Month: October 2013

Trying to Keep the Snatch Close

Had a “rest” day yesterday, but spent 2.5 hours climbing ropes and shit at the Adventure Park in Frakenmuth last night. So much fun and a lot of stabilizer muscles got worked, especially in the shoulders. Worked out by myself in the garage tonight.

Warm-up

5:00 Air Dyne

OLY

  • 4 x 3 x 75# Hang Snatch High Pulls
  • PVC Hang Snatch High Pulls and Hang Power Snatches
  • 2 x 3 x 75# Muscle Snatch
  • 4 x 3 x 95# Power Snatch

I was trying to work on keeping the bar close to my body on the 2nd pull and making sure to keep pulling with the arms. Results were mixed. I felt like it was damn close, but video showed the bar was still coming outside the starting line from where it was on the floor, often by quite a bit. It did seem to be getting back into a good position better though.

Strength & Gymnastics

5 Rounds

  • MAX Pull-ups
  • 5 Deadlifts (315#)
  • 2:00 Rest

I started out wearing the gymnastics grips, but they always seem to bunch up on my under the fingers and start to hurt like a bitch. They also didn’t work too well with the deadlifts. I took them off after the second round. The grips limited my pull-ups in the first two rounds, otherwise I would have had a new streak PR no problem. I got 16-11-13-12-11 pull-ups.

Finisher

Jumped back on the Air Dyne for 10 minutes at a pace faster than warm-ups. 242 calories and 5.52 km.

5 Days of Squats

Woke up feeling pretty good. Trained at 10am.

Warm-up

Easy 500m Row

OLY – Snatches

  • 45# Position Work
  • 2 x 2 @ 95#
  • 2 @ 135#
  • E30S 2:00 – 1 @ 155#
  • 1 @ 155# (forgot to load more weight)
  • 6 x 1 @ 165#

All power snatches again, working on receiving in higher positions. Took some videos and by correcting my setup, the first pull pretty much automatically fixed as a result. No more looping around the knees. Did have some big lopping from the hips to the top though, which will need to be fixed.

Now it’s time to start working on the bar moving more vertical and then back at the top. Here’s my bar path from the best lift of the day.

Power Snatch - 165# Bar Path

With the first pull bar path corrected, if I can improve the rest of the bar path, I think I’ll be headed for some more PRs.

Front Squats

  • 5 @ 135#
  • 3 @ 185#
  • 3 @ 205#
  • 3 @ 225#
  • 3 @ 235#
  • 3 @ 245#
  • 3 @ 255#
  • 3 @ 265#
  • 3 @ 275# (matches 3RM PR)
  • 2 @ 285# (tried for 3, but got stuck part way up)
  • 1 @ 295#

The goal was to do triples as long as possible, then doubles, and then singles. Mostly for volume. Not much room for the doubles and triples so close to 1RM though. Knees are sore from doing heavy squats 5 days in a row. Probably no squatting until Monday to give it a rest.

A Solid Bro Session

10am bro session with Kevin and Matt. I got a little more sleep last night, so feeling good.

Warm-up

3:00 Air Dyne

OLY

Power Clean warm-up

  • 2 x 2 x 135#
  • 2 x 155#
  • 2 x 175#
  • 2 x 205#

10:00 EMOM

  • 225# Clean

We did a Conga line, but waiting to start the next round on the minute. I did all squat cleans until the last one where I did a power clean. Had one miss around 3 or 4 when the bar was way too far forward, but picked the bar right back up and got it. Tried to remember to keep over the bar in my setup.

Strength

Back Squats

  • 5 x 135#
  • 5 x 225#
  • 2 x 255#
  • 2 x 285#
  • 1 x 305#
  • 1 x 325#
  • 1 x 340# (PR)

The set of 135# never felt so easy and smooth. Cleans were an awesome warm-up. PR is up 5# from the last one a month ago.

WOD

10 Rounds each, alternating people through

  • 3 Deadlifts (175#)
  • 2 Hang Power Cleans (175#)
  • 1 Push Jerk (175#)

Kevin stopped after 5 rounds so then it was just Matt and I going back and forth the 2nd half. Cleans got tough at the end.

Finisher

5 Rounds

  • 50′ High Prowler Sprint (70# sled + 90#)
  • 50′ Low Prowler Sprint (70# sled + 90#)
  • Rest while partner goes

Matt and I did this and I have a little “Fran lung” from it. The last two rounds were pretty horrible.

Did a slow 10:00 on the Air Dyne to flush everything out and cool down.

Out of Gas

In at 10am this morning, but no gas in the tank. Need to start getting more sleep again and eating more. Kevin was out of it too, so we took it easy.

Warm-up

3:00 Air Dyne

OLY

Snatch Work

  • 45# Position Work
  • 65# Position Work
  • 75# Position Work
  • 2 x 2 x Power Snatch + OHS
  • 1 Power Snatch E30S 4:00 (135#)

During the position work Kevin noticed I was behind the bar in my setup and helped fix me. Really different feel in my hamstrings, but it was almost automatic to bring the bar in instead of looping around the knees like I’ve been doing. The 135# power snatches felt ok, but not a whole lot of pop today. Getting used to the corrected start position felt weird too.

Strength

Pendlay Rows

  • 15 x 105#
  • 15 x 125#
  • 15 x 135#

Front Squats

  • 5 x 135#
  • 5 x 185#
  • 3 x 5 x 205#

WOD

10:00 Row

Averaged a 2:09/500m pace and kept strokes at 18-20/minute.

Rapid Fire Squats

Over to Kevin’s garage tonight.

Warm-up

  • 3:00 Air Dyne
  • 10# plate work for shoulder shrugs and some squats holding it out front

OLY

Split Jerks

  • 2 x 75# (also 5×75# shoulder press)
  • 2 x 135#
  • 2 x 155#
  • 2 x 185#
  • 2 x 205#
  • 2 x 2 x 225#

Felt pretty terrible but I still tried to push it. Had 245# on the bar and then on my shoulders but decided to not even try it. The first set of 225# was ugly enough, so I dropped the weight from 245# and did another double with the 225#.

Block Power Cleans @ Knees

  • 3 x 135#
  • 3 x 165#
  • 3 x 195#
  • 2 x 215# (+1 fail when I didn’t even try to get under it)

The lifts at 215# were not so great. I got the bar low on my chest and without a good elbow turnover, so really had to save it. Was hard on my elbows!

Strength

Back Squats

  • 5 x 135#
  • 3 x 205#
  • 3 x 225#
  • 3 x 245#
  • 3 x 255#
  • 10 x 2 x 275# (rapid fire!)

Kevin and I kept going back to back on the 10 doubles with 275#. Our goal was to be all done in less than 10:00 and it was just a couple of seconds over 9:00 total, so under 9 for each of us individually. Wasn’t as hard as I was expecting and would be fun to try it even faster next time with no waiting between sets; go as soon as the other guy racks the bar. These are typically called cluster sets and your body is supposed to think of it as one big set.

4 Sets NFT

  • 10 Reverse Hyper (160#)
  • 5 Deficit Kipping HSPU (AbMat w/ 25# bumper and 55# competition plates stacked up)

I tried to do strict HSPU but could barely get one rep at that height.

WOD

Partner Rowing Intervals

  • 8 x 250m Row
  • Rest while partner rows

Same rower, so rest during transition time too. I think I got faster as the rounds when on. Definitely started to hit muscle fatigue in my hamstrings and ass in the last interval though, so good place to stop.

Dropping Dime Squats

Went up to Rogers City for a couple of days, so yesterday was a rest day. Out in the garage for a solo workout today.

Warm-up

  • 3:00 Air Dyne
  • 45# Snatch Position Work
  • 2×2 95# Power Snatch
  • 3×1 135# Power Snatch

Starting to do power snatches when I don’t have to drop all the way down into a full squat. A few thoughts on this:

  1. Should help to teach the timing of receiving the bar at different positions instead of just trying to drop ass to grass all the time. Dropping to far causes the bar to come crashing down on me and sometimes is the reason for a miss.
  2. More powerful because it forces me to be explosive in the 2nd pull in order to get the bar high enough.

OLY

20:00 EMOM

  • 1 Power Snatch (155#)

20/20! Naturally started to drop a little lower as I fatigued towards the end, but was still well above parallel.

Strength

Back Squats

  • 10 x 45#
  • 10 x 135#
  • 10 x 185#
  • 10 x 225#
  • 10 x 255#
  • 10 x 215#
  • 10 x 175#
  • 10 x 125#

Pretty rough.

E2M 14:00

  • 10 GHD Sit-ups
  • 10 DB Shoulder Presses (35# DBs)

Did the movements back to back and then rested the remainder of the two minutes. Finished in about 45 seconds each round.

Loving the Squats

Chest, shoulders and back are sore from yesterday. In at 10am again though.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 Air Dyne
  • PVC Pass-thrus

OLY

Snatch day!

Did a few passes through the positions with an empty bar to warm-up.

E2M

  • Snatch
  • Hang Snatch
  • High Hang Snatch

95-105-115-125-135-140

Didn’t miss any, but the high hang snatch with 140# was pretty sketchy and required a few steps to save. PR for the high hang in this complex!

EMOM

  • 1 Snatch

145-150-155-160-165, all makes.

E2M

  • 1 Snatch

Started to run into trouble here. 170 – F, 170, 175 – F, 175 – F, 175. I wasn’t pulling the bar back enough and locking out good.

Strength

Back Squats

  • 10 x 45#
  • 5 x 135#
  • 5 x 225#
  • 5 x 255#
  • 5 x 275#
  • 5 x 295#
  • 10 x 185#

Got into that happy place of almost passing out with 275 and 295#, bit that’s a 5RM PR.

Shoulder Press

  • 5 x 45#
  • 5 x 95#
  • 5 x 105#
  • 5 x 115#
  • 5 x 125#
  • 5 x 130#
  • 3 x 135#

So weak up top.

WOD

3 Rounds

  • 10 Burpees
  • 20 Wall Balls (10′ target, 20# MB)

Everything unbroken for a time of 4:18. Last round of wall balls sucked after back squats.

Finisher

6 Rounds

  • 45m Sled “Sprint” (225# load + 25# sled)
  • Rest 1-2m

Fun! Good way to finish off the long session, going into a rest day.

Tweaked Back

Pulled something in my back on Tuesday, but it as weird because it just felt like a knot or tight during the session. Then as I cooled off at home it got progressively worse. Sleeping that night was horrible; I wanted to scream each time I rolled over in bed. Got a hot stone massage yesterday which really helped. Felt good enough to go in this morning for a training session.

Warm-up

1,000m Row (really slow, focused on warming up my back)

Strength

Front Squats

  • 5 x 45#
  • 5 x 135#
  • 3 x 185#
  • 3 x 225#
  • 1 x 255#
  • 1 x 275#
  • 1 x 295#
  • 1 x 310# (PR)
  • F x 320#
  • 10 x 135#

Had no plans to go for a PR today but after 295# felt good I figured there was no sense in matching a PR at 305#. The PR lift felt good so I went for more and couldn’t get it up. What tweaked back? 😉

Since there were 3 of us with Matt and Davy, we came up with a 3 station rotation between bench press, pendlay rows, and rest.

Warm-up

  • 5 x 135# Bench Press
  • 5 x 135# Pendlay Rows
  • 5 x 185# Bench Press
  • 5 x 185# Pendlay Rows

5 Rounds

  • 5 x 185# Bench Press
  • 5 x 185# Pendlay Rows

The benching got easier as the rounds went on, but the rows definitely got harder.

10:00 EMOM

  • Strict Ring Dips (10-10-8-6-6)
  • Strict Chin-ups (8-8-8-6-6)

Fuck these were hard after the benching and rows.

WOD

“Annie”
50-40-30-20-10

  • DU
  • Sit-ups (anchored)

First time trying “Annie” with the anchored sit-ups and it definitely helped. Set a 13 second PR with a 6:55 with a bunch of DU misses; 4 in the round of 50 and 2 stupid ones in the round of 10.

Nearly a Century of Double Unders

At Survival Fitness this morning with Matt at 10am. Conditioning focused instead of strength for a change of pace.

Warm-up

DU Practice

I got a set of 98 unbroken for a PR. Started tripping up around 95 and managed to save a few more, but couldn’t get to the century mark. So close, yet so far away. Got another set of 67.

OHS

  • 5 x 45#
  • 3 x 95#
  • 3 x 135#
  • 1 x 165#
  • 1 x 185#
  • 1 x 195#
  • 1 x 205# (PR)
  • 1 x 215# (PR)

Shoulders were shaky even with the empty bar, so I was not confident about how the day would go. Then in the set of 135# I started to feel a knot in the middle of my back on the left side, which would continue to get worse through the training session. Just goes to show that your body can still perform when not feeling your best. Really happy with the 15# PR.

Conditioning & Gymnastics

A couple of partner interval-type workouts where 1 person does a round while the other person rests.

5 Rounds each

  • 200m Row
  • 15 Pull-ups

Really need to get in butterfly practice since I seem to have lost them. Got all 15 unbroken to start and 10-5 in the second round. Then the pull-pull combination started to kick in.

5 Rounds each

  • 15 cal Air Dyne
  • 10 Ring Push-ups

Did all of the ring push-ups unbroken. We were planning to do a short sprint workout with burpees and wall balls after a longer rest, but both of us were feeling sick after these two. We decided it was a better idea to call it a day, since this was a considerable amount of hard conditioning because of the rest/work.

All Lifting

Went over to Kevin’s at 7pm. Legs are still pretty sore from the last few days. Warmed up with a quick 500m row.

Cleans

Off blocks set at the knee.

  • Warm-up with empty bar 45# position work
  • 2 x 3 x 95#
  • 2 x 3 x 115#
  • 3 x 155#
  • 3 x 175#
  • 3 x 205#

Back Squats

  • 5 x 135#
  • 5 x 185#
  • 3 x 225#
  • 3 x 255#
  • 1 x 275#
  • 1 x 295#
  • 1 x 315#
  • 1 x 325#
  • 3 x 5 x 245#

Jerk Lockouts

  • 2 x 135#
  • 2 x 185#
  • 2 x 205#
  • 2 x 225#

Split Jerks

  • 2 x 125#
  • 2 x 135#
  • 2 x 155#
  • 2 x 185#
  • 2 x 205#

Incline Bench Press

  • 5 x 95#
  • 5 x 125#
  • 5 x 135#
  • 5 x 137.5#

Good Mornings

  • 5 x 155#
  • 5 x 155#
  • 5 x 175#

Incline Bench Press w/ Earthquake Bar

  • 5 x 70# (35# KB on each side)
  • 4 x 100# (35# and 15# KB on each side)
  • 5 x 90# (35# and 10# KB on each side)