Tag: Handstand Push-up

Reality

My shoulders and upper back have felt beat up all day from last night’s workout. Not much of a warm-up today other than moving around a bit.

2ewsday Mash-up

  • 100 46 HSPU
    • 10 (-ish) Box Jumps (36 30″) at the start of every minute, including the first
  • 5:00 Rest
  • 100 Calorie Assault Bike Row
    • 20 Double Unders at the start of every minute, including the first

I thought maybe I’d scale down to 70 handstand push-ups, but would probably be a stretch since the aim of these workouts has been 10 minutes in length. No way we were doing 36″ jumps though; 30 inches was plenty!

Update: Turns out they fucked up the programming again and it was only supposed to be 5 box jumps to start each minute! Would have made a huge difference.

I started out with 10 jumps at 30″ and did 10 unbroken HSPU the first round, but could tell it was going to get horrible. Ten jumps again in the 2nd minute, but only 4 handstand push-ups because time was already running short. I dropped down to 8 box jumps from there and held the 4 HSPU, all unbroken. When I got through 10 minutes that was enough for me. I need to improve my kipping rhythm.

Nasty combination because the hips and low back were getting burned out by both movements. I completed a total of 84 box jumps and 46 HSPU. Would have taken me 6 more minutes doing sets of 4 to get to my 70, which I think was definitely possible. With the workout taking me almost 30 minutes yesterday I didn’t want something long again with even less rest in this.

Setup my area with a rower (no good air bike for this) during the 5 minute rest and got into it. Dubs were solid except for 2 false start misses. Took me 8:48 to accumulate the 100 calories of rowing.

Gymnastics

EMOM

  • T2B up to 80 reps

Skipped out on this yesterday, but I really need the volume, and since today was an “easier” day I wanted to get it in. My goal was to hold 8 every round, taking me into the 10th minute. I thought I was going to make it all unbroken after I got through the 7th set. Then I had to do 7-1 in the 8th minute. Finished with 5-3 and 4-2-2. So still was able to get in the 8 every minute, but couldn’t keep that many larger sets.

My shoulders are destroyed now!

Rise Up

Rest day and I’m feeling great, but know what’s in store for the next 3 days. Figured I could get in some of the warm-up work I know we’ll skip tomorrow. So I laid a blanket over some of the pillows from my couch.

Landing on the cushy pillow was really nice, but the deeper angles on my wrists wasn’t feeling great by the end of the third set.

5 Sets

  • 8 Strict Handstand Push-ups

These have never felt so easy. The wider hand placement is making a huge difference for me.

GO FALCONS!

So Many Cleans

All rested up! Skipped the epically long cardio warm-up that was supposed to be 21-18-15-12-9-6-3 of row and bike. Ain’t nobody got time for that!

Front Squat

Add 0-5-10 pounds over last week’s 3×6.

  • 6×45#
  • 6×135
  • 6×185
  • 6×215
  • 3x6x245

Not a fan of higher rep front squats like these.

C&J

Work up to a daily 2RM. Try to go 5-10 pounds over the triple from last week.

  • 2x2x135#
  • 2×185
  • 2×215
  • 2×245
  • 2×275 (PR)

Working up in fewer sets is nice, except we could feel our shoulders weren’t quite warmed up where they should be. Legs were great from the front squats. Thought I might try hitting 285, which is basically my max, but wasn’t feeling the jerks. Both jerks with 275 were pretty ugly. PR double though!

Barbell Cycling

3 Sets – E90S

  • 9 TnG C&J (135#)

These were fun! Took me about 26 seconds each set. Piece of cake compared to the 135 pound thruster intervals in the Thruster Attack program. Pretty much like a “Grace” with long rests.

Conditioning

7:00 AMRAP

  • 11 Power Cleans (115#)
  • 7 HSPU

More cleans! Scaled the HSPU down from 11 reps and hoped I’d be able to do 4-3 each round. I started off with 11 unbroken cleans and said to Weston, “probably not doing that again.” Haha. I did the cleans in 7-4 for the next 3 rounds and then did 11 unbroken at the end so I could get back to the wall. Was able to do the handstand push-ups 4-3 the whole way and probably should have taken shorter rests or maybe tried some sets of 7 at the beginning. Scaling to 7 reps was good for me though. Finished with 4 rounds, the cleans, and 2 HSPU. It has been a huge difference going wider and putting more distance between my plates and the wall.

Gymnastics

8 Rounds (Tabata)

  • 20s T2B
  • 10s Rest

Originally thought of trying 4-4, but settled on sets of 6 to try to build volume for bigger sets. I was barely able to maintain that every round. Jumped back up in the final round and struggled to get 2 extra reps for a total of 50. I focused on keeping straighter legs today and not doing my bicycle style of toes-to-bars. Felt ok and hopefully that’ll make some difference.

Building

Rough night. Couldn’t get comfortable being so tired. In at 10am today and the other guys said the same thing. Good thing today was on the easier side.

Warm-up

5 Sets – Strict “Cindy”

  • 5 Strict Chin-ups
  • 10 Push-ups
  • 15 Air Squats

I did chins because I could use the extra bicep work.

Conditioning

16:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 12 cal Row
  • 9×24′ Shuttle Run

Supposed to be 20 minutes of row and Assault Bike, but we had to cut short so class could user the rowers and we obviously don’t have a bunch of bikes. Was a nice aerobic piece.

Diane-ish…

  • 5-10-15-20 Deadlift (225#)
  • 3-7-11-15 HSPU
  • 5-10-15-20 Step-down Box Jumps (24”)

Written as 5-10-15-20 for all of the movements, but I’m still building up my handstand push-up endurance so scaled back. Tried some different placement with the plates and AbMat too, going wider and further from the wall. Felt a lot better. I also tried to work on a better kip.

I went 5, 10, 10-5 (or maybe I did all 15?), 12-8 on deadlifts and 3, 4-3, 3-3-3-2, and 5×3 on the HSPU. Probably took too long of rests between handstand push-ups sets. Finished in 10:38.

Rest day tomorrow! Will be nice to be on track with the schedule this week.

My Favorite Exercise

After waking up yesterday, I knew I needed a rest day. Working out 5 days in a row had me feeling beat up. So I swapped with today. Went in to the gym and did the workout solo since the guys stuck to the schedule and did the workout yesterday.

Warm-up

9:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 5 Strict HSPU
  • 7 Russian KBS (53#)
  • 9 GHD Sit-ups

Only half of the programmed 6 sets. Was planning to do 4 sets, but I was starting to over-extend and struggle with the handstand push-ups already so that was enough.

Deadlift

Do 5×5 @ 75% and then 20RM starting @ 50% this first time.

  • 10x20kg
  • 5×70
  • 5×100
  • 5×130
  • 5×145
  • 5x5x155
  • 20×120

The 5×5 was only at about 66% of my all-time PR, but I can’t pull that right now so have scaled back. I did go at 51% of my all-time 515# high for the 20 rep though, which I can handle better. Was a sneaky set and felt great until my posterior chain lit up in the last 5 reps.

Conditioning

4 Sets

  • 500m Row
  • 1:1 Rest

1:45 – 1:44.7 – 1:44 – 1:42.4

Goal was a 1:45 average so happy to be able to do negative splits.

7:00 AMRAP

  • 10 Bar-facing Burpees
  • 6 SDLHP (115#)

I couldn’t tell you the last time I did a Sumo Deadlift High-pull. I avoid them like the plague because I think they are a stupid movement. Guess I was doing them today! Kept a pretty steady pace and finished 5 rounds plus 9 burpees.

Almost There

Hmm, for some reason, last Tuesday didn’t publish, but it’s up now. Software!

Needed the rest day yesterday, especially being hungover. Trying to figure out where to fit in the final week of thrusters, so I decided to get out in the garage first thing in the morning. Warmed up with 10×45# and got right into it.

Thruster Attack Week 10 Workout 1

3 Cycles

  • 3 Rounds
    • 20s Thrusters (80#)
    • 10s Rest
  • 30s Rest

Stuck to my sets of 9. Gross, but glad to have it over with. Felt a little rough as I was working until I finally got out of the house and grabbed lunch.

Met Bryan at the gym at 6.

1 Power Clean + 5 Strict Press

Up to a daily max.

  • 45#
  • 75
  • 95
  • 115
  • 135
  • 145
  • 155

The power clean is pretty pointless. This matched my 5RM strict press. Felt myself started to lean back so didn’t push it any heavier.

Snatch Pull

Working sets (5×3) @ 100-120% of max snatch.

  • 3×45#
  • 3×95
  • 3×155
  • 3×205
  • 5x3x235

Moved up quick because there was so much to get done.

Back Squat

Add 0-5-10 pounds over last week.

  • 6×135#
  • 6×205
  • 6×245
  • 3x6x275

Felt really really good today. The first working set was the hardest one.

Pendlay Row

  • 3x15x95#

A lot of reps, so I stayed on the light side. Haven’t done any of these in months.

Conditioning

Supposed to be “Diane,” but I scaled the handstand push-up reps to keep up the intensity.

  • 21-15-9 Deadlift (225#)
  • 16-10-6 HSPU

Deadlifts felt great, but I broke that first set at 14-7 to keep my heart rate down because I knew the HSPU would get me sooner or later. Went 9-6 on set 2 and then 9 unbroken on the end. The HSPU felt great in the first round, going 6-5-5, so I was going to try 5-5 again. Got 4 and had to come down. Finished 3-3 and then was also able to go 3-3 on the end. I was a little worried those scaled reps would even be too high, but it worked out well. I was shooting for something sub-6 and I was done in 5:31. Bryan set a huge PR and beat me by over a minute going Rx. I need to work on coming down quicker into the next rep because I use up too much arm strength controlling my descent.

Nope, that wasn’t enough, we still had more to do. It was a 400m run with 2 minutes of rest for 3 times, but no way we were going outside.

3x

  • 500m Row
  • 2:30 Rest

My plan was to try to be somewhere 1:30-1:35. Worked for the first one at least. My times were 1:34, 1:39, and 1:41.5. Dead!

I think I earned these Cinnabon Delights. 🙂

1 Day Remains

My core is sore from the Monday night work. Out in the garage at night. One day of Catalyst OTM left for me after this.

2 Power Clean + 2 Push Jerk

  • 3×45#
  • 2×95
  • 135
  • 165
  • 185
  • 205
  • 5 Sets 215

Combined the two into a complex again, which increases the jerk weight over the %, plus they are harder in the complex. Saves a lot of time though. All TnG cleans.

Stiff-legged Deadlift

  • 5×215#
  • 5×235
  • 5×255
  • 5×275

All sets with a neutral grip and standing on 55# comp plate.

rdl-loaded.jpg

Midline & Accessory

20:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 6 Strict HSPU
  • 8/8 Side Bends (90# landmine)
  • 10 Goblet Squats (90# landmine)
  • 12 Wall Ball Sit-ups (20#)

Happy to get all sets of handstand push-ups unbroken! Using the landmine is not the full weight loaded, but the easiest way to keep track of the load. Doing goblet squats with the landmine attachment is really weird due to the arc of the bar path. Sends your body forward as you come up out of the squat.

Recovery day tomorrow and hopefully will be ready to lift heavy on Friday.

Make It 7

Out in the garage in the evening.

Snatch

  • 5×45#
  • 3×75
  • 3×95
  • 2×115
  • 1×135
  • 1×145
  • 1×155
  • 1×165
  • 4x1x175

Missed 155 trying something different, but reset and got it.

Clean & Jerk

  • 5×45#
  • 3×95
  • 3×135
  • 2×165
  • 1×185
  • 1×200
  • 1×215
  • 4x1x230

Cleans felt a little heavy today.

Front Squat

  • 2×235#
  • 2×260
  • 2x2x275

These felt really good! Didn’t wear a belt at all and was able to stay upright.

Accessory

28:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 5 Strict HSPU
  • 6 Evil Wheels
  • 8 Ring Rows (feet elevated)
  • 15 Lying Leg Lifts

Set the clock for 20:00, planning on 5 times through, but the handstand push-ups were holding up so I went 2 more sets through.

Put a bow on deload week. Hopefully I can get in the next full week of the program before I leave the country. Then that might be it for dedicating time to lifting.

Mind Games

Felt a weird pinch in my upper back at several points during the night. Went to the gym around 5.

Clean

  • 5x20kg
  • 3×40
  • 3×60
  • 2×75
  • 2×85
  • 1×92
  • EMOM
    • 5x1x98
    • 5x1x104
    • 5x1x110
  • Heavy Single
    • 1×116
    • 1×120
    • 1×124
    • Clarked 127
    • Deadlift 127

Hmm, when I did the week 2 programming I guess I used the % from week 3 because I noticed after logging the workout that the loads were almost identical. Whoops! The EMOM felt easy today and the heavies felt great too. After 124 I thought I might be able to go for a PR. Then I got in my head and was out of it for 127. Stupid. I did hit 95% though, so not a bad day.

Clean Pull

  • 3x3x117kg

Clean Deadlifts

3 Segment Clean Deadlift (knee) + 1 Floating Clean Deadlift

  • 3 Sets @ 110kg

Pause Back Squat

Spend 3 seconds in the hole.

  • 3x70kg
  • 3×100
  • 3×110
  • 3x3x117

Accessory

20:00 EMOM

  • 5/5 Kroc Rows (53#)
  • 15 Hollow V-ups
  • 5 Strict HSPU
  • 2/2 Turkish Get-ups (53#)

This 3rd day of the weekly programming has seemed to be the longest, so tried to knock out the core work and accessories without screwing around.

Really need to try and squeeze in a ROMWOD tonight.

Calm Sunday Morning

Completely forgot doing any ROMWOD yesterday while watching ALL THE sports. Big Ryder Cup day today! Went to the track just after 10am. Cool calm morning, which was great for running. Warmed up with an easy 400 meters and then rested 3 minutes.

Aerobic Capacity – VO2 Max

  • 4x
    • 800m (target – 3:31)
    • 2:00 Rest
  • 5:00 Rest
  • 4x
    • 200m (target – 0:36)
    • 2:00 Rest

Took a minute to catch my breath and then walked a lap.

Maybe my best track session yet. I hit the low part of the assigned pace ranges on every single interval. My 800 splits were 3:29-3:29-3:25-3:28 and the 200s were 35-35-36-34 seconds. Went out way too fast on the first 200 meters of the opening 800, but found a nice steady pace for the rest of them. No struggle to get appropriate times, even by the 4th one. Felt really good on the 200s too.

Hmm, still no 1 mile test in the coming week. Though with the 2nd workout of the week, I’m guessing that test may be the week after.

After the Ryder Cup I felt like doing something so headed out to the garage.

Accessory / Gymnastics

32:00 EMOM (alt)

  • 4 Strict HSPU
  • 4 Strict C2B Chin-ups
  • 6 Strict Ring Dips
  • 6/6 Landmine Rows (85#)

Hopefully will get in that 44 minute ROMWOD tonight.