Crossfit Total

Tonight was such an amazing night! One, because my cousin Josh came to Crossfit for the first time (I've been begging him to come for weeks) and Two, because I crushed some amazing goals!!! 

First, I'll tell you a little about my cuz. He lost weight in the past and looked so incredible. He then moved to NJ from Florida, and over the past few years, he gained some unwanted weight back. For New Years, he decided to start shedding the pounds again and he has already lost over 20 pounds this month. Very impressive! 

Anyway, we didn't know what to expect for Him tonight because I didn't tell Bill he was coming and he's never done anything like Crossfit, so I didn't know if Bill would let him Olympic lift or join our workout....

Well, it just so happened that tonight there was a beginners class with 3 other guys that Ryan was teaching. What are the chances??!! So, Josh met Bill and Ryan and jumped right in! He began with the row machine (he's familiar with this and does it at his own gym, so that's a definite plus) and then was introduced to air squats, snake push-ups, butterfly sit-ups, and Pull-ups with a band. 

As he was learning basic stretches and completing the warmup, I could tell he was in for a real treat! At one point, my mom looked over and said josh looks like he's gonna pass out or hurl everywhere lol. He was dying! But I must say, he did awesome and worked out like a champ. I was expecting at least some throw up... 

After the warmup, Ry gave them their WOD. Josh was already beat from the introduction to the moves and now he was about to do his first WOD ever :) 

WOD:

2 rounds of

Row 250m

10 air squats

10 sit-ups 

10 push-ups 

10 pull-ups 

That's tough for a beginners class. Josh kept at it and finished under 10 minutes! So proud of him! He used a purple and green band for pull-ups and barely took any breaks during the WOD. He is now part of the cult! He said he loved it but Let's see how he feels tomorrow and the next day when he can't walk, get dressed, brush his teeth or sit on a toilet from all the pain haha. It's okay, he always says, "Pain is temporary, quitting is forever." ;)

Some pics of my cuz during the WOD 

That face is priceless haha

Awesome job on pull-ups!

Now that you know the first reason why my night was incredible, it's time to talk about my goals being crushed. I'll make this short and to the point. 

My last recorded PR's (personal records) for back squats and deadlifts were the following:

Back squat 105

Deadlift 165

Tonight

Back squat 125

Deadlift 200

So impressed with my max increase! I back squatted 20 more pounds and deadlifted 35 more! Feels SO good to see progress. The feeling is indescribable happiness! 

Mom also did a great job, she maxed at 85 on the back squat, that's a 15 pound increase and 170 on the deadlift! That's a 25 pound increase! Amazing!!! 

The WOD was the following: 

After we found our new Rep Max for each, it was burpees and box jumps for 5 minutes. Total heart rate riser but doable... We have done WAY worse. I did these without stopping the entire 5 minutes. Did 36 box jumps and 36 burpees. Great 5 min workout! If it was any longer, I probably would of died.

Here's the complete results of the night: 

The first column is back squats, 2nd is shoulder presses, 3rd is dead lifts, and 4th is rounds of 1burpee+1box jump. Go us!!! That's 395 for my Crossfit total and 295 for mom!!! That's amazing considering it's only been 3.5 months of Crossfit! 

Here are some pics from tonight (there's a lot but there are well worth the post! In fact, the faces are just priceless tonight lol)

Me doing backsquats and deadlifts

Mom doing back squats and deadlifts

Craig maxing out at 305!!! Incredible! 

Mom and me doing burpees and boxJumps

What an amazing night! If I could do it all over, I would in a heartbeat! Nice job tonight everyone! 

Tomorrow is speed interval training again at the regular gym! See ya! 

-CrossFitLys

100 Thrusters! :0

Tonight was dreadful! The warm up, the pre-workout (which was a regular workout in itself) and the WOD were insane! Bill must not want us to come back! Haha 

Again, me and my momma were the only ones at the 6:30 class. Love this ;) because Bill really gets on us and helps us out with our form. He really is an awesome trainer and person in general. Crossfit is his life even though he has a family and his main job, he still puts so much time and dedication into this place and his clients, it's so incredible! Thanks so much Bill!!! What you do is never unnoticed!  

Anyway, tonight's warm up wasn't too bad... 

Warm-Up

Row 500 meters

-Then-

20 good mornings with bar

40 box step ups (20 each leg)

20 pull-ups

The only part that we struggled on was those pull-ups because Wednesday's workout killed us with those chest to bar pull-ups and we were still recovering from them. Even though in pain, mom and I both used the green band!!! Whoo-hoooo! After the warm-up, Bill decided to give us some deadlifts and the dreaded burpees :*0

Pre-workout 

On the minute every minute for 10 minutes 

2 deadlifts at 70% max 

5 burpees 

I used 115 pounds and mom used 105! Awesome job! 

After the 5th minute, those deadlifts started to get really heavy and hard to lift. We just pushed through and after 10 minutes, had to catch our breaths because we didn't even get to the WOD yet... (Killing us Bill!) 

Pictures of deadlifts and burpees! We were laughing during burpees because mom clapped every time she finished one lol I was dying! Haha 

Deadlifts: Me 115lbs, Mom 105lbs

Burpees

Man we really get some air on those burpees :)

The WOD was so painful and when I tell you that for the first time in a long time I thought I wasn't going to finish before I even hit the halfway point. The reason is because the WOD was...

100 THRUSTERS for time

Eeeeeeeek!!!! Shreeeeeek! Shaking!!! Nail biting WOD! 

Doing 100 of anything is difficult, but by making it thrusters, Bill was just basically inferring that he wanted our arms to fall off. He sure knows how to push us past our limits! 

After 10 thrusters, we were saying that there is no way we are going to be able to do 100. But we kept pushing. After 25, we were sweating and still claiming that 100 is impossible. By 40, I almost gave up. We started chipping away 5 at a time, over and over again. My arms were jello and my back was dripping sweat. Bill in the background saying let's go!!! Chip away!!! My mom was 5 behind me the entire way and Bill kept yelling, "Let's go Cindy! Catch her and beat her!" But I wasn't having that! Every time she picked up the bar, so did I! Tough competition we give, that's for sure. Around 80, I stopped thinking about the pain and just focused on drinking water when I was done. 

I just kept doing 5, dropping the bar, stretching my wrists, and then reloading. Over and over again. So painful!

By the end, we crashed and definitely celebrated! This is such a mental game, pushing past your limits and crushing goals!!!! So insanely proud of us!

I used 45 pounds and mom used 40 for these. It's funny how 45 felt like I was picking up a piece of paper at first and by the end, 45 pounds felt like 200. 

Results:

Took me 16 minutes and 55 seconds to do 100 thrusters

Took mom 18 minutes and 25 seconds 

What a workout! 

I came home, ate, and took an Epsom salt bath so quick! My arms are not going to be able to move tomorrow! 

Pictures of us doing thrusters 

For videos and more, follow me on Instagram @crossfitlys

R&R this weekend! 

-Crossfitlys

Hang Clean!

Art gave us a great workout tonight! The warm-up, as always, got us pumped and ready to go! The WOD looked easy but definetly gave my arms an incredible workout... They still feel like jello and it's been over an hour since I got home ;)

Tonight's warm-up:

Row 600m

-then 3 rounds-

6 supermans

8 push-ups

10 air squats

Tonight's WOD: 

It's been awhile since we have done the hang clean for strength training so we didn't know our 1 rep max off hand; therefore, I just used 100 as my max and mom used 90. With that, I did 3 at 75 pounds, 2 at 80 pounds and 2 at 85 pounds. Mom had a hard time with the motion of the hang clean, so she stayed at 45-50 pounds and practiced the move. 

Overall, These weren't too bad but the clean is suppose to be one clean motion and if that motion isn't mastered, this lift can be hard. To do a hang clean, you hold the bar in the hang position, so just standing up straight with arms down holding the bar. Then, with chest up and back, knees bent slightly, you lower the bar to mid thigh and then, by releasing all that tension in the hamstrings, pull that bar up to the shoulders and then right into a front squat. 

Here's some pictures of us doing the hang clean. 

Me

Mom

Tonight's WOD was tough, especially doing those chest to bar pull ups. For the first time ever, I stuck with the green band the entire workout. Last time, I had to use green plus the skinny red! So proud of my progress with these. After the 4th round, I had to break the 5 pull-ups up into a set of 3 then a set of 2, but I'm just glad I stuck with the green band. Mom used black but she can definetly go to green! She's stronger then she thinks! Art even said she made it look way to easy. I will say that a chest to bar pull-up is insanely harder than a regular pullup! That little but of extra pull makes a big difference. My arms are going to be so sore! 

Such a good workout tonight! Here are the results...

I did 7 rounds using 65lbs, then 3 hang power cleans and 4 chest to bars

Mom did 8 rounds using 35lbs, then 3 hang power cleans, and 5 pull-ups

Awesome job!!! 

Tomorrow is strength and interval training at the gym. We are going hard on those sprints! Much needed! 

Until next WOD....Cya

-Crossfitlys

Holy Heart Rate!

Tonight had our hearts pumping to the max! The warm-up and the WOD were VERY intense tonight! It was non-stop for the entire hour. With no strength workout (Olympic lifting), Bill gave us a non-stop, insane warm-up and WOD! 

The warm-up...

This took us about 20 minutes and by the end, we were dead! I felt the same way I feel after an entire night at Crossfit and this was only the first 20 minutes annnndddd it was the warm-up! Really Bill??!! (I sound like I'm complaining but we all know We loved every second of this workout!) 

The rowing wasn't too bad at first, because 350 meters is way easier than 500 meters (which is what we usually do); however, the wall climbs, goblet squats (26lb kettle bell), and jump rope wiped us out because we did these without stopping. Then, we had to go right into rowing again.. This is not an easy task, there is just NO time to catch your breath!

Tonight's WOD: 

25 minute workout?!!! We haven't done one of these in a very long time. Our Crossfit workouts range from 7-15 minutes, not 25. Seeing this was a "WOW" and a "Holy Crap" moment... 

The double unders are still not mastered so we decided to do singles so we weren't wasting time on doubles. If we do singles, Bill makes us do triple the amount; therefore, 105 singles it was :0

The sit-ups although difficult after a while, are actually the only time you get to catch your breath. With every sit-up, it's a deep breath in and a deep breath out.. Have to catch our breaths before the shoulder to overheads. 

For the overhead presses, I used 45 pounds and Mom used 35 pounds. At first, these were cake, but after the 2nd round, I had a hard time doing 15 in a row. I split them up into sets of 7 and 8 and then 3 sets of 5. My shoulders were on fire. After these, my heart rate was pumping and I was so out of breath, but it's right into the jumping rope! Like I said, those sit-ups are the only times we had to catch our breaths. 

All in all, this workout was awesome! It was such an endurance and strength workout. I will be in so much pain tomorrow! Abs, shoulders, and calves will be screaming! Thanks Bill!!! The best part of tonight is that me and mom were the only two in the 6:30 class, it feels like we have our own personal trainer lol love it! 

Results:

Hmmm... This is CRaZY...

Me

801 single jump ropes

175 sit-ups

105 push presses @ 45 pounds

Mom

735 jump ropes

150 sit-ups

90 push presses @ 35 pounds

That's all after...

Rowing 1050 meters

6 wall climbs

45 goblet squats

3 minutes of jumping rope 

Sometimes, I wonder how the heck we do all this... We definitely don't do it alone that's for sure.. That is... Strength from the big man upstairs!!! :) 

Pictures from tonight! 

A snapshot of the 5:30 class on the ground, wiped out, when they finished the WOD. Great job guys!! 

Mom and I doing sit ups in the WOD

Shoulder to overhead (push presses)

Off to the jumping after the push presses

Now, Time for bed!!!

-Crossfitlys

Love-Hate Relationship.

Tonight was one of those nights where I realized that CrossFit is seriously a love, hate relationship sometimes. We did Power Snatches tonight--and for the life of me-- I could not get them right. I get so frustrated when I fail at things! I almost want to say... "Okay, let's go do Zumba or something, forget this!!" I know that some of these Olympic lifting moves take time to master, but I am one of those people that just wants to do it the right way and right away! It's just in my nature to be the best at something, the competitive side of me that I've had since I was born lol. Anyway, I know with time I will be better so I just have to keep my head up. Also, I keep reading everywhere that "Failing only creates a stronger, better you because you won't stop until you get it right." I guess I'll follow this advice.... 

So, tonight... I couldn't get the power snatch and overhead squat with the weight I knew I could. My max ended up being 65, which isn't terrible but I know it could be better. Mom got 55 and did such an awesome job with her form! I was starting to get jealous! ;) 

Every other attempt at the power snatch, I was dropping the bar, screwing up my squat stance, falling down, flipping out, and getting so annoyed. 

Fail. Didn't snatch right...

Fail.. Dropped the bar

Fail.. Fell back on the squat 

Smiling, yes, but so aggravated. 

Here's mom doing amazing.. 

Notice. No fail. No drops. No falls. Nice job mom! 

Tonight's Warm-up and WOD:

Warm up was good.. Box jumps were tough because Bill was really trying to get us to use our hips in the jump which isn't easy.. 

I used 45 pounds in the workout and mom used 35 for the power snatches. Wall ball shots, we used 10 pounds. Crazy because 10 pounds felt like nothing and we used to think 8 was heavy! The workout went by so fast, 7 minutes... Tough workout but doable compared to others in the past. 

Results:

Not bad, 4 rounds even for me and mom f4 rounds plus 6 snatches ;) nice job tonight everyone! I'm so sore, I can barely move. Wednesday night killed me with those deficit push-ups, which is why I think tonight was so hard on me. Looking foward to a resting weekend!

-Crossfitlys