Tag: CrossFit

CrossFit Competitions: Battle at the Rock

by crossfitmomm, posted in crossfit competitions

Yesterday, I competed in a CrossFit competition called Battle at the Rock at CrossFit Castle Rock in Castle Rock, Colorado.

This CrossFit competition was all a test of mental fortitude because I had just done Project Uplift the day before. I was sore. I was tired. I was beat.

Let me just stress that I had not planned to do two CrossFit competitions two days in a row. Yesterday, I was a last minute fill in. Battle at the Rock I had planned for a month or so.

Workout number one was just plain fun. It was a 6 minute AMRAP (as many rounds as possible) of one clean and jerk and 4 lateral bar over burpees. I chose a lighter weight for 2 reasons:

  1. I wanted to keep moving and minimize my pauses. The heavier I go, the more taxing it becomes, the longer the jerk takes, and the less reps I’ll get. There were 2 scores for this workout: reps and weight moved.
  2. After yesterday, my arms were already killing me. I didn’t want to strain anything. 85 lbs was a safe bet. Heavy enough for points but not too heavy I’d have to strain.

I got one rep short of 15 rounds. It was fun.

CrossFit Dumbbell Push Ups

I did the floater next which was 21 calories on the bike followed by dumbbell squats with 35 lbs in each hand. After the bike, I was wiped. This could have been faster.

After this workout, I felt terrible. I went to my truck and sat and rested.

Workout #2 was okay. It was a 24 calorie buy in followed by 30-20-10 of dumbbell snatches at 35 lbs and box jump overs ended by a 24 calories buyout. Normally, this is my cup of tea (except the row). It was all I had just to keep moving.

I had a 2 hour break in-between before the last workout. I took a nap. I ate. I felt much better.

The last workout was normally my cup of tea as well, but I was so tired it was all I could do to keep moving. It was 15 hang power cleans at 65 lbs, 30 step forward lunges with that bar, 15 toes to bar, 30 wall balls (10 foot target but only 10 lbs) and then 15 pull ups. 2 Rounds with a 12 min time cap.

I stricted all the toes to bar and the pull ups even though it’s slower because my hands were killing me, and I didn’t want to tweak anything from my overworked body. Also, I didn’t want to mess with my grips since I don’t use grips on barbell movements and on wall balls.

Well, I got to the 2nd round of wall balls and wanted to die. I honestly just wanted to skip the wall balls and go to the pull ups.

I made it through this CrossFit competition and finished in 2nd for the masters’ women. It was fun, but I am so glad it’s over. I honestly couldn’t have done any more work.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM TWO DAYS OF CROSSFIT COMPETITIONS

  • This is 90% mental. It’s showing up. It’s doing the work. It’s grinding through it when all you want to do is sit.
  • The rest is overcoming the physical exhaustion your body feels. It’s eating enough, drinking enough, planning it all, so you can perform.

I’m unsure if I’ll do two CrossFit competitions in a row again. It’s physically exhausting. Draining. I feel completely wiped out. I have nothing left.

I’ve gained a whole new appreciation for the CrossFit Games athletes who workout for continuous days as well as other CrossFit competitors who do multiple days. It’s a whole different level I didn’t appreciate until now.

It was fun, but I need a break!

CrossFit Competitions: Project Uplift 4.0

by crossfitmomm, posted in crossfit competitions

Yesterday, I competed in a CrossFit competition called Project Uplift 4.0 (the 4th year of this event). I got placed on a team last minute whose other teammate couldn’t compete. It was a team from CrossFit Miramont, which is where I started CrossFit about 2 1/2 years ago.

This year the teams for this CrossFit competition were 4 person–2 guys and 2 girls. I competed last year (my first CrossFit competition) and it was only teams of 2, same sex.

I didn’t know my teammates. They were nice, however. The competition was fierce. We had a strength challenge of 1 snatch, 2 hang snatches and 3 overhead squats. I did okay in this.

CrossFit Snatch
CrossFit Snatch

The next one was an AMRAP of 16 minutes that did not play to my strengths. Toes to bar, pull ups, dumbbell box step overs, and devil’s press. All the moves were brutal. Add in the 90 degree heat, and it was definitely challenging.

During Workout #2, one of my teammates had to quit the synchronized deadlifts with his partner because of his back, so we came in last in that event.

The Floater was a bike and a run–the only one I crushed.

Overall, fun day and a great CrossFit competition. They had a lot of vendors and a ton of stuff for the kids to do. My son played in the bounce house all day long. I hardly saw him. And he came home and passed out (as did I). My daughter was my official photographer (of which you see her work here). Fun.

Such a fun venue. It’s outdoors at Whole Foods Market, so amenities (and by amenities I mean coffee) is close by. Indoor bathrooms. Definitely do this one again next year. I was a bit sore this morning but not too bad.

Thanks, Miramont, for the last minute nod. It was a blast!

Here are Tips for Outdoor CrossFit Competitions:

  • Sunscreen. Use it often and frequently.
  • Drink lots of water. More than you think you’ll need. Dehydration is a real threat.
  • Sunglasses. The CrossFit competition will be brutal without a good pair of sunglasses.
  • Flip flops. At the end of the day after sweating so much, free your feet! Bring flip flops.
  • Cooler. Cool drinks will be the key to staying hydrated, feeling satisfied, and feeling upbeat as the day goes on.
  • Damp clothes throughout the day to stay cool.
  • A generator if you’re going all out with a fridge, microwave, and fans.
  • Tents. This is a must to stay out of the sun.
  • Chairs. This is an ABSOLUTE must. Sitting on the ground sucks.
  • Food. More than you think you’ll need. This goes for drinks as well.
  • Eat. Even if you don’t feel like it. You have to or you won’t make it.
  • Book. You’ll have usually at least an hour between heats. Having something to pass the time makes a huge difference. I finished my car book finally. It was good.
  • Arrive early. I can’t tell you the difference a good parking place means at the end of the day when you can barely walk to your car.
  • Have fun! It’s not about winning. It’s about doing things you normally wouldn’t do and challenging yourself and having fun! Otherwise, you are wasting your time.

I had such a fun day with my teammates and my kids and all the other competitors. We raised money for Kids at Heart, an organization that supports foster and adoption families. When you combine CrossFit and a cause, amazing things happen. Awesome!

The CrossFit Hero Workouts Will Destroy You

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit Workouts

I told you all I did Manion on Sunday, a CrossFit Hero WOD consisting of back squats and 400 m runs. I liked it and didn’t think it was all that bad.

Until Monday. When it was hard to walk.

And then Tuesday. When it was even harder to walk.

And Wednesday. When I could walk but standing up was rough.

CrossFit Dumbbell Lunges
CrossFit Dumbbell Lunges

It’s Thursday. And I FINALLY feel back to normal. I can walk. I feel good. When I rolled out, my hamstrings were still a bit sore but nothing major.

I don’t think about these CrossFit Hero Workouts until they are said and done, which is probably a mistake on my part.

Doing the numbers, in one round, I moved 2,755 lbs. In all 7 rounds combined, I squatted 19, 285 lbs. Not the most intelligent thing to do. But CrossFit Hero Wods are meant to be hard, and I’d dare say, meant to destroy you.

Tips for Surviving CrossFit Hero Workouts

Just cause CrossFit Hero Wods are hard doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ever do them. They are meant to honor the fallen who have given their lives so we can still workout and do all the things we love doing in this world. Here’s some quick survival tips for CrossFit Hero Wods:

  • Plan ahead. Do these when you have rest days coming up or not a lot planned for the next few days.
  • Crunch the numbers ahead of time. Sometimes this can be detrimental mentally if you look at the sheer volume of reps and pounds moved. However, you’ll want to plan your other workouts around the Heros so you’re not lifting heavy the day before.
  • Increase expectations. I didn’t think much about this CrossFit Hero Workout. I just knew it would be long. That was my mistake. Plan for these workouts to take you out. Just like Bruck, it’s the unexpected that can kill you in the end.
  • Recover properly. Hydrate. Refuel with protein and electrolytes. Plan active recovery workouts in the following days. Keep moving but not too much.

CrossFit Hero Workouts are some of my very favorite. But each are tough in their own way. Some are tougher than others, but if you plan accordingly, these will become some of the best workouts, the funnest, and some of your favorite workouts in CrossFit.

CrossFit: When a CrossFit Recovery Workout Turns Into a Workout

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit

I wanted to do a run after my regular workout, and I was thinking an 800 m run would

Summer Showdown 2
CrossFit Assault Bike

suffice.

Well, there’s a workout I have been wanting to do all week that is 2 rounds of a 400 m run and 21 thrusters (a front squat into a push press) at 65 lbs.

Why not do this one, I thought.

Not the best idea. Even though I love thrusters, after DT yesterday (a CrossFit Hero workout that involves deadlifts, hang power cleans, and push jerks at heavy weights), it wasn’t the best idea. Luckily, it was a short workout.

3 Lessons Learned from Recovery Workouts

  1. Make sure your recovery workout is just that: a recovery
  2. Listen to your body: don’t overdo it
  3. Make it light, easy, and fun

The best part about working out is how you feel afterwards. Enjoy the work, but then celebrate the accomplishment!

CrossFit: When the Workout is Perfect

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit

Has this ever happened to you? You show up to do your WOD/workout and it was exactly what your body needed that day?

This happens to me occasionally and today’s workout was exactly what I needed after my CrossFit competition on Saturday.

I warmed up with cardio: an EMOM (every minute on the minute) of row, burpees, and double unders–perfect to get the body warmed and work all your muscles.

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Rowing in CrossFit Competition

 

The workout was 5 rounds for time of:

  • 15 cal row
  • 10 bar-facing burpees
  • 5 power cleans, climbing in weight each round

I had so much fun doing this I did an extra round! It was one of those workouts you never want to stop. You just want to keep going and going and going…like the Energizer bunny.

I polished it off with some strength work and felt amazing even though my arms are still incredibly sore from Saturday’s CrossFit competition.

Recovery Tips for CrossFit Competitions

  • Hydration. You used a ton of energy in one day and you need to replenish. Drink water till your heart’s content.
  • Active Recovery. Take one day off and then get moving! Get your muscles working to get rid of the lactic acid build up and start feeling better sooner.
  • If you’re sore in some areas, work the others. Give your body time to rest, but that doesn’t mean don’t do anything. Work your legs if your arms are sore and vice versa.
  • Don’t kill yourself in the next few days, trying to beat the best guy in your box. The last thing you want is a strain or injury.
  • Listen to your body. Do what it’s telling you: rest, recover, light exercise, massage, etc.

Every CrossFit competition is different. After some CrossFit competitions, I’m fine and not sore at all. After other CrossFit competitions, I’m wrecked and need more recovery time.

Find a workout that’s right for you where you’re at right now. You’ll feel so much better afterwards and be on the road to recovery. Happy Competing!

CrossFit Competitions : Granite Games Throwdown

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit

My home box, CrossFit Endure, hosted the Granite Games Throwdown today.

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Third Place Granite Games Throwdown at CrossFit Endure

It was an awesome day, great weather, full of fun and friends and challenging workouts, laughter, and camaraderie.
The gals and I finished third place, and I couldn’t be more proud of them. Both are some strong ladies who know how to bring it! Thanks, Michelle and Candice, for making great memories!

CrossFit: Recommit–That’s All I Can Do

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit, Running

Life is not a sprint–it’s a marathon.

Running a marathon is not easy. It’s long. It’s hard. There are obstacles along the way.

I’ve been struggling lately with my diet/bloating issues and CrossFit. All of it has been blah.

Each day I fail in the little things–dietary commitments, pushing myself, and overall just getting things done.

Pancake 5k 3
Running a 5k

As I was running this morning in the perfect silence of 3

am,

I was going over in my mind yesterday and what I needed to do today and the next day and the next to get where I need to go.

The word recommit kept playing over and over in my mind.

In the end, that’s all I really can do. The past is past. The future is what I make it. So I need to recommit to my goals–all of them–and move forward.  Just like you do in a marathon.