Pistols on the Right

My golf game wasn’t much better today but took 3rd place in the 3rd (last) flight. Couldn’t get anything going all weekend to score. The heat the last few days has been nasty! Drains a lot out of you on the course. Went in to the gym a bit before 8pm to do work. Too damn hot to workout in the garage.

Warm-up

3 Rounds

  • 10 Reverse Hypers (210#)
  • 10 GHD Sit-ups
  • 5 Strict Pull-ups
  • 10 Push-ups
  • 10 Jump Squats

Nice and slow. Was not rushing at all.

C&J

  • 5×45#
  • 5×95#
  • 3×135#

Conditioning

CrossFit Open 11.3

5:00 AMRAP

  • Squat Clean (165#)
  • Jerk (165#)

These movements are counted as 2 separate reps in this workout. So if you miss a jerk, you can power clean it to get the jerk done since a squat clean won’t count until that jerk gets completed. I was alone so I made a deal with myself. I faced away from the clock and couldn’t look until I had completed 20 rounds. Had 20 seconds left and got in 2 more rounds for 44 total reps.

Midline

5 Sets

  • 5 Evil Wheels
  • 10 Floor Wipers (holding 40# DBs)

Should do those floor wipers more often since it’s a hip rotation exercise as well as great on the core.

I decided to try a pistol on the right leg, which I haven’t been able to do since October due to some type of issue with my rectus femoris. Did a couple no problem!

Back To It

Worked on the garage all weekend with my Dad. It’s a long day standing on the concrete for so long. I did do a round of back stretches last night though. Back to the grind today after 2 weeks away from CFi classes. Looking forward to it. I got up and had my coffee at the squat rack instead of sitting down for a half hour. Warmed up with 3:00 on the Air Dyne (1.24km) and then got right to it.

Back Squats

  • 20×45#
  • 10×135#
  • 10×145#
  • 10×155#
  • 10×165#
  • 10×175#
  • 10×185#

I haven’t had a bar on my back in over 2 months, trying to rest the right quad. Wanted to keep it light but get in some volume. I don’t plan to get too heavy for a few weeks and see how it all feels.

Went to the 9am class. After taking a break from creatine for the last couple of weeks, I mixed it in my workout drink again today.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • Bottom Squat Hold
  • PVC Pass-thrus

Strength

Shoulder Press

  • 10×45#
  • 7×75#
  • 7×95#
  • 7×105#
  • 3x7x115#
  • 7×120#

Conditioning

  • 2:00 AMRAP
    • Jump Squats
  • Rest 1:00
  • 8:00 AMRAP
    • 6 Push-ups
    • 8 Sit-ups
    • 10 MB Cleans (20#)

I did 63 jump squats at a pretty decent pace. Then I got 7 rounds plus 6 push-ups. Everything unbroken but the cleans got slow because it was such a burn in the legs.

Midline

4 Rounds

  • 20s Hollow Hold
  • 10s Rest
  • 20s Superman Hold
  • 10s Rest

Was sweating more than during the AMRAP. Can’t remember ever doing a superman hold; those are tough!

It felt good to be back at it. Knocked out Crossover Symmetry Iron Scap before I left the gym. Will do some back stretches tonight.

LBC Thanksgiving

I think it’s time for a “rest” day and to enjoy an insane amount of food. Going to a big Thanksgiving breakfast/dinner buffet at noon with my brother.

Couldn’t help myself though and knocked out a few quick things when I woke up.

50 Hand Release Push-ups

Had 30 in the first minute by doing sets of 5. Pretty slow from there though. Finished in 2:16, which is 11 seconds better than I did in August.

50 V-ups

I was laying on the air mattress, which may have helped with these. Took me 1:27.

50 Squat Jumps

Pretty quick in 57 seconds.

I think I earned myself extra dessert!

2014-thanksgiving-buffet

Last Day at the Lake

Finally a nice day on vacation! Walked 18 holes of golf this morning and had one of my best 9 holes ever. Ended up with a headache from being out in the sun though. Took a couple of short naps and finally decided to sweat some around 5pm. Warmed up with an easy 400m jog.

10:00 EMOM

  • 100m Sprint

Walked 0.43 miles for active recovery.

10:00 EMOM

  • 10s Squat Jumps (20# vest)

Focused on explosive jumps and got 5 each round. Walked 0.28 miles for more recovery

  • 100 Sit-ups

Did it in 3:14.

Heading back home in the morning. It’s been a nice change to get in a bunch of running and gymnastics work, but I’m ready to lift some weights!

Zerchers

My legs were fatigued all day yesterday, but felt fine this morning. Went in for the 9am class.

Warm-up

4 Rounds

  • 15s Jumping Jacks
  • 15s Air Squats
  • 15s Mountain Climbers
  • 15s Jump Squats

Strength

5×5 Zercher Squats

First time for these. Felt a little odd for the first few sets, but started to get the hang of it. I ended up using the same loads I had used for 5×5 front squats 3 weeks ago: 135#, 155#, 175#, 195#, and 215#. Hit 5 reps on each and the last set was tough. Might have had another 5 or 10 pounds in me, but I’ll take it for my first time.

WOD

5 Rounds

  • 21 Over the Box Jumps (24″)
  • 16 Weighted Lunges (45# DBs)
  • 9 Front Squats (45# DBs)

This was a hell of a leg killer and even after the first round I had to really concentrate on every box jump to make sure I got up there. Did my best not to take any rest breaks, but did have to put the DBs down between lunges and squats in the 3rd and 4th rounds. Finished in 13:58, which feels good since grabbing the 45# DBs is on the edge or past my limits.

Finisher

  • 10 -> 1 Ladder of T2B
  • 20s Spider Plank

Did all of the T2B unbroken. First time doing spider planks and those are tough. My legs were pretty shaky after the WOD.

Feeling, Bad to Good

I got up early for a Saturday. I think it was before 7:30. Didn’t feel good all morning as I lazed in front of the TV. Seriously thought about staying home from the gym, but went to 10am anyway.

Warm-up

50 Rounds

  • 2 Russian KBS (40# KB)
  • Goblet Squat (40# KB)

It took a few reps to get used to releasing the KB after the 2nd swing and catching it for the goblet, then throwing it back in the air after the goblet to go into the next swings.

WOD

  • 100 Jump Squats
  • 25 “Gladiator” Man Makers (25# DBs)
    • Row, Push-up, T, Row, Push-up, T, Stand, Clean, Press
  • 50 Burpees

Those jump squats to start are deceptively difficult. I was feeling the burn in my legs at 30 reps. Broke the gladiator man makers down in to 5 sets of 5 by using a popsicle stick for every 5th rep so I didn’t lose count. When a movement is as complicated as these were, counting always gets hard. Having to move the stick provided a nice little break in there. The last 10 reps were difficult, with the T (twist your torso and reach the DB straight up to the sky) being the hardest part. Once I got to the burpees I knew the end was in sight and knocked them out unbroken. I flew through the last 5 as fast as possible for that extra little push.

I think my time was 17:34. It wasn’t the heaviest use of DBs, but I couldn’t have gone any heavier with that type of intensity, so I’ll take my top time of the class. It’s been awhile since I’ve knocked out a WOD like this, so I think my conditioning is coming back up. And to think I wasn’t feeling well before getting to the gym.

Finisher

10-20-30-20-10

  • Russian Twists (35# KB)
  • AbMat Sit-ups
  • Weighted V-ups (20# DB)

Ugh, this ab circuit Kevin made up a couple of weeks ago is horrible, mostly because of the weighted v-ups. It was especially bad today because our abs were fatigued from the plank position held for most of the WOD.

Hopefully I feel up for some rowing later tonight.

What a Bear!

Kind of tired this morning, but went to 9am to get it done.

Warm-up

4 Rounds

  • 15s Jumping Jacks
  • 15s Air Squats
  • 15s Mountain Climbers
  • 15s Jump Squats

4 Rounds

  • 15s Plank
  • 15s Supermans
  • 15s Right Side Plank
  • 15s Left Side Plank

Strength

Find 1RM Front Squat

After hitting my previous 1 rep max (235#) for 3 reps last week, I was looking for a nice PR today. Warmed up with 6 reps at 135# and then went 185#, 215#, 235#, 245#, and 255# for a 20# PR. It was pretty easy too.

WOD

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

  • Modified Bear Complex (Clean Thruster + Back Squat Thruster)
  • 2x DU

I went Rx with 115# and finished just under the time limit with 25:45. Pretty happy with that because a long barbell complex in far from my strength and I held my own. I’ll be feeling that one in my legs for a few days.

DB WOD

In for the 9am because I have a massage at noon and want to rest after that. Back is tight from the last couple of days.

Warm-up

3 Rounds

  • 20 PVC Pass-thrus
  • 15 Jump Squats
  • 10 Zombie Kicks
  • 5 Burpees

Strength

5×3 Shoulder Press

  • 10 @ 45#
  • 3 @ 95#
  • 3 @ 115#
  • 3 @ 125#
  • 3 @ 135#
  • 3 @ 145#

I did 3 reps at 145# a couple of months ago, but I’ll take it after doing HSPU last night. Some days you have to just take what you can get because it’s better than going for 150# and not getting any reps. It took me a long time to realize this.

Accessory

3 Sets

  • MAX Ring Dips
  • 90s Rest

These felt good today. The weighted dips Kevin and I have been doing really helped out I think. I did 16, 12, and 10 in my sets. All reps were strict with no kipping.

WOD

21-15-9

  • Modified DB Curtis P’s (hang clean, lunge, lunge, push press)
  • Manmakers (DB push-up, row, row)

It was a good change of pace to do a WOD dominated by DBs. The push presses were easily the worst part of this for me. I had to take my breaks mostly because I couldn’t press out any more reps. Finished in 19:44, using 40# DBs.

Update
Decided to try my first 2k row at night. Didn’t quite know what to expect and started too fast. It pretty much sucked after the first 500m. Final time was 7:38 so I’ll have something to shoot for next time.

20121205-181402.jpg

Holy Shit Balls, That’s A LOT of Squats!

My hamstrings really kicked in today from the 100 good mornings Kevin and I did on Saturday night. Just in time for squat day and RDLs! Went to the 5:30pm class.

Warm-up

4 Rounds

  • 15s Jumping Jacks
  • 15s Air Squats
  • 15s Mountain Climbers
  • 15s Jump Squats

Strength

5×5 Front Squat

It’s been over 2 months since we did this. Last time I got 215# for 2 reps on my last set, so my goal was to hit it for all 5 today and I did. Went 8 reps at 135# and then 5 reps each at 155#, 175#, 195#, and 215#.

Accessory

12:00 EMOTM

  • Odds: 10 RDLs (155#)
  • Evens: 10 Goblet Squats (55# KB)

Just what the Doctor ordered for sore hamstrings, high rep RDLs!

WOD

5 Rounds

  • 15 MB Squat Cleans (20# MB)
  • 15 Wall Balls (20# MB, 10′ target)

Towards the end of the 2nd round my hips really started to lock up. It was a struggle. Finished in 10:26.

That was as shit ton of squats today! I can barely walk already. Going to try and play soccer for the first time in my life at 8:30pm, so that should be interesting.

Back That Squat Up, and Let Me See What You Got

My neck and upper back are a little sore from the back tuck spill I took yesterday. Chest a bit sore from bench pressing last night too. Feeling kind of refreshed after taking a couple of days off from CrossFit though. Went in to the 5:30pm class.

Warm-up

4 Rounds

  • 15s Jumping Jacks
  • 15s Air Squats
  • 15s Mountain Climbers
  • 15s Jump Squats

Strength

1RM Back Squat

I was pretty excited for this since I haven’t done it since March. It was 235# back then. A couple of weeks ago I did 255# on 14″ box squats so was confident I could smash that today. Mission accomplished.

  • 8 @ 135#
  • 5 @ 185#
  • 1 @ 225#
  • 1 @ 255#
  • 1 @ 275#
  • 1 @ 285#

WOD

100 Back Squats at 40% of 1RM (115#)
* Each time you drop the bar add 10 more reps.

I dropped the bar after 62 reps because my left hand was going numb. I was holding the bar with my arms wrapped around it and resting on the plates. I think I cut off blood flood or a nerve was pinched. My hand is actually still tingling. I dropped the bar again after my 90th rep. So that put me at needing 120 reps in total. I got the last 30 without dropping the bar to finish them off. Total time was 10:52 for 120 reps.

I’ve never felt like I was going to pass out during a WOD until this one. I think it was probably because of holding the bar on my back for so long it was restricting blood flow up or something. Not the greatest feeling, but a hell of a WOD to finish.

Finisher

50-40-30-20-10

  • Russian Twists (35# KB)
  • AbMat Sit-ups

Another first was feeling like I was going to throw up while doing sit-ups. You don’t think about how much your abs have to work to do those heavy back squats and then 120 more back squats. Great way to finish though.