Head Case

My hamstrings are a little sore from the good mornings. Was up at 5:30 to take Mom and Dad to the airport. Hit up Open Gym in Bay City to lift.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 Bottom Squat Hold
  • 3×50 Band Pulls
  • Stretching

OLY

  • 45# Position Work
  • 4x3x95# Muscle Cleans
  • Cleans w/ blocks at the knee
    • 2x2x135#
    • 2x3x155#
    • 2x2x185#
    • 2x2x205#
    • 2×215#
    • 5x1x225#

I started to hit that mental barrier at 225#. So stupid! I just did a 255# power clean from the hang too weeks ago and I’m afraid of 225#. After a couple of false starts and iffy attempts, I convinced myself to stop being a pussy, pull, and drop under the bar. Last few reps were much better with confidence. I hadn’t done 225# from the blocks before so that was good. I am such a head case though and still think about those near-disaster PR cleans of the past. I need to get comfortable dropping under the bar to squat them and today was a good step back to it.

Back Squats

I didn’t plan on squatting, but Kevin was doing some and it was nothing crazy, so I jumped in with him.

  • 5×205#
  • 5×235#
  • 3x5x262.5#

That 2 hours flew by! Finished up with another 5:00 bottom squat.

Conditioning

Got out the sled when I got home. 140# total after adding 115# of bumpers and I also wore the 20# weight vest. Went 0.51 miles in 13:01.

Did a final squat hold of 3:00 to make 23 minutes on the day since I had done a couple of 5s in the morning.

Gut It Out

Needed that rest day yesterday. I got a massage from Cora and had laser therapy on my shoulder. I also did 4 sets of a 5:00 bottom squat hold throughout the day and some hip/couch stretching at night. Knees feel a little “creaky” this morning.

Out in the garage this morning to attack the plan early.

Warm-up

3:00 Bottom Squat Hold

Back Squats

chest-up

  • 10×45#
  • 5×135#
  • 5×225#
  • 3×245#
  • 3×275#
  • 10:00 EMOM 2×295# (Rapid Fire!)

After I got through the 5th rapid fire set I figured there was no way I was finishing unless I increased the rest. Finished without making adjustments, but it was one hell of a grind. Writing a nice reminder on the board right in front of me helped a lot since I didn’t have anyone there to yell at me.

I went immediately into a 5:00 squat hold. :-/ Felt really good actually.

Good Mornings

E2M 12:00

  • 6×135#

Really focused on driving up be engaging the hamstrings and glutes. Did another squat hold of 3:00.

Double Under Challenge

7 Rounds

  • MAX Unbroken DU (Only count 30+ as a set)
  • 1:30 Rest

I got 60-69-75-69-90-45-71 with only 2 misses. I dad a 24 going for the 2nd set and a 5 going for the 6th set. Was good work on larger sets instead of always hitting that 30-40 range and artificially stopping. Good way to start the final week of 1,000+ double unders with 508! I’m aiming for 1,500+ this week.

Yep, another 2:00 squat hold.

Conditioning

3 Rounds

  • 1:00 Air Dyne (AD2)
  • 2:00 Rest

Short and sweet, but very intense! I got 60, 57, and 56 calories. Finished with one more 2:00 squat hold for a total of 15 minutes. I’ll try for a 6:00 one later to get over 20 and set a single set time record.

Leg Limits

My shoulder feels back to “normal” again, meaning that it’s feeling like it had been for the last month and more. Low back is sore from deadlifts, maybe some from the bottom squat holds and GHD sit-ups. Hit up the 9am class.

Warm-up

  • 2:00 Bottom Squat Hold
  • Leg Swings

Strength

Front Squats with 3s pause on 1st and 5th reps of 5 working sets

  • 5×45#
  • 5×135#
  • 5×185#
  • 4x5x225# (w/ pauses)
  • 5×235# (w/ pauses)

Holy shit balls! When I did that first set with 225# I wasn’t sure I’d even be able to do all 5 sets with that weight. My upper back starts to round when I come out of the hole, especially as I get deeper in a set. Hopefully the bottom squat holds will help my positioning and strength in the upright position.

Front Rack Lunges

  • 6/6 @ 135#
  • 6/6 @ 135#
  • 6/6 @ 155#

The prescription was to use 50% of our heaviest from the front squats, but that would have been way too light. Gotta push it!

Conditioning

20:00 EMOM

  • Odds: 12 Box Jumps (30″, no rebounding)
  • Evens: 15 cal Row

I was finishing the box jumps at about 37 seconds each time and maybe a little more on the rower. I could really feel my calves on fire after that was over. No surprise with all of the double unders I’ve been doing. I still need to get 300 more before Saturday though!

Cool down

  • 3:00 Bottom Squat Hold
  • Calf Stretching

After lunch I said screw it, time to get those dubs out of the way so I can rest tomorrow.

Every 15 seconds for 8:00

  • 10 DU

Something a little different with just short sets, but figured it would be good after all of the box jumps this morning. When I didn’t miss it was a 1:2 Work:Rest, which was good. I probably missed during 8 of the sets. Not good, but my calves have had a rough couple of days. Week 3 of DUBS is in the books with 1,346.

I gutted out a 5:00 bottom squat hold, so only need to get in 5 more minutes tonight.

Shoulder Depression

My shoulder has not been the greatest yesterday or today. So sick of it!

Warm-up

  • Zombie Kicks
  • Leg Swings
  • Band Scap Retrations
  • Band Reverse Flys

Strength

5×5 Deadlifts @ 70-80%

  • 10×135#
  • 5×225#
  • 5×315#
  • 5×345#
  • 5×375#
  • 5×385#
  • 5×405#

Felt solid. No back issues.

Shrugs

  • 3x5x225#
  • 2x5x255#
  • 2x5x285#
  • 5×315#

Took 10:00 for this since I couldn’t do the MAX strict pull-ups everyone was else was doing.

Conditioning

3 Rounds

  • ~350m (3 rectangles at SF)
  • 21 Power Cleans (115#)

Did power cleans instead of 95# snatches. Paced the first set too much by going 6-5-5-5, then went 8-7-6 the last two sets without much of a problem. Tried to push a little extra on the last run. Finished in 10:43.

After class I did a 3:00 bottom squat hold.

Throughout the day I did more bottom squat holds: 3:00, 2:00, 3:00.

After an adjustment and laser therapy I hit up some work in the garage. My supraspinatus is aggravated again, so probably why the last two days I’ve been feeling the shoulder.

16:00 EMOM

  • Odds: 40 DU
  • Evens: 15 GHD Sit-ups

Planned to go for 20:00 but my back was starting to feel iffy and didn’t want to push it after deadlifting this morning. Those 320 dubs bring me to 1,026 for week 3, so already over my mark, but I want to keep getting more than the previous week, so it’ll be 1,300+. I was feeling a little weak in the jumps with the rope today and after sitting down I’m feeling my calves. I wouldn’t think that bit of running today would have done anything, but maybe the bottom squat holds are to blame.

3 Rounds

  • 1:00 Bottom Squat Hold
  • 1:00 Rest

I’ll get in a couple more minutes to get over 15 total and will also do some of the couch stretch tonight.

Knock Knock Noggin

Woke up wish a pounding headache in the middle of the night and it didn’t start going away until late afternoon. So I didn’t make it to the 9am. The workout was bench press and a bunch of bear complexes, so instead of going in for a night class and having to modify everything, I decided to do some stuff in the garage around 5pm.

Warm-up

3:00 Air Dyne

Conditioning

Running Clock…

  • 0:00 – 0:30 Air Dyne (:30)
  • 0:30 – 1:15 Rest (:45)
  • 1:15 – 2:15 AD (1:00)
  • 2:15 – 3:45 Rest (1:30)
  • 3:45 – 5:15 AD (1:30)
  • 5:15 – 7:30 Rest (2:15)
  • 7:30 – 9:30 AD (2:00)
  • 9:30 – 12:30 Rest (3:00)
  • 12:30 – 14:30 AD (2:00)
  • 14:30 – 16:45 Rest (2:15)
  • 16:45 – 18:15 AD (1:30)
  • 18:15 – 19:45 Rest (1:30)
  • 19:45 – 20:45 AD (1:00)
  • 20:45 – 21:30 Rest (:45)
  • 21:30 – 22:00 AD (:30)

Notice how the work rest just goes backwards after the 3:00 rest in the middle. I used my AD2 and accumulated 456 calories.

Midline & Mobility

5 Rounds NFT

  • 60s Plank
  • 90s Bottom Squat Hold
  • 30s Shoulder Box Stretch

Shoulder Box Stretch?

shoulder-box-stretch

Place your arms shoulder width apart on a 20″-24″ box. Keeping your head neutral (look at the floor, don’t bury your chin in your chest) push your shoulders open as far as possible driving your head and chest to the floor. The stretch should come from your shoulders and thoracic spine, not your lumbar spine. Again, be patient. You’ll probably look more like the lower image than the upper image when you start out.
Image and description via The Outlaw Way – Connectivity 140418

While watching TV at night I did 3 long bottom squat holds of about 2:30-3:00 each to total 15 minutes for the day. I also did some of the couch/hip stretch, though I missed the first part now that I watch the video again.

I’m going to shoot for at least 15 minutes a day of the bottom squat hold and some of the hip stretch while watching TV at night. I don’t have any serious problems with these areas, but I could be better. Might as well do something useful while watching TV and I need to take breaks from work during the day.

Lighter & Stronger

Hips and legs are a little sore. Hips probably from the long sled drag and legs probably from the Landford Couplets. I’m down 10# in the first two weeks of the challenge, with about a month to go. I’m the lightest I’ve been since last June. Weighed in at 192.5# this morning, so the 180s are right around the corner. I’m feeling good too.

Warm-up

5 Round Tabata Mash-up

  • Jingle Jangles
  • Air Squats

Strength

5×5 Back Squats @ 70-80%

  • 10×45#
  • 5×135#
  • 3×205#
  • 5×255#
  • 5×265#
  • 5×275#
  • 5×280#
  • 5×285#

Bumped up past the 80%. 🙂 Grind, but a good grind. Don’t want them to be easy. Glad to see the strength is still there at the lower body weight. That was 35# more (counting each set as just the weight used) for the 5 sets than I used last month. Matt kept reminding me to keep my chest up, which really helped.

Conditioning

25:00 AMRAP

  • 3 Rounds
    • 10 Burpees
    • 30 DU
  • 1:1 Rest

My goal was consistency since 25:00 is a long time. Sure, the built-in rest helps, but there is still a chance of completely blowing out. My round times were 2:59-2:48-3:02-2:55 and then I got 1 round plus 10 burpees and 16 dubs before time ran out. So that was 140 burpees and 406 double unders. Good workout for my DU Quest. Brings me to 706 for week 3. Another strand of the cable broke off on my jump rope, so I guess I’ll just use the replacement cable now. I may have to invest in a coated cable if this keeps happening.

After class, I stayed for some heavy sled drags.

  • 50m with 200#
  • 50m with 245#
  • 50m with 270#
  • 50m with 270#
  • 50m with 270#

It was about 25m down and then back. I didn’t time anything and probably rested a couple of minutes between each effort.

Is Spring Here?

With the forecast calling for highs around 70° Sunday and Monday I think spring may finally be here! My traps are still really sore. My weight was down to 194.3 pounds, which was surprising with all of the fried fish and beer I had yesterday for lunch. I’ve lost all of the vacation weight and more in less than 2 weeks. Onwards to 185-188 now!

2014-04-19-withings-chart

I hit a workout in the garage around 10:30.

Conditioning

5 Rounds

  • 200m Run (20# Weight Vest)
  • 10 GHD Sit-ups (20# Weight Vest)

Damn, running really sucks with that extra weight. When I took off from the garage my body really wanted to heel strike. Kept up a pretty consistent pace and finished in 7:50.

Skill

I rested 5 minutes and then did 300 double unders for time. Took me 4:30, which is 5 seconds slower than the last time. I contacted RPM about the cable issue and they are sending me a replacement. I was able to remove the loose strand and the cable didn’t seem to act any different, so I’ll probably keep the replacement until I need it. Good start to week 3 of 1,000+ DU.

Midline

5:00 E30S

  • Hollow Hold Feet/Hands

Much harder with only that 30 seconds of rest.

Accessory

3×50 Band Pulls (Red)

Trying to get a little scap work in.

Went to Survival Fitness at 1:30 for weightlifting club.

Muscle Cleans

  • 3x3x95#

Cleans

  • 2×125#
  • 2×155#
  • 2×185#
  • 1×195#
  • 1×205#
  • 5x1x215#

Concentrated on getting the bar to the power position, which I completely missed with that hang power clean this week. Took all cleans into the full squat too so I can get comfortable dropping under the weight again. Should have taken a video or two.

Langford Couplet Squats

Do 2 front squats, rack it, and immediately do 5 back squats. I did 205-225-245-265-275. I chickened out and didn’t go for 285 on the last set like I planned. Probably a good thing though because it was rough to finish as it was.

Clean Deadlifts

  • 2x3x285#
  • 3x3x305#

Lost feeling in my left thumb on the final set. That has never happened before.

Fish Fry-day

My traps have never been as sore as they are today from all of the hang cleans. I must have been shrugging the shit out of that bar.

Was planning to make today a rest day, but after going to a fish fry for lunch and having a few beers, I figured I’d better pay a little, so I went to open gym.

Tempo (3-5-X-1) Front Squats

  • 5×45#
  • 2×115#
  • 2×155#
  • 2×175#
  • 2×205#
  • 2×215#
  • 2×225#
  • 1×235#
  • 1×245#

I really suck at these, but that tempo is pretty rough. I’ll squat something heavy tomorrow.

Sled Drag

I put 95# on the 25# sled. Went about 0.75 miles in 15:25 according to RunKeeper. It was 3 wide laps in each direction around the parking lot.

Mobility

I grabbed a 35# KB and did 2 rounds of 1:00 hold with each arm, while laying on the ground. For the second round I grabbed a couple of 45# plates and butterflied out my legs with the weight on top to help open up my hips.

Breaking Mental Barriers

Got some adjustments and laser therapy at the chiropractor yesterday. Also started using my TENS unit again and am now icing too. I’ll try anything to heal this shoulder and get back in the game. Joe (the chiro) thinks it’s just an issue with my shoulder in the capsule from the exam and x-rays. Going back again this afternoon.

Feeling good. Nothing sore. In for the 9am and then rest day tomorrow.

Warm-up

Tabata Mash-ups (4 Rounds)

  • Air Squats / Bottom Squat Hold
  • Shoulder Stuff like arm circles and stretching
  • Zombie Kicks

OLY

Work up to a heavy hang clean.

  • 3×95#
  • 2×135#
  • 2×155#
  • 2×175#
  • 1×195#
  • 1×205#
  • 1×225#
  • F,1×235# (head not ready for the lift)
  • 1×245#
  • 1×255#

Just last week I did a power clean from the floor with 245# for the first time and today I beat it from the hang position. Not the prettiest lift because I completely miss the power position, but I crossed a big mental barrier with that lift. The most I’ve ever cleaned is that same 255#, so I have a lot more in the tank when I can get my head ready to start dropping under it fully again. Need to start working on heavy cleans.

Conditioning

21-15-9

  • Hang Cleans @ 65% (165#)
  • Burpees

I started out with 8 unbroken, which may have been a mistake. I think I maybe did a set of 5 next and then was pretty much triples, maybe with a set of 4 somewhere the rest of the way. Took me 8:17 to finish, last in the class! Also the heaviest though.

Skill

10:00 AMRAP

  • 50-40-30-20-10 DU
  • 1:1 Rest

Going from 10 back into 50 was 5 seconds of rest! I completed 2 rounds plus 50, 40, and 27 for a total of 417 dubs. That smokes past 1,000 for the week with a total of 1,237 for week 2. One of the wire strands came loose today on my cable though. That kind of sucks.