The stars are aligning...

Friday and Saturday I spent in Medicine Hat coaching my gymnasts at a competition. They all did fabulous! There were a couple of new skills that were performed and each and every kid worked those skills like they've been doing them for years. One gymnast in particular rocked the entire meet. She is really starting to show some serious confidence out there and work the events (and crowd) to her advantage! I overheard many coaches, athletes, and spectators in awe over what this little girl could do at 10 years old. She will definately be one to watch out for (especially on the beam) in the years to come.



Because I missed the workouts yesterday due to work, I busted one out in our basement gym this morning.

For Time:
30 Wall Ball Shots (14# to 10' target)
80 Double Unders
20 Kettlebell Swings (24kg to bell pointed straight up)
30 Toes to Bar
50 Walking Lunges
50 Pullups
20 Burpees
11:13

The toes to bar and pullups were more broken then I would have liked them to be, but pleased with completing all 30 wall ball shots unbroken. These are feeling alot better for me lately... perhaps all the squatting we have been doing!! Wicked blood throat right now though!

The pictures above above are of Chad and I's mini gym in our basement. This place is magical I tell you! I've hit numerous PRs in there already and I'm going for 1RM front squat later today... we'll see what the magic brings!

inspired, 40 days, and a work in progress

This past weekend has been full of ups and downs watching the Olympics. Congrats to canada's first ever hold medalist on home turf - Alexandre Bilodeau! I knew he was going to have a solid run just looking at his face before he pushed down the hill. That's the thing about elite athletes... When they are on you can see it. They have this glow about them. I call it the winners glow. And alexandre had it last night!

Last Friday was the tragic luge accident, where a Georgian athlete died during a training run. He put everything on the line in pursuit of his dreams... That is a hero if you ask me. Our big dawg WOD on saturday was created to honor him.
"Nodar"
3 rounds for time:
35 DB deadlifts (50#/h)
1k row
50 knees to elbows
33:50

Each time it became difficult I just told myself to press on, push through for excellence... Something that Nodar will no longer have the opportunity to do. RIP Nodar.

My rogue weights arrived this past week so I should be able to do some workouts in my home gym. My equipment down there includes: pullup bar, squat rack, 3 benches, 45# oly bar, pair of 45# bumpers, pair of 35# bumpers, pair of 25# bumpers, pair of 10# bumpers, pair of 5# iron plates, pair of 2.5# iron plates, 14# dynamyx med ball, concept 2 rower, 15# DBs, 25# DBs, 35# DBs, 16kg kettlebell, & 24kg kettlebell. Good base to train with. Its awesome in there. The only thing I am missing is a GHD which I'm searching for :)

This next weekend I will be in medicine hat for my gymnasts next invitational meet. Looking forward to it! We practiced today and my girls are looking great! I'm trying to get a workout in at the CrossFit affiliate while I am there.

40 days until central Canada qualifier!

Sore all over!

I sit on my couch unable to move. My butt and legs hurt from back squats and deadlifts, my biceps hurt from a gazillion pushups, my abs hurt from 100 GHD situps for time... you get the picture I'M FRIGGIN SORE!!

Yesterday's WOD was:
A1.) High Bar Back Squat @ 40X1; 4-6 reps x 5; rest 90 sec
A2.) L-Pullups @ 2121; amrap x 5; rest 90 sec
132#(6)/8LPU, 155#(5)/5LUP, 167#(4)/5LUP, 167#(3)/3LPU, 145#(6)/3LUP
B.) DB Split Squats @ 3131; 5-7 reps/leg x 4; rest 45 sec between legs
30#/h - 35#/h - 37.5#/h - 40#/h... 5 reps for all
C.) 100 GHD Situps for Time
4:08
Nearly 50 sec faster than the last time I did this one last week! Took more breaks throughout, but the intensity was much higher. I didn't worry as much about falling out of the crappy GHD they have at the U, as I was wearing my Oly shoes this time around and filled up more of the foot space.

Today's WOD:
4 Sets of:
A1.) 15 Touch & Go Deadlifts unbroken; rest 10 sec
A2.) 10 Kipping P-Bar Dips; rest 10 sec
A3.) 10 Chest Slap Pushups; rest 180 sec
110#/UB/4,2,2,2 = 1:52
115.3#/UB/2,2,1,1,1,2,1 = 2:02
121#/UB/4,1,2,1,1,1 = 2:09
126.5#/UB/4,2,1,1,2 = 2:00
4 sets of:
B1.) 25 unbroken Back Extensions; rest 10 sec
B2.) 25 Pushups; rest 90 sec
1:34, 1:49, 1:59, 1:53
C.) 5 min amrap Double Unders
275
Not pleased with this score... but I had nothing else to give. My arms were completely exhausted from the 140 pushups done earlier and the handles kept falling out of my hands.
D.) Practice Strict Handstand Pushups for 5 min
Did some negatives because I tried to push myself back up but I was just not going to move anywhere. Arms had nothing let to give.

The drive home from the gym was interesting. It was the first time I ever thought that I hope I don't have to suddenly stop or swerve out of the way of something because it was just not going to happen. Turning corners were interesting enough.

Check out the picture slide show on the left column... I've added some pictures from the CF Gymnastics cert last weekend!

another fantastic gymnastics cert

I'm typing this post as I sit at the Toronto airport at 4:30am waiting to depart for home. Just finished another fantastic gymnastics cert out East. The weekend was full of great laughs as always... But also a lot of hard work.

Oh the adventures we had... Checked into the Casa Mendosa Friday afternoon once we arrived. As Tucker put it on our way to the airport this morning, closer is not always better. This place was "interesting". Old man Mike at the front desk at check in was alittle funny telling us to plug in this switch and that switch before turning on this light or the heater. Too confusing!! Heard crazy noises one night and couldn't figure out where they were coming from... Open the curtains and two raccoons where yelling at each other and fighting outside my window!!! Those guys were HUGE! Same size as a mid size dog and evil looking!

CrossFit colosseum... HUGE gym! 11,000 square feet of open space. 200m indoor running loop, high ceilings, and just lots of usable space to move around. The owner of CF colosseum, Paul, is an amazingly giving man who is a wonderful host. I'm very thankful for everything he did for Tucker and I all weekend... Picking us up from the airport, driving us to and from the cert each day, taking us out for dinner, and getting up at 4am to take us to the airport. Not to mention taking us to the Canadian Armoury where he works and showing us the history around there. WOW cool stuff!

The people at the cert were great too! Very impressed with the type of people that go through these things. One person in particular stood out for me. Her attitude towards training, improving, and taking in new information was incredible. Her ability to pick up the concepts and run with them was inspiring to me. Joanne from CrossFit Kitchener is a very inspiring female crossfitter. Girl, if you are reading, thanks for attending that cert! You may not realize it but you touched my heart and have made an impact on me and my mental approach to my own crossfitting. Good luck at your sectionals and I hope we can meet up again at the regionals! In the meantime... Send me that picture of us!