Month: November 2019

Back Acting Up Again

Last night my quads and traps were feeling sore. I also felt a little something off on the right side of my low back, which is opposite where I always have my issues. This morning I could feel some pinches in the normal spot, especially when I put my left leg in certain positions. WTF! It’s not nearly as bad as it felt last week though. Went to open gym at 10am.

Warm-up

3 Sets

  • 8 cal Echo Bike
  • 15 Reverse Hypers (50#)

I also did 5 strict pull-ups.

Accessory

5 Sets

  • 5 Weighted Pull-ups (30#)
  • 10/10 Kroc Rows (53# KB)

Conditioning

  • 3 Rounds
    • 10 Strict HSPU
    • 20 MB Walking Lunges (20#)
  • 3 Rounds
    • 10 MB Crossover Push-ups
    • 20 Wall Balls (20#, 10’)

The first part was originally going to be 20 box jumps, but after 20.4 and with how my back was feeling I changed to lunges. I knew I would do the first set of handstand push-ups unbroken, but wasn’t sure how the other sets would go. I flew through that first 10 faster than I’ve ever done them and I made all three sets unbroken. The crossover push-ups were nasty with all of the shoulders in this little workout. Wall balls were burning, but I kept them unbroken. Finished in 8:21.

Midline

6:00 EMOM

  • 15 Hollow Rocks
  • 10 V-ups

Planned this to be 5 minutes, but decided to do an extra round.

For the Girls

3 Sets

  • Dumbbell Curl 21s (30#)

Not the prettiest reps, but happy to hit the weight I was doing several months ago when we did them every week.

I chilled at home, mowed the lawn, and was out in the garage just after 3pm.

Year of the Engine – Polarized

38:00 Airdyne

** Endurance pace with 7s sprint @ 6, 12, 18, 24, 30, 36.

Got 1,045 calories and 22.14 km.

Comfortably Cold

I must be really hyped up on Friday nights after the Open workouts because it wasn’t a great night of sleep again. Sore this morning, but no back pain. 👍🏻  Went for a run after 10am, when it hadn’t hit 40 degrees yet and the windchill was 32. I bundled up with warm socks, Under Armour Cold Gear tights and shirt, shorts, light half zip, winter golf gloves, and a hat.

Year of the Engine – Endurance

46:00 Run

I wasn’t sure about my layering, but I was very comfortable the entire run and it was my favorite run of the year! I’ve already bought some proper running gloves and a hat. Went 4.8 miles with consistent splits again. It felt good on my body after 20.4 last night.

2019-11-02-run-splits

Year of the Engine – Speed/Threshold

15:00 Airdyne

I was out in the garage at 6pm. Tried to hold 80 RPM and I think my average would have been close. Went 521 cals and 9.82 km, which is my best by 14 calories and 0.14 km.

20.4

Rest day yesterday. On Wednesday I setup an adjustable stand on my desk so I can go between sitting and standing. Also bought an anti fatigue mat. After only a few hours I could tell my back was fighting to get in a better position, so hopefully it helps in the long run. I didn’t stand at the desk today since I needed my legs for the Open workout. I was getting anxious about the workout, so I got to the gym pretty early for the 4pm.

Warm-up

I started with 3:00 on the Echo Bike for 28 cals. Then I did a ton of ankle mobility work to get them primed for pistols, including sitting on ankles, KB on a knee and driving the leg forward, air squats, Cossack squats, step-ups, deep stretch with one foot up on a box, etc. I think I did 5×45, 5×95, and 3×135 clean and jerks. Honestly, not a ton of warm-up needed for me because the first five minutes of the workout was going to be a great warm-up and I didn’t want to be going too fast there.

CrossFit Open Workout 20.4

  • 30 Box Jumps / Step-ups (24″)
  • 15 C&J (95#)
  • 30 Box Jumps / Step-ups
  • 15 C&J (135#)
  • 30 Box Jumps / Step-ups
  • 10 C&J (185#)
  • 30 Pistol Squats
  • 10 C&J (225#)
  • 30 Pistol Squats
  • 5 C&J (275#)
  • 30 Pistol Squats
  • 5 C&J (315#)

Step up and down every rep on the box. Then all singles with the barbell. Both would keep my heart rate under control through the first part of the workout. I had my belt on and tightened it for every set with the barbell. Since I wasn’t jumping, I wore lifting shoes to would help with the pistols. Knee sleeves on too, which I pulled up for the pistols.

Last night I came up with sort of a slow scenario that would still let me get up to the 275# bar, where I would just stop. I haven’t lifted that weight in a couple years and it wouldn’t be worth an attempt with how my back was just feeling last week. Here was the plan:

  • 1:30 Box
  • 1:30 C&J (3:00)
  • 1:30 Box (4:30)
  • 2:30 C&J (7:00)
  • 1:30 Box (8:30)
  • 3:00 C&J (11:30)
  • 2:30 Pistols (14:00)
  • 3:30 C&J (17:30)
  • 2:30 Pistols (20:00)

I got through 200 reps with a 18:27 tiebreak, so I finished the 225# C&J and the 2nd set of pistols like I hoped. 💥  I was ahead of my total pace at every point. Here are my splits (compared to plan) and total time (compared to plan).

  • 1:24 (0:06) – 1:24 (0:06
  • 1:23 (0:07) – 2:47 (0:13)
  • 1:41 (-0:11) – 4:28 (0:02)
  • 1:32 (0:58) – 6:00 (1:00)
  • 1:57 (-0:27) – 7:57 (0:33)
  • 2:02 (0:58) – 9:59 (1:31)
  • 2:20 (0:10) – 12:19 (1:41)
  • 4:42 (-1:12) – 17:01 (0:19)
  • 1:26 (1:04) – 18:27 (1:33)

I thought it felt like my step-ups got slower and they sure did. I gave back time during the 2nd and 3rd sets. Kind of crazy that the 95# cleans took 1:23 and the 135# took 1:32. The 25# plates bounce around so much it’s hard to pick the bar back up. I should have gone faster on the first set of pistols, but was trying to keep my heart rate under control before that 225 pounder. Those heavier cleans took much longer than expected, considering I handled all of the other weights well. I was trying to rest about 20 seconds between each rep there because I knew I was ahead and I didn’t want to miss a jerk.

That workout was a lot of fun. I was nervous about my back holding up, but it was good. My entire back side is really tight now though.

20-4-scorecard.jpeg