I Can (Butter)Fly

My shoulders and abs are kind of sore. Out in the garage at about 10:30.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 SkiErg (1,039m)
  • 2x30s Dead Hang Partner Push
  • 10 Kip Swings

Midline

4 Sets

  • 120′ Uneven Farmer Carry (70 & 45# KBs)
  • 8 Evil Wheels
  • 10/10 Banded Rotations & Holds (blue)

Conditioning

30:00 AMRAP (Partner)

  • 40 Sumo KB Deadlifts (70#)
  • 20 DB Push-up + 2 Rows (40# DBs)
  • 40 DB Lunges (40# DBs)
  • 30 C2B Pull-ups

Done with Brandi. We each alternated two sets of 10 deadlifts, then two sets of five of the push-up plus two rows complex. I did two times 10 lunges and B did two times 15 Russian swings. For the pull-ups we alternated each doing threes sets of five pull-ups. I wanted to challenge myself with the chest to bar after sucking in that Open workout. I started out with a regular kip in round one and felt comfortable with my head not hitting the ceiling, so I thought I’d try butterfly in round two and it felt good. Certainly easier to get my chest to the bar per rep because I can use my hips and legs more. Probably the best I’ve done butterfly chest-to-bar pull-ups ever and the first time I’ve done any in over a year. I did start losing some of my kip in last two rounds but never came off the bar through a set of five even with some resets. I started first and got through five full rounds, the deadlifts and 4 of the dumbbell complex. Really grippy workout.

So ready for a rest day tomorrow!!

Not Doing 1,000 Reps

My shoulders don’t feel too bad. Out in the garage at 4pm.

Warm-up

  • 3:00 BikeErg (1,572m)
  • 80′ Lateral Monster Walks
  • 80′ Monster Walks
  • 10 Monster Squats
  • 5 Muscle Cleans (45#)
  • 5 Shoulder Presses (45#)
  • 5 C&J (95#)
  • 5 C&J (135#)
  • 3 C&J (155#)

Weightlifting

10:00 EMOM

  • 3 C&J (165#)

Did quick singles all the way.

Midline

2 Rounds

  • 20 V-ups
  • 20 Plank Knee to Elbow
  • 20 Reverse Crunches
  • 20/20 Side Plank Pulses
  • 20 alt V-ups
  • 20 Big Hollow Flutter Kicks (single leg raises)
  • 20 Oblique Heel Touches
  • 20 Russian Twists
  • 20 Lying Leg Lifts

This series of movements comes from a DLB 1,000 rep ab challenge. That’s a silly number of reps and 200 was plenty to get a good core workout. Took me 4:20 for the first round and 9:11 for both.

Conditioning

2 Rounds

  • 30 Box Jumps (24″)
  • 30 Single DB Hang C&J (50#)

I stepped down every rep but switched the leading step down leg after 8, 16, and 23 reps. Almost took a spill on my very last box jump in round one and no repped myself on one jump in round two when I was falling backwards. I alternated arms every 5 reps on the dumbbell. Finished in 6:29.

Top Ten

I made it!

Not by much, but I made it (unofficially until I get my invite). Really happy with that, considering the shoulder injury I’d been dealing with for four months and the calf injury for a month. Going in to the Open I hadn’t done any kipping movements, handstand push-ups, or most overhead movements in four months and hadn’t jumped in a month. If I wasn’t worried about the volume and potential for re-injury I would have done 21.1 and 21.3-4 over again without a doubt. Intensity hadn’t been the best for the 6 weeks leading in either after Brandi tore her MCL and I was pretty much doing solo metcons. Now have four months to build things up before the age-group online qualifier though.

Open Results

21.3

  • Open: 29,913 / 100,502 (70.2%)
  • Masters 40-44: 2,830 / 14,495 (80.5%)

21.4

  • Open: 20,298 / 100,020 (79.7%)
  • Masters 40-44: 1,754 / 14,439 (87.9%)

Overall

  • Open: 24,777 / 118,860 (79.2%)
  • Masters 40-44: 1,937 / 17,114 (88.7%)

Note: for my purposes I always calculate on people who’s submitted a score, not registrations.

Was out in the garage after 4pm. This morning I was already starting to feel my shoulders from the double overhead holds yesterday.

Conditioning

  • 20:00 BikeErg (10,267m)
  • 10:00 TrueForm Run (1.68 km)
  • 5:00 SkiErg (1,117m)

My back was weird in the early part of the bike, but seemed to loosen up. My legs felt heavy on the run and I could feel my hamstrings having to work. Then a couple minutes in to the ski my back was really tightening up so I decided to cut back to five minutes instead of the ten I had planned. Good thing because over the last two minutes my triceps were starting to give out anyway.

Shoulders on Fire

Warm-up

  • 16 PVC passes
  • 10 DB Bench Press (35#)
  • 10 DB Fly (20#)

Chest

3 Sets

  • 10 DB Bench Press (60# DBs)
  • 10 DB Fly (35# DBs)
  • MAX Plate Press (35#)

This added up quick. Got 20-20-10 for the plate presses.

3 Sets

Conditioning

20:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 40s Sandbag Bearhug Hold (100#)
  • 15 Burpees
  • 40s Double DB Overhead Hold (35# DBs)
  • 60 Double Unders

Hard to try an catch your breath holding a sandbag on your chest. haha High speed burpees all the way. The overhead hold was miserable. Missed a dub at 17 in round one and at 53 in round three. Three unbroken sets of 60 is great for me!

Midline

4 Rounds

  • 40 OH Hollow Flutter Kicks (20# KB)
  • 30 Reverse Crunch
  • 20 Russian Twists (45# plate)
  • 10 PVC Sit-ups

This was a grinder! I slowed a bit between some sit-ups, but otherwise went unbroken, which was not easy at all. Finished in 8:27.

Step-up Variations

Sweating bullets watching the Masters leaderboard. It’s going to be down to the wire to see if I can hold a spot in the top 10% (according to CrossFit’s ranking). Out in the garage at 4pm and it’s a nice day so we left the door open.

Warm-up

  • 3:00 TrueForm Run (0.47 km)
  • 80′ Lateral Monster Walks
  • 80′ Monster Walks

Legs

3 Sets

  • 6 Single Leg Lateral Step-ups (20″, 35-45-50# DB)
  • 6 Step-ups
  • 6 Single Leg Lateral Step-ups
  • 6 Step-ups
  • 8/8 Single Leg Glute Bridges (0-25-25# DB on hip)

This was a new combo with the different step-ups, but following along with some stuff that help’s Brandi rehab her MCL tear.

3 Sets

  • 12 RDLs (50# DBs)
  • 12 Goblet Squats (53# KB)

Conditioning

2 Cycles

  • 5:00 AMRAP
    • 5 Strict Pull-ups
    • 10 cal Row
    • 12 Russian KBS (62#)
  • 2:00 Rest

After one time through I went to quick singles on the bar. Did 3+6 and 3+5, so YAY for consistency. This workout was much worse than I expected.

Burpees and Push-ups

My chest, lats, and shoulder area is all still sore from 21.3. My legs are a bit tired too. Calves are getting sore from yesterday. Out in the garage after 11am.

My chest, lats, and shoulder area is all still sore from 21.3. My legs are a bit tired too. Calves are getting sore from yesterday. Out in the garage after 11am.

Back

3 Sets

  • 10 Pendlay Rows (supinated, 95#)
  • 8/8 Kroc Rows (62# KB)

I also did 10×45# Pendlay rows to warm-up.

3 Sets

  • 10 Lat Pulldown (115-126-131#(
  • 10 Seated Bent Over DB Back Fly (30-35-35# DBs)

3 Sets

  • 10 V Pulldown (double handles, 126-126-131#)
  • 8/8 Single Arm Pulldown (handle, 60-60-65#)

3 Sets

  • 10 Straight Arm Pulldown (71-71-76#)
  • 10 Dumbbell Shrugs (60#)

Conditioning

6:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 15 Burpees
  • 20 Push-ups

I wrote this as 10 minutes with 25 push-ups. LOL. After having to do 10-5-5 it quickly became 20. In the third round I had about 10 seconds left after barely being able to get my self up from the bottom of the burpees and then barely made the push-ups, having to do 10 sets of 2. Ended the workout there.

Watching

Rested yesterday, while watching my nieces for the night. It was nice to have the day off exercise after 21.3 and 21.43. Out in the garage by 2pm I think.

40:00 AMRAP – Partner

  • 30 H2H KBS (53#)
  • 16 cal BikeErg (standing)
  • 30 Big Hollow Flutter Kicks (20# KB OH)
  • 30 alt Side Crunches
  • 80 Jump Rope (singles)
  • 12 cal SkiErg

Worked out with B, each doing the assigned reps per movement (she had some differences in calories). She started and we both got through 5 rounds plus she got two swings. This was a good one to just move. Will be taking it on the easier side to recover from the three weeks of the Open.

Watching the leaderboard to see if I stay in the top 10%. Looking good right now.

21.3 & 21.4

My quads have been very sore from Monday’s workout. On the bright side, I got a new bed last Thursday and my back has felt so much better through the night and getting out of bed in the mornings. I’ve hit 100% of my sleep need, according to WHOOP, every night so far too.

Even though I set a PR last week, 21.2 dropped me in the standings, as expected.

21.2
Men: 43,082/111,116 (61.2%)
40-44 Masters Men: 4,377/15,955 (72.6%)

Overall
Men: 31,132/121,837 (74.4%)
40-44 Masters Men: 2,748/17,509 (84.3%)

Note: for the number of total athletes I only count those who have submitted a score, which is why it differs from the percentiles calculated by CrossFit.

Looks like I’ll need to place about 830 for this workout to make the top 10% in my Masters division. If there are two scored parts this week, I would need to average a placement of about 1,645.

With the earlier 3pm announcement of 21.3 today and some plans for tomorrow night, I was out in the garage at 5pm to warm-up and finish my Open.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 BikeErg
  • 80′ Lateral Monster Walk
  • 80′ Monster Walk
  • 10 Kip Swings
  • 10 Front Squats (45#)
  • 4 T2B
  • 3 C2B
  • 2 Bar Muscle-ups

CrossFit Games Open Workout 21.3

15:00 Time Cap

  • 15 Front Squats (95#)
  • 30 T2B
  • 15 Thrusters (95#)
  • 1:00 Rest
  • 15 Front Squats (95#)
  • 30 C2B
  • 15 Thrusters (95#)
  • 1:00 Rest
  • 15 Front Squats (95#)
  • 30 Bar Muscle-up
  • 15 Thrusters (95#)

I thought there was a good chance we’d get two parts! This is actually a pretty cool workout, but they had to unnecessarily complicate things with a starting line and this eight foot area.

It’s also pretty shitty that the original equipment list mentioned a place to do pull-ups, but didn’t mention chest to bars or bar muscle-ups, which much different in requirements. Not sure how many people doing the workouts at home have a high enough garage for those two movements. Also, having to move forward eight feet runs in to issues with garage doors being in the way. Not sure what they’re thinking with dumb requirements like these. I turned my bar the other way and stood well past the 8 foot line so I wouldn’t have to worry about hitting parts of the garage door.

Going in I wasn’t sure I could do butterfly or even kipping C2B because of the height needed for my head. I knew I’d have to do single whacky muscle-ups on my low pull-up bar too. Not a ton of strategy for me here since I’m restricted by my setup. How about… not toast my back with all of the front squats and thrusters?!

I work grips and a belt. I did the front squats unbroken, 5×6 T2B, 9-6 thrusters, unbroken front squats, 5-5-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-1-1-1-1 for C2B (all kipping style), 9-6 thrusters, unbroken squats, and then single bar muscle-ups. Not ideal conditions for several things, but I made it work(ish). I got through 14 bar muscle-ups. I didn’t have any expectations going in because of the pull-up bar situation and I had no idea how I’d handle that many squats/thrusters.

CrossFit Games Open Workout 21.4

For Max Weight – 7:00 Time Cap (immediately after 21.3)

  • Deadlift +
  • Clean +
  • Hang Clean +
  • Jerk

I took 2 minutes loading the bar and resting before my first attempt. Went 165-185-205-220 and made sure not to start that final rep until a few seconds before the clock hit 22:00 to use all my rest. Nice that they changed the rule and the complex only had to be started before the time was up. The hang clean was the worrying movement for me, due to my back. Happy with what I got.

After tweaking my back each of the last four years during the Open I’m happy to have survived without any new injuries this year. Now I can start thinking about golf season. 🙂

EMOMachines

With the early Open announcement this Thursday and plans for Friday night I’ll be doing my workout on Thursday night. So I’m switching up days for the week and will rest tomorrow. Out in the garage at 4pm.

30:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 12 cal SkiErg
  • 16 cal Row
  • 16 cal BikeErg

Aimed for 40 seconds on the monitor’s screen with each machine. Eww for the last nine minutes.

I need to get back to doing more interval work with the machines.

March 22nd Outside!

It was 70° so for the abs and conditioning we went out on the patio.

Arms

3 Sets

  • 12 EZ Bar Curls (56#)
  • 12 Tricep Pushdown (71#)

3 Sets

  • 12 In and Out Curls (25#)
  • 12 Overhead Tricep Extensions (rope, 60#)

Midline

3 Rounds

  • 20 alt V-ups
  • 30 alt Side Crunches
  • 20 Weighted Hollow Flutter Kicks (25# plate)
  • 10 Supermans

Conditioning

20:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 15 Burpees
  • 30 Plyo Lunges
  • 15 DB Push Press (30# DBs)
  • 30 Air Squats

Not used to that sun! This was a lot of volume for the legs.