I've turned into an OUTLAW.

Day 3 WOD 120626:

BB Gymnastics

1) 5X3 Vertical Clean off High Boxes (at Hip) + 1 Split Jerk – heavy but fast, rest 60 sec.DEMO w/ Instruction – DEMO Side

Notes: Complete all Cleans, then one Split Jerk after the third Clean.

Strength

*The Back Squats are based off of YOUR THREE REP MAX – follow the link, that’s why I put it there.

1) Back Squat: 1X5 @ 80%, 1X3 @ 90%, 1X2 @ 95%, 1X2 @ 100% – rest 2:00-3:00 between sets.

Notes: Percentage is based off of 120515

2a) 5X2 Push Press – heavier than last week, rest 60 sec.
2b) 5X2 Pause Front Squats – heavier than last week, rest 60 sec. DEMO VIDEO (lulz)

Notes: Hold absolute bottom of each FS for 3 seconds, then bounce off the calves and stand.

Conditioning

EMOM for 10 minutes:

3 Bar Muscle-Ups

During each rest interval perform AMRAP of Double-Unders.

*Score is total reps of DU.

I am starting to fall in love with all the technical work. I finally conquered my fear and did a jumping bar muscle up. It wasn't that I couldn't physically do one, it was just my head psyching me out cause of the height. I couldn't get my body up and over the bar to lock out, but it was getting late and I knew I had to start the clock and just get the conditioning over with. My 2nd attempt with the clock running, I finally got it down. Of course the bar was at about forehead level and I jumped with bent knees/straight arms. Hopefully i can lower the box bit by bit. I think 241 DUs, is a pretty valiant effort. 

Day 2 Outlaw Way

WOD 120625:

1) 5X3 Vertical Snatch off High Boxes (at Hip)– heavy but fast, rest 60 sec.
2a) 5X3 Snatch Pull – heavy, rest 45 sec.
2b) 5X3 Heaving Snatch Balance – heavy, rest 45 sec.

1- 35 x 5
2a-45 x 5
2b-45 x 5

Strength

1a) 4X8 Weighted “Strict” GH Raise – heavier than last week, rest 60 sec. (no swing, start from a position parallel to the floor)
1b) 4X3 BB TGU – heavier than last week, 3 each arm, rest 60 sec.

1a.) Did first set as rx’d then had to scale with PVC
1b.) 15# Barbell my wrists were definitely feeling this.

Conditioning

21-15-9 of:

OHS 135/95#
T2B

8:29 @ 35#. My shoulders were fried at this point. Chained together my first 7 T2B, which is a “PR.”

All this work took 2 hours

Day 1 of the Outlaw Way

WOD 120623:

BB Gymnastics

1) 7X1 Snatch off High Blocks – heaviest possible with near perfect technique, rest as needed DEMO VIDEO
2) 7X1 Clean off High Blocks – heaviest possible with near perfect technique, rest as needed DEMO VIDEO

Strength

7X3 High Bar Back Squat @ 75-85% – rest 90 sec.

Notes: Increase load every set. Percentage is based off 1RM HBBS or 90% of 1RM LBBS.

June 17, 2012

Workout:
“Fifty Filthy” in reverse!

For time:
50 Double unders
50 Burpees
50 Wall ball shots, 6 lb ball
50 Back extensions
50 Push press, 15 pounds
50 Knees to elbows
Walking lunge, 50 steps
50 Kettlebell swings, 3/4 pood
50 Jumping pull-ups
50 Box jumps

My time: 31:46... I felt dizzy twice: during a long set of KB swings, and the box jumps at the end. Just was completely out of gas. Wrist felt great. 

June 4, 2012

Warm-up:
Take 15 minutes to work up to your 1 RM Squat clean and jerk (splitting is ok)

Max: 70#. This is not my true 1RM, as I was playing cautious with my wrist. 

Workout:
“Christine”
3 rounds for time of:
Row 500 meters
12 Bodyweight Deadlifts
21 Box jumps, 24 in. (subbed 20" step ups)

Hip flexors were just fried from track night the night before, combined with the rowing. 

Easing into it

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Warm-up:
Take 15 minutes to work up to your 1 RM Squat clean and jerk (splitting is ok)

I put up 70#s. This was the first time for me to put heavy weight overhead with my wrist healed. It felt fine. Was still cautious of doing heavier than 70#s. I have a feeling I could break my C&J PR of 85#s. My technique has gotten waaaaay better since becoming a full time coach. Diso said he didn't have anything to correct today and that I move well. 

Workout:
“Christine”
3 rounds for time of:
Row 500 meters
12 Bodyweight Deadlifts (100#)
21 Box jumps Step Ups, 24 in.

My hip flexors were not happy. Probably from track night last night. During the row they def flared up. I was unsure if I would finish in the 15 minute cut off. So I'm glad. When I called time, I had that yummy heady feeling. 

Monday, June 4, 2012


Endurance Training 

Warm Up: 60 yard Suicides

Short Interval

Tabata Run

Remember Tabata is 8 rounds of 20 seconds of Effort, followed by 10 seconds of Rest.  If possible, use a treadmill hill at a 12% grade for the sprints.  Run 0-30 seconds slower than your 5k pace per mile, do not change the speed.  This is a pacing drill!

I ran about 525 meters, which is in line with my current 200m/400m pace. 

Thursday, May 31st, 2012

Warmup:
Back Squat 8-8-5-5 reps

Start around 60% of your 1 rep max and end around 80%.  So if your 1RM is 100 lbs, do 60 lbs for 8 reps and work up to 80 lbs for 5 reps.  Rest no more than 2 minutes between sets.

95-100-105-115

Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:
5 Chest to bar Pull-ups
5 Ring dips
15 Squats

My Score: 11 + 4C2B

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

“Nate”
Complete as many rounds in 20 minutes as you can of:
2 Muscle-ups
4 Handstand Push-ups
8  2 1 Pood Kettlebell swings

I did kipping HSPUs for the first time!! Really. I just tried it during the warm up then I did 28 more during the WOD. Aaaaaand, I was able to do 5 of the 7 rounds of jumping muscle up; so 10 jumping muscle ups is my where I hit muscle failure. 

It was on this day that I strained/pulled an intercostal muscle. It is now a full week later and I'm still experience pain on my right side. I can't pull or press out. Making a right turn while driving is difficult, as is deep inhalation. It really sucks. 2-3 weeks of rest should heal it. I read that I should be icing it, but not sure really how with freezing my nipple off LITERALLY.  

Rest rest rest. My upper body that is. 

What's going on down there?

Great explanation and illustration of the anatomy of the hip.

Fishy

My arms are fried. I thought I would do the WOD @ 50#s but after a few reps I failed. So I dropped down to 40#s. Round 3, I could no longer get the bar over my chin, so I stripped off 10#s. 

One legged row still feels weird, and there is now way to get intensity up doing it. 

Again very happy to be doing anything at this point. My arms are going to get RIPPED with this hip/back injury...

Speaking of injury, I still haven't pinned down an appt with the chiropractor. I would not be surprised to find out that my injury is really having to do with the nerves around my glute. With all the lacrosse ball rolling that I've been doing, it has given me some relief. I can't wait to see the Doc. 

Fishing is still on my mind. Lol. 

Rectus femoris

Back Squat 3-3-3-3-3 reps

For those that have a current 3 rep max, you will choose a weight and attempt to maintain through all 5 sets.  For those that do not have a current 3 rep max, you can take as many sets as you would like to find that weight.

My hip flexor is irritated again. I think it was from the front squats + box jumps from Saturday. I was very mindful to really warm up my hips before attempting any back squats. But the minute I racked the bar on my upper back and stood up (not even squatting!!! just taking it out of the rack!) I could feel the little shot of electricity in my hip into my lower back.

105 is light weight for me, but all 4 sets of 3 were very difficult for me. My 1RM is 130# and I know I've been getting stronger since.

I kinda regret doing the strength-bias. Those 4 weeks of heavy heavy heavy really fucked me up. I've never really "recovered." It's almost like I've been losing strength.

I may consider just doing body weight met-cons and stay away from heavy days for awhile. I'm going to confer with Zeb and Diso about it.

Injury makes me sad. There is a constant dull ache in my lower back and left hip. I should go ice again.

Injured reserve

Complete as many rounds as possible in five minutes of:

275 pound Deadlift, 3 reps  5 Ring Rows

115 pound Push press, 7 reps @ 35 pounds

I think I need to go to a doctor and get an MRI on my hip. I have been self diagnosing myself with all sorts of conditions that I read up on WebMD. The closest is seems to be is Iliopsoas Tendonitis. Either way, I'm pretty fucked right now. My ROM is pretty limited. Picking anything up off the ground is chore and painful, like an article of clothing. The pain is becoming for apparent in my lower back. 

My insurance does not kick in until August... I need to be mindful. 

I love my new job! yay! 

Interlude

I have made a vow to take 7 days of rest. I will resume CF next Thursday at Track Night.

I have isolated my discomfort  to the psoas majora muscle. I will ice and roll daily. I will probably do a couple epsom salt soaks as well. I pray I heal quickly so I can resume my Strength Bias program.

I bid Adieu!

This is the most sure I've ever felt

I ran 400m for warm up. Came back and jumped right into DROM. During my leg front kicks and side kicks, something tweaked in my hip. I felt fine at extension, but when flexed it was painful, at 90 degrees or less. I decided to continue with the classic warm up. Doing the squats were painful. I did some stretches and some mob-wod movements to see it would "work itself out." I was determined to do deadlift today. 

Without feeling any relief I jumped into lifting some weight. I started at 115#, then 145#. I wanted the my 165# to by my first official number on the board (In January I set a 4RM PR @ 165#). I got it the new PR!!! It was actually "easy." I did not release the bar at the top of the deadlift, but did the eccentric movement back to the ground. Probably a bad idea for my strained flexor, which at the time I didn't isolate it to be that muscle. 

For 175#, I did release the bar at the top after each rep. The first 3 reps felt great; #4 was tough. Rep #5 was very difficult, breaking the 5RM PR I just set 5 mins prior. After dropping the bar, I fell to my knees feeling the stars swirling about my head.  It really gassed me. I laid there, rotating my hip, feeling the tension building up. At that point, I thought I would do my last set of 5 reps at the same weight of 175#. 

The pain was starting to be too much. Tyler recommended that I throw in the towel and be satisfied with the numbers I put up. I'm glad I took his advice. I immediately rolled out my hip and iced it. It felt sooooo good. 

I have a strong feeling that sleep isn't going to be so comfortable tonight. My hips bother anyway when I'm injury free. 

Instead of back squat tomorrow, I may have to work on push-press and do an upper body couplet, maybe like the Main site WOD, hmmmm. 

Encima de la Cabeza

Overhead Squat 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 reps

5 reps:

PVC Pipe-Weighted PVC Pipe-15#-20#-35#

1 rep:

40#s

I arrived at the box at 4:45pm and immediately got down to hip/glute mobility wods. After 30 mins of stretching and massaging my left nalga, I decided to do some OH squats. I started with the pvc pipe, 5 reps felt great. Onto the weighted pvc; that felt great as well. With the blessing of G, I went onto do 5 reps with the 15# bar. My hip felt all nice and "greased" up. I did notice that my shoulders and back did feel tight, but not a big deal since the weight was so light. Onto 20#s, and it still wasn't a challenge. My confidence was raised. 

At 35#s, I definitely started to feel a tingling in my back, but I immediately thought it had to do with my mid-section not being stable. The last 2 reps I took a large breath in and really "braced" myself, and those reps definitely felt more solid, with no tweaky feeling in the back. 

At 40#s, I jerked the weight overhead and the bar felt really heavy for some reason. I took a deep breath and slowly lowered; I dont think I got low enough cause I didn't feel that solid at the bottom so I came up prematurely. I dumped the bar. I picked it up to clean and rack it AND that when I felt it: the little shock of electricity that shot from the bottom of my tail bone and up my back. It small shock, but a shock none-the-less. 

So, my body said, NO, I'm not ready. I put away my weights and bar and went back to the foam roller. In the short amount of time of doing the low weighted OH squats, my back managed to completely tighten and knot up. It was as if the first 30 minutes I spend doing myofascial release didn't happen. It was painful to roll out. 

I didn't have time to ice at that point, but I do plan to ice my hip/glute/back when I get home tonight and  soak in epsom salts. I can't wait!

I don't think you're ready for this jelly

I went into the box to just do a combination of Mobility WODs. I rolled and pulled and pushed and contracted and flexed my hip/glute until it was hot and pliable. I got blood to the area to hopefully expedite healing. My left butt check is bruised and tender this morning from all the myofascial release.

I will probably continue to do more MobWODs for the rest of the week, then back into to WODs at low intensity/weight at first.

Heal. Heal. Heal. Heal.

I'm GOLDEN

Every minute on the minute for 30 minutes, perform the following:

1 Squat Snatch

20 Double Unders

I think I did well. I'm a little upset that I didn't last longer doing the 1/20 DUs on the minute. I was having trouble getting into a rhythm during minute 9 and 10. I literally had 1 DU left when the minute changed over. I was pretty bummed about it. so with 20 mins left I managed to fit in 13 rounds. Within those 13 rounds, I was "greased" up enough at that point to really land my snatch. I went light for 2 reasons: I wanted to work on perfecting my technique, and two, my back is still acting up. When I commit to the snatch and I stick the landing... that feeling of being solid at the bottom of the squat, mid line tight, arms locked out, shoulders active... the feeling is GOLDEN. 

I was able to do 20 DUs straight through 5 times out of the 20 rounds. Felt pretty awesome :) 2 of those five times I collapsed on the floor with retching, pukie feeling in my tummy. Thinking back, I was pretty miserable the whole last 15 mins. So I'm quite happy that I survived it. 

At the end of the 30 min clock, I laid out on my back and felt the blood rush to my face. I felt ALIVE. I immediately iced my lower back/left nalga. As well, I consumed a sweet potato a la Rico. 

It is now 11PM, and my "back" is bad. I'm not even sure if it's my back. The pain can be described as radiating from the hip joint/socket, shooting up my back. It feels like electrical shocks. There are no specific movements that trigger the pain, but it has now encompassed bending forward from the hip, turning from the hip with feet in place, sitting with my weight on that left side, standing with weight on that left leg... There really isn't time when I'm absolutely in comfort. I'm concerned. I'm not sure what to do. Actually I know what I have to do, but I'm a stubborn, hard-headed donkey and I really don't feel like taking time off from training. 

Tonight I plan to go to 24hour CVS and buy some epsom salts and have a long soak in the tub. I can't wait. Another 10 hour day at work. Tomorrow looks like a 14 hour day. Shoot me. Is it Sunday yet? Having brunch with the hot cougars on Sunday. We're actually coming into the Hotel. I think I'm going to get schnookered. I'm starting to feel really unappreciated and overworked. In response to feeling overwhelmed, I emotionally ate today; I had Linguini and Clams. While I completely enjoyed the dish while consuming it, I felt really gorss and guilty afterwards. Tomorrow is a new day to make better choices :)

Besides work and this injury, my spirits are high. That feeling of yearning has left me. I'm not in want. So all the good things that happen feel like a BONUS.  

10 days, wah?

It's been a full 10 days since I've done my last WOD. On December 19th, while enjoying the drunken company of my fellow boxmates at our Paradiso Crossfit Holiday Extravaganza, I was "injured." Out of sheer excitement (or stupidity, you decide) a friend of 6'4" stature and 210# in heft proceeded to throw me over his shoulder and take off running on the beach. He then looses his footing, falls forward, slamming me on the ground, on my back, and then landing on top of me with his full weight.

In the moment, I thought my back snapped in two. The pain was very sharp, and excruciating. My entire back seized and tightened and I immediately flopped onto my stomach. There was several minutes of dramatics that took place afterwards, but I'll save you the details.

The next morning I awoke feeling as if I had survived a car accident. I was sore all over. My neck was stiff and limited range of motion. At the top of my butt-crack (sorry- is there a scientific term for butt crack?) running down to my left butt cheek was blackish-bluish-purplish. The entire area was tender and putting weight on it for too long (like driving a car) was uncomfortable.  I also had phantom bruising on my hip, and on the front of my right thigh. I looked like an abuse victim.

So I took the week off from Crossfit. Last Thursday, doing laundry, deadlifting my laundry basket made my back all twitchy. I'm hoping to fit a WOD in tomorrow at LAX Crossfit.  I will be cautious of my movements, as well as the weight.

I'm very very happy that I didn't break my back. Thinking about the whole situation still makes me soooo angry. Serenity now. Serenity now. ahhh.

2 steps forward, 1 step back

21-15-9 reps:

Deadlift (225/155) I did 105#

Overhead Squat (135/95) I did 35#

Can I tell you, everything felt really heavy today. I just can't believe that I did DL just last week at 127#s and I felt good and strong; then today, by the set of 15 I was hurting. I felt a tinge of twitching in the muscles around my butt bone. It was getting to be uncomfortable by the end of the WOD. I went really light on my Oversquat, but I'm glad I did because my wrists were about to go out on me in the last set of 9. I could really feel my mid-line stability cause it was my abs that immediately started to feel sore when I collapsed on the floor. I felt really good at the bottom of my squat, I was getting really deep; I'm glad that I got to work on my technique. 

It looked so easy on paper... it's those that kick your ass the most. 

Want to see something  AWESOME (sad for me)? Heather Bergeron's 10 year daughter is doing the 25#s for the OH squat weight, just 10#s less than me!!!! And mini-Bergeron SQUAT SNATCHED her first rep. Much respect. 

 

Tomorrow's WOD is run 5K. I hate to run. But I'm going to give it a shot. I don't think I"m going to time myself exactly. Here's the route I plan in my neighborhood. 

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4128107

I hope I make good on it, cause y'all know how much I love to run :)

PS- my foot ailment yesterday was a vicious internal foot cramp. I'm all better.

In a world of hurt

Ten rounds of:

1 Clean and Jerk

5 Pull-ups

10 Push-ups

15 Squats

I'm really happy with my time. I don't care if I'm in the bottom tier for times. I did it as prescribed!!! I don't think I've done any pull up WOD RX'd.  60#s being 80% of my 1RM C&J. The C&J was the most difficult of the quadruplet for. Cleaning the bar felt like it took all my energy; right before I would jerk the bar, I had a sense of self doubt- the bar felt heavy.  With the push ups, I went to muscle failure every round after round 2. The pull ups were Ok. I broke them up in 2s. The squats were my rest. I injured my foot during the pull ups. How, you ask? All the boxes were being used for some WOD Diso was doing, so I used a KB as step stool to get to the bar. Well, I think I pushed off of the top of the KB at the center ball of my foot with all my body weight and hurt it some how. Now I can barely put weight on it. It was painful pushing the gas pedal on the drive home. I'm really sad about it. It's a stupid fuckin' injury. It's throbbing right now. I should ice it. BRB. 

Ahhhh, the ice feels sooooo good. I don't want to be injured!!!!!!!!!!! I'm all whiney now. FUCK fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!!!!!!

In more positive news, I have graduated to a taller box for my box jumps- 20". I had been using 16" for the longest time; it really was a mental thing. Then the other day, during the warm up, we had BJs to do, and I attempted the 20" box and VOILA! I did it. Sweet. 

(All the muscles in my foot are cramping and seizing right now... it's so painful... Jesu-christo!) 

Going to lie down now and watch the Lakeshow kick off the new season :)

Positivity

Three rounds for time of:

30 One-arm Thrusters, 15# Dumb Bell

Overhead Squat with PVC pipe, 30 reps 

This was my special WOD to accomodate my left shoulder which is still weak and not fully functional. 

My right tricep was screaming by the end of the first round. By the end, my abs were screaming as well. It was a good medium level workout. I can't wait for my shoulder to be functioning. Even then, I'll be taking it easy, I don't want to reinjure it. 

I was told by 2 people today that I'm looking thin... like too thin, and that they were worried about me. Well, I am participating in the CF SB Paleo Challenge. It started today. My stats are: 103.2#s, 25.4% Body Fat, 26.5" waist, 33" hips. I don't know if I have anything left to loose. I may actually gain weight. I have started to take a post-workout protein shake to hopefully promote muscle healing and shorten the time I'm all sore.  If you want to know what a person who follows Paleo you can follow my FOOD LOG. 

I don't think I did that well in my phone interview with UNFI. The interview was not what I expected. I thought they were going to ask me character questions, which I was completely prepared for, but theY went a different route. They asked about my views on the current affairs with the words "organic," "natural," and "conventional." Now I have a huge opinion about it and I had a million things flying in my head, and all the thoughts that came out of my mouth were not linear thoughts. It was obvious I was frazzled. I'm not happy with what I said about organics. I could have divulged more, I didn't even touch upon the USDA's approval of organic pesticides/herbacides/fertilizers... "Natural" I hit the nail right on the head. "Conventional" was tricky. 

They also asked about why I felt "Fair trade" was important and what impact does it have on the industry... I mean these questions are soooooo open ended that I could have spoken for hours about each topic and either offend the hell out of someone or come off as an over-zealous nut job. I probably succeeded in both. 

I tried to salvage the interview in the end by emphasizing my experience fulfilling the exact function/tasks of the position. I stressed that I have strong existing relationships with qualified foodservice outlets in all sectors including fine dining, hotel/resort, business & industry, institutional (including Hospitals), education, and all the major studios, so hopefully they see that. 

Interesting things I found out about the "territory manager" position is:

-Newly created department focusing on foodservice outlets only

-Territory is LA/OC

-1 overnight travel WEEKLY req'd

-company laptop provided

This last bullet confirms to me that I'll be processing my own orders like Sysco and US Foods reps, so no customer service support for me.

I really want this job. I know that I'm am completely able to kick ass at it. Elise said she'd get back to me in 2 weeks to inform if I will move onto the in-person interview. 

Cross your fingers. 

I have yellow fever

"ADAMBROWN"

Two rounds for time of:

295/185 pound Deadlift, 24 reps

24 Box jumps, 24 inch box

24 Wallball shots, 20/16 pound ball

195/120 pound Bench press, 24 reps

24 Box jumps, 24 inch box

24 Wallball shots, 20/16 pound ball

145/100 pound Clean, 24 reps

My scale:

2x-

15 Deadlift @ 105#s

15 Box Jumps

15 Wallball 8#s

15 Ring dips w/ band

15 Box Jumps

15 Wallball

15 Cleans @ 65#s

The workout was tough. The easiest was the wall ball. The toughest was the cleans. 65#s is heavy for me. It was my 1RM PR just a month ago. The deadlifts kicked my ass. Not sure why. 105# is my usual weight, but for some reason it  felt really heavy. Maybe because I did them after the cleans, I don't know, but I had to break up the work into 3 sets of 5 each time. 

I was useless after the work out. My shoulder was really starting to hurt. I immediately iced it. 

It hurts when I...

-row

-Jump rope, esp DUs

-jerk

-overhead press

-open my car door from the inside

-swing my arms during box jump

and today, lifting my purse up onto my shoulder.

Things I do that surprise me that my shoulder doesn't hurt...

-Snatch

-clean

-dips

-pull ups

-deadlift

So today, I plan to see my chiropractor to get an adjustment and have him do the thing that he did last time to my shoulder. He cracked and popped it and it immediately relieved the pressure I felt was building in the area. I also plan to get a massage, time permitting. Friday I have a 9am appt. at Yosan with a post-grad student. I hope I heal quickly. I really don't want to be injured for my level 1 cert. That's 2 weeks away. I've got to really lay off of it until then. 

I'm so glad Heather loves Crossfit. She's dedicated. She goes to 6:30AM class. She texts me her accomplishments. I think it's awesome. 

A rant:

Asian aren't attracted to me. Seriously. There's all this conjecture that white guys are swoopin' in on all the Asian broads... well, it's because they have the balls to hit on us. Last Sunday, after the X games, Leah and I had dinner in K-town. The restaurant was filled with a mix of Orientals and their white friends feeling culinary adventurous. Not one slanty-eyed man would make eye contact with me. Now, there could be a myriad of reasons why (collectively) all the Asian men would not look at me, including that maybe they don't find me attractive, but this happens to me all the time. It's like I don't exist to my own race of men. Today, at Whole Foods, the checker was super hot so I flashed him a smile--- nothing reciprocated. 

I never really been attracted to Asian men until very recently. I did date an Dutch-Indonesian guy, but he looked straight Dutch. In high school, I liked a filipino guy, Erick, but again, I didn't exist to him. So I gave up on "them" because of their lack of interest in me- that was over 14 years ago. I went on to taste the rainbow of men.  I guess, I don't get it. Maybe I'm not approachable. Or could it be the way they are raised? Coddled by their mothers, but also conditioned to be stoic and reserved. Showing emotion is weak. When I think of Asian men, I hardly think them as emotionally deep. As if their capacity to express emotion is not necessary. It may seem bold of me to make such a broad statement about men of a certain region of the world, but I take into account the social mores of most Oriental cultures, where discipline and reserve is exalted as a sign of control and power over oneself... Conservatism is to be presented outwardly, while uninhibited behavior is for behind closed doors and away from prying eyes. I think this thought has a lot to do with how Asian men socialize... They are never controversial, or make waves... mostly agreeable, light hearted, good people. The same could be said of the women. I have never seen an Asian child acting up in public. My brother and I were angels said my mother. We mimic our family by being in control of our urges and emotions, even at a young age. Maybe Asians are more cautious. And this translates into not being aggressive when it comes to the male-female "dance."

Jan Bu and I had dinner a month ago. She had been in a long term relationship with a Filipino guy. After they broke up, she started to date men of other races and realized that each race had their own distinct flair, GAME you'd call it. She then came to the conclusion that Filipinos/Asians have NO GAME. They aren't bold or strong enough to make her notice. She felt she needed to chase them, pursue them because they weren't confident enough to pursue her. She wrote off Asian men. As harsh as that sounds, I totally know what she's talking about. I feel/felt the same way. It made me think about the "Americanization" of  women like myself and Jan, and the countless successful Asian women in our generation. We're not the same women that exist in our mother countries. Our ideals and romantic notions have morphed to include the bold fantasies that Western Social Media and pressed in our feminine minds. We'd like to have our men live up to those bold ideals, not blur into the background to the trail we're blazing for ourselves. As contemporary as our lives seem to be, I know that Americanized Asian women still have STRONG traditional family values, where the man leads. Men have gotten soft recently. What happened to courting, chivalry, and manners? We throw around terms like "dating" "seeing each other" "talking" "hooking up" "hanging out"... What does it all mean? We use those loose terms to avoid having to actually express what we truly want for fear of being rejected. Either you're on board or you're not, but people want to play in the gray area just in case they need to split or something better comes along. 

This rant has really morphed into something completely different. I have no idea where I'm going with this.

Assessment

Five rounds for time of:

15 pound barbell Overhead walking lunges, 50 feet (45# rx'd)

21 Burpees

My time: 17:38

Round 3 of burpees I felt a jolt of electricity in my left shoulder. I couldn't continue with the burpees, so David had me finish with the WOD doing jumping squats. Jumping squats really suck. I did 4 and had to take a break. 

I love lunges. My abs are killing me today because of the weight overhead. 

My shoulder is definitely acting funny. It's not the joint or the muscle. Zeb thinks it's a nerve. I feel a dull ache right by the back side of my armpit. I still can't define what movements bring pain so it's like a moving target. I should be icing it... I have an appt at Yosan for next Tuesday. The left shoulder has caused me problems before, 2 times before. And all 3 times I wasn't even doing anything crazy that would cause an obvious injury. The first time I believe it was in a overhead squat with the dowl(no weight!!!!); the second was doing a ring support (simple!!!) and then doing a burpee.  How disappointing. 

Let the healing begin.