Year: 2017

10 Pounds Short

Walked a round of golf yesterday. The humidity has definitely stepped up a few notches this week.

Today is the big day! Bench Max!!

Bench Press

  • 10×45#
  • 10×95
  • 5×135
  • 3×185
  • 2×215
  • 1×235
  • 1×255
  • 1×275
  • 1×285 (PR)
  • 1×290 (PR)

I decided to use some bigger jumps early in an attempt to be fresher later. Not sure if it was smart to throw away the warm-up sets I’ve pretty much been using every session for 4 months. When I got to 275 I felt like I came way too far down on my chest and had to grind out the rep. Then 285# was much better for the PR. 290 was a grinder, but I had to keep going. You’ll have to watch the video to see how I talked myself right out of 295 before I started.

Not the 300 I was hoping for, but I was able to add 15# to my previous best over the course of the program. I skipped the 3×10 drop sets and decided to do a push-up test.

100 HR Push-ups

My best is 5:04 from March of 2013!! I haven’t come close since according to my logs. My last attempts were 6:03 in October of 2015 and 7:25 a year ago. I started out with sets of 5s through about 45 when I started doing some doubles and triples. Then I did a whole bunch of quick singles in there somewhere. Tried to get back to doubles or triples, but resorted to singles again. Ended up at 5:18, which is the best I’ve done in a really long time. These get terrible so fast.

Accessory

  • 2×10 DB Bent-over Side Raises (35#)

Skipped the Tricep Rock-n-Rolls.

2 Minute Challenge

Bryan picked T2B, went first, and got 40. We both started with sets of 5 and I actually was able to get more of sets of them when I went. I, on the other hand, had to switch to singles like I always do when my T2B go, otherwise I would have had him. Came up one shy with 39! He now has a 2-1 series lead with the challenges.

Two Sixty

Walked 18 holes on a great day for golf yesterday. Out in the garage tonight with Bryan. I warmed up with 3:00 Airdyne (0.92 miles). It’s MAX week!

Push Press

  • 10×45#
  • 8×95
  • 6×135
  • 4×165
  • 2×195
  • 1×215
  • 1×235
  • 1×250
  • 1×260 (PR)

That’s now a total of a 15# increase during the program. Guess I’ll have to test out my push jerk (best was 255#) soon since the push press is now higher!

Accessory

  • 2×15/15 Pallof Press (CS Blue)
  • 3×20 Shoulder IYTs (CS Purple)

Didn’t realize until after the first set that the Pallof presses were supposed to be 3×8-10 so I changed to the 2 larger sets.

Conditioning

8 Rounds (Tabata Mash-up)

  • 20s Lateral Hops (12″ parallette)
  • 10s Rest
  • 20s Airdyne (legs only)
  • 10s Rest

For the first 4 reps or so I paused between jumps to get a feel for the height and then the rest of round 1 and all of round 2 I rebounded. I was starting to gas, so for the next 4 rounds I did the pausing. Back to rebounded the full 2 last rounds to close it out. Stuck to legs only on the Airdyne because I want my upper body to be fresh for the bench press MAX on Thursday. I did 206 jumps and 107 calories on my AD2.

Knees Up

Skipped pull-up day yesterday and didn’t work out at all. Was busy fixing things around the house and then played a lightning fast 18 holes with a cart. Maybe the best ball striking day I’ve ever had. In to the gym at noon today. Did some shoulder stretching and bottom squat hold to loosen up.

XWOD

  • 10 Barbell Lunges (alternating legs – 5 each)
  • 2 Kneeling Box Jumps

I did 8 total sets. Used 45#, 95, and then 125 for 6 sets. My jumps were 0″, 3.5, 6.5, 9.75, 12.75, 14.25, 14.625, and 15.5. The last two were both PRs over my best single at 14.5.

Conditioning – Partner

6 Rounds each

  • 150/120m Row
  • 10 Hang Power Clean (135/95#)
  • Rest while Partner goes

I started. My pace averages were 1:34.0, 1:36.6, 1:37.0, 1:38.3, 1:38.6, and 1:37.3. Cleans were ass unbroken. Gavin was smoking me on the rower. We finished at 12:09.

Midline – 2 Rounds

  • 30 Leg Lifts
  • 60 Flutter Kicks
  • 30 Hollow Rocks
  • 60 Double Bicycles (pulse each rep)
  • 30 Side Jack Knifes

Burn baby burn!

Closing in on 300

That damn “Annie” DOMS is killing my abs. I’ve had twitches and cramps all day. Walked 18 holes yesterday. It was 93% humidity in the middle of the round when I checked. Took a lot out of me for the rest of the day.

Today Bryan came over to workout. I warmed up with 500m on the Ski Erg.

Bench Press

  • 10×45#
  • 10×95
  • 5×135
  • 3×165
  • 3×195
  • 2×215
  • 1×235
  • 1×255
  • 1×270
  • 1×280 (PR)

Was supposed to work up to an opening attempt as if I were doing a push-only powerlifting meet. Since I hit 275# (my previous 1RM) for a double on Sunday, I wanted to hit 280 today and have a good idea of what I might be capable of next week when going for a max. I don’t if I have much more than that I have in me!

Accessory

  • 2×10 DB Side Raises (25#)
  • 2×10 DB Bent-over Side Raises (30#)
  • 3×10/10 Bottoms-up KB Presses (30#)

There were pull-ups and rack chins programmed, but they are in tomorrow’s workout too (I actually swapped the order of the days), so no need to hit them 2 days in a row. I did add the KB presses though.

Conditioning

3 Rounds

  • 400m Run
  • 10 Hang Power Snatch (115#)

Meh. I did the snatches in 2×5 each set. I don’t feel comfortable cycling hang snatches from a high position with 115# so it took me a lot longer. Bryan smoked me by almost 90 seconds. I finished at 7:55.

2:00 Challenge

  • Ski Erg Calories

Since I was down 0-1 in the series I had to pick something I was 99% sure I’d win. Got 49 calories to Bryan’s 43 and tied up the series.

Pushing PRs

My legs have been all kinds of sore from the squats on Monday. Had a chiro appointment (trying to use up my FSA balance before switching insurance plans) and then went to the 4:30 class.

Pre Warm-up

  • Shoulder Stretching
  • Bottom Squat Hold
  • 3 Sets
    • 20 Zeus DU
    • 10 OH Shrugs (45#)

I was at the gym plenty early due to the 4:00 appointment so did some stuff before the class warm-up.

Warm-up – 3 Sets

  • Wrist Stretch
  • 5 Slow Push-ups
  • 5 Ring Rows
  • 5 Air Squats
  • 20 Double Unders
  • Spiderman Stretch

Strength – Front Squat

  • 10×45#
  • 6×135#
  • 5×185#
  • 4×205#
  • 3×225#
  • 2×245#
  • 1×265#

I belted up for the last two sets. Felt heavy but ok.

Gymnastics – 3 Sets

  • MAX Strict HSPU
  • 10 C2B Pull-ups

It was programmed as 5-10 reps of each handstand push-ups and pull-ups, but I’ve been wanting to test out my strict HSPU so went for it. Couldn’t believe it when I got 17 reps followed up by 12 in each of the next 2 sets. My previous best was only 11, which I matched last in March of last year so that’s over a 50% improvement!

Conditioning

“Annie”

50-40-30-20-10

  • Double Unders
  • Sit-ups

Anchored my feet and used my AbMat cover pad. Missed my very first rep, so just adjusted my time by 2 seconds at the end. 🙂 I missed again in the set of 20, missed to start my final set because my rope was tangled and I was trying to rush it, and then missed again after 5 or 6. So 3 official misses after my restart. Not going to PR like that, but with a 6:06 I was only 13 seconds off my best time.

Practiced a bit more freestanding handstand hold up near the wall.

Realized that’s 9 days in a row of doing something, even though Saturday was only a 45 minute recovery on the AirDyne. Time for a rest day!

No Golf

It was raining this morning and forecast through the early afternoon, so I didn’t even head out the golf course. Decided to hit the 4:30 class. I was already starting to feel my shoulders last night after not lifting for a week, but it’s not any worse today.

Warm-up

  • 20 Jumping Jacks
  • 15 Toe Touches
  • 10 Air Squats
  • Bottom Squat Hold

Strength – Back Squat

  • 7×45#
  • 7×135
  • 6x7x185

Heavy enough for me at this stage and I could feel the tightness before I was even done.

Conditioning

  • 10-8-6-4-2
    • Power Clean (115#)
    • Push Press (115#)
    • Burpee
  • 1 Mile Run

I dropped with 1 power clean left for the 10-8-6 and then did the 4-2 unbroken. Probably should have pushed it, but didn’t want to be extremely gassed for the run. I think I was done somewhere between 5:00 and 5:30. The mile was slower than it should have been. Finished in 14:31.

Worked on handstand walking and free-standing handstand holds a little bit.

Back to the Bar

Didn’t touch a barbell for 7 days while gone, so wasn’t sure how today would go, which is pretty much the last heavy day before the deload week and then max outs. Bryan came over at 1:30.

Bench Press

  • 10×45#
  • 10×95
  • 6×135
  • 4×165
  • 2×195
  • 2×225
  • 2×245

  • 2×255

  • 2×265
  • 2×270 (PR)
  • 2×275 (PR)

Felt heavy on the way up and even at 255. Buckled in and paid attention to my setup and positions. Hit 265 much easier than last time and 270 was smooth too. Hitting 275 for a double is what my previous max was about 2 years ago.

Push Press

  • 10×45#
  • 8×95
  • 6×135
  • 4×165
  • 2×195
  • 2×215
  • 1×235
  • 1×245
  • 1×255 (PR)

Pretty smooth after the fight with this weight about 10 days ago. Wonder if not taking several little jumps helped with not burning out. Or the week of not touching a bar.

Conditioning

3 Rounds

  • 15 Pull-ups
  • 15 American KBS (50#)
  • 15 MB Cleans (20#)

I Go You Go style with Bryan, so 3 rounds each. All unbroken. We finished at 9:16.

Accessory

  • 3×15 Pallof Press (CS Blue)
  • 3×10 DB Side Raises (20-25-25#)
  • 3×10 DB Bent-over Side Raises (25-25-30#)

I did my accessories after he left and took my sweet time getting through them. They haven’t exactly been fun throughout the program, but I’ve stuck to it, only skipping them once or twice and I think it’s really paying off. I’ve already set some type of PR in all 3 of the presses. Looking forward to truly maxing out each lift.

That’s a wrap on week 10! The last 2 weeks only have 3 workouts per week.

Airdyne & Chill

After driving home from the week at the lake I sat around not doing anything. Went out to the garage at about 8:30pm and put in 45 easy minutes on the Airdyne while catching up on some of my YouTube subscriptions from the week. Went 12.54 miles. It had been quite awhile since I did a long recovery ride on the bike.