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Athlete Journal: Ingrid Kantola, Entry 14 – 5/21/12

It's been 2 years since Ingrid had emergency open heart surgery and she is presently training for the CrossFit Games. She also just graduated last week from graduate school at the University of Texas!

Written by Last updated on Feb 22, 2023

Schedule of CrossFit Athlete Journals:

Mondays – Ingrid Kantola

Wednesdays – Travis Holley

Sundays – Michael Winchester

Ingrid Kantola – Athlete Journal 5/21/12

(Read Ingrid’s Bio here)

One thing I forgot to share with you is that last Friday May 11th was the two year anniversary of my heart surgery, and I totally forgot to share the mile stone with anyone! I am scheduling my two year follow up with a cardiologist in the next few weeks, just to make sure everything is on track and to “wow” doctors with my progress. I was lucky to have an exceptionally talented surgeon, Dr. Abbas Ardehali, and my follow up appointments are usually unremarkable, which is doctor talk for “good to go.”

We had another brutal week of Outlaw programming. Or maybe I just think it’s brutal because we are working on areas that are especially weak for me. I know I need to improve on high volume, low weight workouts, aka strength endurance. This includes high volume pull ups, dips, and push-ups as well as low weight squats.

I’m not going to go into full details on the numbers, but just trust me that they reps sets are usually over 20 and that my times have been terrible. I find myself immediately gassed and I need to work on pacing through the workouts better. And while my lift are improving, I still have a lot of work to do to be CrossFit Games ready and in a position to contribute to the team the way they need me to.

Monday

Barbell Gymnastics: Snatch work

Conditioning: 5 rounds with equal rest

Sprint

Unbroken Pull Ups

105lb Front Squats

Tuesday

Barbell Gymnastics: Clean & Jerk

Strength: Back Squat

Conditioning: 10 Minute AMRAP

Rope Climbs

Burpees

Wednesday

Barbell Gymnastics: Hang Snatch

Strength: Bench Press & Good Mornings

Conditioning: 4 Rounds

75lb Front Squats

Toes to Bar

Lateral Box Jumps

Friday

Conditioning: 2x

500m Row All Out

Rest 5 Minutes

20 Unbroken Chest to Bar Pull Ups

15 Ring Dips

20 24k Kettlebell Swings

Rest 1:30

20 Unbroken Pull Ups

15 Ring Dips

20 24k KB Swings

Rest 1:30

Finish with 500m Row All Out

Saturday

Barbell Gymnastics: Snatch

Strength: Muscle Up Volume

Conditioning: 5 Rounds

1 minute max back squats at 165lb

1 minute max double unders

On top of all that training, on Saturday I graduated from the University of Texas Graduate School with a Masters of Education in Kinesiology- specifically Sport Management with an emphasis in Facility and Event Planning. It feels great to be done with school and to be moving on to a full time position at CrossFit Central as the Director of CrossFit Sport and Events, as well as adding coaching duties and facility director duties as well.

On Sunday, I went back to bikram yoga for the first time since Regionals. I had been taking a little break, but I started to feel the effects of lack of mobility work and getting back to bikram was necessary. I could tell that my hamstrings were going to be sore from the second pose of the class! I pretty much stopped going to the chiropractor and acupuncturist after Regionals as well, and I simply need to take better care of my body as I am still training in “Games Mode” for the summer.

This week promises to be another tough week of training. I am looking forward to more yoga, getting back to the chiropractor and acupuncturist, and taking care of my body better!

About Ingrid Kantola

Ingrid Kantola studied Sociology at UCLA and was an All-American pole vaulter. After graduating in 2008, she made her way through local 5Ks, and old strength training routines until she found CrossFit in 2009.

Ingrid’s first CrossFit competition was the Southern California Regional in 2009, and after training on her own at UCLA she finished in ninth place. She joined CrossFit Los Angeles shortly after the Regional and went on to sweep the events of the 2010 SoCal Sectional before a bacterial heart infection and subsequent open heart surgery sidelined her for the summer season. Ingrid recovered quickly and moved from the City of Angels to Hell’s Half Acre to continue her journey as a University of Texas Graduate Student in Sport Management.

Ingrid began interning at CrossFit Central in Austin, Texas and trained at the RedBlack Gym under Coach Michael Winchester until she was ready to join the elite training group of coaches at CrossFit Central. In 2011, she qualified for the South Central Regional and took sixth place behind five previous Games competitors. She has continued training at CrossFit Central with an increased focus on strength and metabolic conditioning.

For the 2012 season, Ingrid hopes to qualify as an individual athlete and take her first trip to the Home Depot as a CrossFit competitor.

As an intern at CrossFit Central her job responsibilities have been in event planning for challenges and competitions. She graduates in May and will assume a new role as the Director of Events and CrossFit Sport for Trinity Training Systems.

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