I faced the bear complex Thursday morning.

No, not that one.  This one:

Although it was almost just as bad.

For time:
1 bear complex
25 box jumps
2 BC, 25 BJ
3 BC, 25 BJ
4 BC, 25 BJ
5 BC, 25 BJ

We were supposed to do this before the WOD:

Clean
3×3

Instead, we spent the time figuring out what weight to use for the WOD.  If you watched the video above, you know that 1 bear complex is a set of 7 reps of the entire progression: deadlift/clean/thruster or front squat & push press/back squat and push press to ground.

I tried out 55#, and that was too easy.  Then I tried 65#, and I struggled to press the weight from my back.  So I settled on 60#.  It was challenging, and I could do more than 1.  Many of the girls used just the bar.  I wanted to push myself.

Ugh.

There’s a reason it’s named the bear complex.  My progression was squat clean to thruster to back squat to thruster and down.  I jumped on the box every time, and I felt more confident when I did it.

But the bear complex is an ugly beast.  Zach wasn’t there, and I heard much grousing around me (because I guess they thought they could get away with it).  A girl in front of me nearly threw up.  During my second round, I felt like I would never finish, and it was annoying me.  I asked Jeff where we were at for time, just so I would know how long it was taking me.  He told me to think of the WOD as more of a strength exercise, and I relaxed.  I focused on deep squats and extending my arms all the way at the top.  I minimized rests as much as possible.  I wanted to get as far as I could before time was called.

Jeff cut us off after 15 minutes.  I finished 2 rounds + 6 box jumps @ 60#.

Damn that bear.