Month: July 2016

4 Minutes

My back was pretty stiff again this morning, though I slept really well last night.

Accessory

6 Sets

  • 10 Reverse Hypers (210#)
  • 8/8 Side Bends (70#)

Had programmed 4 good mornings but I skipped those because of my back and did the RH instead.

Conditioning

  • 4:00
    • Buy-in: 400m Run
    • AMRAP Wall Balls (20#, 10′)
  • 4:00 Rest
  • 4:00
    • Buy-in: 400m Run
    • AMRAP Burpee Box Overs (24″)
  • 4:00 Rest
  • 4:00
    • Buy-in: 400m Run
    • AMRAP American KBS (53#)

Pushed it on the 400s. I only looked at the clock coming in on the 3rd one and it was a 1:30, which is my goal pace for a mile I’d like to do this year. The first two 400s were a little faster. I did 50 unbroken wall balls, a short rest and then 14 more for 64 total. I did all step-ups on the box due to my back and made it through 22 reps. I started out stepping down too but started hopping down at some point. I haven’t done any American swings in a long time so wasn’t sure how they would feel with my back, but they were fine. I did sets of 10 and 15 and then held on for the rest of the way, which was nearly a minute, to get 27 in a row. 52 total swings.

10 Rounds (Tabata)

  • 20s Push-ups
  • 10s Rest

Went all-out and quickly fell off a cliff. Reps were 22-20-13-9-6-6-7-7-7-8 for 105 total. Whenever we’ve done this recently the rest has been much longer to help recover.

959

It was rough rolling over in bed last night, but not close to the worst it’s I’ve had it. Could barely walk when I got out of bed. Iced my back and used the TENS unit this morning and it felt good enough to go to the 10am class.

Warm-up

  • 3×10 Reverse Hypers (210#)
  • Bottom Squat Hold
  • 2×10 Air Squats

Strength

Front Squats

  • 10x20kg
  • 6×50
  • 6×70
  • 3×90
  • 3×100
  • 3×110
  • 3×115
  • 3×120

I was squatting off the jerk blocks because it was a packed house and all 6 racks were being used. Heading in to the gym I figured I’d be happy to git a couple sets at 225#. Other than picking the bar up off the blocks, I didn’t feel anything from my back because I really made sure to keep it tight. Excited I was able to get up to 265# when 2 hours earlier I wasn’t sure I’d even be able to go in.

Conditioning

25:00 Partner AMRAP

  • 50 Overhead Plate Lunges (45#)
  • 50 Push Press (75#)
  • 50 Air Squats
  • 50 Hang Power Cleans (75#)

Worked with Weston. We each did a set of 15 and then a set of 10 with every movement. When we were in to the second round I wasn’t even breathing hard yet and said it was much easier than I expected. We then got faster each round. I had jokingly said 5 rounds before we started and we almost got there! Only 41 reps shy of that 5th round for 959 total reps. If we had done the lunges and air squats in a set of 25 each we would have been able to make it. Was a fun workout to cycle the lighter weights.

Snatch Back

My legs are a bit beat today. The heavy squats are being felt for a few days. Went to the gym in the afternoon for a solo session.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • Snatch Warm-up Complex
    3 muscle snatch + 3 OHS + 3 Snatch Press

    • 45#
    • 75#
    • 95#

Weightlifting

23:00 Snatch EMOM

  • 2 Sets 2×115#
  • 3 Sets 1×135#
  • 4 Sets 1×145#
  • 5 Sets 1×155#
  • 6 Sets 1×165#
  • 2 Sets 1×175#
  • 1×185#

Tweaked my back so stopped. 😦 I think that’s the first time I’ve had in issue with snatches. Too bad because I was feeling good and planned to keep going with two singles each 10 pounds until I missed. 100% day though and squatted every rep.

Did two sets of 10 heel drives on the GHD to try to loosen up my back. Tested out a couple of 135# deadlifts and they felt fine, so on with the metcon I missed out on yesterday.

Conditioning

4 Rounds

  • 20 Deadlifts (115#)
  • 400m Run

I liked this one. Deadlifts and running are one of those combos that can be nasty; it’s hard to get your legs moving when you take off after a big set of deadlifts. Finished in 9:32 and felt like I pushed pretty good on the runs. Did the deadlifts unbroken each round, but played it on the safe side with the speed of them due to my back.

30:00 Strongman Circuit

  • 100m Sled Drag Backwards (double handle, 95#)
  • 100m OH plate Carry (45#)
  • 100m Farmer’s Carry (25# bumper plates)
  • 100m Sled Drag Backwards (double handle, 95#)
  • 100m Sandbag Carry (60#)
  • 100m Farmer’s Carry (25# bumper plates)
  • 100m OH plate Carry (45#)
  • 100m Sandbag Carry (60#)

Finished 2 rounds plus everything through the first sandbag carry (so 500 of the 800 meter round). Soaked up some quality vitamin D.

Too Hot

Went out to the garage in the morning and warmed up with Crossover Symmetry Activation.

Shoulder Press

E3M – 3s Pause at the bottom before each rep

  • 10×45#
  • 5×75#
  • 5×95#
  • 5×115#
  • 4 sets of 5×125#

Loosely based the numbers off Prilepin’s Chart.

img_7568Walked 18 holes on the golf course and it was miserably hot out there. Took too much out of me so no gym time in the evening. Will workout tomorrow instead of resting.

400 & 200

Played 18 at a nice course yesterday, so rode a cart. Was tired so stuck with the planned rest day. Got my lazy ass moving this morning and went to the track for a few tests to get my BTWB Fitness Level back up to near where it should be.

Running

  • 400m Jog (2:42.8)
  • 3:00 Rest
  • 400m Run (1:08.3)
  • 400m Walk (7:11.1)
  • 400m Run (1:04.3)
  • 600m Walk (10:08)
  • 200m Run (0:29.9)
  • 400m Walk (6:57.9)
  • 800m Jog (6:19.6)

Was disappointed with that first 400, but redeemed myself in the second, getting a PR by over 2 seconds (previously 1:07). When I was coming down the stretch I actually didn’t think I was faster, so it was a pleasant surprise to see the split after crossing the line. The 200 was a PR by a tenth of a second. Should be able to do better when not done after a couple of 400 meter sprints. Having to reach over to start and stop my watch slows things down too, but close enough.

Went to the driving range in the afternoon and figured out a big swing problem. Hopefully it translates over to the golf course.

Got to the gym around 5.

Warm-up

  • Bottom Squat Hold
  • 10 Reverse Hypers (210#)
  • 10 Back Squat (45#)
  • 10 Reverse Hypers (210#)
  • 6 Back Squats (135#)
  • 10 Reverse Hypers (210#)
  • 3 Back Squats (185#)

Strength

Back Squats – E3M

  • 3×225#
  • 3×265#
  • 3×305#
  • 3×320#
  • 3×335#

Prescribed % was 60-70-80-85-90. The 320# was a little rough and I had in my notes to go to 340# after, which seemed like a big jump, so I pulled it back to 335#. Actually if I had done 322.5 to be correct the jump wouldn’t have been as bad. haha! I might have been able to get out the prescribed 342# for a triple, but nothing wrong with solid makes. Still getting used to the weight and would rather keep my back safe. Marathon not sprint.

Midline / Accessory

6 Sets

  • 10 Weighted GHD Sit-ups (20#)
  • 6/6 Landmine Rows (37kg)

Might be time to try out 25# on the GHD sit-ups. The landmines felt good too at about 81.5 pounds, which is the heaviest I’ve tried.

Conditioning

  • 400m Sled Drag (115#)
  • 400m Sled Drag (backwards, 115#)

Forgot to start my watch until about 125m in. My hips were burning before the first 400 was done.

Cleans, Jerks, Pulls, and Carries

Feeling pretty lazy on this holiday. Went to the gym at 2 though.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • Clean & Jerk
    • 5×45#
    • 5×95#
    • 2×135#

Partner Clean & Jerks

  • 30 x 135# (sets of 5)
  • 24 x 155# (sets of 4)
  • 18 x 185# (sets of 3)
  • 12 x 225# (sets of 2)
  • 6 x 245# (sets of 1)

Got this idea from the Team Series workout this last year, but there is no big rest waiting for a pair of women to do their reps. Each partner has to do the assigned number of reps before switching, which is 3 sets per person at each weight. For example, Bryan did 5 reps with 135, I did 5, and then we repeated 2 more times. Same with with sets of 4 on the 155# bar and so on.

Took us 13:57 to finish. Went better than expected. I was able to power clean and push jerk every rep, even the 245# after everything else, which I wasn’t sure would happen. The doubles with 225# were the hardest part. The sets with 135# were touch-n-go and then singles with every other bar.

Move Stuff

5 Rounds

  • 50′ Rope sled pull (160#)
  • 50′ Rope sled pull (160#)
  • 200m Barbell Carry (135#)

2 Rounds

  • 50′ Rope sled pull (160#)
  • 50′ Rope sled pull (160#)
  • 200m Sandbag Carry (60#)

That barbell carry was much worse than I expected. I did the first and fifth rounds without stopping but stopped for a short rest in the middle 3 rounds. It wasn’t my legs that were an issue though, it was my upper back and shoulder muscles from the pressure of the bar. I hugged the sandbag on my chest when carrying it. Took a little break after each round of everything; wasn’t concerned about doing it for time.

Cruisin’

Woke up with tired legs from playing a bunch of Slammo/Spikeball last night.

Warm-up: 3 Rounds

  • 10 PVC Pass-thrus
  • 80′ Bear Crawl
  • 10 Walking Lunges

Conditioning

  • 800m Run
  • 40 Push-ups
  • 20 C&J (95#)
  • 400m Run
  • 20 C&J (95#)
  • 40 Push-ups
  • 800m Run

Took exactly 16:00. I went 15-10-8-7 on the first round of push-ups, 10-5-5 on both sets of clean and jerks, and 4×10 on the last round of push-ups, with the final 10 being very slow. Was mostly on cruise control.

Midline

6 Rounds (Tabata)

  • 20s Hollow Rocks
  • 10s Rest
  • 20s Side Plank (R)
  • 10s Rest
  • 20s Side Plank (L)
  • 10s Rest

I think I was able to get 18 hollow rocks each time, but they started to burn after 3 sets. Side planks were no issue.

2:00 AMRAP

  • Air Squats

Pretty steady pace of 10 reps every 15 seconds. Finished with 81, which is not very good by BTWB rankings.

Felt like doing something in the evening so I tested out this week’s shoulder press strength work for Intuition. Warmed up with Crossover Symmetry Activation.

Shoulder Press – E3M

  • 9×45#
  • 6×75#
  • 3×95#
  • 3×105#
  • 3×125#
  • 3×145#
  • 3×155#
  • 3×162.5#

Pretty close on the rounding of 60-70-80-85-90% based off a 180 pound estimated max. I paused for a second on my chest with 125-145-155 and maybe even 105 (can’t remember), effectively making each rep a first rep. Caused the final set to be harder than it should have been, considering I did 3×170 earlier this year.

Go Fast

Walked 18 holes yesterday and enjoyed the rest day. In to the gym before the 10am class. Had to get some shit done before leaving town to golf.

Pause Back Squats – E3M

  • 10×45#
  • 8×135#
  • 6×185#
  • 3×225#
  • 3×255#
  • 3×275#
  • 3×295#
  • 3×305#

Short one second pause in the hole. Felt really good.

Rowing Sprint

  • 250m Row

The fitness level on BTWB dropped off a good time and started using an interval 250m, which was a really low ranking. I usually do pretty well when I go for a hard row after lifting and today was no exception. I used the sprint rowing start and nearly set a 100m PR in the process. My goal was a sub 1:19/500m pace to beat my 0:39.7 best. Smoked it with a 38.3!! Didn’t expect that. It was less than a year ago when I set a goal of breaking 40 seconds for the first time.

2016-07-02-250m-row.jpg

Accessory

I wanted to do some kind of pressing and hadn’t benched in a long time so went by Prilepin’s Chart and combined with the rows.

  • 10 Bench Press (45#)
  • 5 Bench Press (135#)
  • 4/4 Landmine Rows (45#)
  • 5 Bench Press (165#)
  • 4/4 Landmine Rows (60#)
  • 5 Sets
    • 5 Bench Press (185#)
    • 4/4 Landmine Rows (75#)

Could have gone heavier on the landmine rows. Bench was easy but was enough and based on the chart anyway.

No feels in my left shoulder. 👍🏻 Going to stay away from gymnastics work on the bar for a couple more weeks and then hopefully I should be good to go with all movements again.

Dubbin’

  • 3:00 AMRAP – Double Unders

I planned on 2:00 but was missing so much I went an extra minute. Only got 215 reps compared to 187 I’ve done in 2:00. Horrible.