Month: April 2016

Minty

My outer pecs are sore, but I started feeling it yesterday morning so maybe it was from the front rack carry on Sunday. In for 9am again.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 3 Sets
    • 10 Goblet Squats (44#)
    • 15 Hollow Rocks
    • 150m Row

I actually got on the Air Dyne for 2 of the sets and went about 30-35 seconds.

Strength & Gymnastics

E2M – 5 Sets

  • 9 RDL (165#)
  • 30s HS Hold

Did a little extra credit by adding the handstand holds.

5:00 EMOM

  • 8 Ring Rows (feet elevated)

Shoulder still doesn’t like strict pull-ups so I went with the ring rows. Not easy.

Conditioning

6 Rounds

  • 200m Run
  • 15 American Kettlebell Swings (53#)
  • 10 Ring Dips

I always start out running too fast and then slow down a ton. Swings were no issue going unbroken. Haven’t done ring dips in a long time, which were the limiter (along with the run) in this workout. Started 5-5 for 2 sets, then 5-3-2, then 2 sets of 4-3-3, and maybe 6-4 on the last set. Finished in 13:58.

Did Crossover Symmetry Recovery before leaving the gym and will hit some ROMWOD tonight.

mint-choc-chip-combat.jpg

In the evening I decided to hit a max set of unbroken push-ups since Kill Cliff is doing a fundraiser and donating 10¢ per rep to the Navy Seal Foundation.

I could feel the ring dips from this morning in my shoulders right away. Managed to knock out 55 reps before stopping, only 5 shy of my best.

9am

I’ve been slacking with mornings in 2016, but the weather has shifted and golf season is here. Started waking up earlier last week and finally made it for what I think was my first 9am class of the year this morning. Feels good to have my workout done and gives me energy for the day.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 2 Sets – Tricep Openers (10#)
  • 3 Sets
    • 5 Broad Jumps
    • 10 Bar Taps (5 tight, 5 dynamic)
    • 20s Top of Ring Dip Hold

Strength

E3M – 5 Sets

  • 9 Shoulder Press (95#)
  • 6/6 OH Reverse Weighted Lunges (95#)

Even with the one extra rep these seemed much easier than last week.

E30S – 10 Sets

  • 8 Push-ups

Decided not to try for sets of 10 so I could keep them quick and explosive. Made every set.

Conditioning

10-8-6-4-2

  • Squat Cleans (115#)
  • Bar Facing Burpee

Was debating on 135 or 115, but made the right choice. Pissed I broke up the set of 8 into 5-3, but every other set was unbroken. Finished in 5:25. I take too many steps on those damn burpees.

 

Jumped on the rower and did an easy 1,000 meters in 4:03. Finished up with Crossover Symmetry Plyo. Will hit a ROMWOD tonight.

Aerobic Sunday

Body feels good today. Little sore here and there. The ROMWODs are definitely hitting and opening up areas that have been tight for ages. I did a short little 10 minute shoulder video this morning before getting ready for the gym.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • Bottom Squat Hold
  • 3 Sets
    • 5 ATYs (5#)
    • 30s Plank (with forward lean)
    • 10 PVC Pass-thrus (sticking point)
    • 10 Supermans (holding PVC)

Gymnastics

5 Cycles

  • 3×5 T2B
  • 1:00 Rest

One more cycle than last week. Last week didn’t seem bad, but I couldn’t make it this week with the extra cycle. Had to split my final set of 5 into 3-2.

Strength

E3M – 5 Sets

  • 10 Pendlay Rows (supinated, 95#)
  • 10 Good Mornings (95#)

Good weight for the sets of 10s. I worked up a nice little sweat.

Conditioning

30:00 Aerobic Circuit

  • 200m Run
  • 100m KB Front Rack Carry (2 different weights)
  • 100m Farmer’s Carry (same KBs)
  • 1:30 Row or Air Dyne

Perfect day to be outside for this and just move without having to worry about the pace. I made a mistake and picked up 2×35# the first round since they were different styles. Used 26+35 the next round and then 35+44 for the rest. Made it through 5 full rounds, plus a run and the carries. Really enjoyed that one, but the front rack carry was much harder than I expected.

Finished up with Crossover Symmetry Iron Scap and heading to King Par to try out some new irons! Will do a 20 minute ROMWOD tonight.

Need Those Rest Days

Little sore through my hamstrings this morning. Probably some of that is due to the clean liftoff holds yesterday but I also think some of the ROMWOD poses are really stretching out that stuff. I sure do need it.

Such a nice day today. First day we’ll hit the 70° mark I think. I originally planned to pull the sled and then thought maybe I’d go for a run, but taking a rest day is the smart thing to do. Although I nothing was that high of an intensity yesterday, it was a lot of overall volume.

I did a 46 minute ROMWOD video and plan to hit golf balls at some point. Did another 10 minute ROMWOD focused on the shoulders after the driving range.

Too Heavy on the Bench

Woke up and out in the garage a little after 8. My hamstrings are still sore from the RDLs.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 2 Sets – StrongFit Tricep Openers (8#)
  • Bench Press
    • 5×45#
    • 5×95#
    • 5×135#

Strength

E3M – 5 Sets

  • 11 Bench Press (165#)
  • 24 Alternating DB Curls (20#)

I know exactly why I decided to start with 165# last week on the bench work but it’s way too much over my 50%. I remembered doing 10 sets of 10 with 155# this winter with Bryan and figured I should go heavier than that. Last half of sets were slow this morning, too slow. Should be using 140-145 instead. The curls are still easy.

Midline

  • 50 GHD Sit-ups

Took me about 56-57 seconds for the first 25 and finished in 2:11. I had to start taking a few extra breath and breaking things up after 30 reps. I knew the 3:40 on March 1st was not a representative effort.

Took a break during the day and knocked out video 4 of the ROMWOD Welcome Series.

Headed to the gym at 4:30 to do Bryan’s Outlaw lifting with him.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 45# Snatch Warm-up
    • Bottom Squat Hold
    • Muscle Snatches
    • Snatch Presses in Squat
    • OHS

Snatch Pull + Power Snatch + Squat Snatch

  • 40kg
  • 50
  • 60
  • 65
  • 70

Easy stuff. Looks like he’s on a deload week. Also through up an 80 kilo power snatch after.

OHS

  • 3×95#
  • 3×125
  • 3×145
  • 2×165
  • 3×175

I was using a 33X1 tempo and then lost the final rep with 165 while in the hole. I also didn’t have my grip all of the way out in a snatch width for any of those sets. No tempo and a snatch grip on my final set. I really need work on my stability with these.

Clean Lift Off w/ 5s Hold at Knee

  • 3×145#
  • 3×195
  • 3×220
  • 3×230
  • 3×245

Minimal rest between each rep. These were rough on the hook grip, but I felt better with them than I expected.

Back Rack Reverse Lunge

  • 3/3 @ 135#
  • 3/3 @ 165
  • 3/3 @ 175
  • 3/3 @ 190

I really like the reverse lunges. Not only is it better on the forward knee, but I feel like I can control the descent a lot easier and get full depth instead of banging my knee into the ground like on a forward step. Felt much more comfortable than with the overhead ones earlier this week.

Bamboo Bar Stability Work

  • 30s Hold (52#)
  • 30m Walk (52#)
  • 30m Walk (68#)
  • 3 Sets
    • 30s Hold (84#)

Challenging! Used 25# KBs, then added 8s, and 8s again.

Conditioning

3 Rounds

  • 1:00 AMRAP
    • Thrusters (95#)
  • 2:00 Rest

Really wanted to try these that were done in class earlier in the week. Right after that overhead stability work was not my best idea though. My reps were 24-23-19. Last round was nasty! I actually even rested in the bottom of a squat for about 5 seconds it was hurting so bad.

Finished up the ROMWOD Welcome Series later in the evening. Seems like a busy day but all of that really didn’t take too long.

Gettin’ Flexy

My hamstrings are a little more sore today. Shortly after waking up I did the 2nd video in the ROMWOD welcome path, which focused on hamstrings, hips, and low back. I’m so inflexible! Feels better than other yoga stuff I’ve done and you can definitely feel things opening up as you hold the poses for several minutes. Went to the 5:30pm class.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 3 Sets
    • 10 Toe Touches
    • 20 Hollow Rocks
    • 30s Bottom Squat Hold
  • 200m Run
  • Back Squat
    • 8×45#
    • 8×135#

Strength

E3M – 5 Sets

  • 8 Back Squats (185#)
  • 8/8 Kroc Rows (53#)

I used a controlled descent on the squats and put some focus into driving my knees out. Really tried to pull the rows with my lats and started each one from a dead stop at the ground. Worked up a nice sweat.

Conditioning

8:00 AMRAP

  • 10 Push Press (75#)
  • 30 DU
  • 10 Hang Snatch (75#)
  • 30 DU

Bryan based this off a recent Outlaw workout he did. I really liked it. Missed 1 double under in the middle somewhere and then missed right at the end with 2 seconds left as I was trying to speed them up to finish the set of 30 I was on. Ended up with 4 rounds plus the push press and 24 dubs. Snatches started to burn at the end of rounds 3 and 4.

Midline

  • 4:00 Plank (hands)

While the class did them in a tabata I just kept going. The last 2 was a mental struggle after the shoulder focused metcon and I was really shaking. Finished up with Crossover Symmetry Recovery.

Did another ROMWOD while watching TV later.

Drag It

Hamstrings and quads are a little sore. Had my maintenance appointment at the chiropractor so went and pulled the sled at the gym after for a recovery day. Put 70# on the 25# sled and went 1.14 miles in 24:43. Was really starting to feel fatigued at the end and could feel it after, though maybe something to do with it being a lower carb day and I haven’t had a lot through the week either.

After catching up on a episode 22 (from February maybe?) of the Brute Strength Podcast with the guys behind ROMWOD I signed up for a free trial and did 2 different videos in the evening. They were about 20 and 22 minutes. It’s been on my list to check out for quite some time, so finally pulled the trigger.

Grinding 20

Went in for the 4:30 class. Did 2 sets of my own warm-up first.

Warm-up

  • 2 Sets
    • Tricep Openers (10#)
    • 20 Shoulder Taps
  • Bar Hang/Stretching
  • 3 Sets
    • 10 PVC Pass-thrus
    • 20 Push-ups
    • 10 Band Pull-aparts (green)
    • 20 Mountain Climbers
  • Romanian Deadlift
    • 8×45#
    • 8×135#

Unbroken push-ups each round.

Strength

E2M – 5 Sets

  • 8 RDL (165#)

Conditioning

20:00 AMRAP

  • 50 DU
  • 40 Russian KBS (70#)
  • 30 Ball Slams (25#)
  • 20 Burpees
  • 10 Goblet Squats (70#)

Grinder. I did 3 rounds plus the dubs and 4 kettlebell swings. I did the first round of dubs unbroken, then 3-47, and a lot of misses in the next 2 sets. Swings were 24-16 for 2 rounds and then 26-14. Ball slams were 18-12 for 2 rounds and then unbroken in round 3. Tried to keep a slow and steady pace on the burpees. Unbroken on the goblets each time. First round was done in about 5:20, so slowed considerably after that.

Midline Metcon

I have full range of motion back in my left leg/hip! Chest is sore, probably from the bench pressing I did Saturday and maybe even a little from the push-up holds yesterday. Lats and upper back or sore from the bar work and ring rows yesterday. Hadn’t really been on the pull-up bar in 2 weeks. Out in the garage at noon to do the workout from the gym.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 2 Sets
    • 5 Scap Wall Slides
    • 10 Narrow Grip OHS (45#)
    • Hip Impingement Corrective Exercises
      • 10/10 Sidelying clam (small red band)
      • 10/10 Sidelying hip abduction
      • 10/10 Donkey kick
      • 10 Bridge
  • 5×45# Shoulder Press
  • 3/3 Reverse OH Weighted Lunges (45#)
  • 5×75# Shoulder Press
  • 3/3 Reverse OH Weighted Lunges (75#)

I’ve been wanting to try reverse lunges. They are better for your knees.

Strength

E3M – 5 Sets

  • 8 Shoulder Press (95#)
  • 6/6 Reverse OH Weighted Lunges (95#)

Ended up being about 50s of time holding that bar! Reverse stepping into lunges is a little weird to get used to.

Next part was some strict pull-ups, but I’m still going to stay away from those for a while with my shoulder. Don’t want to push it too much too early. Being able to do ring rows and Kroc rows again is enough for now.

Conditioning

10-20-30-20-10

  • AbMat Sit-ups
  • Russian Twists (25# plate)

Little something new for CFi by using an ab circuit for conditioning. Typically this is something we would do after another metcon and without the clock. I wore a 40# weight vest to step it up a notch and it was fucking brutal! Managed to get all of the twists unbroken. Sit-ups too, but they got pretty slow with that extra 40 pounds.

10 Rounds

  • 30s Ski Erg (hard – 90%-ish?)
  • 30s Ski Erg (easy)

Wanted to do something more since I didn’t get the pull-up work. Might as well make more use of the Skier when I’m at home. Nothing crazy but got the heart rate up a little after I recovered from the midline circuit. Was getting down into the low 1:50/500m pace range and then around a 2:30 pace on the easy parts. Totaled 2,354 meters. Finished up with Crossover Symmetry Plyo.

Much Improved

My hip started feeling a better last night. I could barely get out of the car during the day. Waking up it was like night and day from yesterday morning. I could actually shower properly and get dressed without having to lift up my left leg with my arms to put on pants and socks. Still don’t quite have full range of motion back but it’s a big improvement over yesterday. Looks like it probably wasn’t an impingement, which is great news!

I went in early to do some extra warm-up work and get in the programmed warm-up so I could help out everyone when they did it since there were some things we haven’t done before.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 2 Sets
    • Tricep Openers (10# DBs)
    • Hip Impingement Corrective Exercises
      • 10/10 Sidelying clam (small red band)
      • 10/10 Sidelying hip abduction
      • 10/10 Donkey kick
      • 10 Bridge
  • 3 Sets
    • 5/5 Bar Taps (tight, dynamic)
    • 5 ATYs (5# plates)
    • 5 Wall Squats

Those The Hip Impingement Solution – Juggernaut seem to be helping more than anything else.

Gymnastics

4 Rounds

  • 5 T2B
  • 5 T2B
  • 5 T2B
  • 1:00 Rest

It’s a quick drop from the bar, take a few seconds and get back on. I should have tried sets of 6, but I haven’t been on a bar in 2 weeks.

Accessory

5 Sets

  • 8 Ring Rows (feet elevated)
  • 20s Hold Bottom of Push-up
  • 12 Bicycle Crunches (w/ 2s pause)

Left shoulder felt good on the ring rows. I think the rest and hitting more Crossover Symmetry is paying off.

Conditioning

20:00 Aerobic Circuit

  • 20s Bar Hang (engage scaps after 10s)
  • 12 Walking Lunges (gather feet)
  • 2/2 Turkish Get-ups (35#)
  • 8 Pause Air Squats (2s bottom)

Maybe a little on the easy side, but that’s fine for this type of work. Good for recovery and worked a lot of mobility and stability areas where we see issues in CrossFit.

Finished up with Crossover Symmetry Recovery.