Coffee, Post-Death By Kettlebells, and Archery Don't Mix

Not much else to say besides certain things just don't mix very well.  I ended up doing a lot of snap-shooting while doing the Call of Tinklethulu Quickstep and the Hymenopteran Tango, but it was worth getting out.

I Did Linda

I had to scale down Linda - Rx is 1.5x body weight for deadlift, body weight for bench press, and 0.75x body weight for clean (power clean).  I went with a 155 lb deadlift, 75 lb bench press, and a 65 lb power clean.  I went extra conservative on the weights given the rep scheme of 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1... for a total of 55 reps. I completed this WOD in 16:30, which gave me plenty of room against the 20 minute time cap.

Sparring Armor

Note: Nobody was injured despite the use of armor, which is more of a conditioning tool for me as I prepare for my Taekwondo 1st degree black belt conditioning exam on November 19th and board breaking exam on December 10th (tentatively).

Back Squat PR

A few small changes in my form, including a few modifications of my breathing technique and improving my setup allowed me to reach a new personal record.  I went from a 170 lb maximum to a 185 lb maximum. That was a pretty large jump, so I was elated, and I also had a witness that I didn't realize I had... namely the head instructor himself!

Snatch and Clean & Jerk Fun

Before extra X-chromosome Armageddon destroyed a wonderous opportunity to train, I was able to get a few shots of lifts to see what I actually look like while lifting with light weights.  I've noticed that I'm making contact more consistently at around my hip crease, which means I have better back tension and am loading my legs better, but I also still struggle with my follow through.

Of course, as always, I was able to figure out (with help from my instructor) *why* the lift didn't quite go so well.  Problems included starting with too narrow of a stance, not splaying my knees far enough during the lift, and losing tension at inopportune times.

Turbo

Turbo was one brutal team WOD, even more so with 3 people on the team... in the hot, beating sun... on the asphalt... with lots of sand and dirt.  In other words, it was a nice, dirty WOD!

 We didn't do so poorly after all for a team of 3 who could've easily fit inside the tires we flipped and have plenty of room to spare... and didn't do so well on the pull-ups.  Although I do have to admit, the team of 2 did very impressively considering one of them only has one functioning arm! And then there was the team that didn't report their score, but we always have those!

Realms of Awkwardness - Box Cleans

I can understand why my instructor told me he *hates* them, but at the same time, I can also see the benefit as someone who has some trouble dropping under the bar quickly enough and following through with my chest.

This was the overall workout, and the video was a supplemental set of drills. It was a relatively easy day with more work on clean and jerk than on snatches.  I'm starting to make contact more consistently a bit below my hip crease on my cleans, especially when I start from hang position, so there's progress!  Now the trick is to transfer that contact from when I start on the ground! 

Post CFIL Saturday WOD

Photographic proof that we survived a Saturday WOD without the leadership of the Dreavers!

Fenrir's Mayhem IV - Installation 5/n: Wodhawk!

I think all of the pictures have finally arrived.  Wodhawk needed a bit of extra time to process and post the pictures, but J. Clements did a beautiful job.  There's still no comparison to some of the close-ups taken by L. Tevebaugh, but Wodhawk was able to capture more of the big picture.  Both are very accomplished photographers!

For the full 100% uncensored suite of pictures, Wodhawk posted here and L. Tevebaugh posted here.  

 Alpha Wolf is flexing!  T. Dreaver is one of the great masterminds behind Fenrir's Mayhem and CrossFit Iron Legion... as well as an amazing coach. 

T. Dreaver and L. Tevebaugh in the same place.  I don't think I was able to catch J. Clements in any of my pictures (!)

And now... from the various WODs.   I actually don't look so awful on the jumping pull-up after all from Fall of Hrugrnir! 

And then there's the Rise of the Berserkers... That was downright brutal!  

 And finally, the much-anticipated Alpha Beast!  Now I know why I didn't make the 115 lb or the 135 lb clean after extensive coaching from two amazing coaches.  Reminder to self: load up the hamstrings, drive through heels, chest goes up, sweep the bar inwards, pull hard, and drop under the bar faster.