Snatch Press

No Rest Monday

I was going to rest today but felt like doing something. So I went in at night to lift. Warmed up with an easy 500m Row and some bottom squat hold.

Weightlifting

5 Muscle Snatch (20kg)
5 Snatch Press (20kg)
5 Muscle Snatch (40kg)
5 Snatch Press (40kg)
3 Muscle Snatch (50kg)
3 Snatch Press (50kg)
2 Snatch (60kg)
2 Snatch (65kg)
2 Snatch (70kg)
2 Snatch (75kg)
2 Snatch (80kg)
1 + Fail Snatch (85kg)
Fail Snatch (87kg)
1 Snatch (87kg)
1 Snatch (89kg)
1 Snatch (91kg)
Fail Snatch (91kg)
Fail Snatch (91kg)

Felt pretty good. I’ve only done 200+ pounds a handful of times and hit it on the first try, so I’ll take that. The 89kg was a really solid lift from the feel of it.

Warmed up my shoulders a little more with some shoulder presses:

10×45#
5×95#
4×115#
4×135#

XWOD

4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4 Shoulder Press (150#)
2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1 HSPU
- 2s: 2 Kipping HSPU
- 1s: 1 Deficit Kipping HSPU (4″)

Damn that was rough. Definitely hit the perfect limit with 8 sets because the last rep of my last set was a grind.

Show Up

Went in for the 5:30pm class. Started with some bottom squat hold and stretching.

Warm-up

5 Shoulder Press (45#)
8 Front Squats (45#)
5 Shoulder Press (95#)
8 Front Squats (95#)
5 Push Press (135#)
8 Front Squats (135#)

Strength

12:00 EMOM

Odds: 4 Push Press (185#)
Evens: 8 Front Squats (185#)

Deadly! I was near failure on every set of push presses and the front squats were no joke. Felt like I got done with a WOD at the end I was breathing so hard and sweating my ass off.

Accessory

3 Sets

10/10 Kroc Rows (62# KB)
10 Ring Push-ups

Conditioning

5:00 AMRAP

8 KB Snatches (44#)
10 Sumo Deadlifts (44# KB)
12 Wall Balls (20#, 10′)

* 2:00 rest and then another 5:00 of the same thing starting where you leave off in the first AMRAP.

I had no sense of urgency, just kept moving at a slow steady pace. I did 3 rounds plus 8 snatches, 10 deadlifts, and 3 wall balls in the first half and finished with 7 full rounds plus 7 snatches overall.

Walked 200m outside since it was so nice out. After class I stayed for some extra work.

Weightlifting

5 Hang Muscle Snatches (45#)
5 Snatch Presses (45#)
5 Hang Muscle Snatches (65#)
5 Snatch Presses (65#)
5 Hang Muscle Snatches (75#)
5 Snatch Presses (75#)
5 Hang Muscle Snatches (85#)
5 Snatch Presses (85#)
5 Hang Muscle Snatches (95#)
5 Snatch Presses (95#)

I was dead after the workout and know I wouldn’t have the energy for anything explosive. The muscle snatches and presses were back to back so it got tough.

Back

Reverse Hyper

3x10x230#

Could feel my back tight from the class so figured these were a good idea.

I don’t know if yesterday took more out of me than I noticed or that the EMOM to start just completely wiped me out.

High & Heavy

Not feeling very energized this morning, but in for the 9am at CFi.

Warm-up

Crossover Symmetry Activation
Band Pulls & Pass Thrus
20 Air Squats
Shoulder Press
- 5×45#
- 5×95#
- 3×115#
- 3×135#

XWOD

3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3 Shoulder Press (150#)
2-1-2-1-2-1-2-1 Wall Balls
- 2s: 20# MB to 13′ target
- 1s: 25# Slam Ball to 13′ target

That’s a new 3RM on my shoulder press again and for 8 sets! Took some getting used to throwing the 25# ball so high, but was getting the last couple.

Conditioning

2 Rounds

2:00 AMRAP
- 10 Burpees
- 10 Box Jumps (24″)
1:00 Rest
2:00 AMRAP
- 10 Goblet Squats (53# KB)
- 10 Russian KBS (53# KB)
1:00 Rest

All GO in these little AMRAPs. I went unbroken through everything, never having the kettlebell touch the ground. I got 2+5, 3+11, 2+3, and 3+8, so only fell off the pace a little the second time through.

Midline

3 Rounds NFT

20 Russian Twists (53# KB)
20 Sit-ups

Hit an afternoon snatch session in the garage. Warmed up with

5×45# Muscle Snatch
5×45# Snatch Press
5×45# OHS
3×75# Muscle Snatch
3×75# Snatch Press
3×75# OHS
3×95# Power Snatch

Then I did a little complex of:

Power from floor w/ 2s pause at knee
Squat from hang at knee

I started at 115# and went up 5# at a time until I hit 160, so 10 sets.

Then I was planning to do an EMOM with a double squat snatch with 165#. Missed the second attempt in the first minute and then missed another attempt at it. So I started over. 🙂

10:00 EMOM

2×155# Squat Snatch

I had one miss on the 2nd rep in round 6 but took a breath, concentrated, and hit a second make right after the miss. From that point on I really had to focus. My thoughts were on being explosive through the second pull and finishing strong to punch the bar overhead. I think a lot of my misses are because I’m not aggressive with the bar at the end and I lose tension.

Walked about a half mile after.

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 6 Day 5

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. Alex came over to lift at 11.

Warm-up

Crossover Symmetry Activation
45# Shoulder Presses and Snatch Presses
95# Shoulder Presses

Split Press

3×120#
3×125#
3×130#
3×135#
3×140#

Snatch

2×100#
2×120#
2×140#
1×150#
1×160#
1×170#
3x1x180#

Missed the first 180#, was way up on my left toes in the bottom of the 2nd, but saved it, and the 3rd felt pretty solid and easy.

Clean & Jerk

2×135#
2×155#
2×180#
1×190#
1×205#
1×215#
2x1x230#
1×235#

I can’t believe how much better my jerks feel in the last week and a half. Work jerk of the day was on the last rep and I’ve had much worse attempts at lighter weight even just 2-3 weeks ago. Decided to add the extra 5# on the last rep since it’ll probably be the last heavy day like this until the week after next.

Back Squat

2×205#
2×240#
2×270#
2×290#
2x2x305#

Felt pretty good on the way up, but those doubles at 305# were rough today.

Snatch Deadlift

7x3x205#

These may have been the most surprisingly hard part of the day. Focused on pushing through the floor and tried to keep a solid back angle, without my hips rising up first. Felt a lot different in my legs than I’m used to.

Finished the session with Crossover Symmetry Recovery.

Rested up and did conditioning at 8pm.

Explosive

10:00 EMOM

Odds: 5 Plyo Push-ups
Evens: 2 Broad Jumps (for distance)

Conditioning

3 Rounds

20 Burpee C2B Pull-ups
20 Over the box jumps (24″)
1:1 Work:Rest

Regular burpee pull-ups are the way to go with this, but the pull-up bar on my rig is lower than my reach, so I essentially did jumping chest to bar pull-ups. My round times were 2:51, 2:51, and 2:49 with over the box jumps getting better each round. Knowing the burpee portion could really wipe me out, I took a steady pace with them on the 2nd and 3rd round, allowing me to push a little harder through the box jumps.

That was a fun workout. On to rest day!

Open Gym Sunday

Went over to the Bay City box during open gym.

Warm-up

500m Row (1:53)
DU

Olympic Lifting

Still working on the snatches. Really need to start getting in some clean and jerk work too.

5:00 Snatch Position Work (45# on training bar)
2 @ 95#
2 @ 115#
2:00 E20S (135#)
2:00 E30S (155#)

If I was feeling good I was going to work up and maybe go for a PR, but my shoulders are still rocked from Thursday and Friday.

Strength

5 @ 135# Back Squats
5 @ 50# Snatch Presses
5 @ 225# Back Squats
5 @ 80# Snatch Presses
10:00 EMOM
- Odds: 2 @ 285# Back Squat
- Evens: 5 @ 100# Snatch Presses
3 Rounds NFT (Back off sets)
- 3 @ 245# Back Squats
- 5 @ 80# Snatch Presses

WOD

I was going to try some max sets of pull-ups, but I kept losing my rhythm after 8 reps. Did about 4 sets like that.

Tried part of an event for next Sunday’s team competition with Katy.

4:00 AMRAP

AMRAP Wall Balls (20# MB, 11′ target)
* All team members do 5 burpees EMOM

We alternated minutes and I got about 25 wall balls in during each of my minutes.

6 Rounds

30s Air Dyne
30s Rest

Racked up 88 calories. Legs were dog tired from all of the squats.

6 Rounds

30s Row
30s Rest

So much easier to maintain a good pace from interval to interval than the damn Air Dyne. Started a little slow on the first round, but picked it up and was consistent the rest of the way.

Tuesday Times Two

Scorching high in the 90s today and was already about 80 out at 10am when I went in.

Warm-up

Run 300m
2:00 Air Dyne

Olympic Lifting

Snatch Balances

2 @ 95#
2 @ 125#
2 @ 135#
2 @ 155# (Failed first attempt at 2nd rep, then made it)
1 @ 165#
1 @ 170#
1 @ 175#
1 @ 180#
1 @ 185# (Failed first try, then made it)

Once it gets heavy I don’t drop under enough. It turns into more of a snatch push press and an OHS, but I’m getting more comfortable under the weights.

Snatch Deadlifts

3 @ 165#
3 @ 175#
3 @ 185#
3 @ 195#

Wore lifting straps this time to save my thumbs. Feels so heavy!

Strength

Warmed up back squats with 5 @ 185# and 3 @ 225# and did a quick set of 5 snatch presses with an empty bar.

10:00 EMOM

Odds: 5 @ 100# Snatch Press
Evens: 2 @ 275# Back Squat

In the first couple of sets I was coming forward in the descent on my back squats, causing me to be leaning forward and toe-sy on the drive back up. By focusing on it I was able to correct it for the rest of the sets.

Cooled down with 5:00 on the Air Dyne. Back at 5pm for class…

Olympic Lifting

20:00 to work on:

1 Muscle Snatch + 2 Snatch Balances

This was our warm-up. Started with a training bar for some reps, then a women’s bar, and finally a men’s bar. Started adding 10# at a time and got up to 105#. First time really ever doing muscle snatches. I really focused on dropping fast on the snatch balances.

WOD

10:00 AMRAP

30 DU
15 Power Snatches (75#)

I really tried to hit my hips, but it was a struggle when you have so many reps and are really fatigued. Completed 4 + 37 (30 DU and 7 snatches). Sweating like a pig. High reps on the barbell killed me as usual.

Finisher

50-40-30-20-10

Sit-ups (Anchored with DBs)
Russian swings (53# KB)

My core was still sore from the GHD and T2B I did a few days ago. This fired those abs right back up. Talk about a burn and not being used to the anchored foot position really worked the hip flexors a lot more. I had a nice puddle of sweat under my back after this.

Rest day tomorrow!

Snatchin’ Sunday

Trained out in the garage tonight for a couple of hours. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish by yourself without talking to anyone. Solid night of work.

Warm-up

0.45 Mile Sled Drag (115#) around the block

Olympic Lifting

Thacker Warm-up

After hearing them talk about a better snatch warm-up on the Barbell Shrugged Podcast, I had to check out the Thacker snatch progressions. Let me tell you, they are no fucking joke. I was sweating my ass off and breathing hard halfway through each part. I’m going to try to do this once or twice a week.

Snatches

3:00 EMOM

2 Snatches (95# 115# 125#)

Rest 4:00

10:00 EMOM

1 Snatch (135# 135# 145# 145# 155# and then repeated)

I completed every snatch today. Feeling more and more comfortable with the improved technique.

Snatch Deadlifts

2 @ 165#
2 @ 165#
2 @ 175#
2 @ 175#
2 @ 185#

Figured it was time to start feeling the correct positioning with higher weights. Felt good, but hard on the thumbs. Might use straps next time.

Strength

Back Squats

5 @ 135#
5 @ 165#
5 @ 195#
5 @ 195#

Light squat day. Key thoughts for were to lead with the hips back first, push knees out, and keep a vertical torso.

Shoulder Press

5 @ 85#
5 @ 105#
5 @ 115#
5 @ 125#

These felt really tough.

4 Rounds NFT

20 GHD Sit-ups
20 Back Extensions
5 GHR
5 Snatch Press 95#

Took a short rest after 14 sit-ups in the first 3 rounds and then did all 20 unbroken in the last round. Mid back had something going on in those last 6 reps which didn’t feel very good. Trying to not lead up with my ass on the GHR but it’s really tough. Maybe I should try static holds in the straight out position. I have a hard time getting 95# moving but then it’s not that bad. My neck gets sore from these from having to push it forward so I don’t bang my head with the bar.

Cool Down

Walked 0.53 miles around the neighborhood.

Grace-Off

Last day of our group’s golf tournament this morning, so I walked 18 holes. With the humidity lately this has been fatiguing me more than expected. Went in around 7:30 for open gym.

Warm-up

3-4:00 of DU practice

I reeled off a nice streak of 71 right off the bat and then got a bunch in the 30s. I need to get better at being able to do long streaks when I lose some breath and I want to hit that 100 so bad!

Strength

5/3/1 Shoulder Press – Cycle 2 Week 3

5 @ 60# (40% of Training Max – warm)
5 @ 75# (50% – warm)
3 @ 90# (60% – warm)
3 @ 115# (75%)
3 @ 130# (85%)
1+ @ 145# (95%)

I went for it and couldn’t even get one rep. Wow. Took a minute to regroup but was only able to get 2 reps. What the fuck is going on with some of my lifts? Last week I did 6 @ 140# and now this bullshit? Puts my estimated max at 154.5#, well below my 165# PR.

10 @ 45#
10 @ 75#
10 @ 85#

WOD

Warmed up clean and jerks with 45# x 3, 95# x 3, 115# x 3, and 135# for one.

“Grace”

30 C&J (135#)

I’ve been wanting to Rx this bitch for a long time. Brent came in to throwdown with me. My last “Grace” attempt was 125# back in November, which I did in 4:16. Only took me 3:03 today and I probably lost 10-15 seconds with the damn collars. Somewhere between 15 and 20 I was wondering why it was so hard to get my right arm up. I finally looked at the bar and the 45# bumper was nearly off the bar. Ugh!

Felt pretty good though, I stupidly dropped the bar after 3 reps because something just didn’t feel right and then I started doing singles after 9. I wasn’t resting between reps though, I was actually catching the bar on the bounce and resetting right away. Hanging on and controlling to the ground was just taking too much energy out of me and I knew I couldn’t sustain it. I was predicting a time around 3:00 the other day talking to Matt, so I’m pretty happy with that.

Finisher

3 Rounds NFT

5 Strict Deficit HSPU (15# Bumpers)
5 Strict Chin-ups
1:00 Air Dyne

The HSPU were a struggle to complete, but not surprising seeing how my shoulder press sucked today.

Version 2 of the Garage Gym

This morning I finished organizing and cleaning up all of my equipment. Had to make room for the new GHD.

I like how it turned out, but can’t wait to “remodel” the other side of the garage so I can get rid of everything non-gym related on this side. Maybe I should have expanded the garage with a heated addition.

Party of one in the garage around 8pm.

Warm-up

Ran 0.4 miles around the block.

Strength

5/3/1 Front Squats – Cycle 2 Week 2

5 @ 110# (40% of Training Max – warm)
5 @ 135# (50% – warm)
3 @ 165# (60% – warm)
3 @ 190# (70%)
3 @ 220# (80%)
3+ @ 245# (90%)

Knocked out 6 reps on the last set for an estimated max of 293.5#, just under my PR. Again the limiting factor is being able to breathe and stay conscious in these. I guess I should try to do them faster.

3 Rounds NFT

10 Snatch Presses (75#)
20 GHD Sit-ups
5 GHR

I think I’m going to love having the GHD. I can easily get out there for 10 minutes to knock out some reps and improve these damn hips which seem to be failing a lot lately on stuff like T2B and pull-ups.

Conditioning

5:00 Air Dyne
10:00 Rest
5:00 Air Dyne

Fun! 178 calories for 3.3km the first round and 186 calories for 3.37km the 2nd round. Have I mentioned I how much I love the AD2 more than the AD6?

Little Victories

When I rolled out of bed I was feeling beat up all over, but that went away after moving around. Maybe it was from the sprints last night.

Headed over to Kevin’s garage for some work.

Warm-up

5:00 on the Air Dyne (AD2)

Olympic Lifting

I worked of the blocks set to about mid-thigh. Was doing a series of 2-3 snatch deadlifts to get the feel of knees coming back under the bar and hips meeting the bar, with knees still bent. Then I took that into 3 snatches on the blocks.

Started light and moved up really well. 35# for multiple sets, 65# for multiple sets and then I think it was one set each of 85#, 95#, 115#, 125#, and 135#. I just started meeting the bar with 135# on Thursday and it felt better off the blocks. I like the progress!

Strength

Bench Press – 5/3/1 Cycle 2 Week 1

5 @ 85# (40% of training max – warm)
5 @ 110# (50% – warm)
3 @ 130# (60% – warm)
5 @ 140# (65%)
5 @ 160# (75%)
5+ @ 185# (85%)

I didn’t use the Reactive Slingshot at all today. Much harder without it, but I didn’t have too much of a problem with my right arm until the end and was still able to push through the reps. I was able to get 9 reps with 185# for an estimated max of 240#. Much more realistic than when I had used the slingshot.

Reverse Hyper

3 x 10 with 120#

I should really get over there more often to do these.

Then we headed over to Survival Fitness Bay City for open gym.

Gymnastics

Worked on muscle-ups. First I wanted to see if I could do a MU without needing to 3 swings in. Was able to get them on the first swing. Then my next goal was to finally string 2 MU together and I knocked that out too! I did three doubles over the course of the work I think, but never tried for 3 in a row. I probably did about 15 total muscle-ups and was trying to help Kevin get his first one kipping. He gets plenty high enough, but doesn’t attempt to get his head through. He’ll get it soon!

WOD

“Fran”
21-15-9

Thrusters (95#)
Pull-ups

I had yet to do an Rx “Fran” which was a little embarrassing considering I’m coming up on 2 years of CrossFit. Shit, the last time I did any “Fran” was at the Level 1 Cert last year in September. I used 75# there and did it in 5:36. Did a 4:50 today without a problem. I now know that I don’t have to pace and rest as much as I did. I was worried I’d burn out on the thrusters or pull-ups by the round of 9.

Later at night I went out to the garage for some more training since I’ll be golfing tomorrow in the first round of our end of the year tournament.

Snatch Balance & OHS

Weight	Snatch Balance	OHS
45#	5	5
95#	5	5
115#	3	3
135#	2	3
155#	1	2
175#	F	–
175#	1	–
185#	F	–

I’m not sure what happened but my OHS has gone shit. I could do a 175# snatch balance back in the winter too. Weird.

Bottom Squat Snatch Presses

I figured these would help my stability overhead.

5 x 45#
5 x 55#
5 x 65#

Wow, these are ~~different~~ difficult.

Snatch Presses

MOAR!

5 x 65#
5 x 75#
5 x 85#
5 x 90#

Shit balls I’m weak in these positions.

Conditioning

I did a really easy 15 minutes on the Air Dyne.