Legs

Crossfit Kids

Partial squats 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
200, 220, 245, 270, 285 (2)

A new PR, but a bit wobbly on the way up for the second rep at 285.

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3 rounds:
10 reverse lunges @ 115 (5 per leg)
10 back squats @ 115 (full rom; no risers)

All rounds unbroken, which is an improvement on last time.

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For time:
20 back squats @ 145 (to 4 risers)
20 jump squats @ 95
Time = 6:06

My PR was 7:53, so this is a big improvement. I planned on doing this a few week ago, but for some reason did body-weight jump squats instead of with a 95lb barbell. I remembered this time!

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Leg extensions drop sets 110-65
15-9, 13-7, 15-7

A bit better than last time (14-8, 12-7, 15-7), but bloody hell this hurt. I often let out loud grunts through sheer effort; today I did it because the leg extensions were painful. When I'd finished I went to get some spray to clean off my sweat from the seat. I was walking so slowly by the time I got back someone was already using the machine!

Legs

Back squats to 4 risers 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
135, 155, 185, 190 (2), 190 (2)

A new PR, albeit for only 2 reps.

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Step-ups 4 x 5 per leg @ 60s (7 risers + step)
5, 5, 4, 3

For the last 2 sets I used straps to help me hold onto the dumbbells, but it was still tough to keep a grip. I haven't done step-ups in a long time and my form was a bit shaky. I'm not 100% happy with how I did these - my opposite leg often came up too quickly, thus taking some of the strain - so this is something I'll have to work on. Perhaps I'll use lighter weights so I can concentrate on form.

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100 front squats @ 105 to 4 risers
Time = 15:54

I've done 100 front squats before but with only 95lb and to 5 risers. That was just over 2 minutes quicker than today's time, but the extra weight and depth is a decent trade-off. The first set was 8 reps; most of the rest were 5 reps.

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Single leg leg extensions 3x10 @ 50

This wasn't easy, but could have been more challenging. All 3 sets were unbroken, so I'll try it at 65 next time.

Today's workout felt particularly tough because although I don't have much soreness from Saturday I felt like there wasn't much strength in my legs.

Legs

Lunges - 3 reps per leg x 5 sets @ 135lb (back)
3, 3, 3, 3, 3

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10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps for time:
Right leg Bulgarian split squats @ 95lb
Left leg Bulgarian split squats @ 95lb
Time = 13:18

Not a bad time, especially considering I did 3 extra reps with my left leg by mistake! In the 9-rep round I took a break after the 5th rep with my right leg. When I started again for some reason I used my other leg for 3 reps before I realised I'd made a mistake! I went back to the correct leg and finished that side. I didn't count the 3 left-leg reps towards the required 9, so I ended up doing more than I needed to.

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For time:
50 x back squats @ 155lb to 5 risers
Time = 8:52

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Leg extensions: 95lb x max reps
14, 14, 11

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The gym was much cooler than yesterday, so no excuses! I'm happy with today's low weight/lots of reps workout. 

I didn't check my watch during either of the timed routines, but while I was doing each of them I was sure my times would be much slower than they actually were. It felt like I was taking a long time. Funny how the mind can play tricks on you.

Legs

Back squats to 4 risers: 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
135, 155, 175, 185, 185 (2)

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Bulgarian split squats 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 per leg
95, 115, 125, 125, 130 (3)

That's a slight improvement on last month.

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100 front squats @ 95 (to 5 risers)
Time = 13:43

I've done 50 reps @ 105 before, but today I wanted to go for speed rather than a heavier weight. Just saw my shoulders/pecs when I changed after my workout. I now have a big red bruise on each side where the bar was resting!

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For time:
50 x leg extensions @ 95
10 x jump squats during breaks and at the end
Time = 4:57

The last time I did this I finished in 5:48. The sets today broke down as 15-7-10-10-8.

Legs

Partial squats 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
195, 215, 235, 255, 270

Very pleased with this - a new PR, and it felt quite comfortable. In the final round I thought I'd only be able to manage 1 rep, but I got through all 3 without any problems. I'm closing in on my goal of partial squats @ double my body weight (i.e. 280). Looking back at my old training journal, the first time I did this exercise in September 2010 I got up to 225.

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Front squats to 4 risers:
105 (10), 135 (4, 4, 4), 105 (8)

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Back squats to 4 risers:
105 (14), 135 (8, 8, 8), 105 (12)

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Amrap 20:
24 air squats
24 lunges (12 per leg)
24 jump squats max air
24 jump lunges (12 per leg)

Score = 4 rounds + 24 air squats, 9 lunges per leg

The last time I did this was back in October when I managed 3 rounds plus 24 air squats and 12 lunges. However, my previous best was in August 2010 when I got 4 rounds and 6 air squats.

Overall, a pretty good session.

Legs

I was planning on doing heavy partial squats today, but the cage was being used and I didn't want to try these without the benefit of safeties. I went for lighter back squats to just below parallel instead.

Back squats to 4 risers: 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
135, 155, 175, 185 (2), 185 (2)

Looking back at my training logs, the last time I did this type of back squat was in September 2010 (before I started blogging) and got up to 170lb for 3 reps. That was without risers as a guide, so probably not as low as 4 like today. Because I wasn't planning on doing these today I didn't make a note of my PR beforehand, which I sometimes like to use as a motivation tool (it gives me something to aim for). An increase of 15lb is progress, but that was 6 months ago; more would have been better. If I'd known my old PR I might have pushed myself a bit more, but it's difficult to know for sure now.

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For time:
50 traveling lunges per leg @ 55s
Every time I drop the dumbbells do 15 air squats and 10 max air jump squats

Time = 20:22

The last time I did this routine with traveling lunges was back in December. (And this was the time before that, with Paul.) My time then was 9:56 using 52.5s, not 55s. Because of the huge time difference, I'm assuming I only did a total of 50 lunges, rather than 50 per leg, which is what I did today. At least I bloody hope so!

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Leg extensions 95 x max reps
14, 12, 13

Plenty of stretching afterwards, so hopefully I'll be able to do lots of leg-based conditioning later this week.

Legs

I did heavy weighted leg work last week, so this week I decided to go for lighter weights, more reps. Besides, by back is a little sore, so heavy weights would have put too much stress on it. Lighter weights allow me to stretch it out a bit. Today did feel less challenging than recent weeks, but I needed to take things easier.

Bulgarian split squats 5, 5, 5, 5, 5 per leg
85, 95, 105, 115, 125

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Front squats 5 x max reps @ 115 to 4 risers
10, 9, 8, 6, 6

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Back squats 3 x 10 @ 120 to 4 risers

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For time:
50 x leg extensions @ 95
10 x jump squats during breaks and at the end
Time = 5:48

Leg extensions broke down as 12, 10, 11, 9, 8.

Legs

Partial squats 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
190, 210, 230, 250, 265

I stuck to the same progressions as the last time I did partial squats two weeks ago. I've been making steady gradual progress with these and didn't want to push my luck and then fail, which would be a wasted effort. Last time I managed 2 reps at 265; today I completed all 3.

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50 x front squats @ 125 to 4 risers

Time = 15:02

These were much harder than I expected, partly because of my problems with the grip, but also because they were just plain tough. I started off with only 4 consecutive reps then dropped to 2s and 3s. When it came to the last 3 reps I could only do 2 and then I needed to rack the bar, which was a pisser. I couldn't grind out that last rep without another rest.

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4 rounds for time:
10 reverse lunges @ 115 (5 per leg)
10 back squats @ 115

Time 11:45

My PR was 12:05, so this is a definite improvement. The back squats were full ROM - i.e. my calves touched my hamstrings. However, the form for my lunges wasn't great. My left hip flexor really hurt when I tried to go down low to put my right knee on the ground, which is my standard form. As much as I tried I couldn't manage it and my knees were always a couple of inches off the ground. 

Lunges were broken down into 2-2-1 for each leg (1 rep left, then 1 rep right) until the last round, which was 3 and 2. The squats for the first 3 rounds were 5-5; the last round was unbroken. I looked at my watch after the second round and I was already past the halfway point to my previous PR, so I thought there was no way I'd beat it. That fourth round made all the difference. But, as I said, the lunges weren't great.

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Leg extensions: 95lb x max reps
13, 13, 11

Much better than last time, which was 10, 7, 11.

Legs (a.k.a. FUCK!!!)

Personal training with Paul

Bulgarian split squats 5, 5, 5, 5
50s, 85, 105, 115

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Front squat 5 x max reps @ 115
9, 8, 8, 6, 6

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For time:
30 x Bulgarian splits @ 95 (30 per leg)
Time = 6:02

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For time:
20 x back squats @ 145
20 x jump squats @ 95
Time = 7:53

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Leg extensions - 50 reps x 95lb

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Holy shit, I thought I was going to pass out today. There were times when I thought I'd lose my breakfast, my vision was blurred, and/or I lost all feeling in my quads. In fact, this is an accurate description of how I felt during today's workout. I think this is the toughest workout I've ever done, judging by how I felt while doing it and how committed I was to pushing myself not to quit.

Remind me why I put myself through this?

Legs

Partial squats 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
190, 210, 230, 250, 265 (2)

That's a new PR - up from 260lb - albeit for only two reps. The last time I did partial squats I failed at 260, which was actually my PR from a few weeks before that.

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Front squats 5 x max reps @ 110lb to 4 risers
10, 7, 7, 7, 6

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Back squats 5 x max reps @ 110lb to 4 risers
20, 17, 14, 11, 10

Both the front and back squats in this section were a few reps lower than before, but using a slightly heavier weight. I think I could have done a couple more front squats here and there if my grip hadn't given out.

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5 RFT:
5 x dumbbell front squats @ 40s
10 x air squats
(Both full ROM)
Time = 3:14

More than half a minute quicker than last time.

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I would have liked to fit in some leg extensions to finish off, but the machine was busy. Still, a satisfying session overall.

Legs

Front squat 5, 5, 5, 3, 3 (to 4 risers)
115, 120, 125, 130, 135

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For time:
60 x back squats @ 125 (to 4 risers)

Time = 7:46

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8 rounds:
10 x traveling lunges @ 30s (5 per leg)
10 x air squats

Time = 7:52

This is 23 seconds slower than last time. Thankfully, I just avoided the 25 burpees penalty if I failed to finish in under 8 minutes. I blame Eric - his client was distracting me.

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Leg extensions
25 x 95lb
25 x 65lb

Legs

Personal training with Paul

Traveling lunges - 70 steps with 55s
Took 7 sets

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Front squats
115 x 25 (7 sets)
105 x 25 (5 sets)
95 x 25 (5 sets)

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4 rounds for time:
10 reverse lungs @ 115 (5 per leg)
10 back squats @ 115
Time = 12:05

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Legs extensions 95 x max reps
10, 7, 11

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Felt a bit bleh today. I took a new otc medication for my back pain, which might have been the cause. I don't think this limited my abilities in any way, but it was a distraction in the back of my mind. Still, I don't think I did too badly.

Cheryl had a fish-and-chips craving in the afternoon, so we headed to a restaurant she used to go to when she was a kid. We both had haddock and chips (actually, they were fries - you can't get real chips in Canada!). This was the first time I've eaten them since I left England when my diet was very different to now. I removed most of the batter - although I did eat some just to find out what it tasted like - and I ended up with heartburn for the rest of the day. Not that my diet is perfect, but it's so much cleaner now that I guess I've lost my immunity to deep-fried food!

Legs

Partial squats 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
190, 210, 230, 250, 260 (F)

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10 RFT:
3 x front squats @ 130
5 x back squats @ 130
Both to parallel (5 risers)

Time = 13:10 (PR = 13:18)

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For time:
50 x stationary lunges @ 55s
Every time I drop the dumbbells do 15 air squats and 10 max air jump squats

Time = 15:51

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Strange day today because the whole of my back feels sore after yesterday's 300 workout. It's just doms, not injury pain, but today I felt like it was limiting my range of motion. My lower back is sore because of the deadlifts and my upper back is just as bad, perhaps because of the combined pull-ups, floorwipers and DB clean and presses.

The heavy partial squats fell short of my PR. I've squatted 3 reps at 260lb quite comfortably before, but couldn't manage a single rep today. I got down to the safeties, then my legs buckled.

My lack of ability to move freely really showed with the third exercise. This is the first time I've done it with 55s (the last time I used 52.5s) and I could feel my lower back tensing up whenever I did a lunge. My time today is much slower than when I did this with 52.5s and traveling lunges in December 2010.

Certainly not a waste of time today, but I could have done better. At least I beat my PR for the second routine - just!

Legs

Personal training with Paul

Front squats (to 4 risers)
5 (95), 5 (105), 5 (115), 4 (125), 5 (125), 4 (135), 4 (135), 4 (125), 4 (125)

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For time:
60 x back squats @ 125
Time = 9:10

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8 rounds:
10 x travelling lunges @ 30s (5 per leg)
10 x air squats
Time = 7:29

There was a penalty of 25 burpees if I didn't complete this in under 8 minutes.

Legs

This felt like a much more challenging leg workout than last week's.

Partial squats (11 holes) 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
185, 205, 225, 245, 260

My PR was 255. I'm aiming to get to three reps @ 280 (double my bodyweight) by Easter.

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For time:
50 back squats @ 140
40 jump squats @ 45 (empty bar)
30 jump lunges @ 47.5s
20 db front squats @ 47.5s
10 back squats @ 140

Time = 20:24

I used 5 risers as my target for the weighted squats so I knew I was hitting a consistent depth each time. The first 50 squats was broken down into five sets of 10; the last round of 10 squats was 3, 3, 2, 2.

I had a quicker time back in November 2010, but with slightly less weight. Also, the preceding exercise last time was slightly less challenging, so perhaps that might have been a factor. I'm not sure what my form was like in November, but today it was flawless. During the jump lunges I thought I was going to lose my breakfast, so there's no doubt in my mind that I gave it everything!

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Amrap 10:
12 air squats
12 lunges (6 per leg)
12 jump squats
12 jump lunges (6 per leg)

Score = 4 rounds plus 12 air squats

My biggest achievement today was keeping down my oatmeal. Always a risk when I do quick squats.

Legs

Stationary lunges 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
105, 115, 125, 130, 130

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Stationary lunges 40 reps @ 105 lb

Time = 3:38

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Front squats @ 105 lb max reps

10, 9, 8, 7, 8

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Leg extensions 110lb x 50 reps

Time = 3:35

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Cycle 1 mile - 4:00
Wall sits - 2:00 (rest when needed, but stop the clock)
Cycle 1 mile - 3:47

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When I put together this workout at the weekend I thought it would be a lot harder than it actually was. I was a bit easy on myself today. Should try harder!

Legs

Really pleased with today's training: three new PRs.

Pin squat (11 holes) 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
185, 205, 225, 245, 255 (PR = 245)

Surprised I got up to 255 because the first round felt tough, so I was expecting to do less than my PR.

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10 RFT:
3 x front squats @ 125 lb
5 x back squats @ 125 lb

Time = 10:31 (PR = 12:08)

Big improvement on my PR! I took breaks between rounds, but every round itself was unbroken. Time to increase the weight.

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5 RFT:
5 x dumbbell front squats @ 40s
10 x air squats

Time = 3:39 (PR = 4:43 @ 37.5s)

Beat my PR by more than a minute, using heavier weights.

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Leg extensions 3 x 20 reps @ 65, 80, 95

Legs

Personal training with Paul

Front squat 5 x 95 max reps
8, 9, 9, 8, 8

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DB Bulgarian split squat 5 x 3-5
45s (5), 50s (5), 52s (5), 55s (4), 55s (5)

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For time:
25 squats
20 back squats @ 135
25 squats
30 back squats @ 115
25 squats
40 back squats @ 95
25 squats

Time = 17:52

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Leg extension 3 x 5 reps @ 80; 5 sec negative

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I really wasn't looking forward to today's workout because my quads were still sore from Wednesday's leg session. Also, most of my body is aching from this week's training, especially my arms, chest and abs. However, my legs felt better at the end of today's training than it did at the beginning. I guess all of the squats helped to stretch out my muscles. I feel fine now; hopefully this isn't the calm before the storm.

While I was doing the timed squats I felt some lower back pain, but not the usual injury type. It felt more like soreness left over from this week's training. Of course, all of the up and down movements made my head spin, as usual.

Legs

A mixed set of results today: One truly awful time followed by two new PRs.

10 RFT:
10 x traveling lunges @ 50s
10 x jump squats

Time = 19:39

My PR for this routine is 16:21, so I was 3:18 slower today. The difference was my mental attitude; I really didn't feel like my mind was in the right place for training today and I was just going through the motions. It's not like I was distracted with lots on my mind or anything like that. I just wasn't in the mood to exercise this morning. That's disappointing but I'm not training to be an athlete, so I'm not beating myself up too much about it. Today was just one of those days. 

However...

Amrap 12:
5 x leg press @ 200 lb
8 x jump lunges per leg

Rounds = 8 + 5 leg presses [PR = 8 + 2 leg presses]

Because of my disappointment over the first routine I really pushed myself to do the best I could with this one. I felt like I was struggling, though. Only a slight improvement, but better nonetheless. 

5 RFT:
5 x dumbbell front squats @ 37.5s
10 x air squats

Time = 4:18 [PR = 4:43]

Only a short routine, but some improvement. At least I finished on a positive note.

Legs

When I woke up this morning my back was quite painful so I decided to skip my leg training. However, by mid-afternoon it felt pretty good even though I hadn't taken any pain killers. I decided to do a shorter session than originally planned. partly because of lack of time. In retrospect the first routine was probably pretty risky, but luckily I felt fine throughout the movement as well as afterward.

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Pin squat (11 holes) 3, 3, 3, 3, 3
185, 205, 225, 235, 245 (PR = 240 lb)

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Amrap 12: Leg press @ 180 lb

Score = 85 (PR = 80)

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Leg extensions:
20 @ 95 lb
20 @ 65 lb