Tag: double unders

You CANNOT Overlook Skills…

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit, CrossFit Open

In CrossFit, this is the one place many fail:  skills.  These include:  rope climbs, double unders, bar and ring muscle ups, handstand walks, handstand push ups, etc.

Why?

Because skills is all practice.  Practice takes time.  Time most aren’t willing to invest in mastering these skills.  Time you have to put in on your own or you’ll never get good at them.

Most people only do these when they occasionally show up in a WOD.  This may be once a week if you’re lucky.  Otherwise, they are forgotten.

Furthermore, these skills have to be kept up to speed or you will lose them.  You have to do all regularly 1) to get better at them and 2) to keep them sharp.

These skills can make or break you in an Open Workout because you either have them or you don’t.  And you either have them well or you don’t.

Let’s take double unders for example.  Many people suck at these.  Why?  1)  They refuse to purchase their own rope ($10).  You can never get good at double unders without a rope that fits you.  Intuitive really.  2)  They never practice them–even in a WOD.

I practiced double unders every day for 6 months straight.  EVERY DAY!  It still took me 2 YEARS to master.  2 Years!  It’s only been within the last few months that I can say, “Yes, I can do 100 double unders unbroken every time I pick up a rope.”  Double unders are that hard.

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A lot of people honestly don’t care enough to practice.  And that’s okay.  We all have our passions and CrossFit may just be a good workout for them.

I just keep practicing.  Like I always do.

That’s my secret.

If you want to get good at anything in life, there’s no secret.  We all know what it is, but few of us choose to do it.

Practice, practice, practice!!!

Finally!!! I’m Back!!!

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit

10 Minute AMRAP:

10 hang squat snatches 55 lbs for women

30 double unders

This was our WOD today and I crushed it.  I pushed hard.  Till the end.  All double unders unbroken.  Sets of 5 on the hang squat snatches.

I felt good.  No coughing.  And I did well.  It played to my strengths.  And I loved it!

Finally!  After a few months of feeling “blah” I feel great.  I hope to continue this up until and through the Open.  We’ll see.

Hey, Dave Castro!  This WOD would be perfect for 18.1 if you’re taking suggestions.

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Beating the Boys

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit

Imagine:  2k row, 150 double unders, and 10 rounds of Cindy (5 pull ups, 10 push ups, and 15 air squats).

Imagine you’re the last one off the rower–and you still beat everyone in the gym.

This was me today.

I’m a horrible rower.  Just terrible.  I’ve gotten better, but it’s definitely not one of my strengths.

I was the last one off the rower.  Some guys were a good 3-4 minutes ahead of me.

I messed up the double unders maybe 4 times.

I did Cindy.  Strict.  Because my left shoulder feels a bit wonky from practicing bar muscle-ups.

And I still won.7ad86c0875a5863e6ce46848764e9b4a-girls-who-workout-crossfit-girls

I couldn’t believe it.

It’s because my strengths are body weight and never stopping till the end.  I did this as soon as I got off the rower.

Today was a good day.

Anytime I beat the boys it’s a good day.

But anytime I come from behind it’s even better.

However, anytime I come from behind AND beat the boys it’s an awesome day indeed.

Skill Work HAS to be at the Forefront…

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit

Ugh!

I have all these lofty goals after the Open and I feel like I’m slacking.

I’ve pretty much got my butterfly pull-ups dialed in.  I’m working on kipping chest-to-bar and am frustrated because my kip sucks so I can’t quite reach the bar.  I really just want to butterfly them so am undecided on how to concentrate my energy.

Bar muscle-ups.  My nemesis.  I’ve quit for about a month now but now it’s time to up my game on them.  I’m so close.  So very, very close!  I can’t give up.  I can’t get frustrated.  Because I have them.  I just have to string together all the elements.

Practicing my double understanding about 3 times a week so that’s good.

I matched my PR on my squat snatch today 3 times.  I have to get over that mental block.

Jerks are still inhibiting me.  Once it gets over 85 pounds I struggle with multiple reps.  My new plan:  is add a little weight at a time.  Add 2 pounds.  Then 4.  Then 7, etc.  Going from 85 to 95 is killing me and frustrating me.  It’s so bad!

Throw in that I’m unsure what to do with the rest of my life as well and well, I can be pretty depressed to be around as well.  Writing.  Finance.  Who knows?  But right now I’m focusing on getting better at CrossFit.  Cause when CrossFit is going good, then I’m going good.

Never One to Follow the Crowd…

by crossfitmomm, posted in CrossFit

Today was a heavy cardio day.  One of our “WOD”s was three rounds for time of a 400 m row and 20 burpees followed by 3 minutes of rest in-between rounds.  Well, if you know me, I hate rests.  So I didn’t do the rests and instead I did 5 rounds with no rest.  Needless to say, I was the only one doing my own thing.

This happens quite frequently actually.  I’ll substitute a move or add something or do more rounds or come in and do something completely different.  I am L1 certified so I know what I’m doing programming wise.  But it’s more than that:  I have my own goals.  I have my own limits.  And I don’t compromise.

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Like kettle bells for instance.  I HATE kettle bells.  I’m always afraid I’m going to screw up my back.  So today I subbed them out and did pull ups instead (in our WOD #2).

I also know what are my weaknesses that I need to fix for the CrossFit Open 2018 (and yes, I’m already preparing for it).  One is pull-ups.  I’m trying to learn butterfly pull-ups so I do them every chance I get.  I’m also focusing on my double unders, handstand push-ups, and bar muscle-ups (which I don’t have yet).  These moves are in the forefront of my mind every time I walk in my box.

Just because something is programmed doesn’t mean you have to do it.  I also hate kettle bell snatches for the same reason:  I’m deathly afraid I’m going to screw up my wrists with that move because I know my form sucks.  So I don’t do them.  According to CrossFit, that’s bad.  I shouldn’t “cherry-pick” workouts.  But this isn’t cherry-picking.  It’s being smart about my limits, knowing them, and protecting my body, so I can continue doing CrossFit ten years down the road.

I just got over a calf injury from running.  I know how much it sucks to be injured and you can’t do things.  So I’m trying to prevent this as much as possible.  Yes, I still do moves I don’t like doing (that’s the whole point of functional fitness and being constantly varied).  But I’m smart about it.  You can love me or hate me for that.