Whole Again

My calves were sore yesterday. I didn’t feel like golfing with the cooler temperature. Thought about going for a run, but it didn’t happen. This morning I got the replacement WHOOP sensor so I feel whole again. Workout at 4pm.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 SkiErg (1,138m)

Handstand Balance Breakthrough

  • Wrist Warm-up
  • 20 Shoulder I-Y (red band)
  • 3 Rounds
    • 30s Handstand 90° Hover
    • 20s Hollow Hold

The hovers were so much more comfortable than the first time we tried them when I got so frustrated. They really tax the shoulders unlike the other drills. By the end of the third round I was almost at failure.

Arms

5 Sets

  • 5 Weighted Ring Dips (35-40-45-47.5-50#)

3 Sets

  • 8/8 Static DB Curls (30-35-35#)
  • 8/8 Single Arm Tricep Pull Downs (rope, 29.5-34.5-34.5#)

3 Sets

  • 10 Hammer Curl + Shoulder Press (40#)
  • 10 EZ Bar Skull Crushers (66-71-71#)

3 Sets

  • Barbell 21s (45#)
  • 55m Plate Pinch Walk (25# plates)

Conditioning

2 Rounds

  • 10 cal Row
  • 10 Hollow Rocks
  • 10 V-ups
  • 10 Tuck-ups
  • 10s Hollow Hold
  • 10 MB Cleans (20#)
  • 50 Double Unders
  • 10 cal SkiErg
  • 10 Hollow Rocks
  • 10 V-ups
  • 10 Tuck-ups
  • 10s Hollow Hold
  • 10 MB Cleans (20#)
  • 50 Double Unders

Our old friend with the four core movements through smack in the middle of a metcon. My double unders were terrible today, missing at least twice in every round. Finished in 12:24.

All 30

My hands were aching again this morning and my legs are feeling that Friday workout a little. Out in the garage at 10am.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 BikeErg (2,511m)
  • 80′ Lateral Monster Walk
  • 80′ Monster Walk
  • 3:00 Wrist Warm-up
  • 2 Sets
    • 10 Kip Swings
    • 10 Air Squats

Conditioning

“Jackie”

  • 1,000m Row
  • 50 Thrusters (45#)
  • 30 Pull-ups

Still hard to believe the first time I ever did this benchmark workout was on April 13, with a time of 7:45. I pulled a 1:50/500m pace on the rower and was extremely cautious doing thrusters since it was my first time touching a barbell in months after a back tweak and physical therapy. I struggled though 7-5 and then 2s and 3s on the pull-ups.

Today I was having a hard time slowing down at the beginning of the row because it felt so good. Ended up a little over a 1:48/500m pace when I hopped off. I knew I wasn’t going to make up significant time on the row and didn’t want it to leave me too gassed for the thrusters and pull-ups. I did very controlled thrusters and focused on breathing. My shoulders were on fire for the last 15. Finished them at 6:11 and I was hoping to be able to do 3×10 pull-ups. The first ten felt great so I decided to keep going for 15-20. Then I got to 20 and knew I could go unbroken. Finished at 6:58 for a big PR! That felt really good and there is still a lot of room for improvement with the thrusters.

Handstand Balance Breakthrough

  • 50 Wall-facing Handstand Sponge Shifts (3×10, 20)
  • 1:00 Handstand 45° Hollow Hold

Even after the thrusters and pull-ups, this was a huge improvement since trying the sponge shifts 15 days ago. Look at these videos…

More Conditioning

With Partner

  • 100 Burpee Box Get Overs (48/38″)

Went back and forth with Brandi, doing 10 each and then I’d pull off the 12″ block and she’d add the 2″. Then vice versa after her set. We finished in 10:46, so would have been around 10 minutes if we had 2 stacks.

Midline

4 Rounds (20s work / 15s rest)

  • Landmine Twists (45+25#, club grip)
  • Bicycles (5# ankle weights)
  • Leg Lefts (5# ankle weights)
  • Hollow Hold (5# ankle weights)

Lucky 7s

I don’t think I’d mentioned it, but my WHOOP sensor died this week. They’re sending me a new one, but I feel so naked without it! I think I got a good night of sleep, but who really knows without the data to prove it. haha In the garage at 9:30.

Conditioning

  • 7:00 BikeErg (3,562m)
  • 7:00 Row (1,786m)
  • 7:00 SkiErg (1,621m)

Then we did some handstand kick-ups after measuring like we should have last week, and did one here and there between sets.

Back & Chest

3 Sets

3 Sets

  • 10 Weighted Ring Dips (20#)
  • 10 Wide Grip Pull-ups

3 Sets

  • 8/8 Decline Static Bench Press (50-60-60#)
  • 8 Lat Pulldowns (126#)

3 Sets

  • 8 Chest Fly (40-45-45# DBs)
  • MAX Ring Rows (18-14-12)

Cramping in the Upper Abs

Not a great night of sleep. Workout at 4pm.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 BikeErg (2,527m)

Handstand Balance Breakthrough

  • Wrist Warm-up
  • 40 Bottoms Up KB Press (25#)
  • 12 Handstand Kick Up Against Wall (~10s + pull feet away)

Got 2-3 solid holds with my feet off the wall. Progressing!

Conditioning

35:00 AMRAP (Partner)

  • 8 HSPU
  • 12 Sumo KB Deadlifts (53/35#)
  • 16 Plyo Lunge
  • 12 HR Push-ups
  • 12/8 cal Row
  • 4 Power Cleans (185#)

The work is done by each person before moving to the next movement. I went first and got through 8 full rounds plus row. Handstand push-ups felt really smooth. My balance and cycling were feeling much improved from the handstand work.

Midline

3 Rounds

  • 20s Weighted Hollow Flutter Kick (10# plate)
  • 20 Weighted alt V-Ups (10#)
  • 20 Weighted OH Crunches (10#)
  • 20 Russian Twist (10#)
  • 20 Seated Leg Lifts

A good one from Ibex Training.

My upper abs felt like they were cramping in the middle of round two. I forgot to note the exact time but it was around 7:10-7:30.

Bounce vs. Muscle It

I didn’t sleep very well last night. My abs are getting sore from yesterday. Worked out at 4pm.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 BikeErg (2,450m)
  • 80′ Lateral Monster Walk
  • 80′ Monster Walk

Handstand Balance Breakthrough

  • Wrist Warm-up
  • 2 Sets
    • 20 Banded Arm Circles
  • 3 Sets
    • 2 Handstand Split to Stacked
  • 2 Sets
    • 30s Wall-facing HS Hold

The split to stacked drill felt better than the list time, but still not nearly as good as the kick-ups last week.

Legs

4 Sets

  • 20 DB Walking Lunges (diagonal, 50# DBs)
  • 10/10 Single Leg RDL (foot on wall, 70# KB)

3 Sets

  • 12 Barbell Hip Thrusts (85#)
  • 12/12 Lateral Step-ups (50# DB, 24″)

I bet it’s been at least three years since I’ve done barbell hip thrusts.

  • 12 DB Front Squats (40# DBs)
  • 12/12 Single Leg Calf Raises
  • 12 DB Front Squats
  • 12/12 Single Leg Calf Raises
  • 12/12 Single Leg Calf Raises

I skipped the third set of squats because my back was feeling weird.

Conditioning

2 Rounds

  • 10 Pull-ups
  • 10 Box Jump Overs (24/20″)
  • 15 Hang Power Snatch (75/50#)
  • 10 Box Jump Overs (24/20″)
  • 10 Pull-ups
  • 3:00 Rest

Pull-ups felt great throughout and I can really feel a huge difference when I concentrate on my hips in the kip. I did a lateral jump over the box so I wouldn’t have to keep turning around. The snatches in the first round were not great. I was trying to bounce them off the high pocket position, which was getting to me and slowing me down. The second time around I bounced them off my thighs and did sort of a muscle-ish snatch. First round was 2:00 and second was 1:50, so the snatches were much faster.

Don’t Forget

I got about 9 hours of sleep last night! Workout at 4pm.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 SkiErg (1,077m)

Handstand Balance Breakthrough
Forgot to do any wrist warm-up. Whoops!

The tuck balance felt much better than the first time we did them. The hold was only programmed as 15 seconds, but that seems like a waste of time, so we did a minute.

Arms

5 Sets

  • 5 Weighted Ring Dips (25-30-35-40-45#)

3 Sets

  • 12 EZ Bar Preacher Curls (56-66-66#)
  • 12 French Press (60# DB)

3 Sets

  • 12 Tricep Pulldowns (underhand, 71#)
  • 8/8 Static Hammer Curls (30# DBs)

6:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 30s Tricep extensions on Ski Erg
  • 30s Bicep Curls on Rower

Conditioning

2 Rounds

  • 200m Run
  • 25 T2B
  • 30 Burpees
  • 35 Sit-ups
  • 40 Double Unders
  • 45 Hollow Scissor Kicks

I went 20-5 and 10-5-5-5 on the toes-to-bars and wasn’t wearing any grips. My double unders were not very good today. Went 30-15 on both sets of scissor kicks. Finished in 14:06.

13.2 After 7.5 Years

I’m really sore in all areas of my upper body. Did a bunch of woodworking last night and this morning, which doesn’t help. Out in the garage at 10am.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 BikeErg (2,539m)
  • 5:00 Row (1,300m)
  • 5:00 SkiErg (1,150m)

Handstand Balance Breakthrough

Yesterday we started doing wrist warm-up and we’re going to continue before each handstand session. Should help with my hands. After yesterday’s session, I was thinking it was unlikely I’d be doing holds after the four weeks of this program and I wasn’t expecting much from the kick-ups today. But then I did one and it felt so good! We probably did about 15 of them because we were really enjoying it. I was getting right up in to a handstand and able to hold some of them. I was also able to feel myself going too far and save some without hitting the wall. This went so well!!! For the walks we alternated between the two of us and it pretty much ended up being 4-3-2-1 wall walks.

Conditioning

CrossFit Games Open Workout 13.2
10:00 AMRAP

  • 5 Shoulder to Overheads (115/75#)
  • 10 Deadlifts (115/75#)
  • 15 Box Jumps/Step-ups (24/20″)

Hard to believe I’ve never done this workout again, when it was one of my best Open workouts ever. I got 8+25 back in 2013. Today I was able to keep a steady, on the border of red lining, the entire workout. I knew I had to. I’m sure my deadlifts are slower these days, but I was still able to PR with 9+3, doing all step-ups.

Midline

4 Sets

  • 12 Low-Pulley Knee-In (27#)
  • 15 OH Crunches (2s pause, 60# DBs)
  • 7/7 Hip Abducted Evil Wheels
  • 80m Sandbag Carry (100#)

Suped-up the original weighted ab workout we did in May to get this. It was very effective!

Going to do some yard work since it’s going to be a nice day before turning tomorrow. Will probably do some woodworking later too. Looking forward to a rest day tomorrow!

Almost Twenty

Yep, my hands are feeling the muscle-ups and carries from yesterday on top of what they’ve been feeling lately. My shoulders are feeling it as well. Workout at 9:30am this morning. Usually we do long monostructural work on chest and back day. Not today since we went long yesterday.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 SkiErg (1,078m)
  • Wrist Warm-up

Handstand Balance Breakthrough

The start of week 3 already!

We didn’t time the handstand split to stacked work, but kept alternating between us with time on the wall getting a feel for the drill. It was a new challenge for sure. Probably went 6-8 times each.

Gymnastics Test

MAX Strict Pull-ups

Haven’t tried this since May 10th when I got 17. Maybe not the best day to test after doing 56 muscle-ups last night, but I was still able to get 19! And I have the 🌲 back!!

Back & Chest

Warm-up

  • 5 Pendlay Row 45
  • 5 Bench Press 45
  • 5 Bench Press 115

3 Sets

  • 12 Pendlay Row (115#)
  • 12 Bench Press (165#)

I could definitely feel tired in the various muscles doing these sets.

3 Sets

  • 12 Seated Cable Row (120#)
  • 12/12 Static DB Bench Press (60# DBs)

Wasn’t sure about the 60s for this, but they went well. Glad I bought them.

3 Sets

  • 10 Close Grip Chin-ups
  • 10 Weighted Ring Dips (15#)

2 Sets

  • 8-10-12 Renegade Row (Right, 50-40-30#)
  • 8-10-12 Renegade Row (Right, 50-40-30#)

Nasty. Go all three dumbbells with increasing weight on one arm before repeating with the other arm. Rest 2-3 minutes and do it again.

2 Sets

  • MAX Diamond Push-ups

Did 40 and 32 reps.

Two Short of All Unbroken

My hips and low back were a tight yesterday but overall felt good and I walked 18 holes of golf. Almost every morning, as I lay in bed and then when drinking my coffee, my hands ache. It has to be from the handstand program because I don’t remember this ever happening each day like this. Goes to show how much of handstand balancing is in your hands. We went to the park at 4pm.

Warm-up

  • 400m Run
  • 10 Kip Swings
  • 20 PVC Passes

Gymnastics

E2M – 7 Sets

  • 8 Muscle-ups

I was worried this was going to be too aggressive and kept debating what the workout should be. I’ve done eight E4M for five rounds alternating with other movements. I did 11 E3M for five rounds with the first two rounds unbroken. I wanted something I was afraid of.

I felt good through four rounds and started to feel it hitting me during round five. In round six I had to squeeze out the last two dips. In the final round I had to work for the dips in reps 5-6, I swung, and knew I wasn’t getting over the rings. I took a short break and did a single, rested 20 some seconds while Brandi did her pull-ups, and did my final single. Pretty pumped I got through six sets unbroken. At the end of December my max set was 9! I guess today would have been 50 reps in about 12:08, so I’ll note that as a benchmark. If I were to do a real test of 50 I’d start by trying five EMOM, which would be a time of around 9:20.

I think this video is some of the reps in round three.

Conditioning

30:00 AMRAP

  • 80/80m Hill Run
  • 7/7 Single DB Hang C&J (50#)
  • 15 OH Crunches (50#)
  • 20 Air Squats
  • 30 Mountain Climbers
  • 80/80m Hill Suitcase Carry (50#)
  • 7/7 Single DB Hang C&J (50#)
  • 15 OH Crunches (50#)
  • 20 Air Squats
  • 30 Mountain Climbers

My hips were not having it on the first run up the hill. I went at my pace and started to feel better for the final third of the workout. Got through the list three full times and all the way through the second set of crunches, so air squats and mountain climbers shy of finishing four rounds (or eight depending on how you look at it).

Before the Tweak

Felt pretty good this morning after another good night of sleep. Workout at 4pm.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 BikeErg (2,526m)
  • 80′ Lateral Monster Walks
  • 80′ Monster Walks

Handstand Balance Breakthrough

3 Rounds (NFT)

  • 10/10 Bottoms Up KB Press (15#)
  • 20s Handstand 90 degree Hover
  • 10 Wall-facing Handstand Sponge Shift

Went with a light kettlebell so I wouldn’t tax my shoulders too much going in to the hovers. Yesterday was frustrating and I didn’t want a repeat of that after feeling like things had been progressing so well through this program. Today was 100 times better. I was really starting to balance in that hover position and I was able to do the sponge shifts unbroken each round with the final round being my best, especially when balancing on my right side, which struggles.

Legs

4 Sets

  • 20 Walking Lunges (40# DBs)
  • 10 Good Mornings (75#)

3 Sets

  • 12 Goblet Squats (70# KB)
  • 12 DB Step-ups (24″, 50# DBs)

This superset was absolutely brutal!

Was feeling like my back was going to tweak on me after getting through to this point, so I adjusted the next superset. I’ll bet it was the good mornings. I probably shouldn’t try to do those, even though I went super light.

3 Sets

  • 20 Sumo KB Deadlifts (70#)
  • 30s Superman Hold

Conditioning

2 Rounds

  • 45s cal BikeErg
  • 15s Rest
  • 45s Push-up + DB Pull Through (50#)
  • 15s Rest
  • 45s cal BikeErg
  • 15s Rest
  • 45s Renegade Rows (50# DBs)
  • 15s Rest

First round was 17-16-18-20 and then 20-19-20-22 for the second round. My legs were on fire during round two on the bike.