Shoulders

Had my second session with Cosmo this evening. I can't remember all the routines, so here's a picture of my shoulders.

Quads and hamstrings

I was supposed to do a couple of calf moves at the end, but ran out of time. Getting to and from the gym after a heavy snowfall was a pain in the glutes.

Back squats @ 145lb; hamstring to calf - 10, 10, 10
Should have gone heavier. I paused a few times at the top, but I could have added 10lb more.

Leg press @ 180lb - 20, 20, 18
I took short breaks every five reps. All reps were slow and controlled.

Traveling lunges @ 45lb dumbbells - 11, 9, 9 per leg
My grip gave out before my legs, but they were a close second.

Leg extensions - 5 minute burn @ 80lb
Hurt like a beeatch.

Stiff leg deadlifts @ 95lb - 12, 10, 10
Again, my grip gave out on me. The first two sets were with an overhand grip, but I switched to a mixed grip for the third. These were slow and controlled, too.

Leg curls - 5 minute burn @ 20lb
When I finished the last routine it was already 10:15, and I had to get back to work. Bugger - I really wanted to do the calf raises.

Cardio

Rowing sprints - 5 x 250m; 1 minute rest between rounds

Jogging/running on treadmill for 10 minutes

Chest and triceps

This was my first session training on my own while following Cosmo's programming. There were a lot of different routines and I thought it would be difficult fitting it all in 45 minutes. However, because the weights were light and my rest periods were consequently shorter - no longer than 1:15 - I only just took a bit longer than three quarters of an hour.

Bench press
95lb x 10
105lb x 10, 6

I would have tried one more rep, but I didn't have a spotter.

======

Incline dumbbell bench press
40lb dbs x 10
35lb dbs x 8, 8

======

Dips - 11, 8, 6

======

Cable crossover @ 20lb per side - 15, 12, 12

======

Dumbbell bench press - 5 minutes burn

======

EZ bar skull crushers @ 45lb - 12, 10, 9

======

Two arm seated dumbbell extension
20lb x 8
17.5lb x 9, 8

======

Cable tricep extensions - 5 minutes burn

There were some movements where it took me a while to figure out the right weight, but I think I got it right eventually. The only routine I struggled with was the seated dumbbell extensions. I had trouble keeping my elbows in and executing smooth reps. This might have been due to poor external rotation.

Cardio

Stonecroft gym

15 minutes stationary bike

10 minutes running on the treadmill

Back and arms

Christy Phillips

I had my first session with a new trainer, Cosmo, today. About 15 minutes in I was calling for my mother. Most of the routines used fairly light weights, but high reps in each set.

Deadlifts 3 x 10 reps @ 220lb

======

Not sure what it is really called, but for the first move I placed the kettlebell in front of one foot, then reached across to grab it with the opposite hand. These movements weren't timed, but were all continuous, resting briefly when required.

Kettlebell circuit x 2 sets:
Lateral swing and raises x 15 reps per side
Skull crushers / leg and hip raises x 20
Swings x 30
Clean and press (switched to goblet squat for the second set)

Cosmo asked me to check my pulse between sets; it was 180. Bloody hell!

======

Wide grip pull-ups with legs raised in front - 2 x 10

======

Lateral pull-downs - 2 x 10

======

Cable rows for five minutes @ 20lb

Yeah, that's damn light, but these were strict form reps, for a burning five minutes. Cosmo said this is to "finish off the muscles". Well, it damn well worked.

======

Cool down and stretching

I'm hoping I die in my sleep, because I know my whole body is going to hurt like hell if I wake up tomorrow.

Full body

Dayum.

This week has consisted of a series of short workouts, but on five consecutive days. I have some doms - especially in my traps, following yesterday's rowing - but definitely no symptoms of overtraining.

Back squats 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
135, 155, 185, 200, 205 (2)

======

7 rft:
7 cleans @ 115lb
7 pull-ups (kipping)
7 burpees
Time = 19:56

Conditioning

Quick conditioning routine at Stonecroft this afternoon.

Row - 2k with damper set at 10
Time = 9:57

I just wanted to see what difference a higher damper setting would make. Today was 30 seconds quicker than last week.

======

Amrap 12
7 dumbbell hang squat cleans @ 25s
7 dumbbell push presses @ 25s
Score = 7 rounds and 6 hsc

Full body

RIP Kenneth Chan

Squat cleans
85 x 5
95 x 3
115 x 2
125 x 2
135 x 1
140 x 1
145 x F, F

======

Supersets
Incline bench press - 35s x 12, 40s x 10, 7, 7
Push-ups - 16, 10, 8, 7

======

Amrap 10
1 deadlift @ 225lb, 1 burpee, 2/2, 3/3 etc.
Score = 7 rounds and 8 deadlifts

Rowing and core

I don't usually train on Sundays, but I didn't have time to do as much as I wanted yesterday, plus I was bored so I went to the Stonecroft gym for a short workout.

Rowing - 2k; damper setting @ 6
Time = 10:27

I used to think that the higher the damper setting, the harder it is to row. However, I recently stumbled across a CrossFit article - which, quite frankly, I didn't understand - that says this isn't the case. It's just... different. Anyway, this 2k with the damper at 6 felt tougher on my arms than my recent 5k set at 10.

======

Some core work, all separate and untimed.

100 sit-ups
Push-up/Swiss ball crunches - 7, 6, 6, 7
Leg/hip raises - 5 x 10 reps

Heavy!

Only had time for two moves today.

Bench press - small bench, 6 holes; starting from top/rack
115 x 5
125 x 5
130 x 3
135 x 3
140 x 2
145 x 1
150 x 1 (PR)

======

Partial back squats (11 holes)
5 x 30% = 100lb
5 x 40% = 130lb
3 x 50% = 165lb
3 x 60% = 200lb
2 x 70% = 230lb
2 x 80% = 265lb
1 x 90% = 295lb
1 x 95% = 315lb
1 x 100% = 335lb - F

It's been nearly 10 months since I did this last, so I felt like giving this heavy lift another try. I was doing well with these but got cocky on the last squat. The weight I'd planned to aim for was 330lb, not 335lb, but I figured what the hell and added an extra 5lb. I squatted down with plenty of control, but I could only get the bar back up about two inches from the safeties. Bollocks.

Upper body / Conditioning

Pull-ups, max reps - 13, 8, 7, 6, 6

======

Amrap 10
5 burpees
5 knees to elbows
Score = 8 rounds plus 5 burpees and 1 k2e

======

3 rft:
20 hang power snatches @ 45lb
20 push-ups (hand release)
20 box jumps @ 24"
Time = 16:46

Legs

Because of a lack of time, I felt really rushed today, which caused me to lack focus. Also, a combination of a poor night's sleep and feeling hungry seemed to drain my energy a bit.

Complex: 1 power clean + 3 front squats
95, 115, 125, 130, 135, 140, 145 (F), 145

I didn't get a decent grip with my first clean at 145lb, and I was leaning too far forward, causing me to drop the bar halfway through the first squat.

======

Deadlift
5 x 30% = 100lb
5 x 40% = 130lb
3 x 50% = 165lb
3 x 60% = 195lb
2 x 70% = 230lb
2 x 80% = 260lb
1 x 90% = 290lb
1 x 95% = 310lb - F and F

At 310lb I could feel my back arching when I had the bar about six inches off the ground, so I dropped it rather than try to complete the reps. Much too risky with that much weight. It just wasn't happening today.

Upper body

Elisabeth Akinwale

Light weight, lots of reps today.

Push press - max reps @ 85lb
9, 10, 8, 8, 9

======

Bench press - full rom
95 x 10
105 x 8, 7, 7, 6

======

Supersets: Lat raises @ 20s / Push-ups
10/16 - 9/12 - 8/12 - 7/10 - 7/10

======

Leg hip raises
18, 16, 15

Upper body

I had to miss yesterday's PT session due to the bad weather, but I managed to get in an hour's swimming at the Stonecroft pool, plus shitloads of snow shoveling.

Power cleans (t&g) - 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
95, 115, 125, 130, 135, 140 (1)

======

Supersets - dips/neutral grip pull-ups
12/10, 10/7, 8/6, 9/6, 8/6

======

Piston bench presses (per side)
37s x 10, 42s x 8, 45s x 5, 6, 6, 5

Pulling and pushing

My shoulders were feeling pretty knackered before I'd even started today, and I think that affected my performance. Also, I'd planned on doing cable rows, too, but ran out of time.

Supersets: Pull-ups (strict) and bench presses @ 95lb
10/10 - 11/10 - 8/7 - 7/7 - 6/8

The bench presses were without safeties; i.e. full rom.

======

Alternate sets: Power snatches @ 75lb and dips
5/10 - 5/8 - 5/8 - 5/7 - 4/8

No press outs with any of the snatches. These were all relative maxes, so whenever I felt like the next rep would need some pressing, I stopped.

======

Supersets: Barbell curls and military presses, both @ 65lb:
6/5 - 5/4 - 5/3

I think these were 65lb; I used the short, straight bar that is used for standing curls.

Legs

Yep, that about sums it up...

I trained after lunch today. Straight after, which was a big mistake. I took Mum to Blue Orchid hair salon on the Kiwanis bus, which picked us up about 20 minutes earlier than we expected. I'd only just finished a plate of sweet potato, bacon and chicken when the bus arrived, so by the time I'd walked to the gym after dropping off Mum, only about 45 minutes had passed. I should have rested a while because I had plenty of time and didn't need to rush my workout, but I started warming up almost straight away. Anyway, eating a full meal three-quarters of an hour before doing a2g squats put more pressure on my stomach than I wanted and I felt sure I would be losing my lunch pretty soon. I took longish rests between sets of my first routine, which helped the food settle a bit, but still...

Front squats
135 x 5, 145 x 4, 4, 150 x 3, 3

Not my best performance with front squats by any means. My wrists felt a bit sore, perhaps because of all the cleans yesterday. That was the cause of my failures, rather than the squats themselves.

======

Deadlifts - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
225, 245, 255, 265, 270 (4)

Better...

======

Back squats
135 x 5
155 x 5
165 x 5
175 x 5
185 x 5
195 x 3

This was going really well and my technique was really good - core contracted, knees out, chest up - but in the third rep of the last set I felt like I was going to topple forward, so I decided to rack the bar and leave it at that.

======

Leg extensions @ 110lb - 9, 9, 9

======

50 sit-ups
50 ab roll-outs

Not a great performance today, but at least I had enough time to fit a lot of reps in, so not a complete bust.

Full body

Limited time today, so I did some shoulder strength work, followed by a fixed-time metcon.

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

======

Yesterday's main site wod.

"The Chief"
Max rounds in 3 minutes of:
115lb power cleans, 3 reps
6 push-ups
9 air squats
Rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 5 cycles.

Scores:
3 rounds + 5 squats
3 rounds + 3 cleans
3 rounds + 3 cleans
3 rounds + 2 cleans
3 rounds + 2 cleans

The RXed weight is 135lb, which is close to my max for cleans. I think 115lb was the right weight for this routine, which is 20lb heavier than the women's RXed weight, so my ego remains intact. Most reps were t&g, but with some of the later reps I needed to quickly reset. Sometimes when I do cleans I get doms in my biceps, which means I've been curling the bar and not using my shoulders enough. However, two hours later I'm already starting to feel sore in my traps. Hopefully, that means my technique was good. Here's the CrossFit demo video.

Full body

Personal training with Paul

"DT" - 5 rft:
12 deadlifts @ 115lb
9 hang power cleans @ 115lb
6 push presses @ 115lb
Time = 19:22

I went waaaay too fast with the first set of deadlifts, which left me breathless too soon. In subsequent sets, I used the light deadlifts as recovery time, taking them at a slowish pace. Also, I made the strategic mistake of not resting before the penultimate rep of each movement so that I could reserve it for the next movement. For example, I obviously needed to perform a deadlift to get to the hang clean starting position, so I should have rested after the 11th rep, then done the 12th as the precursor to doing the first hang clean. Similarly, the push press starts from my chest, which means I have to clean the bar to get it there. I only made that error in the first round. I think Paul was rather lenient on the presses, because the form for some of them was a bit ropey. It's clear I really need to work on my push presses.

Not that it means much, but with most upper body routines, I use approximately 55-65% of the weight Paul uses; with legs, it tends to be closer to 70-75%. This workout was with 115lb and Paul used 155%, so that's around 74%.

======

21-style dips - Top half, bottom half, full rom
3-3-3, 4-4-4, 4-4-1, 4-4-1

======

21-style bench press
75lb: 7-7-3, 7-7-2
65lb: 7-7-4, 7-7-2