Tag: Handstand Push-up

Finally Satisfied

I’m pretty sure I displaced a rip in my back yesterday during the lifts. It’s not extremely painful or anything, but uncomfortable. Went in at 12 with the crew.

Warm-up

  • Shoulder Stretching
  • Bottom Squat Hold
  • 5 Muscle Snatch (45#)
  • 5 OHS (45#)
  • 5 Squat Snatch (75#)

E3M – 6 Sets

  • 5 Squat Snatch (95#)
  • 8 Strict HSPU

I didn’t go heavy knowing what was coming next and figured it would allow me to push a higher rep count on the handstand push-ups. Picked a good number for those as each set took a bit longer, though all unbroken.

Conditioning

Warmed up with 6-4-2 @ 95#, 3-2-1 @ 115#, and 3-2-1 @ 135#.

“DT” – 5 Rounds

  • 12 Deadlifts (155#)
  • 9 Hang Power Cleans (155#)
  • 6 S2OH (155#)

A hero workout I’ve always been disappointed with. Since it’s on the heavier side I expect to be capable of a decent time. After my recent thruster experiment in 17.5, I decided to try a new DT strategy today. Take more breaks to prevent the long breaks. I also was going to go lower on my hang cleans since it worked out well when we did the DT Chipper during Open prep workouts. I taped up my thumbs, strapped on my belt, and was ready to grind away.

Started out 6-5 deadlifts, then 1 deadlift and 4 cleans, 4 cleans, and finally 1 clean with the push jerks. Dropped the bar at 1:16. Oh boy! Seemed fast but I felt ok. Breaks were naturally longer after that and it was about 3:05 when I finished the 2nd round. I stuck to the same rep scheme and it was working well. Third round was done just under 5:00 and 4th around 7:00 I think. After dropping the bar I picked it right back up without rest to get in the 6 deadlifts. I think I still took a break after 5 more. But then I went 5 cleans instead of 4. To finish it off I went straight through the final 4 cleans and the push jerks. Finished at 8:36 for a 1:26 PR!! Finally something I’m happy with. It ranks at a level 93 on BTWB.

Midline

E2M – 5 Sets

  • 10 Crab Sliders

I skipped out on some curls and dips everyone was doing since I get enough of that in the Push Only program.

You Never Know

Took a rest day yesterday but was feeling good. Went to the 4:30 class.

Rehab – 3 Sets

  • 15 Reverse Hyper (140#)
  • 100′ Right Arm Front Rack Carry (70# KB)
  • 100′ Left Arm Front Rack Carry (70# KB)

Warm-up – 3 Sets

  • 10 PVC OHS
  • 10 PVC Passes
  • 10 Jumping Jacks

12:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 8 OHS (95#)
  • 12 T2B

Wore grips and even the last set of toes to bar didn’t feel like I was going to fall off the bar.

Conditioning

8:00 AMRAP

  • 5 Strict HSPU
  • 5/5 Single Arm Suitcase Deadlift (70# KB)
  • 10 Russian KBS (70#)

Bryan says, “Are you going to do them strict?”

“I wasn’t planning on it.”

“It’s only 5,” he says.

“Hmm, usually when I try that I realize it was a bad idea during the 2nd round. Fine, I’ll give it a shot. I don’t mind going slower on the other stuff.”

Surprised myself and didn’t have any problem doing every set unbroken! Seems like 5 months ago I would have struggled to keep doing sets of 5 kipping. Made it through 6 rounds, the HSPU, deadlifts, and 2 swings (6+17).

Midline/Skill

5 Rounds

  • 20 Sit-ups
  • 20 Double Unders

It was programmed for 4 rounds, but I upped it. Missed 1 dub after 18 in the 3rd round. Finished in 4:56.

Barbara, Still a Weakness

We went in earlier, at 10, for a Sunday due to the holiday. I drank this sample of a women’s elite pre-workout on the drive.

Warm-up

  • 3×15 Reverse Hyper (140#)
  • Shoulder Stretching
  • False Grip “Hang” & Stretch
  • Bottom Squat Hold

Someone lowered the low rings even more so it wasn’t much of a hang with both feet easily on the ground.

Conditioning

“Barbara” – 5 Rounds

  • 20 Pull-ups
  • 30 Push-ups
  • 40 Sit-ups
  • 50 Air Squats
  • 3:00 Rest

Anything with this many bodyweight reps generally isn’t my cup of tea and Barbara is no exception. I’ve never done well with it. I did manage a 38 second PR though. Pull-ups were easy, going 2×10 every round. I did 3×10 for 3 rounds of push-ups but felt them dying so I did 10-8-6-6 the final 2 rounds. Sit-ups were fine for 2 rounds but got slow. Never stopped but it felt like each rep was taking sooo long. Actually did better than expected on the squats and got faster the last two rounds by pushing harder knowing I didn’t need to use my legs again for about 6 minutes when I finished the set.

Date R1 R2 R3 R4 R5 Total
Sep 22, 2012 4:23 4:26 4:26 4:33 4:27 22:15
Nov 16, 2014 3:37 4:12 4:29 4:59 5:07 22:24
Apr 16, 2017 3:52 4:06 4:19 4:42 4:38 21:37

Gymnastics

10:00 EMOM

  • 4 Strict HSPU

I haven’t been doing much overhead pressing since the back issues, so wanted to try and get in some reps. Went much better than I expected.

17.4 is 16.4

This week I remembered to check the leaderboard after score validations closed. Even though I didn’t improve on my redo, 17.3 may have been my best placing ever in an Open workout. After a weak 17.1, I’ve been able to make a nice climb up the overall leaderboards with the last two workouts.

17.3 Results

  • Open Division: 19,602/167,143 (11.7%)
  • Masters 35-39 Division: 2,268/31,768 (7.1%)

Overall Placing After 3 Weeks

  • Open Division: 26,201/201,248 (13%)
  • Masters 35-39 Division: 3,282/36,980 (8.9%)

*I only count athletes who have submitted at least one score.

Many people were predicting 16.4 as the repeat workout for this year. Since it was my best workout from the 2016 Open I was happy to see Castro select it. We’ve been working a lot on HSPU and I recently improved my score on 15.4 by 9 reps, so I wanted to do a retest on this one. Even last year I felt I left some reps on the table by pacing too much.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 Airdyne
  • 2×10 Heel Drives
  • Deadlift
    • 10×45#
    • 5×135
    • 5×185
    • 3×225
    • 2x3x275
  • Bottom Squat Hold
  • Shoulder stretching

CrossFit Open Workout 17.4

13:00 AMRAP

  • 55 Deadlifts (225#)
  • 55 Wall Balls (20#, 10′)
  • 55 Row (calories)
  • 55 Handstand Push-ups

Last year I scored 192 reps, which is 27 HSPU after finishing the row at 8:34. Little bit of a strategy change this year…

  • Deadlift: 11 sets of 5 with short rests (count to 2 or 3 and go)
  • Wall Balls: 5 sets of 11 with about 10 second rests (I count to 8 and get going)
  • Row: 1,100-1,200 cal/hr
  • Handstand Push-ups: Sets of 3 with 10-15 second rests

Rests may have gotten a bit longer at the end of deadlifts, but wall balls were on pace. I needed to push on the rower as I was just under 1,000 cal/hr most of the way, which is not good. I picked it up for the last 10+ calories. Again like last year, I decided to camp out on the seat for probably a good 20-30 seconds before getting up. So much wasted time when I could have knocked out at least a set on the wall. For some dumb reason I decided to set the damper over 6, which I never row at. I usually am in the low 5 area, so not sure if that was enough to make any kind of difference.

I was done with deadlifts at 2:27, wall balls at 5:18, and rowing at 8:47. There weren’t tiebreakers except for finishing the row last year, so I only know that I was 13 seconds slower this year. Not good. 😦 When I finally got up on the wall I was having no problem with triples. Somewhere under 90 seconds I decided to do a set of 4 and it came back to bite me when I got 2 no-reps in the final minute. I didn’t have to do doubles until at the end. Even though I had less time this year, I still set a PR by 5 reps with 32 of the HSPU for a score of 197.

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Interference

My back is a little tight from yesterday.

Power Clean + 3 Front Squats

  • 45#
  • 95
  • 95
  • 135
  • 165
  • 185
  • 205
  • 225
  • 235
  • 245

We got in the lifting from yesterday that was programmed for people not redoing the Open workout. Felt heavy today.

Conditioning

The programmed workout had a bunch of pull-ups and a ton more snatches. No thanks so I whipped up an idea using movements we still might see in the Open. Kept with the mash-up theme that’s been going on Tuesdays.

  • 10:00 AMRAP
    • 10 HSPU
    • 20 cal Row
    • 50 DU
  • 10:00 Rest
  • For Time:
    • 12-10-8 DB Thrusters (50#)
    • 9-7-5 MU

I went for it today on the handstand push-ups and surprised myself by doing 4 sets without coming off the wall! The first set was fast and smooth. The other sets were a bit slower with some short pauses resting on my head. Couldn’t believe it! I only missed one dub at 47 in the second round. Finished exactly 4 rounds with 2 seconds to spare.

Yep, dumbbell thrusters are still terrible. Didn’t realize how much they interfere with muscle-ups too. Did all of the thrusters unbroken. Wanted to go for it on that first set of muscle-ups, but I had to come down after 5. Went 2-2 to finish the 9. I think I got a double to start the round of 7 and then failed on the next double, so I stuck to singles the rest of the way. The thrusters got my heart racing so much I had to take long breaks to make sure I made each muscle-up. Finished in 9:50.

Still Got ‘Em

When I workout late, I’m hyped up and can’t get to bed, so I was up until like 1:30 last night. Made it to the gym at 10am though. Hybrid had a bunch of heavy snatches programmed today because they didn’t adjust after 17.3 was announced and some long AMRAPs, but we didn’t feel like doing any of that stuff.

12:00 EMOM

  • 10 Pistols
  • 7 Strict HSPU

Have had doubts about pistols lately because my left quad has been bothering me a bit during squats. Once I got in a few reps they were feeling great though. Went for an increase on the handstand push-ups from what I’ve been doing and made every set. Was fun doing these two movements back-to-back.

Back Squat

  • 10×45#
  • 5×155
  • 5×205
  • 5×245
  • 3x5x275

Felt heavy and I could feel my low back a little bit so didn’t push the weight.

Bench Press (pause)

  • 10×45#
  • 5×95
  • 5×135
  • 5×165
  • 5×185
  • 5×205
  • 5×225
  • 5×230

I couple of weeks ago I did 225 for a triple with the pauses so this was a big jump. My 5RM without pauses is 240, so wondering where my max is these days.

Conditioning

  • 500m Row

It’s been too long since I did this for time. Had it going good with the average pace down to 1:22/500m at one point, but died in the last 150 meters. Finished with 1:24.1, which is only 0.6 seconds off my best.

2017-03-11-500m-row.jpg

Great Monday

I felt a little twinge in my back a few times as I moved around the house. Otherwise feeling good after yesterday’s workouts.

Warm-up – 3 Sets

  • 10 Air Squats
  • 8 Strict Chin-ups

Weightlifting

Work up to a daily max power clean + squat clean.

  • 4 @ 45#
  • 2 @ 95
  • 2 @ 135
  • 185
  • 205
  • 225
  • 245
  • 265
  • 275

Wasn’t sure how my back would hold up, but was able to hit a PR on my power clean and this is only 11# under the most I’ve cleaned!

Conditioning

20:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 5 Strict HSPU
  • 5 Power Cleans (185#)

Programmed as 10-12 strict handstand push-ups! Yeah right. I was able to hold on and do every set of power cleans touch-n-go. I probably could have done 6 HSPU each set, but not much more. Really good EMOM though. Was drenched in sweat at the halfway point.

Gymnastics

10:00 EMOM

  • 3 MU

Figured this would be rough after all of the bar muscle-ups in 17.2 yesterday. Working on jumping into the first rep like I was able to get going on the bar. Usually I grab the rings from right underneath and then lift my legs up. The jump is must faster and more efficient. I was also working a little bit on using the back swing of my legs to drive me up through the dip motion. Made it through every set unbroken but didn’t have much left.

That was a lot of muscle-ups over 4 days! My hands need a break. Leaving for Austin, TX in the morning.

Heavyweight 15.4

Really needed the rest day after the previous workouts. Definitely started getting the “Karen Quads” yesterday, but the soreness is almost gone already, which is unheard of. Every other time I’ve done the 150 wall balls I could barely walk for 3 days. I haven’t done it in almost 4 years though. My shoulders were pretty tired the last couple of days too, but seem fine today.

Aerobic Work

3 Rounds – E5M

  • 20 60 DU
  • 20 Burpees over Rower
  • 20 cal Row

My times were 2:44, 2:50, and 3:09. I messed up 3 or 4 times on dubs in the 3rd round after making the first 2 unbroken. This took a lot more out of my than I expected, but I was moving at a pretty good pace on the burpees.

Power Clean

Work up to a heavy triple as a primer for the WOD. Don’t max out.

  • 3×45#
  • 3×95
  • 3×135
  • 3×165
  • 3×185
  • 3×205

Good enough. All touch-n-go reps.

Conditioning

15.4 – 8:00 AMRAP

  • 3 HSPU
  • 3 Power Clean (185#)
  • 6 HSPU
  • 3 Power Clean
  • 9 HSPU
  • 3 Power Clean
  • 12 HSPU
  • 6 Power Clean
  • 15 HSPU
  • 6 Power Clean
  • 18 HSPU
  • 6 Power Clean
  • …

I finished 15+6 during the Open in 2015 and did 15+4 this last July. I’ve been feeling much better with my HSPU and managed to get through 9 of the 18 today for a 9 rep PR. I’m also 16 pounds heavier than I was during the 2015 Open! I was cruising along pretty good on my HSPU until the end of the 15 when I started to die out. Held on as best I could at the end. I had 1:18 left on the clock after I finished the 6 power cleans.

On the HSPU I think I did 3, 6, 5-4, 4-4-4, 4-4-4-3, and 2-2-2-3. I could still use a lot of work on my kip to knock them out quicker. Cleans were all quick singles.

fatty-2017.png
Gains?

Gymnastics

10:00 EMOM

  • 3-5 Muscle-ups

I did 7 sets of 3, a set of 4, failed the 4th, and barely got the 3rd in the final round. 31 total reps. Tried to work on getting some kip into the dips, but don’t think I was very successful because that’s what started giving out.

Hero Chipper

Was not looking forward to this session, which had a version of one of my least favorite workouts.

Warm-up – 3 Rounds

  • 9 Strict HSPU
  • 12 T2B
  • 15 Air Squats

Handstand push-ups are feeling so much better, its unreal. Just a few weeks ago I was dying out doing 3×5 strict. I skipped out on the deadlift work today to let my back rest some more so I did my own thing for the warm-up and then some bench. I’ve definitely gotten used to the extra grip on the bar for toes-to-bars using my chalked up grips. I was falling off after 4 reps today when I wasn’t wearing them! Did all sets unbroken though by regripping through each set.

Bench Press

  • 10×45#
  • 2x5x95
  • 5×135
  • 5×165
  • 5×185
  • 5×205
  • 2x5x225
  • 5×235

If I had known that was only 5 pounds shy of matching my PR for 5 I would have gone for 245.

Conditioning

10 Rounds

  • 1:00
    • 10 cal Row
    • Max bar-facing Burpees
  • 1:00 Rest

Turned out not to be ad bad as expected. The minute of rest was really nice. I did 12-9-8-8-8-9-9-9-10-11 burpees. So many burpees lately; another 93 today.

“Chipper DT”

Ugh!! I do not do well with “DT” so was not excited to see this come up. The hang power cleans always trip me up so I was afraid of what 45 in a row would feel like.

  • 60 Deadlifts (155#)
  • 45 Hang Power Cleans
  • 30 S2OH

I did 15-15-10 and then 3 more sets (of what, I don’t remember) to finish the deadlifts. My hamstrings and low back were pretty fired up at that point. I had no idea what to try for the cleans so I experimented for my first few sets. I quickly realized that taking the bar down and bouncing it off my legs just above my knee used less explosive energy than trying to stay more upright and bounce it high off my legs. I think I mostly did sets of 4 or 5. The cleans were still the worst part but seemed much easier than even having to do the 9 at a time in regular DT. I think I mostly did 5s on the jerks. It’s all a little blurry. Finished at 11:30, which is only about 1:30 slower than my best for the actual workout. Didn’t feel nearly as bad either, even after the other work we’d done already. Kind of makes me excited to give DT a real shot now. I think I could smoke my PR. Pretty cool variation though.

Chesty Snatches

My back belt much better yesterday, but will take it easy this week. In early at 2pm with the guys.

Warm-up

3 Sets

  • 1 Legless Rope Climb
  • 8 Strict HSPU
  • 10 Squat Jumps

I did this warm-up since I was skipping the back squats. They had to do max reps at 70%.

Snatch

Work up to 3 sets of 5 @ 70%.

  • 3x3x45#
  • 5×95
  • 5×135
  • 5×155
  • 2x5x165

I did all powers to keep the stress of my back, which sometimes acts up in the bottom of the squat when snatching or doing OHS. The 155 is officially my 70%, but my snatch isn’t where it should be, so the extra 10# was no problem.

Conditioning

5:00 Cycles

  • Buy-in: 3 Rounds of “Chesty” before snatches
    • 5 C2B Pull-ups
    • 10 Push-ups
    • 15 Air Squats
  • Snatches
    • 15 @ (135/95#)
    • 12 @ (165/115#)
    • 9 @ (185/125#)
    • 6 @ (205/135#)
    • 3 @ (225/145#)

One of those bonus round workouts we’ve seen in the open. You get a 5:00 clock to start and must complete 3 rounds of “Chesty” and the associated snatches to “earn” another 5:00. You can start on the next cycle as soon as you finish the snatches to try to get ahead of the clock, banking up extra time.

First three rounds were no issue, as suspected, though my squats were too slow. I thought about doing triples so started with a double at 135# and quickly changed to singles. Breezed through them. Next cycle of “Chesty” I was getting even slower with my squats and started using my hands to push off of my knees, hoping to save my legs some for the snatches. I could have changed the weight on the bar faster too.

The snatches with 165# were challenging, but I was still able to power each one, taking about 10 seconds per rep. Or at least that’s what I was seeing on the clock as I tried to rush the last 30 seconds. I finished 10 of the 12 reps. Needed to be there about 15-20 seconds sooner and I would have been able to move on.

Doing rounds of “Cindy” with chest-to-bar pull-ups was a fun twist and wasn’t causing me any issues. I don’t know I’d want to do it for a full 20 minutes though.

Gymnastics

8 Rounds (Tabata)

  • 20s T2B
  • 10s Rest

I did all sixes plus an extra 2 at the end last time we did this. Goal today was sets of 7 and initially I was even thinking 4×7 and 4×6 would be nice to accomplish. Got through the first 7 sets of 7 unbroken and hit my wall in the final set, having to do 4-2-1. 56 total reps, which is a 6 rep improvement. Makes a big difference when I can remember to keep my legs straighter. Muscle memory is still hard to overcome though.