3 rounds:What took me so long was the resting I did between rope climbs. I just had no confidence in that today, and honestly just didn't feel like doing it anymore after the first few trips up the rope. I was just standing at the bottom of the rope thinking to myself, "wow, I so don't want to do that at all... can I just skip this part?"
5 Legless Rope Climbs
25 Sledge Strikes Right
25 Sledge Strikes Left
14 Single Arm Power Snatch Right (40/20)
14 Single Arm Power Snatch Left
Results: 30:02 -- regular rope climbs
Sometimes I crack myself up with my mental dialogue. heh
In any case, even though it took me a while, I still did all my climbs. But damn if my foot didn't hurt from wrapping the rope around it and stomping down with the other one. I need to rethink my footwear choices on my next rope climb WOD -- something a bit more substantial is probably a good idea.
I am the bomb diggity with dumbbell snatches. My first CrossFit gym didn't use barbells at all, we did everything with kettlebells and dumbbells, so I first learned to snatch with one arm and a dumbbell. It was fun to just power snatch because that's sooooooo much easier. And my legs are *hurting* from back squats yesterday, so that made me happy.
Speaking of hurting, holy shit, my chest and upper back are so tight from that handstand walk thing yesterday that I can barely take a deep breath! Seriously! Seems like I should keep doing those on a regular basis, because they definitely worked me out in a new and interesting way! :)
--
Looking for your input on improving squat technique. Do you have any personal experience about fixing your own squat? Have you been able to help others? Do you know of a great online resource that you could point me to?
At our box, there are tons of people with squat issues, myself included. I have the chance to program a week of workouts, and I want to use that time to focus on the squat and help people get started on improving it. Right now no one really wants to focus on that as a goal, despite the fact that it's so important. Achieving below parallel on the squat with good form is not the "sexiest" goal, but certainly one that will reap huge benefit once achieved.
--
Pay Now Live Later: How I Ditched the Chemicals in my Bathroom Cabinet
This blog post really intrigued me, especially in light of my current Primal mindset. It was only after reading The Primal Blueprint and The Omnivore's Dilemna that I started thinking about pesticides and how it's important to know where our food comes from and how it's grown / raised. (plant & animal)
This article takes that next step and makes you think about all the health and beauty product you use, and how those might be manufactured in an unsafe way, the same way the food might be grown / raised in a manner than is less than optimal for health.
I don't think I'll give up my whitening toothpaste anytime soon, but I might try the soap and shampoo suggestions, just to give it a shot...
--
To read:
F* Off Fit: So I was watching Fight Club
"We push societies limits on what is normal for women. We dont run and do pilates and eat air salads and aim to see our bones. We eat fats, and animal proteins, we celebrate our guns and love our strong legs. WE have calloused hands in which, when we are in normal groups of peoples, make them frown or look at us oddly."Already Pretty: An Argument for Self-love
"Happiness is important, but serenity is vital. And it can feel impossible to achieve when you’re busily judging yourself. Because even when the more immediate worries clear out, self-loathing is still there, whirring busily in the background and keeping you agitated. Make it stop, and serenity is within reach. Learn to love yourself, and happiness follows close behind."Healthy Girl: Has the Number on the Scale Ever Ruined Your Whole Day?
"No offense to your doctor, but for anyone who’s even slightly weird about food or their body, weighing themselves daily is a prescription for Crazy! I know why he or she advised you to do it—the National Weight Loss Registry, this big survey of people who have lost significant amounts of weight and kept it off—showed that many of them weight themselves often, even daily. But as people with disordered eating issues, we can’t just directly apply info like that to ourselves."
--> completely agree with everything in this article
I don't know if this will help, but for some reason this really clicked with me last night: one of the trainers said to push your knees out on the way down and on the way up. Somehow focusing on my knees (when running too) seems to help me.
ReplyDeleteGood on you for choosing to focus on squats. They are vital!
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I need to improve my squat. I am convinced that I have something out of line, probably from having babies. My toes point out, I have a wide stance, and I almost always need to have my right foot pulled in more to my body and not lined up with my left foot. It's a hot mess. It's almost like my right hip doesn't open up the way it should.
I have been making sure my hip flexors are REALLY warm and then working on pushing my knees out and pointing my toes to straighten out in each warm-up and I, and Daniel, have seen much improvement, but STILL. I feel like my squats are incredibly ugly.
We've been watching videos - actually we watched a good one that I'll ask Daniel about and get back to you.
The quote from F* Off Fit is awesome. I love it. Eve said something to me today - and one other time in the past - about how she wants to be skinny. The thing is, in her mind skinny is ME. I'm skinny to her. I am working on correcting her thought process by helping her realize that I am indeed not skinny. I am healthy and I am strong. She is very aware of eating right and she is amazing at saying no to sugar and "junk food" when we are at parties, etc. Daniel and I are teaching her that through eating well and working out (obviously it's CrossFit since that is what we do) she can be strong and healthy and she won't become "fat."
Sometimes I feel like it's an uphill battle to educate my daughter on what is a good body image! You can bet your bottom dollar that I'm going to win though! :)
I love your comment of "Sometimes I crack myself up with my mental dialogue". Happens to me all the time before and during my WODs. My coach everyonce in a while will cock his head and say, " I would give ... to know what you are thinking ". I usually respond by "you wouldn't want to know".
ReplyDeleteC Wiss... good squat ideas...
ReplyDelete*always warm up hip flexors before squatting... this can go a long way to helping folks. Use Sampson lunges and Asian squats (basically the bottom of a squat position)
*WALL SQUAT- I put it in all caps because it's seriously one of the best things for fixing squat issues. I used to get on my toes instead of my heels while squatting. If you use wall squats (done facing the wall) the first move has to get your ass back and putting your weight on your heels, otherwise your knees will hit the wall. It also focuses on what Jenn B. said about pushing your knees out. You don't want to plie (did I spell that right?) and go to wide, but take a normal squat stance and go for it.
*Use a barrier. It's not pretty but it's effective. Make sure that whoever is using it is hitting it each time. Use that to reinforce the idea of squatting to a depth. It won't be pretty or fast, but will begin to develop muscle memory.
Hope these help!