Rest day/Make ups/12.5 Sampler
This time last year… Bryce wrote on the 2k Row Challenge Results.
Sicilian Salad with Fennel, Tuna and Blood Oranges
-Erin O’Brien
Adapted from Serious Eats
2-3 servings
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
¼ red onion, thinly sliced
5 ounce can tuna
5 small blood oranges (can substitute 2 regular oranges)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
½ cup olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine the sliced fennel, onion and tuna in a large bowl.
Peel the blood oranges and cut out segments by slicing between the membranes. Do this over a small bowl to catch the juice from the oranges. Set the orange segments aside. Measure out ¼ cup of the blood orange juice into a small bowl. Whisk the ½ cup of olive oil into the blood orange juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper to your preference.
Toss the blood orange dressing with the fennel, onion and tuna mixture to combine. Mix in the chopped fresh mint. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. Finally, add the reserved blood orange segments to the mixture and toss again. Enjoy!
Make sure to email me your preferred start times for Saturday final open workout. I have gotten everyone who has emailed me. Check the blog later today for start times.
Good luck everyone with the 12.5 I have just transitioned from lifting weights to X-fit and it is destroying me did yesterdays work out,
Part 1-5:55 unbroken
Part 2-3:12 Broken on the pullups 5/5/3/3/3/2
Part 3-8:30 Broken on both TTB &HPS(it wasn’t pretty)
First week X-fitting though so happy to finish at least, hope to be at CFC soon,Enjoy your weekend all !.
What???!!?!? No picture of me on the blog today? Oh, CFC, you fickle mistress…
The shoemart is having a 20% off Crossfit gear. Shoes, compression gear, etc.
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Coupon Code: ZIG20
12.5: 94 reps
CHUCKS
Didnt know what to expect going into today… So no game and just went after it. I’m really happy with how it went. The time flew by… Chucks helped a ton on the thrusters. Had Alex and Beery keeping me moving through the entire time.
Applesauce!
Great job to everyone at 6am. We had woody and dr tim visit this morning!
Nice work to Jean and her salty shoulder. I’m glad you smiled after!!
Thanks to Brooke for coming in to cheer and chat!
After 4 weeks of back and forth between Beery and I during the Open we had to have the rubber match today. 12.5 – 80 each, that is correct folks we are officailly equally marginal. We did a tie breaker of chin over the bar holds and I won, so we are equally marginal men but I am a more elite woman.
I motion that JK and Rich G must change their names to Fame Monster and Lady Gaga, since they both have the paparazzi after them. Rich G gets the Lady Gaga moniker since we have pics of him in Lady Gagaish attire. Do we have a second?
Correction, I am not that elite of woman, Spitfire smoked me by 14 reps…I am a marginal person, gender neutral.
1/2 mile jog to Xsport & back.
Bench Press (+#5 on all sets from last week)
195-205-215
Few sets of rowing intervals, 2×10 regular dips
Ready to finish off 12.5 tomorrow. Just did this one once last year and will have a much different game plan this year. Haven’t had time this week to write an article on it but will try to get some thoughts down here on the blog later today.
I should’ve asked this earlier, but what exactly is meant by domain when mentioned in the context of Crossfit? A couple weeks back, Jonny mentioned he had the correct domain for one of the open workouts. Just curious what that exactly means. Thanks.
Thanks Erin & Bryce for you help this morning!
Did 12.5, but I don’t have CTB, so I had to do banded pull-ups.
Post-workout, after a humbling 4 months at CFC and one Open competition, I got my first legit kip pull-up — then about 10 more.
Boom. Hopefully I can get back to the box on Sunday and try again for even just one measly CTB.
12.5 today! My “official” score is 3, but I completed 55 reps total (with bands). I’m so happy that I participated in the open, it was $20 well spent (except for 12.1). Set several PRs and have a new attitude towards several of weight movements! Special thanks to the 7a WOC and coaches for cheering us on!
@Zach A – domain was shorthand in Jonny’s case for the time domain / length of the workout.
@Zach
“Domain” can refer to a few different concepts within CF. The mantra they give at Level I certs is that CF looks to develop “increased work capacity across broad time and modal domains.”
1) Time domain – usually refers to the different lengths of the workout (pretty simply, can you work at high intensity / capacity during a 2-5 minute workout (like Fran), and a longer, 20+ minute one (like Murph).
2) Modal domain – refers to the 10 domains CF defines as encompassing fitness. These are speed /
strength / cardiorespiratory endurance / power / flexibility / balance / coordination / accuracy / stamina / agility.
Pretty broad range of things there, but the way I like to think about it within the context of approaching our daily workouts at CFC is like this — what goal or fitness domain is Bryce / Rudy / Alex is trying to accomplish with the workout? When I was starting and needed to scale workouts, I’d try to understand what it was the workout was calling for — should I go heavier and get beat up a little bit more so that I could develop strength, or should I go lighter so that I’d work on building up working at a high cardio rate?
I know that sounds like way too much thinking, but when I started I basically just wanted to finish as fast as possible and feel good about my time. When I realized that getting better required getting beat down and struggling on some days, I stopped worrying so much about times/scores–and actually started getting better.
Long-winded, but hopefully that helps.
@ZachA — they mean time domain — the length of the WOD.
I came in with a strong plan, despite my ongoing pullup-phobia and my general suckiness at CTBs. The plan was to hit 90 reps — I had a schedule all mapped out for how it was going to work. It was infallible.
Then I counted for spitfire, and realized that my plan should be chucked out the window.
But I tried it anyway — go out fast and strong while i can string CTBs, and take my rest breaks later when I can’t hit the pullups. This worked okay, and I could see I had the edge on Woody on the thrusters. I beat him to the pullup bar in every round, and he beat me back to the barbell. Damnit.
If this had been a 6:30 WOD, I’d have beaten him, and if it had been a 7:30 WOD I’d have lost.
But at 7:00, we were both at 80 reps.
Thanks to Mrs. Woody for letting her husband come play with the 6am class, to Woody for keeping me moving, and to Spitfire, who may have lost her voice screaming at me. I’m sure there was more encouragement given, but it was kind of a lung-searing, leg-burning, dizzy-and-confused kind of WOD, so thanks to anybody who helped.
I’m heading out to Palm Springs, CA for a week and looking to hit up Desert Crossfit out there. Anyone ever been? Thoughts or other recommendations?
Black Coffee Rules
No more celery in my refrigerator and did NOT buy any more
Mud slides subsiding
Good start to my Friday
@Adam- Thanks for the coupon code. Dangerous but good, need to get some gear.
Did 12.5 last night with Carolyn, Megs, and Brett L. Nice job kidz!
61 reps
Up 5 reps from last year, but still a little bummed cause I think I had some more in me. After this 9 CTBs overhanded with a very inefficient kip (which made me really tired for the thrusters), I finally tired underhand and it was way easier. Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ll get a chance to try this again :(
Good luck to everyone this weekend!
Thank you for the answers. Maybe I should’ve asked earlier to better focus what I should gain from each workout. Much appreciated.
Went in this morning to work on my no band pull ups.
Havent been able to ever get one and this morning I finally got many!!
Thank you Jeni & Jared for your coaching.
12.5 here i come!!
Got 12.5 done last night – 83 total reps
Pretty happy with this. I had no real game plan going into this one, treated it more like a sprint and didn’t wnt to pace too much. I just tried to keep moving as much as possible. The 7 minutes goes by super fast. I wouldn’t really compare it to 12.1. Two things I did that I think will help: I preemptively taped my hands (I usually go sans tape), and I squat cleaned the bar everytime I dropped it which I would recommend, but I’d also propose not dropping the bar unless you have to. Because the time goes by so quickly, all those little seconds taken to pick the bar back up could easily translate into a pullup or two. CTB started out in sets of 3s and then quickly dropped down to singles. Hard kip and pull!
major shout out to Anja who not only got her first CTB last night, but got 13 of them! Somebody needs to graduate off the band for future wods :)
good luck to everyone this weekend
Congrats to Anja on blasting through the CTB glass ceiling. It is so cool when something finally clicks and you don’t do something you couldn’t do before once but over a dozen times.
I assume you’re not allowed to “jerk” on the thrusters when they start to get heavy? They did not specifically mention that in the video.
@Radin – I hit desert crossfit and have to say it was not the best expience. Took my sister for a first time workout and she was basically left out in the wind so I stopped my wod to get her in the correct movements. I would recommend Crossfit Palm Springs, felt welcome right away and was a good environment. They also know of a resturant that on wednesday does a complete Paleo menu.
Nice to see the Woody vs Beery match-up. Good luck to all those doing 12.5! As much as I wanted to do this, it’s not worth injuring my back, although this may mean wearing the tutu.
Who is 6AM Glen? I only recognize the online persona of 6AM Glenda until the Marginal Athlete Chiefs say otherwise.
12.5
Reluctant to do this one today because I did the baseline yesterday at Crossfit Shift in Lansing. Went through with it anyway and got 90 finishing the round of 15.
Not sure redoing this one would help much so I’m pretty satisfied with that.
Post: Baseline again w/ half the nooner crew.
Did a 4:33 yesterday
Did a 4:38 today after 12.5, not too shabby.
Post Post: Chili, Beer, and Basketball, bye bye CF open.
Did 12.5 again today – 84. I’m happy with that. Forearms felt like they were going to explode. Great noon class today. Thanks to Bryce.
@Brian – great job today with 12.5. way to beat your initial score yesterday.
Great job to very one today doing the baseline and 12.5 today. The open is over. I feel better already. Everything was breaking down on me, probably cause I’m as old as the earth.
Baseline after doing 12.5 – 4:56. Now I need a nap.
I thought that was for last week only, but if it pleases you Joe, I’ll change it!
It does please me, thank you.
Lovely weather we are having…
Thank you @Kasey and @Woody!!! It was a pretty awesome feeling! I think I definitely need to graduate to no banded pull-ups-finally!!!! :)
Good luck to all tomorrow!!!! I plan to come in Sunday to do the baseline if anyone else wants to join :)
Wait a second – is Nate Black doing 12.5 at the box Saturday at 11.15?????
Nate Black is total badass! I would live to see him kill 12.5
Noice!
Who wants to teach me how to butterfly kip tonight? :)
12.5: 85 Reps
Thanks Melissa for counting and pushing me! Chest to bars were not my limiting factor, thrusters just seem to get me every time. After the open I am just going to do heavy thrusters all day everyday till it just clicks.
Post Baseline: 4:20 Brutal! Handsome Brian C. with a terrible idea to do this post 12.5.
NateB is back in town?! Gonna be a fun heat.
Made up Thursday workout at noon class
Had been waiting to do this again as a benchmark.
November time at my intro 6:30ish
Today’s time 4:44
Pleased with the result and want to say thanks to all the coaches and everyone who has helped me to this point. It’s official, I’m hooked!
@Fish – have you watched the Spealler video that they put up on the Games site? It’s a quick video and briefly touches on each kind of pullup, but there were some good tips in there. Specifically, keeping your body tight through the butterfly motion instead of getting all over-extended. I know that’s something that I definitely need to work on…after the Open is over.
@JimF I’ve watched probably every video that’s out there. Everything pales to actually having someone coach you through it in person though.
We should have workouts with heats every Saturday forever nd each heat should have odds on the “horses”/competitors and we all can bet on each heat!
It would be like going to the track and working out too!
Wicked!
@Fish: Ask Val. She’s been a superstar at them lately!
Here are my thoughts on 12.5 from doing it last year in case anyone is looking for a few tips. Brett Raz already had some great ones last night so just wanted to add on to his list. Checked to last year and I saw I got 15 thrusters into the 18 round (105 reps). My goal this year is simply to beat that score. I remember thinking that I could have game-planned much better, so here’s what I’ve got.
1) Keep in mind this is 7 minutes long and is not Fran. As with most AMRAPs, the ability to keep moving and limit rest breaks is more important than trying to go as fast as possible. Last year I hit the first two minutes really hard, doing the thrusters at a Fran-pace and butterflying the pullups unbroken through the 9 set. Once the clock hit 3:00 I was toast and slogged through the rest of the workout. This year I plan to go steady the whole way through so that I’ve got an extra gear for the last 1:30-2:30.
2) Know your limits, and break up your sets accordingly. While most everyone (besides Alex, who we’ve decided is a machine) will have a point where they’ll start to hit muscular fatigue on one of the two movements, it’s possible to delay that by breaking up your sets in small chunks. A great example of this is up on the CF Games site, which has a video of Neal Maddox doing the workout. The guy is a tremendous athlete, but starts breaking up his sets on the round of 12 as 7-5, then on the 15s as 5-5-5. I’m sure he could go unbroken through the workout for a longer period, but he smartly portions the work into smaller work sets. Everyone should have an idea of which movement will take more energy, so apply that knowledge to the workout.
3) Breathing technique on the thrusters. This may sound like common sense, but take your breaths as you go down into the squat and exhale on the way up. I only say this because I’ve done thrusters before and realized I was just holding my breath–didn’t work out too well for the rest of the workout. I also find getting into a good breathing groove on thrusters makes me set a nice rhythm and think less about how badly my legs are hurting.
4) If you haven’t been doing it already, head to MobilityWOD.com and watch Kelly Starrett’s video for 12.5. I’ve used the techniques from these videos each week and its definitely helped with being more efficient and getting just a few more reps on the workouts. In particular, make sure you’ve warmed up the front rack position as much as possible–the more you can be upright and have high elbows on the thrusters, the less fatigued your forearms will be for the pullups.
5) Once that clock hits 7:00 minutes, take a deep breath, maybe fall on the floor and do a little bacon sizzle, and smile! Looking forward to closing out the Open tomorrow.
@ Fish – Its all in the feet, you need to use your feet to really make the butterfly kip efficient and have your arms do as little as possible.
If I dont get held up at work, I am going to try to make the 7pm, and can try to help you out.
@Bryce- I sent you 2 emails with time requests. LMK if you didn’t get them.
@Anthony- thanks for the tips. I think pacing will be very important to me, if I push too hard early I’m going to absolutely burn out at around the 3 minute mark.
See you all tomorrow! Alfredo, if I’m not there on time you better still have that tutu on. Own it!
Day 5 of semi crazy paleo diet
Black coffee for bfast
Duck and pork for lunch (8 oz)
More black coffee and a salad with grilled chicken for dinner.
Weigh in tomorrow at 6am
@Bryce I’m not on the heat list either. Just sent you an email, too.
@anthony Thanks for the tips!
15-12-9-6-3 reps
Deadlift – 225#
Bar facing burpees
TIME – 5:17
Back was a little tender from the max d-lit yesterday so i hit the dl’s hard but stayed in control so my back didn’t get overly fried. Burpees took forever
+ 2 sets on the airdyne
,7 miles at 90% and .3 miles at less than 50%
TIMES – 1:34 AND 1:36
was supposed to do 5 this am but only got 3 in before going to cheer on the 6am crew doing 12.5 so made these up. Times from this am – 1:39, 1:38, 1:39. Per usual on the airdyne – ouch but i’m still alive
Thanks guys! Between Val & Jeremy hopefully I’ll gain some ground on these.
12.5: 100.
Let’s see how this feels again tomorrow after a night watching bball in Wrigley (barf).
Stunk up 12.5 with a measly 60 reps. CTB killed me.
12.5: 44 reps, then cut it off. CTB felt really good, knees weren’t working like they should have.
then: 8 rounds, 1:00 on 1:00 off AMRAP KB snatch/ dbl. KB clean and jerk