RX, sweat, and Personal records baby!

Soo I basically started my week off at 730am when my bud Alex (coach) says to me... why are you here so early?  Everyone kinda knows I'm not an early bird... especially because my work schedule doesn't usually start til 11am.  To be fair... i also work til 9pm when everyone else has had dinner and is already half asleep so whateve.  I decided last week, after taking the late morning class that I was still all red and sweaty by the time i was clocking in and ready for my first client, that that's not ok.  I needed to start going earlier... and you know what I actually like it.  Unfortunately this also made me more tired by the time I was done work I just wanted to go to bed and not eat but thats not ok either... I need to find a happy medium.  I cant get anything done when I work til 9 and cant get anything done before work because things aren't open.  I'll figure it out.. I'm just putting my passion first and that is training in crossfit.  Its soo good for me and I adore it, as well as all of the amazing people who I've come into contact with... and yes i love you all.  We are about to start a 4 week healthy challenge based on diet and rest and basically taking exceptional care of your body.  Its based on the paleo lifestyle which i definitely know about... i just still consider myself a rookie.  I'm still a crossfit rookie when it comes down to it.  I'm waiting for that day when I don't feel like going... I'm going on 9 months now and that has yet to happen... or even come close.  Its almost as if I'm going to play something ...a fun game of some sort, its hard to explain but we all know.

So anyway... I wanted to go hard this week since I felt like going early was going to be tough for me i wanted it to be worth it.  I was able to RX this all the WODs i did this week!!!!! YES!!! That's all I really try for everyday I train.  Clicking that lil RX button means everything to me... I feel like I can do it without being babied... although theres still alot of things I cant do RX, 3 days in a row made me feel  amazing! Tues there was no lift but I stayed after class with Alex and did the competition work so i felt better doing some clean and jerks after, and because I was there so early I had the extra time!  We did the Fight Gone Badish benchmark metcon.  YESS!!! I love doing benchmarks.. its good to try to beat your own time!

5/28/13 WOD
METCON
Fight Gone Badish


-3 rounds for reps 267 reps
--1min wallballs 14lb
--kettlebells 35lb
--box jumps
--push press 55lb
--row for calories
--rest 1 min

Wed I woke up saw that it was squat day and I wanted to beat my 1 rep max of 250lb.  I was determined.  My bud Rach was there and that made it soo much better.  I did the hatch squat program which required you to do your 1 rep max and when I got there I just did the required 3 reps.  I was soo excited it felt like xmas morning with a PR!!!  I think I love to squat.  I love doing alot of lifting but squats and deadlifts might be my thing.  The metcon consisted of front squats and push presses and bar hop burpees(which are the devil) and I did better than I thought.  The RX weight was 75lbs so I was good with that but it got heavy fast.  I cooled off and got ready for work only to realize it was one of my buddy's last day at our shop.  Shanely has been a huge part of our store and has really gotten to know our clients well.  I'm going to miss her soo much.

5/29/13 WOD
STRENGTH
-back squat x3 @250lbs
METCON
-AMRAP in 10 min
111,222,333,444......
-front squat
-push press
-bar hop burpee
finished with 8.7 rds


Today I decided to sleep in since I was falling asleep while trying to eat dinner late after 9pm.  I now know that I def hate watching Kelly and Michael and wont be wasting my time with that anymore.  Shes become soo annoying and its ashamed because I love him, hes been a great co-host.  I realized today I cant stand to watch her anymore.  I kept thinking that I shouldve been at the 9am WOD.  There were some errands I needed to run today and since places didn't open til 10ish I would go before my 12 class and get everything done... well that didn't work because I forgot a few errands and I went to see Dr Nelson about and hr early because I had the wrong time lol.

Anyway it was sooo hot.... duh like that's all we talked about all day ...but my car was saying 94 and it felt worse in the box.  Our strength for the day was power cleans ...which I love and I wanted a PR.  We started and I was all sweaty before I even got weight on the bar.  I managed to get up to 145lbs for a PR!!  I failed the first time and gave it a few min and then I got it!  We were doing cleans in the metcon too so it was a gonna be a good day.  This was another benchmark that i haven't done yet so I wanted to set the bar high for myself.  I felt like I did well since i couldn't breath and didn't feel weak til the last set.  My lungs held me back but I felt good about my score... I was moving as fast as I could thank god for that starbucks lol.

Top bruise..crossfit/sliding boo boo on bottom

5/30/13 WOD
STRENGTH

METCON
The Chief
-5 rounds of 3 min per round AMRAP
--3 cleans @95lbs
--6 push ups
--9 air squats
21 full rounds completed

We were soaked... but it felt good almost like a detox/sauna.  I got home and realized I had an email from Rogue about the Nike Romaleos finally coming in!  I have been waiting for these weightlifting shoes to come in now for at least 6 weeks.  My feet are tiny so I have a hard time finding a small mens size but these things are badass.  I cant wait to see how they help me with lifting.

I couldn't wait for my softball game tonight with the women's league.  These girls are the best.  We play well together, have fun, make fun of each other, and best of all we win ....ALOT.  So it was probably our biggest game before playoffs and we won, we played well tonight too.  I feel awful tho I hit one of my teammates with a line drive.... like a hard line drive.  Shes tough though trust me if I asked her if she was ok one more time she prob would've threw me in a headlock.  Robbie came with me we had a few beers and got food at the bar... ya know getting all the bad food and beer in before my 4 week challenge.  I need a challenge since I realized how great paleo is for me Ive really slacked, like BAD.  Its not that I want to eat that way but Ive had no time to prepare food or even get to the store.  Besides that its been a crazy time of year for me not only at work but everywhere else too.  This challenge will make me stop making excuses and get serious about this by being held accountable.  That's sad that I need it but maybe after 4 weeks it will come natural to me again. We shall see! this is going to be interesting!

Sweating my a$$ off!

Hey hey HAY! Ok so I guess I'm going to start with what a great but fast week its been.  I don't know how but its already Memorial Day weekend! This week flew by I can only hope the weekend slows down and I get to enjoy it.

So I'm having some great pain in my arms, which is showing that all the right muscles are working and no pain in the shoulder!  This is great.  There was a great WOD on Tues which was push up torture (i loved it) on the arms, and bench pressing for 8 reps which is the most I've done.

5/21/13 WOD
STRENGTH
-benchpress x8 @100lbs
METCON
-sets of 21,18,15,12,9
--push ups
--sit ups
--50m lunges with 30lb dumbells
finished in 8:34

Wed I woke up in the early AM to WOD and couldn't even roll myself over to hit the alarm clock.  Haha it was tough to get out of bed, ya know later after I realized I was too sore to workout, but I finally got my coffee and stretched then realized I had soo much upper body/arm pain that work was going to be tough.  Thank god when we cut hair we have our elbows low because it was going to be a T-REX kind of day lol!  All was well until I tried to undress myself to shower hahaha, it was soo pathetic trying to get out of my shirt, I think may have bruises from something in the bathroom.  Getting dressed again was also quite a sight.  The pain was great though, like I def pushed myself well past the comfort zone.  I definitely needed a rest day.

Today I woke up stretched out, still pretty sore, but when I saw it was squat day I knew I would be ok to WOD.  We did "jackie" today for the conditioning part of the WOD.  It was soo awful to look at but once we got warmed up it wasn't soo bad.  I think I was psyching myself out about trying to do 50 thrusters after just doing them Monday for the first time with no pain.  Also the last time I rowed (which is another one of my favs) I had to stop after just starting because my shoulder.  Seriously though... no shoulder pain!  I swear Dr Nelson is the man!!

5/23/13 WOD
STRENGTH
-back squat x4 @225lbs
METCON
"Jackie"
-1000meter Row
-50 thrusters @35lbs
-30 pull ups
finished in 11:07

Softball was rained out tonight soo Robbie took me out for dinner and a drink.  I tried the Three Olives Monroe with club... pretty good but I would rather have my goose.  This woman came in sat right in front of me at the bar and I couldn't stop staring at her! She had to be 80lbs and in this long maxi dress with bracelets that looked like orange tires around those boney lil wrists.  She looked very arrogant and mean too. The top of her arms were as thick as my wrists. I wanted to send her a burger and then put her up top for an overhead squat. Then I kept thinking ..I could def overhead squat her I know it.  Is something wrong with me.. I just found her to be weak and it made me sad.  I don't ever want to look like that poor woman, I want to be fit and tight with muscles not bones.   Let me tell u though she thought her shit didn't stink. It feels good to have some meat and I never felt this great before. I'm proud of who I'm becoming because even tho I'm sore and I complain (alot) I still get up and do it again and again. I even doubt myself all the time be cause I'm having pain or whatever it is this week but then once I stretch, warm up, and get a pep talk from my coach I feel ready to kick ass.

This weekend is going to consist of lots of bad food, snacks and seasonal bbq goodies, and beer I'm sure.  I plan to get all of my cravings out of my system this weekend as I joined a 4 week healthy eating challenge with my friends from the box.  Sunday my friends and I are planning on having a softball game of some sort and a party after.  The details are still being worked out but I have Sunday and Monday off soo I'm looking forward to relaxing and running around like a 10yr old.  I LOVE when I have 2 days off in a row, it somehow feels like 4 days off.  Work is soo busy.  I would love to change my schedule around a lil and having sun mon thur off again and work extra long days but that kind of hurt my body, ya know with no breaks or nourishment, oh yeah and stress fractures. Besides I feel like my monday night gets a few people in who enjoy the quiet night.  Ohhh if only there were 8 days in the week lol. Have a great holiday weekend.

FRANtastic weekend!!!

I started my weekend off with ...of course... a new injury.  I don't know if I just jammed, hyper extended, or busted my finger, but by today its just really sore and stiff.  After a fielding softball practice I took a bad bounce off a ball and saw stars.  My ring finger was instantly numb and didn't hurt too much so I continued to play.  When I woke up sat morning it was killing me... all bruised and swollen like a sausage.  Thank god I had a half day because I actually need that finger to cut hair and couldn't imagine doing more work than I had scheduled.  I had a great day though and once I clocked out we wrapped me in a splint and went straight to the phils game.

It was just me and rob and we love starting at xfinity for food and beers.  Ive realized its tough to tailgate with only 2 people and sometimes its just awesome to be waited on.  Summer Shandy was my drink of choice for the night and it definitely hit the spot.  The game was pitiful so we left and met up with some buds at a new local bar.

Sunday was awful.  The weather sucked and I was pretty much expecting to play softball, but believe it or not ...we played.  Well... we kinda played.  We more or less got slaughtered which is not like our team.  It was muddy and rainy, but I'm just happy no one got hurt.  When your running around an slipping sliding all over its soo easy to get hurt but nothing was hurt but our egos.

Ali's sweat angel

Soo... today was FRAN at the box!!!!  I was excited but a lil hesitant with my bad shoulder.  Its alot of thrusters which I really haven't been able to do heavy since feb.  Now that we know my shoulder pain is coming from my arm muscles not activating (not working whatsoever) Im trying to stretch and do whatever I can to get them to wake the fuck up!  Before people got there I was hanging with Bonnie and asked her what she suggested.  I ended up doing some 15lb dumbell arm workouts.  Just light, quick but tight movements.  I'm soo awful at dumbells since Ive always done barbell, with the exception of some little stuff.  When I do any dumbell workouts my arms are all wobbly over the place and pretty weak.  Anything over 20 is just pathetic looking and not tight, almost like no control.  Can I tell you how much those exercises helped me.  I went to do my thrusters and I was def nervous that it was going to hurt but I had no pain... I even went up to 125 but couldn't do more than one lol.  I was soo thrilled.  This meant that I was going to participate in FRAN.  This class was great... full of some great people and we banged out the wod soo fast it barely felt like an hour.  I love working out with some of my fav buds, it seemed like an event of some sort.  I even got a short video of 2 of my buds starting fran.

Anyway my I was thrilled with my FRAN score.  I dropped down to the red and orange bands for my pull ups and did the RX weight at 65lbs.  Somehow I beat my old time by a full min.  I'm happy with that especially since I didn't even think I would be able to do it. This was awesome tho because I actually had burning post-wod numbness in my forearms... so I know them babies were working!  I never had that pain there before so as awful and rubbery as it was I know did everything right.

5/20/13 WOD
STRENGTH
-thrusters x3 @115lbs
METCON
-FRAN- sets of 21,15,9
--thrusters @65lbs
--pull ups
finished in 7:08

dull week/crossfit withdrawl

So I'm sure everyone is dying to know what Ive done this week ...just kidding lol.  Last weekend was pretty much crazy but nothing athletic or wild to talk about.  I had a funeral, crazy ass prom day(awesome day), a highly productive but insane saturday for my whole shop,  coed softball was cancelled due to mothers day, and we just hung out with moms and did the sunday brunch thing.

Due to my weak and sore shoulder, I took it easy this week and didn't crossfit til today.  I was in alot of pain over the weekend and had to open the shop on monday so I didn't have the time to go anyway.

me and rach were twins today!

The shoulder is feeling much better though and I was having crossfit withdrawl so I knew I had to go today.  I saw Dr Nelson and he said its still not really working right but no pain is good.  The WOD today was alot of overhead squats which I just assumed I wouldn't be doing.  I warmed up with everyone and found that the only thing that really hurt me was push ups, the overhead squats didn't bother me and I even got a PR lol!  After thinking about it all day I think I like doing them they felt easier to do today.  I just felt stronger to hold weight over my head and squat and it felt good, just being back in there felt great.

5/16/13 WOD
STRENGTH
-power snatch x2 and overhead squat x2 @95lbs
METCON
-21,15,9 reps of
--overhead squats
--burpees

I had a game tonight... I hit a homerun at my first up at bat, but I had a few balls get by me ughhhhh!  That pisses me off.  My throws were good and my base running was good but man those errors ate me alive!  We were all making errors and laughing about it because we played a team that hasn't won yet.  In the end they almost caught up to us from all of our errors but we shut it down.

where did this week go?

Soo this week went too fast.  I hit my regular crossfit schedule with the exception of  Tues.  After Mondays "grace" wod... i was just burned out lol.  Wed I got to do something new... its apparently a torture squat session lol but i loved it.  I think I did almost 100 squats yesterday with weights half about 65lbs and the rest over 150lbs.  No wonder I'm waddling around today lol.  So somehow the metcon had a few toes to bar(which i still cant do, but the form has gotten much better) which apparently did something to front of my shoulder.  Come to find out today that I must have really pulled it but, Dr Nelson figured out something huge with this.  So I have a majorly under developed bicep on the side that hurts, and that tends to be the side of my back that hurts as well as typical shoulder pain.  I'm glad we found out the weakness that's been causing some annoying pain off and on for a bit now.  Dr Nelson is the man, he really knows his stuff.

5/6/13 WOD
STRENGTH
-clean and jerk x1@140lbs
METCON
-30 clean and jerks for time
finished in 4:24

5/8/13 WOD
STRENGTH
-front squat x5@155lbs
-hatch squats
METCON
3 rounds of
-21 front squats @65lbs
-15 kettlebell swings @45lbs
-12 toes to bar
-9 burpees
finished in 12:57

5/9/13 WOD
STRENGTH
-hexbar deadlift x3 @295lbs
METCON
only finished one round
-500m row
-12 deadlifts
-21 box jumps


After my appt my shoulder felt good enough to workout, and the WOD didn't have much arms in it so I decided to give it a go.  I felt good doing the lift but I had a hard time with the first part of the metcon.  Rowing is something I truly enjoy but today I had to stop after the first round.  It even hurt my shoulder to do box jumps which is bizarre.  Sore wasn't even close to describe how bad it hurt.  I had a hard time driving and also could barely put deodorant under my arm.  Thank god I booked for an appt with my friend who is a massage therapist.  I saw her and just did neck and back, she said I was really tight.  After my awesome massage I was able to move more without pain... thank god because I had a softball game in a couple hours.

I love playing ball with my blue girls.  They're soo funny and its nice to spend that time with them.  I was pissed because I wasn't hitting well and my buds told me that my bat sounded weird.  Sure enough my effin bat was rattling when you tapped it on the ground.  WTF!!! I loved that bat and now its broken... that explains why I couldn't get anything to move on Sunday.  We found out that Easton has a return policy and should take my bat back.  Its not even a year old and I paid good money for it.  Either way we won and are still undefeated.

Tomorrow is a big prom day in the salon and I'm sooo excited for it.  I love formal hair, and thank god I don't have to blow dry because my shoulder couldn't take it.  Its going to be a crazy busy day though.  Days like this I don't have a break or a chance to eat.  I will rely on my orgain shakes to get me through the day lol.  I'm trying to not drink them as much with paleo and all, but its better than not eating and its atleast organic.  Speak of paleo... I had this amazing BACON BLOODY MARY last night, from Zinburger.  My meal was mostly paleo but it was an embellished delicious version. I enjoyed every bit!!!

i think im turning green

Hey guys! Soo after a rough work weekend with a nasty sinus infection we kind of just laid low.  I was soo excited because we were doing the CROSSFIT TOTAL today.  Being totally unaware of what to expect I got a lil nervous.  What I understood was ...it was the total weight lifted in a 1 rep max of a back squat, shoulder(strict) press, and a deadlift.  After I walked in I found my buds some of which I only get to see at events so that was awesome, they started telling me about how I'm going to beast this thing today.  I started getting more nervous.  Its weird... its like I put pressure on myself because I don't want to fail.  Either way I didn't know that other people knew I could lift.  Today was my first time ever doing some one rep max's soo I was soo curious to see how much I could get up.  I'm still not sure how I feel about telling people outside the gym how much I can lift.  I mean its cool and badass in the box but outside my friends, co-workers, clients, and family look at me as if I'm a monster.  Sometimes, like today, I really surprise myself with the weight I can lift and I do think I'm weird because I'm strong for no reason.  Ive been a hairstylist since 18 years old.  Softball is a sport Ive played my whole life but once I turned 18 I've played slow pitch and that's not really a workout... its just fun.  So I have no answer as to why I can lift but I love what its doing for me.  I do however really love lifting, its turning into something I truly enjoy.

So I started with my back squat.  In my head I didn't want to warm up alot I just wanted to start heavy and finish strong.  I LOVE using the 45lb weights... theres just something badass about them.  We did a few reps with lower weights and then I wanted to go from 215 to 250 since that was the number in my head.  250lb is a goal for me since I love squating and its not far from where I am at a few reps.  I was thrilled when I was able to go down and up with good form!  I even decided to go for 260lb but i got stuck at the bottom of the squat hahah lol.  The group I was lifting with was awesome... in fact everyone there today was awesome!  The gals I shared the bar with were pushing me way further than I would've pushed myself.

After that was the shoulder press... no dip, no bounce, standing, straight, and tight from the shoulder.  I wanted to just get a PR since I've been stuck at 85lbs for months.  After a few warmups, I tried one at 90lbs and couldn't even get it halfway.... WTF!!! This also happened to my girl B, so she suggested we rest as long as we could and try again.  We rest... I get up to the bar and get it half way and one arm locked out.... i held the bar half way with one arm bent for about 10 seconds while I refused to fail.  Somehow I got it the rest of the way up!!!  My whole body shook as I pushed and have no idea how it happened but everyone was screaming for me.... it was crazy!! I think was the most excited about this lift because its my weakness and finally got a PR.  That was all I wanted.

On to one of my favorites... DEADLIFTS!!!  I was thrilled to see where I was going to end up.  A 300lb lift was something I was going for but didn't think I could do.  I was really going for 290lbs... considering my heaviest deadlift was 275lbs.  One of the strong women I really admire was lifting with us and I know she has done way more than me so I told her I was going to try and keep up with her.  We did 265lbs and it felt light.  Then 285lbs felt good too soo I kept going.  Jamie got 305 on the bar and I did that one pretty good too.  Her and I decided to go one more time and when I went to try it my buds said "no... your going for 315" which scared the shit out of me.  I got it up though... and didn't struggle too much.  HOLY SHIT I JUST PICKED UP 315LBS!!!  This is why I think somethings weird about me,  I shouldve turned red and shakey, but I didn't at all.


4/5/13 WOD
CROSSFIT TOTAL
Back Squat- 250lbs
shoulder press- 90lbs
deadlift- 315lbs
total 655lbs

I never thought weightlifting is something that would interest me... at all.  In fact I was probably just like everyone else who makes faces at me when I tell them what I lifted.  I get it... its not the most feminine thing but now that I do it I understand why its soo great for the body.  My shoulders, back, legs and butt are getting sculpted, I have a waist again, I'm losing inches, and my old clothes are starting to fall of me.... and its only been 7 months that Ive been training.  Crossfit is not all weightlifting, but we do it to learn good form for the low weight high rep conditioning WODs.  Weightlifting makes us stronger and faster for everything else we do.  It was really cool today to see what my "total" was.  I think this is a worldwide thing so if I go to Australia and meet someone who crossfits I can ask them what they're total is and I know how strong they are.  This is another reason why I love this sport.

Paleo=Blood work to make your Dr proud

my new necklace from melissa

So here we go again on the take my blood and pray for good results roller coaster.  I had my appt today to go over my bloodwork and I had them check everything besides my thyroid.  My doc was thrilled to see that my results have dramatically changed and all of my levels were right were they should be.  I even got a high five YES!  I worry now that I'm 30 because my mother had a heart attack very young and I have all of her health issues but we were able to find them earlier.  Including thyroid, and HBP I'm just waiting now to get the hypoglycemia.  The entire family suffers from high blood pressure on both sides so my bro and I were screwed either way.  I had high bp as a kid and only got worse as an adult.  At one point I was 220/160 and I was a size 7.  Since that point I've been medicated and was told I would never not be on high blood pressure meds.  I'm actually on 1 and 1/2 since I started running last year it started dropping so we had to cut back.  Lately its dropping again so I might just be down to 1 pill.  Anyway... I told my Dr about eating paleo and he was intrigued I explained to him how I've been eating more red meat and whole eggs than I've eaten in my whole life.  That was actually making me a lil uneasy, and even my boyfriend was getting concerned, and this was my reason for all the bloodwork.  But... all my sugars, cholesterol, and vitamins were great... imagine that all from eating non processed foods and more fat than ever!   We grew up with chicken and turkey everything since my moms heart attack.  No wonder she cant cook.  My dr said keep it up ...whatever your doing is working well for you.  YES!!! So now I plan on turning into a carnivore lol.  Somehow i ended up with another prescription.  I'm trying out singular, since my allergies have been the worst and I weeze and cough alot after a tough WOD.

I went to crossfit, saw Dr nelson and found out my legs and butt were a lil beat up from the race on Sunday.  So I thought I would take it easy with todays WOD.  We did a lift that Ive never done before and I loved it.  Barbell lunges!  I hope we do them more... I would like to be more stable but i did like them.  

5/2/13 WOD

STRENGTH

-barbell lunges

METCON

-Elizabeth- 21-15-9 sets of

--squat cleans @75lbs
--ring dips

CROSSFIT ASPIRE.. before sweat

finished in 8:57

On to my game tonight... we were playing the only team this year that puts up a good fight, and boy do they want to beat us.  Its soo bad they get all hostile with us... really... you don't win anything or lose anything its all fun.. but its more fun to be on the team who wins 21-12 hahaha lol.  That was rotten I know but as nasty as they are it makes the win that much sweeter.  I had some good hits tonight some plays in the field (couldve been better but not awful) and my first HOMERUN of the season.  I almost hit one in the 3rd inning but then to hit one with 2 girls on base in the last inning was sweet.  The best part was how my girls came off the bench and went nuts at the plate with me.  I love my blue girls.  Now here I sit finishing up a beer ...in bed lol.  I'm going to get in another wonderful practice tomorrow after work with my coed team.... they're crazy fun.  Its a big prom day in the shop tomorrow too its gonna be a great day!
soo