Author: Nick Momrik

I'm searching for my first hole-in-one. I enjoy being active and making things. I work for Automattic.

The Pacer

Warm one yesterday walking 18 holes. Actually felt some fatigue in my legs this morning. Got to the gym early, so jumped in on some bench press with Alex.

Bench Press

  • 10×45#
  • 10×95
  • 10×135
  • 10×165
  • 10×185

Felt heavy at 135, but seemed better after that.

Warm-up

2 Rounds

  • Jumping jacks
  • Mountain climbers
  • Plank
  • Air squats
  • Bottom Squat Hold

I think we were switching every 15-20 seconds.

Conditioning

24:00 AMRAP – Team of 3

  • Person A: 200m Run (pace setter)
  • Person B: 10 Burpees
  • Person C: 10 Wall Balls (30#, 10′)

Ideally B & C get some rest while waiting for the runner to get back. Teamed up with Bryan and Weston. I started with wall balls, got through 8 rounds plus my wall balls and nearly finished the run with about 20 meters left. My pace on the runs felt really good today, even with the heat and humidity.

Midline Mash-up

2 Rounds

  • 30s Plank
  • 20s Plank Push-ups
  • 10s Plank
  • 30s Side plank
  • 30s Side plank

It was a Tabata but I skipped the rest since we were rotating movements.

Grilled out and played some Spike Ball.

This fucking heat is exhausting. One of my first projects when I got home from a work trip is to replace a couple of in-wall air conditioning units; one doesn’t work anymore and the controls are broke on the other one. They must be at least 15 years old. After feeling lazy all day I got off my ass and headed to the track.

Aerobic Capacity – VO2 Max

13 Rounds

  • 200m Run (slow)
  • 200m Run (mile PR pace – goal of 46s)

I decided to start with a slow 200m to warm-up a bit instead of running a final slow one at the end. The slow pace doesn’t really matter for this workout and continued to get slower and slower. Didn’t get that first pace right (maybe due to the faster “slow” 200 to start), but fell in after that and pushed on the way home.

  1. 1:23.0 – 0:50.6
  2. 1:30.7 – 0:46.8
  3. 1:35.1 – 0:46.1
  4. 1:38.0 – 0:44.5
  5. 1:39.4 – 0:44.0
  6. 1:42.1 – 0:43.8
  7. 1:42.1 – 0:43.6
  8. 1:45.4 – 0:43.7
  9. 1:46.8 – 0:44.5
  10. 1:46.7 – 0:42.8
  11. 1:48.6 – 0:41.8
  12. 1:52.7 – 0:40.0
  13. 1:54.0 – 0:38.1

2016-06-11-vo2-max-workout.png

Deads & Dubs

Yep, my shins are still a little sore today. My shoulders are wrecked from about 200 burpees in the last two days, so didn’t feel up for doing “Helen” at Intuition. Worked out in the garage at lunch time.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 2 Sets
    • 5s of StrongFit Tricep & Bicep Openers (8#)
    • 250m Ski Erg
  • 10 Deadlifts (45#)
  • 20 DU
  • 5 Deadlifts (135#)
  • 20 DU
  • 5 Deadlifts (225#)
  • 20 DU

Conditioning

Felt like doing some double unders, so found this from the BTWB Fitness Level workouts in the Heavy category.

3 Rounds

  • 10 Deadlifts (275#)
  • 50 Double Unders

Goal was unbroken deadlifts and there really wasn’t any though of stopping. Those went smooth. Missed at 44 dubs in the first round, unbroken 2nd round, and then heart rate was getting up there, which let to 2 misses in the final round. Finished in 3:31, which was good for a ranking of 95 on BTWB. Definitely one that falls in with my strengths.

Accessory

E3M – 6 Sets

  • 6/6 Landmine Rows (75#)
  • 10 Weighted GHDs (20#)

Conditioning Part 2

  • 500m Ski Erg

Wanted something quick and this fit. Hadn’t really ever done it other than during some intervals for a 1:45. I quickly fell into a 1:34-1:36 / 500m pace and held there. Tried to go faster in the final 200m but couldn’t seem to get that pace to drop. Finished in 1:35.3, which ranked as a 91 on BTWB.

I tend to procrastinate a lot when I workout solo in the garage. I don’t know how people do it all the time. I wouldn’t get anything accomplished if I didn’t go to the gym with other people.

300+ Again

Still fucking sore in my shins. Went to the 9am class.

Warm-up

  • 3 Sets
    • 10 Reverse Hypers (210#)
  • 10 Burpees
  • 30 Jumping Jacks
  • 4 Sets
    • 20s Air Squats
    • 10s Bottom Squat Hold
  • 4 Sets
    • 20s Back Squats (45#)
    • 10s Bottom Squat Hold (45#)
  • 5 Back Squats (135#)
  • 5 Back Squats (185#)

Was worried I’d be dead from the Tabata work, but I went slow and it actually felt good.

Strength

E3M – 5 Sets

  • 5 Back Squat (50-60-70-75-80%)

I went 185-225-265-285-305# based off an estimated 380# max. Haven’t maxed out in 2 years due to back tweaks so it’s all a guess. Been a long time since I’ve had 300 on my back. Felt good to push through that last set. I am liking the knees sleeves.

Gymnastics

10:00 EMOM

  • 10 T2B

Tried to wear my new grips, but they need some break in time, which will be easier on pull-ups. I slide off the bar too fast on toes-to-bars so took them off after the 2nd set because it was even worse with the thicker grip. I did 6 Sets of 5-5 and 4 Sets of 5-3-2. Surprised I didn’t have to do any singles; 100 reps is a lot!

Conditioning

30-20-10

  • Burpees
  • Ball Slams (30#)

Wore the knee sleeves to see if they would help protect the bruising I get on my left knee and they worked great! Paced the round of 30s too much. Finished in 6:40. Walked 200m to cool down.

Nice night for running other than the wind on some sides of the track

Aerobic Capacity – Lactate Threshold

  • 3 Sets
    • 600m (goal pace – 3:12 or 0:32/100m)
    • 90s Rest
  • 4:00 Rest
  • 3 Sets
    • 200m at 1 mile PR pace (goal – 0:48)
    • 90s Rest
  • 4:00 Rest
  • 3 Sets
    • 500m (goal – 2:30 or 0:30/100m)
    • 90s Rest
  • 4:00 Rest
  • 3 Sets
    • 200m at 400m PR pace (goal – 0:33)
    • 90s Rest

Pace was solid but not difficult for the 600s and 500s. Went too fast on the first three 200s so dialed them back after each one. Rude awakening just how fast I had to go on those final runs. My splits:

  • 600m: 3:10-3:06-3:05
  • 200m: 0:41-0:44-0:46
  • 500m: 2:22-2:21-2:20
  • 200m: 0:35-0:34-0:32

Walked 600m before leaving.

Minute by Minute

My shins are pretty sore from those explosive broad jumps on Sunday. Walking 7 miles on the golf course was a little rough yesterday. Woke up and decided not to go at 9am due to work meetings. Worked out great because I really got in a programming zone today. Went to the 5:30pm class.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • OHS Shoulder Stretching in Rack
  • 3 Sets
    • 20s Dead Hang
    • 8 Zombie Kicks
  • Shoulder Press
    • 5×45#
    • 5×75#
    • 5×95#

Strength

E3M – 5 Sets

  • 5 Shoulder Press (50-60-70-75-80%)

I used 95-110-125-135-145#. After 110 and 125 I thought it was going to be a struggle at the end, but turned out fine once I got going. Not used to having weight on the bar, that’s for sure.

Conditioning

8 Cycles

  • 1:00 AMRAP
    • 5 Burpees
    • 5 Air Squats
  • 1:00 Rest

The work/rest was on the money for being able to keep pace. Each cycle slowed through the 1:00 of work, but was overall work was consistent from cycle to cycle. After the first few, my goal was to stay at 30+ every time. Was able to by getting 33-32-31-32-31-32-31-31 reps.

Gymnastics

5 Rounds

  • 2 Wall Walks
  • 30s Plank

Piece of cake. Did the planks on my hands with a forward lean. Was feeling that combo in my wrists a little by the end.

What a Bear!

My hips and quads are all pretty sore.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 3 Sets
    • 5 ATYs (5# plates)
    • 15/15 Monster Walks (small red band)
    • 10 Walking Lunges

Weightlifting / Cycling

5 Sets

  • 7 rep Bear Complex

I was out of breath with the empty bar! I did 45-75-105-135-155#. Decided to count that first set because I was taking quite a bit of rest with the bar on my back during the 135 and 155 sets. Going in I thought maybe 165, but 155 was fine with me and 10# heavier than I’d done.

I did all clean thrusters, but in the final two loads I started resting after lowering the bar on to my back before doing a back thruster. Got a little rest in the hang position a few times.

Accessory

6 Sets

  • 4 Pendlay Rows (165#, supinated)
  • 6 Evil Wheels

I did a couple of warm-up sets on the row with 105-155#. Could feel a little pull in my left shoulder with the first two working sets, but it went away by the 3rd set. Evil wheels have become very easy for me. Maybe from the GHD work I do?

Explosive “Conditioning”

For Quality

  • 50 Burpee Broad Jumps

Didn’t even start the clock because the focus was on the jumps and not going balls to the wall; be explosive under a little fatigue. Kept a nice steady pace and tried to get some distance with each jump. Was much harder than I expected. Feet were really digging into the end of my shoes even at 10 reps in.

I’ll get in some shoulder mobility work and e-stim.

Do Reps

Woke up surprisingly sore from yesterday’s workout. Most in my quads. Did Crossover Symmetry Activation before hitting the platform. Put on the new knee sleeves for all of the lifting.

Snatch

  • Warmup reps @ 20kg
  • 2x3x40kg
  • 3×50
  • 3×60
  • 3×70
  • 1 miss then 2×75
  • 1×80
  • 1×85
  • 1×90
  • 2 misses, 2 misses, 1 miss @ 95
  • 2 misses @ 80

Glad to make 90kg which is 90%, but it all went to shit after that. The very light reps felt great, but once some weight started getting on the bar I did not have it.

C&J

  • 3x60kg
  • 3×70
  • 2×80
  • 2×90
  • 2×100
  • 105
  • 110
  • 115

Felt heavy, but no misses.

Back Squat

  • 5×135#
  • 5×185
  • 5×225
  • 5×255
  • 2x5x275

Haven’t had 200+ on my back in 2 months. Felt ok.

I think the lack of sleep definitely played a role in the lifts feeling so heavy. Knees sleeves felt very warm on my legs, but having the A/C out in half the gym didn’t help that any. Knees felt weird when I took them off after nearly 2 hours.

Aerobic Capacity

I’ve been archiving workouts from the site for nearly a year. This one comes from last August and is an aerobic threshold workout. Headed over to one of the high school tracks in the evening.

  • 1200m (6:09)
  • 3:00 Rest
  • 500m (2:02)
  • 3:00 Rest
  • 1200m (6:00)
  • 3:00 Rest
  • 400m (1:33)
  • 3:00 Rest
  • 1200m (5:45)
  • 3:00 Rest
  • 300m (1:01)
  • 3:00 Rest
  • 1200m (5:38)
  • 3:00 Rest
  • 200m (0:37)

Did it all with laps on my watch and finished at 49:59. Total of 6,200 meters. The pace targets for the 1,200 meter runs was recommended at 75-90 seconds slower than mile PR and the pace for the 500->200 meter intervals was at a mile PR time. I figured I would be conservative and base it off a 7:00 mile. I had recently just run about 7 seconds slower than that, but I know that’s my potential, even right now. So that came out to a 6:20 for each 1,200 meters or 32 seconds per 100m. On the fast intervals I was going to target 25-26 seconds per 100m.

As you can see above, I was under the pace targets for every interval. After I got through the 500 meters I know I could kick things up a notch and after each pairing I knew I could push some more. No need to go the conservative route I guess.

The pace graph (heart rate overlay on top) is kind of cool to look at. You can see where the rest periods are and walks after the 500m and 300m back to the bench at the starting line where my drink was.

2016-06-04-pace-hr

Got in 40 minutes of ROMWOD after dinner.

From Your Knees

Felt a little tight when I woke up this morning. Went to the 9am class and I’m off work for the day to attend a wedding near Detroit.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 2 Sets
    • 5s of StrongFit Tricep & Bicep Openers (10#)
    • 15 Reverse Hypers (210#)
  • 3 Sets
    • Banded shoulder stretch
    • 15s OHS Hold (45#)
    • 5 Burpees
  • 2 Kneeling Jumps (4″)
  • 6 RDLs (45#)
  • 2 Kneeling Jumps (8″)
  • 6 RDLs (155#)

Went closer with my grip on each OHS hold.

XWOD

E2M

  • 6-6-6-6-6-6 RDL (225#)
  • 2-1-2-1-2-1 Kneeling Box Jump (2 x 12″ & 1 x 13.75″)

Been far too long since we did some of this stuff. Was nervous with the jumps but made them all. Double overhand grip is a lot tougher with that extra 40# on the bar. Tried one set with a hook grip, which sucked.

Conditioning

E5M – 5 Rounds

  • 200m Run
  • 10 OHS (95#)
  • 20 GHD Sit-ups

Fast runs since there was plenty of time to recover. Was taking about 45 seconds each time to get into the gym and run across to where my bar was. Snatched into the first rep each round. First few rounds were done in about 2:15, but was closer to 2:40 in the final round because the GHDs got slow. I came up with this last night and it worked pretty well. Nice to do some faster runs.

Accessory

3 Sets

  • 12/12 Kroc Rows (53#)

Not enough time in class, but Ashley was staying after to do these, so I did too. Otherwise I probably would have skipped out on them even though I really need them.

Rest Days

Felt exhausted on Tuesday from all the time out in the sun and playing Spikeball/Slammo. Wasn’t sore from Murph at all though. Wednesday walked 18 on the course. So with the 20 minute treadmill run on Friday and Murph on Monday that was only 2 workouts over 6 days. Ready to get back at it today.

At Regionals I had an assessment from Airrosti and the doc there thinks I have bicep tendonitis in that left arm. So now I know what to do to tackle the issue and hopefully get it cleared up soon. The last two days I did 20-30 minutes of mobility work around my left shoulder and arm instead of spending time doing ROMWOD. I’ll probably continue to do that at least during the week when I don’t have as much time. I’ve also started using my TENS unit on the area to try to speed things up.

The bands are rigged up and ready

Went to the 9am class.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 3 Rounds
    • 10 PVC passes
    • Shoulder internal rotation stretching
    • 10 OHS (PVC)

I’ve noticed with some of the new mobility work that I’m missing some internal rotation so this was good to work on.

Accessory

10:00 EMOM

  • 2 Turkish Get-ups (44#)

One rep per arm each round. Easy.

Conditioning

5 Rounds

  • 10 Toes To Bar
  • 10 Power Snatches (75#)
  • 10 Wall Balls (20#, 10′)

Did 2 rounds of T2B unbroken and 2×5 the other rounds. Snatches all unbroken sets. First round was done around 1:26 and finished in 8:09. This is one of the BTWB Fitness Level workouts in the Light category. Nice combination of movements.

60 Reps

  • Ball Slams (30#)

Unbroken in 2:39. Really wanted to rest around 40 reps, but kept moving. Big arm pump after. Could barely put my shirt on.

Run

Went out in the afternoon for a casual jog. Didn’t care about pace or distance but had a loop in mind I planned to run. Was guessing I was going at a 10-10:30 pace, but never checked my watch until I finished. It was a pleasant surprise to see a 9:48/mile average. Went 2.6 miles in 25:26.

Better By 7

Didn’t get any exercise on Saturday or Sunday since sleep was pretty poor. Central Regionals once again did not disappoint. Great weekend.

“Murph”

  • 1 Mile Run
  • 100 Pull-ups
  • 200 Push-ups
  • 300 Air Squats
  • 1 Mile Run

Partition the pull-ups, push-ups, and squats any way you like. Twenty rounds of 5-10-15 (like “Cindy”) is the way to go.

2016-memorial-day-murph.jpg

It was just under 8 minutes on the clock when I started on my first pull-ups. Was cruising along pretty good, though slower than I’d like on the air squats; I should have pushed those harder. Push-ups really surprised me though, I did every round unbroken. I guess doing all of my push-ups chest-to-deck in other training pays off when I only have to get my tricep parallel to the ground.

2016-murph-runningWith 5 rounds to go I formed a nice blood blister under my left ring finger. I had tape on the lowest knuckle to protect a rip that I got last week doing snatches and I could feel the tape bunching up at the bottom and even pulling on my skin. Probably was adjusting my grip and pulling due to that and then caused the rep. So for the final 5 rounds I only gripped the bar with my fingers so I wouldn’t bust open the blister. Popped it when I got home.

When I took off out the door my watch said 29:00 so just about 21 minutes for the 600 reps. Damn air squats! Tried to settle down my breathing but kept a pretty decent pace through the first 800 meters. Fell off in that next quarter-mile and saw I really needed to push it on the last 400 meters to beat my 37:18 from last year. Made it by 7 seconds but that kick really hurt. So a new PR with 37:11. I had been working so hard all year to lean out and what do I do but gain about 3 pounds over the weekend. LOL

I actually was feeling fine all day after Murph, but played a ton of Slammo, so I’m sure I’ll feel all kinds of sore from that. I love that game though. So much fun! Got some hella sun today too.

Knocked out a much-needed 45 minute ROMWOD after not doing any for 3 days.