Fitness/Exercise

Clean Squats are Hard!

1 year ago

by Stephy in crossfit, Fitness/Exercise, WOD

I can feel spring in the air. The birds are chirping and let me break out in song —-

Today’s workout was one of the ladies: Elizabeth and at first glance, seems pretty reasonable. Of course all of these ladies seem ok on paper! Then you meet them and you realize, there is a lot more behind their name!

CrossFit Impavidus WOD
Warmupx2
10 burpees
10 Pass Thrus
10 OH Squats
5 Handstands

Skill
Clean Squats

21, 15, 9
clean squats (135lb,95lb)
Ring Dips
Time: 9:29

I’m getting more confident with handstands once I really commit — I started off rough but Colleen, a 6a partner in crime, realized I wasn’t leading with my leg — once we fixed that and got close to the wall — I had them no problem!

I started with 75lb for the cleans but halfway into the first set of clean squats, I decided to scale. I couldn’t keep going — so I dropped to 65lbs and continued on with the workout – which was still hard as heck. Cleans don’t look so tough –but they take the wind right out of you!

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Heads Up: Local Northern VA Races

1 year ago

by Stephy in crossfit, Fitness/Exercise, Parenting/Family, Races/Challenges

Today was a beautiful spring like day in Northern Virginia! Man — I can taste spring and can’t wait. It is my rest day and I am forcing myself to take it easy –I keep hearing about over training and burn out. I love it so much and am so excited to try new things and practice the new stuff I have learned that it’s hard for me to keep away.

This is the time of the year when info about local races is starting to hit. It seems to me this year that there are more than ever — or maybe I am just on too many email lists. Here are a few to note in the local No VA/DC area:

Brambleton 5k/10k April 9, 2011
http://www.brambletonribbonrun.com/

AOL Sunday, May 15, 2011 @ 8:30 AM.
http://www.active.com/running/dulles-va/aol-2nd-annual-spring-into-summer-5k-and-fun-run-2011

Ashburn Village 10K, 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run. Sunday, May 22, 2011
http://www.active.com/running/ashburn-va/ashburn-village-10k-5k-and-1-mile-fun-run-2011

North Face Endurance Challenge June 4-5, 2011
http://www2.thenorthface.com/endurancechallenge/races/2011/dc/index.html

Spartan Race June 18 2011
http://www.spartanrace.com/

RARE CrossFit 5 Mile Trail Run (RCX5TR) II
Website
Sunday, July 17, 2011 9:00 AM
Virginia Outdoor Center
Fredericksburg, VA

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Saturday at CrossFit Impavidus

1 year ago

by Stephy in crossfit, Fitness/Exercise, WOD

Saturdays are Free at CrossFit Impavidus. I like that new people come and check out CrossFit. It gives a new atmosphere every week —

Warmup x2
1m Stations
Box Jumps
Burpee
Pull Ups
Air Squats
Rest

WOD
1m
10m runs

This WOD was different for me but totally fun. You run 10m and each round it doubles but you still only get 1m and 1m rest — so first round 10m, 2nd 20m, 3rd 30m — until the last person is standing. If you don’t make the round, you are out — I made it to almost 15rounds but came up short with 20m to go! Now talk about a agility workout –Yowsa!

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Climbing up the rope

1 year ago

by Stephy in crossfit, Fitness/Exercise, WOD

Today was another good day at CrossFit Impavidus. We had rope climbs during the WOD and I finally got up that rope using the scissor grip. That is SUCCESS! I have been challenged by that rope for a long time and once again, its all technique! And I got halfway up the ROPE!! YAHOOOOOOO!

Warmupx2
Row 250m
Pass Thrus
50ft Walking Lunges

Skill
Rope Climb

WOD
15m
2 Assents (rope climb)
15 push ups
15 Air Squats
15 butterfly sit ups (+10 more each round as I waited on the rope)
7 Rounds completed

I have an issue- I guess some would call me ‘hard core’ in my workouts and although I like to have fun during them, I don’t have patience for people who come to the workout who aren’t serious. The ladies I have worked out with for years are the same way. We have been trained to show up and work! Chatting time is before or after — workout time is workout time.

The people that show up late, and we have to wait for them to catch up and then they continue to chat away during the workout frustrate me. Usually, I can block them out but when the workout is timed and you are sharing equipment or order of workout — I get frustrated. There is only so many extra reps I can do while I am waiting on them — and quite frankly, if we are timed – then everyone should be going full steam.

It’s also the Coach — Part of their job to keep us all focused and on task. I’m used to having everyone focused during the workout. It’s also not the time to practice moves over and over again. That’s what the skill practice is for and before and afterwards.

These workouts are hard and if you are working your butt off — then you shouldn’t be even able to talk.

Any have advice about how to handle? I don’t want to be that one person who is known as the beeyotch, but if really bothered me this AM. Am I being too sensitive and ‘hard core’? This is CrossFit after all —

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An Unexpected Rest Day

1 year ago

by Stephy in Fitness/Exercise, General Reflections, Health/Nutrition

It’s been quite a busy day. I woke up all raring to go workout when I realized I couldn’t turn my head to the right. I was dressed and thought oh I will go — then I stopped and said nope, not going to push it! So I went back to bed — so Thursday is officially my rest day. I will go tomorrow morning and of course on Saturday.

I’ve been under a lot of stress at work –it’s good busy stress but a lot of it nonetheless. It’s times like this when you need to make sure you are taking the time to relax and create some sort of order in your life so the stress doesn’t just start taking over and you may make the wrong decisions.

I’m not sure if my neck strain is due to the stress or if it was all that shoulder work yesterday — but in the end it doesnt matter, it is what it is.

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A Shoulder Workout

1 year ago

by Stephy in crossfit, Fitness/Exercise, WOD

Today was strength day for the workout –

Warmupx2
Jumping Jacks
10 Air Squats
5 Push Ups
Dynamic Stretching

Skill
Push Jerk

WODx5
Shoulder Press max weight 85lbs (1-1-1-1-1)
Push Press max weight 90lbs (3-3-3-3-3)
Push Jerk max weight 75lb but dropped down to 65lb for final 2 rounds (5-5-5-5-5)

Push Jerks are tough mostly because of the technique. You have to get under the bar at the same time you are pushing it up — almost like racing to see which gets to their designated point first! I seem to need a lot of practice —-

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Mother Nature switches it Up: Evening Workout for me

1 year ago

by Stephy in crossfit, Fitness/Exercise, WOD

I just got back from the 630P CrossFit Impavidus workout because of the weather this morning. I don’t like working out in the evening — my mind can’t seem to wrap its head around the whole concept of the workout and what we are learning and what we are supposed to do. It just seems easier to me to do it all when I am half asleep I guess — pure training in following the lead of the coach.

Guess what we had to do yet again??!! RUN! 400 Meters! My lungs hurt and the entire time I kept saying to myself –Asthmatics Rule to keep me going!!

Warmupx2
Sampson stretch
10 Pass Thurs
10 OH Squats
10 sit ups
10 pull ups
40 Jump Ropes

Skill
muscle ups

WOD
12m AMRAP
400m Run
5 ring dips
5 Bar to Chest Pull ups
(I used the blue band to assist)
4 rounds: 13:51

My ears were wind burned at the end — such the life of an athlete I guess — now on to bed and gear up for another workout tomorrow AM.

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Tips on doing a Better Push-Up

1 year ago

by Stephy in Fitness/Exercise

Oh that Mother Nature — it was 60-70 degree temps last week. This morning, I woke up to snow and ice on the ground. And I woke up normal time, got dressed and ready to workout and lo and behold it was canceled! I will go to a night class this evening to get my workout in — just goes to show you – go with the flow and Momma Nature constantly reminds us all of that.

I saw this video on The Clothes Make the Girl and I thought it was worth sharing here – I love Push Ups, so any tips to help them be more efficient are welcome -

How to Do a Push-up

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CrossFit Impavidus Shuns No Aspect of the Body

1 year ago

by Stephy in crossfit, Fitness/Exercise

CrossFit Impavidus was written up in the local Ashburn Patch this past week:

CrossFit Impavidus Shuns No Aspect of the Body
Ashburn gym trains athletes with focus on 10 areas of fitness.

Because of all the progress I have made since switching up my workouts and moving permanently to CrossFit Impavidus – I have not looked back. I do miss the group of ladies and hanging out with them every morning but as far as my overall training and workouts –nope, don’t miss the old way at all. And I am meeting some great new people as well — the thing about hanging out with fit minded people, they are all great!

Even today I was reminded how different this place is: the idea during a workout is to KEEP MOVING, even if that means you have to scale. At the old place, I would always bitch about how we were not allowed to scale – no way no how — because I would have to stop a lot because the weights were too heavy or I needed to catch my breath.

At CrossFit, you scale to help you keep moving so i have to completely reprogram how I think while working out– because it means giving in but I gotta tell you — I do feel better and I burn more calories. Today, during the 5 round workout, one of the stations was 30 box jumps – and by round 3 — I was spent so I would jump for 10, step up for 10, jump for 10 to get through it. Coach Nick kept saying chip away at the rounds — it’s a totally new approach for me and I like it better!

If you are thinking about trying CrossFit — there are affiliates all over the country. It’s not just about getting fit either, it’s about creating a community of fit minded people who support each other living a healthy life. Isn’t that what we all want – built in motivators?

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