#GetYourMindRight

The Mill:  The Garage Games are right around the corner, my first competition, and I'm not sold on how it will turn out for me.  Am I training the right way?  Am I prepared to do 3 max effort WOD's in one day?  Ahh the hell with it.  I'm training how I want to train which is simply just following the main site.  I don't have the opportunity to train 3 times a day, but the once a day workout sure is ball busting.  And new t-shirts are always good.  My dad always said, "look good, you'll play good", he was a stickler for having your shirt tucked in on the court/field.  Well, my shirt will be tucked into my gym shorts.  Thanks for that one.

My plan for the week leading up to the Garage Games is to go at the WOD's with low intensity and the right mindset.   (If anyone has any tips about how to train the week leading up to the competition please let me know.)  The goal is to compete the whole day and finish the WODs in the RX'd Division.  And please no cramps.  It's definitely going to be challenging, but what CF WOD isn't, right?  It's supposed to be challenging.

Anyways, I'm crazy excited/nervous/anxious for the Garage Games almost like those big game jitters.  Not quite that feeling, but damn near it.  It will be my first time in a CF Box, Crossfit FBO, and working out with that many people. But I guess I'm excited for the atmosphere and competitiveness that's going to be jammed packed into one crazy Saturday in Erie, PA with what I'm sure are awesome people.

This competition is my way of changing things up.  Shake up the norm and be different.  The 8-5 routine, Monday-Friday (side note I do like my job), doesn't separate me from anybody else.  But to me this competition is about testing my limits, a new environment, meeting new people, the atmosphere, and experiencing it with my family. Sounds like an action packed weekend for sure.

Create your own path and be a pioneer.

The 4 workouts below really kicked my ass and made it hurt, too.



5/19
Ring Dips
Ring Pulls

Nothing beats a workout in the park with my awesome wife.

5/21
Row 500 meters
135lb Bench Press, 30 reps
Row 1000 meters
135lb Bench Press, 20 reps
Row 2000 meters (yep you read that right)
135lb Bench Press, 10 reps

22:37.....it was supposed to be a body weight bench press, but,                             well, that would have taken me longer and I had to get to work.

5/22
Helen
3 rounds for time
400 meter run
55lb. Dumbbell swing, 21 reps
12 pull ups

11:19....this one always feel like I should do it faster.  Probably took a long enough break to put me over that 11 minute mark.  This one is going to be on repeat after the games.

5/23
AMRAP 20 minutes (yep you read that right too)
5 Chest 2 Bar pull ups
5 Ring Dips
15 Squats

23 rounds + 18 reps.....This one needs a name.  Any ideas out there drop a line on facebook, twitter, or the comment section.  Shoot me an email at hammer.mill.blog@gmail.com.         

Quick shout out to JH on his pr!

Rise & Grind

    Check this out...  Crossfit for Hope      
To sum it up, there will be a workout done to raise money for this awesome cause.  There are a ton of other participants so if you want to sponsor someone else or just make a straight donation please do.

Look for the Garage Games Experience coming in the next few weeks on the blog.  I'm stoked to write about it.  

There are 3 Rise & Grind Shirts in circulation now with a 4th one on its way.  One is in Alaska and the others are local, but we're spreading the word.  If you're interested in purchasing one let me know at hammer.mill.blog@gmail.com or on facebook or twitter (@smann207).

Believe In You

The Mill:  As I was doing the 5/17 WOD it felt like my body was giving in.  Or was it my mind?  It was hard to distinguish between the two in round 4.  I gave myself a goal of 10 minutes and when that clock hit the mark I was just starting round 5.  I started thinking during the last set of wall ball shots that "maybe I need to take more rest days" and "have I made any gains in the last few weeks" and "maybe it's those animal crackers that slow me down" (they are delicious though).  For that final round, final rep, I doubted the program, I questioned the program, and most of all I doubted myself.  Can't have that anytime, but these workouts always bring you back to knowing that you can and immediately buries the any doubt.  Positive. Positive. Positive. Happy Days.

The thought process of while going through this workout was draining in itself.  I began the WOD thinking I was going to crush it.  Power cleans are to me like Mario's Star Power is to him.  I just flat out don't like wall ball shots.  They're boring and hard.  Not a good combo.  But by the end of the 5th round I felt drained, sweaty, tired, and my forearms were crazy sore.  I was sporting the claw for a few minutes post WOD, but finally shook that show I could scratch my head.  The cleans got to me more than the wall ball shots which I did not expect.  Nevertheless, the workout was finished and my body was restored to it's functional capacity.  Love it!

Ah the power of the mind.  It's a beautiful thing.  Try to keep it sharp challenging your mind as much as your body. They can do amazing things together.  

These workouts never let you get too high too low.  Each workout gives a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction after it beats you down for 15 straight minutes.  The workouts always balance themselves out in the end that's for sure.  You just have to keep grinding them out.  And by the way, it's not the animal crackers.

Don't worry in case you missed it on the last post....you can donate to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital through Crossfit Hope at https://hope.crossfit.com/sponsor?id=U32284 .  100% of the proceeds benefit St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Congrats JH!  There will be a picture of him in his new shirt in the next Mill.  The plan backfired a little bit, but no worries I have another one coming up soon.  I realized after I posted that there was nothing to comment about; no question, no thought provoking statement, just a blog with a list of workouts on it. And I'm thinking of a Hammer Mill t for the next one.  It'll be pretty sweet and you could support the Mill.

Show some love on Facebook with a like or share or retweet it to your all your tweeps.

#keepliving


5/17
5rds for time
10 Power Cleans, 135lbs
15 Wall Balls, 20lb ball, 10ft. target
12:46.....This is the first time that I actually used a 10ft target for wall balls.  Usually I just throw it up on the wall as high as I can.  It changes with every rep.  This was a great test/practice for the Great Lakes Challenge.  The 3rd WOD in the challenge involves a 600 meter row, 30 hang squat cleans, and 30 wall ball shots with a 7 minute cap.  Pretty excited about this one.  My brother is participating as well.  Should be a fun ass kicking.



5/15
3 rds.
15 Pull Ups
25 Squats
4:17



5/14 
Overhead Squat 7x1
135-155-175-185-185-185-185


5/10
7 minutes of Burpees
85....beat my score by 12


5/8
4 rounds
70lb DB snatch
Sprint 200 feet
6:20







5/7
For time
135 lb Back Squat, 50 reps
40 Pull Ups
135lb Shoulder 2 Overhead, 30 reps
85lb Front Squat, 50 reps
40 Pull Ups
85lb S-2-OH, 30 reps
65lb Overhead Squat, 50 reps
40 Pull Ups
65lb S-2-OH, 30 reps
37:32.....I thought this was never going to end.

Thanks for reading and following.

Donations for St. Jude's, free shirts, Happy Days!

5/3
Pipe line sprints (not sure of the distance, but the incline and terrain were crazy hard)
50 tire flips

The sun was shining and it was hot and muggy.  A perfect day to get out of the gym and enjoy the fresh air.  Work sucked afterwards, but it was worth it for sure.

5/4
Deadlift
5x5
225-245-255-275-300

I wasn't sure on how heavy I wanted to go so I settled for 300, but I know now that I could have gotten more.  Worked the deadlift movement quite a bit this week which definitely played a role in how much I wanted to lift.




The Mill:   Win a free t-shirt!  Below is the "official" shirt of the Hammer Mill.  It's pretty simple, all you have to do is leave a comment for this post and you will be entered to win the "Rise-and-Grind" shirt.  It's pretty sweet I'm not gonna lie. (Thanks Joe for helping with the design/creation)  In celebration of the 100th blog post I want to thank the readers/followers and offer something for reading this sub-par writing. Here's your chance!  Hop on board and make it happen!  The lucky winner will be announced in the next blog, and hopefully with a picture of them wearing the shirt.  (My brothers are excluded from this, but chances are they'll get one anyways.  They are my brothers ya know.)

#getafterit

Getting involved/immersed in Crossfit has allowed to be a part of something and share my experiences with the community, friends, family, and whoever else will listen/read.  Now, I want to try and give something back.  I am going to be involved in Crossfit for Hope which benefits St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  Donations of any kind would be awesome.  Feel free to sponsor me at  https://hope.crossfit.com/sponsor?id=U32284.  The workout is:

"Hope"

Three Rounds of
Burpees
75lb. Power Snatch
Box Jumps, 24" box
75lb. Thruster


To quote the website - 


"Hope" has the same format as Fight Gone Bad.  In this workout you move from each of the five stations after a minute.  This is a five minute round from which a one-minute break is allowed before repeating.  The clock does not reset or stop between exercises.  On call of "rotate", the athlete must move to the next station immediately for a good score.  One point is given for each rep.

I hope you at least give the link a look to see what it is all about.  Donations are also accepted from Canada just an FYI for all you Canadian bloggers.  $1, $5, $10....whatever you can give know that it is going to a great cause.  If you have any questions about how the donations work you can email me at  hammer.mill.blog@gmail.com.  Also, if by chance you don't win the shirt but really feel that you have to have one shoot me an email so I can see how much interest there might be.  Thank you in advance if you choose to support the St. Jude Foundation and Crossfit for Hope, and another thank you to all the readers.  I greatly appreciate it!  

Courtesy of St. Jude's and Crossfit.com 

Today is your day!  

A shout out to my wife, who is a flat out superhero.