Triple Five

Went to the gym in the afternoon with Molly before classes started.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 Echo Bike (50 cals)
  • 30 PVC Passes
  • Bottom Squat Hold
  • Ring Kip Swings

Gymnastics

  • 30 Muscle-ups

In January I did 3 reps every 45 seconds for a time of 6:55, so today I went every 40 seconds. Then I went 5-10 seconds early on my last two sets so I could break six minutes. Finished in 5:55 for a sweet PR. I wasn’t in danger of missing and felt good, so I can cut that down next time.

Accessory

6 Sets

  • 5 Weighted Ring Pull-ups (4×35, 2×26#)
  • 8/8 Kroc Rows (28kg)
  • 1:30 Rest

Strict ring pull-ups suck after muscle-ups and weighted ones are even worse!

3 Sets

  • 8 Pendlay Rows (supinated, 115-135-145#)
  • 1:30 Rest

These actually felt pretty good.

Midline

4 Sets

  • 6 Strict T2B
  • 20 Alternating V-ups
  • 45s Rest

It’s always weird going for that first strict toes to bar, trying to remember how to sequence it. This was absolutely fucking terrible!!! I had to break v-ups in round two and then do three sets in rounds three and four!

Gymnastics

Molly tried to help me out with handstand walking and we found some things to focus on:

  • Keep a neutral head position
  • Look with eyes (to help with head position)
  • Turn hands out
  • Push through shoulders
  • Bend knees forward to get weight going that way

Push for the W

My quads are pretty damn sore from Sunday. Went to the 4pm class.

Warm-up

  • 2:00 Row (40 cal)
  • 2 Rounds
    • 10 PVC Passes
    • 5 Kip Swings
    • 10 Air Squats
    • 5 Shoulder Press (45#)
  • Push Press
    • 10×75#
    • 5×95

Conditioning

5 Rounds

  • 10 Push Presses (115-125-145-165-175#)
  • 10 T2B
  • 15 cal Echo Bike
  • 1:30 Rest

My rounds were 1:33, 1:40, 1:45, 2:07, and 1:48 to finish at 14:53. I phoned it on in the 4th bike knowing I needed to save some energy for the final round of presses. I was able to do the first 4 rounds with quick TnG reps. In the final round I had to start pausing and reset after the 7th rep. It got tough! All toes to bars were unbroken and without wearing grips. I was planning on going up 10 pounds every round to finish with 155, but then I saw Weston jump to 135 on the 2nd set so I had to catch up and push for the W.

  • EMOM: 5 Pike HSPU (feet on 30″ box, thick mat for hands and head)
  • 150 H2H Russian KB Swings (53#)

This was programmed to be five handstand push-ups every minute and 150 American swings with 53 pounds. I have a bunch of stitches in the top of my head, so real HSPU were out of the question. I turned this into a 6 round workout of 5 and 25, which had me finish at 5:51.

300 by 40

My quads and ass started getting sore last night and I’m definitely feeling them today! Out in the garage after close to 4pm.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 Airdyne (114 cals, 2.67 km)
  • 30 PVC Passes
  • 2:00 Airdyne (44 cals, 1.05 km)

Bench Press

  • 10×45#
  • 8×135
  • 5×185
  • 3×215
  • 1×245
  • 1×275
  • 1×285
  • 1×295 (PR)
  • 1×300 (PR)

 

Man 295 was so fucking sketchy, but recovering it gave me the confidence to really go at 300. This makes seven weeks in a row hitting some kind of PR on the bench! I wrote a post with more thoughts over on nick.blog. I set this goal back on June 8th and I sure am glad it’s done. Now I can concentrate on some other stuff.

2019-12-16-bench-cycles.png

Conditioning

4 Rounds

  • 500m Ski Erg
  • 1:00 Rest

My times were 1:50, 1:50, 1:49.9, and 1:49.9.

Leg Grinder

On Thursday night my obliques started getting sore from the Russian twists on Wednesday. I can’t remember the last time I felt those. On Friday I had a minor procedure to remove some cysts and needed a rest day anyway. Stayed up late watching the President’s Cup that night, so I didn’t make it to the gym yesterday morning. I did almost 3 hours of yard work (yes, in December) and ended up making it a second rest day. Went to open gym at 10 today

Accessory

3 Sets

  • 15 Reverse Hyper (50#)
  • 25 Banded Hamstring Curls (small blue)

Conditioning

3 Rounds

  • 50 Air Squats
  • 40 Walking Lunges
  • 30 Squat Jumps
  • 20 Plyo Lunges
  • 10 Tuck Jumps
  • 1.25 mile Echo Bike

This is a modification of a RedPill Training workout, swapping a 1 km run out for the bike and lowering it from 4 rounds. I didn’t want anything that hit the upper body in order to fully rest for testing bench press tomorrow. I think my splits were 8:37, 18:06, and 27:29.

Don’t Bust Your Face

I was still feeling the tightness in the middle of my upper back last night and again this morning. The thing in my right hip hasn’t completely cleared out either. Went to 4pm class.

Warm-up

  • 3 Sets
    • 15 Reverse Hyper (50#)
    • Bottom Squat Hold
  • 2:00 Row (40 cals)
  • 3 Rounds
    • 10 PVC Passes
    • Front Rack Stretch
    • 10 Air Squats
    • World’s Greatest Stretch
    • 5 HR Push-ups

Strength

Front Squat

  • 10×45#
  • 5×135
  • 5×185
  • 3×205
  • 3×225
  • 2×245
  • 2×255

I think I started belting up with 185 just to be safe. Was definitely starting to feel heavy with 225 and I could feel that my core isn’t used to supporting the load. It’s nice to start squatting some weight again.

5 Sets

  • 6/6 Kroc Rows (70#)

The rows were done right after the first five sets of rows.

Conditioning

15:00

  • Buy-in: 50 cal Row
  • AMRAP
    • 30 H2H KB Swings (53#)
    • 20 Plate Burpees (55# comp plate)
    • 10 Front Rack Lunges (115#)

I did the row in 2:20 and then got through 3 rounds, the swings, and 10 of the burpees for 3+40. Rx was American KBS, so I figured the hand-to-hand would be a similar fatigue. The plate burpees are awkward and I didn’t find a good rhythm until I sprinted through my final 10, where I kind of did them with my face over the top of the plate so my feet were right there when I jumped them up and then on to the plate.

Rest day tomorrow.

Climbing Cleans & Bench

I woke up with my right feeling like it’s out of place or I need to crack the joint. Haven’t been able to relieve it all day though. My lats seem to be sore again! Went to the 4pm class.

Warm-up

  • 40 cal Row
  • 2 Rounds
    • 10 PVC Passes
    • 10 HR Push-ups
    • 10 Air Squats
    • 10 Ring Rows
  • Power Clean
    • 6×45
    • 3×95
    • 3×135
    • 3×165
  • Bench Press
    • 6×45
    • 6×135
    • 3×165

Conditioning

5 Rounds

  • 3 Power Cleans (climbing)
  • 3 Bench Press (climbing)
  • 20 cal Echo Bike
  • 2:00 Rest

I used 185-195-205-215-225 on the cleans and 185-195-215-225-240 on the bench. Went out too hard on the bike and paid for it. My round times were 1:06, 1:21, 1:51, 1:59, and 1:26 to finish at 15:43 on the clock. I ran out of time changing weights before round 3 so didn’t get my belt on, so then I just kept it on the rest of the way. Both lifts felt good and I did all touch-n-go cleans.

Midline

10:00 EMOM (alt)

  • T2B
  • Russian Twists (30# DB)

Tried to work for 40-45 seconds and wore my grips. I went 10-7, 7-5-3, 5-5-3, 5-3-3-2, and 5-3-3-3 on the toes to bars and really fought not to do any singles. I am not a fan of using a dumbbell for the twists because I can’t find a good way to hold it. I did 50, 44, 40, 40, and 44 and those got a lot harder than I expected.

Bench 2RM

I was still pretty sore in my upper back yesterday from the muscle-ups and a bit is lingering even today. It was a much needed rest day yesterday. Out in the garage after 3pm without being able to preheat the garage since the truck battery is dead and we had to push it out to set up the rack. Brrr!!!

Bench Press

  • 6×45#
  • 6×135
  • 4×165
  • 2×195
  • 2×225
  • 2×245
  • 2×260
  • 2×270
  • 2×275
  • 2×280 (PR)

Last cycle I did 2×255, 2×260, 2x1x260 (failed 2nd rep of first set), and 2x1x265. Crushed those numbers and hit a New 2RM by five pounds! Two and a half years ago I did 2×275 and then 290 a week later, so I should be close to a 300# max, especially considering the fatigue from those muscle-ups.

bench-estimated-max.png

To be honest I’m getting sick of benching, which I’ve been doing for over 6 months now through three cycles of the No B.S. Bench Press program. I’m glad this was the last week of the cycle. All that’s left now is to hit 300 by the 26th!

After running the battery over to Autozone for a full charge I jumped on the bike.

Conditioning

40:00 Airdyne

Really easy pace at 66-68 RPM, getting 928 calories and 21.64 km.

Accessory Sunday

My upper back and shoulders are really sore. It’s tough putting on a jacket. Went to check out the new location for the gym this morning and then in for 10am open gym.

Warm-up

  • 30 cal Echo Bike
  • PVC Passes
  • HS Hold
  • HS Walking

Gymnastics Strength

5 Rounds

  • 15s Strict HSPU
  • 45s Rest
  • 15s Hand Release Push-ups
  • 45s Rest

I had planned on strict ring dips, but when I tried a few out, they were rough after those Friday muscle-ups. I don’t really need to be rubbing on the straps either because my arms are pretty raw and scabbing up. So I subbed in the HR push-ups. My handstand push-ups were even a struggle, getting 11-9-7-6-6. I did 12-11-11-10-11 on the hand releases.

Accessory

4 Sets

  • 12 Banded KBS (35-35-44-44, red)
  • 8/8 Lateral Step-ups (30”)

4 Sets

  • 8 Barbell Curls (70#)
  • 8 DB Skull Crushers (35#)

Midline

Side Plank

  • 3 x 20 seconds w/ 10 second rests (all 3 on one side, then switch)
  • 1:00 Rest
  • 2 x 20 seconds w/ 10 second rests
  • 1:00 Rest
  • 1 x 20 seconds w/ 10 second rests

2 Sets

  • 10 Pallof Presses + 10 Rotations (per side)

3 Sets

  • 20s RKC Plank
  • 1:00 Rest

Did a little more handstand walking practice and I just wasn’t getting that forward lean going enough. Need to start working on it once a week.

No metcon today, which was nice. I definitely need a rest day tomorrow.

Try Hanging On

I didn’t sleep very well last night. My hands and pretty smoked and can already feel tightness in my upper back. Miss doing partner workouts so I went in at 9am.

Warm-up

  • Plank Cuban Shuffle
  • 45# Snatches, C&J, Thrusters
  • 95# Snatches, C&J

Partner Workout

  • 2 Rounds
    • 400m Row
    • 25 Power C&J (135#)
  • 2 Rounds
    • 50 cal Assault Bike
    • 25 Thrusters (135#)
  • 2 Rounds
    • 50 cal Row
    • 25 Power Snatches (135#)

I worked with Tom, who scaled his weights a bit. We also had a 3rd guy, but he worked at the same time as me. We split the row at 200m down the middle, calories 15-10, and barbell in fives everywhere. With doing fives it meant I did 15 reps in the first round and 10 in the second. I think I did one set of singles somewhere on the C&J and then started with singles on the snatches before hanging on unbroken the rest of the way. Good challenge with my grip feeling like it was. We finished at 27:35. I thought the thrusters would feel the worst, but they ended up feeling really good. Snatches got tough at the end.

Seventy Seven

No issues with my back after yesterday. 👍 Went in at 3pm for muscle-up work with Molly.

Warm-up

  • 50 cal Echo Bike
  • Bottom Squat Hold
  • Ring Swings

Gymnastics

Muscle-ups

  • 6×3
  • 6×4

**Rest as needed

Felt good and I easily hit every set.

Gymnastics Conditioning

20:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 10 cal Echo Bike
  • 3 MU
  • 8 Burpees
  • 4 MU

I’m not calling this conditioning because the bike and burpees weren’t at a fast pace. It was all about getting the muscle-ups done. 77 muscle-ups in a day is a huge number for me, so happy that I was able to hit all of my sets unbroken. I did have to start focusing more on my kip and a strong pull though. My 1st rep catches got iffy on several of these too. My grip is blown and I’m going to have some nice burns on my arms from the ring straps.

Accessory

4 Sets

  • 8 Strict Ring Pull-ups
  • 8/8 Kroc Row (60# DB)
  • 90s Rest

This might have been the worst part because my hands were hurting so much and I had no pull left.