Tag: Pull-up

Vary Your Pull-ups

Morning 8am session in the garage to catch up on some of the Monday programming.

Warm-up

2 Sets

  • 5s of StrongFit Tricep & Bicep Openers (8#)
  • 10 Back Squats (45-135#)
  • 8/8 Landmine Rows (45-55#)
  • 20s L-hang (supinated grip)

Strength

E3M – 6 Sets

  • 11 Back Squats (185#)
  • 8/8 Landmine Rows (65#)

Yuck! One more week with sets of 12. I’m having to focus less on recruiting the other muscle groups in my squats as it’s starting to become automatic. Noticing a lot more explosiveness out of the hole late in the sets as I fatigue. I really like these rows a lot more than Krocs, which are easier to cheat.

Gymnastics

6 Sets

  • 20s Pull-ups
  • 30s Rest

Did them all with a regular kip and felt like I had a much better rhythm than in the half Cindy last week. Didn’t wear any grips because I need to get these hands conditioned again. My first four sets were 11 unbroken, then 7-2, and 6-3 for 62 total reps. Being forced to do a regular kip instead of always doing butterfly once you can do them is a good reminder to vary your movements.

Rested to catch my breath and then did Crossover Symmetry Plyo.

Went to the 5:30 class at CrossFit Intuition.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 3 Sets
    • 10 Goblet Squats (44#)
    • 15 Hollow Rocks
    • 150m Row

Weightlifting

2 Snatch 3-Position Deadlifts + 2 Snatches + 2 OHS

  • 45#
  • 75#
  • 95#
  • 115#

Snatches

  • 2×135#
  • 2×145#
  • 2×155#
  • 2×165#
  • 2×175#
  • 2×185#
  • 2×195#

All snatches to a full squat. The warm-up complex was done without dropping the bar. Drop and reset after each rep with the doubles. Was programmed for 6 sets so my goal was 185. It was feeling good, so I went for one more set. Huge save on the final rep with the bar way out in front of me on the left side. Shoulder work must be paying off because I never really save anything that heavy and I was able to pull it in, be patient to stabilize it, and stand it up. I think the 185 and 195 are both PRs for a squat double, but I don’t keep track of those that close so not sure.

Gymnastics

  • Max Diamond Push-ups
  • 2:00 Rest
  • 3 sets
    • @ 50% of max
    • 2:00 Rest

Got 40 and did drop sets with 20. All reps with chest touching diamond.

Conditioning

  • 10-8-6-4-2 Burpees
  • 400m Run

Did the burpees outside which makes the run a little short. Took me 10:07.

Of course I’m going to ROMWOD. 🙂

A Half Cindy

My outer pecs and lats are definitely sore from the last couple of days. Might as well hit them again with a half Cindy! Got in a little early before the 9am class for my prehab/rehab stuff.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 2 Sets
    • 5s of StrongFit Tricep & Bicep Openers (10#)
    • 10 Reverse Hyper (210#)
  • 3 Sets
    • 10 Rapid Toe Touches
    • 20 Hollow Rocks
    • 50s Bottom Squat Hold
  • RDL
    • 10×45#
    • 10×135#

Strength

E2M – 6 Sets

  • 10 RDL (185#)
  • 8 Weighted GHD Sit-ups (20#)

I did my Romanian deadlifts while standing on 55# competition plates today since I’ve been getting to the ground with a lot of my reps lately. Actually even got to the ground on some in the late rounds. By adding in these GHDs I really work up a sweat and the work rest ends up being pretty much exactly 1:1.

Conditioning

  • 10:00 AMRAP of “Cindy”
    • 5 Pull-ups
    • 10 Push-ups
    • 15 Air Squats
  • 1 Mile Run

My body didn’t know what the hell it was doing on the bar. A lot of the reps were some type of hybrid between a shortened regular kip and a butterfly, or maybe even a little bit of a strict pull-up at times too. Push-ups started to slow around round 8. Air squats were surprisingly pretty good and didn’t slow down too much that I noticed. Even had enough to speed up in the 11th and 12th round. I ended up with 11 full rounds, the pull-ups, push-ups, and 4 of the squats.

No extra rest so I took off running when the clock went off. The first half mile was rough but then I settled in and felt much better on the way back. Took exactly 9:00 according to Garmin, but the import into RunKeeper has a decreased distance and time for some reason. I don’t believe the HR data though, which says I averaged only 112 bpm. Maybe because I was already so sweaty from the half Cindy it was having a hard time reading my wrist.

My best full Cindy is 22+5, so probably would have been close to that with 10 more minutes. I’m sure the last 2 days of upper body volume is part of why push-ups started to slow so early. Hopefully can build up some more endurance there over the next couple weeks.

Forced myself to get in Crossover Symmetry Plyo before I left the gym.

Went out to the garage before dinner and jumped on the Air Dyne for 30 minutes, going 9.25 miles. Just a recovery type page. My heart rate was pretty stable right around 100 bpm the entire time.

I’ll do ROMWOD tonight and it’ll mark exactly a month straight without missing a day. Really enjoying it and seeing solid results.

Morn & Eve

Legs seem to be a little tired this morning. At around 9am I went out in the garage to get in some strength work I missed yesterday.

Warm-up

2 Sets

  • 5s of StrongFit Tricep & Bicep Openers (8#)
  • 10 Back Squats (45-135)
  • 30s Bar Hang (supinated)
  • 30s Front Leaning Rest (rings)

It’s much harder to hang with that reverse grip. I had my feet touching the ground some because I was inside my power rack which is shorter. FLR (think plank) on the rings is a different feel. Tried to rotate my wrists out to put the shoulder in more external rotation.

Strength

E3M – 6 Sets

  • 10 Back Squats (185#)
  • 10/10 Kroc Rows (50# DB)

These squats are getting rough. A few more weeks before we start putting some real weight back on the bar. I don’t know why I thought I needed to go an extra 2 reps per side with the Kroc rows since the dumbbell was only 3# lighter than the kettlebell I’ve been using at the gym.

6 Sets

  • 20s Push-ups
  • 30s Rest

Didn’t want to game it, but did a little bit, leaving 2-3 seconds in the first 3 rounds. I got 20-20-17-17-14-13 for a 101 total.

Went to the 5:30pm class.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 3 Sets
    • 10 PVC Pass-thrus
    • 20 Push-ups
    • 10 Band Pull-aparts (green)
    • 20 Mountain Climbers

I was feeling the fatigue in the push-ups after this morning.

Weightlifting

2 3-position Snatch DL + 1 Snatch + 1 Hang Snatch

  • 45#
  • 75#
  • 95#
  • 115#

Snatch + Hang Snatch

  • 125#
  • 135#
  • 145#
  • 155#
  • 165#
  • 175#

Not sure if I’ve done 175 from the hang before. Definitely tough as the 2nd rep in the complex. Called a win there and stripped the bar.

Gymnastics

  • Max Pull-ups
  • 2:00 Rest
  • 3 Sets
    • 40-50% of Max
    • 2:00 Rest

Had to go with a regular kip due to my shoulder still and holy shit they are so much slower than butterfly. Wore gymnastics grips and for some reason the bar was really rubbing on the inside of my first finger down that whole side to the crease of the thumb. More on the right hand than on the left. Don’t remember feeling that before, but wonder if had anything to do with wearing the grips. Made it to 26 reps for a 5 rep PR actually. Shows I never really test these that my PR of 21 was during Fran. I did 23 unbroken butterfly chest-to-bar pull-ups a few months ago so I know 26 isn’t up to par for me. Did 3 drop sets of 13 unbroken. I can tell I haven’t been doing pull-ups because this was much harder than it should have been at those numbers.

Conditioning

4:00 AMRAP

  • Burpee Box Jump Overs (24″)

Started out at a pretty good pace getting about 14 in the first minute. Slowed a bit in minutes 2-3 and then turned up the pace in the final minute for 47 total reps. When I got into the last 30 seconds I really started to quicken the box over and drop into the next burpee. Didn’t want to do that too early and burn out.

Finished with Crossover Symmetry Iron Scap and will ROMWOD.

Still No Strict Pull-ups

Feeling a little fatigued this morning.

Warm-up

  • Crossover Symmetry Activation
  • 3 Sets
    • 15s Bar Hang
    • 10 PVC passes
    • 10 Squat Jumps
  • 8 Shoulder Press (45#)
  • 6/6 OH Reverse Lunge (45#)
  • 8 Shoulder Press (75#)
  • 6/6 OH Reverse Lunge (75#)

Strength

E3M – 6 Sets

  • 8 Shoulder Press (95#)
  • 6/6 OH Reverse Lunge (95#)

Last two sets got rough with all that time overhead.

Gymnastics Strength

E2M – Ring Rows (4 Sets, feet elevated)

Start with a max reps set and then the other 3 sets are at 50% of that number. I got 16 so my drop sets were 8s. Tried to do strict pull-ups while warming up and still a no-go for my shoulder. I was able to do a couple of chin-ups, but still don’t feel the greatest. I’ll keep resting it and working on rehab stuff. :-/

Conditioning

  • 5-4-3-2-1 Cleans (165#)
  • 5-4-3-2-1 Deadlifts (165#)
  • 10-8-6-4-2 Pull-Ups

My goal was to pick a challenging weight to go unbroken. Original thought looking at this workout was 185, which I think is doable, but would require more rest between the pull-up bar. I did everything unbroken with 165# even going straight into the deadlifts with my hook grip, which sucked and made holding the bar for pull-ups more challenging. I had to do kipping because butterfly make it feel like my shoulder is going to fall off. Finished in 3:26. Should have moved faster between barbell and rig and back.

Did Crossover Symmetry Iron Scap and will hit ROMWOD tonight.

36 Years

Woke up a year older. Wiser too, of course. 😉 Opened up the gym from 4-6 after coming back from up north.

Skill WOD (Hustle & Flow) Week 4 Day 3

Warm-up

3 sets

  • 5 Bar Work
    (Hold and pause 2 sec at each position with no form breaks and no momentum)

    • Dead Hang
    • Lat Active Hollow
    • Tight Arch
  • 1 Skin the Cat
  • 10 Straddle V-ups
  • 10s GHD Hanging Bridge Stretch

Skill A – 4 Supersets

  • 1 Ring Swing + Pull-up w/ swing + MU
  • 2 Box Hip Kip Drill
  • 3 Banded Hip Drill

Felt solid

Skill Test – 3 sets

1 rep of complex is:

  • MU + 2 Strict Ring Dips (after the MU dip lockout)

First two sets are 3 reps of the complex and then the 3rd set is for max reps. I only got 5 reps on the max set.

Strength Accessory – 3 sets

  • 3 Lower to Hold Front Lever on Box

Felt harder on the grip this week.

Bonus Complex

  • Set 1: 3 Strict Ring Pull-up + 3 Toes to Rings + 4 MU
  • Set 2: 3+3+5
  • Sets 3+: Keep adding 1 MU until failure

I was looking forward to this stuff today, thinking I was well rested. Didn’t have it though. Maybe those curls and skull crushers from the other day had me or maybe the 2.5 hour drive played a role.

Put on me leather grips at this point. I only managed 3 muscle-ups in the first set and 1 in the second set. I took a quick rest after that 2nd set and got back on the rings to try to knock out some muscle-ups and didn’t have any. Called it quits right there on the gymnastics.

I had one terrible day in this cycle for each of the 3 movements, pull-ups, handstand push-ups, and muscle-ups. New cycle starting on Monday.

Weightlifting

Warmed up with 2 empty bar sets of 3 muscle snatch + 3 behind the neck snatch presses + 3 overhead squats.

Tall Snatches

  • 2x3x40kg
  • 3×45
  • 3×50
  • 3×55
  • 2×60, missed 3rd rep
  • 2×65
  • 2 misses x70

I should have actually missed the first try at 70 behind me, but I am not used to that and pulled it back to the front. I need to do these more often. Felt like I was dropping quick, but need to get comfortable catching the bar that low and staying tight.

Conditioning

Warmed up with an easy 2:00 row for 507 meters.

5 Rounds

  • 100m Row
  • 1:00 rest

Wanted to set a new PR and get in a time for my BTWB fitness level ranking since it’s been almost a year. I killed my previous best 16.0 with a 15.5 on the first try. Then beat the 16.0 four more times with 15.7, 15.7, 15.8, and 15.9! I couldn’t believe it. I tried a different damper setting almost every round and even tried shortening my stroke on the final interval.

5x100m-rows.jpg

Good way to end the training session and a nice birthday surprise.

Final Hustle & Flow Pull-ups

Slept great last night. Was pretty wore out from “McGhee” and needed the rest. Woke up and could instantly feel my hands. It hurt to fully open or close my palms. I used the TENS unit on my back last night and it’s feeling pretty good today. Feeling all of those reps in my legs, glutes, shoulders, and triceps too.

Planned to get in to the gym during the day, but worked out to meet Bryan there at night and my hands could use the extra rest before the pull-ups.

Skill WOD Hustle & Flow Week 4 Day 1

Final week of the cycle before a new one begins. I’m following a week behind so the Skill WOD is actually doing tests this week. Going to skip those and then be caught up to start the new cycle when it’s released for next week. Sounds like it’s going to be pretty cool.

Warm-up

3 sets

  • 5 Bar taps – tight
  • 5 Bar taps – dynamic
  • 7 V-ups
  • 10 Pass-thrus
  • 7 GHD Heel Drives
  • 10 Bridge Rocks

Again, I really love these warm-ups.

Shoulder Activation

3 sets

  • 3 Scap Elevators
  • 3 Strict Pull-ups
  • 1 Scap Elevator
  • 1 Strict Pull-up

Easy this week.

Superset

5 Sets

  • 5 Butterfly Box Drill Circular Rotations
  • 1 Stop Strict Pull-up + 3 Pull-ups (butterfly drill)
  • 5 C2B Pull-ups

Felt smooth even though my pull seemed a little weak.

Skill Test

  • 3 Pull-ups + 3 C2B + 3 Pull-ups + 3 C2B
  • 2:00 Rest
  • 2 sets
    • 70% MAX C2B
    • 90s Rest

The combo set felt really good. I’d been trying to increase the 70% sets each week and last week I got 16 and 10-6, so I shot for the same 16s today. Started to lose my butterfly on the last two reps of the second set but made every rep. Booyah! Just 4 weeks ago my max for a single set was 20. All this volume is dialing in the movement.

Strength Accessory

3 Supersets

  • 15s Underhand grip chin hang
  • 8 Supinated Bar Rows

The hangs felt easier than any other week, but I felt weak with the rows. Probably due to the 260 push-ups I did yesterday. 🙂

Bonus Complex

  • 2 Strict Pull-ups + 2 Strict C2B + 3 K2E + 3 T2B + 6 C2B
  • 2 Strict Pull-ups + 2 Strict C2B + 3 K2E + 3 T2B + 4 C2B
  • 2 Strict Pull-ups + 2 Strict C2B + 3 K2E + 3 T2B

I was not even attempting MU on the end again, so I substituted with some C2B. Was hoping to increase each set, but my grip and pull was shot by the time I got done with the toes to bars. Wasn’t going to push it too much either because I already had a few places peeling on my hands.

I understand that this complex is getting you to be fatigued by the time you got to the final movement, but I’m just not on that level. The volume is definitely building solid movement and strength though.

Midline & Accessory

Wanted to get in a little extra work.

  • 3×15 Hip Extensions (controlled, not fast swinging)
  • Crossover Symmetry Recovery

Shoulders felt pretty beat after the pull-ups so I figured the recovery protocol was good to get in. I never do it anymore.

Closing Out Week 3

Bumped up the muscle-up focused workout a day this week so that I could get an extra day in between before the pull-ups.

Skill WOD (Hustle & Flow) Week 3 Day 3

Warm-up

My shoulder has been bothering me a little bit since the handstand push-up workout so it’s time to get back in the habit of using the Crossover Symmetry bands more often. Did the Activation protocol.

3 sets

  • 5 Bar Work
    (Hold and pause 2 sec at each position with no form breaks and no momentum)

    • Dead Hang
    • Lat Active Hollow
    • Tight Arch
  • 1 Skin the Cat
  • 7 Straddle V-ups
  • 10s GHD Hanging Bridge Stretch

Skill A – 4 Supersets

  • 1 Ring Swing + Pull-up w/ swing + MU
  • 2 Box Hip Kip Drill
  • 3 Banded Hip Drill

We hadn’t been doing the first thing quite right. You’re supposed to hold in the top of the pull-up, do a swing from there, and then transition into the muscle-up. Was really weird on my first 2 attempts but got the hang of of it then.

Skill Test – 3 sets

1 rep of complex is:

  • MU + 2 Strict Ring Dips (after the MU dip lockout)

First two sets are 3 reps of the complex and then the 3rd set is for max reps. I got 6 reps on the max set again like last week. Felt similar when I got to that last one.

Strength Accessory – 3 sets

  • 3 Lower to Hold Front Lever on Box

Yep, pretty sure I’ll never be able to hold a front lever.

Bonus Complex

  • Set 1: 3 Strict Ring Pull-up + 3 Toes to Rings + 4 MU
  • Set 2: 3+3+5
  • Sets 3+: Keep adding 1 MU until failure

We were messed up on these too. Didn’t know the pull-ups were supposed to be strict, which makes quite a bit difference in fatiguing those pulling muscles. Felt good in the first set. Then 5th rep in the second set was rough. Managed to get 4 in the final set. Hopefully muscle-ups, when we don’t fatigue with other movements, are going to be feeling really easy soon.

I’m on vacation until the 4th now. Hopefully I’ll make more time for conditioning.

Not There

My body is definitely in vacation mode with this last week of work before break. Got to the gym around 9:30.

Strength

3 Sets

  • 8 Reverse Hyper (210#)

Back Squat

  • 5x20kg (pause)
  • 5×70 (pause)
  • 5×90 (pause)
  • 5×110
  • 5×120
  • 5×130
  • 5×135
  • 5×140

The pause sets were all for about 2 seconds. I really like using that during warm-up sets. Wanted to get at least 300 today and that was almost 309#. Put on the belt for the last 2 or 3 sets (don’t remember).

Skill WOD Hustle & Flow Week 3 Day 1

Warm-up

3 sets

  • 5 Bar taps – tight
  • 5 Bar taps – dynamic
  • 7 V-ups
  • 10 Pass-thrus
  • 7 GHD Heel Drives
  • 10 Bridge Rocks

Shoulder Activation

3 sets

  • 3 Scap Elevators
  • 3 Strict Pull-ups
  • 1 Scap Elevator
  • 1 Strict Pull-up

Could already feel the fatigue here.

Superset

5 Sets

  • 5 Butterfly Box Drill Circular Rotations
  • 1 Stop Strict Pull-up + 3 Pull-ups (butterfly drill)
  • 5 C2B Pull-ups

These were tougher than they should have been.

Skill Test

  • 3 Pull-ups + 3 C2B + 3 Pull-ups + 3 C2B
  • 2:00 Rest
  • 2 sets
    • 70% MAX C2B
    • 90s Rest

Wanted to increase again, up from the 15 last week. Got 16 on the first set, dropped after 10 on the second set, and did 6 more after a short break.

Strength Accessory

3 Supersets

  • 15s Underhand grip chin hang
  • 8 Supinated Bar Rows

Bonus Complex

  • 2 Strict Pull-ups + 2 Strict C2B + 3 K2E
  • 2 Sets: 3 Strict Pull-ups + 3 Strict C2B
  • 2 Strict Pull-ups + 2 Strict C2B

Coming into today I had already decided I wasn’t doing any bar muscle-ups unless it was banded to work on the technique and positions with a looser grip. Then going into the bonus I decided I was only going to do some strict work since I was feeling so beat. Had to try in that first set, but didn’t even go for the toes to bar. Got in a few sets of strict reps and got out of there.

I think only taking one day between the muscle-up day and the pull-up day is less than ideal. Too much pulling without time to recovery. My grip felt it today. The 100 American kettlebell swings yesterday may have played a role too. At least I didn’t rip my hands open this week. 🙂 Rest day tomorrow.

Gettin’ Gymnastics Volume

Woke up feeling a little beat from the PRs last night. Low to middle are of my back being the stiffest. Not the area where I’ve had my issues though, so that’s good. In at 11am to close out the 2nd week of the cycle.

Skill WOD (Hustle & Flow) Week 2 Day 3

Warm-up

3 sets

  • 5 Bar Work
    (Hold and pause 2 sec at each position with no form breaks and no momentum)

    • Dead Hang
    • Lat Active Hollow
    • Tight Arch
  • 1 Skin the Cat
  • 7 Straddle V-ups
  • 10s GHD Hanging Bridge Stretch

Skin the cats really stretch out that shoulder area.

Skill A – 4 Supersets

  • 1 Ring Swing + Pull-up w/ swing + MU
  • 2 Box Hip Kip Drill
  • 3 Banded Hip Drill

Felt a little better with the complex this week though I start swinging back with the pull-up and it messes up my kip a little. Didn’t feel as good with the box drill. Maybe I didn’t have the heights of things set right. The banded drill was better though.

Skill Test – 3 sets

1 rep of complex is:

  • MU + 2 Strict Ring Dips (after the MU dip lockout)

First two sets are 3 reps of the complex and then the 3rd set is for max reps. Increased from 5 to 6 on the max set.

Strength Accessory – 3 sets

  • 3 Lower to Hold Front Lever on Box

These are tough and doing 3 compared to 1 was a big difference in fatigue.

Bonus Complex

  • Set 1: 3 Ring Pull-up + 3 Toes to Rings + 4 MU
  • Set 2: 3+3+5
  • Sets 3+: Keep adding 1 MU until failure

Went for #6 on the 3rd set and squeezed it out. Caught myself in a super low ring dip, but a rep is a rep. Maybe next week if I get those first 3 sets I’ll go for a 4th.

Some nice increases from the first week and without having to figure out that first skill section we finished up in just under an hour. My shoulders still feel wrecked after all that though. I wore my leather grips for everything but the warm-up and no further damage to my hands. I just don’t have the grip problem on the rings like I do with bar muscle-ups.

Conditioning

Bryan and I jumped on the rowers for 10 minutes. Went 2,535 meters. Didn’t get into a good rhythm until the final 90 seconds.

More Ripping

Feeling some fatigue from yesterday’s WOD. In at 10am for gymnastics work.

Skill WOD Hustle & Flow Week 2 Day 1

Warm-up

3 sets

  • 5 Bar taps – tight
  • 5 Bar taps – dynamic
  • 7 V-ups
  • 10 Pass-thrus
  • 7 GHD Heel Drives
  • 10 Bridge Rocks

Shoulder Activation

  • 3 sets: 3 Scap Elevators + 3 Strict Pull-ups
  • 1 set: 1+1

Superset

5 Sets

  • 5 Butterfly Box Drill Circular Rotations
  • 1 Stop Strict Pull-up + 3 Pull-ups (butterfly drill)
  • 5 C2B Pull-ups

Skill Test

  • 3 Pull-ups + 3 C2B + 3 Pull-ups + 3 C2B
  • 2:00 Rest
  • 2 sets
    • 70% MAX C2B
    • 90s Rest

Did sets of 14 C2B last week, so increased to 15s this week. Got both sets.

Strength Accessory

3 Supersets

  • 15s Underhand grip chin hang
  • 8 Supinated Bar Rows

Learned that we don’t have to do the bar rows with a supinated grip. Just refers to the body position. Much better.

Bonus Complex

  • Set 1: 2 Strict Pull-ups + 2 Strict C2B + 3 K2E + 3 T2B + 3 Bar MU
  • Set 2: 2+2+3+3, drop then 3
  • Set 3: 2+2+3+3, drop then 2

Ripped both hands. 😦 My left hand ripped under the pinky and my right hand actually ripped under my leather grips! I need to figure out something to work on these bar muscle-ups smarter because this is not working for me. Ripping is an injury and I usually pride myself on doing as much as I can to prevent rips.

Wanted to get in some squats so a quick garage session after 5.

Strength

Safety Squat Bar w/ 3 second pauses

  • 10×65#
  • 6×135
  • 3×185
  • 3×205
  • 3×225
  • 3×235
  • 3×245
  • 3×255
  • 3×265
  • 3×275

Wore lifting shoes but no belt at all so I could get a lot of time under tension for my low back. Felt good about my drive out of the hole and no mini bounce to get going. Just 3 months ago a triple with 295 and a belt but no pause was a struggle.