icanvince-blog

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Wall-Cleans 

Today the I surprised myself doing 21 wall balls in a row during the WOD. 

3 Rounds for time 21 Wall Balls 15 Calorie Row 9 Toes to Bar

I was able to maintain a somewhat stable number of reps. I was happy! Prior to the WOD I did set a target of 10 in a row so that I don't do any less than that. This can help train so that during the competition you will be used to do that many reps. 

On the flip side, cleans got to my confidence quite a bit because I worked up to 75 kg cleans and could not make the lift for the last 2 sets. I really need to train this with heavier weights. Coach says I am still using my arms to try to bring up the bar. I need to record myself with these heavier reps so I can see what he's talking about. I plan to practice this again to work up to 85 kg + You can do it! Just more practice.

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Practicing some legless rope climbs #youcandoit #fitness #training #chinoy #ropeclimb (at CrossFit 5833)

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Legless Rope Climb

Workout of the Day (WOD)

6 Ground to Overhead (60/45kg) 9 Strict HSPU 12 Ring Dips

Learned quite a few things from training today.  For the WOD, I was able to do ground to overhead at 50 kgs. This is considerably a good weight for me, but I do need to start training heavier. 

Strict Handstand Push Ups were a challenge for me today without using an abmat to support my heading coming down.  I’m used to relying on the cushion.  But, I used no abmat for this WOD and I can really feel the challenge in doing this because if you drop your head to fast, you risk banging your head on the floor and it doesn’t feel so good.  You have to slowly come down to the ground and then touch n go from there so you don’t waste energy pushing yourself up from the ground.  

Ring Dips seems to be a challenge for me and I can’t seem to get the timing right.  Also, it feels like I need to use muscles that for me are not the strongest and so I can only do 1-2 in a row before resting.  I should train this further. 

The last and best thing about today is that I stayed after the WOD to “play around” the box.  I then tried doing some rope climbs.  But, I did the rope climbs legless, which means I pull my entire body up while on the rope.  I find this movement to not be so bad and actually I enjoy doing them.  I just need to try coming down faster by releasing the rope and then catching myself.  This is what the athletes do to move at a quicker pace.  I caught a video doing this and will post after.  

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Having some fun doing box jumps for height (not the CrossFit standard though) to see how high I can fly. I got to jump to 48.5 in (4+ ft), but it took 3 attempts to get there. The first 2 attempts were definitely a mental game trying to get high enough and land on the small plates. The 3rd attempt I just jumped as high as I could and found myself on top! ✌🏽️#fitness #fun #filipino #youcandoit #training #instagood (at CrossFit 5833)

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Box Jumps for Height

WOD (Workout of the Day)

3 rounds for time 400 m Run 12 Deadlift (100/70kg) 21 Box Jumps

My favorite part of today happened after the WOD when I decided to see how high I could jump.  I remembered doing these in the past, but haven’t tried for a while now.  So, I tried to see how high I could jump by setting up some plates.  I was surprised to jump about 4 plus feet.  It took me 3 attempts, but I finally got it.  The movement would be a No Rep in the CrossFit world.  But, I just wanted to have some fun and see how high I can fly! I’ll post the video shortly.

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Got in 2 Ring Muscle Ups! #crossfit #muscleups #youcandoit #throwback (at PushMore Fitness Centre @ CrossFit Malaysia)

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Ring Muscle Ups

Workout of the Day (WOD)

AMRAP (as many reps as possible)

Row 250 m

Max unbroken ring muscle ups

Fun times on the rings!  I really tried to train my ring muscle ups to see how many I could do.  For today, I managed to complete a total of 15 ring muscle ups in 12 mins (includes the 250m row).  For each set, my max consecutive muscle ups were 4 in a row.  Hopefully, I can progress to doing maybe 10 in a row.  

Just a reminder to use a false grip when doing to make it easier for your arms. 

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“Eat clean, train dirty”

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Snatches

There are 2 types of Snatches: Full Snatch and Power Snatch.  The only difference is that that for the full Snatch you must drop below parallel.  I’ve been working on my Snatches by focusing on hip extension, pull and staying relaxed.  There should be a moment of weightlessness as the bar flies up over my shoulder.  I tend to muscle up the bar which means I use lots of my shoulder and arms to make the lift.  But, to be more efficient and save energy I need to get the feeling.  I have felt it before it is like hitting the “sweet spot” and the bar feels like a feather.  I still have a ways to go in my Snatches, but I know I can get to my goal through constant practice and persistence.

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Lifting 10 reps at 150 kg (331 lbs) in Event 4-Deadlift Ladder during the Juggernaut competition. The adrenaline rush from the crowd cheering and being the last to perform pushed me to make the lifts. Hard to believe but prior to this I barely managed to lift 1 rep at 150kg. #crossfit #deadlift #pr #kualalumpur (at Encorp Strand Mall)

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Deadlift Reminders

A few reminders for doing Deadlifts:

Setting up - Start the Deadlift by immediately going down to grab bar and go straight into the Deadlift movement.  I have habit to start the Deadlift like a Snatch or Clean, but that would be the wrong setup.

Make them “touch n go” - As you string in a few Deadlifts, tap on the bottom floor and then immediately pull the bar up. Repeat.

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Squat Snatch & Front Squats at 60 kgs 

Workout of the Day (WOD)

500 m Row 15 Burpees 10 Front Squats (70/50 kg)

Today, I did Squat Snatch at 52 kg to train my 80%. This is a good workout to train up on my Snatches. For the WOD I was going to do only 52 kgs but then decided I needed to try closer to the RX weight of 70 kg. So, I did 60 kg and was quite proud of doing that because I normally don’t train with that weight. Even though I didn’t finish the rounds at least I did 3 freakin rounds! Heck ya! Feeling great but need to continue training this weight or higher for future trainings.

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Being efficient

A few things I learned from coach and from today’s workout:

Continue to practice Snatch and working up to heavy weights

Push hard and complete the entire workout.  I have a tendency to become lax when I know there is a time cap.  I should work hard so that I can complete the workout in the assigned time limit.

Use the hip drive and extension to gain more power for the Power Snatch

Keep your feet in place and reset the bar instead of your feet so that you do not lose time in between reps.  I always use to do this and when you add that time up, it is quite a bit of time wasted.  In competition, every second counts and you want to be as efficient as possible during the movements.  

Try to string at least 3 in a row, 5 in a row or even 10 in a row so that your body is used to the multiple reps at a time.  If you do 1 at a time, then you waste time in between and you will tend to get tired quicker.  Just try to do as many multiple repetitions in one go.  Put a goal (or number) prior to starting the workout to strategize your efficiency. 

Keep striving high!

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"Santiago" 

7 rounds for time: 18 Dumbell Hang Squat Clean (15/10 kg) 18 Pull ups 10 Power Clean (60/40 kg) 10 HSPUs

My strengths - Pull Ups & HSPUs (Handstand Push Ups) 

My challenges - Power Cleans at 60 kgs & Dumbell Hang Squat Clean  

Reflection

I was happy and not happy today. I did the prescribed weights and a Hero WOD so this is one of the few times I’ve attempted RX weights. Woohoo! 

But, the part I need to improve is my Power Clean to USE MORE LEGS and DO MULTIPLE REPS all at once and not reset all the time as my coach tells me. I have a bad habit to reset and use up time resting too much. I plan to come in the mornings to train strength and skills. They say I’ve got the strength now and I just need to refine my skills. 

 Rest, massage, a protein shake and some good sleep are what’s currently on my mind!

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Thrusters! 

Yes, these were always a challenge for me but today I realized 2 things that helped make these Thrusters doable: 

*refer to my stick figure drawings above for a visual:

As you come down from the overhead into the squat you should contact the bar on your shoulders as you go down. 

Squeeze the butt up like a push press so that your legs help to bring the bar up. I’m working toward my goal of making 60 kg Thrusters an “easy” weight for me to do, just as 40 kg is “easy” (relatively speaking) to do a thruster. 

Oh, don’t forget to eat clean, because if not you will cramp earlier and not feel as strong during the WOD.

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Push Press, "Helen" & Muscle Ups 

Push Press and Helen PR’d on Push Press 1 RM at 72.5 kg 

Did “Helen” but not so heavy with the Kettle Ball swing, which makes my score void. Womp womp. I practiced my Cleans because they are giving me trouble. Two of my buddies helped me to try to use my legs more and extend. I did some jumping exercises to help me practice and used an empty bar to feel the weightlessness. One of them mentioned that I should practice some drills and come morning to practice more on these. I shall do! 

Later, I then did 5 bar muscle ups and so I know I can still do them. I wasn’t sure if I could still remember how to do them because its been a while since I last practiced. But, I still CAN! Yes!!

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CrossFit Total: Deadlift Attempt 1 

Rule: You must bring bar down slowly and cannot just drop the bar. 

I like deadlifts, but I have a tendency to round my back which is very unsafe. So, I really need to start off by dropping down and it should not be like the start for clean or snatch. What I mean to say is that you just bring yourself down to the bar, set up and then immediately pull up. 

The lifting is the most difficult part and as you bring it down I found it to be okay. As you continue multiple reps of the deadlift, I should do it in a “touch and go” way. As the bar drops you immedately use the momentum and raise it back up. Repeat this. 

I need to remember to embrace my core and feel the tightness in my body as I come up. I recorded the first 2 but ran out of space on memory for the PR weight haha. Perfect timing to runout of space! 

Attempt 1: 140 kg 

Attempt 2: 150 kg 

Attempt 3: 160 kg PR (Personal Record)