Strength - Workout B

Back squats - Three sets of 5 x 235 lbs

The first two sets were tougher than I'd like. The third set, I focused more and went at it a little more agressively, and it felt a bit better.


Bench press - Three sets of 5 x 155 lbs. (4,4,3)

I failed on the fifth rep on the first two sets and the fourth on the last one. This was not unexpected, since 150 was tough for me.


Deadlift - One set of 5 x 255 lbs.

I feel like my technique degraded on or just after the second rep. But I'm still walking upright, so it couldn't have been too bad.

Strength - Workout A

Back squat - Three sets of 5 x 230 lbs

Still heavy. The idea that I will one day be able to do 5 x 300 lbs seems almost absurd to me at this point.


Shoulder press - Three sets of 5 x 125 lbs

I failed on the fifth rep of my first set. I'd like to say that I did it to make Kurt happy, but that would be untrue. It did make Kurt happy, though. He received an extremely warm and satisfying feeling from watching someone else struggle with shoulder press; I wish I could find an appropriate metaphor that would accurately describe how happy this made Kurt. I was just unable to get my head forward on the last rep. I but got all five up on the next two sets. So I did an extra set and got all five reps on that, too. While exhaling on the last rep of the third set, I accidentally hocked a loogie six feet in front of me, which was pretty funny.


Power clean - Five sets of 3 x 160 lbs

These felt pretty good, too. I'm getting more comfortable with the hook grip.

"Hip to be Square"

21-15-9

Wall ball
20" box jumps
Burpees
35lb overhead lunges.

This was a team workout. "Team Sexy" (Kim Fe, Mandy, and me) did it in 14:25.

Strength - Workout B

Back squats - Three sets of 5 x 225 lbs

Bench press - Three sets of 5 x 150 lbs (PR!)

Came very close to failing, but didn't.

Deadlift - One set of 1 x 245 lbs


Overheard at the Gym:

RHM: "Suck it, haters."

"Throw 'n Run"

A. Strength = Hang Power Snatch 3-3-3-1-1-1

Here's what a hang power snatch looks like. I'm pretty sure mine aren't anywhere close to this explosive.

95(3), 115(3), 135(3). Pressed it out on the third rep of the 135.

145(1), 150(F), 150(F). Wish I would have got that one.

B. Metcon – “Throw ‘n Run” for time:
25 Wall Ball – 20/14lb
Run to start of grass and back (100m)
20 Wall Ball – 20/14lb
Run to 2nd power box and back (200m)
15 Wall Ball – 20/14lb
Run to 3rd power box and back (400m)

I wanted to get sub-6:00. I did it in 5:25. It was good having Blair, Franz, John and Danny doing this at the same time, because I think it pushed everyone harder. I was out front until the last set of wall balls. I got back to the wall first, but Blair was right behind, and had the wind to pick his ball up immediately, while I lollygagged a bit. He opened up some distance between us on the run, and finished at 4:58, which is a pretty great time.

C. Skill = 3 sets of 15 Box Jumps unbroken – 20″

Did it. I may have done 16 on one or both of my first two sets. Hey, they don't call it CountFit.

Strength - Workout A

Back Squats - Three sets of 5 x 220 lbs.
Still heavier than they should be. Perhaps it's time to start drinking milk again. But I just got some semblence of ABZZZ back! Dilemmma!


Shoulder press - Three sets of 5 x 120 lbs.

On the last rep of the second set, I had to walk forward a bit. I think that would have disqualified me in competition. Not that I'm planning on completing, because I'm pretty sure there are 12-year-old girls who can press more than me. On the last rep of the third set, I also took a step forward, but I had already locked out.


Deadlift - One set of 5 x 235 lbs

Felt good, even with no DL warm-up. Jeff even complimented me on my technique, and he knows a thing or two about deadlifts. Of course, it's easy to look good when the weight isn't heavy. Talk to me 40 lbs from now.


Deadhand pull-ups (unweighted) - Three max sets

9, 7, 7. These have fallen off a bit, probably because I haven't been doing them. I will start adding weight next time and going for three sets of 5-8.

Strength - Workout B

Given what I said in yesterday's post, I decided that I was going to do some Strength work today, no matter how "fun" the WOD looked.

Aw, damn, it's Filthy Fifty. I haven't done that for a year, and my 33-plus-minute time from back then is just begging to be improved upon. Oh well, a promise is a promise.

Back squats - Three sets of 5 x 215 lbs

I continue to be amazed at how heavy this feels, when I was at one point squatting 265 for fives. It goes up, but... damn.


Bench press - Three sets of 5 x 145 lbs

Heavy. Reaching the upper limits of my capability there. I wonder if I should still be going up by five lbs each time, or change it to 2.5 lbs? Maybe I'll wait until I actually fail.


Power cleans - Five sets of 3 x 155 lbs.

Still pretty good. The hook grip hurts.


I did five snatches of 135 lbs for fun afterward.

Tomorrow's workout may involve back squats and running. Maybe I can do Filthy Fifty then.


Overheard at the Gym:
(Discussing what the hook grip has in common with a condom)
Christian: "You know you should use it, but it just doesn't feel right."

This guy makes me feel like such a wuss

So, I've been on-and-off with the Strength stuff, and feeling mildly guilty about it. Really, the only reason that I don't feel much worse about only doing squats once last week is that there was some snatch-centric workouts, so I'm still doing some kind of lifting.

But, at some point, I need to show a little more dedication. I need to focus. I need to get serious about squats.

Take this guy, for example. This guy fucking wants it.

Hero WOD "Randy" and must-see snatch video

For time:
75 power snatches, using 75 pounds.

I did this almost exactly one year ago, right before I started this blog. Back then, it took me 8:55.

Today, it took me 6:29. I'm pretty happy about that improvement. I wanted to take at least a minute off my time, and was hoping for a bit more. I figured I'd end up somewhere between 7:00 and 7:30.

I started off pretty fast, and did the first 30 in a little more than a minute. I slowed down a fair bit after that. I did the first 15 unbroken, and then did them in sets of five or less after.

Afterward, I did the 30 knees-to-elbows that was part of yesterday's workout, which I didn't have time for. I needed three sets (12, 13, 5) to do it.

Here's a video of some LAPD SWAT team members and CrossFitters doing the "Randy" WOD. The snatch technique ranges from good to not-so-good. Some guys are doing hang power snatches, but I think that's because they don't have bumper plates.

After the group workout is done, at 4:44 into this, there is an INSANE display by Josh Everett, who even I've heard of, so he is one of the top CrossFitters in the world. I'm gonna ruin it for you and tell you that he does the first 45 UN-FUCKING-BROKEN.

Clean and Jerk / 800m runs

Clean and Jerk: 1-1-1

Then, 4 x 800m runs, resting as needed between.


C&J
I really enjoyed re-acquainting myself with the clean and jerk. The most I had ever cleaned was 195. The most I had ever put over my head was 185, last fall at the SCFC in Saskatoon, but then we got to take the weight from the rack, and I used a push press because I wasn't confident in my jerking ability. I remember failing to do 185 in a WOD a little while after the SCFC,

Today, I started out at 145, then 165. Then I put 185 on the bar, which was a little intimidating, just because it's bodyweight and it would be tying a PR.

But I told myself it was gonna go the fuck up, and it went the fuck up. And then some.

185(PR)-195(PR)-200(PR)

I'm optimistic that I've got a bit more in me, but time was short and I still had to do the 800m runs.

3:03
3:17 (I think)
3:28
3:33

Strength - Workout A and training for an Isabel rematch

Back squat - Three sets of 5x 210 lbs

Why are these so heavy for me now? Oh, that's right, because I haven't been doing the fucking work.


Shoulder press - Three sets of 5 x 115 lbs

The last time I did these, this was supposed to be my warm-up weight. Then I failed trying it. Time to work my way back up.


Deadlift - One set of 5 x 225 lbs

This was okay.


After not being confident in my ability to do Isabel as rx'd, I kept 135 lbs on the bar and did some snatches. Not for time, just to do them. I did about 15, maybe averaging about three a minute. I think I was helped by the fact that I was pretty warmed up from the strength work.

I want to do a little work on my snatches at least once a week.

Doing 15 tells me that I can definitely do Isabel rx'd, but my time will probably be closer to 10:00 than 5:00.

Painstorm

Run 1/2 mile w 1/2 bodyweight.

As Many Rounds As Possible in 20 min of:
5 deadlift, 1/2 bodyweight
5 hang power clean, 1/2 bodyweight
5 front squat, 1/2 bodyweight
5 push jerk, 1/2 bodyweight
5 back squat, 1/2 bodyweight

Run 1/2 mile (no load)

This morning, I weighed 183 lbs.

I used about 90lbs for the weighted run and 95lbs for the barbell work.

I got 10 rounds + 5 DL + 2 HPC during the AMRAP and my total time was 29:06.

Isabel and 400m "sprints"

Isabel rx'd is 30 135lb snatches for time. A couple warm-up snatches at that weight helped convince me to drop to 115.

With 115, it took me 5:13.

Next time, I will do this with a heavier weight, even if it takes longer.

Afterward, we had to do 3x400m sprints, resting between. The rest was as long as the previous run.

1:22
1:37
1:47

“Kryptonite”

AMRAP in 20 minutes:
10 Wall Ball – 20lb
10 Push-ups
200m Run

It looks like Superman is going to have to DNF his pull-ups.

I actually did used to be a mild-mannered reporter (well, the "mild-mannered" part is disputable) but I don't recall splitting my time as a superhero in red and blue long johns. So why, then, did Kryptonite fuck me up?

Oh, that's right, because it was an AMRAP WOD, where the only reward for doing well is MORE FRICKIN' WORK before the clock runs out.

I did every set of wall balls unbroken, but the push-ups started to slow me down, especially toward the end. And I wasn't running all that fast after the first round.

It was raining pretty bad at lunch, I'm not sure if I would have been able to do the runs a little faster without it, but I doubt it made much of a difference.

I got 9 rounds + 10 WB + 10 PU + approximately 97m.

Ten rounds would have been nice. Next time.

Front Squat / Snatches

Front Squat 5-5-5

I did 185 lbs, 205 lbs, 215 lbs. I came really close to failing on the 215 .

Then for load(not time): 15-12-9 reps of Snatch. Select a weight and each set must be unbroken with no rests. Increase weight for each set. Penalty for broken set is immediately do 7 burpees, adjust weight if needed and repeat set.

Burpee penalty? REPEAT SET? Eff dat.

95 lbs, 105 lbs, 115 lbs.