Author: Nick Palomo

Barbells and Boxcars: Episode 0 and Episode 1

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A New Start
 
After a few failed attempts at starting a podcast, Rodel and I decided to start one based on CrossFit and gaming. Our CrossFit discussion will be focused on our development throughout the week and discussing news from the community. The gaming portion will talk about anything gaming. From video games to table top games, we’ll be discussing them all.
We’re still new to podcasting and our equipment is not the best. Until we get better equipment, this will have to do. Let us know what you think in the comments.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!
 
 
 
 
RSS Feed (https://barbellsandboxcars.wordpress.com/)
 
Links
 
Episode 0: Intros
Episode 1

March 2016 Loot Crate Unboxing: Versus

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What is Loot Crate?

Taken from the Loot Crate site, “Each month, Loot Crate™ ships a themed mystery box of the best geek, gaming, and pop culture gear to a subscriber base of over 100,000 Looters. We emphasize phenomenal support and content, and include gear from some of the most respected entertainment and consumer product companies in the world.” Loot Crate sells for $13.95 a month plus $6.00 shipping and handling. You can save on the costs by subscribing for longer periods as well. If you like this theme check out the link at the bottom to subscribe.

What’s in the Box?

I’m not a huge Star Trek fan but I think this shirt is from an episode. I like this shirt because the material is soft and it feels and fits great. The only downside is the color. It’s a light tan color which is unfortunate since lighter colors tend to stain easier.
Next up is an Alien vs Predator vinyl figure from Titans. The figure is slightly pose able with the arms and head able to move. I got a Xenomorph but I was hoping for the Predator. I have watched all the Predator films and one from the Aliens series.
The other wearable in this box is a reversible Daredevil/Punisher beanie. It’s a cool beanie but I’ll probably wear it only when I travel. Guam’s weather is not cold enough to warrant a beanie.
The Batman vs Superman item is a mighty wallet. I have a few mighty wallets from Loot Crate and I haven’t used any of them. Wish it was a different item.
This Loot Crate exclusive is a Harley Quinn comic. I’ll probably read it but I’m not a huge fan of DC ip’s.

 

Loot Crate also created another game app for this month. I haven’t played it yet but I’m not sure if I will download it. I’ll probably download it to try it out at my next game night. The pin for this month is a cool AVP inspired pin. You also get a free stream of Aliens or Predator on Vudu.com, or a free download of AVP: Three World War #1 from ComiXology.

The box has art inspired by Aliens and Predator.

Final Thoughts

I liked the majority of items in this months box. The beanie and the AVP figure were my favorites. The t-shirt is okay but I’m not a huge Star Trek fan. The wallet and comic are a miss for me.
If you want to sign up use this LINK, also use the promo code BOX5 to save $5 off your first subscription. If that code doesn’t work you can use SAVE3 for $3 off any subscription. I also get credit towards more Loot Crates if you use the link.

 

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My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): March 21 – March 27

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Monday

Redid 16.4 and did better by 8 reps. Check out the post HERE!

Wednesday

Partner WOD – Partner Murph
Run (800 m)
100 pull ups
200 push ups
300 air squats
Run (800 m)
I’ve never done Murph but it’s a famous workout. Just watching the games athletes last year get through it was impressive. Wednesday I had the opportunity to get through half of it and it was crazy. I can’t imagine doing it by myself. Thankfully I had a good partner to push me.
The run was done together and we broke up the other reps into 20 rounds of Cindy. The first 800 m was okay since I was fresh. I didn’t take off quickly and kept pace with my partner. We alternated rounds of Cindy which went well until my eighth round where my triceps were starting to give out. I went to failure and I wasn’t able to complete my last round of push ups. My partner and I swapped, and he did push ups while I did his air squats. We completed the run and finished at 27:40.

 

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My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): March 14 – March 20

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Monday

Redid 16.3 and was able to get an additional muscle up! Check out my post on it HERE.

Tuesday

Deadlifts – 5×3 at 80% (315 lb.)
Haven’t done heavy deadlifts in a month so I took it easy and slowly worked up to my 80%. I focused on my form and technique and felt great after.
Partner WOD
 
30 deadlifts (225 lb.)
10 box jumps (24 in.)
25 deadlifts (225 lb.)
15 box jumps (24 in.)
20 deadlifts (225 lb.)
20 box jumps (24 in.)
15 deadlifts (225 lb.)
25 box jumps (24 in.)
10 deadlifts (225 lb.)
30 box jumps (24 in.)
We decided to split the reps evenly at five reps per person which worked out great. Initially I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to handle the weight but I felt that I could recover during the box jumps. I didn’t have a lot of recovery time during this workout since my partner didn’t need much rest. We slowed down a bit towards the end but we finished the workout at 8:42. It was faster than expected since I thought we would finish after 10 minutes.

Wednesday

Partner WOD – 16 Minute Time Cap
Run (1000 m)
–Then AMRAP–
20 handstand push ups
20 pistol squats
20 row (cals.)

This was a fun workout since I did this workout with one of my gaming friends. He’s been looking for a way to lose weight and I recommended my gym, CrossFit Gof Metgot. He likes the gym and has been consistent with workouts. He’s been doing great and I hope he sticks with it. Another friend has just finished the on ramp and will be starting regular classes soon.The run was broken up into 100 m shuttle runs. We each did five runs and then started on the rest of the movements. We broke up the reps in half. I felt like 10 reps a round would be okay, and would have a good enough time to recover for the next movement. I was able to do the workout Rx and my partner had to scale the handstand push ups and pistols.

The run was different since it was a shuttle and not a straight run. I was able to keep the same pace throughout and recovered just in time for the rest of the workout. I was able to keep a constant pace on the handstand push ups. I did the reps unbroken except for the last set. I took a bit longer on the pistol squats however. I’m not as strong on pistols which caused me to take more time. The row was great. I was able to actively recover and not lose intensity. Our score was 3 rounds + 20 hspu’s + 20 pistol squats.

Thursday

Snatch Complex – 1 Rep Heavy
1 power snatch + 3 overhead squats

I’m starting to like snatch complexes. My wrist has been limiting a lot of my overhead work but today it wasn’t too bad. I warmed up light and worked up to a 135 lb. rep. I was limited on time so I didn’t add more weight. Also, 135 lb. is my 1RM for power snatches so I’m not sure if I could have went heavier.

WOD – EMOM for 8 Minutes

5 power snatches at 60% 1RM (85 lb.)
5 lateral burpees over barbell

This workout was going to be tough. I just finished a heavy snatch complex and it had burpees. My main goal was to sustain a high intensity, so I decided to try and finish all the reps before 30 seconds. I didn’t want to go with heavier snatches since I would have rested longer. I was doing well for the first few minutes, finishing the round around 20 seconds. I hit the wall around the fifth minute. I could feel myself slowing down finishing the reps around 25 – 30 seconds. I tried to push through it but I wasn’t able to finish the last round under 30 seconds. I finished at 40 seconds which is not too bad. I was able to sustain a high intensity for most of the workout. I’m happy with my performance.

Friday

I did my first attempt of 16.4 which you can read HERE!
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My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): March 7 – March 13

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Monday

Redid 16.2 and I wasn’t able to get past the 1st round. Check out my previous post HERE.

Wednesday

Snatch Complex – Power Snatch + Hang Snatch + Overhead Squat (135 LB.)I worked up to a heavy one rep for this workout. I felt great but my form still needs some work. I also need to incorporate more strength work to increase my snatch weight. I had some difficulties with the hang snatch. I need to increase my speed. I’m not getting under the bar fast enough and I missed a few reps at 135 lb. It’s an ongoing issue that I definitely need to work on.

Partner WOD – Eva, 25 Minute Time Cap

5 rounds

Run (800 m)
30 kettlebell swings (70 lb.)
30 pull-ups

The run was done at the same time with each partner running a 400 m. The kettlebell swings were split at 15 per person and the pull ups were split into three sets of five each. The run wasn’t too bad but as most of you guys know, I hate running. The kettlebell swings were my favorite movement. I decided to stay at the Rx weight of 70 lb. and not scale. I was able to do all reps unbroken which surprised me. The pull ups were okay until the third round. I was tired and my breaks between sets became longer as time went on. I also was doing smaller sets since my grip wouldn’t let me stay on the bar. We didn’t finish this workout under the time cap, we were able to finish four rounds with one more to go.

Thursday

Push Press – 5×3 at 80% (175 lb.)
Relaxed push press workout. I was only able to finish three out of five sets at 80% since a few people were working with me. The class was big and we didn’t have enough racks. I don’t mind sharing the bar, it’s always fun with more people. I worked on getting a deeper dip. One of the coaches pointed out that I only dip slightly and that I could generate a bit more power if I dip a little deeper. Need to work on this more outside of class.
WOD
AMReps
Wall balls (20 lb., 2 min.)
Pistol squats (2 min.)
Power Snatch (95 lb., 4 min.)
Pistol squats (2 min.)
Wall balls (20 lb., 2 min.)
This was an interesting workout. I can’t remember the last time I did one using this format. This workout was going to require some pacing. I couldn’t start too quickly or else I would die out at the power snatches. I’m also not that great at pistols. My balance and form still need some work. The power snatches would be okay since 95 lb. is a good weight.Started out the first set of wall balls with a good pace. I treated it like an EMOM, and shot for 15 reps the first minute. During the second minute I was able to get 17 reps. I was breathing a bit hard by this point and took a few seconds before starting on the pistols. I was able to get a few reps but not many. My balance and form still need work and I had a few no reps. I paced myself on the snatches with about five per minute. I could have done more but I was tired. The second set of pistols and wall balls were about the same in terms of pacing and reps completed.

I think I could have done more in this workout and might have paced it too conservatively. At the end of the workout I was very tired but I could have pushed myself a bit more. I’ll try and up the intensity in future workouts.

Saturday

I did 16.3 on Saturday, check out my post HERE. I hope your 16.3 went well especially if you got your first muscle up.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Open Workout 16.5: The One We Did Two Years Ago

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We made it! After four weeks of killer workouts the 2016 Open is coming to a close with an epic workout. If you’ve been playing the “Guess the Workout” mini game with Dave Castro and instagram, the picture of roadkill with the caption “#16point5” was eye opening. Many people predicted thrusters and a repeat workout. Most of us were thinking 14.5 or 15.5, either way it was going to suck.

When he announced 14.5 is 16.5, I wasn’t scared, I was excited. Check out this POST for my history with 14.5. It has been a year since I redid 14.5 and I wanted to hit a PR with this workout. I was shooting for under 20 minutes but it was going to be difficult.

Workout 16.5

21-18-15-12-9-6-3

Thrusters (95 lb.)
Bar facing burpees

I wanted to break the thrusters up into three sets until the round of nine. I would probably be able to do two sets or go unbroken. My strategy for the burpees was to keep a steady pace. The last time I did it, the burpees were the hardest part.

I was able to get through the first three rounds of thrusters without much trouble. Fatigue set in but I was able push through it and stick to my game plan. The burpees however were a different story. I started out consistent but I hit a wall midway through the round of 15. I was exhausted and as much as I wanted to keep up with my pace, I started to slow down. I would take long breaks in between reps. Thankfully I had my coach and fellow members push me to keep going. It was tough, but I finished with a time of 21:14, which is 4:34 PR! I didn’t finish under my goal time but I’m happy with my performance. In the future, when we retest this workout, I will be under 20 minutes!

I hope you hit a PR with that workout. I will be trying to catch up with my weekly posts and recap the open. It has been a crazy five weeks.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Loot Crate April 2016 Theme: Quest

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Images taken from Loot Crate announcement email. 

Interesting franchises for this month. I’m familiar with everything except for the Uncharted series. I know Uncharted 4 gets released in May, but maybe Loot Crate is trying to hype the release. Going off the email, the shirt is probably from Labyrinth since David Bowie refers to voodoo in the song “Magic Dance”. The socks will probably be from Harry Potter and the “toast” item will probably a cup of some sort from Vikings. Not sure what the Uncharted item will be but I can’t wait to find out.

If you want to sign up use this LINK, also use the promo code SAVE3 for $3 off any subscription. I also get credit towards more Loot Crates if you use the link. If you have any questions, leave a comment at the bottom.

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My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): February 29 – March 6

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Monday

Gymnastics Skill Work
 
I started this skill work doing some handstand work. Did a few drills then moved on to rig. I watched as another member worked on muscle ups and I decided to work on them as well. I did a few warm up exercises and drills. I did a few pulls and was able to pull to my sternum and then to right above my stomach. I got a few tips from people who were watching and on my next pull I was able to get my first muscle up!
It was a great moment. One of the coaches yelled out, “did that just happen?!” I got down and waited a few seconds to attempt another one. It wasn’t as nice as the first one, but I was able to get up. At least I didn’t do the “chicken wing”. It’s true what they say. Every rep is easier after you get the first one. I need to work on my form and get stronger so that I can do them strict. Next up, ring muscle ups!

 

Running WOD

Run (1000 m) x 2

I hate running but it’s a necessary skill that I should develop. Thankfully I was coming off of my bar muscle up high that I was ready for anything. I decided to pace with my fiance for both intervals. She is a better runner and I wanted to keep up. The first 1000 m went well. I kept a good pace and kept up with my fiance. The second 1000 m was the same except a bit slower. I was a bit winded and did my best to keep up. I finished the first interval in 7:04 and the second interval in 7:35.

Wednesday

Front Squat Pause – 5×3 (215 lb.)
I haven’t done a pause front squat workout since August so I’m a bit rusty. I’m not sure of my numbers either so I decided to work up to a three rep heavy. I started my sets at 185 lb. and moved up from there. I tired to focus on keeping my elbows up, chest up, keeping an active bottom position and staying tight. At that weight it was easy to achieve all four goals. I did this for three sets before I decided to move up to 215 lb. This is where it gets difficult.
I noticed I wasn’t able to stay tight in the bottom position during the pause. I was holding my breath too long! I need to work on my breathing during the pauses. I was able to keep my elbows and chest up and the active bottom position felt great. Still need to work on staying tight during the pause.
Partner WOD – AMRAP 20 Minutes
Run (200 m)
3 deadlifts (115 lb.)
5 hang power cleans (115 lb.)
7 push jerks (115 lb.)
While one person runs, the other partner starts the workout. when the running partner finishes the run. They take over from wherever the other partner left off. I did this workout with my fiance and it was tough. She’s a faster runner and I tried to keep up. I didn’t know how to pace this workout so I started off by trying to get over one round per run. The deadlifts, power cleans and jerks are relatively light so it wasn’t too bad. I started out by doing a round and three deadlifts. My fiance was able to keep up with the pace thankfully. This worked well until minute 10. I noticed a slowdown in my run times and I was only able to finish a full round before she finished her 200 m run. We were able to finish a little over 11 rounds of this workout.

Thursday

WOD – “FGB Style”
3 rounds, 1 minute per station
Handstand push up
Double unders
Box jump
Toes to bar
Pistol squat
Rest 1 minute
 
My goal for the workout was to try to stay consistent. I wanted to to do at least 15 hspu’s, 50 double unders, 15 box jumps, 10 toes to bar and 10 pistol squats. While I was able to complete 100 reps for the first round, the reps for each movement were different. I was able to stay consistent on the hspu’s and box jumps but not the toes to bar or pistols. I did better on the double unders which brought up my score. The following rounds were the same except for the toes to bar and pistols. I would only do around five reps for each movement.  I was exhausted by this point and I’m not that great at them yet. I was able to do more reps on the box jumps and double unders to make up for my reps. I completed 100 reps for the first round, 96 reps for the second and 90 for the third.

Friday

This was the second week of the open so check out my post on 16.2 HERE!
Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Open Workout 16.4: Glutes on Fire!

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We’re close to the end of the open with two more workouts to go and this workout is no joke.



Workout 16.4 – AMRAP 13 Minutes

55 deadlifts (225 lb.)

55 wall balls (20 lb.)

55 row (cals.)

55 hand stand push ups

My first reaction after Dave Castro’s mic drop was, “my back is going to get destroyed”. 225 lb. is about 54% of my 1RM but I didn’t take it lightly. I was hoping to at least make it off the rower but I wasn’t sure what to expect. I decided to do this workout Friday and then redo it on Monday if I didn’t like my score.

After a short warm up. I started the WOD. I decided to break up the deadlifts into sets of five. This strategy worked great until the last 10 reps. My back as a bit fatigued and I could feel my hamstrings tighten as well. I powered through and made it to the wall balls. I decided to break up the wall balls into sets of 10. I’m better at wall balls than deadlifts so I figured sets of 10 would be okay. The first round was good, I was able to hit ten reps before my first break. Then I started to get no repped. The ball wouldn’t hit above the line or the ball wouldn’t hit the wall at all. I took about 20 seconds to rest and refocus and started again. This time I only did sets of 5 with a short rest in between. This worked fine for the rest of the reps in this round.

I was exhausted by the time I got to the rower. I strapped in and started on my row but it was tough. My pace was between 800 cals/hr – 1000 cals/hr. I’m usually able to keep a pace above 1000 cals/hr but I wasn’t able to during this workout. I struggled and by the 13th minute I was only able to complete 41 calories. I was short of my goal by 14 calories. I unstrapped my feet and slumped to the floor.

With my total score of 151 reps, I’m not sure if I want to redo this workout. It was difficult but the deadlifts did take a toll on me. If I can recover by Monday I’ll consider redoing it. I really want to get off the rower! Hope your 16.4 attempt goes better than mine.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

Open Workout 16.3: The One With Bar Muscle Ups

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Muscle ups are here to stay. After last years workout announcement, I was waiting for it. Would this be the workout that I would finally get a ring muscle up? Nope, Dave Castro programmed bar muscle ups. Thankfully, I did my first rep last week and have been practicing every day at the gym since. No muscle up scaling this year. I figured I could have done at least one round, but I wanted at least two. I also did this workout twice.

Workout 16.3 

7 minute AMRAP

10 snatches (75 lb.)
3 bar muscle ups

The first round was exciting. I didn’t know what to expect since I just learned how to do bar muscle ups. The snatches were light I started by doing the snatches unbroken. When I got to my first set of muscle ups, I looked at the bar for a few seconds before I started. I would complete a muscle up and then wait a few seconds to attempt my next one. I felt good on the bar and I didn’t rush the reps. I did fail a rep once, which took about 15 seconds to get another one. I finished the workout with 3 rounds, 10 snatches and 1 bar muscle up.

The second time around I wanted to get two more reps and finish four rounds. I felt more comfortable doing the bar muscle ups and I felt confident. My pacing was better and I wouldn’t take as much time between muscle up reps. I finished the third round of snatches a minute earlier than my last time. I took a deep breath and started on the muscle ups. I failed the first rep with a minute to go. I took about 10 seconds and completed a rep. Took another 10 seconds and completed the second rep. With about 15 seconds to go I attempted the third rep and I failed. I tried to complete it but I couldn’t. With only five seconds left on the time. I stopped there.

Just like 16.2, my redo only yielded a one rep difference. It was also the difference between me accomplishing my goal of completing four rounds. I was bummed for a few minutes after the workout but I eventually got over it. I feel more confident on the bar now, next up is rings. I hope you did well on 16.3 and if you got your first muscle up, congrats!

Lift Heavy and Level Up!