snatch

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 3 Day 1

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. Out in the garage just after 10 by myself for the start of week 3, with a focus on 85% for the week.

Warm-up

Scap band work
5×45# Shoulder Press
5×95# Shoulder Press

Split Press

2x4x125#
4×130#
2x4x135#

Have been bumping up the total weight on these each week. Not easy though, so they turn out to be solid work.

2×95#
2×115#
2×135#
1×145#
1×155#
4x1x165#

Felt pretty good with the snatch today.

Clean & Jerk

2×125#
2×150#
2×175#
1×190#
1×200#
2x1x215#

Cleans felt powerful, but jerks still feel awkward.

Front Squat

2×185#
2×220#
2×250#
2×280#
1×295#
Miss 310#
Miss 300#
2x1x285#

Fuck! We were supposed to do 4 singles at 100%, but I failed the first, so dropped some weight and missed that. Struggled to get the 285# singles.

Made all of my other lifts for the day, so I guess there’s that to look at as a win. Kind of a downer with the front squats though.

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 2 Day 5

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. Hit up the garage gym around noon.

Warm-up

5:00 Jump Rope and DU
45# Snatch Positions

First try using my new 9’4″ Rx Jump Rope (1″ shorter than I’ve been using since this summer) and I nailed 100 unbroken DU! Finally hit the century mark! 🙂 Reeled off a set of 73 the next try.

Muscle Snatch

2×75#
2x2x85#
3x2x95#
2×105#

Muscle Clean

3×105#
2x3x125#
3x3x135#

Power Snatch from above the knee (Demo Video)

2×95#
2×115#
2×135#
1×145#
1×155#

These felt really good! I’ve never tried 155# from a hang position before and it was easy. I think I might have done 145# from blocks with the bar starting at the knees, but not a power snatch.

Power Clean from above the knee (Demo Video)

2×125#
2×150#
2×175#
1×190#
1×205#

Not as good as the snatches, at least in terms of feel.

Back Squat

2×205#
2×240#
2×270#
2×290#
2x2x305#

Grinder in those last two sets. Doesn’t look as bad on video as it felt when doing the reps.

GHR

4x with only bodyweight
2×4 holding 5# plate
4x holding 10# plate
4x holding 15# plate

Either I finally figured out how to do GHRs or my hamstrings have gotten significantly stronger in the last two weeks from all of the lifting. I could barely do 5 reps without holding any weight before.

Took a quick shower and headed over to Survival Fitness for open gym.

Conditioning

Warmed up on bench press with:

10×45#
5×95#
3×135#

Then jumped into this workout:

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 Bench Press (165#)
4 C2B Pull-ups

Going unbroken for the set of 10 was a mistake. I think I went 5-4, 3-3-2, 4-3, 3-3, 3-2, 2-2, 3, 2, and 1 on the rest of the bench press sets. Managed to do all sets of C2B unbroken which was the goal. Would have been doubtful to do had I chosen 5 reps instead of 4. Took me 10:47 to finish because of so many breaks in the bench press. This wasn’t part of the 60 Day Challenge programming, but since there no jerks today, I was feeling good, and tomorrow is a rest day I added in the extra work.

12 Rounds

20s Row for calories
10s Active rest (keep the flywheel moving)

As you can see below I screwed up on the 4th work interval, so made so to go for 13 total intervals. Didn’t feel like I pushed hard enough, but that was a solid 3 hours of work.

The program called for “Establish Max Height Box Jump” but I have a mental block that prevents me from making an attempt once I get to a certain height. So I tested my vertical jump instead. On concrete, with no step it was 24″ and taking a step into it with one foot I could get 26″. I wish I could remember what it was back in high school.

Week 2 is in the books, so that’s about 25% done with the challenge. Can’t wait to see what the programming for week 3 looks like.

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 2 Day 4

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting.

The first 3 days of the week beat me up. I’ve never done so many heavy reps of the lifts in a week, let alone a 3 day period. Needed the rest day yesterday and got a massage. Woke up feeling even more sore today, but seemed to loosen up a bit shoveling snow. Out in the garage by myself in the afternoon.

Warm-up

5:00 Air Dyne
PVC Pass-thrus
45# Snatch Positions

I should have done more to warm-up the shoulders, because they were so tight for the jerks.

Power Snatch to Mats

5x2x65#

Power Clean to Mats

5x2x125#

I actually kind of like having to get on to the mats. Helps landing with a flat stable foot.

Snatch

2×95#
2×115#
2×135#
1×145#
5x1x155#

Kind of a meh day with my feel. Lost stability in the hole on the 4th 155# lift after a second or two down there and bailed on it.

Clean & Jerk

2×125#
2×150#
2×175#
3x1x190#
3x1x205#

The first two jerks felt horrible because my shoulders were so tight. I forgot to increase the load after the first 190# single, so just went with 3 of each instead of the prescribed 5 singles at 205#.

I started focusing on a point in front of me on both lifts (when I remembered). I have a problem of throwing my head back, especially in the snatch, and my neck has been more sore than normal the last two weeks due to the volume of reps.

Good Mornings

6×135#
6×155#
6×175#
6×195#

I like the seated version better. Last set was pretty ugly.

Not the greatest lifting day, but got the work done. This week is really hitting me hard. One more day, then rest, and hopefully a lighter week 3.

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

20131212-101529

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.

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 2 Day 2

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting.

Thought I’d be feeling terrible after all of the 90% work yesterday, but I feel pretty good. In at 10am to lift.

Warm-up

I did a variety of stuff with an empty 45# bar, including muscle snatches, bottom squat snatch presses, snatch presses, and shoulder presses.

Split Press

4×120#
4×125#
4×130#
2x4x135#

Didn’t feel the strongest, but an overall improvement in load from last week.

Snatch

2×95#
2×115#
2×135#
1×145#
5x1x155#

This was the first lift at 155#. My bar path is improving. Still gets away too much after meeting the hips.

2013-12-11-snatch-155-bar_path

Clean & Jerk

2×125#
2×150#
2×175#
1×190#
5x1x205#

This was the first lift at 205#. Finally starting to come in from the start instead of the first move of the bar being away from the body and then in.

2013-12-11-clean-n-jerk-bar path

Clean Deadlift

5x2x235#

Felt pretty good with the lifts. Could tell I was a little fatigued, but not too bad. Back to 90% lifts tomorrow!

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 2 Day 1

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting.

I definitely needed a rest day yesterday when I saw what was programmed for the start of week 2 and I’m glad I took it even though I’m now a day behind in the program due to the CrossFit competition on Saturday. Oh well. I went out in the garage by myself today around 4pm.

Warm-up

45# Snatch Positions

Didn’t feel like spending a lot of time warming up since I could do that with the muscle moves.

Muscle Snatch

5×65#
3x3x85#
2x3x95#

Muscle Clean

5×95#
5x2x125#

Snatch

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

Clean & Jerk

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

Back Squat

2×205#
2×240#
2×270#
2×290#
2x2x305#

Felt good to redeem myself after not being able to get 290# up once on Sunday with the whole squat fiasco. The second rep on each set with 305# was a fight.

I sure am not used to doing all 3 of those lifts with multiple reps at 90%. I think I’ll be feeling this for a few days, but I hope not because I have to do the same thing on day 3!

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 1 Day 3

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. Yesterday was a rest day. Went oven to Kevin’s garage after 6pm to lift tonight.

Warm-up

Jumping Jacks
PVC work
15# Snatch Positions

Muscle Snatches

4×45#
2×75#
3x2x85#
2x2x95#
2×105#

Muscle Cleans

3×75#
3×105#
3x3x125#
3×135#
3×145#

I think these muscle movements are really helping my turnover. Bumped the weights up a couple notches from the other day and still felt good on these.

Snatches

2×95#
2×115#
2×135#
1×145#
1×155#
4x1x160#

I was going to do the last 4 singles with 165#, but 155# felt bad, so I stuck to 160#. Stopped thinking in the last couple of reps and was much better. The last rep felt the best of the day.

Back Squats

2×205#
2×240#
2×270#
3x2x290#

First set at 290# was ugly, especially the 2nd rep. Second set too! Stopped thinking and nailed the 3rd set.

Seated Good Mornings

5×155#
5×175#
5×185#
2x5x195#

Have never done this much volume with them. Will probably be feeling them tomorrow.

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 1 Day 2

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. In the garage before noon by myself for lifting.

Warm-up

2:00 Air Dyne
5:00 Handstand Practice

I tried to do some free-standing handstands, which was not happening, so I did some handstand holds with my back towards the wall. After watching it on video, the attempts were pretty pathetic.

Power Snatch to Mats (Demo Video)

2×45#
2×75#
2×95#
4x2x115#

I cut up some luan and duct taped the edges. Worked pretty well. I have never had a problem moving my feet out, so I don’t think this drill really does much for me except give me more practice with the lifts.

Power Clean to Mats (Demo Video)

2×115#
2×135#
2×155#
4x2x175#

Cleans

2×125#
2×150#
2×175#
1×190#
5x1x200#

Clean Deadlifts (Demo Video)

5x3x230#

They are programming 2 optional CrossFit pieces per week, on the day before you take a rest day. That’s what the handstand work was for in the warm-up. I had some stuff to get done for work, so I rested and went to Survival Fitness at 8pm for open gym. Brent did the workout with me.

Conditioning

100 DU Buy-in
10 Rounds
- 200m Row
- 1:1 Rest
100 DU Cash-out

Cranked off 74 DU to start. I kind of ran into the wall in the middle rounds and couldn’t breathe. An hour after finishing I realized I was probably trying to keep it too close to my :30/:30 row pace, especially after the 100 DU buy-in. Didn’t think I could lose my conditioning that fast in just a week! I’m not sure how it calculated some of my rest periods as 45 seconds because they definitely were not that.

Earlier today I was questioning the need for a rest day tomorrow, but now I’m glad to have it. 🙂

60 Day Lifting Challenge – Week 1 Day 1

I’m doing the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. In to Survival Fitness at 10am. Took about 2 hours total with my warm-up.

Warm-up

2:00 Air Dyne
PVC Pass-thrus
Banded OH Stretch (purple bands)

Wow, I was out of breath after the AD. Being sick really fucks up training.

Muscle Snatches

From 2 positions for each rep, above knee and below knee (Demo).

Warmed up with 2×45# and 2x2x75#
2x3x95#
3x3x85#

95# didn’t feel terrible, but it was a bit much and losing the technique aspect, so I dropped down.

Muscle Cleans

From 2 positions for each rep, above knee and below knee (Demo).

Warmed up with 2×75#, 2x2x105#
5x2x125#

125# was pretty ideal here.

Turned out both of these muscle movements were supposed to be from the floor, not according to the demo videos they sent. I was thinking it was turning out to be a shit load of reps!

Snatches

2×95#
2×115#
2×135#
1×145#
1×150#
4x1x160#

Made every lift and felt pretty good.

Front Squats

2×95#
2×215#
2×250#
3x2x265#

This was a new way of doing squats for me. Big jump and not much warm-up! Felt really heavy after not squatting since Tuesday.

Had Been Sick Since Tuesday

I felt exhausted and sore all over after Tuesday’s workout. Didn’t add up and later in the day I realized I was getting sick. Finally started feeling better today and was able to lift again. Did a session out in the garage with Kevin.

Warm-up

3:00 Air Dyne
Various Snatch Warm-up Exercises

OLY

Snatches

2 @ 75#
2 @ 95#
2 @ 115#
2 @ 135#
2 @ 145#
2 @ 155#
2 @ 135#
2 @ 145#
2 @ 155# (missed the first one)
2 @ 135#
2 @ 145#
2 @ 155#

Some of the early sets of 135 and up felt a little slow and weird. Figured out it was because I was thinking too much, causing things to slow down. When I just went for the lift and took my mind out of it, everything felt much faster.

Snatch Deadlifts

2 @ 155#
2 @ 175#
2 @ 195#
2 @ 205#

I’m able to keep a good knees out position with these. Sooner or later it has to start transferring to the snatch, where I still dive in the knees on the rebend.

Strength

Bench Press

10 @ 45#
5 @ 135#
5 @ 155#
5 @ 165#
5 @ 175#
5 @ 185#
5 @ 195#
5 @ 205#
5 @ 210#
5 @ 215#
5 @ 220#

I started using the slingshot with the 165# set I think.

3 Rounds NFT

5 GHR
5 Hip Extensions (10# plate)
1 Back Extension

First time doing the slow back extension. Really lit up the back.

Tomorrow I’ll be starting the 60 Day Lifting Challenge from Columbus Weightlifting. It’ll be weird to give up control of my programming.