Bear Complex!

What's a bear complex, you ask?

It's a barbell complex that consists of 5 rounds of 7 sets of the following sequence:

• Power Clean
• Front Squat
• Push-Press
• Back Squat
• Push-Press

You can't set the barbell down until each round is complete. Rest as needed between rounds, but keep increasing the load on the barbell until you find your max. Your score is the max weight with which you were able to complete a full round.

It sounds easy until you realize that this complex consists of 175 lifts in total.

Or until you watch others struggle through it.



Or until you try it yourself.

I tried it once before in my garage, but had forgotten how much I sucked at it, so I was excited to try it again with the rest of the 5 a.m. class at CrossFit Palo Alto. I was feeling giddy, and blazed through the first three rounds (at 65 pounds, 75 pounds, and 85 pounds). My plan was to lift 95 pounds during the fourth round and then jump to 115 for my final round, but Tim convinced me I was being a dummy. "Do the jump now, before you're too tired. Go for 105."

I finished (albeit just barely) the fourth round at 105. Good thing, too, because after I loaded the barbell up to 115, I crapped out before I could finish the final two sets of the fifth round. Was it disappointing? Yes. But I also enjoyed every second of this barbell complex, even as sweat poured off me in sheets.

I can't wait to attempt this one again. (And I will -- just as soon as I can move back into my house. I miss my garage gym.)

Feast of Strength

Big-O's T-ball game ran late, so we didn't show up to the potluck at CrossFit Palo Alto until after the crew had finished the final workout of the CrossFit Games Open. (Bummer -- I had wanted to take more pictures.) But we got there right on time for the most important part of the event: The food.

M (should I just start calling her Nom Nom Paleo?) couldn't attend on account of work -- but she whipped up some crab salad on endive spears for me to bring. I threw together a watermelon/avocado/tomato salad at the last minute, and also a big bowl of grapes 'cause I knew my three-year-old wasn't going to eat anything else.





Everyone's food was fantastic, and it was all Paleo, so I dove right in and tried everything -- from the taro chips that The Lazy Caveman made to the steaks, sausages and burger patties that Tim was grilling outside.

Best of all, though, was getting an opportunity to meet and re-connect with other members of the gym. Our 5 a.m. class is tight, but we rarely get to see our fellow CFPAers (especially in the sunlight).

Unfortunately, I spent most of my (non-face-stuffing) time wrangling my kids. I love hanging out with my boys, but it can be exhausting watching these two on the weekends when Nom Nom Paleo's working. Kudos to you single parents out there -- I don't know how you do it.

On the plus side, I'm pretty sure my children are ready for CrossFit Kids.

In the end, over the course of an hour-and-a-half, I managed to stuff myself full of Paleo-compliant goodness. The experience was not unlike gorging at a Vegas buffet, only without the glitter, gassiness and guilt. And with a lot more barbells in the corner.



In fact, I felt good enough to join Nom Nom Paleo for her evening workout after we'd put the kids to bed. We did the Bear Complex WOD in the garage.

It's late, and I'm too wiped to describe this workout, so just watch this video:



I'd never done this WOD before, so I was excited to try it. Turns out I kind of suck at this, but I definitely want to try it again. Just not anytime too soon.