08 January 2009

Ever received a wake up call.  For me they are never inviting.  Who the hell would be calling me here at this hour? Oh yeah, I asked for that.

Ever received a wake up call, Crossfit style.  What the hell, there is no way I can finish this Rx'd.  Damn, I have been neglecting that.

This day we did the Crossfit HQ workout which is explained as follows...

WOD:

Ten Rounds for Time of...

3 Weighted Pullups #45

5 Strict Pullups

7 Kipping Pullups

Coming off the bar at any time concludes a set.

My pullup strength, before going into this one, I knew was lacking.  Not so much my strength, but my power generation.  I rarely do weighted pullups, or strict pullups for that matter.  The ability to perform many kipping pullups, I know, does not bring with it the ability to perform many strict pullups or heavy pullups.  I have neglected this ability but have in the past put it aside, this workout scared me though, and I most definitely received my wake up call. Get your hands on the bar and get yourself over the bar, go heavy. This is the most basic of functional movements of which real life applications are endless.  The simple ability to hoist yourself, and then some, onto and above an obstacle;  fairly basic, quite important.  

Spanked! In a Good Way!

Spanked! In a Bad Way!  I am not even going to detail the results of this WOD.  For me, one round Rx'd. Then a fast steeping decline. Ten rounds not achieved.  Sam zoomed down a similar path.  Herbie showed up late and this workout was above his level.  He did some pullup negatives and a few sets of bar rows, until Sam and I finished our WOD, making more of an exercise walking to the dumbbell rack to substitute for a lighter weight than the actual WOD itself.  Ugh, it sucked, but there is a solution.

Get your hands on the bar, often, and get yourself over the bar, go heavy.  

I have previously written in a post, on my first visit to Crossfit St. Charles, that I don't like to warm up.  However, I am in accord with the fact that the warmup is a great place to work on lacking skills & strength.  Sure, if the WOD calls for many pullups, best save your strength.  But if lacking in pullup strength and power as described above, get in some reps during the warmup, everytime.  Lacking in the Handstand Push Up region, do what you can during the warmup.  Lacking in the Thruster region, the Clean region, etc...

Then get some reps in the warmeps!

See how I made that rhyme, you can let me know if that was clever or not by posting to comments.