Tag: Open

The Open and Bear Up!

Tessa Leave a comment

I started training at a new box. Bear Up CrossFit recently opened in Lelystad. It’s all shiny and new and I really like it. They are just starting up so only have about 15 members, but the atmosphere is really nice.

I have a 2 per week membership with them now and still have a 2 per week membership at Almere as well. I don’t want to give up my membership at Almere yet as the level is so good there. At Bear Up I’m the one with the most experience and even though in some ways that can be nice, it’s not the environment in which you learn the most. For that it’s better to be surrounded by people that are better than you.

Also, the prices in Almere are ridiculously high if you become a new member now. I still pay the old price.. but if I would cancel now and want to come back later I would have to pay the new prices as well. So before I cancel I really need to make sure that I won’t regret it.

I do think in the end I will probably move over to Bear Up completely though. It’s nice that it’s in Lelystad, but I really just like it a lot there.

The Open is going on now.. Tonight they will announce the last one: 17.5. The open until now has been really great for me. I think I like this Open the best of all the ones I’ve done. And this is my fourth Open.

Open 17.1

For time:
10 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs
20 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs
30 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs
40 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs
50 dumbbell snatches
15 burpee box jump-overs

Women use 15 kg dumbbell and 20-in. box

Time cap: 20 minutes

This workout was hard! Especially the burpee box jump-overs. I scored 159 reps, which means I was 1 rep shy of finishing the burpees on the round of 40 snatches. I was happy with how I did.

Open 17.2

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 12 minutes of:
2 rounds of:
50-ft. weighted walking lunge
16 toes-to-bars
8 power cleans
Then, 2 rounds of:
50-ft. weighted walking lunge
16 bar muscle-ups
8 power cleans
Etc., alternating between toes-to-bars and bar muscle-ups every 2 rounds.

Women use 15 kg dumbbells

This felt a little bit like a redemption WOD for me. I always struggle with toes to bar in the open. I never practice them and in normal wod’s I usually scale them. Last year during the open I again vowed to work on them and this year I again didn’t. So I was worried. But it went great! I ended up with 77 reps. Which is 2 rounds + 45-ft lunges. That means I did 32 ttb in the workout :). I stuck to singles and they felt great!!

The lunges went better than expected as well. Felt solid doing them. Was very happy :).

Open 17.3

Prior to 8:00, complete:
3 rounds of:
6 chest-to-bar pull-ups
6 squat snatches, 65 lb.
Then, 3 rounds of:
7 chest-to-bar pull-ups
5 squat snatches, 95 lb.
*Prior to 12:00, complete 3 rounds of:
8 chest-to-bar pull-ups
4 squat snatches, 135 lb.
*Prior to 16:00, complete 3 rounds of:
9 chest-to-bar pull-ups
3 squat snatches, 155 lb.
*Prior to 20:00, complete 3 rounds of:
10 chest-to-bar pull-ups
2 squat snatches, 175 lb.
Prior to 24:00, complete 3 rounds of:
11 chest-to-bar pull-ups
1 squat snatch, 185 lb.

*If all reps are completed, time cap extends by 4 minutes.

This was another good test for improvement. Last year during 16.1 I had my first chest to bar and managed 3 total in 15 minutes. I hadn’t tried them since. After the announcement of 17.3 I tried them a couple of times and failed miserably. I had therefore decided that I was going to scale this workout. As I did not want to spend the first 8 minutes failing chest to bars and not even get to the snatches.

However, during my warmup I decided to try one last time and suddenly got two chest to bars in a row. So in the end I decided to go for Rx after all. And I’m happy I did! I managed to get 6 chest to bars and 6 snatches in the first 8 minutes :). I did get back to the chest to bars with some time left, but couldn’t get my chest up to that bar anymore. Still, I was happy with the result yet again. The last year I felt that I have not trained hard, but a steady trip to the gym throughout the year still means progress and that feels really cool.

Open 17.4

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 13 minutes of:
55 deadlifts, 155 lb.
55 wall-ball shots, 14-lb. ball to 9-ft. target
55-calorie row
55 handstand push-ups

I thought this one was really mean. This is a repeat of 16.4. After doing this WOD last year I felt that I lifted too heavy for what’s good for me. 155lbs is 70kg and that is a lot of weight to lift 55 times. I managed to get 91 reps last year. The next week I hurt my back and I always that it had to do with doing those deadlifts prior.

So.. this year I had decided that if a weight like that comes up and I feel that it’s more than I can handle that I would scale the workout. But then they come with a repeat workout.. which is perfect to see if you have improved. But you can only really measure that if you do it the same as last year; meaning Rx. I decided to see how I would feel during the warmup and promised myself to go slow and not lose form.

I did Rx and managed 111 reps. 20 reps more than last year! The deadlifts felt ok.. I did loose form a bit on the last couple of reps.. so that’s still something I need to look out for. Damn open, it pushes you to go beyond your normal limits. Which is good in some ways, not so good in others.

But I don’t believe I have injured myself. I almost have no soreness, although I do feel some stifness in my lower back in the same spot that I had the injury. Which is still a weak spot. I’ve been trying to roll it out with the foamroller.. and hope it’s gone on Saturday when I’ll be doing 17.5. Which are going to involve thrusters again for sure.

Anyway.. I’m really enjoying the Open. I have been helping at Bear Up on Saturdays with judging and have done the workout myself in Almere on Sundays. It’s fun to enjoy both community’s this way. This week I think I’m going to do the workout at Bear Up.

Also.. yesterday I got a new PR on my deadlift: 95kg!! :D

CrossFit Open 16.1 and 16.2

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The Open has started. I wasn’t sure if I was going to register and do the workouts as I don’t feel that I’m in shape at all. And since I stopped going to CrossFit Lelystad I didn’t really have a box either. But I decided to sign up anyway and am now doing the workouts at the box in Almere. I’m so happy that I made that decision, cause we’re two weeks in now and it’s a lot of fun.

The workouts haven’t been great for me though. But it’s a nice way to get to know some people at the box. I also volunteered to judge and that’s an even better way of getting to know people. Although no repping them too much might get us off to a bad start :p.

16.2

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 20 minutes of:
– 25-ft. overhead walking lunge (7.5m)
– 8 burpees
– 25-ft. overhead walking lunge
– 8 chest-to-bar pull-ups

Men lunge 95 lb.
Women lunge 65 lb.

My workout:
I was very undecided up until the minute before the workout if I should scale this workout or not. The overhead walking lunges with 30kg is so heavy for me! I’m very bad overhead and I’m very bad with lunges, so not a good combination. And 30kg is heavy!! In the warmup I tried 2 steps and it felt almost impossible.. But at least I knew I would be able to take 2 steps, which would probably get me across the 1.5m mark, which is 1 rep. And with 1 rep Rx you pass everyone who does scaled, no matter how many reps they do. Then, I also didn’t have a chest to bar pull up. I tried some during warmup, but couldn’t get theme. So I knew I was going to get stuck there.

So.. I decided to try Rx and when I started I was so surprised cause the overhead lunges felt surprisingly stable and I was able to finish the first 7.5 meter unbroken.

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I did almost get stuck on the lest step though, I was down on one knee and almost couldn’t get it back. But managed to get it up somehow in the end. Then 8 burpees and back I went. The 7.5 meter back was not as easy.. I broke it up after the first 3m and then every 1.5m. But it was a nice and steady pace for me, which I was happy with.

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After less than 5 minutes it was time to start the chest to bar pullups… After a couple of failed tries I managed to get my very first C2B ever! In the 15 min of trying I managed to get 3 reps in the end. And I was happy with that!

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16.2

Beginning on a 4-minute clock, complete as many reps as possible of:
25 toes-to-bars
50 double-unders
15 squat cleans, 135 / 85 lb.

If completed before 4 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock and proceed to:
25 toes-to-bars
50 double-unders
13 squat cleans, 185 / 115 lb.

If completed before 8 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock and proceed to:
25 toes-to-bars
50 double-unders
11 squat cleans, 225 / 145 lb.

If completed before 12 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock and proceed to:
25 toes-to-bars
50 double-unders
9 squat cleans, 275 / 175 lb.

If completed before 16 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock and proceed to:
25 toes-to-bars
50 double-unders
7 squat cleans, 315 / 205 lb.

Stop at 20 minutes.

DSC_3151my face after trying some ttb :-/

My workout:
Let’s say that the description of the workout is much longer than my workout was hehe. My TTB suck. They sucked three years ago and they still suck today. It’s pathetic really. I only managed 12 toes to bar in 4 minutes and that was it for the workout. Done. I would have loved to get to the double unders and the cleans. I can clean that weight no problem. Really wished the movements would have been the other way around. But this workout just shows that every year it’s my stupid weakness and every year I don’t do anything about it. Not this year! My goal for 2016 (next to getting the muscle up) is doing 25 toes to bar in less than 4 minutes damn it!

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Open 15.5 March 27, 2015

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WOD

Open 15.5

27-21-15-9 reps for time of:

  • Row (calories)
  • Thrusters

Men use 95 lb.
Women use 65 lb.

My workout:
I was scared to do this one. I knew I was going to take a long time. I knew it was going to hurt. I knew it was not going to look pretty. I also knew there would be a group of people watching me whilst all of this. At CrossFit Lelystad they only have 1 rower with a working screen, so everyone doing the open had to take turns. I was second on the list and the funny thing is that even though I worried about me looking stupid in front of others beforehand.. during the workout you don’t even think about how you look or if people are watching. Only focus is on getting through the next rep. I started alright on the rower with about a 1000 cal per hour pace. Then came the thrusters and everything quickly went downhill from there. Thrusters are my worst enemy and 65 lbs feels heavy really fast. I had to break the reps in sets of 3 pretty much from the beginning. I kept a steady pace through the first round of 27 though. Going back on the rower is when it started to suck big time. I couldn’t get faster than a 750 cal per hour pace.. and even that took a lot of effort. Going back to the thrusters after.. pfff.. only people that have done this WOD can understand how much it hurts. How much you don’t want to pick up that bar at all, let alone 21 times. It felt like it took forever. But got back to the rower for 15 and managed to keep the 750 cal rate per hour. I think I really started to slow down during the 15 reps thrusters.. Taking longer breaks.. wanting to stop basically. The last 9 cal row was really slow…. I tried to keep it at 750, but think I got stuck around 600.. then back to the thrusters.. I managed 3 reps.. then 2.. then 1 and then.. I got a cramp!! In my foot!!! I was rolling down over the floor in agony with 3 reps to go. It was horrific! After wasting a minute stretching I got back up for 2 more reps on bare feet before the cramp hit me again.. and had to take another pauze before hitting the final rep. Final time 23 min and 19 seconds.

This is a workout that most women do between 10 and 15 minutes (elite athletes do it under 7 minutes!). My time is a joke compared to other Crossfitters. But I’m proud of it anyway! I wanted to quit so badly, I wanted to go slower so badly. But I kept going. And that’s all that matters to me.

Long post. A bit dramatic. But totally worth it.

Open 15.4 March 23, 2015

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WOD

Open 15.4

Complete as many reps as possible in 8 minutes of:

  • 3 handstand push-ups
  • 3 cleans
  • 6 handstand push-ups
  • 3 cleans
  • 9 handstand push-ups
  • 3 cleans
  • 12 handstand push-ups
  • 6 cleans
  • 15 handstand push-ups
  • 6 cleans
  • 18 handstand push-ups
  • 6 cleans
  • 21 handstand push-ups
  • 9 cleans

Etc., adding 3 reps to the handstand push-up each round, and 3 reps to the clean every 3 rounds.

Men clean 185 lb.
Women clean 125 lb.

My workout:
Going in I knew this was going to be very tough. I was a bit nervous if I would get the handstand push ups. I usually only do strict handstand pushups and can only do them with at least 1 abmat and never from the ground. But, for this workout, kipping is allowed. I knew that I should be able to do it from the ground with a kip, but since I never really tried I was still a bit nervous. During the warmup I got a couple, which was a relief! Then the other obstacle was the clean.. my 1 rep max is 125 lbs! And the last time I attempted that weight I couldn’t get it up.. I didn’t attempt it during the warmup.. so it was going to be a surprise. Just before the workout started I tried another handstand pushup and failed!! Which made me extra nervous :p. But during the workout I managed to get the first 3 reps easily within the first minute. But then it was onto the clean.. I can’t squat clean properly so I kept trying to power clean it.. and failing.. until whoppa 1 rep! I kept trying for the remaining minutes, but that was all I had. 4 reps total. I was still happy with it :).

Open 15.3

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On Monday I went in for the Open 15.3 workout. Which was bad timing, because I was up all night feeling seriously ill. All morning I was in bed feeling horrible. Very bad throath ache and headache.. I think I have a sinus infection.

I had no choice but to go though as this was the last day to be able to submit a score and I didn’t want a 0 score. So I thought I would just go in and see how far I’d come. Even if I had only 1 rep then at least I tried.

The 15.3 Rx workout is

14 minute AMRAP:

  • 7 muscle ups
  • 50 wall balls 14 lbs
  • 100 double unders

So.. yea.. since I can’t do muscle ups it wasn’t possible to try the Rx. I did do a little bit of practice and trying out the muscle up to see if I could come close. I thought that if I felt I was close I would just try and get 1 in those 14 minutes. But in practice I really felt I am still far far away from getting one so was no use in trying. Especially because my stomach was hurting like never before from the rope climbs Saturday. Seriously, the muscle ache from that workout was insane!! My whole core felt like somebody stomped me in the stomach. My shoulders too. Just dead hanging from the rings already hurt and pulling up was agony.. so yea… no muscle up for me ;).

Instead I went for the scaled option:

Open 15.3 Scaled

14 minute AMRAP:

  • 50 wall balls 10 lbs
  • 200 single rope jumps

My workout:
I was unlucky because they didn’t have a 10lbs ball, so I had to do it with a 6kg (which is almost 14 lbs) ball. The singles were harder than I thought they would be! They feel so easy after focussing on double unders for so long.. but after the wall balls… hard to keep the breathing down! My feet started cramping a little bit as well during the jumps. In the end I completed two full round and 8 wallballs for a total of 508 reps. Which was the worst score of everyone… which I’m used to lol. But for someone who could hardly get out of bed all day feeling sick I was still quite happy.

WOD March 6, 2015 (Open 15.2)

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I knew I wasn’t going to be able to make it to the box this week. It was my last week in Spain before heading to Holland for three months. My dad arrived on Tuesday and just knew I wouldn’t have the opportunity to workout.

But, I did end up going on Friday morning at 7:30am. First time I ever went in the morning haha. And that before a 25 hour car drive :O.

Open 15.2

I went in to be able to do 15.2. Lucky for me it was only a veeeeery short workout. 15.2 was 14.2.. which is 2 rounds of 1o overhead squats at 65 lbs and 10 chest to bar pull ups. If you manage to do that within 3 minutes. You get another 3 minutes to perform 2 rounds of 12. You keep getting 3 more minutes for 2 more reps until you can’t manage within those 3 minues.

When this workout came up last year my open score ended right then and there as I couldn’t do overhead squats properly, let alone at this weight. This time I knew I was at least able to put a score down. I took 1 minute on my 10 overhead squats (they are still quite heavy for me!!) and then spent 2 minutes trying to get a chest to bar. Without luck hehe.

After doing this I could join in on the WOD of that day, which was

WOD

For time:

  • 150 double unders
  • 30 handstand pushups
  • 40 overhead lunches

My workout:
My double unders went awesome! I did the first 100 in 1 min 48 and then finished all of them within 2 min 56 :D. After that I messed up as I thought it was 50 handstand push ups.. I ended up doing 40 before finding out.. And then did 30 overhead lunches. My total time was 9 min 32.

After that I did:

WOD

In pairs (you go, I go) for time:

  • 2400km car drive

My workout:
Paired with my dad we took 24 hours and 45 minutes :). Started Friday 12:15pm and arrived Saturday 1pm.

WOD March 1, 2015

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WOD

Open workout 15.1

9-minute AMRAP:

  • 15 toes-to-bars
  • 10 deadlifts
  • 5 snatches

 (M 115 lb. /  F 75 lb.)

Open workout 15.1a

1-rep-max clean and jerk

6-minute time cap

My workout:
So… my toes to bars are not great, but I didn’t think they would be this bad!! I struggled getting them… I kept having no reps by not getting to the bar with my toes.. So I think I spent the first 3 minutes on the first 15 ttb :s. The second round went a bit better, but 9 minutes is not a lot of time. In the end I didn’t even finish my second round and ended with 57 total reps. The snatches are quite heavy for met at this weight as well, so they slowed me down a bit too as had to do them in singles. After these 9 minutes we had to go straight into 15.1a and find the heaviest clean and jerk. I was quite happy as I did 115 lbs. My 1rm clean (power clean, I’m not comfortable doing squat cleans yet) is 120 lbs, so was pretty happy with that! It felt quite easy too. Wonder if I could have done more..

I filmed the whole workout, but my memory ran out so actually didn’t film anything but the first few toes to bar and then a whole bunch of failed reps :S. I asked my friend to video me when re-doing 115 lbs clean and jerk though. Which I managed to do again, but technique was not as nice as when I did it in the workout. I didn’t proper split jerk so didn’t get low enough and wasn’t able to fully extend my arms under the bar, so had to push it out. Which is a no rep in official weightlifting world. Luckily in CrossFit it counts.. but it’s just not pretty….

I wanted to redo this workout as I really felt I didn’t give it my all on the amrap.. and can do better. But unfortunately I didn’t have time to do it again before the deadline on Monday.