Tag: overhead squat

Squat and Squat Some More

Today I was sore from the combination of thrusters on Saturday and wall balls yesterday. Also sore from yesterday’s ring dips. Just sore enough in those areas to know something is working. I walked 18 holes of golf this morning and then went to the 7pm class.

Strength

5 sets

  • 5 Back Squats
  • 2m Rest

Warmed up with a set of 8 using just the bar. My working sets were:

  • 135#
  • 165#
  • 185#
  • 210#
  • 220#

No failures on any of the reps, but I need to get better at consistent weight increases. That was pretty wild. I haven’t done a 1RM since the end of March, which was 240#, so the next time we do that I’ll knock it out of the park.

Accessory

3 sets

  • 12 Bulgarian Split Squats (each leg)

For the first set we didn’t use any weight. I used a 35# KB for the second set and a 48# KB for the third set. I’m not sure why we didn’t hold 2 DBs for these.

WOD

7:00 AMRAP

  • Turkish Get-up (first half, the get-up part only)
  • 3 1-Arm Snatches
  • 3 1-Arm OHS
  • Turkish Get-up (second half, the get down part only)

Each time through the series is one rep and you must alternate arms after each rep. I used a 35# DB and completed 13 reps. The 1-Arm OHS may be one of the oddest movements I’ve done in a WOD. The balance seems impossible unless you get a super wide stance. I kept getting up on my toes at points and it was a struggle to get proper depth.

Finisher

10 Prowler Sprints

The prowler was loaded with two 45# plates and we used the heavier (wooden) one. Each sprint was about 25 yards one way with the high handles and then 25 yards back with the low handles. For the last couple of sprints it was only Michelle and I, so very little rest.

Lots of squatting today, which I need. I’m excited to see Matt is serious about putting a dedicated strength section into weekday classes. I’ve been getting stronger, but not at the pace I was seeing over the 3 months when I was out in Phoenix last winter.

You Never Know What You Might Miss

I was planning to take the day off, but felt good and was itching for a workout, so I went in to the 5:30pm class. I’m glad I did, because we worked on a bunch of new stuff and some things I really need work on.

Warm-up

3 Rounds:

  • 1m Sledge Hammer Slams
  • 1m Ring Push-ups
  • 1m Touch Jumps for Height
  • 1m Plank
  • 1m Wall Squat
  • 1m Prison Squats
  • 1m Rest

This was a nice switch-up from the norm and several new things.

WOD

  • 10-20-30-40-50 Pistols
  • 5-10-15-20-25 HSPUs
  • 100m-100m-200m-200m-300m Run

I’ve never tried more than 1 or two pistols in a row, so I grabbed a 12″ box to assist me when I couldn’t do them anymore. The round of 10 was kind of rough and I was falling all over the place, but as the rounds went on pistols actually got easier and easier because I learned how to control my body for them. Balance is huge for these one-legged bastards. I made it all the way through the workout doing them Rx on my first day doing them. Total of 75 per leg, which I’m sure to be feeling tomorrow. I started off doing Rx HSPU and knocked out the first 5 strict for a new PR. Next time around I got 9 in a row with a few kipping, blowing away the PR I just set. I think I had to add in an AbMat during the next round and was using 2 AbMats by the end. I was kind of slow, but kept pushing and finished with a time of 31:52.

Strength

Some people stayed after class and did some OHS. I did a set of 5 at 85#, a set of 3 at 105#, a set of 4 at 115#, and then went for a 1RM at 130#. I failed on the first attempt, but tried again and slowed myself down to keep steady. Got it up for a new PR.

If I had taken a rest day I would have missed out on a lot of great stuff today.

Always Something New

I’ve been working out at CrossFit Full Strength for two and a half months now and I still end up doing some movement or new stretch I’ve never done at least once or twice a week. “Constantly varied” is exactly right when it comes to CrossFit. My legs are sore from back squats and particularly my inner thighs. Feels so good though!

Last night I did a bit of DU practice and I’m able to string together streaks consistently now. I don’t even start with singles first, which I think has helped. Start spinning that rope, but don’t jump for the first time until the rope is about to reach your feet and then start the fast wrist action and get right into doubles. Once again though, the headache came on while doing them. I’ve been doing some neck mobility a couple of times a day to try and loosen things up.

Warm-up

  • 2x
    • PVC Shoulder Mobility
    • 10 PVC OHS
    • 3 Groiners (each leg)
  • 400m Run

Strength

5 Sets

  • 8-10 DB Russian Step-ups (each leg)
  • 15s Rest
  • 30-45s Side Planks (each side)
  • 45s Rest

Russian step-ups are something new to me. I used a 24 inch box and 30# DBs, while doing 10 per leg in each set. I’m going to be feeling those for a few days. For the side planks I went a full 45 seconds on each side. You wouldn’t think it, but this work got me dripping with sweat.

Update: An hour and a half later I can barely walk. The Russian step-ups really worked the hamstrings.

WOD

12m AMRAP

  • 6 HSPUs
  • 9 Ring Dips
  • 12 HR Push-ups

Push, push, and push some more. This WOD was all about fatigue in the push motion. After the first round there wasn’t much left in the tank. More time was spending resting than working, but I was still out of breath at the end. For the HSPU sI used 2 AbMats because I die quickly using 1 and I knew it was going to be an issue with 2. The ring dips and HR push-ups were Rx. After round 1 I had to do a lot of kipping on the HSPUs. At the end I managed to get through 3 rounds plus 3 HSPUs.

Open workout 12.4 gets announced later today and I’m going to do it tomorrow morning because I’m driving up to Las Vegas for the weekend right after. My prediction is that we’ll see deadlifts, DUs, and a body weight movement such as HSPUs, HR Push-ups, or muscle-ups. But… I’m hoping I’m wrong on those last 3 because of today’s WOD.

Speaking of muscle-ups… I’ve been toying around with them a bit before and after classes this week. Today we set a rack with a band around the dip bars right under the rings. I stood on the band, got my false grip on the rings and completed an assisted muscle-up on my second attempt! I was done there though because of how dead my shoulders were from the WOD. I’m going to have these down before I head back to Michigan.

Was awake an hour earlier than usual and…

Was awake an hour earlier than usual and couldn’t fall back asleep. So much for getting 8+ hours like I had been. Feeling good though after yesterday’s deadlifting.

Warm-up

  • 25 MB Squat Cleans
  • 2x Burgener Snatch Warm-up
  • 2 rounds
    • 10 GHD Sit-ups
    • 10 Hip Extensions

I used a 20# MB for the squats cleans and used a 45# bar for the Burgener warm-up

Strength
5 Sets of 1 Heaving Snatch Balance followed immediately by 3 OHS

The Olympic class on Sunday helped a little bit with doing these and ended up helping a lot in the WOD. I started off with the 45# bar, and then did weights of 65#, 85#, 95#, and 105#. I really have to struggle to keep my balance with OHS and I was trying to remember to push my knees out while squatting.

WOD
12-9-6

  • Power Snatch
  • Burpees
  • 600m Run (only 1 each round)

I used 95# for the power snatches, but probably should have used 105# to push my limits. With the snatch being so new I didn’t want to go too heavy and risk hurting myself because of bad technique. I finished the WOD in 15:05.