Legs and Pulling

Yesterday was so busy I didn't have time to visit the gym, so I doubled up this morning. I had a bit of time to spare, so I didn't feel rushed.

Superset - front/back squats (a2g)
115 - 3 & 3
135 - 3 & 3
150 - 3 & 3
160 - 3 & 3
170 - 2 & 3

I used the correct front squat grip throughout.

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Dumbbell snatches for time; 5 per arm, alternating (previous times in brackets)
40lb - 25 seconds (25)
45lb - 24 (28)
50lb - 28 (30)
55lb - 32 (51)
60lb - 1:01 (2:03)

Only the 60lb set needed to be broken up. I failed the third rep with my left arm, but only needed a few breaths before going again.

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50 deadlifts @ 205lb
Time = 6:11

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Drop sets
Weighted pull-ups - 25lb x 6, 4, 3
Pull-ups - bw x 3, 3, 2

All pull-ups were strict, with exactly 60 seconds rest between each double set. Not my best performance with this routine, but by this point I was cream crackered.

Pushing

I still feel damn sore from Saturday's workout. My lower back doms have almost gone, but my pecs hurt like hell. Oh, well...

Push press 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2
85, 95, 105, 110, 115, 120 (1), 120

Both racks were being used, so these push presses were preceded with a power clean to get the bar to my shoulders. I don't think that affected the presses too much, as my 1RM for cleans is 145lb. I got the bar overhead with my first attempt, second rep at 120lb, but didn't lock out with my right arm.

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Dumbbell bench press
45s x 5 plus 20 push-ups
50s x 5 plus 20 push-ups
55s x 5 plus 20 push-ups
55s x 5 plus 20 push-ups

I did this using rack bench presses a few weeks ago as part of a PT session. Both racks were being used - by a personal trainer whose name rhymes with "Derek" - so I went for straightforward db benches instead.

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Amrap 12
5 db military presses @ 35s
10 db push presses @ 35s
15 dips
Score = 2 rounds exactly

I completed the second round with about 30 seconds remaining, but I couldn't complete another shoulder press without resorting to a dip and push motion. This was a damn sight tougher than I expected. The push presses were the only movement that felt comfortable.

Full body

Miranda

Personal training with Paul

I don't know much, but I know one thing: tomorrow morning, I'm going to hurt like a bitch.

Sumo deadlifts for time
185 x 10 - 19 sec
225 x 10 - 21
255 x 10 - 30
275 x 10 - 3:20 (!)
225 x 10 - 32

Both my quads and hamstrings gave out on me at the same time during the 275lb round. Shee-it.

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Bench press for time
95 x 10 - 14 sec
105 x 10 - 18
115 x 10 - 1:02
120 x 10 - 3:02
105 x 10 - 59

With both the deadlifts and the bench presses, as soon as I needed to take a break my time dropped like a lead balloon.

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10-8-6-4-2 rft
Dips
Neutral grip pull-ups
Time = 9:31

Sub-5 minutes my ass.

Because it was raining, Cher told me to call her when I finished training so she could pick me up. I swear, my neck and shoulders were so sore, it hurt to hold the phone to my ear.

Conditioning

A quick session at the Stonecroft gym.

50-40-30-20-10 rft:
Burpees
Skips (single unders)
Time = 19:45

I. Hate. Burpees. Bloody hell. I was totally alone in the gym, with no noise from a tv nor any music. I never realised how loudly I breathe when I'm doing a fast-paced routine like this! 150 burpees - what was I thinking.

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Sit-ups

I did the same sit-up routine I did with Paul a couple of weeks ago. It felt easier today, and all sets of 10 reps were unbroken, perhaps because I did more of a workout beforehand last time.

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200m rowing sprints x 3 (Concept 2 at maximum resistance)
52 seconds, 51, 50

I dropped a second each time! My arms felt like shit at the end.

I don't know if it was due to the heavy breathing or the unusually warm weather, but when I got back home my sinuses flared up. My whole head was throbbing and I thought I was going to heave. Not pleasant.

Legs

Another post-lunch session. The gym was really quiet, which allowed me to feel more relaxed.

Complex: 1 squat clean + 1 front squat + 1 squat clean + 1 front squat
95, 115, 125, 130, 135 (1 sc + 1 fs), 135, 140 (1 sc + 1 fs)

My elbows look too low during the heavier squat cleans, but I think I corrected them for the front squats.

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Back squats - 1RM
135 x 5
165 x 3
185 x 1
195 x 1
205 x 1
215 x 1
220 x 0

I chickened out on the last attempt, when I should have just let myself fail. Arse!

Flexin' time!

Pulling

According to this, I think I'm somewhere between
15% and 20%. 3% looks like a bloody reptile.

I had to postpone my usual training time because of a busy morning. I was less busy this afternoon, so I managed to fit in a quick session (thankfully, just before the jocks started arriving).

Chin-ups, weighted - 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60

First time I've managed all three reps at 60lb.

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Cable rows - 5 x max reps @ 150lb
5, 5, 5, 4, 4

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5 rft:
8 power cleans @ 95lb
8 inverted rows off parallettes
Time = 9:32

Pushing

Bench press - small bench, 6 holes
105 x 2
115 x 2
125 x 2
135 x 2
140 x 2
145 x 0, 1

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Military press - 5, 5, 3, 3, 2
65, 75, 80, 85, 90 (1)

Got the bar to eye level while attempting my second rep at 90lb, but the weight just dropped back down again.

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Supersets - relative max reps
Incline dumbbell flies @ 30s - 10, 9, 8
Dumbbell push presses @ 40s - 7, 6, 6

47 (not 48)

This is how my chest felt today.

There's only one day each year when I regret getting older.

For time, breaking however I want
47 back squats @ 135lb
47 strict pull-ups
Time = 10:41

I can't believe Paul no-repped me on the last pull-up! I seemed to get more fluid with the squats towards the end as I became more warmed up. The pull-ups were much tougher than I expected.

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For time, breaking however I want
47 deadlifts @ 205lb
47 dips
Time = 12:19

As I expected, the deadlifts - while not easy - were by far the least challenging part of today ("least challenging" is the wrong phrase, but you know what I mean). I was able to move pretty quickly, and the last block of 7 reps were unbroken. However, that speed had a consequence as it left me out of breath by the time I went into the dips. I thought my heart was going to burst out of my chest.

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47 burpees (aiming for under 5 minutes)
Time = 4:47

Fucking hell, this was the toughest thing I did today. I must have looked like I was in slow motion by the end. When Paul told me what this part of the workout was going to be, I thought: No problem. I'll start off with about 20 consecutive reps. Five. I managed five fucking reps before I needed to rest. Jesus.

That was a fun, imaginative workout today, but I was damn pleased when it was all over. I collapsed to the ground after the last burpee, with my head spinning from hyperventilation. Paul was talking to me, but I have no frigging idea what he said. I didn't hear a damn thing!

Conditioning

I needed plenty of leg warm ups before my first routine because my hamstrings and glutes are pretty sore from yesterday's leg session.

Fran: 21-15-9 rft
Thrusters @ 95lb
Kipping pull-ups
Time = 15:32

That's a lot slower than nearly a year ago. Today I was fresh - i.e. last time I did some weight work first - so not improving is a big disappointment. This morning the thrusters took more out of me than I expected, and I needed plenty of breaks. Strangely, I think the round of 9 - when I was already fatigued - was my most fluid. I only managed doubles, but when I picked up the bar from the ground, I did a squat clean and punched the bar overhead when I got to the upright position. When the bar came back down to my chest, I went straight into a squat.

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5rft:
5 deadlifts @ 225lb
10 otb burpees (total)
Time = 8:13

The closest routine I've done to this in the past was in February 2012 with standard burpees, when I finished in 8:51. My energy level seemed to jump up a notch during this workout. I collapsed on my back into a steaming puddle of sweat at the end.

Legs

This morning I decided to skip breakfast, and just shower before heading to the gym so I could train earlier (7:30am). I figured that would save me some time, as I could eat my usual oatmeal afterward while checking my email. However - and this seems bloody obvious now - I ran out of fuel halfway through today's session, and I got fatigued too quickly.

Back squats
95 x 10
115 x 10
125 x 10
135 x 10
145 x 10
155 x 9

I had originally planned on mirroring Paul's routine from last week, scaling his weights by roughly 70%. That would have meant three sets using 95lb, 135lb and 155lb. However, after the first set I remembered that I had done a five set routine with Paul, with 10 reps per set. I decided to switch to that instead. Last month I got to 7 reps at 155lb, so there was a slight improvement today. All reps were a2g. During the heavier sets, I took a brief pause at the top - a couple of breaths - then squatted down again.

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Bulgarian split squats (small bench) 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
95, 115, 130

It's been a long time since I've done BB split squats and it's time I added more variety back into my leg days. At 130lb I was wobbling all over the place and I really struggled to keep my balance, especially when I had my right foot back on the bench. I was so unstable that it actually felt unsafe, so I decided to quit after three sets. I rested a while, then attempted a few reps with 60lb dumbbells instead, but I still didn't feel stable. I think this was due to the aforementioned fatigue. Of course, the 69 barbell squats I did earlier might have contributed to this.

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30 traveling lunges @ 55s

The workout started well, but I'm very disappointed with the poor performance during the split squats. My morning schedule is still inconsistent since the house move, but I don't want that to interfere with my training progress. Maybe I need to reevaluate how I train. I remember reading that Angie Pye simply does the main site WOD each day, and that's all. Perhaps I should do something similar, and train for less time each day, but with more intensity.

Pulling

Power snatches
65 x 3
75 x 3
80 x 3
85 x 3
90 x 3
95 x 0, 0

I think I should have spent more time warming up this morning. I arrived at the gym and jumped straight into my workout. My failure with snatches today was more a matter of mental preparation, I think; I didn't have much focus and my mind wasn't very relaxed. This improved as my session progressed, though.

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Wide cable rows
120 x 5
130 x 5
140 x 5
145 x 4
145 x 4

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5 rft:
8 x power cleans @ 115lb
8 x kipping pull-ups
Time = 13:13

Pushing

Alternate sets

Military press @ 75lb - 6, 4, 4, 3, 3
Dumbbell bench press @ 50s - 7, 7, 5, 6, 6

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Clapping push-ups - 8, 7, 6, 7, 7
Incline dumbbell flies @ 25s - 12, 9, 9, 11, 9

This was the first time I did clapping push-ups where my feet left the ground, too. 

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A quick metcon to finish.

RFT: 9-7-5-3
Dips
Push press @ 95lb (starting with a clean at the beginning of each round and after a break)
Time = 6:03

I probably could have gone 10lb heavier with the push presses, although there weren't any unbroken sets. The first 9 reps were broken down into 5 and 4.

Upper body

Personal training with Paul

Clean and press - 10 minutes to find 1RM
Final weight = 125lb (?)

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Rack bench press (7 holes, small bench)
95 x 5 then 20 push ups
115 x 5 then 20 push ups
125 x 5 then 20 push ups
135 x 5 then 20 push ups

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Cable row
100 x 10 then 10 neutral grip pull ups
110 x 10 then 10 neutral grip pull ups
110 x 10 then 10 neutral grip pull ups
110 x 10 then 10 neutral grip pull ups

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Working on strict sit ups, 10 rep sets

Conditioning and Bodyweight

Grace: 30 power cleans and push presses @ 105lb
Time = 8:15

The last time I did Grace - with the same weight - was in late November 2011. Back then, my form was bloody awful, with the bar going in front of me instead of straight overhead. Although I didn't video myself this time - the gym was a bit busy near where I was training, and I feel a bit intrusive if I video people working out near me - but I think my form was damn near perfect today. I could see from the mirror that the bar was overhead each time and that my arms locked out. On top of that, my time this morning was quicker by over 30 seconds, so I'm very pleased with that.

I rested for six or seven minutes because I planned on doing Fran as well, but my left shoulder felt a bit dodgy when I started doing thrusters. It feels fine now, but at the time the Grace push presses had obviously taken their toll.

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RFT:

50 pull-ups (kipping allowed)
Time = 6:14

Rest exactly one minute.

50 dips
Time = 8:01

Legs

Nothing really clicked today. The mind was willing, but the energy just wasn't there.

Front squats
135 x 3
155 x 3
165 x 3
170 x 1
170 x 2

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Deadlifts
175 x 6
195 x 4
225 x 1
255 x 1
275 x 1
295 x 1
310 x 0
310 x 0

With my first attempt at 310lb I nearly completed the lift, but lost my grip when I was almost standing upright. My second attempt barely left the ground, even after a three minute rest.

I felt tired today, and I'm not sure why. Not exercise fatigue - i.e. overtraining - just sleepy. I sometimes get frustrated, not because of inconsistency, but not knowing why my training ability is inconsistent.

Pulling

Complex: 3 power cleans + 3 hang cleans
85, 95, 105, 115, 125 (2 hang cleans)

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Cable rows
120 x 5
130 x 5
140 x 5
150 x 5
160 x 5

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Death by neutral grip pull ups
Score = 9 rounds + 6 reps

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Barbell preacher curls @ 50lb
6, 5, 5, 5, 4

Pushing

Thanksgiving today, and I felt like a lazy bastard and didn't want to go all the way to the gym, so I used my son-in-law's weights in my basement. A bit limited in what I can do, but I didn't want to do too much, anyway.

Alternate sets

Decline bench press
95x 11, 100 x 10, 8, 9, 105 x 8

Dumbbell shoulder press @ 25s
12, 10, 9, 8, 8

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Supersets

Dumbbell flies
20s x 12, 25s x 7, 7, 6, 8

Dumbbell bench press
20s x 12, 25s x 6, 6, 6, 5

Full body

Personal training with Paul

Complex: 1 power clean + 5 front squats
115, 125, 135, 140 (4 squats), 140 (3)

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Alternate drop sets

Weighted pull-ups - 25 x 9, 5, 4, 4
Pull-ups - bw x 3, 4, 3, 3

Military press - 65 x 9, 7, 7, 5
Push press - 65 x 7, 8, 6, 6

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Death by burpees
11 rounds + 9 reps

Conditioning

Okay, let's try again...

5-4-3-2-1
Clean and press @ 110lb
C2B kipping pull-ups x 2
Box jumps @ 24" x 2
Over the bar burpees x 2 (each side = 1 rep)

Time = 14:16

That's one second slower than last time! However, back then my wrists were still causing problems so I'd used two 50lb dumbbells; this time, I went for a 110lb barbell. That box jump crap was still at the back of my mind during the warm-up, but I seemed to be okay during the actual routine. Yeah, it's a little slower - one second! - but the barbell felt tougher than the dumbbells.

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2 round for time:
20 pull-ups (strict!)
50 push-ups

Time = 11:12

Maybe the strict pull-ups do make a difference. Meh! :-) Still, only 13 seconds slower than my target...

Legs

Best use of the Union flag ever!

I should preface this with a note that I cycled for a total of 40 minutes this morning - to and from McD's - about two hours before today's leg session.

Back squats (a2g)
135 x 5
155 x 5
165 x 5
180 x 5
190 x 5 (PR)

Pretty pleased with that. Last time I only managed 3 reps at 190lb. I did a couple of warm-up sets, which felt harder than I expected. I thought I'd put a 25lb bumper on each side, but I'd absentmindedly used 45lb plates! Muppet. Still, that means I did two warm-up sets using the same weight as my first work set.

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50 x deadlifts @ 185lb
15-11-8-8-8 reps = 5:16

I had a pounding pain at the base of my skull during this routine, and it definitely slowed me down. I think it was probably stress and lack of sleep.

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100 x traveling lunges
Time = 3:06

Full body

I'm sorry... what?

Felt pretty wiped out from an active weekend, so I wasn't trying to set an world records today.

Bear complex x 3
1 power clean, 1 front squat, 1 push press, 1 back squat, 1 rack press
65, 75, 80, 85 (2), 85 (2)

With both sets at 85lb I failed with the third rack press. So close!

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Power snatches
65 x 3
75 x 3
80 x 3
85 x 3
90 x 3
95 x 1

That's one less rep at 95lb than last time, but I think my form was better today. It felt like there were fewer press outs than I often resort to.

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Amrap 12
5 military presses @ 70
10 push presses @ 70
15 push ups
Score = 4 rounds + 5 military presses

I did this a long time ago, improving by only 5 military presses today. Usually, I would be pissed off or frustrated by this but, like I said, I'm bloody exhausted from Saturday's workout and the 5k yesterday. I think I'm going to need a rest day tomorrow.