What Have you accomplished this year?

I just read at tweet that said the year is halfway over, you have six months to do what you set out to do this year.  So have you done what you set out to do?  I had three summer goals and I havent met any of them yet.  I want to deadlift 300lbs, I have 5 lbs to go till I hit this goal, do 5 kipping pull ups in a row (these pull ups are becoming my ultimate nemasis!) and to loose 20 lbs.  The last one is my own fault.  I start doing good on my diet for a week or two and then the weekend comes and it all goes bad!  With 6 months to go till the end of the year and a month and a half till the end of summer, I really need to step it up!

Almost to the 300 club!

I had been afraid to try and max out on deadlifts since I hurt my back several months ago.  I didnt want to reinjure it.  Last week I decided to give it a try as long as I didnt feel any pain.  I went from a previous PR of 270 to 295!  I was so excited!!!  Next month be ready because I will hit that 300 mark!

We had our first athlete compete in his first ever CrossFit Competition, CrossFit Katy's Bring the Heat 2, and he got 1st place in the scaled division!  We are so excited for him!  We cant wait for him to compete in the next event!  Check out the photo's from the event here!

If any of you are in Houston, check out this charity event that CrossFit Elevate is doing.  We are going to have several teams participating! http://fallbrewses.com/

Oh and I am on day 4 of my 30 day challenge to get back to Paleo.  So far so good, did the first 3 days with no hiccups! 

Kids Camp

CrossFit Strom started up a kids camp last week with a nearby elementary school.  So far things are going great!  We have 13 kids that attend summer school that stay for 30 minutes after class to get in some fun functional fitness!  I'ts great to see them starting to challenge each other and themselves.  Check out our blog to see how the class is going!

Me trying to get my deadlifts back after my back problem!  up to 250, get nervous everytime I go above that, afraid I'm going to herniate the disks again!

I'm Back...again!

Another long hiatus!  I know I know I havent written in a long while.  I keep busy updating our gyms website
crossfit strom, flickr, facebook, twitter,  linkedin, and wodcast pages, so its hard to keep my own blog updated!  Okay enough shameless promotion!  :-) 

It's been getting crazy HOT in Houston and it's barely the beginning of summer!  I did a hero wod on monday that took me almost 4 minutes longer than when I did it in February!  Hopefully I get used to this heat again soon, I dont want my times to keep going down!

Wodcast case study

For the past several months we have been a beta tester for Wodcasts Wod tracking software.  We love the ease of use of it, and everyone really likes checking in every day to see how they compare to others!  With their new features of allowing everyone to input their own photo it really makes it more personalized.  They have a cool new feature too that marks when you have gone up on a strength PR. Everyone whose interested in an easier way to keep track of their gyms wods should take a look at the software!  Here is our case study! http://blog.wodcast.com/2011/05/31/crossfit-strom/

25 lb back squat PR

Yesterday we did CrossFit totals, and I was nervous going into it since I havent deadlifted heavy since my back injury.  I was able to hit 250 with no problems!  I tried for 270 but started to feel a slight pull so I figured I would rather be safe than sorry, and just kept it at 250.  I will have 300 before the summer ends!  I did get a nice 25# pr on my back squat!  Did my first 200# squat!
Crossfit Totals score: 555

I was in Washington D.C. for work and stopped by District Crossfit for a few sessions when I could run out of my conference.  They were extremelly nice and supportive, but also kicked my butt!  I must say that the athletes up there are in very good shape! Time to get back into it and start hitting it hard!  It's almost summer and I dont have my beach abs yet! :-)

Carl Paoli Gymnastics Training

Hello All!  I know its been a long time since I have posted!  I hadn't really felt like posting since I have been only able to do between 50-75% of my max weight due to my back injury, but I am feeling a lot better and thought I would start my first post with the training I did over the weekend!  I went to CrossFit Austin to attend the gymnastics seminar hosted by Carl Paoli.  We learned how to do proper hand stand pushups, pistols and muscle ups!  I am a long way away from being able to do a muscle up, but now I know the steps that it takes to make it happen, and the way he put it all together makes it seem very do-able in the future!  If anyone has the opportunity to take this class I would suggest it!  Hopefully they will post our class picutre soon so I can post it here!  http://nakaathletics.com/naka-pros

Here's me on the right doing my pullups, yes still with the band!  Hopefully I will do them today unassisted.  I'm going to try and utilize the techinques that Carl taught us this weekend to hopefully string my kips together!

Cheaters

I dont get it.  Why do you want to cheat, your only cheating yourself!  Do all of your reps, count them properly!  Don't half do a move and say you completed it.  Why do you want to beat everyone so much, your only hurting yourself.  You arent going to get any better.  Stop cheating and start bettering yourself!

Tuesday's Wod:
Strength:

Push Press 3-3-3
70% 80% 85%
Wod:
4 RFT
20 Supine Bridges
30 DU
200m sprint
Time: 9:36

Wednesday's Wod:
AMRAP 15 min

15 POWER cleans 65#
15 kb swings
15 box jumps
Rounds: 4

Off Paleo for the Weekend

I went to visit my sister for her birthday this weekend and I really went off of Paleo hard!  We had cupcakes and bacon infused waffles for breakfast, 5 cheese mac and cheese for lunch with corn bread, and some delicious sushi for dinner.  So now its time to get back on the Paleo band waggon!

Monday's Wod:
4 RFT
20 games style push ups
40 sit ups
20 wide grip pull ups
40 air squats
Time: 20:36

The cupcakes!!

One week down!

The 60 day Paleo challenge is going pretty well.  I havent really been craving anything.  I did have a cheat meal where I allowed myself some dessert, but other than that I havent gone crazy!  I was featured in Team Gorilla again yesterday :-)

Here are the wod's i've done the past few days:

Monday's wod:
2 RFT
200 m run
20 squats
200 m run
20 push ups
200 m run
20 sit ups
200 m run
10 burpees
200 m run
10 man makers
Time: 21:46  I was dying during those runs!!

Friday's Wod:
For Time

50 burpees
25 clean n press or jerk
50 kb swings
25 box jumps

Still Doing Good on the Paleo Challenge!

Today is day 5 of the paleo challenge and still doing good!  I havent been craving anything too much, sweets on occasion, but nothing I cant handle!  I feel better, hopefully I'll start seeing some weight loss and toning soon!  I have to give a shout out to Team Gorrilla, I am featured again on their page, scroll down to the last two pics!

I thought I was going to hate yesterday's wod since it was pretty much total cardi, but I didnt do too horibbly at it!

Thursday's Wod:
Run 1 mile
30 stones to shoulder
Row 1 mile
Time: 19:26

Wednesday's Wod:
“Ledesma”
AMRAP 20 min
5 Parallette handstand push-ups
10 Toes through rings
11 rounds ( i did regular hand stand pushups and knees to elbos off of the rings)

15 Medicine ball cleans

Day 3 of Paleo Challenge

So it hasnt been as bad as it has been on the past when I try and get off of sugar!  My office had several huge platters of doughnuts and cookies and muffins yesterday and I turned my back and walked away.  Unless its a dessert that I LOVE i'm not going to sabatoge my 60 day challenge :-)

Tuesday's Wod:
AMRAP 12 min
20 box jumps
15 HSPU
10 sit ups
Total rounds 7

Monday's Wod:

6 RFT
10 man makers 20#
1 DL 85% of 1rm
50 DU’s
I subbed 5 air squats for the DL
I did all DU's so it took me forever!  My time was 27 something!

60 Day Paleo Nutrition Challenge Day 1

I am hoping that the start of this Paleo nutrition challege wont be a huge challenge to me.  Normally what gets me is the sugar cravings, but I have been sick the past few days and I cant really taste much and I'm not really hungry, so I'm hoping that I can get through this first week and not have my normal sugar freak out :-)  I'm hoping to loose about 15lbs before a trip in May...hopefully I can do it!

I tried to sweat out the cold on Saturday by doing a team wod, didnt work too well, I was super sick on Sunday. 

Saturday's Team Wod:
1 mile run
100 kb swings
90 DU’s
80 wall shots
70 push ups
60 box jumps
50 pull ups
40 burpees
30 DB thrusters
20 toes to bar
10 ring dips
1 mile run
Time: 37:00

Friday:
500 m row
75 squats
500 m row
50 dips
500 m row
25 sit ups
500 m row

CrossFit Strom's March Athlete of the Month!

Check out our March Athlete of the month!  http://www.crossfitstrom.com/uncategorized/march-athlete-of-the-month/

I have done two more wods this week and the back is feeling good.  It is still sore, but at least I can lift some weight now, and I'm not doubled over in pain half way through the day!  I have been trying to do wods that dont have me jostling it around too much and that dont require me to arch it too much.  Here are Tuesday's and Wednesday's Wods.

Tuesday:
4 RFT
1 min hang from pull up bar
20 OH plate lunges (25#)
40 Toe raises off of the plate
20 one leg squats

Wednesday:
15-12-9 each arm

KB clean n press (25#)
KB snatch
OH KB lunges

Pull ups not so good for a sore back

I was doing yesterday's wod and felt ok, I thought that the wall balls were what might hurt and I would have to switch to air squats....nope it was the pull ups, the kipping motion really made me feel it in my back.  Lucky there were only 10 per round, so I could attempt to do them with minimal kip.  It felt good to be back in the gym, yeah I know I was only gone for 2 weeks, but two weeks is a long time!  We are starting our 60 day nutrition challege next week too.  I cant wait to see all of my improvements!

Wod:
3 RFT
600 m run
15 wall shots
10 pull ups
Time 15:06

So sore and only 50% weight!

I did two wods on Sunday, to get back into it, slowly!  First one I did was
3 RFT
200 m OH carry 25#
200 m farmers carry 25#
200 m run

I couldnt run with the weights because that caused my back to hurt.  The weight wasnt bad, felt pretty light.  The next wod I did was a very light bench press wod:
21-15-9
45# bench press
250 m row

I fet good after them, a little stiff but not bad.  I made sure to roll out my back with the foam roller.  This morning I am super sore though!  I used light weight and I am sore!!  Guess thats what happens when you are forced to take two weeks off. 

Out with an injury

Sorry for the lack of postings!  I hurt my back two sunday's ago, I originally thought that I had a cracked vertebrae, had to get an MRI, where the Dr. told me that along with the fractured bone I had a lumbar herniated disk that was pressing into my nerve root so I had to go so a neurologist.  I finally had my appointment yesterday and found out some good news!  I do not have any broken vertebrae, but I do have to herniated disks.  He thinks with two more rounds of steroids I will be good to go!  Lets hope so!  I can start back working out next with with decreased weights.  I'm so happy!!! I thought I was going to be out for at least 6 weeks if not more!

Back on Track

I really need to get my eating back on track.  There are begining to be more cheat meals than clean meals :-(  I think that I might try the whole 30 for the month of March.  We are starting a nutrition challege at the gym then, so I might as well jump right into it!

I was really sore after the three Wod's I did on Monday, so what did I do, I decided to do a Hero Wod on Tuesday.  Wednesday I was so sore I could barely roll out of bed!

Tuesday's Wod:
Mr. Joshua
5 RFT
400 m run
30 GHD sit-ups (subed for weighted good mornings 30#)
15 deadlifts 185#
Time: 28:20

Wednesday: REST!

Thursday:
4RFT

100m Walking Squats
15 Push Press 65#
15 SDHP 65#
100m Sprint
Time: 33:12

Ranger CrossFit Wod's

I wanted to see how I would do next to the girls competing in the Ranger CrossFit Girls only competition this past Saturday, so I decided to do all 3 Wod's yesterday at the gym.  I didnt do too bad, 45 seconds behind the winner of wod 1, 30 seconds behind the winner or wod 2 and 12 seconds faster than the winner of wod 3.  I am super sore today too! 

Wod 1:
(15 min Time limit)

1 mile run
50 Air Squats
50 KB American Swings (35#)
Time: 12:31

Wod 2:
(12 min Time Limit)

3 rounds for time of:
21 Wide grip Deadlifts (95#)
14 Shoot Throughs
7 Wall walks
Time: 8:48 (my first time doing shoot throughs and wall walks)

Wod 3:
1. 300 JUMP ROPES

2. 5 BURPEES
3. 50 M TIRE DRAG
4. 5 BURPEES
5. 50 M FARMERS WALK (50#)
6. 5 BURPEES
7. 25 THRUSTERS (20#)
8. 5 BURPEES
9. 25 DB STEP UPS (20#)
10. 5 BURPEES
11. PAINT BALL GUN (10 RDS)
12. 100 M SAN BAG RUN (40#)
Time: 10:12 (I had to simulate shooting a paint ball gun)

CrossFit Strom Membership Appreciation/Grand Opening!

Saturday we held our customer appreciation/grand opening evening, and it was a huge success!  We had about 30 members and friends of members show up to do a WOD and then have some BBQ.  Everyone had a great time, and hopefully we have gained some new members!  Click on the flickr link in the website to see all of the pics!  http://www.crossfitstrom.com/

Sunday's Wod
5 rounds
bear complex 65#
500 m row

Then
Bench press wod
21-15-9
55# bench press
DU's

6 Days in a row, too much for your body?

I worked out pretty hard for 6 days in a row, two days with weighted vests, one day with the 60# kettlebell, plus lots of extra reps for some training I'm attempting, so when yesterday's workout was 21-15-9, clean and jerk, box jumps, wall shots, I thought no big deal, sounds fun.  Well I was wrong!  I used 75# for the clean and jerks, which shouldnt have been that hard, but I was struggling!  Guess 6 days in a row is a bit too much!

Thursday's Wod:
21-15-9
clean and jerk 75#
box jumps 20"
wall shots 15#
Time: 15:54

Another weighted vest wod

When I think, oh this wod would be great to do with a weighted vest, I need to take into account the fact that I will have that weight bouncing on my collar bones when I am doing my DU's and that I probablly wont be able to do any DU's and I'll have to switch to SU's because of this extra 20# I am carrying.  Well at least I finished :-)

Wednesday's Wod
Wod:


For Time
1 mile row
800m run
50 DU
400m run
50 DU
800m Run
Time with weighted  vest: 24:30

60# kettlebell swings

I decided to try and step my game up yesterday and use the 60# kettlebell instead of the 50 for the days Wod, since it was a short, AMRAP in 8 minutes.  Wow I couldnt believe the difference 10# lbs makes!  I think on my last set, on half of them I was only able to get the weight to my head, not over it.  I definately need to stay on the 50# KB for a while longer until I get my strength up some more! Let me also say that before we even started the Wod we did Snatch work and 5 minutes of max pullups, so I'm sure my arms were dead tired already by the time I got to that 60!

Tuesday's Wod:
5 min max pull ups or push ups

Skill:
The Power Snatch

Wod:
AMRAP 8 Min
10 KB swings 60#
15 SDHP 60#
Rounds: 4

4 min rest

AMRAP 8 min
10 push press 65#
15 burpees
Rounds: 3

Athlete of the Month!

Sorry I have not been posting much recently.  It's hard to keep up with my personal blog with regular work, plus all of the social media for the gym!  But I did want to promote our first ever Athlete of the month!  http://www.crossfitstrom.com/uncategorized/ramsey-howell-february-athlete-of-the-month/
Take a look to see how great she looks in just under two months! 

I wont post everything that I have done the past week, I will start with Monday's Wod:
Skill:

Intro to Curtis P.
Wod:
5 RFT
10 weighted squat jumps
6 lunge complex
400 m sprint
Time: 23:30 (I did the wod with a 35# weighted vest)

Yes this is me gasping for air at the end!



FINALLY got my double unders!

I finally got my double unders last night!  I shortened my speed rope and viola, i was able to get them! I am super excited and can't wait to practice them again tonight!

Monday's Wod:
Max rep DU’s 5 min

AMRAP 15 min
3 deadlifts 80% 1RM (210#)
10 plate weighted squat jumps (35#)
Rounds: 8


Sunday's Wod:
"Cindy"
I beat my last number by 3 rounds, got 15 this time!

Thursday's WOD:
Buy In- Shoulder Stone 20, Shoulder Keg 20, 50 Ab Mat Situps

WOD:
AMRAP 20 min
10 DL body weight or 50% 1 rep max
12 KB Swings
14 Box Jumps
Rounds: 5

First WOD with a weighted vest!

Yesterday I decided to do part of my wod with a weighted vest, well it turns out that my husband actually wanted me to do the entire wod with the vest, so I sucked it up and did it.  It was really hard during the wod, and after it, I couldnt get that vest off vast enough, but now, I kind of want to do more wod's that way!

Wednesday's Wod:
1 mile row
5 rounds of Cindy
5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 squats
1 mile run
All with a 22.3# weighted vest. 
Time: 27:54

Tuesday's Wod
Strength:

5-3-1
WOD:
“Helton”
3 RFT
800 m run
30 DB squat cleans (25#)
30 burpees
Time: 34:02

Monday's Wod
5-3-1

WOD:
4RFT
Bear Complex
400 m run
Time: 20:24

 Before Sat WOD pic

After Sat WOD pic

T-Shirt time!

We got our t-shirts in yeah!!! 

Saturday's Wod:

For Time: Teams of 2

800m Run

50 Box Jumps (20")

10 Pull ups

40 OH Squats (65#)

10 Pull Ups

30 thrusters (65#)

10 Pull ups

20 HSPU

10 Pull Ups

20 Ring Dips

400m Run

20 Ring dips

10 Pull Ups

20 HSPU

10 Pull Ups

30 thrusters

10 Pull Ups

40 Power Cleans

10 Pull Ups

50 box jumps

800m Run

Time: 42:45

Friday's Wod:
Wod:
Death by pull up (still on the band :-( did 9 rounds)
1-1-1-1-1-1-1 Power Clean (105#)

Thursday's Wod:
1 mile row-(Buy In to WOD)
2 RFT
800m sand bag carry with a 50# sandbag!!
100 DU or 300 SU
20 burpees
Time: 22:24

Should have had some pickle juice!

I had to take Tuesday off due to a work event, so I was fresh and ready for Wednesday's wod...so I thought!  The warm up was tough enough, weighted tire pulls, then rope drills.  My arms and legs were like jello.  So then of course what comes next, skill work of ring dips, you expect me to hold myself up much less dip down after the rope drills!  So needless to say by the time the actual wod came, I was already tired :-)  It was a good wod though, I was nice and tired after it!  But I think that i didnt drink enough water yesterday because my entire body started cramping up about an hour later.  My rib cage, my legs, my back, even the muscle that I didnt know I had under my chin!  It was miserable!

WOD:

800m run
AMRAP 10 min
5 manmakers 20#
10 BW dead lifts
2 min rest
400m run
AMRAP 10 min
5 SDHP 50#
10 air squats
1st AMRAP 3 rounds
2nd AMRAP 13 rounds

New Deadlift PR! 265#!

My goal for the next 3 months is to get to a 300# deadlift.  I went up on my pr by 15# this past month, so hopefully I will get there!  I was super excited when I got the 265# :-)

Monday's Wod:
Power cleans, every minute on the mintue for 10 minutes
I got through 9 of the rounds and then only did 5 on round 10.  I was using 85#
Then
3 RFT

10 reverse lunges (25#)
15 spiderman pushups
10 air squats
15 sit ups
Time:
5:46

Saturday Team Wod

I have to give a big shout out to my partner Vanessa.  She really kicked butt in this wod and encouraged me to keep going even when I needed a breather :-)

row 6k in teams

For time:
40 clean and jerks 55#
150 push ups
100 kb swings 50#
200 m team keg carry 75#
run 1 mile together

Finally Friday!

This week has been filled with quite a few longer wods.  I am really needing a rest day today!  I have been sore in areas that I didnt know existed.  But thats a good thing :-)

Thursday WOD:
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

SDHP
box dips
burpees
knees to elbows

Wednesday WOD:
6 RFT

10 wall shots
15 box jumps
20 sit ups
200 m run
Time: 21:29

It's always the mind that fails, never the body

I was doing yesterday's Wod, and my coach told me that I was smoking everyone's times, until the last two rounds.  He's always telling me to take my mind somewhere else, that the pain is temporay and that the wod is almost over...so is it my mind that slows me down or my actual body....

WOD:
5 RFT
5 pull ups
10 kb swings 50#
20 double unders (60 SU's)
Time: 8:08

Never Quit

Last week my energy level was low.  There were several wod's I just didnt feel like doing, but I made myself.  I didnt give in.  I didnt give them my all, but at least I was doing something.  On Saturday we had a team wod, I was paired with a new guy that hadnt worked out in a quite a while.  Even though he was out of breath, in pain, and behind all of the other groups, he didnt give in, he fought till the end.  So no matter how hard the wod is, never quit.

Monday's Wod:
7 RFT

10 Power cleans 65#
10 OH weighted lunges 35#
10 Thrusters 65#
10 Burpees
Time: 28:56

Saturday Wod:
Team wod
10 RFT
10 Sandbag Carry Sprints

5 push ups
5 sit ups
5 burpees
5 kb swings
5 air squats

Friday Wod:
WOD:

5 RFT
20 floor wipers
20 games style push ups
20 weighted sit ups
20 toes to bar
Time: 18:29

I'm coming for you Kip!

This week we have been practicing our kipping pullups, I'm almost there...so close!  Yesterday I got my first rip in the middle of my hand, what made it worse was that the WOD was all gripping work...kettlebells, ring rows, it was miserable!  I'm hoping the tear heals soon so that I can get back up on the bar!

I'm on http://wildgorillaman.blogspot.com/2011/01/this-is-nations-station-of.html  Love this site!  Thanks for the love! :-)

Thursday WOD:
10-15-20
SDHP 50#
elevated ring rows
KB swings 50#
box jumps 20"
Time: 15:13 (wasnt even trying to go fast, my grip was shot!)

Wednesday WOD:
6 RFT
50 DU's
10 OH squats 65#
10 HSPU
Time: 21:34

Kegs, stones, and sandbags!

I'm so sore from the workouts we've been doing.  Saturday was Murph, it was supposed to be team murph but I did a half one on  my own, with the mile before and after courtsey of my husband telling me I had too.
1 mile run
50 pullups
100 push ups
150 squats
1 mimle run
Time: 43:08

Sunday was some heavy lifting courtesy of 5-3-1, did my deadlifts, backsquats and strict press routine.

Monday was a FUN DAY!
We did 3 rounds of 1 min max reps, with 1 min rest between round of
stone to shoulder (75#)
keg to shoulder (60#)
deadlift sand bag to shoulder (50#)
deadlifts (185#)
power clean (75#)
Total score: 126 reps

Tomorrow is Murph Day!

I'm contemplating taking today off from my workouts, I have done 5 days in a row and probably need a rest day, but today's wod looks fun....but tomorrow is Murph!  I really want to beat my last time! 

I was featured on http://wildgorillaman.blogspot.com/ for my keg lifts, along with my girl Joy! 

Yesterday's wod:
4 RFT:
250 m row
12 power cleans 75#
10 kb swings 50#
Time: 11:58
http://www.crossfitstrom.com/

Kicking "Annie" to the Curb!

Yesterday we did Annie.  I wanted to beat my old time but I smoked it by 3:30!  My new Annie PR is 6:09!  That is a nice motivator....could it be part of my clean eating regimne I started?  Lets hope so!  And for those of you wondering I went with clean eating rather than whole 30.  I need my protein shakes after a hard workout!  Especially when half of the time I dont get a chance to eat dinner when I get home.
Annie:
50-40-30-20-10
DU's
Sit-ups

Keg elements day!

I love love love lifting the keg and atlas stones.  It is such a fun way to incorporate new movements into your crossfit routine.  Yesterday we went through the elements of how to shoulder a keg and to press it.  It's so much more difficult to press a 65 lb keg thats sloshing with water than a 65 lb barbell!

WOD:
21-15-9
Deadlifts (150#)
Uneven farmers carry Step ups (30/35#)
Games style pushups
Time: 14:32

CrossFit Strom

Even though I wasnt blogging all of last week, I was working out! I wont bore you with all of the workouts that you missed while I was away, but instead will start fresh for the new year!  And FINALLY I can announce the website to the new gym I have been going to (hint hint, my husband and two friends opened it up a month ago!) http://www.crossfitstrom.com/

Yeah!  They are official!  Check it out and let me know what you think!

Yesterday's wod:
TABATA
Squats - 13
Push ups - 8
kb swings (50#) - 7
box jumps (20") - 3
row - 23
sit ups - 13
pull ups - 3