Sunday, March 21, 2010

Attempts and Failures

Today's WOD ended up being a new attempt at something and utter failure of another.
The mainsite called for this:
1000m row
50 DB snatch
750m row
35 DB snatch
500m row
20 DB snatch

I have never done a dumbbell snatch...how hard could it be, right? I watched some video, had Chip watch them too so he could critique my form, and thought I'd be ok.  I wasn't going to do the RX'd 40lbs, but would scale.

The WOD went like this.  Did some warmups of arm circles, stretches, sampson lunges, air squats, supermans....then grabbed a 15lb DB and attempted a few practice snatches.  Boy, that did not feel good. And it was awkard. I did a few more. I grabbed a 10lb, I tried with my left hand. I grabbed a 20lb and tried again. Ugh. I could not get the form right. I couldn't get my arm locked out, I was all off balance, Chip said I kept dropping my chest, I was not "violent" enough. The pain in my right shoulder/lat is searing at the moment...it has been for weeks. Its stress...not injury. It's a firey pain though. I decided that snatch was not going to happen. I missed having a coach, I missed Jerry.  I missed my lifting partners, tears were welling up in my eyes. Not only that--there are mirrors everywhere in globo gym. I had on a shirt that had been tucked away for awhile---the rubber tire that was all the sudden in my face made me want to cry even hard.  I threw the dumbbells back in the corner and stalked off to the rower.

If I couldn't snatch, I was going to row. And I would row a most miserable distance--- a 5k. This distance on a rower seemed like ultimate torture to me so that's what I would do.  I strapped in and started pulling. The meters ticked by slower than the Jeoporday theme song.  I fell into a rhythm-pull, pull, pull.  I had college b-ball highlights on the TV in front of me and good 'ole AFN music to keep me charged. haha, right.

I kept a solid 2:10 pace for the first thousand meters or so--4000m more to go? Wow...what did I do to myself.  I just drowned out my thoughts and kept driving the legs and pulling hard. I was pulling so hard, I pulled the rower off the rubber part of the floor I was on and into the walkway. Ooopps.  I did this twice so I had to stop, move rower back and get back on.  I lost some time but I also go to wipe the sweat from my hands, which I swear saved me from massive blisters!
FINAL TIME: 23:36 (Damper on 5)

Not bad for a first attempt so I guess that makes it a PR! :)
Finisher:
2 Rounds
20 back extensions
50 full situps

Screw the snatch-I hate snatch.

2 comments:

Jason B. said...

There's no tire on you, its called being a dedicated wife in trying times. You're getting it done in the Germany-Box and I love that Chip is there beside you. Ignore the external stimuli (other than Chip's coaching) and concentrate on your goals. Small goals, big victories. Treat this all like your "Spring Training". You continue to inspire all of us back home!

Katie said...

Girlie, first ofs... hang in there. We love you, Chip loves you... you are a beautiful girl. Honest... I don't lie.... and if you were here, I'd totally make out with you.

Seconds, dumbbell snatches are a little different than barbell snatches, but many of the same rules apply. Before you get going, warm up by working that top part of your triple extension. You still need to get that dumbbell close to your body, so warm up with a PVC and work that triple extension and your line of pull.

Dumbbell snatches are tricky, so go slow at first. The bell should be inbetween your legs, and you still want to get your butt back. (Think hang clean or hang snatch) From there, get that dumbbell close to your body and really think line of pull, line of pull, and get that good shrug in. Finish just like a bb snatch and dive underneath and land in the squat. It will feel weird because you will lean a bit to the side that is bearing no weight. It's awkward and takes a bit to get used to... but the key is close close close and a good line of pull into a fast fast turnover... That whip at the top is literally identical to the one on a bb....