Lightweight

Yawn! I was completely lacking in energy today. Not for the first time, I thought I'd had a good night's sleep, but by mid-afternoon I was starting to nod off.

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)

For both attempts at 85lb, I managed to get the bar overhead with the third rack press, but couldn't lock out with my right arm. Pretty damn close both times, though.

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Power snatches
65 x 3
75 x 3
80 x 3
85 x 3
90 x 3
95 x 1, 0

Even though I didn't set any PRs with my snatches, I do think my form was better than it has been in a while.

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Alternating standing dumbbell curls
1 set of 20s x 10 per arm
3 sets of 25s x 10 per arm

Pretty unspectacular day, but I just couldn't get my mojo going!

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.

Full body (mostly upper)

Jessica Zelinka, who recently qualified to represent Canada in the 100 metres hurdles at London 2012.
Why do all these women have better arms and shoulders than me?!

Dumbbell snatches for time (5 per arm, alternating)
30lb = 24s
35lb = 24s
40lb = 27s
45lb = 37s
50lb = 1:17

I should probably have used a heavier weight in the later sets. My time with 50lb in the final set might make it look as if I was approaching a more challenging weight, but I inadvertently did 6 reps per arm instead of 5. A I was halfway up with my left (first) arm I thought, "Oh crap - that's #6!", but I decided to balance it out with a 6th rep with my right arm. I didn't video this routine, but I think I managed to maintain decent form without resorting to pushing out the bar overhead.

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Bear complex x 3 (1 power clean, 1 front squat, 1 push press, 1 back squat, 1 rack jerk)
65, 85, 85 (failed the second rack jerk), 85, 85

The last time I did this - with Paul - I aimed for a touch and go between sets. I couldn't manage that today as I had to reset quickly after the rack jerk in order to get the correct grip for the power clean. I couldn't figure out why I had a problem with this until I realised that my grip for the back squats and jerks was too wide for the clean. In the last set, I kept my grip the same width - just wider than my shoulders - and that seemed to help.

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Alternate sets:
Dumbbell military press @ 25s - 12, 11, 10, 8, 9
Chin-ups - 12, 9, 7, 7, 6

Full body

Personal training with Paul

Power snatch - technique work

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Bear complex x 3, t&g (1 power clean, 1 front squat, 1 push jerk, 1 back squat, 1 rack jerk)
65, 85, 85, 85, 85

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Alternate sets:
Dumbbell military press @ 25s: 10, 10, 12, 8, 11
Chin-ups: 12, 11, 7, 7, 7

Full body

I googled "snatches" to find a photo for this post. I don't recommend it.

I had planned to have a session that worked my shoulders a lot, but had to change that during my second routine when I ran out of juice!

Power snatches:
45 (45), 65 (5), 75 (3), 85 (3), 90 (3), 90 (3), 95 (3), 100 (1)

The last time I did a similar snatch routine I started from a hang position and got up to one rep at 95lb. Today I began the move from the ground, which gave me a greater range of motion with which to power the bar overhead. These are probably the least elegant snatches you'll ever see, but I got the weight overhead and kept it there, which is the main thing. I'm very pleased with the single rep at 100lb. I know that seems so inadequate when I watch what CrossFit athletes are capable of, but this felt good today.

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Following the snatches, I was feeling pretty buoyant and confident heading into the second routine. It started pretty comfortably, but plateaued just as quickly.

Bear complex:
1 power clean, 1 front squat, 1 push jerk, 1 back squat, 1 rack jerk
75, 85, 95, 100 (failed the push jerk three times)

Perhaps I simply didn't have enough power in my hips after the snatches, but I just couldn't complete get the bar overhead at 100lb, even though my PR is 105lb. After each failed jerk attempt I rested a couple of minutes, then started the whole routine again. I gave up after three tries.

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Barbell curls:
55 x 8, 60 x 5, 65 x 4, 65 x 3

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Dips, relative max reps:
11, 8, 7, 6, 4

Full body

Felt a bit bleh today because of a couple of nights' crappy sleep. No idea why, but I keep waking up early - 4:40am! - and can't get back to sleep. There's no undue stress that's causing restless sleep, so I don't know why there's a problem. Because of that, I really didn't feel like training today and I had to drag my sorry arse to the gym. In my semi-comatose state I wore my regular shoes to walk there in the pissing rain, rather than my waterproof boots. Big mistake; by the time I got to ABsolute Fitness, my socks were soaked and my feet were freezing.

Because of all the above, I wasn't expecting much from today's workout - plus I was in a hurry because of a busy day - so I'm very surprised at how well the first part went. I wanted to do some deadlifts, but not too heavy as that's what I've been concentrating on the past few weeks.

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Deadlifts for time (previous times in brackets):
145 x 10 - 14 seconds (20)
165 x 10 - 13 (21)
185 x 10 - 14 (31)
205 x 10 - 19 (59)
225 x 10 - 30 (2 minutes)
235 x 10 - 54 (didn't do this weight last time)

Holy shit, that's some improvement! I videoed every round, and the early ones look like they've been sped up on the computer. Even though I timed this on my watch while doing the routine, the scores above are timed from the videos. I added an extra, slightly heavier round just because the 225lb one was so fast. I reviewed the 235lb set and thought my form was starting to get dodgy, so I called it quits. I didn't notice the comments last time I did this routine about starting heavier - damn!

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Bear complex:
1 hang power clean, 1 front squat, 1 push jerk, 1 back squat, 1 rack jerk
75, 85, 95, 100, 105

I usually start with power cleans, but my back was starting to feel a little tight (60 deadlifts will do that) so I went with hang power cleans instead. I don't know if that made any difference in conserving energy, but I think this is the first time I've done a bear complex and not failed on a single rep of any movement.

Short workout today, but I'm very pleased with the quick deadlifts.

Full body

Bacon-wrapped sweet potato pucks (not mine)

First workout following a day of Christmas self-indulgence. Actually, I wasn't too bad at all. I ate a lot during dinner, but everything was a healthy choice: no starches, plenty of veggies and, of course, lots of turkey. My cousin/brother-in-law (!) cooked the turkey and some of the veggies, Cher made the various desserts, and I cooked spaghetti squash muffins and bacon-wrapped sweet potato pucks. People were skeptical about the pucks, but tried them nonetheless. Everyone enjoyed and devoured them, except for an overweight type 2 diabetic who said she wasn't going to eat bacon because it had too much fat and was therefore unhealthy. Clearly, that's where I'm going wrong with my nutrition, then. Never mind - they were fucking delicious!

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Bear complex:
75 (x 2), 85, 95, 100, 105 (F rack jerk), 105 (F rack jerk)

Bollocks. This is starting to piss me off now; I keep failing at 105, even though I managed it once before a while back. I don't think this is an issue of strength, more likely technique (rack jerks are a relatively new move for me). Rather than take a break from these so I don't get disheartened by my performance, I think I'll keep persevering in the hope of improving my technique.

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Hang power snatches:
45 (5), 70 (3), 85 (3), 90 (F), 90 (1), 90 (2)

Got there in the end and managed to equal my previous max weight. Again, this is a matter of technique as much as anything.

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Relative max push-ups: 32, 20, 14, 12, 10

Full body: Heavy weight

I was too busy to train this morning, so tried to fit in a quick workout in the afternoon. I'd forgotten how much I dislike afternoon in the gym; it's too busy and crowded, and I found it too difficult to concentrate. The only area I could use was close to the pull-up/squat rack and the weight plates. There were people constantly taking or putting back weights, which put me off, especially during my second routine.

Death by deadlifts @ 225lb
(Warm up: 3 rounds of 6 x 185lb)

Score = 7 rounds

When I completed the 7th round there were only about 5 seconds for me to rest, so when I attempted the first rep of the 8th round I simply didn't have any energy. Also, my lower back started to feel tight. I've no idea what my form was like as it was too crowded for me to set up my camera, and I wouldn't have had time to check the videos between rounds, anyway. This routine pretty much went a I'd expected.

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Bear complex
75, 85, 95 (F on rack jerk), 95, 100 (F on push jerk), 100 (F on rack jerk), 100 (F on rack jerk)

It's not that I felt weak on any of these moves, but I found it difficult to concentrate with so much going on around me. People were walking around my set up to get or put back weights, either for bench presses or leg presses. At least in the morning that area of the gym is much less active.

Oh, well. I only wanted a short, simple workout today anyway - just not this short!

My left calf is still painful from Saturday's cramp - which never returned again later, thankfully - and my right calf also hurts, even though it never cramped up during my training session. Massaging it is too painful, so it's just a matter of waiting it out.

Full body: Heavy weight

The Speal. 5' 4" of monster athlete. Rather like myself.

Front squats (a2g)
75 x 10
105 x 5
115 x 3
130 x 3
140 x 3
150 x 3
160 x 2

In hindsight I'm a little pissed at myself for not trying and failing (if necessary) with the third rep at 160lb. As you can see in the video, I was slow coming up in the second rep, thought about going again, but ended up racking the bar. At that point, I had nothing to lose by attempting the third. Oh well...



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Bent over rows - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
95, 105, 115, 120, 125 (4)

My form is a little shaky on some of the reps when the bar got heavy. My upper body is moving too much as I jerk the bar, rather than using a smooth motion to lift the bar to my chest. Still, I don't think I did too badly.



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Bear complex: 1 power clean, 1 front squat, 1 push jerk, 1 back squat, 1 rack jerk
75, 85, 95 (failed the push jerk), 95, 100, 105 (failed the pj), 105 (failed the rack jerk)

By this point, I felt really knackered (my arms in particular). This was my last workout at the end of a heavy couple of weeks, so maybe there was just no more fuel left in the tank!

Full body: Heavy weight

Trap bar deadlifts:
170 x 10
220 x 5
260 x 3
280 x 1
290 x 1
300 x 1
310 x 1
320 x 1
325 x 1
330 (F)

That's a new PR by 5lb. However, looking at the last few lifts in my video, I'm surprised at how poor my form was. I didn't realise I was bending my back so much. Just goes to show how much I miss by only seeing myself head-on in the mirror.

Update: I've had a few comments - from Paul on Facebook and Chris via email, all of them reasonable - that my form, as shown in this video, is pretty bloody awful. I was so preoccupied with hitting a new PR that I let my form suffer, at the risk of injuring myself. I recall having a similar issue with conventional deadlifts and I ended up scaling back the weight I was lifting in order to improve my form. That's definitely what I need to do here, too, so for the next few months I won't be aiming for a new PR, or even trying to match the weight I've managed so far with trap bar deadlifts.

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Bear complex: 1 power clean, 1 front squat, 1 push jerk, 1 back squat, 1 rack jerk
75, 85, 95 (F), 95, 100 (F), 100, 105 (F), 105

Equaled my PR from a couple of weeks ago. Here are the last couple of successful attempts (I edited out the failed first set at 105lb). My upper body form looks ok - and I definitely locked out the rack jerk at 105lb, even though it isn't that clear in the video - but my feet are all over the place. I need to work on my control.



I was going to do a lengthy abs routine to finish off, but my lower back started to feel a bit stiff so I decided to play it safe.

Full body: Heavy weight

Annie Sakamoto

I've been advised to "listen to your body" when planning a daily workout. Well, after yesterday's conditioning punishment, today my body was saying "Stay home." This morning I planned two alternative workouts: one was for arms and active recovery, the other a heavy weight routine. I only made my final decision when I stepped out of the locker room. My triceps were so sore from all the dips and push-ups yesterday that there seemed little point in doing any arm-specific routines. I wasn't feeling fatigued at all, just suffering from doms everywhere! In the end, I'm glad I went with the heavy option.

Deadlift - 1 rep max
135 (1)
165 (6)
185 (5)
205 (3)
215 (1)
225 (1)
225 (1)
235 (1)
245 (1)
255 (1)
265 (1)
275 (1)
280 (1)
285 (1)
290 (F)

That's a new PR. I'm hoping to hit 300 by Christmas.

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Bear complex: 1 Power Clean + 1 Front Squat + 1 Push Jerk + 1 Back Squat + 1 Rack Jerk = 1 rep
75, 85, 95 (F), 95, 100, 105

When I did this for the first time on Saturday I felt like I had a little bit more in me, so I went for it today. Only a 5lb improvement, but still. The first time I did 95 today I failed on the rack jerk; I locked out, but the bar didn't stay up. The second time I made sure I had much more momentum. It's almost like I need to mentally reset myself with every movement in every set. I almost failed the rack jerk at 105lb. My right arm felt like it was going to drop back down just as it was about to lock out, and it took sheer will power to get it up there and hold it. I'm sure it wasn't pretty to look at, but it worked.

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Wide cable rows
5, 5, 5, 5, 5
Warm up: 5 @ 90
110, 120, 130, 135, 140 (4)

It's been several months since I did these and I only decided to do them at the last minute today while waiting for Cher. A very slight improvement - 1 rep more at 140lb.

Good session today. Perhaps I'll treat myself to that arm day tomorrow!

Full body: Heavy weight

Robin Van Persie - 28 goals in 27 games

Personal training with Paul

I was following Chelsea v Arsenal at home with the score at 1-1 when I had to leave for the gym. I was tempted to fake an illness so I could see what happened. I had a great personal training session, but I still wish I could have seen the outcome, especially with the final score. The gym needs to get a big screen TV that shows the English Premier League!

Trap bar deadlifts (for time)
220 x 10 - 16 seconds
240 x 10 - 16 seconds
260 x 10 - 54 seconds
270 x 10 - 1:43 seconds
270 x 10 - 1:40 seconds

Big drop from 240 to 260 pounds!

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Bear complex: 1 Power Clean + 1 Front Squat + 1 Push Jerk + 1 Back Squat + 1 Rack Jerk = 1 rep
75, 85, 95, 100 (F for rack jerk), 100 (F for rack jerk), 100

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Drop sets - alternate sets:
Pull-ups - 25/BW:
5-3
4-4
4-3
4-2
4-4

Dips - 20/BW:
4-3
4-3
4-3
4-2
4-3