The Erin Experiment

[Erin Davidson]

Originally Posted by Patrick Haskell

Yup. Both are to blame. If I don't at least do some stretching on my recovery day, I'm a hurting unit the next day. On the getting back into sprinting front, I was given some advice that has worked well for me in my old age: start out by sprinting uphill. You get a similar benefit for force development, but your strides are naturally shortened, limiting the potential for causing the injuries that occur when you work hard in the extended range-of-motion, which is not found with most other forms of conditioning work, whether that's prowler pushing, longer runs, or even a series of would-be sprints mixed in with some barbell fun or pullups.

Hey there, Patrick! Nice to see you back at it! I love running hills - but have trouble finding them in Philly. That said, it's something that I'll be working on come the Fall.

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WEDNESDAY.

Evening - just power snatched a bit, up to 47kg, and with VERY short breaks (as close to a minute as I could load my bar). Then power clean to push jerk - only up to 66kg - On the last push jerk I felt my leg pull a bit.

Should have done a metcon today but things just didn't work out that way... oh my - the days of multiple BREATHINGS are coming.

GOOD SLEEP 8 hours!

THURSDAY.

A good training day I had good company (Anna, Lesha, and moi - with Heckman, Ave, Maddox, Tuck, and Simon running around) and we played bluegrass (so all was right with the world).

Snatched, up to a close miss at 52kg - but this was the heaviest I've gone lately with my leg feeling the way that it is - instead got to drop down and do 3 singles at 50 (something I actually really enjoy and should do more often - I love to be able to move a weight better on a given day - sometimes over moving MORE weight). All of the 50kg felt very fast.

Then, Clean - no jerk since I push jerked baby weight yesterday (LAME) - up to 73kg EASY and then just couldn't make 75kg (my current PR) happen again. I'd wager that a few things could get better but in any case, I did some Clean Pulls at 70kg, then 75kg - these felt so weak that I was kind of glad my first attempt at 73kg was so easy-feeling.

Back Squat, only up to 211lbs. a few times... I filmed it because I was curious about how my depth was given the fact that I'm not actively using a bounce... that said, I may start doing that especially on my speed days - it's essentially what happens when I really land my cleans well.

SPEAKING OF WHICH, I'd like to land a clean like the Chinese - big pull and fly under as you can - it's been a long time since I've thought about anything other than pulling big.

My programming changes next Monday to front squatting 4x a week (um, ok) - but I'm really excited about Oly is feeling/going lately.

Tomorrow - SQUATTING, LICENSING, SWIMMING, KOREAN FOOD, MASSAGE, BATMAN, and SLEEP - then FOOTBALL - honestly? My life is incredible.

[Abbey Sangmeister]

I know of some great hills. Still in Philly but a quick train ride away

Sounds like you have the perfect day planned. If you ever want help on swim technique let me know...I used to assistant coach.

[Meghan Reid]

Best/worst hills ever - quick run down Kelly Drive to East Falls. LEGS MEET DEATH.

[Erin Davidson]

Swimming, Hill Running - a CrossFitter's Dilemma... choosing what to start not sucking at first!

FRIDAY

Pause squat triples up to 145lbs. Pretty doable. Pretty weird day. Was supposed to go swimming but I guess my license is important. Hopping all over New Jersey. Did get to go see Batman (important). Did get to go to Tinto (also important) - although... it's a real shame if you read what happened the next day.

SATURDAY

Was puking until right up until I was supposed to leave for the cert. No fun. SERIOUSLY. So, I didn't leave and I stayed home, watched bad movies, and begged Angie for updates on CFCC's CFGeneration teams (she obliged cause she's nice) and when I wasn't sleeping - drank broth and ate a little rice. UGH.

SUNDAY

CROSSFIT FOOTBALL CERT. There should definitely be a football emoticon.

Also. All the glute things. And a lot of hip ABDUCTION - interestingly enough. Gotta experiment with this kind of thing.

The WOD was basically, some manual restriction work (crab and butterfly) followed split clean and jerks on both legs (amrap in 2 minutes) - yay for using 135lbs! MAN GRACE SOON? - and sprints (which apparently I'm not THAT crappy at even when I still have "crazy quad syndrome". A few rounds of that on like NO FOOD. I thought Chris was gonna eat me alive.

Things I learned about my jerk - my front foot needs to be better at being ok with leading forward.

Things I loved the most about the cert - all the dynamic warm-up variations, most especially cross-sectional spiderman variants

MONDAY

Lots of sleep (yay) - but then couldn't train til the evening.

Snatch, up to 56kg - not bad for being really sick over the weekend - watching really fast lifters makes me a LOT faster (under the bar anyway)

Clean, up to 70kg - something made my clean REAL tired over the weekend - skill work? - glute work?

Front Squat triples - up to 75kg - a little slow here, that's probably why it's my MAX CLEAN. Used the bounce intentionally but really tried to direct the knees out of the bounce.

TUESDAY

5 hours of sleep.

Coached for 3.

Then trained for like 3 1/2.

Power Snatch - up to 46kg and then decide to stick with Klokov pulls - or... CHINESE pulls (as I will now call them). I went up to 45kg with the pulls and they did seem to get better - I worked at the end on NOT trying to throw my head back.

Clean and Jerk - up to 68kg for the jerk with a few split jerks on both legs thrown in there for good measure.

I think, unfortunately that I should always plan on Tuesday sucking a little... my back's feeling a little funky.

WEDNESDAY - the hope is, do some metcons, maybe make up for the front squats and clean rdl I didn't do today (trying to make the program THE PROGRAM).

[Erin Davidson]

TUESDAY, 8/6/12

Training was fasted today - until 2pm. Not too bad giving the fast.

Klokov/My favorite Chinese pulls - two attempts at 45kg. Felt very good but with straps I just couldn't finish quite enough to keep the bar over my head once I landed underneath it (4th pulls in the drill). I love how FAST these make me feel.

Clean and Jerk - up to a heavy single at 72kg (the most I've done since back to lifting is 73kg (a match for my previous PR). 72kg felt AWESOME. I worked on stepping my right foot out a little more confidently and committing with the head as much as possible. I attempted 74kg three times and got the clean ( a BIG DEAL - this is ONE kilo below my max ) but just couldn't make the jerk. It's kind of a trust issue. After this, Jim thought I should go for a Clean PR if I couldn't make the jerk. I racked 76kg (would have been a PR) well - but got too relaxed in the squat to stand back up (INFURIATING).

Front Squat, up to 85kg - good, but not my best. I failed at 88kg. I then did a few more singles at 80kg (a little slow at the top but I was able to think about my knees a lot more at that speed).

Clean Grip RDL - up to 75kg x 3 x 3. Always feels so DIFFICULT to get my hamstrings to do what they should.

MONDAY, 8/5/12

Snatch, up to 52kg. Failed... So, started to try out some doubles (I was working with short rest all day today just to see how I'd feel). I ended up doing 51kg and then a minute later doing it again. Felt pretty good Even if it wasn't really my best day ever.

Clean and Double Jerk - couldn't really go to heavy here - just felt strange. I believe I got up to 65kg at least... maybe more? I might have to ask Jim - I just can't remember.

Front Squat, for speed. Only up to 70kg.

SUNDAY, 8/4/12

Rest and clean up a lot of stuff.

SATURDAY, 8/3/12

Strange day. Felt funny to get under the bar. Snatch, Worked up to 52kg I believe.

Clean and Jerk. I know it was at least 70kg... but I think I failed about that.

Back Squat, up to 211lbs.

FRIDAY, 8/2/12

I feel like there was something I did on this day that kept me from training but I can't remember what it was.

THURSDAY, 8/1/12

Pretty sure this was an O-lifting day and it was not that great - my right glut was bothering me. Last week was a rest week from metcons (just couldn't handle it mentally with lots of things happening).

This week will be different

[Patrick Haskell]

Nice-looking oly program. With that kind of focus, I sense a steady diet of PRs in your near future.

BTW, what are chinese pulls?

[Erin Davidson]

Patrick - I've got a video of me doing them - I'll try to upload it next time.

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WEDNESDAY, 8/8/12

First time deadlifting in a while. And YAY for doing it a normal session.

up to 180 x 3 for a few sets.

AMRAP 5 minutes of 5 Clean and Split Jerks (switch legs, clean and jerk Left, clean and jerk Right) - 5 Toes to Bar - @123lbs. got 5 Rounds and 1 C and J.

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THURSDAY, 8/9/12

Snatch off the Blocks - a bunch of times up at 49kg - REALLY good for me. Jim said my finish was better than he'd ever seen it.

Clean and Double Jerk - up to 65kg - legs "feeling" the jerk better than they have been - front foot getting better. I'd really like to be able to double 70kg.

Snatch RDL - a total of 21 reps - triples up to 68kg x 3 - that's super fun to do and know you can do. It's also very funny to watch how slow my Snatch Deadlift can get.

Front Squat with pause - 71kg for a triple - feet facing more forward than normal and hip ER feels very good - like WEIRDLY good.

[Erin Davidson]

Originally Posted by Erin Davidson

Funnily enough... Tonight at 730pm... I did WOD 11.5 (incorrectly labelled below as 11.6) and I did two reps better on an inch thick bar. Who knows what can be said or my rib but - my training gets no credit (this year or last!)

As such, for the next three Games sessions I'll be doing this WOD... Just to do it

WOD for today after a little ring dip, push-up, pistol work - just reminding the body what it should do but I will say this - doing a metcon before my metcon has ALWAYS helped me and I felt like the first 3 minutes of this 7 minute amrap were CRAZY fast. I ended up PRing by 11 reps - I got all the way through the round of 12 and did 11 thrusters of 15. Chest to bar pull-ups were in 5s and 3s.

MONDAY - I start Whole30 with Arrus - fun times!

Tomorrow, squatting and Chipper - and then I MIGHT be tempted to do "Nicole" - if so, I'm gonna go waaaay easy this upcoming week on the volume.

[Meghan Reid]

Originally Posted by Erin Davidson

MONDAY - I start Whole30 with Arrus - fun times!

BAG OF POTATOES AT WORK! ALL THE POTATOES!

[Erin Davidson]

They definitely need a dancing potato icon. Maybe a lot like this: (WFS) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvNp98ESebw

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SUNDAY, 8.12.12

BACK SQUAT with Record, up to a peak of 180 x 3 (felt pretty good - could have tripled a little more probably or done it a few times but I know I'm going to be squatting 4 other times this upcoming week). Kept toes forward on these - though they sometimes inched out (externally rotated at the ankle), this felt good. I should make it my goal to triple 205 quickly at some point. That'd be a PR.

Then, the OUTLAW monstrosity: (sorta WFS)

I can and SHOULD be stronger than I am - that would have helped a lot in this metcon. I got 3 pistols plus a lot of fiddling with the GHD machines in 20 minutes. I used 165lbs. on the deadlift and went through them in 4 x 5.

For time:

30 Box Jumps 30/26″ - good, steady. Used 26 1/2 inches.
20 Deadlifts 315/205# - 165lbs. + belt. The goal was to not be dead from these.
30 T2B Did fine stringing two sets of 8 together... then lost the kip (I thin mainly cause my hands felt like they were gonna rip - should practice these for "unbrokenness" - they should be more automatic.
20 DB Push Press 50/35# - use KBs - 10 presses, then 5 then 5. Not bad, but should have taken shorter breaks are maybe gone straight through given the rest of the WOD
30 GHD Situps - These are awful, I need to do them more often.
20 Row for Calories - Bearable. Weird. 700ish for the pace. I can pull much harder but didn't want to tax myself here. (read: I gave up?)
30 Alternating Weighted Pistols 25/15# (DB) (only had time for a 20lb. dumbbell and a few singles, back definitely feeling fatigued.
20 Burpee Box Jumps 30/26″

Some thoughts? This isn't THAT bad... and I feel pretty good right now. Combos I need to work on? Repping deads and T2B (a good grip combo), adding in weighted pistols wouldn't be too terrible either - I think GHDs mainly just need some tabata work.