Looking for More PRs

Kevin and I went to the gym at 1:00pm after classes to do some lifting. I warmed up with about a 300m run, some PVC pass-thrus, and stretching.

Cleans

  • 2 @ 95#
  • 2 @ 135#
  • 2 @ 165#
  • 1 @ 185#
  • 1 @ 205#
  • 1 @ 225#
  • 1 @ 240# (PR)
  • F @ 250#
  • 1 @ 250# (PR)

Hitting 240# was a 10# PR and was no problem. Then I psyched myself out on 250# and didn’t even try to get under it. Went again and nailed it, but had a pretty ugly first pull with my ass raising up a ton to start.

Bench Press

  • 5 @ 45#
  • 5 @ 95#
  • 3 @ 135#
  • 2 @ 185#
  • 1 @ 205#
  • F @ 230#
  • F @ 230#

On both attempts at 230#, I had the bar moving good and then my right arm just hit the brakes. Weird. I can’t even get back to my 235# PR from last November. Disappointing.

Snatch

  • 3 @ 45#
  • 2 @ 95#
  • 1 @ 115#
  • 1 @ 135#
  • 1 @ 145#
  • F @ 155#
  • F @ 155#

I should have shut it down earlier, but I was stubborn and wanted to go for it. Not trying to make excuses, but just wasn’t feeling it in the snatches at all today.

PR Week

It’s been awhile since I tested most of my lifts, so might as well test as many as possible in one week right? In at 10am this morning.

Warm-up

  • 3:00 Air Dyne
  • PVC Pass-thrus

I need to start switch up my warm-ups a bit. It’s been cardio and pass-thrus most days.

Strength

Front Squats

Coming in, I was feeling good about setting a big PR.

  • 5 @ 45#
  • 5 @ 135#
  • 3 @ 185#
  • 2 @ 225#
  • 1 @ 255#
  • 1 @ 270# (PR)
  • 1 @ 285# (PR)
  • 1 @ 295# (PR)

BOOM! 35# PR. Felt really good too.

Overhead Squats

Was looking forward to a big jump here too. Was warmed up from the front squats so went right into singles. I did 135#, 155#, 175# (PR), 185# (PR), and 200# (PR). Another 35# PR! Hell yeah!

WOD

5 Rounds of 2:30

  • 250m Row
  • 10 Thrusters (95#)
  • 10 C2B Pull-ups
  • Rest with whatever time is left

I did it Rx the first round, but had to drop to 5 C2B for the last 4 rounds so that I could get about 20 seconds of rest. Pretty tough one. The thrusters really sucked after I had done so much heavy squatting.

Finisher

Accumulate 2:00 of Ring L-sits. Each break, do 5 burpees. I held my knees up l-sits for 40-30-20-17-13 seconds each so did 20 burpees. I think it took me 5:38 to get this done.

This happened to be my 500th post on this training blog, so I had to make it an epic day right?

Struggle with the Shoulder Press

In at 10am again. Feeling good and getting a lot of great work lately without getting too sore anywhere.

Warm-up

  • 500m Row
  • PVC Pass-thrus

Strength

1 RM Shoulder Press

I haven’t tested it since November so I was looking for a PR. It’s hard to increase this damn lift though.

  • 5 @ 45#
  • 3 @ 95#
  • 2 @ 115
  • 1 @ 150
  • FAIL @ 165#
  • 1 @ 165# (PR)
  • 1 @ 155#
  • 4 @ 135#
  • 4 @ 135#

On my first attempt at 165#, my right arm just wouldn’t go and I think I was flaring out the elbow similar to my bench press problems. I struggled for it on my 2nd attempt, but got it. Didn’t even try for more, but dropped down to get in some volume.

WOD

20:00 EMOM

  • Evens: 15 cal Air Dyne
  • Odds: 7 HSPU

Rough! Most HSPU I’ve ever done in a day though and I did them all unbroken except for one round where my foot got caught on the wall after the first rep and I had to get back up on the wall.

Finisher

11 Rounds of 10 GHD Sit-ups (Rotating through 4 of us)

I have a feeling I’m going to be feeling these in my abs and my lower back for a couple of days.

Max Test Week

Since the 6 week squat program ended last week, it’s a good week to do some max effort lifts. In at 10am with a bigger group of folks than we’ve had lately.

Warm-up

  • 400m Run
  • PVC Pass-thrus
  • Hip flexor stretch

Strength

Back Squats

  • 5 @ 45#
  • 5 @ 135#
  • 3 @ 225#
  • 2 @ 275#
  • 1 @ 300#
  • 1 @ 320# (PR)
  • 1 @ 315# (we messed up, thinking it was 325#)
  • 1 @ 325# (PR)

That’s a 10# PR. I’ll take it. My ability to do more volume has really increased with the program too.

Weighted Pull-ups

5×3 E2M – I used 25#, 30#, 35#, 44#, and 49#.

OLY

I did 6 sets of 2 snatch deadlifts, using 185# with wrist straps. I really wanted to work on rising with my hips and back at the same time instead of my hips first like I tend to do in my Olympic lifts.

WOD

3 Rounds (Road Circuit, so keep a low heart rate)

  • 1m Russian KBS (35# KB)
  • 1m Jump Rope
  • 1m Box Jumps, Step down (14″)
  • 1m Air Dyne
  • 1m Hang Clean & Press (25# DBs)
  • 1m Ball Slams (15#)
  • 1m Rest

Was supposed to be 5 rounds, but I was there long enough and suggested we cut it short.

Track WOD

Tonight, we had 18 of us show up to do a workout at a local high school track.

Warm-up

  • 100m Run
  • 100m Run Backwards
  • 100m Run
  • 100m Run Backwards
  • High Knees, Butt Kicks, Power Skip, Samson Stretches, Carioca

WOD

Teams of 3, so that you rest while the other 2 people run.

  • 1x 400m
  • 2x 200m
  • 3x 100m
  • 2x 50m

Only 3/4 of a mile, but all fast paced. Good stuff.

WOD in the Park

Survival Fitness was hosting a USAW cert this weekend so I volunteered to run some out-of-the-box WODs. Saturday was an a local park with some stuff a grabbed from the gym.

Warm-up

Jog around a football field, so probably about 300-400m.

WOD

We teamed up in 3s.
20:00

  • 30m/30m Bear crawl then lunge back (Pace setter)
  • Sandbag Get-ups
  • KB Figure 8s

The combination of bear crawls and lunges was as brutal as I expected.

Finisher

Kept the same teams and did a relay.

  • Each person did a sandbag run, sprint back, KB run, sprint back, going one-at-a-time
  • All sprint over to the sandbag and KB
  • Standing back-to-back-to-back, pass sandbag around the circle 25 times in each direction.
  • All sprint back to the start
  • Each person did a sandbag run, sprint back, KB run, sprint back, going one-at-a-time

Lots of fun!

From the Blocks

Went in at 10:30 to do some Olympic lifting work.

Warm-up

  • 300m Run
  • PVC Pass-thrus
  • 10/10 Leg Swings (F-B, S-S)

OLY

Kevin had some of his jerk blocks in, so I used them to do hang snatches and cleans. It was great work and made some progress in reaching extension, especially in the snatch.

Snatch

I did a double at 95#, 2 singles at 95#, 2 singles at 105#, 6 singles at 115#, and 3 singles at 125#. Triple extension was feeling the best it ever has. Here’s a video of one of the 125# lifts. I get too high off the ground, but everything else is a big improvement.

Clean

I did 2 doubles at 135#, 3 doubles at 155#, and then 6 singles at 175#. Didn’t feel as good as the snatches, that’s for sure. I have a bigger tendency to cave my knees in on the clean and wasn’t getting the greatest hip extension. Here’s a lift at 175#.

Really took my time on the lifts and probably spent more than an hour working them. Need to do this more often.

Headed back around 6:30pm to open gym for some extra work.

Strength

Seated Good Mornings

  • 5 @ 95#
  • 5 @ 115#
  • 5 @ 135#
  • 5 @ 155#

Not so sure these were a good idea today, but oh well.

WOD

7:00 AMRAP

  • 10 Push-ups
  • 10 Pistols
  • 10 T2B

Quick little metcon to throw in a few things we haven’t worked in over a week. The pistols were brutal, especially without wearing my OLY shoes. My quads were on fire after round 1. I finished 5 complete rounds and then got 6 push-ups.

Finished the Squat Program

In at 10am. Trained with Kevin and Kinde.

Warm-up

  • 3:00 Air Dyne

Strength

Front Squats

Last session of the 6 week volume squat program. Warmed up with 5 @ 45# and 5 @ 135#.

  • 5 @ 205#
  • 4 @ 215#
  • 3 @ 230#
  • 2 @ 240#
  • 1 @ 260#
  • 6 @ 205#

I went a little over the prescription since loading 200# on the bar is not convenient and then also added 5# on the set of 1 so I could set an easy PR. Forget the reps and did an extra one on the last set. I’m really happy I did this program and can tell my squats are better. I’m excited to test out my maxes next week.

Bench Press

Had a disappointing showing a couple of weeks ago for 1RM bench, so needed to get back on track. I looked back to the last time I did sets of 3 and went for the same weights.

  • 5 @ 135#
  • 3 @ 155#
  • 3 @ 175#
  • 3 @ 195#
  • 3 @ 215#
  • MAX @ 175# (Did 10)

The set with 215# wasn’t exactly easy today, but at least I know I can still do it. Had to really concentrate on keeping my right elbow in close today and it helped.

WOD

  • 5-4-3-2-1 Clusters (135#)
  • 10-8-6-4-2 OTB Burpees

This one was inspired by a WOD Briggs and Valenzuela did.

I dropped the bar every rep, but didn’t take any breaks. Took me 4:22.

Finisher

5 Sled Drags of about 100m (135#)

Easier Day

In at 10am. Feeling a bit fatigued from the strength work and WODs yesterday, but Kevin and I planned for an easier day today anyway.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 Air Dyne (easy pace)
  • PVC Pass-thrus

Strength

5 Rounds

  • MAX Pull-ups (strict)
  • 90s Rest
  • MAX Ring Dips (strict)
  • 90s Rest

Originally we were going do to this as a 10:00 EMOM, alternating between the two, but after the 2nd round of pull-ups it was clear that wouldn’t work. So we started taking more rest after the 2nd round. I managed 12-5-7-7-6 on the pull-ups and 14-10-11-10-10 on the dips. Much harder than expected and I was breathing like I just finished a metcon.

OLY

15:00 EMOM

  • Power Snatch
  • Snatch

I used 95# for the first 3 sets, then 115# for 7, 125# three times, and finished with 135# for the last two rounds. Got it all on video except for the first set of 95#. Was feeling pretty good about a few things, but still have a lot to work on. Need to start doing a lot more Olympic lifting like this.

Here’s the rounds of 135# in slow motion.

WOD

2k Row

My goal was to keep a 1:50/500m pace, which I was able to do for 600-700m and then it was a struggle just to keep it at 1:53 or so. Pushed it for the last 200m or so to finish in 7:23.8, beating my old mark of 7:38 back in December.

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Last Week of the Squat Program

Had a couple of rest days, so feeling good. Went in at 10:30 and trained with Kevin and Monica. Matt did his own thing.

Warm-up

  • 500m Row
  • 3/3 Turkish Get-ups (35# KB)
  • 2/2 World’s Greatest Stretch

Strength

Back Squats

Last week of the 6 week volume squat program and it’s a challenging one. Warmed up with 5 @ 45# and 5 @ 135#.

  • 6 @ 235#
  • 6 @ 250#
  • 4 @ 265#
  • 3 @ 280#
  • 2 @ 300#
  • 6 @ 235#

Just like last week, those first sets were harder than the end. After the 3 with 280# I didn’t think there was a chance I’d hit both with 300#, especially since I’ve only ever done it once and 315# once. I even asked Matt and Kevin to spot me on the ends of the bar, but I got both reps no problem. This program is working!!

Push Jerks

Worked up to a heavy triple. I went 135#, 145#, 165#, 175#, and 195#. Knocked out each triple fast except for the last one where I reset on each rep instead of going right into the dip.

WOD #1

8:00 AMRAP

  • 5 C2B Pull-ups
  • 10 HR Push-ups
  • 15 Wall Balls (20# MB, 10′ Target)

Push-ups held me back, but I did all C2B and WB unbroken. Finished with 5+15.

WOD #2

5 Rounds

  • 20 Unbroken DU
  • 20 Wall Ball Sit-ups

Messed up on my first round of DU, but then was solid. Those wall ball sit-ups added up fast after a couple of rounds. Finished in 7:27.

Some solid strength work and a couple of short WODs, which were a nice change of pace after doing a bunch of longer metcons last week.