60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 2 Day 3

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. Got everything done in the morning.

Warm-up

  • Handstand practice
  • 45# Snatch positions
  • 2 Snatches (65#)
  • 5 Snatch Presses (65#)

Tried some free-standing handstands without much success, so I kicked up to the wall and then worked on taking my feet off the wall for a few seconds at a time.

Snatch

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  • 2×95#
  • 2×115#
  • 2×135#
  • 1×145#
  • 1×155#
  • 1×165#
  • 3x1x170#

I missed 170# on the first set, so went again and missed again. I need to learn to just move on. An attempt is an attempt. I made the lift on the next two sets.

Jerk Footwork (Demo Video)

Was supposed to do these before the snatches, but I didn’t realize I skipped them until halfway through my sets. So I did some before the C&J, and mixed some in between sets.

Clean & Jerk

  • 2×125#
  • 2×150#
  • 2×175#
  • 1×190#
  • 1×200#
  • 1×215#
  • 3x1x225#

Jerks were feeling really weak today. My wrists were already getting pretty sore yesterday from all of the jerk volume. I missed the clean on my last set of the day. Just pooped right out!

Front Squat

  • 2×185#
  • 2×215#
  • 2×250#
  • 2×265#
  • 2x2x280#

I wasn’t real confident about squatting after the other lifts, but they actually felt ok after getting into a set or two. I had to dump the last rep of the day, but I got the first rep of the set. I’ll take it.

Gymnastics

10:00 EMOM

  • 3 Strict Pull-ups
  • 3 Strict Ring Dips

Felt good to get some of these in.

Conditioning

5 Rounds

  • 5 Wall Climbs
  • 10 Broad Jumps (5’+)
  • 15 Sit-ups

My goal was to keep moving. The wall climbs weren’t nearly as bad as I was expecting with shoulders as dead as they were. Finished in 12:15.

Looking forward to some rest. Won’t lift next until Saturday afternoon and I’m getting a much-needed massage tomorrow.

Very Welcoming at CrossFit Swell

I was back at CrossFit Swell in Dorado, Puerto Rico at 7:30 this morning. We are switching over to another island for the rest of the week so it was my last chance to hit the box. Maybe I’ll go for a run or something on Thursday and/or Friday.

Warm-up

  • Tabata Mash-up (3 Rounds)
    • Jumping Jacks
    • Dips on Ground
    • Chest to Deck Push-ups
  • 20 PVC Pass-thrus
  • 10 PVC Reverse Grip Pass-thrus
  • Arm Swings & Pot Stirrers
  • Wrist Stretch on Ground

WOD

  • Run 200m
  • 30 Ring Dips
  • 30 Burpees
  • Run 400m
  • 20 Ring Dips
  • 20 Burpees
  • Run 800 m
  • 10 Ring Dips
  • 10 Burpees

Finished in 16:28. Soaked in sweat again. I did all of the burpees unbroken, and mostly sets of 4 or 5 on the ring dips.

Since class was broken into two groups to do the WOD, I jumped on a rack after the workout to get in some strength work.

Shoulder Presses

  • 10 @ 45#
  • 5 @ 95#
  • 5 @ 105#
  • 5 @ 115#
  • 5 @ 125#

It has been great visiting a box in another country. Awesome people. Wouldn’t even take any money for a drop-in from me and told me multiple times “this is your house.”

Back on the Knee

In with Matt at 10am. Was exhausted all day yesterday after the SF Halloween party Saturday.

Warm-up

  • 500m Row
  • PVC Snatches

OLY

Hang Power Snatches

  • 2 x 3 @ 65#
  • 2 x 3 @ 95#
  • 2 x 3 @ 115#

Snatch Balances

  • 3 x 3 @ 115#
  • 3 x 3 @ 135#

The focus for both was an aggressive 3rd pull and really locking out the arms.

Back Squats

  • 5 @ 135#
  • 5 @ 185#
  • 5 @ 205#
  • 5 @ 225#
  • 5 @ 245#
  • 5 @ 255#
  • 3 @ 275#
  • 10 @ 225#

Didn’t want to go crazy with the weights today. Could definitely tell I haven’t squatted in over a week, but it felt good to get under heavy weight again.

Gymnastics

7 Rounds (I go, you go with each movement)

  • 5 Strict Pull-ups
  • 5 Strict Ring Dips
  • 10 Weighted Sit-ups (10# bumper on forehead)

Matt did GHD sit-ups, but I didn’t want to put any more stress on my knee. Lifting was enough for one day.

Conditioning

5 Rounds (1:1 work:rest as I go, you go using 2 rowers)

  • 500m Row at 1:45 pace

Tough! I’ve done 4 of these with 2:00 rest between. This was even harder than the 1,000m repeats.

Using Dumbbells for a Weak Right Arm

Went in to Survival Fitness at 10 to train with Matt. Not really any improvement on the knee.

Warm-up

5:00 Air Dyne

DB Bench Press

  • 10 x 20# DBs + 20s Static Hold
  • 10 x 25# DBs + 20s Static Hold
  • 10 x 30# DBs + 20s Static Hold
  • 10 x 35# DBs + 20s Static Hold
  • 10 x 40# DBs + 20s Static Hold
  • 3 x 10 x 45# DBs + 20s Static Hold

Trying to even out that right arm weakness. Felt pretty good.

Grabbed a 10# plate and did 2 sets of 10 second OH hold + 10 OH shrugs.

Gymnastics

20:00 EMOM

  • Odds: 10 T2B
  • Evens: 5 Strict Ring Dips + 5 C2D Push-ups

Did the first 7 rounds of T2B unbroken, then 6-4, 7-3, 7-1-2. When I hit the wall with my hip action, getting even 2 in a row is a struggle, but that wall is taking longer to reach. All dips and push-ups were unbroken, but tough in the last 2 rounds.

Conditioning

E90S for 6 rounds

  • ~40m Sled Drag (25# sled + 225#)

These were ok on the knee.

Tweaked Back

Pulled something in my back on Tuesday, but it as weird because it just felt like a knot or tight during the session. Then as I cooled off at home it got progressively worse. Sleeping that night was horrible; I wanted to scream each time I rolled over in bed. Got a hot stone massage yesterday which really helped. Felt good enough to go in this morning for a training session.

Warm-up

1,000m Row (really slow, focused on warming up my back)

Strength

Front Squats

  • 5 x 45#
  • 5 x 135#
  • 3 x 185#
  • 3 x 225#
  • 1 x 255#
  • 1 x 275#
  • 1 x 295#
  • 1 x 310# (PR)
  • F x 320#
  • 10 x 135#

Had no plans to go for a PR today but after 295# felt good I figured there was no sense in matching a PR at 305#. The PR lift felt good so I went for more and couldn’t get it up. What tweaked back? 😉

Since there were 3 of us with Matt and Davy, we came up with a 3 station rotation between bench press, pendlay rows, and rest.

Warm-up

  • 5 x 135# Bench Press
  • 5 x 135# Pendlay Rows
  • 5 x 185# Bench Press
  • 5 x 185# Pendlay Rows

5 Rounds

  • 5 x 185# Bench Press
  • 5 x 185# Pendlay Rows

The benching got easier as the rounds went on, but the rows definitely got harder.

10:00 EMOM

  • Strict Ring Dips (10-10-8-6-6)
  • Strict Chin-ups (8-8-8-6-6)

Fuck these were hard after the benching and rows.

WOD

“Annie”
50-40-30-20-10

  • DU
  • Sit-ups (anchored)

First time trying “Annie” with the anchored sit-ups and it definitely helped. Set a 13 second PR with a 6:55 with a bunch of DU misses; 4 in the round of 50 and 2 stupid ones in the round of 10.

Squat Every Damn Day

Before heading out to CrossFit at the box I lifted a little in the garage. Did a quick 3:00 on the Air Dyne to get the blood pumping.

Front Squats

  • 10 @ 45#
  • 5 @ 95#
  • 5 @ 135#
  • 3 @ 185#
  • 3 @ 215#
  • 1 @ 235#
  • 1 @ 255#
  • 1 @ 275#
  • 1 @ 285#
  • 1 @ 295#
  • 1 @ 305# (PR)
  • 3×3 @ 215#

Back-to-back PRs with squats, back and front. Excited my squats are back!

Headed over to Survival Fitness for the 5pm…

Olympic Lifting

15:00

  • Work up to a MAX muscle clean & push jerk for the day

We started with a PVC and worked our way up to a MAX muscle clean and push jerk for the day. This also served as our warm-up. I got up to 175# and stopped there because the clean was a struggle to get up the last bit without dropping under it. Felt like I was hitting higher on my legs just due to my snatch work.

Gymnastics

12:00 time cap, NFT but keep moving

  • 15s L-sit/L-hang
  • 1->10 Strict Ring Dips

I finished with about 10 seconds left.

WOD

10:00 AMRAP

  • Buy-in: 50 American KB Swing (53# KB)
  • 15 Wall Balls (20# MB, 11′ target)
  • 30 DU

I went extra today and threw up to 11′ since we have to in the competition on Sunday. Good WOD. Did the KBS 30-20 to save my hands from ripping and prevent hitting the red line. Did all of the wall balls unbroken and finished 4+36.

Leg Day

Still sore in the legs from Tuesday and now sore in the core and upper body from yesterday. In at 10am.

Warm-up

  • PVC OHS and pass-thrus
  • 450m Run

Strength

5/3/1 Deadlifts – Cycle 2 Week 1

  • 5 @ 165# (40% of training max – warm)
  • 5 @ 210# (50% – warm)
  • 3 @ 250# (60% – warm)
  • 5 @ 270# (65%)
  • 5 @ 315# (75%)
  • 5+ @ 355# (85%)

Felt really solid. Focusing on being more explosive with my legs and hip drive is helping a lot. I did 10 reps at 355# for an estimated max of 472#.

Did this following ladder after the snatches. Not for time. Go through once until failure and then start over from 1 and do it to failure again.

  • 1 Strict Chin-up, 2 Strict Ring Dips, 3 Sit-ups holding 10# plate behind head
  • 2-4-6
  • 3-6-9

I got 5 + 15 and 3 + 10.

OLY

Warmed up with 45# snatch position drills, wearing wrist straps, for 7-8 minutes.

E20S 2:00

  • 95# Snatch

3:00 Rest

E30S 3:00

  • 125# Snatch

3:00 Rest

EMOM 3:00

  • 135# Snatch

The 125# snatches felt really good. I started jumping forward a little on the 135# snatches though and wasn’t hitting quite as good on the hips. Better than I ever have hit though and it’s my first try at 135# so I might stick to this for the next session before going up another 10#.

WOD

3 Rounds

  • 10 Backwards Front Rack Walking Lunges (155#, no rack)
  • 10 OHS (75#)

Yuck! Those backwards lunges were brutal at 155# and I’m glad I didn’t go with 95# for the OHS. Originally thought about doing 5 rounds, but legs were thrashed from the deadlifts and snatches. Finished in 5:47.

A Big Retest

My low back isn’t feeling the greatest from yesterday’s deadlift session. Otherwise feeling good though. In at 10am.

Warm-up

  • 5:00 Air Dyne
  • PVC Pass-thrus

Strength

5/3/1 Bench Press – Cycle 1 Week 3

  • 5 @ 85# (40% of Training Max – warm)
  • 5 @ 105# (50% – warm)
  • 3 @ 135# (60% – warm)
  • 5 @ 160# (75%)
  • 3 @ 180# (85%)
  • 1+ @ 200# (95%)

I used the Reactive Slingshot again for the working sets. I got 8 reps on the last set, but had a little issue with my right arm flaring out again. Gives me an estimated max of 253#, down from the 271.5# last lift.

Pullovers

3 x 15 with 60# DB

Olympic Lifting

I loaded up a training bar so it was only 35# to work on my snatch technique. Worked on keeping the bar close on the first pull and then getting to the hips on the second pull. I need to do this type of stuff a lot more often. I think we did 5-10 minutes of work.

WOD

  • 10 -> 1 HSPU
  • 10 -> 1 Ring Dips
  • 30 DU

Kevin had planned out just the first two movements and I remembered an almost identical WOD I did back in Phoenix, so we modified it for a retest. Back in January it took me 24:24 to finish. It’s the only WOD to ever put me in bed for the rest of the day and make me think I had rhabdo. I’d never done that many HSPU in a day before. Today I finished in 17:49 and feel great! Broke the HSPU up into 2 sets each round until I got to 4. Ring dips were 3 sets for most of the way and then some sets of 2 before doing the last 3 sets unbroken. Too many misses on middle rounds of DU. Huge improvement though and shows how far my strength has come.

Feeling Wrecked in the Morning

Feeling pretty beat up this morning, especially in the posterior chain. Went in at 10 with Kevin and Ellen for strength lifts though.

Warm-up

5:00 Air Dyne

Strength

Bench Press – 5/3/1 Cycle 1 Week 2

  • 5 @ 85# (40% of Training Max – warm)
  • 5 @ 105# (50% – warm)
  • 3 @ 125# (60% – warm)
  • 3 @ 150# (70%)
  • 3 @ 170# (80%)
  • 3+ @ 190# (90%)

* Working sets completed using the Reactive Sling Shot

In the set with 170# I realized if I came a little lower on my chest I could keep my right elbow in a lot better. I think I was benching too high on my chest, which makes it hard to keep that elbow in. Went on to knock out 13 reps at 190, which is the same number I hit at 180# on Sunday! And I didn’t have a single issue with the right elbow flaring out to cause that arm to lack behind. Estimates my max at 271.5#, which is a joke, but I’m improving!

Deadlift – 5/3/1 Cycle 1 Week 2

  • 5 @ 165# (40% of Training Max – warm)
  • 5 @ 205# (50% – warm)
  • 3 @ 245# (60% – warm)
  • 3 @ 285# (70%)
  • 3 @ 330# (80%)
  • 3+ @ 370# (90%)

Felt good. Pulled 8 reps at 370# and it actually felt better than the 9 at 350# I did on Saturday. New estimated max of 467.5#.

Maybe I should lift more often when I’m not feeling great! Cut the session after those lifts because I’m going to a class this afternoon with a friend who wants to try out CrossFit. Went in at 4pm to a pretty big class.

Warm-up

  • 30 Air Squats
  • 20 PVC Pass-thrus
  • 10 Burpees
  • 300m Run

Strength

Wasn’t too big on doing another big strength lift with 2 already this morning, but I can always use an extra squat session. Front squats on the menu today.

  • 5 @ 135#
  • 3 @ 185#
  • 3 @ 225#
  • 3 @ 245#
  • 3 @ 255#

Fuck it, go big! Matches my best 3RM, but the two sets before were higher than I’ve gone before, and legs got some solid work with the hill sprints last night and deadlifts this morning. When I last did this a couple of months ago I used 155-175-195-225-255, so this is a nice improvement in overall weight moved.

3 Rounds NFT

  • 8 Ring Dips
  • 8 Ring Rows

I still suck at ring rows. Did all of my dips strict and unbroken though.

WOD

12 Rounds

  • 1:00 AMRAP (continue next AMRAP where you leave off)
    • 5 Pull-ups
    • 10 Hand Release Push-ups
    • 15 Air Squats
  • 1:00 Rest

I was getting over a round per minute the entire way. In the 10th round I thought my hand felt a little funny on the bar. I got stuck to some old tap glue and it ripped it right open because I couldn’t slide around the bar on my butterfly. Ugh, just what I needed a few days before the Warrior Dash. I finished with 14+1 rounds, with the push-ups being my limiting factor. Probably could have gone a little faster on the air squats too, but all pull-ups were unbroken.

Two and a Half Hours

Had a well-deserved rest day yesterday and walked 18 holes on the golf course, playing one of my best rounds ever. Went in at 2:30pm today for some open gym time.

Warm-up

  • 3:00 Air Dyne
  • 3:00 DU
  • PVC Pass-thrus

XWOD

5:00 EMOM

  • 3 Hang Snatches (95#)

Working on speed of getting under it and warming up the CNS.

Olympic Lifting

Did the jerk footwork drill for a few minutes.

Split Jerks

  • 3 @ 95#
  • 3 @ 115#
  • 3 @ 135#

Again, working on speed and really driving down under the bar.

Then Casey and I decided to try out part of the lifting WOD from the team competition we’re doing next Sunday. We did an I go, you go for 5:00, increasing the weight by 10# each set for clean and jerks. Started at 135# and got up to 225# just under the time limit. No misses and had to change our own weight, so will be fun to see how fast we can get the girls done and then on to us. Maybe we can get up to the 250#, which is the max weight we’ll have for the workout. Will be fun!

Strength

  • Back Squats: 20 @ 225#
  • Pullovers: 2 x 20 @ 45# DB and 20 @ 60# DB

Little something from the Super Squats program. Pretty brutal taking a 10 rep weight and trying to go for 20. Was not easy and thought I was going to pass out on those squats.

Did some more DU, getting a streak of 73 before my rope hit the Air Dyne behind me! I wanted to get that 100.

WOD

Ladder, not for time. Go through once until failure and then start over from 1 and do it to failure again.

  • 1 Strict Chin-up, 2 Strict Ring Dips, 3 Sit-ups holding 10# plate
  • 2-4-6
  • 3-6-9

I got through the 5th round plus 6 chin-ups and 6 of the dips and then only got through round 3 plus 4 chin-ups and 6 dips. Not as intense an a normal metcon but great strength work and still got the heart pumping.

Solid 2.5 hours in the box. 🙂