F.O.R.M.

Warm up: practice proper form for today's WOD
WOD: AMRAP in 20 min. of -- 5 thrusters, 7 hang power cleans, 9 sumo deadlift high pulls (SDHPs)

I was happy to be doing some weights today. I'm tired of being sore and tired all the time, and not just simply "sore" and "tired," I mean muscles afire and completely exhausted like being newly pregnant. Plus I really like learning all the proper form for the weightlifting because it's a good feeling to know that I can move around weight that I never thought possible.

Which leads me to the title of my blog today. I was trying to come up with some catchy title in the form of a mnemonic device or acrostic that would help me to remember to focus on proper form today. I came up with this:

Focus On coRrect Movement, or "FORM."

During warm ups today, we practiced the basic movements for each lift with a PVC. We would find out firsthand during the WOD how utilizing proper form really helps to move the weight. The times I was needing a quick rest, I could feel it if I wasn't in proper alignment.

This WOD seemed to go by so quickly. The hardest part for me was the thrusters, but not for the reasons I thought before starting. I figured it would be hard going down into the squat, but it was actually my wrists supporting the weight that really hurt. I've always had pretty wimpy, weak wrists, but that was really keeping me from cranking out reps today... until I figured out that I needed to be using more power from my hips. Once I powered up through my hips more, it was a lot easier to propel the weight up. The last two sets of thrusters I did were by far my best.

I heart power cleans. Now that I understand how important it is to throw my elbows under the bar, it's a whole different ballgame. They are actually lots of fun, at least, compared to thrusters. :)

SDHPs are OK just not my favorite. I always feel like I'm trying to find the right place to put my hands so that the bar is balanced when I bring it up. This is one of those moves you just cannot do if you're trying to pull the bar up the wrong way. (This one and the cleans, for that matter.)

Something I tried to experiment with today was wearing flatter shoes. I'll admit: I've got a LOT of shoes. Ridiculous amounts of them. But many of them were chosen for a certain function. I was finding that, when I wore my cushiony running shoes when we were lifting weight and doing lots of squats, I felt like I was floating and noticed that I rocked around a lot. By finding some training shoes that offered good arch support but were pretty flat on the bottom, I felt solidly grounded today and I think that helped a lot.

I really made a mental note today to focus on my form. Yes, I wanted to move weight quickly today, and I definitely made up time when I got to the power cleans and SDHPs, but I made a point to get that lumbar curve back at the end of each exercise. I tried to lift the weight safely to get up to a hang position for the cleans, and really had to fight for that curve when going down on my thrusters. I also waited at the top of my thrusters to be sure that I had the weight in the right position over my head if it didn't feel right, and racking it out near my collarbone was really uncomfortable but I need to develop the wrist flexibility to get there so my elbows can come out far enough. As a result, my back feels fine, and my shoulders and hip flexors are warm but not tightening up or sore. I'm sure I'll have a little residual soreness, but nothing like the neck injury I had a month ago!

I told my coach I'd rather go a little slower and get the right form down that rep 'em out and hurt myself. I see so much of that at the regular gyms I've gone to in the past. I hate to say it, but it's usually guys moving around a lot of weight. They're hyperextending their backs, swinging or rocking the weight so much that they don't have a lot of control over where the weight is going, and I'm just waiting for the look on their face that says, "Oh crap! I just pulled something and now I've got 135# swinging through the air and it's gonna land on my foot -- watch out!" Yeah, no thanks. I'd rather remember "F.O.R.M. -- Focus On coRrect Movement" and get stronger and faster, thank you very much.

Posted Results: 5 rounds at 55# and had finished 5 thrusters in round 6 when time was called. (Rx for women is 65#, so that will be my goal for next time!)