STRETCH IT OUT!

So when you finish a wod what do you do? Get your wits about you and breathing back to normal? Ok that's fine but once that period is over and the burn subsides what do you do after that? Eat your post wod meal and maybe strike up a conversation with the next group coming in for the wod and chillax for a few mins before you leave? Sounds about right. I'd like to add a step in there before you head out the door satisfied with your effort for the day - STRETCH your used and abused muscles! Now I know it's not something we preach that you have to do and it's totally a personal thing, but in my opinion taking a good 5-10 mins to stretch post wod is as important as the warm up before the wod. You complain "O I'm not as flexible as I used to be, or I can't touch my toes or get full depth on my overhead squat, I'll never have flexible shoulders, hips, etc" well DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. Stretching is one of the ways to get you there.
By stretching after every wod while your muscles are warm you can get them to go further than they would if you just stretched cold. Static stretching is what I do but dynamic (like what we do in warmups usually) is good as well. Get into a position and hold it for 20-30 sec and repeat a few times. Or use the bands to assist you in stretching (coaches can show you how). You should experience a little discomfort and if you do then you know it's working, just don't to the point of extreme pain. One of the goals of consistent stretching is to get your muscles long and strong so for us as crossfitters and athletes in general the translation is increased strength/power over a larger range of motion. Need I say more? Who doesn't want that?! The last 2" of your weighted squats (back, front, overhead) that you struggle getting down to for every rep in a wod needs to be worked and by increasing your hip/quad/hamstring flexibility you can get down there every time, know what it feels like, and get stronger each time you squat, and of course this translates to the olympic lifts as well. So the message here is to maybe start a consistent 5-10 min post wod stretching routine and see how it works for you. You'll feel better, get more flexible, stronger over a larger range of motion, perhaps help reduce injuries, and also be aided in recovery that starts to take place immediately following all the stress you put on your body during the wod. I know it's going to be the last thing you want to do but don't make excuses if you want results. And don't do it for 2 weeks and stop because "it's not working." I've been doing it for years, trust me it works if you do it all the time....

Split Jerk 3-3-2-2-1-1-1

Loads - 205# - 220# - 230# - 235# - 250# - 265# - 280#(f) - 280# (PR sort of. I've jerked 285# from behind the neck but never maxed on a split jerk before)

The fun part initially was the negative of the 3s and 2s (collarbone and wrists really liked this, not) and on the singles having to take off the weights, power clean the bar back up to the rack, reput the weights on, and be ready to go for the next load in 3 mins was a fun wod within the wod. Now I just need to get stronger on the clean so that 280# will be my clean & jerk max not just jerk
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Deadlift, work up to a tough single (not a PR), 5 sets to get there - drop each rep

365# - 395# - 415# - 435# (stopped here as my back was rounding terribly and the 2" deficit in the platform was helping promote bad form at this load

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21-15-9

GHD Situps
Knees to Elbows
Unanchored situps

Time - 6:22

all unbroken but tough nonetheless. Had my doubts I'd be able to get the knees to elbows unbroken going into it but once I got past the 15 set i knew it was going to happen. Felt my abs more on the situps than anything else.
REST DAY TOMORROW!!!