead of busting my ass 6 days a week, I’m going to cut that down to 5 whereby I do nothing at all on those 2 days and then do active recovery on the days I’m spent.

Results to be determined.

crossfitmomm doing crossfit competitions in colorado springs hot crossfit chicks

Are the Reasons to Workout Over Blown?

by crossfitmomm, posted in Fitness, Running

One of the main reasons to workout is so you’ll have more energy to go and do the things you enjoy doing, and you’ll be physically able to do so.

This is all well and dandy, but there is a flip-side to this: you may end up working out, over extending yourself, and then you’ll have no energy or desire to go and do the things you want to do.

This is me most of the time. For example, let’s take HIIT classes. Every time I do a high-intensity interval training class, I get my ass kicked. I burn a ton of calories, get in a great workout, but then I’m tired, and depending on the time of day I workout, I either have to take a nap or go to bed just to recover. I don’t feel at all like doing much else — and this is really starting to piss me off.

Then, throw in the fact I perpetually seem to be injured. Right now, I’m fighting plantar fasciitis, which is not all that fun. This means I’m taking more time off from running, which just pisses me off too.

I’m still trying to find a workout program and workout schedule that will leave me energetic but not exhausted and leave me injury free.

hot crossfit chick doing crossfit competition clean and jerk in denver

CrossFit: Benchmarks Tell You a Lot

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit

This entire year (2019) has mainly been a battle against my body. Tweaks here and there. Days off from training. Avoiding certain exercises. The things you don’t like about training.

There have been a few bright spots here and there. I’ve PR’ed (set a personal record) for my bench press.  I PR’ed my thruster in a CrossFit competition.

And then today I PR’ed CrossFit girl workout Grace.

CROSSFIT BENCHMARK GRACE

CrossFit benchmark workout Grace is pretty straightforward: 30 clean and jerks at 95 lbs for women for time.

It’s been almost a year since I’ve done Grace, and I knew I’d PR it, mainly because I know I’m stronger.

WHEN YOU’RE IN A RUT, DO A CROSSFIT BENCHMARK WOD

It can be hard after you’ve been doing CrossFit a while to keep going, to keep progressing, to keep getting stronger and fitter. It can be REAL hard. There are days I don’t want to get out of bed and workout. Workouts I look at I don’t want to do. Days I wonder why I do this.

In those moments, you need a win. Today was my win. I’m unsure how long my win will propel me forward. But it doesn’t matter — at this point, I’ll take anything.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

hot crossfit chick running in crossfit competition in co springs

CrossFit: There is Only So Much I Can Mentally Do

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit

More frequently than not, I wake up in the morning and scrap my CrossFit programming in light of something completely different. This is for two reasons:

  1. I am incredibly sore from the day before.
  2. I cannot do the workout for mental purposes.

With two CrossFit competitions in the last two weeks, I’ve had both of these reasons come into play several times. I’ve had to adjust my schedule every day for the last two weeks, and take unplanned rest days because I just couldn’t do it anymore.

Today was another example. I had a CrossFit Hero workout planned, which are CrossFit workouts named after service men and women and are known for being tough. However, when I woke up, I just couldn’t run. I had done a HIIT workout yesterday and ran over 3 miles. Hence, while doing the workout, I changed it.

While I freely admit I don’t know how to stop doing what I do, I do know when to stop doing a movement when I can’t. Today was one of those days. I stopped running and rowed instead. I cut all my reps in half. I did a 30 minute recovery workout.

HOW TO PRESERVE THE MENTAL GAME

In the past few months, I’ve learned the mental game of CrossFit is much more important to master than the physicalness of it. Don’t get me wrong, you have to be able to physically do the moves; but that’s not the hard part of CrossFit. The hard part is committing in your mind to do the CrossFit workout.

TIPS ON MASTERING THE MENTAL GAME

  • I’ve learned you can’t go hard core every day. You have to rest your mind as much as you rest your body. Sometimes you just have to get up and perform some mindless rowing so the next day you can hit it hard.
  • You have to preserve your sanity. CrossFit burnout is real; it hits me every few months. You have to pull back in order to move forward.
  • Do what you need to do when you need to do it. The beauty of at-workouts is you can do what you want, not what someone else programs. It’s the ultimate in listening to your body.
crossfitmomm doing crossfit competition at crossfit mob in denver hot crossfit chicks

CrossFit Competitions: Battle of the Boxes

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit Competitions

This past weekend, my daughter and I competed in Battle of the Boxes at CrossFit MOB. I did this one last year and somehow managed to get second place. This year, however, with my daughter who has to scale all the weights, we were destined for last place. Hence, there is a completely different approach to a CrossFit competition when you know you’re not going to win it.

CrossFit Competition: When It’s Better Than Expected

However, we did better than expected. We got further on the workouts and actually beat some teams. We finished a WOD without being time capped. We did fairly well. We broke up the reps (although I had to do 130 wall balls since the target was 10 feet high, which sucked), but she did most of the snatches.

Overall, a good day.

Fitness: My Goal is to NOT Get 10,000 Steps — And Here’s Why

by crossfitmomm, posted in Fitness
hot crossfit chick at Masters CrossFit Competition at CrossFit Decimate in Colorado Springs
Masters CrossFit Competition at CrossFit Decimate

I’m beat up.

Literally.

I did a CrossFit Competition on Saturday. It was fun, don’t get me wrong. However, in my opinion, the CrossFit workouts were not balanced, and I’m paying the price for it this entire week.

I have a tweak in my hamstring (did you know there’s such a thing as hamstring tendonitis?). My shoulder hurts. I’ve been walking weird the last two days.  Trying to do workouts have been mentally challenging more than anything. And even the rower is challenging.

Today, I have no desire to workout. I have no desire to walk anywhere, lift anything heavier than my phone, or do anything whatsoever to raise my heart rate. When I take rest days (which are rare), I mean to rest.

So here’s to you, Fitbit — stay under 10,000 steps!

CrossFit Competitions: It’s Always a Good Day When You PR

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit Competitions

As most of you know, the fitter you become, the harder it is to set personal records (PR). I haven’t had one in a while. Yesterday, at a CrossFit Masters competition in Colorado Springs, I PR’ed my thruster by 10 pounds. I was super excited! I also did really well, which I wasn’t expecting, which proves to myself I am getting stronger.

Hotcrossfitchick doing thrusters at crossfit competition in colorado springs
Thruster at CrossFit Competition

 

CrossFit Quotes

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit Poems
hot crossfit chick doing wall balls at a crossfit competition in windsor, co
Wall Balls CrossFit Competition

Today I will do what others won’t, so tomorrow I can do what others can’t.

Orange Theory’s Dri Tri

by crossfitmomm, posted in HIIT Workouts, Running
Orange Theory's Dri Tri in Fort Collins, CO
Orange Theory’s Dri Tri

Yesterday, I did Orange Theory’s Dri Tri. The Dry Tri consists of:

  1. 2000 m row for time
  2. 300 body weight repetitions (20 push-ups | 20 bench tap squats | 20 burpees | 40 step ups | 30 bench hop overs | 20 plank jacks)
  3. 5k run

As some of you know, I’ve been battling a calf injury so this was my first time back running. It went well. I invested in compression sleeves; I don’t have any calf strains today so far. And this was fun. Orange Theory’s Dri Tri is twice a year (the next one is in September), so I think I’m going to try and use this as a benchmark in the future.

I finished in 44 minutes, with my 5k time being 24:29, which was good considering I haven’t run a 5k since Thanksgiving, and it was our last exercise. I did well on my 2000 m row as well.

TAKE-AWAYS FROM ORANGE THEORY’S DRI TRI

  • Running a 5k on a treadmill is hard. You have no one to overtake or to aim for. You have nothing to look at. And if the music is not your jam (which it wasn’t), you’re completely unmotivated to finish — except by the fact you want to be done.
  • 2000 m row was the perfect warm up.
  • Dri Tri should be offered in the mornings as well — give me a 5 am time slot for this any day. 2:30 pm in the afternoon was my down time. This was thus challenging for me to get started.
  • Cool swag. I got a Dri Tri hand towel and a Dri Tri water bottle. This was definitely unexpected. Thank you, Orange Theory!

Great workout put on by Orange Theory. I got the most splat points (which is Orange Theory speak for when you’re working about your 84% target heart rate) ever, which is hard for me to do since I have such a low resting heart rate and am in such good shape. I had a good time. This was fun. I’ll see ya in September!