A PR Morning

Took a rest day yesterday and walked 18 holes of golf. Woke up today feeling more beat up than I should. In at 10am to test my deadlift.

Warm-up

3:00 Row

Olympic Lifting

Snatches

  • 45# Position Work for 5:00
  • 95# x 2
  • 115# x 2
  • 135# E30S 3:00
  • 155#
  • 165#
  • 175# (PR)

My snatch is feeling really good lately. I was planning to do 135# for 5:00 but it was feeling good so I stopped and started bumping up the weight. That was a 10# PR. Looking forward to trying more.

Strength

Deadlift

  • 185# x 8, rest 2
  • 275# x 5, rest 2
  • 325# x 3, rest 3
  • 375# x 1, rest 3
  • 425# x 1, rest 10
  • 475# x 1 (PR), rest 12
  • 500# x 1 (PR)

My old PR was 455# in April, so this was a big jump. The 425# lift hit me hard for some reason, even though I’ve pulled it for 3 several times before. I saw sweating and light-headed, so took a long rest before the 475# attempt. If Kevin and Matt weren’t there pushing me I was going to go for 485# or so next, so I’m glad they talked me into the 500# attempt.

Back to Survival Fitness at 5pm for a class.

Warm-up

  • 30 Air Squats
  • 20 PVC Pass-thrus
  • 30 PVC OHS

Strength

Front Squats

  • 5 @ 115#
  • 5 @ 145#
  • 5 @ 165#
  • 5 @ 185#
  • 5 @ 185#

Kept it light and fast. Didn’t need any more heavy weights after the morning session.

10:00 EMOM

  • Odds: 5 Strict HSPU
  • Evens: 8 Box Jumps (32″)

The HSPU felt good today. Probably should have done a deficit, but I already put in a lot of work and had an idea of how bad the WOD was going to be, so I backed off a bit.

WOD

  • 30 Hang Squat Cleans (95#)
  • 30 Push-ups
  • 30 Thrusters (95#)
  • 30 T2B
  • 30 OHS (95#)
  • 30 Burpees
  • 30 Shoulder to OH (95#)

The burpees were horrible. Slowest ever! Finished in 19:12.

Back to Classes

I’m hitting up classes again for a couple of weeks for a change of pace. Went to 9am today.

Warm-up

  • PVC Pass-thrus
  • PVC Snatch position work

Olympic Lifting

10:00 to work up to heavy power snatch for the day.

  • 45# – Position work and progressions
  • 95# x 3
  • 115# x 2
  • 125#
  • 135#
  • 145#
  • 155#

Felt damn good today. Took about 70% of that heavy power snatch for the following…

EMOM 10:00

  • 3 TnG Power Snatch (105#)
  • 3 Strict Chin-ups

Again felt solid on all 30 and didn’t have trouble with the chin-ups.

Strength

Did 5 x 105# and 3 x 185# back squats to get the muscle firing.

EMOM 10:00

  • Odds: 5 Back Squats @ ~80% (225# 235# 235# 245# 255#)
  • Evens: MAX DB Strict Press (45# DBs)

The back squats were tough, but I think my body responds better to this type of volume. Torso was pretty damn good today but could feel it drifting forward at the end. I did 10/10/8/6/5 on the presses. This was also really tough on the cardio.

WOD

8:00 AMRAP (Partner)

    • Prowler Sprint – 25m High, 25m Low (180#)
    • Weighted Plank (45#)

Keep switching between each with your partner. Not easy after the squats and you couldn’t catch your breath on the planks.

I stayed after and did 5:00 on the Air Dyne for a cool down and then 0.46 miles of sled drag with 115#.

Hotshots 19

Today we did the “Hotshots 19” Hero WOD.

6 Rounds

  • 30 Air Squats
  • 19 Power Cleans (95#)
  • 7 Strict Pull-ups
  • 400m Run

The Rx weight was 135# but I didn’t feel like destroying my body for the week and ruining any of my Oly progress I’ve made. 95# allowed me to keep a high intensity and still use decent form. I did all of the air squats unbroken, cleans as 11-8 (except the last round where I had a mental error and dropped the bar with 3 reps to go), and pull-ups as mostly 3-2-2. Finished in 32:41. Really glad I scaled it.

Snatchin’ Sunday

Trained out in the garage tonight for a couple of hours. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish by yourself without talking to anyone. Solid night of work.

Warm-up

0.45 Mile Sled Drag (115#) around the block

Olympic Lifting

Thacker Warm-up

After hearing them talk about a better snatch warm-up on the Barbell Shrugged Podcast, I had to check out the Thacker snatch progressions. Let me tell you, they are no fucking joke. I was sweating my ass off and breathing hard halfway through each part. I’m going to try to do this once or twice a week.

Snatches

3:00 EMOM

  • 2 Snatches (95# 115# 125#)

Rest 4:00

10:00 EMOM

  • 1 Snatch (135# 135# 145# 145# 155# and then repeated)

I completed every snatch today. Feeling more and more comfortable with the improved technique.

Snatch Deadlifts

  • 2 @ 165#
  • 2 @ 165#
  • 2 @ 175#
  • 2 @ 175#
  • 2 @ 185#

Figured it was time to start feeling the correct positioning with higher weights. Felt good, but hard on the thumbs. Might use straps next time.

Strength

Back Squats

  • 5 @ 135#
  • 5 @ 165#
  • 5 @ 195#
  • 5 @ 195#

Light squat day. Key thoughts for were to lead with the hips back first, push knees out, and keep a vertical torso.

Shoulder Press

  • 5 @ 85#
  • 5 @ 105#
  • 5 @ 115#
  • 5 @ 125#

These felt really tough.

4 Rounds NFT

  • 20 GHD Sit-ups
  • 20 Back Extensions
  • 5 GHR
  • 5 Snatch Press 95#

Took a short rest after 14 sit-ups in the first 3 rounds and then did all 20 unbroken in the last round. Mid back had something going on in those last 6 reps which didn’t feel very good. Trying to not lead up with my ass on the GHR but it’s really tough. Maybe I should try static holds in the straight out position. I have a hard time getting 95# moving but then it’s not that bad. My neck gets sore from these from having to push it forward so I don’t bang my head with the bar.

Cool Down

Walked 0.53 miles around the neighborhood.

Row and Run Intervals

Feeling really beat up today, which shouldn’t be surprising after 4 days in a row. Heading out-of-town tomorrow for a bachelor party, so will be a weekend of rest. In at 10am to finish out the 2nd 5/3/1 cycle.

Warm-up

  • 400m Run
  • PVC Pass-thrus

Strength

5/3/1 Bench Press – Cycle 2 Week 3

  • 5 @ 85# (40% of Training Max – warm)
  • 5 @ 110# (50% – warm)
  • 3 @ 130# (60% – warm)
  • 5 @ 160# (75%)
  • 3 @ 185# (85%)
  • 1+ @ 205# (95%)

Only 3 reps and the last one was an ugly struggle. Estimated max of 225.5#.

5/3/1 Front Squats – Cycle 1 Week 3

  • 5 @ 110# (40% of Training Max – warm)
  • 5 @ 135# (50% – warm)
  • 3 @ 165# (60% – warm)
  • 5 @ 205# (75%)
  • 3 @ 235# (85%)
  • 1+ @ 260# (95%)

Right in that sweet spot of 5 or 6 reps again, with 5 reps today. Estimated max of 303#, which should be pretty accurate. Tried to cycle the reps a little faster in the early sets and keep an upright torso, although I started to hunch over in that last set.

WOD

5 Rounds

  • 250m Row
  • 150m Run
  • 2:00 Rest

I didn’t realize we were resting after each round, so I had paced my first round. My rounds were 1:28/1:16/1:16/1:15/1:16 and my rower splits were 49.7/47.2/49.6/49.3/48.9. After the first two rounds I stopped stropping in my feet and although it slowed down my pace, it was better overall because I was able to jump right out and get on my run. After the final run, my time was 14:31 (including the 8:00 of rest). Really liking this interval stuff for conditioning.

Double Day

Feeling good this morning. Hamstrings a little tight from squats on Tuesday, but body feels good. In at 10am.

Warm-up

1/2 Mile Sled Drag (115#)

Olympic Lifting

Every 1:30 to 2:00

  • Snatch
  • Hang Snatch
  • High Hang Snatch

I did it with 95#, 105#, 115#, 125#, 135#, and 125#. No misses on any of the lifts. I think 135# in a new high for the high hang, by 10#. Getting better!

Strength

5/3/1 Deadlifts – Cycle 2 Week 3

  • 5 @ 165# (40% of Training Max – warm)
  • 5 @ 210# (50%)
  • 3 @ 250# (60%)
  • 5 @ 315# (75%)
  • 3 @ 355# (85%)
  • 1+ @ 400# (95%)

Pulled 8 reps @ 400# for an estimated max of 505.5#. Booyah! Looking forward to testing 1RM next week. It won’t be close to 500# but I should see a nice improvement over 455#.

WOD

5 Rounds

  • 10 OH Lunges (45# empty bar)
  • 10 Goblet Squats (53#)
  • 5 C2B Pull-ups

I used a clean grip on the OH Lunges. First time doing those with a barbell. Did everything unbroken and finished in 5:56. Not a killer WOD, but did make my legs shaky when I was done.

Core

  • 100 Sit-ups

Was hoping for a sub three and was on pace, but died a bit in the 3rd minute to finish at 3:06, 4 seconds off my best. I need to figure out how to stop moving backwards because I have to adjust the AbMat every 10-15 reps.

3 Rounds NFT

  • 10 T2B
  • 5/5 Side Bends (80# KB)

Grip may have been the toughest here after deadlifts and C2B pull-ups.

Went back at 8pm. Warmed up with 3:00 on the Air Dyne.

Conditioning

6 Rounds

  • 40 yard Prowler Sprint (High, 210# total)
  • 60s Rest
  • 40 yard Prowler Sprint (Low, 210# total)
  • 60s Rest

We took this from a challenge posted by Jim Wendler, but 3 rounds (6 sprints) was too easy so we doubled it. Ended up being pretty perfect.

I also did 3 sets of 10 wall squats to work on my vertical torso.

Grace-Off

Last day of our group’s golf tournament this morning, so I walked 18 holes. With the humidity lately this has been fatiguing me more than expected. Went in around 7:30 for open gym.

Warm-up

3-4:00 of DU practice

I reeled off a nice streak of 71 right off the bat and then got a bunch in the 30s. I need to get better at being able to do long streaks when I lose some breath and I want to hit that 100 so bad!

Strength

5/3/1 Shoulder Press – Cycle 2 Week 3

  • 5 @ 60# (40% of Training Max – warm)
  • 5 @ 75# (50% – warm)
  • 3 @ 90# (60% – warm)
  • 3 @ 115# (75%)
  • 3 @ 130# (85%)
  • 1+ @ 145# (95%)

I went for it and couldn’t even get one rep. Wow. Took a minute to regroup but was only able to get 2 reps. What the fuck is going on with some of my lifts? Last week I did 6 @ 140# and now this bullshit? Puts my estimated max at 154.5#, well below my 165# PR.

Snatch Press

  • 10 @ 45#
  • 10 @ 75#
  • 10 @ 85#

WOD

Warmed up clean and jerks with 45# x 3, 95# x 3, 115# x 3, and 135# for one.

“Grace”

  • 30 C&J (135#)

I’ve been wanting to Rx this bitch for a long time. Brent came in to throwdown with me. My last “Grace” attempt was 125# back in November, which I did in 4:16. Only took me 3:03 today and I probably lost 10-15 seconds with the damn collars. Somewhere between 15 and 20 I was wondering why it was so hard to get my right arm up. I finally looked at the bar and the 45# bumper was nearly off the bar. Ugh!

Felt pretty good though, I stupidly dropped the bar after 3 reps because something just didn’t feel right and then I started doing singles after 9. I wasn’t resting between reps though, I was actually catching the bar on the bounce and resetting right away. Hanging on and controlling to the ground was just taking too much energy out of me and I knew I couldn’t sustain it. I was predicting a time around 3:00 the other day talking to Matt, so I’m pretty happy with that.

Finisher

3 Rounds NFT

  • 5 Strict Deficit HSPU (15# Bumpers)
  • 5 Strict Chin-ups
  • 1:00 Air Dyne

The HSPU were a struggle to complete, but not surprising seeing how my shoulder press sucked today.

My Squats Suck

Yesterday I walked 18 holes of golf in the morning and was exhausted most of the day. It was a long day on Sunday helping out and watching the competition. Needed a rest day anyway after 4 in a row. In at 10am this morning.

Warm-up

3:00 Air Dyne

Olympic Lifting

Started with 7:00 of Snatch Position Drills with 45# on the training bar. Focused on my setup in addition to meeting my hips. Then I started doing snatch singles and resting as needed.

  • 3 singles with 95#
  • Single, miss 2 singles with 115# (first one flew up so fast I almost caught it standing fully upright, so tried to adjust on the 2nd and bar was too far forward when I received it)
  • 2 singles with 135#
  • 2 singles with 145#
  • 1 and 3 fails with 155# (I started thinking too much and then wasn’t committing to the lift)
  • Fail and single at 135# to stop on a make

Felt good up until 155#. Feeling fatigued still this morning though.

Strength

5/3/1 Back Squats – Cycle 2 Week 3

  • 5 @ 120# (40% of Training Max – warm)
  • 5 @ 150# (50% – warm)
  • 3 @ 180# (60% – warm)
  • 5 @ 225# (75%)
  • 3 @ 255# (85%)
  • 1+ @ 285# (95%)

My squat has been disappointing for the last few weeks, but last week Kevin noticed I was really bent over, so I concentrated on that today and did much better at it. But my squats still sucked. I got 3 reps at 285# before stopping. Waited a few more minutes and did 285# again for 2 reps. I was able to do 295# for three a long time ago. My squat has been shitty ever since Tough Mudder. Maybe I’ll go back to Super Squats which is what I was doing before I got sick for 2+ weeks. Something needs to change. I was planning to test my max next week but that is definitely not happening because it’ll just be disappointing to have gone down.

WOD

E4MOM 16:00 (4 rounds)

  • 250m Row
  • 25 Wall Balls

I tried setting the damper to low 4 on the rower today and it felt pretty good. I think I’ll keep experimenting with it. I did all of the wall balls unbroken and finished the combo in under 2:00 each round so had just over 2 minutes of rest before the next round.

Jumped on the GHD when I got home.

Finisher

5 Rounds NFT

  • 10 GHD Sit-ups
  • 10 Back Extensions

Sunday Morning Sprints

I set my alarm and got up early for some sprints. 7am over at Heritage High School.

sunday-sprints

There was a nice little chill in the air. Perfect for running. I warmed up with 800m of jogging.

E2M 20:00

  • 100m Sprint

Eased into the first few sprints so I didn’t pull a hammy or anything. Legs were really feeling it in the last 3 sprints. Walked 800m after I was done.

Spent most of the day helping out at the pro-am at Survival Fitness today and then went over to Kevin’s garage around 7:30.

Warm-up

3:00 Air Dyne

Olympic Lifting

I was using the blocks at mid-thigh again. I’d do 3 snatch deadlifts and 3 snatches. Used 65#, 95#, 115#, 135#, 145# (missed the first snatch), and then 155#, where I failed at 2 snatch attempts not fully committing to them.  Called it quits there because it just wasn’t in me for the day. The two hits at 145# were 10# higher than last week so I’ll take that as a success. Pretty tired from a long day and the sprints in the morning.

Strength

5/3/1 Bench Press – Cycle 2 Week 2

  • 5 @ 85# (40% of Training Max – warm)
  • 5 @ 110# (50% – warm)
  • 3 @ 135# (60% – warm)
  • 3 @ 150# (70%)
  • 3 @ 175# (80%)
  • 3+ @ 195# (90%)

I’m sore and tired from the throwdown on Friday, but managed to pull out 6 reps at 195# for an estimated max of 233.5#, which is just below the most I’d done from back in November. Maybe I’ll PR on bench press once this year yet. 🙂

Version 2 of the Garage Gym

This morning I finished organizing and cleaning up all of my equipment. Had to make room for the new GHD.

garage-gym-v2

I like how it turned out, but can’t wait to “remodel” the other side of the garage so I can get rid of everything non-gym related on this side. Maybe I should have expanded the garage with a heated addition.

Party of one in the garage around 8pm.

Warm-up

Ran 0.4 miles around the block.

Strength

5/3/1 Front Squats – Cycle 2 Week 2

  • 5 @ 110# (40% of Training Max – warm)
  • 5 @ 135# (50% – warm)
  • 3 @ 165# (60% – warm)
  • 3 @ 190# (70%)
  • 3 @ 220# (80%)
  • 3+ @ 245# (90%)

Knocked out 6 reps on the last set for an estimated max of 293.5#, just under my PR. Again the limiting factor is being able to breathe and stay conscious in these. I guess I should try to do them faster.

3 Rounds NFT

  • 10 Snatch Presses (75#)
  • 20 GHD Sit-ups
  • 5 GHR

I think I’m going to love having the GHD. I can easily get out there for 10 minutes to knock out some reps and improve these damn hips which seem to be failing a lot lately on stuff like T2B and pull-ups.

Conditioning

  • 5:00 Air Dyne
  • 10:00 Rest
  • 5:00 Air Dyne

Fun! 178 calories for 3.3km the first round and 186 calories for 3.37km the 2nd round. Have I mentioned I how much I love the AD2 more than the AD6?