60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 4 Day 5

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting.

Work continues on the garage gym. I put a Phillips screwdriver bit through my thumb today and made a nice canyon. Won’t be hook gripping anytime soon, so it’s good this last week was max week. All that’s left to do is hang up the dry erase board and some poster type things and then clean the garage because the dust from cutting is everywhere.

A lot of stuff to get done in the programming today so I split it up into two sessions. First session started out in the garage by myself before 2 and was done just after 3.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 DU Practice
  • 45# Clean Positions

Muscle Clean

  • 3×105#
  • 2x3x115#
  • 2x3x125#

Snatch

  • 2×95#
  • 2×115#
  • 2×135#
  • 1×145#
  • 1×150#
  • 1×160#
  • 3x1x170#

I made the first 170# with a save in the hole, but couldn’t pull out the last two. Shoulder area is pretty beat from building ladder storage last night. Hours of work overhead!

Clean

  • 2×125#
  • 2×150#
  • 2×175#
  • 1×190#
  • 1×200#
  • 1×215#
  • 3x1x225#

Felt pretty good considering I couldn’t hook grip. The programming had clean & jerks, but since I screwed up yesterday and with beat shoulders I made an executive decision to just go with cleans today.

Gymnastics

10:00 EMOM

  • 5 C2B Pull-ups

Did them on the rack and it wasn’t too bad. Had to adjust my kip so that I wouldn’t hit the ground with my feet. Did all rounds unbroken though. Still need to figure out butterfly chest to bar pull-ups before the Open.

Back out in the garage at 6pm for part 2.

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting.

Back Squat

  • 20×45#
  • 2×205#
  • 2×240#
  • 2×270#
  • 2×290#
  • 2x2x305#

5 Rounds

  • 5 Reverse Hypers (green band on GHD)
  • 5 GHD Sit-ups

Had to improvise since I don’t have a Reverse Hyper machine (I might make a ghetto one to fit on the rack). They were kind of cool with the band. You could hold a bit at the top and squeeze more.

Conditioning

3 Rounds

  • 1:00 Air Dyne (AD2)
  • 10 HR Push-ups
  • 5/5 One-arm KBS (not alternating, 53# KB)
  • 90s Rest

The AD wrecked me to the point where I couldn’t breathe enough to knock out the push-ups. Had to take a breathing break at 5 or 6 reps and they were slow reps. My rounds were 1:54, 2:08, 1:55. I went all out on the first round of AD, which killed me. Quads were burning early in the 2nd and 3rd round. It was programmed to be 250m rows, but all I have is an AD. 1:00 is longer than 250m rows would take, but I could use the extra work. Found out from this that my conditioning isn’t the greatest, so might have to mess around with adding some more here and there over the second half of the program.

Week 4 is done! Added 15# to my total so far, with a lot of room for improvement in the C&J.

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 4 Day 4

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. Over to Kevin’s at 3 to lift.

Warm-up

  • PVC pass-thrus
  • Scap work
  • 45# Snatch Positions

Muscle Snatch

  • 3×75#
  • 2x3x85#
  • 2x3x95#

Clean & Jerk

  • 2×125#
  • 2×150#
  • 2×175#
  • 1×190#
  • 5x1x200#

Was only supposed to be cleans. Whoops. Makes up a little for skipping Tuesday, which had jerks from blocks, I guess.

Front Squat

  • 2×185#
  • 2×220#
  • 2×250#
  • 2×265#
  • 2x2x280#

Skipped these yesterday, so got them in today. I failed on the final rep of the day again with this front squat series. Ugh!!

Took off, but got the sit-ups done when I got home.

Sit-ups

100-50-25 with 2:00 rest between sets.

My times were 3:12, 1:38, and 0:46. The AbMat was sliding back on me really bad on top of the puzzle mats, which slowed me down. Not too far off my 3:02 record though. The programming had 3 MAX effort sets, but that would destroy me for a week, so I modified. I’m usually sore for days from 150 sit-ups, so this 175 is going to be bad enough.

Tomorrow is a lot of work, so I think I might split it up into two sessions.

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 4 Day 3

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting.

Had a nice relaxing Xmas yesterday and even took a nap. Max snatch day today, on my 34th birthday!!

Warm-up

  • Band stretching
  • PVC pass-thrus
  • 45# Snatch Position Work, Muscle Snatches, and Snatches
  • 2×75# Snatch

Snatch

  • 2×95#
  • 2×115#
  • 2×135#
  • 1×145#
  • 1×150#
  • 1×160#
  • 1×170#
  • 1×180#
  • Fx190#
  • 1×190#
  • 1×195# (PR)
  • 3Fx200#
  • 1×200# (PR)

Bodyweight snatch club! Been fighting for that 195# for months now and got it on the first try today. Feels good!

Clean & Jerk

  • 2×135#
  • 2×150#
  • 2×175#
  • 1×190#
  • 1×200#
  • 1×215#
  • Fx225#
  • 1×225#

Was thinking too much again on that 225# and missed the clean. Got right back on it though and made the lift.

Decided to hold off on the programmed front squats off until tomorrow since it’s a really light day and was already feeling the fatigue from all of the attempts.

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 4 Day 2

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. I’m up at my parents for a couple of days, so no access to bumpers and a bar. Just fine by me because I could use some rest. Legs are feeling yesterday’s workout. Did some of the CrossFit and ab stuff from other days though.

10:00 EMOM

  • 5 Strict HSPU

It was programmed to do 3, but I knew that would be too easy. 6 Would have been tough to finish, so 5 ended up being perfect.

MAX Band Pulls

Damn, what a burn! I fought to get to 200 and they were really slowing down in the last 30 reps.

5 Rounds

  • 10s Hollow Rock Hold
  • 10s Back Arch Hold
  • 20s Rest

Fun, but I probably could have gone for 15 seconds each.

Complete rest day tomorrow. Merry Xmas!!

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 4 Day 1

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. I skipped day 5 of week 3. After staining the new platform on Saturday night, I woke up with a headache yesterday. The fumes got from the garage and took over the entire house. My body was feeling pretty beat from all of the work on the garage too. Then when I saw the programming for week 4 (Max Test Week!), I was glad I’d taken the day off yesterday, so I could hit it hard today before heading up to my parents for a couple of days.

Out in the garage at 10am with Alex. First day using the new platform! Still a lot of cleanup and some organizing work, but should have everything done in the garage gym by the end of the week or weekend.

Warm-up

  • PVC work
  • Various stretching
  • Snatch 2×75#

Snatch

  • 2×95#
  • 2×115#
  • 2×135#
  • 1×145#
  • 1×150#
  • 1×160#
  • 1×170#

I made a comment to Alex that the 135# double felt heavy, so I stopped thinking after that and the lifts felt good. I’m excited for max snatching on Thursday after a couple relaxing days.

Clean & Jerk

  • 2×125#
  • 2×150#
  • 2×175#
  • 1×190#
  • 1×200#
  • 1×215#
  • 1×225#
  • 1×240#
  • 1×255# (PR)
  • Fx265#

Was supposed to hit a PR match at 250#, but I asked myself what the point was and added another 5#. Glad I did too. Jerk was pretty ugly, landing with a flat back foot and not really dropping under the bar much, but I got it. Felt tired with the 265# even though it was probably plenty high enough. Decided to take the win and move along.

Back Squat

  • 2×205#
  • 2×240#
  • 2×270#
  • 2×290#
  • 2x2x305#

Clean Deadlift

  • 5x2x260#

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 3 Day 4

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting.

Yesterday was one of my rest days, but there wasn’t much rest going on. Dad came down Thursday night and we spent the last two days doing some renovations in the garage and improving the garage gym. Hopefully I’ll have it finished and can share some pictures tomorrow.

I debated taking the day off since my back is pretty sore and I’m beat from all of the other work. Since it was a light day though, I figured it would be good to get some blood moving. Worked out a little after 7pm with Alex.

Warm-up

  • PVC pass-thrus
  • 45# Snatch Positions
  • 65# & 95# Snatches

Snatch from Below Knee

  • 5x2x135#

Felt heavy.

Clean & Jerk

  • 2×125#
  • 2×150#
  • 2×175#
  • 6×190#

Cleans felt good, but I decided to dial it back a bit before even starting. Was programmed to be 1×190# and 5x1x200#.

Seated Good Mornings

  • 3×145#
  • 3×165#
  • 3×175#
  • 3×185#
  • 3×195#

Didn’t get crazy since my back has been through a lot in the last two days.

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 3 Day 3

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. Feeling pretty good today, with nothing really sore. Out in the garage in the afternoon by myself.

Warm-up

  • 3 Rounds
    • 20s Handstand Hold
    • 5 Strict Chin-ups
    • 10s Hollow Rock Hold
  • 5×95# Push Press

Jerk Balance

  • 3×125#
  • 3×135#
  • 3×145#
  • 3×155#
  • 3×165#

Snatch

  • 2×95#
  • 2×115#
  • 2×135#
  • 1×145#
  • 1×155#
  • 4x1x165#

Felt a little off towards the end (maybe tired?) but made all of the lifts. Starting to feel more comfortable in the bottom again.

Clean & Jerk

  • 2×125#
  • 2×150#
  • 2×175#
  • 1×190#
  • 1×200#
  • 4x1x215#

Jerks felt weak again. Could have been from the jerk balances I guess. Cleans were pretty explosive.

Back Squat

  • 2×205#
  • 2×240#
  • 2×270#
  • 3x2x290#

No misses today. Tried to keep my elbows forward and explode out of the hole; no hesitation.

Conditioning

12:00 EMOM

  • Odds – 8 Pistols (alternating)
  • Evens – 20 Band Pulls (red)

Did 50 band pulls at the end. Pistols were good for not doing them in ages. Off balance here and there, but I’d already been in the squat a ton.

10:00 EMOM

  • 10 Burpees (Max reps in 10th minute)

I went 100% in the first 5 minutes (22-25 seconds), slowed to a 35-40 second pace for the next 4 minutes, and was able to get 18 burpees in the 10th. Not going to lie, this felt rough. Doing this after 2 hours of other work sure doesn’t help and I know I wasn’t all there because I have easily done 10 burpees in 19-20 seconds.

Ready for the rest day!

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 3 Day 2

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. Over to Kevin’s in the afternoon to lift. The Reverse Hypers were programmed for day 5, but he’ll be out of town, so I swapped the seated good mornings from today.

Warm-up

  • Scap work
  • 2:00 Air Dyne
  • 45# Clean Positions
  • 95# Clean Positions

Muscle Clean

  • 3×125#
  • 3x3x135#
  • 3×145#

Power Snatch

  • 2×95#
  • 2×115#
  • 5x1x125#

Power Clean + Push Jerk

  • 2+1×95#
  • 2+1×115#
  • 2+2×145#
  • 5×2+1×175#

Lifts felt solid. Little tight in the left shoulder during push jerks. The power cleans and push jerk were a nice change of pace from the normal clean and jerk.

Reverse Hyper

  • 10×95#
  • 2x5x160#
  • 5×210#
  • 2x5x250#

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 3 Day 1

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. Out in the garage just after 10 by myself for the start of week 3, with a focus on 85% for the week.

Warm-up

Shoulder Pre-hab

  • Scap band work
  • 5×45# Shoulder Press
  • 5×95# Shoulder Press

Split Press

  • 2x4x125#
  • 4×130#
  • 2x4x135#

Have been bumping up the total weight on these each week. Not easy though, so they turn out to be solid work.

Snatch

  • 2×95#
  • 2×115#
  • 2×135#
  • 1×145#
  • 1×155#
  • 4x1x165#

Felt pretty good with the snatch today.

Clean & Jerk

  • 2×125#
  • 2×150#
  • 2×175#
  • 1×190#
  • 1×200#
  • 2x1x215#

Cleans felt powerful, but jerks still feel awkward.

Front Squat

  • 2×185#
  • 2×220#
  • 2×250#
  • 2×280#
  • 1×295#
  • Miss 310#
  • Miss 300#
  • 2x1x285#

Fuck! We were supposed to do 4 singles at 100%, but I failed the first, so dropped some weight and missed that. Struggled to get the 285# singles.

Made all of my other lifts for the day, so I guess there’s that to look at as a win. Kind of a downer with the front squats though.

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 2 Day 5

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. Hit up the garage gym around noon.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 Jump Rope and DU
  • 45# Snatch Positions

First try using my new 9’4″ Rx Jump Rope (1″ shorter than I’ve been using since this summer) and I nailed 100 unbroken DU! Finally hit the century mark! 🙂 Reeled off a set of 73 the next try.

Muscle Snatch

  • 2×75#
  • 2x2x85#
  • 3x2x95#
  • 2×105#

Muscle Clean

  • 3×105#
  • 2x3x125#
  • 3x3x135#

Power Snatch from above the knee (Demo Video)

  • 2×95#
  • 2×115#
  • 2×135#
  • 1×145#
  • 1×155#

These felt really good! I’ve never tried 155# from a hang position before and it was easy. I think I might have done 145# from blocks with the bar starting at the knees, but not a power snatch.

Power Clean from above the knee (Demo Video)

  • 2×125#
  • 2×150#
  • 2×175#
  • 1×190#
  • 1×205#

Not as good as the snatches, at least in terms of feel.

Back Squat

  • 2×205#
  • 2×240#
  • 2×270#
  • 2×290#
  • 2x2x305#

Grinder in those last two sets. Doesn’t look as bad on video as it felt when doing the reps.

GHR

  • 4x with only bodyweight
  • 2×4 holding 5# plate
  • 4x holding 10# plate
  • 4x holding 15# plate

Either I finally figured out how to do GHRs or my hamstrings have gotten significantly stronger in the last two weeks from all of the lifting. I could barely do 5 reps without holding any weight before.

Took a quick shower and headed over to Survival Fitness for open gym.

Conditioning

Warmed up on bench press with:

  • 10×45#
  • 5×95#
  • 3×135#

Then jumped into this workout:

  • 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Bench Press (165#)
  • 4 C2B Pull-ups

Going unbroken for the set of 10 was a mistake. I think I went 5-4, 3-3-2, 4-3, 3-3, 3-2, 2-2, 3, 2, and 1 on the rest of the bench press sets. Managed to do all sets of C2B unbroken which was the goal. Would have been doubtful to do had I chosen 5 reps instead of 4. Took me 10:47 to finish because of so many breaks in the bench press. This wasn’t part of the 60 Day Challenge programming, but since there no jerks today, I was feeling good, and tomorrow is a rest day I added in the extra work.

12 Rounds

  • 20s Row for calories
  • 10s Active rest (keep the flywheel moving)

As you can see below I screwed up on the 4th work interval, so made so to go for 13 total intervals. Didn’t feel like I pushed hard enough, but that was a solid 3 hours of work.

IMG_3865

IMG_3869The program called for “Establish Max Height Box Jump” but I have a mental block that prevents me from making an attempt once I get to a certain height. So I tested my vertical jump instead. On concrete, with no step it was 24″ and taking a step into it with one foot I could get 26″. I wish I could remember what it was back in high school.

Week 2 is in the books, so that’s about 25% done with the challenge. Can’t wait to see what the programming for week 3 looks like.