December 5 WOD

I just realized that this blog is turning out to be more of a workout diary.

Anyway, yesterday's WOD was simple:

- Squat cleans (35 lbs)
- Ring dips (modified)

The catch: we had to do it in sets of 20-18-16-14-12-10-8-6-4-2 in 25 minutes.

I guess it was good timing (?) that we had squat cleans because I'd just done Foundations Class last Sunday, so I was able to practice what I'd learned (??). Except that I always got berated by the coach for not having the correct form and not going low enough for the squat. But what can I do if my coordination sucks? I probably shouldn't overthink the steps to follow when executing a squat clean because I kinda do it in slow motion -- I count the steps in my head like when learning a dance step. And the coach says it has to be more explosive.

Now I know what my students must feel like when they have difficulty grasping a grammar point.

Please let me get better at this soon...

Game day

The Philippine Azkals played with the 2011 MLS champion LA Galaxy yesterday at the Rizal Memorial Stadium. My friends and I excitedly made plans to watch it together when it was announced, then they released the ticket prices which were just too steep. So we'd resigned ourselves to watching it on TV instead.

Fast forward to lunch time yesterday, my son's school director sent me a text message saying co-parent Mr. Dan Palami (Azkal team manager) was giving each Raya Razkal (that's what they call the players of the school's football team) 2 tickets each. At first I was hesitant because it was raining, but then I realized that this was a once in a lifetime chance to see David Beckham play! And so we found ourselves taking the train to go to the stadium.

The game was scheduled at 7:30 pm, but we were in the vicinity by 6:30 -- which was a good thing because the line going to the entrance was already long. When we were finally ushered in it was around 7:15, and you could feel the electricity in the air.

Look how sweaty my boy is

It was a pleasant surprise when we found out that we got good seats, plus the kids' friends and classmates were just seats away! They played and ran around while their parents focused their binoculars and cameras on Beckham.

The kids having fun tooting their vuvuzelas

Getting ready to do a corner kick

In the end, the LA Galaxy won 6-1, but this is one game Philippine football fans will not soon forget. And for me, being there and watching it live made the sweaty commute and the long lines worth it.

Postmortem of today's WOD

We did Collin today, which was 6 rounds of the following (with a 45-minute cap):

- 400m carry (20 lbs)
- 12 push presses (35 lbs)
- 12 box jumps (12")
- 12 sumo deadlift high pulls (35 lbs)

I think it was at the start of the 5th round when I started feeling light-headed but I chugged along and it eventually passed. And once, while doing the carry the coach shouted, "Laya! Stop daydreaming!" I would have laughed if I weren't so winded.

When I started the 6th round around 40 minutes had already passed, and I was thinking that I will DNF (did not finish) again. But no. When I came in the others were still at it even though the 45 minutes had already elapsed, and I felt a sense of dread as I mentally prepped myself to push through. I finished with a time of 48:48.

Oh, and I finally signed up, too! I'm having my first Foundations Class this Sunday. As Mo Twister would say: Good times.

Strength

It's a good thing there aren't any mirrors at the box because I don't think I'd like to see what I look like when I work out.

We did deadlifts today. That's right. We were told to do 5-5-3-3-2-2-2-1-1-1, starting a little light and then going heavier. I was able to do 125 lbs... that's more than what I weigh!

After that the "cash out" was 12 minutes AMRAP of:

5 deadlifts (95 lbs.)
9 box jumps (12")
12 push ups hands off (on my knees)

I was 2 push ups shy of finishing 3 rounds.

Source

So... I guess a lot of angels got their wings today.

Do your workouts make you nervous?

Mine do.

Today was my third time to go to CrossFitMNL and like the other day, I felt butterflies in my stomach when I thought about what we might do today. I wonder if I'll always feel this way about the WODs.

Anyway, today's WOD was Santiago. We had to do 7 rounds of the following (with a 20 minute cap):

- 18 hang squat cleans (I did a modified version using a 15 lb bar)
- 18 pull-ups (I used the green band)
- 10 power cleans (I did a modified version using an 8 kg kettlebell)
- 10 hand stand push ups (I did a modified version kneeling on a box)

There were 4 of us in the group and no one was able to do 7 rounds. How can anyone do 7 rounds of all that in 20 minutes?! I was able to do 3 rounds, and I had it easy compared to the others.