The Worst Movement Ever Invented

A squat clean and a thruster equals 1 “cluster.” Yuck! This was a rare Sunday morning when I coach at United Barbell. I had 20 minutes before class started. This simple couplet, was perfect to get my body moving and make me nice and sweaty.

I was definitely moving slowly the first two rounds until my body warmed up. It felt great to be on a rower (since I don’t have one at home) and put a barbell over my head. This workout is not in my wheelhouse, but clusters are a great movement for full-body training – and they definitely get the heart rate up!

AMRAP in 20 minutes:
7 Clusters (85 lb)
200 meter Row

Score: 8 Rounds

Did Not Finish

Getting a score of DNF next to my name is challenging, especially when I know I could have completed the last 3 reps of the workout.

This post is humbling and I contemplated whether I should post it. After much thought, I decided I wanted to be as authentic as possible even if it wasn’t my best performance.

This mornings workout was rare, I was able to exercise at the CrossFit box I use to train in, and occasionally coach at. I happened to be coaching Sunday’s classes so I decided to get a workout in before classes started.

Whenever I get to workout in a fully equipped gym my main objective is to use equipment I don’t have at home and to lift heavier than I could at my house (since I can’t drop the weights from overhead at home). This was the workout I decided to tackle:

For time:
27 Cals on the rower, 27 Toes-to-bar
21 Cals on the rower, 21 Chest-to-bar
15 Cals on the rower, 15 Bar Muscle ups
Directly into……..
8 Clean and Jerks @ 110lbs
4 Clean and Jerks @ 123lbs
2 Clean and Jerks @ 135lbs
1 Clean and Jerks @ 145lbs

Score: DNF

This style of workout had me excited. It was the perfect combination of lifting and gymnastics. Everything was moving along fine until the first clean at 135lbs. I pulled the bar 3 inches off the ground and my back lit up. I immediately dropped the bar. This type of back spasm has happened 2 times before so I was familiar with the feeling. It’s a minor injury that I know will heal, but not being able to complete a workout I had set my eyes on really bothered me.

For the next week I will be avoiding any hinging and heavy weights. I will also be making an appointment for a Physical therapist, which makes me feel old. lol.

Love to Win, or Hate to Lose?

Today is the first day of the Crossfit Open. For those of you that are not familiar, it’s 5 individual workout. One new workout each week. These workouts need to be performed in front of a judge or filmed as evidence. Every athlete participating must submit their score by Monday by 5pm, PST.

I have participated in the Open for the last 5 years. This Open is particularly interesting to me because last year was the first year I have decided to train by myself, in my garage, with only the equipment I own. Since the Open is a test of fitness. I will be able to see if the training I did at home was truly effective and what area’s I need to work on, for next year.

AMRAP for 15 minutes:
19 Wall balls
19 Calories on the Rower

Score: 236 reps/ 6+8

After completing the first workout, I was pleasantly surprised with my score, and my ability to keep pushing. Showing that my cardio has not fallen off but I still need to work on my rowing (which I don’t have at home). The wall ball which normally I struggle with were not as bad as I thought they would be. I’m ready to log my score and prepare for next Friday’s workout.