WOW

WOW= Work Out Wednesday

I still have 2 spots available for personal training starting January - contact me for details! I can only take 5 clients at this special price.  

This weeks workout is inspired by one of my favorite workouts of all time... "Fran!"

In CrossFit some of our workouts have earned names.  I'll never forget the first time I did Fran, I chose this as my birthday workout and have done it on my birthday every year since.  (And many times in between as well!). This is the one workout that is guaranteed to give me butterflies EVERY single time I do it.

Fran

21-15-9 

Thrusters 95/65

Pull-ups

So what exactly does that mean?

A thruster is a full squat ending with a press overhead. You could use a barbell or dumbbells or a pvc pipe if that's what you have available.  

A pull-up is exactly as it sounds pulling your body from the hanging position all the way up until your chin is over the bar.  Don't panic, if you can't do a pull-up you could substitute many different pulling motions- you could row for calories, or you could do a sumo dead lift high pull, you could do a ring row or an assisted pull-up.

Once you've decided on what you will do then you execute- the Rep scheme is 21 thrusters, 21 pull-ups, 15 thrusters, 15 pull-ups, 9 thrusters, 9 pull-ups.  You should choose a weight that allows you  to finish this workout in less than 6 minutes!!! Yes, you read that right- an entire workout done in 6 minutes or less.  

Make sure to post your time in the comments, I can't wait to see what you think of Fran!

Time to prep for the 2017 open! 

Carole's workouts for the week of December 19-25:

12-19: 15 min AMRAP 4 Bar muscle ups, 6 Turkish get ups, 8 ring push ups.  I did 3 rounds + 10 reps. So excited to see I'll have my bar muscle up.

12-20:  5 Rep thruster - 115#, 20 min amrap 10 front squats, 15 toes to bar, 120' sled push.  I did 8 rounds + 11 reps.

12-21:  12 days of Christmas garage wod with Jim and Brooke. 

12-23: am CrossFit hero Blake 22:03, pm Santa Claus wod w. Partner at CFE.

This one simple exercise can make you better from the bottom up...

Grant held the bottom of the squat for 4:27.
In that time he watched TV, ate his grapes, and  poo'd!  

Have you ever watched a toddler play...often you will see them sitting in the bottom of the squat for what seems to you a very long time playing, eating, pottying!!

Flashback to me stretching you before a CrossFit class and you'll see that I am trying to get you in that very same position. Feet should be a little wider than shoulder width apart, knees out over the toes, chest tall with eyes looking forward.

WHY?!?

Believe it or not, it's a very natural position.  Many of us spend our days sitting at a desk in a chair, the chair is assisting your muscles to hold you up.  When sitting in the bottom of the squat, your body has to assist itself.

The bottom of the squat has so many benefits ranging from ankle, knee, hip flexibility to aiding in digestion to spinal decompression...

If you want to be a better athlete or simply better at life holding the bottom of the squat on a daily basis will do just that!

 CHALLENGE:

1. Get in the bottom of the squat and start the timer.  
2. Track your time each day holding 5-10 seconds longer.
3. Repeat for 1 week. 
4. Try to beat Grant's time of 4:27.

Workouts December 12-18 and yummy Chicken Salad Recipe

So I've really started to pick up steam in my workouts.  This week I was able to get to the gym 5x and felt really good about each of my WOD's.  Starting in January, I will be wodding Monday and Tuesday whiteboard WOD's, Wednesday active rest or weaknesses (think simple movements or endurance type wod's), Thursday I'll be training with Chelssie and Friday I'll be training with Nick (this makes for a long day!)  Saturday Team WOD + training.  Sunday will be my only rest day.

I am hoping with this amp and some training on my weaknesses in my "spare" time that I'll be ready for the open in February even though I haven't been prepping for it all year like I have in the past.  Sometimes less is more as my body is responding very well to the regimen I am on now.  I have little to no soreness but I am getting stronger and faster in all of my workouts.

I have also signed up for Lurong with CFE which will keep me accountable on my food.  This is so important coming into the open.  I know last year doing Lurong up until the open that I was lean and mean and ready to compete!!  So, we'll see what happens.

I've started to add some personal training clients to my schedule and it's nice to be coaching.  I love working with people and seeing their successes in the gym.  Between that and my classes at CFE and my bootcamps - I still get to work doing something I love and for that I am VERY grateful!!

Monday December 12th:  redid CF Open WOD 13.1  - I had no idea going into this what my previous score was...40 Burpees 45 pound Snatch, 30 reps 30 Burpees 75 pound Snatch, 30 reps 20 Burpees 100 pound Snatch, 30 reps 10 Burpees 120 pound Snatch, as many reps as possible...Today I was able to get to the 100# Snatch and get 11 reps - for a PR of 161 reps.  My score in the open was 155 reps.

Tuesday December 13th:  12 min EMOM of Push Press - I worked up to 105#, 10 min EMOM of Muscle Ups - I tried for 2 each round ended up getting a total of 15 reps.  Then 21-18-15-12-9-6-3 Situps, Push Press 65#:  time 5:50 RX

Wednesday December 14th:  5 Rep Front Squat - I got to 165#.  This was tough!!  Then the WOD was so so terrible!!  I'm not gonna lie I dreaded this one ALL day.  Step ups are a killer on my psyche!!  Time 15:11.
45 DB Step Overs 45/30# 24/20 inch
35 Toes to Bar
25 Thrusters 45/30#
25 DB Step Overs 45/30# 24/20 inch
20 Toes to Bar
15 DB Thrusters 45/30#

Thursday December 15th:  rest day

Friday December 16th:  So I figured out Friday's are Hero WOD's!!  Manuel was today.  5 Rounds of 3 Minute Rope Climb, 2 Min Squats, 2 Min Push-ups, 3 Min to run a 400 M:  I ended up getting 30 rope climbs, 269 Squats, 160 Pushups and squeaked in my runs for a total of 5.  THIS WAS SO MENTALLY MISERABLE!!  I honestly spent the entire 3rd round trying to find an excuse that I could give to Nick to get me out of there.  Nothing ever escaped my lips and I kept moving and working but the entire 3rd round was negative mind games...but in all honesty we all know I would NEVER EVER quit!!  For this workout I just kept telling myself - so what, you are hurting, this man gave his life for our country!!  Get over it!!  

Saturday December 17th:  CFE was hosting a Free Community WOD and I drug Jim out the door and into the gym for the first time since it wasn't "ours!"  I am SO glad we did this.  I needed it, Jim needed it and we had an awesome workout partner Matt Lundy as our 3rd victim for an awesome WOD with friends.  Love my community and the new community I am becoming a part of.  

My son came over on Saturday afternoon as we were supposed to travel to Fort Wayne for the Tuttle family Christmas party.  It was cancelled due to the weather...we spent the day eating yummy food, drinking beer and decorating sugar cookies.  One of our favorite traditions!  I found my dad's old cookie cutters in my cookie cutter box.  I love carrying on the traditions that my dad did with me...

Brandon picked up a couple chickens from Martins and we had an entire chicken leftover.  So, I decided to make some chicken salad.  It's always delicious.

Chicken Salad:

Ingredients:

Chicken

Avocado

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Grapes

Raisins

Slivered Almonds

(you could also use, colored peppers, apples, anything crunchy you have in your refrigerator!) 

I top with pepper and turmeric.  

Cut up the chicken, avocado and grapes. Add raisins and slivered almonds.  Stir in a little olive oil and sprinkle with pepper and turmeric.  You could eat this out of a bowl or make a bowl with a colored pepper and eat the bowl!!  

One of my favorite easy go -to's.  Works with tuna too!!

Workouts December 5- 10th and Bacon Wrapped Dates Recipe (Since I am late and can't remember what I ate!)

Tis the season...

What a great week of workouts I had this week and it all started with a WOD that completely destroyed me.  I haven't felt like that in a long long time...taking a little break and coming back full throttle for this particular WOD left me feeling like my first day of CrossFit.

I found out I am not a very pleasant sore person (I'm sure Jim already knew this) and I spent 3 days in complete misery.  So, I'll share with you some of the things I did to make this soreness go away.

1.  I used Epsom Soaks - 3 days in a row.
2.  I worked out again - strange as it seems this really does help.  Sitting on my duff and bitching however does not. (please note I did not give this particular tactic it's own #)
3.  I used the marc pro (on my quads) like an elf eats Christmas candy...CONSTANTLY!

I kept thinking I have a competition on Saturday and I'm never going to be able to feel my legs again...and just as quickly as the soreness appeared I woke up on Thursday and it was gone.  AHHHHH!!

Monday December 5th (THE WOD!!!) 12 Min emom PP - I got up to 95#.  12 Min AMRAP 30 Dub's, 20 Pistols Alternating, 10 OHS 65# - I did 5 rounds + some pistols (it's been too long) in an all out sprint.

Tuesday December 6th Strength - 5 rep front squat - I did 160#.  20 Min AMRAP 250 m row, 60' lunge, 20 goblet squats, 20 kb swings, 60' lunge.  I did 5 rounds...maybe?

Wednesday December 7th - rest day

Thursday December 8th - I SHOWED UP AT THE GYM ON GAME DAY!!!  I HAD TO PLAY A GAME WITH BALLS...5 rep bench press 125#.  10 min AMRAP 1 legless rope climb, 1 rope climb, 10 t2B, 10 swings 55#.  I got 4 rounds.

Friday December 9th - Hero TJ: 10 Bench Press, 10 Strict Pullup - AMAP to get to 100 Thrusters.  I had a competition coming on Saturday so I only did 95 on BP and 65 on Thrusters.  I only did 60 reps it took me about 15 minutes.  Would really like to do this one RX someday;0)

Saturday December 10th:  Cougar competition on the best team EVER - Grant's Mamaw and Dad!!
Wod #1,2 - I hit a 175 pound clean:0)
We also had some light work with pp, squat, hang clean and DL!
Wod #3,4,5 We kicked butt on the thruster,t2b wod but that cost us in our rowing;/
Snatches just hurt and I was so thankful when time was called.
Wod #6,7 So didn't want to move anymore...but 15 min cap allowed us to finish Karen as the bell tolled.

Loved the wod's and my partner with our 7th/36 place finish;0)

Sunday December 11th: As punishment for sucking in my row....I rowed a 5K today.  Time was 25:34.  I will be rowing at least 1 5k a week from now until the open;)

I know you are really here for the awesome recipe:

If you are looking for a sweet treat this one is SO simple to make and you get the yummy goodness of a sweet date along with some salty bacon and a crunch from the almond.  This is a win win for all peeps!!

Bacon Wrapped Dates

Ingredients:
Dates
Bacon
Almonds

Heat oven to 425.  Stuff the date with an almond.  Wrap date with bacon cut down to size.  Place on pan - repeat (make a lot, these are even good cold!) Bake until bacon is crispy 10-12 minutes!  ENJOY!!

Jim's snowy day Paleo Chili Recipe

We were in Chicago all day yesterday for a CF Competition and got home late last night.  I slept until 10:45 am when Jim walked in with a breakfast tray and woke me out of a deep slumber.  He does that a lot.  I never hear him get out of bed.  One of these days, I swear I'm going to be the one surprising him with breakfast in bed.

So after eating and laying around in bed even longer we finally feel ready to face the world...or should I say the kitchen and the mess of the breakfast rush.  He decided as he was finishing up the waffle batter that he wanted to get lunch over with and as he cleaned up from breakfast he started looking through the house for chili ingredients.  As he named them I would go to the freezer, refrigerator or cupboard and let him know if we had them...or if we had something close to them to get this chili underway.   The last thing I wanted to do was make a run to walmart in the freezing cold...and please, we all know I was still in my pajamas.

Please keep in mind when I post this recipe that there are SO many different options for making this. Just because you don't have every item on this list, doesn't mean you can't make this chili.  I'll tell you how we typically make it along with some subs you could use to make it your own.

Beanless Chili Recipe

3 pounds ground beef 
(we have used - ground chicken, turkey and sausage or a combo of all)
1 cup finely chopped onions 
(Jim doesn't like onions but he likes the flavor so we typically sub with minced onions- we were out of these today so we used onion powder)
5 cloves garlic chopped
(you could sub garlic powder)
1/4 cup oil
3 cups tomato puree
(today I took a large can of the stewed tomatoes and pureed them in the ninja)
1 1/2 tsp cumin 
1 tsp ground coriander 
2-3 jalapeno peppers chopped
2 colored peppers chopped
(If you don't have peppers - you could use chopped zucchini, sweet potato, butternut squash)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp oregano
3 tbsp chili powder

Brown all meat and cut up peppers and onion.  I use 1/4 cup minced onion instead of fresh.
Pour the tomato puree in cooking pot with 2 cups water.  Add all spices and peppers to the puree.
Add meat and cover pot.  Heat on high until you get a boil.  Stir and reduce to simmer.  Simmer for 35 minutes stirring every 12-15 minutes.

As for me, I rowed my 5k as punishment for sucking at rowing in yesterday's CF competition and finally showered and put my Broncos shirt on to make my hubby love me even more!!  Time for this girl to go eat some chili;0)

 

50 Things About Me - Workouts 11/28-12/3

Have you ever sat down and tried to tell 50 different things about yourself?  Here goes my attempt to let you in on me:

1.  I love coffee.
2.  I love babies.
3.  I am afraid of spiders.
4.  I am a procrastinator.
5.  My favorite shoes are garden clogs from the Christmas Tree shop.
6.  Naps.  Enough said.
7.  I'm not good at answering my phone - I'd rather text.
8.  I'm super shy and more of an introvert than people think.
9.  I leave my Christmas tree up until the end of February.
10.  I peek at my Christmas presents.
11.  I never ate a potato until I was pregnant with Bri and I craved one...since then I love potatoes.
12.  I used to live on pop-tarts, candy and little debbies.
13.  I hate doing the dishes.
14.  I love doing laundry.
15.  I like chicken legs and chicken thighs.
16.  Jim puts my toothpaste on my toothbrush for me every night.
17.  He also puts my vitamins in a bowl or I forget to take them.
18.  I hate clutter.
19.  I like to have things organized and symmetrical.
20.  If they aren't I have to fix them (the boxes at the gym!)
21.  I love thrusters.
22.  I hate push-ups.
23.  I prefer chewy candy over chocolate.
24.  My favorite color is purple.
25.  I hate to read.
26.  I am daddy's baby girl.
27.  My nickname when I was little was Lovey.
28.  I have 4 older brothers and 4 older sisters.
29.  I am the youngest.
30.  When I was Brooke's age (20)  I was pregnant with Brandon, when I was Bri's age (24) I had 2 kids and when I was Brandon's age (26)  I had 3 kids.
31.  My kids are everything to me.
32.  I was raised Catholic.
33.  My first time in a Christian church I cried my eyes out and most times I still do.
34.  I love Jesus.
35.  I leave my manger up year round.
36.  I can't take cough medicine.  It's disgusting.
37.  I talk to my dogs...and sometimes answer for them.
38.  I have about 30 pairs of lulu run speed shorts size 6.  AMAZING.
39.  I never played sports.
40.  When I was 38 I started working out.
41.  CrossFit Competitions are so much fun.
42.  I talk to my daughters every day.
43.  I talk to my son when he answers me...every 3-4 days!!
44.  I talk to Jim constantly.  Sorry hon!
45.  I have a lot of opinions but keep most of them to myself.
46.  I care deeply about others.
47.  I refuse to get Alzheimer's!
48.  Or cancer, my brother died of cancer.
49.  I'm actually pretty lazy.
50.  I love the beach.

You should try this sometime!  It's actually pretty tough to talk about yourself...but rather enlightening when you are done.

So, December 1 has come and gone and that was my ultimatum for deciding if I was going to compete in the 2017 CF Open or not.  I have decided that I will be doing the open and giving it my all, I don't know how to do it any other way.  So, with that said, I have been trying to get to the gym on a more regular basis.

My WOD's for last week:

Monday November 28:  5 min EMOM - 40 Dub's.  12 Min EMOM 3 PP - I worked up to 85#.  10 Min AMRAP 7 C2B, 7S2OH, 7 HRPU.

Note:  I haven't had a coach for a very long time...I am learning so much about myself and my movement patterns and some bad habits I've developed.  My focus is to change these bad habits to make me a better athlete.  In each and every class I have learned a new tip or new focus to make me a better me.

Tuesday November 29:  5 Rep Front Squat - I did 155#.  Partner WOD - 10 Cal ROW, 6 DB Box Steps, 4 Manmakers - partnered with Chelssie:  This was a great workout!

Tuesday November 29:  PM Wod with Timmy;0)  100 Pullups, 300 M Farmer, 100 Wall Ball, 300 M Farmer, 100 BBJ Overs, 300 M Farmer RX 21:55

Wednesday November 30:  1 rep snatch - I did 115#.  10 Min Emom - 1 Snatch 3-5 HSPU.  9 Min AMRAP - 3 Snatch, 6 Thrusters, 9 KB Swings.  I think I did like 6ish rounds I can't remember.

Saturday December 3:  In between heats at the 061 Bash:  Worked up to 5 rep max on Bench - 125#. Then did 5 rounds 5 body weight bench press, 5 body weight power cleans.

My food for Monday November 28th, 2016:

7:30 am coffee w. coconut cream
8:30 am 2 egg omelette with ham, pineapple and spinach and hashbrowns - both cooked in coconut oil! americano w. coconut cream
11:00 am salami, 3 date rolls and green juice
3:00 pm tuna salad w. raisins, almonds, avocado, oil, pepper and an orange
5:30 pm workout - post workout gelatin, maca, chia, creatin w. banana
8:30 pm 1 1/4 apple chicken sausage 3/4 sweet potato w. cinnamon and butter (vitamins)