Visualizing

I was on facebook earlier and I was chatting with my sister. She mentioned something we had learned that CrossFit Central had done with their coaches. They created a mock medal ceremony and had their coaches, who were going to be competing in the 2009 CrossFit Games, stand on the podium. They called this visualizing the win.

It got me thinking. About a month ago, I felt stuck in a rut. I didn't feel I was getting anywhere with my workouts. I then had a talk with my brother about my goals and why I was doing the competition. I felt I wasn't having fun anymore. I then asked him to motivate me...and he sent me a text that stated "You are physically able to finish at TOP of the Games...you just need to work hard to accomplish your goals"....I immediately printed this out and put it on my fridge.

I then started thinking about how it would feel to win. I also started believing I could do it again. Not 2 days later, I was back to pushing myself past the threshold and feeling great in my workouts. As of late, the past week to be precise, I've started to picture myself standing on the podium, and in that time I've PR'd in a couple of WOD's. I didn't notice that all this was having an effect on my training until my sister told me about it.

If you have goals, it is important to visualize yourself accomplishing those goals. In terms of a competition, if you don't go to win, you won't win.

2nd day

Snatch - work up to heavy single, 155, then 75% of that = 105 for 5 sets of 1 rep 1 min rest

Clean - work up to heavy single, 225, then 75% of that = 170 for 5 sets of 1 rep 1 min rest

Front Squat - heavy single, 80% of that for 2 sets of 2...heavy single at 255, then 205 for first set, but tweaked upper back

I'm really disappointed about today, I tweaked my upper back and I get really irritated when I get injured. I don't even know how this really happened, I set up for my front squat, pulled it off the rack and the muscled connected my spine to my shoulder girdle just pinched. I've been icing it tonight...I hope I can get back into it for tomorrow, snatch balances.

First Day - Catalyst Athletics Programming

So I started my first cycle of Catalyst Athletics programming. I have to say that for those who have been stuck in a rut, switching over to some olympic lifting programming really is a lot of fun. Today here was the workout.

Power Snatch - 10 sets of 1 at 75%...rest 1 min between sets - 105 lbs

Clean and Jerk - 10 sets of 1 at 60%...rest 1 min between sets - 145 lbs<------this was supposed to be high hang clean and jerk, and I messed it up and did full clean and jerk

Front Squat - 1 rep at 70% - 205 lbs

50 GHD sit ups - did 20 reps, 30 seconds rest, 15 reps, 30 seconds rest, 15 reps

Met-con:

20-15-10

box jumps 24"

pull ups

TIME: 2:02

Food for the day:

Breakfast: bacon and eggs

Lunch: ground beef and bacon/macadamia nuts

Post wod: sweet potato

It's been a while

I haven't been able to update my posts because I've been so busy preparing for my final exams. This is by far the most I've ever studied.

I was able to go into the gym today though.

Cleans

3 reps at 185

2 reps at 205

1 rep at 225

1 rep at 235

WOD

500m row

3 rounds of:

5 cleans at 185 lbs

15 GHD situps

500m row

Time: 11:09

My food hasn't been spot on lately. I haven't been eating grains, but I have started substituting sweet potatoes for my post wod meal.

Snatch Pulls

Today I worked the snatch at about 60%-65% for 2 sets of 5 reps....

100 lbs first 3 reps felt good...

90 lbs felt good

Snatch Pulls

4 sets of 5 reps

125

140

150

155

I feel I'm getting a much bigger jump on that bar...feeling stronger

FOOD:

Breakfast - 5 eggs, 6 strips of bacon, 4 strawberries

Lunch - 1/2 lb grass fed beef patty, 3 tablespoons coconut oil <---NEW, 1/2 cup blueberries

Dinner - Chipotle?...I'm not sure yet

PR's

So today I started with a Grande Americano from Starbucks and sat through 4 long hours of class. For breakfast I had 4-5 eggs, 4-6 strips of bacon, and 4 strawberries. For lunch I had a 1/2 lb beef patty, about 1/2 cup of almonds and 4.4 oz's of blueberries.

WOD:

Strength - Back Squat

1-1-1-1

275, 295, 315, 335PR

Met-Con:

3 rounds:

400m run

15 box jumps 36" box

7 handstand pushups (parallette bars with head touching floor each rep)

Time: 9:49

Post Wod meal - half sweet potato with cinnamon and butter

Dinner - 1/2 lb beef patty, avocado slices, 4 apple slices

Starting New

So this is pretty much the first post from a new site. I'm going to be tracking my progress as I prepare for the CrossFit Sectionals coming up sometime in late February I'm guessing.

I've really started to focus on my training and just last week I started an intensive speed/olympic lifting program to build the technique and efficiency in the olympic lifts.

Monday -

Clean pulls

5 reps at 85% - 185

5 reps at 90% - 195

5 reps at 95% - 205

5 reps at 100% - 215

Press

1-1-1-1-1

165, 170, 175, 175, 180

MET-CON:

Amrap 15 minutes:

10 ring rows

10 push press at 35 lb dumbbells

200m run

11 rounds Rx

I felt really good today. I ate grass fed beef for lunch and omega 3 eggs for breakfast. I also had half a sweet potato post WOD