Tag: Back Squat

Feeling Good!

It’s amazing what some rest and solid sleep does for the body. I feel great today. I had another appointment at the chiropractor yesterday and I think tomorrow will be my last visit. Using the TENS unit is working magic. I hit up the 9am class.

Warm-up

  • 20 Zombie Kicks
  • 20 Air Squats
  • 10/10 Leg Swings (F-B, S-S)
  • 10/10 Hurdles
  • PVC pass-thrus (not great on the shoulder yet in the back position)

Strength

Back Squat 5×1 @ 90+%

  • 10×45#
  • 5×135#
  • 3×225#
  • 2×275#
  • 1×305#
  • 1×315#
  • 1×325#
  • 1×335#
  • F @ 340#

Damn! The 335# felt good so I went for a PR matching lift and was strongly thinking about trying 345#. I pushed up past parallel and just couldn’t get through the sticking point.

Skill

14:00 EMOM

  • Odds: 2 MU
  • Evens: 30 DU

I missed the 2nd MU in round 2, but got through all the rest of them as doubles. Best muscle-up day I’ve ever had. It’s nice to have some rings up at SF!

Conditioning

10:00 AMRAP

  • 20 Russian KBS (62#)
  • 20 AbMat Sit-ups

Decided not to do American swings because the MU were enough strain on the shoulder for one day. Never stopped and my rounds only got slower by a few seconds. Finished 7 full rounds plus 16 swings.

This workout was the best I’ve felt since coming back to CrossFit classes. I guess pushing through the Open workout yesterday lit a fire in me. I like it!

Was feeling so good, I decided to get in a rowing workout. Went over to Kevin’s while him and Alex were lifting.

3 Rounds

  • 500m Easy/Moderate
  • 1,500m Hard
  • 4:00 Rest

Template:

  • The easy/moderate pace target is 15-20sec/500m slower than your 2000m PR pace. (2:02-2:07)
  • The hard pace target is 5-10sec/500m slower than your 2000m PR pace. (1:52-1:57)
  • Focus on the consistency of your 1500m efforts.

At a total of 6,000 meters for the workout, it was tougher than expected. My round times were roughly 7:55-7:57-7:56, so I’d say that’s pretty consistent.

Substitution WOD

Can’t wait to get this shoulder worked on this afternoon! In to the 9am class.

Warm-up

On our own doing some shoulder stretching and air squats.

Strength

Back Squat 5×3 @ 80-90%

  • 10×45#
  • 5×135#
  • 5×205#
  • 3×235#
  • 3×275#
  • 3×275#
  • 3×285#
  • 3×295#
  • 3×305#

Yeah buddy! Three weeks ago I missed after 1 rep of 305#, but it was no problem today. I’m going to say my squats are definitely back. Didn’t feel the back problem at all today doing them.

Accessory

10:00 EMOM

  • 8/8 KB RDLs (71# KB)
  • 10 Alternating Pistols

My balance was wobbly today.

Conditioning

10:00 AMRAP

  • 21-15-9
    • 115# Power Cleans
    • Ring Dips
  • MAX Burpee Box Jumps (24″)

I was solid on my power cleans going 11-10, 5-5-5, and 5-4, but ring dips were like in slow motion. Almost exactly a year ago today I did an Rx Power Elizabeth in 7:09 and this took me 7:48 with 20# lighter weight. I managed 19 burpee box jumps in the remaining time.

Taking it Easy

Was out with a ton of people from the gym last night celebrating a 40th birthday. Fun times! Went over to the Bay City gym with Kevin for open gym.

OLY

Did some clean technique work, working on speed and drive, mostly from the power position with a very small dip. Nothing over 125#.

Conditioning

30:00 Row

Kept a 2:10-2:15 / 500m pace. Nothing crazy and was able to hold some conversations while doing it.

20140223-160224.jpg

Skill?

  • 3x20x45# Back Squat

Yep, just the empty bar to keep good position and loosen up.

My back and shoulder didn’t bother me during any of this, which is good, but some of the easiest things trigger them, like pushing open a car door or lifting my right leg to get up in my Jeep. I have an appointment tomorrow with Midland Chiropractic Sports Rehab, which does ART, so hopefully they can work some magic.

Possible Shoulder Impingement

A couple of hours after the workout yesterday I started to get a pain in my shoulder, which I think might be a shoulder impingement. Shit!

Went to the gym and worked out with Matt and Cora in the afternoon.

Warm-up

Did a little on the Air Dyne and some stretching.

Back Squats

While waiting for them, I got in some back squats. Trying to get that 3rd day of squatting in each week.

  • 20×45#
  • 5×225#
  • 3×245#
  • 10:00 EMOM of 2×275#

Could feel my back tweak on several of the reps, so it was important to focus on staying tight with good form. The squats themselves felt great though. Have dove a similar format before with 10 doubles a couple of times. Once with 275 and once with 285.

Conditioning

3 Rounds

  • 1:00 Chest-to-deck Push-ups
  • 1:00 Row for calories
  • 1:00 Pendlay Rows (75#)
  • 1:00 Box Jumps (20″)
  • 1:00 Back Squats (75#)
  • 1:00 Rest

Fight Gone Bad style workout, but with the shoulder issue, I didn’t want to do anything involving my elbow being higher than my shoulder, so substituted 3 of the movements. I got 112, 114, and 108 reps. Happy with the consistency.

Keep It Simple

Still pretty sore from Saturday’s back squats and GHD sit-ups. In for the 9am class.

Warm-up

  • 10/10 Leg Swings (F-B, S-S)
  • 20 PVC Pass-thrus
  • 20 Air Squats w/ pause
  • :30/:30 Lunge Stretch
  • :45/:45 Couch Stretch

Strength

5×5 Back Squats @ 70-80%

  • 10×45#
  • 5×135#
  • 5×205#
  • 5×245#
  • 5×250#
  • 5×255#
  • 5×260#
  • 5×270#

All sets in the range today, even based on my old 340# back squat. Well shy of my 5RM of 305#, but the total for the 5 working sets smashes the day I did that by 75#, plus I did 135# and 205# today warming up. More work done = progress!

2014-02-17-5x5-back-squats

Conditioning

12:00 AMRAP

  • 10 Wall Balls (20#, 10′)
  • 5 Burpees

Finished 13 rounds plus 1 wall ball. The wall balls weren’t really a problem, but the burpees slowed down a lot again. Was able to hold a pretty good pace trough the entire workout.

Did a little mobility and worked on my kip.

Back Squats and GHD Sit-ups

Originally I was going to go to the 10am class today, but after being up until 1 watching “House of Cards” and having been to classes 5 days in a row, I thought it best not to go. I went out to the garage around 4pm.

Warm-up

Nice and easy 5 minutes on the Air Dyne (AD2).

Warmed up with some back squats:

  • 20×45#
  • 5×135#
  • 5×185#
  • 3×225#
  • 3×255#

10:00 EMOM

  • Odds: 3 Back Squats (275#)
  • Evens: 10 GHD Sit-ups

Rest 1:30

E30S 5:00

  • :00 1 Back Squats (275#)
  • :30 5 GHD Sit-ups

Dropped the weight down to 225# for 3 sets of 5 back squats. Then over to the GHD for a straight set of 25 more sit-ups to make it 100 total. Maybe the most I’ve ever done in a row.

Cooled off with a slow 5 minutes on the AD again.

Sleepy Monday

Got really tired last night and was in bed at 11. Slept over 8 hours, but still feeling tired this morning before heading in to the 9am class. My low back is still tweaked, even with the rest day yesterday.

Warm-up

Strength

Back squat 5×1 @ 90%+

  • 10×45#
  • 3×135#
  • 3×225#
  • 2×275#
  • 1×295#
  • 1×300#
  • 1×305#
  • 1×310#
  • 1×315#

No misses today! Stayed in a better comfort zone and felt pretty good. Just Nanos again; no lifting shoes.

Olympic Lifting

Backwards MB throws overhead to work on hip extension. Then work up to a heavy power clean.

The throwing drill was messing up my timing, so I quit doing it. Did some cleans aw 135# and 155#, then went 185#, 205#, 220#, and 235# to match my power clean PR. I landed with really wide feet so decided not to go higher after that. My dropping under the bar kind of sucks.

Conditioning

7:00 AMRAP

  • 7 T2B
  • 14 HR Push-ups

Used the new stuff we learned in the gymnastics class to keep my legs as straight as possible in the T2B and my hip flexors didn’t fatigue like they normally do. I broke one round down to 5-2, but every other round was 7 unbroken, even the last round. I finished 5 full rounds plus 7 T2B and 6 push-ups. We had the option of doing hand release if we wanted and I figure if they are going to be in the Open they’ll definitely require the hand-release, so might as well work on it.

Back to the gym at 8 for open gym. Another rowing workout from the NCLab.

  • 5:00 mod, 3:00 rest
  • 5:00 hard, 3:00 rest
  • 4:00 mod, 2:00 rest
  • 4:00 hard, 2:00 rest
  • 3:00 mod, 1:30 rest
  • 3:00 hard, 1:30 rest
  • 2:00 mod, 1:00 rest
  • 2:00 hard, 1:00 rest
  • 1:00 mod, 0:30 rest
  • 1:00 hard, 0:30 rest
  • 0:30 mod, 0:15 rest
  • 0:30 hard

Row Pacing Template

  • Hard: 2000m PR pace + 0-5 sec (1:47-1:52 per 500m)
  • Mod: 2000m PR pace + 5-15 sec (1:52-2:02)

Oh my! What a fight just to stay on the slow end of the pace ranges. I think I messed up and only took 30 second rest after the hard 2 minutes, but it wasn’t so bad at that point. Going for 5 and 4 minutes hard was the worst. Racked up over 8,200 meters!

What a Bear!

Had a needed rest day yesterday and got a massage. Back at 9am today.

Warm-up

  • 20 Air Squats
  • 20 PVC pass-thrus
  • 20/20 Leg Swings
  • 30s Deep Lunge Stretch

Strength

5×3 Front Squats @ 80-90%

  • 10×45#
  • 3×135#
  • 3×185#
  • 3×225#
  • 3×245#
  • 3×250#
  • 3×255#
  • 3×265#

Dialed back my weights a bit today. Felt pretty good.

Conditioning

5 Rounds

  • 3 Bear Complex (135#)
  • 10 Burpees

Rest 5:00 and then do it again.

Shit! I did 3 unbroken bear complex for the first 3 rounds I think, then the first and last round the second time through. I stepped down into nearly all my burpees except maybe at the start and then the last round each time where I tried to push through to finish. 7:38 the first time and 9:20 the second time.

Back to the gym at 8pm for open gym with Brent.

E2M 10:00

  • 150m Row
  • 10 Pull-ups

Rest 10:00

E2M 10:00

  • 10 cal Air Dyne (AD6)
  • 50 DU

The combination of rowing and pull-ups was absolutely brutal after the first 2 rounds. Did pretty well with my double unders getting the second set unbroken.

Meh Monday

Went to the 9am class again. Feeling kind of blah today after the horrible performance by Manning and the Broncos last night.

Warm-up

  • PVC Burgener Warm-up
  • 2 Rounds
    • PVC pass-thrus
    • Squat Hold w/ 2s Pause
    • Rocket Ships

Strength

5×3 Back Squats in the 80-90% range

  • 10×45#
  • 5×135#
  • 3×205#
  • 3×235#
  • 3×275#
  • 3×280#
  • 3×285#
  • 3×295#
  • 1×305#

Ugh! Didn’t wear lifting shoes today, so not sure if that made a difference or just the increased heavy volume that I’m not used to.

Accessory

2 Rounds NFT

  • 30 Band Pulls (red)
  • 30 Band Good Mornings (black)
  • 30 Sit-ups

Conditioning

7:00 AMRAP

  • 3-6-9… Front Squats (115#)
  • 3-6-9… Box Jumps (24″)

Finished the round of 15 plus 10 front squats. Tried to keep a nice steady pace and not coming firing 100% out of the gate. Had too many trip ups on the box. Did unbroken front squats through 9, then 7-5, 6-5-4, and 5-5.

Worked on my bar kip for a few minutes after class. Trying to keep the legs straight and get all of the power from the hips.

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 9 Day 1

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. Alex came over and lifted at 5 with me.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 15# Clean & Jerk Positions
  • 45# Clean & Jerk Positions

Clean & Jerk

  • 2×95#
  • 2×135#
  • 2×155#
  • 1×185#
  • 1×210#
  • 1×230#
  • 1×240#
  • 1×250#
  • 4xFx260#

I felt well rested and the cleans were easy on the way up. I let 250# control me a bit, but still wasn’t really an issue. I gave up on the first attempt early and then after the pretzel bail out, my head was completely out of it. Got damn mental! I am getting the bar plenty high enough in my cleans. Frustrating!

Power Snatch

  • 2×95#
  • 2×115#
  • 2×135#
  • 2×145#
  • 2×155#
  • 2×165#

I focused on slow off the floor again and tried to keep my arms strong until hitting the power position because I usually have an early arm bend. Felt weird but pretty powerful! Here is the double at 165#.

Back Squat

  • 5×135#
  • 5×185#
  • 5×205#
  • 5×225#

Just a little work to get the blood flowing.

Conditioning

4 Rounds

  • 20s Burpees
  • 10s Rest

Monday has been my Tabata burpees day, but I quit after 4 rounds of 8 today. Couldn’t stop thinking about the clean. I might rest tomorrow so that I can go for the snatch PR on Wednesday instead of Thursday.