Reverse Hyper

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.

Was Killin’ It

Had been planning to go class yesterday, but was a bit tired during the day so made the call early to make it a rest day. Went to 10am today.

Warm-up

3×15 RH (140#)
2 Sets
- 5 Inch Worms
- High kNees
- 10 Air Squats
- 10 HR Push-ups

Strength – 4 Sets

10/10 single arm single leg RDL (62#)
5/5 OH walking lunges (62#)

Did my own version since it was programmed to de RDLs and lunges.

Conditioning

“Wall Ball Kalsu”

EMOM Buy-in: 5 Burpees
Accumulate 100 Wall Balls (20#, 10′)

I made the call today that we were starting with burpees like it should be. I got 24-20-19 and then on the 15th rep of the 4th set I felt something and on #16 I got a minor back tweak. Clock was at 3:49 through 79 reps when I finished. I was killing it! Would have gotten a few more reps there and then could have finished in the next minute. I’ve done 4:50 in the version that doesn’t do the 5 burpees during that initial minute, so this would have been a nice improvement.

So I skipped out on the medicine ball sit-ups they did and figured I might as well get in my Push Only work for the weekend.

Bench Press

10×45#
10×95
6×135
3×165
3×195
3×215
4x3x230

Felt easy!!

Seated Shoulder Press

10×45#
10×75
6×95
3×115
3×125
3×135
2x3x145

Subbed these instead of push press due to my back. Different.

Accessory

bench-on-boxes

3×24 Seated alt DB Shoulder Press (40#)
3×15/15 Pallof Press (red band)
3×12 DB Side Raises (15#)
3×12 DB Front Raises (15#)
3 Sets
- 20 Shoulder Ts (prone on elevated bench hanging over the edge, 5#)
- 3x30s Overhead Opener

I’m so used to having the combination of side raises and then bent-over side raises I didn’t realize there were front raises. There were supposed to be first, but I was already 2 sets through the side raises when I realized the program difference. I decided to superset in the overhead openers from the Performance Plus program.

Performance Plus

Handstand Shifts (video)
- 2×2
- 3×8 Scaled with feet on plate stack
3 Sets
- 1:00 HS Hold (facing)
- 1:00 Rest

😂 I tried doing the sponge shifts up on the wall but wow! I was using the eraser from the whiteboard. After 2 attempts I went for scaled, which was no walk in the park either. Instead of doing 3 max sets of handstand hold I did the intervals since I’d already worked my shoulders so much. Barely made it through the last 2 sets.

Winner Winner

Rest day yesterday and really needed it. MOAR sore! Couldn’t straighten my arms and they still don’t want to go straight today. I knew that damn pegboard would get me, especially a day after doing 100 pull-ups.

This morning after seeing a contest for a book on Concept2’s Twitter account, I quickly hopped out to the garage on the Ski Erg.

Giving away two copies of https://t.co/m2QX9rhRyq,(1M, 1F) reply with a photo showing 419m on a just row (must show today's date) GO!

— Concept2 (@concept2) April 19, 2017

I took me 3 attempts! Turns out it’s not easy at all to only go a few meters when you need to. I still won though.

How about a Just Ski? pic.twitter.com/yfAXBBRaaG

— Nick Momrik (@nickmomrik) April 19, 2017

I have a pretty good history with Twitter book contests! 😉

https://twitter.com/CAthletics/status/688434077683159040

Had a chiro appointment, got to the gym early to warm-up with my rehab stuff, and then did the 5:30 class.

Warm-up – 3 Sets

15 Reverse Hyper (140#)
100′ Single-arm Front Rack KB Carry – Right (50#)
10 Single-arm Front Squats – Right (50#)
100′ Single-arm Front Rack KB Carry – Left (50#)
10 Single-arm Front Squats – Left (50#)
10/10 Single-arm Single-leg RDL (50#)

Turns out 50# was a lot tougher than 44#. Could start to feel the fatigue when doing the carry and squats back to back.

Strength

Deficit Deadlifts – on 55# Competition Plate

10×45#
5×155
5×205
5×255
5x5x285

Did these instead of the front squats programmed for class. Increase of 10# over last week. No belt today though. All with a neutral grip, which got rough on the last 2 sets.

Conditioning

21-15-9

Thruster (95#)
H2H KBS (53#)
GHD Sit-up

I substituted the hand-to-hand swings to keep getting in unilateral work and I’ve done enough sit-ups lately so I did GHDs. Seems like I haven’t done them in months! Finished in 6:27 going unbroken on everything.

Skill

8 Rounds (Tabata)

20s Double Unders
10s Rest

I missed my first rep! Then my shoe came untied going into the 3rd round so I got a 0 on that round. I always double tie my shoes but didn’t for some reason today. Managed 231 reps and had too many misses to set a PR anyway.

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.

Wonder What My Push Jerk Is

Walked my first 18 holes of the year yesterday. Wasn’t really tired, though did feel some pulling in my left hamstring over the last 4 holes. Still really wet and soggy out there. Went in for the 10am class today.

Warm-up

3×15 Reverse Hyper (90#)
2x
- Couch Stretch
- Wrist Stretch
3 Sets
- 10 Weighted Lunge (45#)
- 10 Shoulder Press (45#)
- 10 Front Squat (45#)

Weightlifting

1 Squat Clean + 2 Front Squats + 1 Push Jerk

135#
185#
205#
225#
240#
250#

Alex lifted with me. Wasn’t planning on going too heavy, but it was feeling ok. The squats did feel a little heavy. I haven’t maxed out push jerk in years, but the most I’ve done is 255# back in September of 2014. I think it’s a lot higher now.

Conditioning

30:00 EMOM (alt)

Row calories
H2H KBS (44#)
Bicycle Crunches
Jump Rope (singles)
Side Plank

Worked for 40 seconds of each minute. This was a nice little sweat. Alternated sides for the plank every round so that they were longer holds.

Out in the garage in the evening to kick of week 2 of the Push Only program.

Bench Press

10×45#
10×95
8×135
4x8x175
3x12x190

Increased 5# on both the sets of 8 and the sets of 12.

Close Grip Bench Press

3x12x155#

Not knowing what I could do, I tried 135-150-165 last week, which was an average of 150, so a 5# increase over that seemed right for today and it sure was! High rep day is much harder with “strict” rests. I was doing about two minutes.

Accessory

3×12 Clapping Push-ups
3×12 DB Side Raises (15#)
3×12 DB Bent-over Side Raises (15#)

Performance Plus

3×15 PVC Lift Offs (video)
3×10 Banded Arm Circles – 10 in all 3 positions and also in both directions (video)
Rolling Teres Muscles – 30 seconds / side (video)

Also did some psoas release and the entire second session only took 70 minutes.

False

Went to the 5:30 class and did my own thing instead of the class warm-up and strength, since it was deadlifts, which I just did yesterday.

Warm-up

3×15 Reverse Hyper (90#)
3 Rounds
- 100′ Single Arm Front Rack Carry (44# KB, right)
- 10 Single Arm Front Rack Squats (44# KB, right)
- 100′ Single Arm Front Rack Carry (44# KB, left)
- 10 Single Arm Front Rack Squats (44# KB, left)
- 10 Single Arm Single Leg RDL (44# KB, right)
- 10 Single Arm Single Leg RDL (44# KB, left)

My balance is already improved a lot since doing those RDLs a week ago at my PT evaluation.

Screwing around I did a strict muscle-up! Then again! And again! I think I’ve only ever done one as a fluke. I wasn’t fully hanging since I have to get on the lower rings to get into the false grip. I need to spend some time just working on hanging in that grip.

Conditioning

Buy-in: 100 Double Unders
6 Rounds
- 5 T2B
- 10 Wall Balls (20#, 10′)
- 15 American KBS (44#)
Cash-out: 50 Burpees

Was cruising along unbroken on dubs and then I missed 4 times after 70 reps. Kept the movements all unbroken and tried to go at a solid pace on the burpees. I finished in 13:28 with exactly 3 minutes to do the burpees.

Get To It

Warm-up

2×15 Reverse Hyper (90#)
2 Rounds
- 200m Run
- 10 Air Squats
- 10 PVC Passes
- 15 Jumping Jacks

Strength – Front Squat

10×45#
6×135
4×185
4×215
2x3x245

My back is definitely tight.

Warmed up cleans with 5×45, 5×95, and 5×135.

Conditioning

30:00 Partner AMRAP

10 Power Cleans (185#)
20 Burpees
30 Row Calories
40 alt Box Jumps (24″)
50 Wall Balls (20#, 10′)
200m Run

Paired up with Weston and we evenly split everything. I did 5 TnG cleans each time. Did box jumps in the first round, but switched to step-ups because my back was getting a little tight. We recovered on the run. First round was around 8 minutes not knowing how to pace. Got a little faster and then we pushed it in the final round almost getting through in 6 minutes. Finished 3 rounds and about 120 meters of the 4th run.

Midline

Max Plank

With my mid back already tight I didn’t push it. Stopped at 3 minutes.

Pulled a double day because I wanted to get in the bench work and be able to rest tomorrow with the nice weather and the Masters on. Out in the garage after 9pm…

Bench Press

10×45#
10×95
5×135
5×165
5×185
5x5x205
3×30 alt DB Bench Press (50#)

Those dumbbell presses get much harder on the short rest.

Shoulder Press

5×95#
5×115
5×120
5×125

I haven’t done a shoulder press in months.

Accessory

3×15/15 Half-kneeling Single Arm DB Press (30#)
3×15/15 OH Single Arm DB Tricep Extensions (15#)
3×15/15 Landmine Press (75#)
3×15 Z Press (65#)

Single arm for the tricep extensions was not good but I thought it would be better for unilateral work. Didn’t feel the tricep working much at all. Won’t be doing them that way again.

I wasn’t sure if I did the landmine presses correctly the last time so I found a T Nation article. Yep, I had been leaning forward too much, effectively turning it into a shoulder press. Much harder when stand up straight and press out at an angle!

The Z Press was from the Performance Plus program. It was recommended to use about 33% of a max shoulder press. Focus on upright posture and fully opening the shoulders.

Because it was so decided to keep my rests at about 1:30. It helped me to prep the next movement ahead of time to keep rolling through. Finished all of that in 57 minutes!! It created a nice pump too. Short rest, Arnold style.

Still have 2 pieces of the Performance Plus to do, but will do them in the living room while watching TV.

Mobility

Thoracic Spine Extension
3×12 Downward Dog

Two Extra

Was delaying going to the gym, but finally got my ass in gear to get there with enough time to get in the thrusters before the 6:30 class. My quads are still sore to the touch! I’ve never had DOMS linger this long before. My back is still not great, but I need to get back into the gym routine.

Warm-up

Bottom Squat Hold
5 Thrusters (45#)
5 Thrusters (95#)

Thruster Attack – Week 1 Workout 2

10:00 EMOM

5 Thrusters (135#)

It was only supposed to be 8 rounds, but I felt “good” so I did two more. Within minutes of finishing I was light-headed. Had enough time to recover while class warmed up and they were doing deadlifts. I jumped on the RH instead.

2x8x210#
3x10x210#

Conditioning

400m Run
5 Rounds
- 3 Curtis P (75#)
- 7 Burpees
400m Run

Definitely was going light today, which allowed me to go non-stop at a good pace. Finished in 8:38.

Midline

4 Sets

3 Straight Partner Medicine Ball Passes (30#)
3/3 Side Partner Medicine Ball Passes (30#)

Know When

Forgot to mention yesterday that my back was acting up pretty often on the golf course. The crazy thing is I never feel it during a swing; it is always when I’m standing around on the tee box or on the green. Did a 22 min ROMWOD this morning to make up for yesterday’s miss. Went to the gym around 1pm.

Back Warm-up

3 Sets

10 Reverse Hyper (210#)

Back Squat

Pause 5 second on the 1st rep of each set.

6x20kg
6×60
2×90
2×107
E2M – 6 Sets
- 2×120

Put on the belt starting with 107 to help protect my back, though I’ve done this whole squat session without the belt previously.

Snatch balance + OHS

3+1 20kg
3+1 40
3+1 50
3+1 56
3+1 61
3+1 66
2+1 70
2x 2+1 75
1+AMRAP 61

Put on the belt with 70kg. Dropped every snatch balance to my back for the next rep. Did have one miss on the 2nd rep of the first set with 75. Thankful for no pauses on these today. Managed 10 reps on the AMRAP.

Snatch with 3-second lift-off

3x20kg
3×40
3×50
3×60
3×65, 2×65
3×70, 2×70
2x2x75, 1×75

Missed 3 times with 75 and then after a miss at 80, I was going to continue with no more tempo lift offs. When I missed the first full snatch I could tell I was favoring my back. Ended the session, missing out on the 5 reps with both 80 and 85. Missed all the C&J as well. Live to lift another day.

I’ll do another ROMWOD tonight for 20 minutes and maybe get out the TENS unit.

No Quitting Today

My back is still pretty rough for an hour or two in the morning and tightens up when I sit around, not moving. Out in the garage in the morning before golf. Warmed up with Crossover Symmetry Activation.

Strength

E3M – Shoulder Press

6×45#
3×75#
3×95#
3×110# (62%)
3×130# (72%)
3×147.5# (82%)
3×156.25# (87%)
3×165# (92%)

I tried to stick as close as possible to the correct percentages (note the odd weights). When 130 was feeling heaving I got worried, especially with my back. But I strapped on the belt after that to help stabilize and prevent over-extension. Made every set.

Rode in the cart golfing since my back has been bothering me, they were calling for rain, and I didn’t want to exhaust myself with shit to get done before leaving town in the morning. Went to the gym just before 7pm. Warmed up with 3 sets of 10 Reverse Hypers using 210 pounds.

Back Squat

6×45#
6×135#
3×185#
3×225#
3×265#
3×295#
3×315#
3×335#

Rested about 3 minutes between sets, maybe 4 on the later ones. Had to really concentrate on positions to keep my back safe. Happy to be able to hit the 335 triple I made last week, especially with my back. Below our prescribed percentages (same as shoulder press) for the week but I wasn’t going to push it.

Accessory

6 Sets

8/8 Landmine Rows (80#)
2:00 Rest

Really really liking these.

Conditioning

Row 1,000m

In my last attempt, a couple of months ago, I ended up quitting when I went out too hard. Might have been the only time I’ve ever quit a workout. Today I got under 1:35, which would give me a 1 second PR, and tried to hold there. I was still on pace through 600 meters but started dying. Finished with a 3:13.4, which is just over 2 seconds off my best. Been a long day, so I’ll take it.