the birth of a dream

October 16th, 2009 by sio

quantum - the dream

like all births…there is a lot of preparation required.  the birth of a dream is no exception.

i suppose the conception of a dream is quite different than that of a tiny human.  you don’t need two people for one!  ;)   but it’s just as sexy!  in fact, you can have just one person…or many!  oh my!  in this dream’s conception..there are four.  i like to call us the fab four.  like any superhero crew, we all have our individual superpowers to contribute!

our fab four are:

  • the geek – really you need one of these.  geek sounds so uncool…but they are the hipsters in the crowd and you should nab one if you find em!  their abilities are far greater than you can imagine and they move with unmatched speed to create crazy and wonderful tech things!
  • the mini-power – all small and beautiful and full of strengths beyond your wildest imagination.  a testament to “don’t judge a book by it’s cover.”
  • the bionic boy – this is vital.   an unassuming frame full of drive and ideas.
  • the heart – the voice i suppose.  the one who may not have the physical strength and super-powers of the others, but instead the power of words.

separately we dreamed…together we are making it reality.

welcome to the world crossfit quantum.

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my fave travel WOD’s

June 1st, 2009 by sio

Traveling WOD’s

www.crossfitallegiance.wordpress.com/vacation-workouts

 

If you have…just YOU and the WILL!

“susan”

200m run

10 squats

10 push ups

 

5 rounds for time:

25 walking lunges

21 burpees

*you could add in weights and do overhead walking lunges with dumbbells

 

4 rounds for time:

Run 400m

50 squats

 

For time:

Run 800m

80 walking lunges

Run 600m

60 walking lunges

Run 400m

40 walking lunges

Run 200m

20 walking lunges

 

If you have…weights (barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells)

 

Run 1mile

And

3 rounds for time:

10 goblet squats

20 KB swings (sub DB swing if needed)

10 clean and press

20 sit ups (weighted if you dare!)

 

For time:

50-40-30-20-10

DB swings

Sit ups

 

100-80-60-40-20 double unders

50-40-30-20-10 DB push press

 

For time:

10 DB swings

1 burpee

9 DB swings

2 burpee

8 DB swings

3 burpee

7 DB swings

4 burpee

6 DB swings

5 burpee

5 DB swings

6 burpee

4 DB swings

7 burpee

3 DB swings

8 burpee

2 DB swings

9 burpee

1 DB swing

10 burpee

 

AMRAP in 20 mins of:

15 clean and jerk (heavy)

Run 400m

 

5 rounds for time:

8 DB swings (heavy)

16 sit ups

32 double unders

 

5 rounds for time:

120 double unders

30 DB swings

30 push ups

 

For time:

Run 800 m

21 DB swings

21 push ups

15 DB swings

15 push ups

9 DB swings

9 push ups

run 800 m

 

“nancy”

5 rounds for time:

Run 400m

15 OHS

 

4 mins per round…continuous clock

Run 400m

20 DB swings

10 push ups

(remaining time of the 4 mins is rest)

 

If you have… a skipping rope

 

Annie

50-40-30-20-10

double unders

sit ups

 

AMRAP in 20 mins

  • 30 jumping lunges
  • 30 DU’s
  • 30 back extensions (on floor)

 

For time:

25 sit ups

50 double unders

25 sit ups

50 walking lunges

25 sit ups

50 burpess

25 sit ups

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apr23 but seriously…

April 25th, 2009 by sio

let’s recap

sunday = cleans and stuff  (DT)

tuesday = cleans

wednesday = DU’s and burpees and stuff

then today…

5 Rounds for Time: 
5 Burpees 
10 Power Cleans (boys 95#/girls 65#) 
20 Double Unders

i did 55# (L2 was 50#).  9.32 mins

this is like addtion gone wrong.  gawd i hate math!

tyler spotted me breaking too soon on my clean. break too soon and lose the power!  he has a good eye for exactly where your form fails and his fixes are always dead on. i concentrated on this for the workout but seems i have formed a bad habit.  it’s good though to know where your sticky point is.  shrug shrug shrug…forget you have elbows!

this week is like a lesson in muscle memory.  i am way learned…each and every muscle of mine remembers just fine!  ouch!

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apr22 the dream team

April 24th, 2009 by sio

so this was one of those tricky WODs.  the ones where the whiteboard looks tough but meh…you’re a crossfitter…whateve.

oh hell no!  and to top it off, i was like the farm team sub on the dream team!

images

there is this unspoken competition in crossfit.  but it’s a healthy and friendly kinda competition..infact i would call it positive competition.  it’s a constant competition with yourself…the “my better” factor…but it’s also the competition with your fellow athlete, even the ones you have no hope of catching.  i am forever trying to to beat the pants off lady g.  she is mini…but that is no indication of her power.  she is quicker, stronger and more technically competent than me.  but every “3-2-1… go”  i hit it with the intention of beating her.  i never will, but that’s the point!  this sense of competition drives me to work harder.

yesterday i was faced with my competition being the all star team!  bionic boy (peter), killa’c (cynthia) and lady g (leah)!  this was gonna be a tougher race than usual!

For Time:
120 Double Unders
21 Knees-to-elbows
21 Jump Squats
21 Burpees
80 Double Unders
15 Knees-to-elbows
15 Jump Squats
15 Burpees
40 Double Unders
9 Knees-to-elbows
9 Jump Squats
9 Burpees

so after 120 DU’s i knew that the whiteboard was far worse than i had thunk!  oh my…where did all my air go!?  i was winded from the get-go and there was no chance to get it back til i yelled ”time!”  bionic boy was done at my around my 1/2 way point.  i’m guessing performance enhancement drugs cuz that just ain’t normal.  lady g found her knees to elbow kip about 2 in and was like a rocket from there.  and killa’c is just a monster and crushed it!  it was this badass crew that made me rest less, work harder and try my damn’dest to catch one of em!  no hope…but all that really matters is that i tried.

dream team you’re awesome!

total time:16.42mins

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apr21 i’m noticing a trend here

April 24th, 2009 by sio

so sunday was mash up the shoulders and traps with DT…monday was my rest but there was a whole lotta pressing rx’d…then today…MORE CLEANS!

these were power cleans so i at least had a chance.  i don’t drop well…and i it’s reeeal ugly coming out of the hole.  i can clean 80# but only front squat about 75#.  no joke…my squat is that lame.  that’s a whole other blog.

power cleans are really techinically dependant.  and there are a lot of technicals so i find em tough.  you are really limited in how much you can pull if you don’t have your technique down.

my greatest issue is the initial pull.  i break my arms too early.  i tend to mute my hip a little but the arm bend is my biggest limitor.

power cleans

5-3-3-2-2-1-1-1

35# – 55# – 60# – 65# – 70# – 80# – 80# – 80#

until recently (read: sunday) we haven’t worked cleans into our workouts much .  on sunday i did DT with 70# so i thought i could get a 1 max of 90#.  no go!  failed twice at 85#…dropped to 80#.

again, i feel like if i could just get the technique the weight would increase a ton!  (hahahaha…bad pun!)

peter helped me post workout.  he noticed my suffering!  :)   we worked from the hang power position and focused solely on the extension and keeping arms “dead”  felt better by the end…but i am still a whole big work in progress.

on a side note…killa’c, for someone fearful of dropping under the bar you move an impressive load lady!

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apr20 i do not heart rest days

April 23rd, 2009 by sio

3 days on, 1 day off…easy right.  NO!  

i hate even the thought of it.  i hate hate hate hate all things rest.

i understand the need for rest.  i understand the need for my body to repair.  i understand it will only help my performance.  i understand it’s madness to think you can sustain 7 days a week.  

BUT I DON’T HAVE TO LIKE IT.

today i was ordered to rest.  coach lady g has been granted permission to occasionally get bossy and insist i rest.  today she threw on her bossy boots and set me straight.  oh how i hated to miss the feisty 50!  

i read a cool article a few weeks back that made me feel a lil less crazy!  it was comparing the difficulty of rest days for the “fit”…to the difficulty in exercising for the “unfit!”  basically both groups of people are making excuses to avoid what they feel is undesirable and niether is doing themselves any good.

let’s be clear though…i still do not heart rest days.

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apr19 nothin’ says happy bday like shared suffering

April 23rd, 2009 by sio

so most people celebrate birthdays with friends, streamers, presents and cupcakes!  crossfit is no different. well…maybe a little!

sunday was tyler’s birthday…and we celebrated and i’m still feelin it.  nope…it’s not a hangover…it’s the BIRTHDAY WOD!  yes, birthday’s gone crossfit involve friends, perhaps some party favours, the WOD is mos def a present, aaaaaaaand PAIN!  skip the cupcakes we suffer!

so most i know think this is just nutty.  and perhaps it is!  well not perhaps, it’s downright crazy.  but there is no better feeling than knowing people think you’re so swell that they are willing to submit themselves to a whole lotta discomfort in your honour.

happy birthday tyler.  thanks laura for getting the bday boy there!

“warm-up” (don’t be fooled …there was nothing warm up about this one!)

tabatta 1km-run 20secs +10 secs lunge (WTF…where did ‘rest” go to!?)

DT

5 rounds for time

  • Deadlift 12 reps (70#)
  • Hang power clean 9 reps (70#)
  • Push Jerk 6 reps (70#)

(boys rx’d was 155# and gals was 105#)

this was my first heavy weight hero workout and i pushed through finishing on a complete high.  tyler did as rx’d and i have to say it was incredible to witness.

i’d skip the cupcakes any birthday…well….no i wouldn’t.  but i’d fo’ sho’ have BOTH!  ;)

(ummmm…and biggie shout outs to the good sports that kicked it in the tinkerbell party hats!  mad props to summer who actually did the entire WOD in it!)

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apr18 good people with fast feet

April 22nd, 2009 by sio

ENDURANCE WOD…ewww!

so a few of us decided we wanted to impose even more pain on ourselves and try out some endurance WODs.  group suffering is somehow so much more bearable!

we didn’t ease in either…right to an OPT doozey!  

9 rounds of 400m @ 70% , 85%, 100%

70% for round 1, 4, 7

85% for round 2, 5, 8

100% for round 3, 6, 9

the crazy crew = lady g, liz, sara c, ryan, and tyler.

for someone who used to run and still does at least one 8-10km run a week, i thought i was gonna be a little badass on this.  ummmm..not so much.  i’m gonna admit…at the very least i thought this may be my opportunity to perhaps beat tyler at something.  i know crossfit isn’t about competition but i’m not gonna lie…cruising past tyler and ryan would’ve felt kinda fantabulous!  but alas…tyler may hate running…doesn’t mean he didn’t kick ass.  and ryan is just good at stuff…all stuff!  damn the stoopit boys!

regardless…it was an awesome WOD.  i felt positively nauseous my last 100%.  

here’s how it went….
70%_ 1.30/1.32/1.34
85%_ 1.23/1.24/1.27
100% _ 1.23/1.22/1.23

this was a good exercise in playing with intensity.  seeing how hard you could push…100% mos def felt like 100%!

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apr17 what a difference a day makes

April 20th, 2009 by sio

 

so after thursday’s defeating episode i was happy to awake to sunshine and friday!

peter and alex…bless their little hearts…hauled all the equipment outside for a spring fling WOD!

30-20-10 reps for time of:

  • deadlift (boys: 185#; girls: 135#)
  • burpees

in the truest of crossfit style…we set up in the receiving dock bays and hit this one hard.  

i struggle with a solid core for deadlifts.  rounded back is a vice of mine.  throw in “for time” and my form can easily go to pieces.  luckily coach drill sergeant was there to catch my every move (and slip up!)

felt strong…whole new attitude from yesterdays disaster!

i lifted 105# for the deads and stayed on toes for the burpees.  awesome push by everyone. not sure if it was the sun and fresh air…but it just held together.  

there was a slight hiccup in my positive mo when peter yelled “time” at 5 mins!  DONE!?!  you bastard…i’m barely though my first 30 set.  i think i used a few 4-letter words as well.  gawd…to be a bionic boy!  but i got back in my happy place and kept on!

11.21 mins

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apr16 the day that never was

April 19th, 2009 by sio

i read a TON of crossfit related “stuff.” some of my fave reads are the ones focused on inner strength and using it to drive performance. i think of it as developing or training my crossfit heart. and let me tell ya i got BIG crossfit heart! i heart all things crossfit. i can’t call it a gym cuz that just doesn’t fit what crossfit is. i can’t explain to people what it is. it just is the most positive space…filled with the most incredible people.

i have been working my dead hang. i just barely have my kipping pull up. after reading byers dead hang vs. pull up blog ( http://byerscrossfit.blogspot.com/2009/03/got-pull-up.html) i was determined to get a dead hang. i figure with the strength to dead hang, kipping would be supa’ easy!

so everyday after my WOD i hop up on the bar and commit to 5-4-3-2-1 dead hangs with the purple band. i HATE the band. i feel like after a year of crossfit i am so far beyond the band. but i suck it up and strap in! the last few times i have switched to the black band…and once even used the red band. practically a kitchen elastic! i feel sooooooo close to getting there without the damn band!

then last week i walk into “chelsea” and decided…f* you band…f* you bar…i’m going band-less if it kills me. and i did! all 30 horrifying minutes! i kipped chelsea’s ass! i was “officially” out at 14 rounds…but no way, no how was i going to give into the painful cries of my lil arms! i think two things helped me kip band-less. one…the obvious strength you build with a dead hang and two, the motion. the hardest thing about a kip (for me anyway) is to wrap my head around the fact that swinging and kicking is to propel you UP! naturally the swing motion is like a pendulum (back and forth/sideways)…but you need to really get that hip opening and UP vertical motion to successfully get over the bar. practicing the dead hang kinda reinforced that “UP” notion for me.

i felt like a right mess after chelsea…but a band-less proud right mess!

so when i saw the WOD posted thursday i felt really good about it.

Complete 5 rounds for time of:

  • 5 Weighted pull-ups (boys: 45#; girls: 30#)
  • 25 Jumping pull-ups

i swear i stepped up to that bar and saw me complete the WOD in the most badass’ way! i mean obviously my vision wasn’t delusional…i scaled! i’m not wonder woman (yet!). in my head i had a 10-15# weight. all my brain training was in full force! i was positive…i was visualizing…i was killing the WOD (in my head!)

10# – puuuuuull. not an inch did i move

5# – pullup ….nothin!

no pounds…still nothing! i couldn’t dead hang….i couldn’t kip…bah!

i had pulled something in my chest being stupid on the monkey bars a few days earlier…but was convinced i could do this. that it was better…that i was strong enough. sigh* but i wasn’t. and it sucked. really really sucked. i have never DNF’d before…and to be honest…unless i am having a coronary or seizure…i never wanna DNF.

so i hopped down and sub’d push ups for the pull ups. and it sucked.

it sucked because i felt like i let everyone down. there were 5 of the awesome’est ladies pushing through. bound by determination. i felt like i let coach drill sergeant down. he’s always pushin me …never letting me get away with anything…no mediocre allowed.

i finished. feeling defeated and pitiful. i wanted to leave. just grab my stuff and go. but the gals were still fighting. the last to finish was lady g. she was true badass. she was hurting. she was pullin HARD…refusing to drop the weight. if chin didn’t go over…it wasn’t counted. she was and is what i aspire to every workout. all the ladies are.

so i am not recording my time. i am not marking my progress for thursday. today was the day that never was for me. as lisa said..this was my workout/fuck off scale. its’ byers brilliant healthy/fuck off scale applied to a workout. so WOD/FO!

what it WAS for me was just another demonstration of true strength and sheer determination and inspiration. i feel lucky to know the crossfit crew and to share in their pain. i heart our lil community of good good people. they make me try for “my better” each and every day.

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