5 RX

“It’s a great opportunity for athletes not at that (elite) caliber to muster up the courage to go to that dark place,” he adds. “Normally, we lower the weights or band them up, but now comes the time to have someone stare at the bar for a while. To slow it down and really have to work for eight minutes and try as hard as they can to get their chest to the bar. If they pull it off because the pressure is on, they had to muster up just as much courage as the firebreather.”  Joe DeGain

In preparation for the 2013 Open, we've worked our way through all the 2012 Open WODs.  Every score improved, and ideally I'll post about all of them soon. But for today, I want to focus on 12.5, or something I've heard referred to as a Fran Ladder.  

12.5

WOMEN - includes Masters Women up to 54 years old

Complete as many reps as possible in 7 minutes following the rep scheme below:
65 pound Thruster, 3 reps
3 Chest to bar Pull-ups
65 pound Thruster, 6 reps
6 Chest to bar Pull-ups
65 pound Thruster, 9 reps
9 Chest to bar Pull-ups
65 pound Thruster, 12 reps
12 Chest to bar Pull-ups
65 pound Thruster, 15 reps
15 Chest to bar Pull-ups
65 pound Thruster, 18 reps
18 Chest to bar Pull-ups
65 pound Thruster, 21 reps
21 Chest to bar Pull-ups...
This is a timed workout. If you complete the round of 21, go on to 24. If you complete 24, go on to 27, etc.

My score on 12.5 was a resounding 5.  Not rounds, but reps.  5 Reps.  

However, it was 5 more than the 0 I had last year.  And 2 more than I was capable of a month ago.  I set a goal to get a chest to bar pull up by the open, and I was and am still I little shocked to have reached it.  I was even more shocked to get two in a row during the WOD, but that 3rd one evaded me for about 3 minutes of trying.  I wanted 3 because that one c2b meant the next 6 thrusters would count, but it was a no go.  I should have taken my shoes off and heck, maybe even my shirt (-:   So, I went ahead and did chin over bar and made it through the 9 thrusters, but had it been the open, I would have had 5 so I recorded that as my score.  RX.  I'm proud of that 5 but I'd be a little excited to see it show up again this year.  I know I can do the 3.

I set another goal, that isn't going to happen by Wednesday when the first workout is released, but I'm giving myself permission to get it during  the open instead - a handstand pushup.  I've got it with 2 abmats under my head, and *kind of* one with 1 abmat.   

Finally, I am getting a 125# clean.  This week, if the opportunity presents its self.   I saw something in a video that got my attention and I want to see if I can do it.  I'll keep you updated. (-:   

Until then...