Olympic lifting

Hang cleans @ 120
(Warm up: 5 reps @ 95)
3, 3, 4, 4, 3 = 17

I would have got 4 reps in the second set but I lost concentration for a split second and failed jut as the bar was coming up to my chest. Someone walked behind me and for some reason that put me off. No, it wasn't a girl; actually, that doesn't sound any better! I nearly completed the 4th rep in the last round; I got the bar close to my chest, but couldn't get my elbows up and the bar dropped back down.

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Deadlifts:
135x10
165x6
185x5
205x3
215x1
225x1
235x1
245x1
255x1
260 x 1
265 - failed

My form was pretty crappy at 260lb because I started to round out my back. I fought to maintain good form at 265lb but could only get the weights about a centimetre off the ground!

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30 x clean and press @ 100 lb
Time = 8:16

My time was 8:07 at 95lb, but that was a long time ago so I'd hoped to do significantly better than this. I probably took longer rests than I needed to. As I've been doing a lot recently, I've been trying to gauge how much rest breaks my body needs by how I feel, rather than looking at my watch or counting to, say, 10 before starting again. That's an artificial measure of how much rest I need, but sometimes I overestimate and take too long.

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3x10 of each
Overhead sit-ups - 15lb dumbbell
Sit-ups

Olympic lifting and conditioning

Felt really crappy from the moment I woke up today. My sinuses are blocked up, my head is throbbing really badly, and I feel pretty nauseous. This is the worse my sinusitis has been for years; perhaps it's something to do with the weather. Consequently, I actually felt quite sick while I was training today, even though I took a decongestant. Not that that's an excuse for my performance - I think I did quite well regardless, but I didn't enjoy my workout as much as usual.

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Hang cleans 5 x 5 @ 120
(and yes, I double-checked the bar)
Warm-up: 5 reps @ 95
3, 4, 4, 4, 3 = 18

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For time:
30 x hang squat cleans @ 95 (to 4 risers)
40 x deadlifts @ 145
50 x dumbbell snatches @ 45
(25 per arm; finish left side before starting the right)

Time = 18:15

I knocked nearly 8 minutes off my PR, even though the routine was a little bit more challenging this time. In March I did the hang squat cleans to 5 risers, not 4. Also, when I did the snatches before I switched to my right arm when my left got tired, then back again. This was so I kept moving the whole time. Today, I didn't start with my right side until I'd completed all 25 reps with my left. A big improvement, so very pleased with this.

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Cycle 1 mile (4 laps) @ 10
50 box jumps @ 24"
Cycle 1 mile (4 laps) @ 10

Time = 13:44

I haven't done this for a while. Last time I cycled at resistance 8, so this was definitely a bit tougher. I took quite a long break between the first cycle and the box jumps because my legs were so fatigued. However, I think the slower time was more to do with my calves cramping up at the start of the box jumps. Plus, I ran out of energy and nearly knocked over the steps with my 18th box jump. I took a break, partly because my body needed it, but also to get back my concentration. A little disappointing, but I gave it everything today.

Olympic lifting

Hang cleans 5 x 5 @ 120 115
4, 4, 4, 4, 4 = 20

This was somewhat more comfortable than I expected. However, while I was removing the plates after the fifth set, I noticed the bar didn't have smooth bits on the end, so this might have been the bar that's slightly lighter than the others (i.e. less than 45lb). Therefore, it's possible I was cleaning less than 120lb. Just in case, I switched the bar for the rest of my lifting routines today.

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Deadlifts:
135x10
165x6
185x5
205x3
215x1
225x1
235x1
245x1
255x1

I attempted 1 rep @ 260 but failed; I couldn't move the bar off the ground. I'm pretty pleased with 255lb, though - a significant improvement on my previous heaviest deadlift.

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Grace: 30 x power clean and jerk @ 95 (from the ground)
Time = 8:40

This is the first time I've done this routine from the ground. With my previous attempt - with poorer form than today on the jerks/presses - I had the bar on safeties at 2 holes. In November 2010 my time was 13:24.

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I haven't done any sprinting for a long time, since I injured my ankle playing soccer last year, so I did a few 100yd sprints in the parking lot.

100 yd sprints; 1 minute rest between rounds.
Time = 15:04, 15:02, 16:07, 16:04

I had intended to do 5 rounds, but after the 4th it felt like my legs were going to seize up. I thought both my glutes and calves were going to get cramp, and I was lying on the grass in agony. My training doesn't usually make me feel old, but shit, these sprints did! I felt so slow while I was running, like I was in slow motion. There's only a 1-second difference between my first and last run, but the last one felt like I was almost jogging. I don't remember sprinting feeling like this. On the plus side, I was less than 6 seconds from breaking a world record today!

Olympic lifting

Had an early start today because of a client meeting at 9:30, so I was quite groggy when I started training. That being said, I did much better than I expected despite feeling bleh.

Partial deadlifts (safeties at 3 holes):
135 (10), 185 (5), 205 (5), 225 (3), 245 (3), 275 (3), 285 (3), 290 (2), 290 (2)

That's 5lb more than the last time, but my form was crappy in the last set. I used wrist straps from 205lb onwards.

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Fran: 21-15-9
Thrusters @ 95lb to 4 risers
Kipping pull-ups

Time = 15:54

Before today my best Fran @ 95lb was 17:17, so a considerable improvement (actually, it's quicker than my 75lb time, too). The first set of pull-ups were strict rather than kipping because my back felt a little stiff (I would have expected it to loosen up after the deadlifts). I didn't look at my watch until I'd completed the routine and I felt like I was taking too many - and too long - breaks. I was sure that my score would be slower. However, I seem to be getting the hang of resting effectively because I didn't fail a single rep and still beat my old time.

Due to my client meeting that's all I had time for today. However, I'm pleased with what I managed to do in the time I had.

Overall, it's been a good week's training: several new PRs, including finally hitting my rack squat target.

Olympic Lifting

The last time I did cleans and deadlifts on the same day I started with the deadlifts and was too fatigued to do as well as I could with the hang cleans. This time I did them the other way round, which worked out much better.

Hang cleans - 5 x 5 @ 115
5, 3, 4, 4, 4 = 20

I didn't really fail in the second set, but my right hand grip slipped as I was halfway up on the 4th rep and I had to drop the bar. Rather than pick up and continue for that set I decided to rack the bar, rest for a minute, then continue as normal. I managed to recover enough that I still hit my target of 20 total reps. 

That's twice now I've totaled 20 reps @ 115. If I manage it again I'll add 5 pounds more the time after that.

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Deadlift 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
165, 185, 205, 215, 220 (1)

This is a slight improvement on last time. Back then my last 2 sets were 215 (2 reps) and 215 (1).

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Amrap 20
All at 90lb:
5 x thrusters (squatting to parallel - 5 risers)
7 x hang cleans
10 x sumo deadlift high pulls (starting each rep from the ground)
Score = 5 rounds exactly @ 19:54

The only other time I did this was September 8, 2010. I used 80lb, not 90lb, and got up to 6 reps in the 6th sumo deadlift round. I managed fewer total reps today, but with 10lb more weight. Not sure if that's progress, but it was certainly tough and got my heart pumping. The first round was completely unbroken, albeit with short rests between the 3 different exercises. After that, only the hang cleans were unbroken.

Olympic Lifting

Deadlift 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
165, 185, 205, 215 (2), 215 (1)

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Hang cleans - 5 x 5 @ 115lb
3, 4, 3, 3, 3 = 16

This is several reps less than the last time I did 5 x 5 hang cleans, but back then they were the first exercise I did for that day. In retrospect, it was a mistake to do them after the deadlifts because the inconsistency makes it impossible to gauge my progress because I was already partially fatigued.

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12-10-8-6-4-2 reps of:
Hang clean and press @ 100
Burpees

Time = 18:54

I failed on one of the later push-press reps in the round of 10, which means I had to redo the whole movement again - the clean and press - not just the push-press.

My shoulder held out, which is good. Hopefully there wasn't anything this morning that will make it hurt later.

Olympic Lifting/Conditioning

Hang clean 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
105, 110, 115, 120 (2), 125 (F)

Still disappointed with my lack of progress with cleans. Perhaps it's a failure of technique, rather than a lack of strength.

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For time:
30 x hang squat cleans @ 95 (to 4 risers)
40 x deadlifts @ 145
50 x dumbbell snatches @ 45 (25 per arm)

Time = 26:10

Bloody hell, this hurt more than I expected. I made up this routine, although the individual movements are obviously familiar. I did the hang squat cleans properly this time, starting my squats while the bar was moving up to my chest. 

I had planned to do 135lb deadlifts, which would have meant adding two 10lb plates to each side of the same bar I was using for hang squat cleans. However, all the 10s were being used so I had to quickly adapt and used one 25lb extra on each side instead. This was probably a better weight, anyway, as it was a bit more of a challenge. I consistently broke down the 40 reps into sets of five.

With the snatches I kept switching arms as they got tired, so four reps with my left and then four with my right. By the time I got to about eight reps I wished I'd chosen a lighter weight! 

This was a tough but fun workout and, I think, the first time I've made up my own rft routine. I usually repeat something I've done before or copy one of Paul's. No-one to blame but myself!

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100 x sit-ups

Olympic lifting

Deadlift 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
165, 185, 205, 210, 215 (F)

I practically dropped the barbell at the end of the fourth round because my grip went. I gave up with the first rep of the last round because my back was starting to bend before I started to straighten my legs, so I knew my form was going. I rested a bit longer and tried again, but the same thing happened. At least I got to a respectable weight in round four.

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Amrap 15:
Hang cleans @ 110 lb

Score = 41

I'm a bit disappointed with this. I got 10 more reps at the same weight about a month ago. It's not like I was slacking off, though; I tried and failed on a couple of reps, so I was definitely giving it everything I had. I even warmed up for several reps with an empty bar, so it's not like I wasn't ready for this. Just one of those days.

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Fran:
21-15-9
Thrusters @ 95 lb
Kipping pull-ups

Time = 17:17

I completed this in 16:00 back in October 2010, but with only 75 lb for the thrusters. I think the extra 1:17 is a good trade-off for 20 lb more.

This was not the speed at which I was moving, and my kipping was all over the place! Got the job done, though.

Olympic Lifting

Feeling much better than yesterday and I'm starting to approach full fitness again. I feel about 90% today. 

My quads are a bit sore from yesterday, but nowhere as bad as following a full-on leg session. Still, I guess this is evidence that I did work fairly hard. Also, there's doms in my lower back - not an injury type of pain - so I must have done something good there, too.

Hang clean 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
110, 120, 125 (1), 125 (1), 125 (1)

The third set onwards wasn't too impressive, which I think is due to a couple of things: (1) I'm not quite back to full strength yet, and (2) I tried to increase the weight too quickly. I should have gone for 5 lb increments.

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Dumbbell snatches 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 per arm
40, 42.5, 45, 47.5, 50

This felt pretty comfortable. I actually felt like I could have gone heavier.

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30 x power clean and press @ 100 lb (bar resting on safeties at two holes)

Time = 9:54

A significant improvement on the last time I did this back in November 2010 with less weight.

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100 x sit-ups

Olympic lifting

My first training session of the year, and clearly my mind was elsewhere.

Deadlift 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
165, 185, 205, 215 (2), 220 (2)

Before I left home my hands felt dry, so I used some hand cream then went to the gym. I must have used too much because my grip kept slipping on the bar! Still, 220 lb is a PR.

At least I remembered to wear my jogging pants for the deadlifts. Didn't really help, though - I could feel the blood running down my shin inside the pants!

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30 x deadlifts @ 185 lb

Again, I don't know what I was thinking here. I was supposed to be doing 30 x deadlifts followed by 30 x sumo deadlifts, both @ 140 lb. While I was doing the 30 standard lifts I thought it should have felt a bit easier, but kept going anyway. I did two sumo lifts and was really struggling, so I checked the plates again. Turns out I'd miscalculated the weights; there was a 45 lb and a 25 lb weight on each side, plus the bar weighs 45 lb. That's a total of 185 lb, 45 lb more than I'd intended. Idiot!

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30 x clean and press @ 95 lb

Time = 8:07

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Hopefully I'll be thinking straight tomorrow. What a muppet.

Olympic lifting

Deadlift 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
155, 175, 195, 205, 210 (2)

Forgot to wear joggers, so I shredded my right shin and left my DNA on the bar!

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30 x hang cleans @ 110 lb

Time = 7:15

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Amrap 15: Clean and press @ 105 lb

Rounds = 30

A bit disappointed at such a low score. I don't like making excuses when I don't perform well, but my right Achilles tendon was hurting throughout most of this routine and it definitely played a part in limiting the momentum I needed to left the bar for both the cleans and overhead presses.

Olympic lifting

Deadlift 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
155, 175, 195, 205, 210 (1 - started to use my back too much, so I stopped)
PB: 195 lb on November 23, 2010

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30 x clean and press @ 100 lb

Time = 15:11

I failed on 6 reps, which I didn't count, because my arms didn't lock out when I had the bar overhead. I struggled with my original planned routine (amrap 15 clean and jerk @ 105 lb) which is why I did this instead. I'm a bit frustrated that I'm having problems with this exercise.

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Cindy - amrap 20:
5 x pull-ups
10 x push-ups
15 x air squats

Rounds = 13 plus 4 pull-ups

Olympic lifting

Hang clean 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
105, 110, 115, 120, 125 (2)

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30 x hang cleans @ 110 lb

Time = 8:47 (last rep needed a 1 min rest!)

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Amrap 20 clean and press @ 105 lb

Reps = 34

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After yesterday's good performance, today's was a bit disappointing. I've done more reps in an amrap 15 clean and press than I did today in 20 minutes. It was such a big drop in performance that I wonder if I screwed up with the weight plates. I failed on several reps trying to keep things moving. However, my biceps feel very sore, so I guess I worked my arms pretty hard.

Felt pretty intimidating having Jason and Eric training together next to me with weights that made the bar bend!

Olympic lifting

Deadlift 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
145, 155, 175, 185, 195 (2 - back started to arch, so stopped)

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30 x deadlift @ 135 lb
30 x sumo deadlift @ 135 lb

Time = 10:48

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30 x power clean and press @ 95 lb

Time = 10:46

Failed to lock out on three of the push presses, so they didn't count and I redid them.

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Push-up jackknife on Swiss ball: 10, 8, 8 reps

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Swiss ball plank x 2 for 45 seconds each; 45 second break in between

Olympic lifting

Deadlifts: 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
135, 145, 155, 160, 170

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Asap:
20 deadlifts @ 135 lb
20 sumo deadlifts @ 135 lb

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Grace: 30 x power clean and press (resting bar on rack at 2 holes) @ 95 lb

Time = 13:24

Crappy time, but the point of this exercise was to try and maintain good form throughout the routine.

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Crunches:
B/w - 12 reps
20 lb db - 12 reps
25 lb plate - 10 reps

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Plank on Swiss ball: 3 x 60 seconds with 60 seconds rest between rounds

Olympic lifting

Hang clean: 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
105, 110, 115, 120 (2), 120 (1)

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Dumbbell snatch: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 per arm
40, 42.5, 45, 50 (4), 5 (only 4 with left arm)

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Amrap 15: Clean and press 105 lb barbell
Rounds = 39

Olympic lifting

Hang clean 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
105, 110, 115, 120 (2), 120 (1)

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Hang clean 90% 3RM (110 lb); 20 reps asap

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Amrap 15 clean and press @ 105 lb
Reps = 42

Olympic lifting

Hang clean 3 reps per round - keep going to failure
90, 95, 100, 105, 110, 115, 120 (2), 125 (F)

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Hang clean 90% 3RM; 20 asap @ 110 lb

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Fran:
21 thrusters with 75 lb barbell
21 pull-ups
15 thrusters
15 pull-ups
9 thrusters
9 pull-ups

Time = 16:00

Olympic lifting

Hang clean 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
105, 110, 115 (2), 120 (2), 120 (1)

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20 x hang clean 90% 3RM (110 lb) asap

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Cindy (no kipping) - Amrap 20:
5 pull-ups
10 push-ups
15 air squats

Rounds = 12 plus 2 pull-ups