Tear It Up, Tear It Down

 It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them. 
~Ralph Waldo Emerson, Journals

Who's with me?!  Anyone else out there old? Just a little?
Those of you who are my old friends, yes, I know I don't even have to ask!

7 Min AMRAP
Cash In: 400M Medball Run or sub 400M Row
Then:
10 Ab Mat Situps
10/10 Windmills – light or no weight
10 Good Mornings
10 Inch Worm Pushups
10 Seated Rolls
10 Alternating Side Lunges
10 Lateral Plate Raises

Mobility - 6 minutes of Thoracic spine, hip, quad, hamstring
Love me some couch stretch today :) then hit the wall for some figure 4 ooch love

MetCon - 15 minute cap
Cluster WOD
3 Rounds For Time:
Went 75# here - bad air quality felt like choking it up a little less than deep, plus might be too hard for me to get this weight for 3 rounds right now. Rest in motion!

• 8 Floor Press 
• 8 Clusters 
• 18 Lemon Squeezers (V ups)
• 400 M Run

Rnd 1-3:59, Rnd 2, 8:19, Rnd 3 finished @12:29
So, might have been able to heavy it up just a tad. But all in all I think this was the right call today.

Strength - 10 minute cap

Bench Press warm up- 1×3@ 30%
Bench Press warm up- 1×3@60%
Bench Press warm up- 1×3@70%
Bench Press 3×8@75#

Goal: Increase 1RM to BW (125#), follow the program, just follow the plan. Just keep working and they will come. Form, patience & breathe.

Recovery

AMRAP in remaining time:
10 behind the neck press (empty barbell)
8 GHD situps or 16 Ab Mat Situps
8 GHD Back Extensions or 1MIN Superman Hold
8/8 Leg Swings (over object waist height)

1 round done

MOS - Tear It Down Tuesday
Metcon
3 Rounds for time:

• 50 Double unders
• Row 200
• 8 Weighted step ups (40# sandbag)
• Row 200
• 8 Goblet ssquats (12kg/26#)
• Row 200 - meant to look at my average row at the end … next time

15:15

Okay, NOW I am done! Time to eat, a lot.

Reading: Restoration Handbook

Key point of the day: Do as much meditative work as physical work to keep things in balance.

Some Spidery Stuff

Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, 

which unites your body to your thoughts.  

~Thich Nhat Hanh

After getting my hip popped back into place, yesterday was a great workout. However, I might have overdone it a little. The evening brought a dull ache on the right side of my body and sleep was fitful. Ugh! Do not let this get out of hand girl!

Seriously, having a full grown man plow full force into your hip during a volleyball match can be a game changer. Yes, I thought I would just shake it off. Yes, all seemed just fine, I continued my squat cycle and L2 training. Yes, I had some nice bruising, but poor guy did too, bruised forehead and I drew blood! Oh, I felt so bad ;(. But we carried on and after a couple of intensive workshops over the last couple of weeks, my body was talking back. Squatting was incredibly uncomfortable. Knee bending was starting to become tender. Time to take care of business. Now that I have, I need to be smart enough to allow time for continued re-alignment. The body is amazing when it comes to recovery as long as we give it time.

Just felt that mobility would continue to be the right course of action here. Watching everyone do the team WOD today, got me a little juiced up, but, I was able to keep on with the plan. Wall Ball and Running would not be optimal movements, yet. Hoping to schedule that in on Thursday. This is the beginning of a more metcon/bodyweight movement focused cycle for me. I want to get solid in foundation (working through KStarr's movement & mobility system to start) and come back from break ready to lift some stuff! 

Took ample time to work through full KStar Posterior High Chain as well as some T-Spine Smashing.  Use the breath, use the breath, remember to breathe. It was kinda painful and that's all I have to say about that. Drank a full pint of water and chilled for a few.

Now I was ready to move. Wow! What a difference. Realign, replenish and restore.

AirDyne 1 mile

Warrior Mode 1 - 5 each side, 3 RNDs
Mtn climber (4CT)
Spidey leg sweep R/L
Child post to plank

Warrior Mode 2 - 5 each side, 1 RND
Knee thru to elbow, diamond hands
Parallel side push up
Leg thread - I am pretty excited that these are going well!

Starting week 3 on these movements, will add in two more rounds for mode 2 and work on increasing mode 1 to 5 RNDs, tough though. Next week let's see if I can handle all three modes in some variation. Cool stuff! 

Good day, good day. Off to enjoy an evening of meditation with an Italian Zen Buddhist Monk. Keep Calm and Breathe On!

Taking' It Easy

Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl 

is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves.

 ~ Albert Einstein

Fully intending to get in and finish out the week, I woke up with my shoulder pinned in an awkward position. It hurt like heck for about an hour. Some simple mobility and a warm shower seemed to relaxed things back where they belong (she says crossing fingers ... EMOTM split jerks tomorrow!)

The winds have changed and smoke from the rim fire is thick again over the foothills/canyon. Frankly I think I am due for a massage. Hello Red Lantern, sounds a bit seedy but oh not so, I prefer keeping my clothes on for these poundings. Really prefer rotating the techniques and my feet are much appreciative of the reflexology. Gotta get with Patrick on his new technique ... he's harder to corner.  So, pushing out training until tomorrow. I take today as a 'listen to my body' day and HRV has been in the yellow for the last couple of days. No alarm, but time to breathe deeply (off the hill) and let the energy flow.

Catching up on some reading, enjoying a cup of coffee and a quiet house.Looking forward to some family time, snuggle and just lounging with my sweetie girl. The pre-teenage years, so much going on, want to just hang out in the retreat and see what topics we get to explore. We spend a fair amount of time reminiscing lately. I miss my mom and the stories we enjoy can be therapeutic.

I am feeling a green smoothie coming on ;), glass of wine with hubby tonight, some old fashioned charcoal bbq and a good flick (maybe, movies have been pretty disappointing lately).

It has only been a month since swim coaching has ended and that week or so I took off was very worth it. These last couple of weeks of coaching mornings with a few double coaching days has caught up with me again. Schedule, schedule, schedule can be pretty demanding and I get home at night wondering why I am actually so drained. I honestly have it darn good! Much as I enjoy it. Trying to balance the super mom/carpool manager, nutritionist, performance focused master athlete, wife and chicka can be a tad overwhelming. I like my version of plate spinning these life roles in my own mojo flow and look forward to getting back to it!

No More Rest Days

Do whatever you will, but first be such as are able to will. 

~ Friedrich Nietzsche 

Spectac day with my team! Dolphins swim, swim, swim. One more week, taper, taper, taper. Champs & fun! It was much warmer in Grass Valley than I expected. Stayed hydrated, however, this meet took a little more out of me than usual.

After a little rest and Olympic viewing ... it was time to get some active recovery and mobility on.

Oh yeah! Great template, I will continue to use this on actual active recovery days with my specific choice of recovery ;)! Based on the programming, these days will now be in place of rest days throughout the competition year. Gulp ;). They don't look too intimidating though, but participation is the key here.

I can see that the key to my recovery is going to be circulation or 'flushing it out' after some serious work. I know that I have not felt the crippling soreness that often comes with some CF wods and yet I have been putting in both the work and effort. A 'gentle' soreness that wears off a bit with morning movement has been the regular theme this week. Later in the day or before the next session of work if it is late afternoon I am feeling it too. But post work has left me with a little endorphin high ;)!

Today
A. 45 minute hike, love where I live, thank you rural ~
B. Mobility & maint. choices:

• Shoulder
• Upper Extremity - 5 way shoulder ... gotta start somewhere!
• Lower Extremity - “generalist,” post wod, lower extremity “routine"

C. Inflam plan - salt bath to start things off. Epsom with some aromatherpy of lavender for nervine support.
D. Nutrition program - plan for the week written
E. Mental restore - Enjoying some mediation work from Power Up Your Brain. 

Active Recovery Day

A.
Aerobic Restoration
25-40 minutes of one of the following performed at 60-70% effort – easy, restorative pace:
* Swim (this is my first choice, and if you have an ocean, even better)
* Row (focus on mechanics, smooth and efficient with a very low stroke per minute pace)
* AirDyne (keep the pace conversational and relaxed)
* Cycle (get outdoors and enjoy the scenery as you ride)
* Hike (nothing crazy here, find a nice easy slope and go for a walk outdoors)

NOTE ABOUT ACTIVE RECOVERY – The activity selected must be restorative for you. It can also be an opportunity to work on a skill (like swimming or rowing), but the effort expended should leave you feeling energized at the end of the session, not depleted. I would also always prefer to see active recovery done as soon after rising as possible on the active recovery days. It’s an opportunity to start some blood flowing and aid your recovery.

B.
Mobility and Maintenance
* Choose 1-2 Thoracic Mobility Drills from Kelly Starrett’s Mobility WOD and spend 5-10 minutes with them.
* Choose 1-2 Upper Extremity Mobility Drills from Kelly Starrett’s Mobility WOD and spend 5-10 minutes with them.
* Choose 2-3 Lower Extremity Mobility Drills from Kelly Starrett’s Mobility WOD and spend 10-12 minutes with them.
- AND/OR –
* Body work from a licensed body worker (ART, Graston, acupuncture, etc…)

C.
Inflammation Maintenance
* This could be a lot of things, but think in terms of contrast baths, salt baths, castor oil packs, etc….

D.
Nutrition Preparation
* Ensure that you have quality foods prepared in the appropriate quantities to fuel your efforts for the remainder of the week.

E.
Mental Restoration
* Different for everyone – could be meditation or could be gathering with friends; the key is to engage in activities that make your life full and help you recharge your batteries.