Month: February 2015

No BS Bench

Morning garage workout.

Warm-up

  • 500m Ski – 2:08.6
  • Crossover Symmetry Activation

Strength

Bench Press

  • 10×45#
  • 5×95#
  • 5×135#
  • 5×165#
  • 5×185#
  • 5x5x195#
  • MAX @ 195 -> 10 reps

No squatting, so might as well start a new bench program. Today’s goal was to determine a base number that can be done for 5×5 without compromising form. I thought I’d use 205, but after the set with 185# I made the call to take it conservative and I’m glad I did because the last two sets were starting to get hard. I was taking just over 2 minutes of rest between the 5 working sets and then I took a 3 minute break before the max rep set.

It’s probably been 10 years since I concentrated on bench press, so I’m interested to see how my body reacts. I never had a goal to bench 300#, but I’m making it a goal for this year, since it’s actually within reach. Definitely won’t be easy, but it wouldn’t be a good goal then.

Conditioning

Ski Erg
5 Rounds

  • 500m at 2000m PR pace (<2:00)
  • 30s Rest
  • 100m very easy

I don’t remember where I got this from, but it looks like a Hinshaw workout. I did the rest and 100m after the 5th interval. The computer time said 13:34 at the end, but it keeps rolling a little once you stop moving and then doesn’t count up during rest periods. Call it an extra 2 seconds of time roll for each 500m, so 15:54 total.

Finished with Crossover Symmetry Recovery because this damn shoulder is starting to get funky again. Need to take care of it before it turns into the issue I had last year.

Went to the 5:30 class at CFI.

Warm-up

  • Bottom Squat Hold
  • Shoulder Stretching
  • Yoga

Weightlifting

Power Snatch

  • 5×45#
  • 5×95#
  • 3×115#
  • 3×135#
  • 3×155#
  • 3×165#

I’ve done 155 for hang squat triple, but never a power from the floor that I can recall, so last two sets were both PRs.

Conditioning

5 Rounds

  • 10 Power Snatch (95#)
  • 5 HSPU
  • 1:30 Rest

I was going to try to do strict handstand push-ups, but ditched that plan after doing 1 rep. Kipped the rest of the way and it was not easy. Shoulder burner! Did all sets of snatches TnG. Finished at 10:06.

Midline

  • 20s Plank
  • 10s Rest
  • 20s Side Plank (L)
  • 10s Rest
  • 20s Side Plank (R)
  • 10s Rest
  • 20s V-ups
  • 10s Rest
  • 20s Plank Push-ups
  • 10s Rest
  • 20s Hollow Rocks
  • 10s Rest
  • 20s Plank
  • 10s Rest
  • 20s Side Plank (L)
  • 10s Rest
  • 20s Side Plank (R)
  • 10s Rest
  • MAX Plank – 2:57

I was sweating more from the max plank than from the workout. Was shaking so bad I couldn’t take it anymore and had to bow out before the 3 minute mark.

Arm Dominant Cleans

Warm-up

  • Bottom Squat Hold
  • 500m Row – 2:08

Strength

Good Mornings

  • 10×45#
  • 5×95#
  • 5×135#
  • 5×145#
  • 3x5x155#

No back squats for me. 😦

Accessory

5 Sets

  • 8 Strict Ring Dips
  • 20s L-Sit

My L-sit quickly becomes a battle to hold my knees up.

Conditioning

3 Rounds

  • 15 Bar-facing Burpees
  • 1 Round “DT”
    • 12 Deadlifts (155#)
    • 9 Hang Power Cleans (155#)
    • 6 Push Jerks (155#)

The cleans get so terrible and even in the first round due to bar-facing burpees being the worst. I was arm-bending and arm-pulling way too much and can already feel it an hour later. If I dropped too low in the catch of the clean I could feel a nice jolt of pain in my quad too. I broke up the rounds of DT into my usual breaks of 11, 1+8, 1+6 to get rest between movements and not do extra reps. Took me 10:35. I tried to push it on the barbell movements, but knew I needed significant rest in order to not break them up into more sets.

Cool Down

  • 2,000m Row (9:13.5)

Fuck You Quad

Brrrr! When I checked the weather this morning it was -12 and felt like -29 with the windchill.

Warm-up

  • 500m Row – 2:16
  • Bottom Squat Hold
  • Stretching
  • 5 OHS (45#)

Open Workout 14.2

Every 3 minutes for as long as possible complete:

  • From 0:00-3:00, 2 rounds of:
    • 10 OHS (95#)
    • 10 C2B pull-ups
  • From 3:00-6:00, 2 rounds of:
    • 12 OHS (95#)
    • 12 C2B pull-ups
  • Etc., following same pattern until you fail to complete both rounds

I cruised through the first two rounds in about 1:30, doing both sets of OHS unbroken, the first 10 pull-ups unbroken, and then 5-5 on the second set. Loved all of the rest time. I started to feel my quad quite a bit in the second three minutes and pretty much gave up after that. Basically bitched out. 😦 Finished the second set of 12 overhead squats just before time ran out. I really wanted to give it a run to finish the rounds of 14 today. Honestly part of me was afraid of going to that dark place and this injured quad was just the excuse I needed. Disappointed in myself, but I also know it’s not worth it to make it worse. Sucks either way though!

I think I’m going to stay away from any squatting up until the Open and see if the quad can heal up.

Weightlifting

Warmed up with some reps at 95#, 135#, and 185#.

10:00 EMOM

  • 2 Hang Power Cleans + 1 Push Jerk (@ ~70-75% of 1RM C&J)

Started with 205# on the bar and damn was it heavy for that first round. In the second round I didn’t get the hook grip back after the first clean and knew I was going to lose it, so I just dropped the bar. Took ten off each side and went 185# for the last 8 rounds. Not my day!

Misc

2 Cycles

  • 4 Rounds Tabata
    • 20s Hollow Rock
    • 10s Rest
  • 30s Rest
  • 4 Rounds Tabata
    • 20s Row (cal)
    • 10s Rest
  • 30s Rest
  • 4 Rounds Tabata
    • 20s Plank
    • 10s Rest
  • 30s Rest

I made it through the first cycle of hollow rocks without stopping for 75 reps, but then really died when they came back around and only got 64 reps with several breaks in cycle 2. I got 40 and 43 calories on the rower and held all of the planks no problem. Had planned to do 1:30 of MB cleans with 1:00 rest for the 3rd part but with my quad made an adjustment to the planks since there were only a few of us.

Not a crazy Super Sunday, but some solid work.

Better at the End

Just the 10am class for me today. I’m starting to cut back on volume and try to push my intensity leading in to the Open.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • Calf stretching
  • 6 Rounds
    • 20s DU
    • 20s Rest

I got 200 DU.

Skill

I was helping out some people with MU swings and got in a few sets of my own. Did 6, 1, and 4 I believe and should have had a strict one I was so damn close.

Conditioning

14:00 AMRAP – Partners
4-8-12-16-20-24-28-32…

  • G2O
  • Box Jumps

Split up the reps however you want. I used 95# and did all snatches. We did 2s, 4s, 6s, 8s, 10s, 8-4, 8-6, 8-8. I split up my snatches on the round of 8 into 4-4 and my 10 into 6-4 I think with a quick breather before picking the bar back up. Everything I did in unbroken sets. Box jumps were easy. We finished the round of 28 and the 32 reps on the bar. For the first time I can ever remember, I actually felt better with snatches as the rounds went on and doing 8 unbroken wasn’t an issue for me, so something must be working.

Schitty Schwinn

The plan was to go 45 minutes on the Air Dyne, but after 20:30 and 9.18km, this happened…

Stripped right out! Hopefully Schwinn will cover the new part. If you’re going to buy an Air Dyne, go on craigslist and buy an old used model, because they hold up much better than any of the new stuff. Or try out an Assault AirBike.

So then I jumped on the Ski Erg for an easy 3,000 meters in 15:50.

Failure to Fail

Up a little earlier than normal so I could get in some work before the 9am class.

Warm-up

  • 2,000m Row – 8:13
  • 2×10 Reverse Hyper (210#)

Gymnastics

E45S

  • 2 Bar MU

I set the clock for 20 rounds and planned to go until failure, but never failed, so I did a 21st round when the clock ran out. It was about time for class to start anyway.

After that initial set in the video, I concentrated more on keeping my feet together and I’m constantly battling to trying to fight to keep the system tight.

I did some zombie kicks during warm-up of class and then deadlifts with 155-245-315 each for sets of 4. Mixed in a couple of box jumps too.

XWOD

  • 4-4-4-4-4-4 Deadlift (365#)
  • 2-1-2-1-2-1 Power Step Box Jump (2s-40.5″, 1s-44″)

I hesitated on a few jumps, which is stupid at those heights. Afraid of this damn quad!

Midline

I was behind everyone else coming from the XWOD so only did one weighted plank with 45# for 2:00 instead of the programmed stuff.

Conditioning

8:00 AMRAP

  • 8 Pull-ups
  • 8 American KBS (62#)
  • 16 Step-ups (24″)

All unbroken. Pull-ups were rough on the hands after all of the muscle-ups, but held on and no rips. Step-ups were a little rough on the quad, but I still tried to evenly distribute the reps between the legs. Did 5 full rounds plus 8 pull-ups and 6 swings. Tried to minimize my kip on the pull-ups and keep the system tight. Can always be better.

Strict Morning

Low back is still pretty spiced up from the back squats. That weight vest walk wiped me out yesterday. In bed by 10 and got over 9 hours of sleep. Out in the garage at 9am.

Conditioning

Air Dyne (AD2)

  • 17:00 @ 80% of 10:00 pace (68-70rpm)

Kept a consistent pace and went 9.34km.

Gymnastics

8 Rounds

  • 3 Strict HSPU
  • 3 Strict C2B Pull-ups
  • 3 Strict Ring Dips
  • 6 GHD Sit-ups (parallel)
  • 6 Back Extensions

Tried to pick rep counts that wouldn’t kill me and nailed them pretty well. The handstand push-ups were the only thing that were close to failing. Didn’t want to stress the back by touching the ground on the GHD sit-ups. Walked from station to station and kept moving. Finished in 13:09. Good way to get in some strict work with a decent heart rate pumping.

Had a chiropractor appointment at 4, so went to the 4:30 class after. We warmed up with some bottom squat hold, shoulder pass-thrus, PVC snatch progressions, etc.

Weightlifting

  • 5 Muscle Snatch (45#)
  • 5 Muscle Snatch (95#)
  • 3 Muscle Snatch (115#)
  • 2 Power Snatch (135#)
  • 2×2 Power Snatch (155#)

I was just not feeling it after the 135# kind of lit up my low back. Made me not commit to the lifts because I was a little scared.

6:00 EMOM

  • 3 Power Snatch

Coming to class, I planned to go with 155#, but because I felt off, I figured I’d use 135#. Started feeling good with TnG, so after 2 rounds I bumped up to 145# for the next 3 rounds, and then went 150# for the final round. All touch-n-go reps. Felt good too! Confidence can be such a weird thing with the lifts.

Conditioning

3 Rounds

  • 1:00 Sit-up
  • 1:00 Burpee
  • 1:00 Row (cal)
  • 1:00 Slam Ball (20#)
  • 1:00 Thruster (75#)
  • 1:00 Rest

I got 107-108-97 for reps. Not entirely sure that last round is correct because I kind of lost my thought process during the burpees. Felt like I might have made up some reps in the later movements, so if anything the count is low. No biggie.

Since missed out on most of the plank work, I got some it at night.

3 Rounds

  • MAX Plank Hold
  • 3:00 Rest

I did them on my hands with arms extended for a change of pace and so it would work the wrists. Went 3:15, 2:15, and 2:15. Damn, it’s a different ball game on your hand; wrists and shoulders really start to burn.

Max Reps Set

Had a dentist appointment this morning, so went to the 5:30 class so I could squat with Alex.

Warm-up

  • 3×10 Reverse Hypers (210#)
  • Bottom Squat Hold

Strength

Back Squat

  • 10x20kg
  • 5x60kg
  • 5x90kg
  • 3x105kg
  • 3x117kg
  • 3x133kg
  • 6x149kg (PR)

Alex has been doing some cycles of 5/3/1, so I jumped in with his program since our squat numbers are really close. My goal was 6 reps since I did 5×325# about 2-3 weeks ago and that’s about 328#. Didn’t think I was going to make it about half way through. I lost my tightness on the 3rd rep and it was ugly. Concentrated harder and had to grind out that 6th rep, but made it! Estimates my 1RM at 380#.

Oh, I didn’t mention that I created a Rep Max Calculator site. Give it a try.

Accessory

6 Sets

  • 5 Ring Rows
  • 8 Push-ups

Did them pretty much back-to-back since I was catching up to the rest of class. Not hard though.

Conditioning

7 Rounds

  • 3 Curtis P (95#)
  • 6 Push Press (95#)
  • 30s Rest

Hot damn! Shoulders were burning up in the 4th round. Had to drop the bar in the 6th and 7th rounds, but was averaging about 30 seconds per round until then. Finished in 7:14.