11-09-07: Jerks, runs, and box jumps

Elm City CrossFit WoD for September 7th, 2011

Split jerk. Rear leg could probably be closer to the front, with more of a bend in the knee. But the flag is awesome, so I'm gonna let it slide for now. (crossfit.com)

Camille Leblanc-Bazinet makes running look effortless. Jerk. Actually, things are coming along. I never felt like my heart was going to explode out of the top of my rib cage on this workout, so I must be doing something right. (crossfit.com)

Box jumps. It's hard to tell in motion, but note the rigid lower back, meaning that as she jumped and flexed and opened her hip, that motion was translated directly into moving her entire body upwards, without getting dampened and wasted in a relaxed, bent spine. Efficiency will usually allow you to accomplish more work with less effort... or at least with the same amount of effort! (crossfit.com)

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WoD: 6 rounds

• Jerk (3x2 @ 90%, 2x2 @ 92%, 1x2 @ 95%)
• 200m Run
• 1 min Box Jumps

Score is total number of box jumps.

After the warm-up, I found a few new ways to try to roll out my wrists and forearms using the "two-lacrosse-balls-taped-together" SMR tool. It was AWESOME. I only had time to really work out the right side, which was hurting the most anyways... but it was completely brilliant. I was finally able to roll all sides of the forearm, including the top (anterior) muscles, which are apparently NOW the source of most of the problems. Nothing like floating, mutating tightness... I didn't have as much time on the left side, which ended up still being sore the rest of the day. Today (the next day from the workout) both are sore again, but neither is in agony... I'm onto something here!

The prescribed weights came out to 135#, 140# and 145#, respectively. After warming up a few sets, we got to work. The idea was to crank through the 2 jerks, run around the parking lot, and bang out a minute's worth of box jumps before taking any rest. My only goal was to try to keep the box jump numbers steady, and I managed to pull it off. I had some issues with my jerk form (I split jerked every rep), in that I ended up leaning back a bit at the waist, probably reflecting shoulder tightness, or just a fear of that tightness. I can usually get a jerked bar into the proper position, so I doubt it was real tightness or inflexibility, just an inexperience/fatigue/fear combination making me unsure of the proper alignment. After having it pointed out in the 2nd or 3rd round, I tried like hell to make sure the weight was directly over the back of my head when overhead, and that I was fully and properly locked out.

The runs were fairly easy. It was brisk out, with a small amount of misty rain, so it was actually kind of refreshing to get outside after each set of lifts! The box jumps were increasingly difficult to maintain speed on, but I just tried to not rush them and set my own pace. I still jump-up then step-down, rather than jumping down, in order to protect my knees. It's possible that if I jumped down, I could have gotten more reps per round, but its also just as likely that I might have gassed out earlier and ended up with the exact same number of reps while putting my knees in harm's way. I think when I weigh a bit less (whenever that happens) I might consider going back to jumping down. Call it at 200#. 

Round	1	2	3	4	5	6
Weight	135#	135#	135#	140#	140#	145#
Box Jumps	25	24	25	25	26	29

Total Box Jumps: 154
Total weight: 1,660#