My Week As RX

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): March 28 – April 3

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Monday

I attempted 16.5 toady and was able to hit a PR! Check out the post HERE.

Tuesday

Power Clean 1RM
 
We have been doing a lot of heavy power clean workouts lately and I was excited to test out my max. I warmed up to about 195 lb. and decided to go for 210 lb. as my PR. My attempt felt great but I did catch the bar a bit lower than normal. I took a three minute rest and attempted 215 lb. I struggled a bit but I was able to catch the bar high enough. I was caught a bit off balance but I was able to recover and finish.
Partner WOD
16 Minute AMRAP 

6 pull ups
9 power cleans (95 lb.)
12 toes to bar

This was a fun partner workout and I was excited to do it. My partner and I decided to split the reps by alternating movements. I would start on the pull ups and then he would do the power cleans and I would finish with toes to bar. I wanted to finish eight rounds, which would put us at a round every two minutes. I felt this was achievable since my partner and I are similar in fitness. The toes to bar would probably be our hardest movement. I’m still not great at it but hopefully I can recover between rounds.

We started out great, doing the first round in under a minute. I knew we would be able to keep this pace so I decided to slow down a bit so that we wouldn’t die out halfway through the workout. We were able to keep going at a steady pace until the sixth round. My partner and I had to take longer breaks between movements which slowed our pace. We completed eight rounds, six pull ups and nine power cleans.

Friday

Back Squat – 6×2 at 70% (265 lb.)
Squats! I miss squatting heavy. Since our last max day, I’ve been meaning to start squatting more. Now that the open is over, I can get back to doing more heavy stuff. I was also thinking of doing more oly training as well. The squats felt great but I need to work on my form especially at the bottom. I noticed that my core is not tight when I hit the bottom. That was a big reason why I wasn’t able to hit higher numbers last time. I was able to correct that portion and for the rest of the sets I made sure my core was tight. 

Group WOD


Sled Push and Sled PullsThis workout was broken up into two. The sled push would be first and the pull would be second. We had about a minute of rest in between. I had a great time doing this workout. We do not get to use sleds often and I made the most of it. The class was divided evenly, and we used a rogue sled with a 45 lb. plate. The distance was about 25 m. After the sled push, we would have to do burpees or air squats. We didn’t have much rest either since everyone was completing the sled push quickly. I didn’t have much issues with the movements thankfully.

The sled pull was the same distance except without the burpees or air squats. I haven’t done sled pulls in awhile and it was murder on my quads. It was a lot of fun however. Everyone was working hard and it was great motivation to push harder. This was a fun workout and I wish we did more of them.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

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.

 

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

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!
Lift Heavy and Level Up!

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!

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!

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): February 22 – February 28

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Monday

Banded Deadlift – 6×3 at 60% 1RM (225 lb.)

After the long back squat cycle it’s time for some pulling. Since this was the first day I decided to take it a bit easy working up to 54%. I focused on form and technique, making sure they were solid. The lifts felt great considering I haven’t deadlifted anything heavy or used bands in awhile. 
WOD 1

7 Minute AMRAP
30 burpees
20 overhead squats (75 lb.)
20 burpees
10 overhead squats (75 lb.)
10 burpees
5 overhead squats (75 lb.)
Burpees, my nemesis! My goal for this workout was to finish at least one round. I wasn’t sure how it was going to go. My time for 50 burpees is around four to five minutes giving me two minutes to complete 35 overhead squats and 10 burpees. I was hoping I could pace it a bit to finish. Started out great. I didn’t go too fast on the burpees and kept an even pace. Had to stop around 20 burpees before finishing. The overhead squats were okay, it took me a few reps to get into it but I got it eventually. I was able to finish it unbroken.

The next set of burpees took a lot longer than expected. I may have went too hard on the overhead squats and I was starting to feel it. I was slow on the burpees and took frequent breaks. I was able to at least finish 10 overhead squats before time was called.

WOD 2


Death by Double Unders – 25 reps + 5 reps every minute

I think a lot of the work we are doing is prep work for the open. With the open starting this week, we are doing a lot of movements that you will most likely see this season. Thankfully, I’m good at double unders. I still have a lot to work on, but I can string some together. Before the class started, I was excited for this part of the workout but after the previous AMRAP, I was dreading it. My legs were tired from all the burpees and overhead squats. My main concern was my legs cramping but I managed to drink some water and waited for the countdown.

I started out great. I was able to go three rounds unbroken and have at least 30 seconds of rest. The next two rounds were much harder. At this point I started feeling the fatigue and wasn’t able to string together many. I would hit myself every few reps but I eventually finished with at least 15 seconds left in the minute. I made it to the fifth round and stopped at 30 reps.

Tuesday

Push Press – 3 Rep Heavy

Had fun Tuesday, working on the push press. I wanted to go heavy and try to set a new PR. Everything felt great warming up but I was sharing the bar with three other guys. I spent some time helping the other guys with form and technique which I don’t mind. I was only able to match my previous pr which was fine. The reps felt great and I’m sure I’ll pass it next time.
WOD 1

Every 1:30 for 9 minutes:
Shuttle Run (200 m)
Max effort dumbbell snatch (50 lb.)
Rx weight for the dumbbell snatch was 70 lb. but I’m still not able to control the weight. I opted to scale down to the heaviest dumbbell at 50 lb. The run would last  60-75 seconds and I would get in at least one rep of the dumbbell snatches.

WOD 2

21-15-9

Run, 200m
Handstand push ups (strict)

I’ve done this workout before using plank push ups about two years ago. I’ve improved and I am able to do strict handstand push ups but I had to scale by using two ab mats instead of one. The run wasn’t too bad  but I was tired from the previous workout. The handstand push ups were not too bad. I should have tried it with only one ab mat since I was able to finish quickly.  I finished the workout in 4:48.

Wednesday

Snatch – 1 Rep Heavy
Worked on heavy snatches Wednesday. A few weeks ago I tried to work up to my previous 1RM, but wasn’t able to complete it. The closest lift was 145 lb. which I tried to reach for today. I warmed up 145 lb. and attempted my first lift. It was a miss. I’m still working on getting under the bar and I haven’t lifted heavy consistently. On my second try, I was able to finish the lift which gave me some confidence. Hopefully in the coming weeks, I’ll be able to pass my current PR.
Partner WOD – 15 Minute Time Cap

60 row (cals.)
Then in the remaining time, AMRAP of:
9 chest-to-bar pull ups
12 overhead squats (115 lb.)
15 box jumps (30 in.)

I did this workout scaled. The overhead squats were originally set for 135 lb. but I wasn’t confident I would last long under that weight. I didn’t want to slow my partner down so I went lighter while he stayed at 135 lb. This workout wasn’t too bad. The reps were split evenly with minimal rest. We were always moving. I tried to keep a steady pace and catch my breath in between sets. Towards the end, I did singles for chest to bars but the overhead squats remained unbroken. We managed to finish four rounds and nine chest-to-bars.

Friday

Since the open starts this week check out my post on 16.1. Good luck everyone!
Lift Heavy and Level Up!
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Monday

Back Squat – 2×2 at 100% (355 lb.)
This is the last week of the back squat cycle. Our max day is going to be Friday, but first I had this workout to do. I was really nervous but confident I could finish the lifts. The first set went well. I was able to lift the first rep without any pauses. The second rep however was difficult. I had a slight pause but with the help of a spotter, I was able to finish. He said he didn’t really lift the bar which was great to hear. The second set went the same with the spotter helping on the last rep. Overall, I’m confident that I’ll be able to hit a PR Friday.

WOD

3×3:00 AMRAP

10 toes-to-bar
10 one arm dumbbell snatch (50 lb.)
30 double unders
Rest 1 minute between each AMRAP

The Rx weight for one arm dumbbell snatch was 70 lb. but I can only do a few reps at that weight. I wish the box had a 60 lb. dumbbell but I settled for 50 lb. I was able to at least finish one round per set. The hardest part of this workout was the toes-to-bar since I’m still weak in gymnastics movements. The snatches were good, wanted a bit more weight but I’ll take what I can get. The double unders were not too bad. I would mess up every 10 or so reps during the second and third sets. That was mainly due to fatigue. I was able to complete a total of 4.067 rounds, when you count partial reps.

Wednesday

Back Squat – 8×2 at 80% (285 lb.)

Since we’re maxing out this Friday, today was a maintenance day. The weight felt a lot lighter and I was able to move faster during the reps. I was ready to set a new PR.

Partner WOD – Time Cap, 15 Minutes

Helen Meets Grace

3 Rounds
Run (400 m)
21 kettlebell swings (53 lb.)
12 pull ups
-then-
30 clean and jerks (135 lb.)

I partnered with my fiance for this workout. The hardest part of this workout was the run. If you have read these posts for awhile, you know I hate running. I would be winded by the time we would get to the kettlebell swings. The kettlebell swings were not too difficult and the pull ups were easy to finish. We were only able to finish 10 clean and jerks when time was called.

WOD 2 – Time Cap, 7 Minutes

3 Rounds
15 hang power clean (135 lb.)
15 burpees

We had a few minutes to rest before starting this workout. I was still exhausted when we started. I was so tired that I forgot how to hang clean. I took a few seconds for me to snap out of it. 15 hang power cleans is not easy especially at 63% of your max. I wasn’t able to string many together but I got through it. My speed bump was the burpees. It would take me more time to finish burpees than cleans. I was only able to finish two rounds when time was called.

Friday

Back Squat – Find 1 Rep Max

After six weeks of back squats, I was eager to test my new 1RM. My goal weight was 375 lb. which is 20 lb. over my last 1RM. I warmed up and attempted my first lift at 365 lb. I successfully completed the lift but not without a lot of effort. I wasn’t confident in attempting 375 lb. but I decided to do it anyway.I learned a lot from that attempt. I didn’t complete it, but it was a great learning experience. I was a bit fast on the decent. Not sure if it was nerves or if the weight was too heavy. I hit the bottom and I deflated. My breathing needs some work. I tried my best to stand it up but my spotter had to step in and help. After that attempt I know I have to work on a few things. I need to stay tight throughout the lift especially at the bottom. I also need to work on tempo. Even though the cycle is over, I’m going to start incorporating more squats.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

 

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): February 8 – February 14

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Monday

Back Squat – 6×2 at 80% (285 lb.)
Started Monday with some back squats. I was able to complete all six sets at 285 lb. I didn’t want to let up on the weight. Sets went by quickly and I felt great. Another session in the books.
WOD
 
EMOM – 14 minutes
6 clean and jerks (135 lb.)
Max effort burpees
This workout was a lot harder than expected. The clean and jerks were going to be rough especially since 135 lb. is about 66% of my max. The target number for burpees was eight, which is going to be difficult as time goes on. First six minutes of the workout went great. I was finishing the clean and jerks quickly, under 30 seconds and the burpees would be done just as fast. After that, my burpee count dropped to about 5-7 reps a minute. I completed the clean and jerks, until about the ninth minute. I completed 3-5 reps for the remainder of the workout.

Wednesday

Back Squat – 3×3 at 95% (335 lb.)
Sticking with back squats, the percentages are higher today. Usually we do this session a week before we max out. I only did one set at 335 lb. due to time. I was able to hit my old three rep max of 305 lb. right before this PR!

 

Partner WOD

Roy – 5 rounds

15 deadlifts (195 lb.)

20 box jumps (24 in.)

25 pull ups

I partnered up with my fiance for this workout and we split the work evenly. I decided to not do the workout at 225 lb. I didn’t want to put too much strain on my lower back because of the heavy back squats. The workout was great but I slowed down on the pull ups. I was able to finish all the other movements unbroken except for the pull ups. I finished the workout at 15:38

Friday

Back Squat – 6×2 at 80% (285 lb.)
Maintenance squat day. I felt great during the reps and my knee felt better. We should be maxing out next week.
WOD
 
Recovery WOD – rest 1 minute after each interval
4x400m run
The first 400 m had to be finished under 2:00. If you didn’t you had to scale the distance. I kept a good pace and finished at 1:55. After the first interval I was unable to finish under 2:00 and ended the last interval with a time of 2:20.

 

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): February 1 – February 7

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This entry is going to be longer than other weeks since I went six days straight.

Monday

Back Squat – 5×5 at 85% (275 lb.)
I decided not to go up to 85%. I warmed up and wasn’t feeling it. I was having a difficult time at 275 lb. and I didn’t want to risk an injury. I was able to finish four sets at 275 lb. before the time ran out.
WOD
 
3x 3:00 AMRAP:
30 double unders
20 shoulder to overhead (75 lb.)
10 toes to bar
Rest one minute
My goal for this workout was to at least finish 1 round each set. My first set I was able to finish one round and 30 double unders. My slowest area was the shoulder to overhead and toes to bar. I was able to go unbroken on the first round of shoulder to overhead but I had to break the toes to bar reps into two sets. The second round was worse. The fatigue set in and I was only able to get through one round. I wasn’t able to finish a round in the third set. I took longer rests and was slower overall. It was rough and I only was able to finish eight toes to bar. 

AMRAP 7 minutes

7 pull ups
7 overhead squats (75 lb.)
7 burpees

We only had a minute or two of rest before we started this workout. I was super slow during this workout. The pull ups were slow. I was only able to complete them in singles. The overhead squat was also hard to complete mainly because of my wrist. I have been having wrist issues and overhead work has been taking a toll on it. I also haven’t done overhead squat work in awhile. I was able to complete this in two sets. The burpees were taxing adding to my overall fatigue. I was only able to finish two rounds of this workout.

Tuesday

Snatch Complex
 
3 power snatch + 1 overhead squat
Started by doing the Burgner warm up and some empty bar work to loosen up. Started with 75 lb. and worked up to 135 lb. I was a bit worried about my wrist but it wasn’t too bad. I stopped at 135 lb. because I could feel my form starting to go bad and time was running out. I’m happy with the workout since 135 lb. used to be my two rep max. 

WOD – FGB style

3 rounds, 1 minute per station

Flutter kicks (4 count)
Ring push ups
Superman holds
Handstand holds

This workout was a nice change of pace, my hands were thankful. Even though the workout didn’t have a barbell or gymnastics work it was plenty difficult. The hardest movements were the ring push ups and the handstand holds. I would only be able to get a few reps in before my arms would give out. I would complete at least 10 in a minute. I was able to hold the handstand for at least 40 seconds each round. The flutter kicks and superman holds were easier to get through. I was able to complete at least 30 reps of flutter kicks and at least 10 reps of superman holds.

Wednesday

Back Squat – 6×2 80% (275 lb.)
Another day of back squat maintenance. I was able to get in a full six sets this session but I didn’t increase the weight to 285 lb. for my actual 80%. The squats felt great and my knee felt better after the warm up.
WOD
 
Fran: 21-16-9
Thrusters (95 lb.)
Pull ups
After doing well in the 15.5 retest, I wanted to retest Fran. Today was my chance and I was going to go hard! That was my plan, but that is not what happened. I was able to get through the thrusters but the pull ups were another story. I was very slow, only doing a few reps at a time. I was also resting longer than usual. I finished this workout at 7:39, 32 seconds slower than my last time. I thought I was going to do a lot better this time. I wanted to at least a minute faster. I didn’t do as well but I can at least learn from it. I need to work on my pull ups. I need to do more strength work and work on my kip. I was kipping the pull ups but I couldn’t find a rhythm. I was only able to string a few reps together. I will add in some more strict pull up work.

Thursday

Power Clean, 3 Rep Max (Touch and Go)

I was able to complete three reps at 175 lb. which was surprising. I’ve been having issues trying to re grip the bar after a rep. I would use a hook grip for the first rep but use a regular grip for the other reps. I’m not sure if I could have went heavier, the reps were getting harder to complete with good form. I’m happy with my progress since my old squat clean 1RM used to be 185 lb. 

Partner WOD

AMRAP, 12 minutes

9 power cleans (135 lb.)
12 row (cals.)
24 double unders

I like doing partner workouts. I tend to rest less and push myself to keep up. We alternated movements instead of each person completing a round each. This way, we kept moving instead of resting too long. We kept a good pace throughout the workout. We had enough recovery time between each movement, and I didn’t have to slow down on the intensity. We finished this workout with eight total rounds completed.

Friday

Back Squat – 4×4 at 90% (315 lb.)
90% is the heaviest I’ve gone since this squat cycle started. I felt good on Monday and I was eager to squat heavy. I took a bit longer to warm up since I haven’t lifted this heavy in awhile. I’m still looking out for my knee as well. I was able to get up to 305 lb. for two sets of four and then 315 lb. for the last two sets. I wanted to get in another set at 315 lb. but I ran out of time. 

WOD

For time

50 chest to bar pull ups
50 wall balls (20 lb.)
50 row (cals.)

The hardest part of this workout was going to be the chest to bars. I’m still weak at that movement and I can’t do many at one time. I would do as many reps as I could before scaling. I was able to do ten before I had to scale. It took me almost a minute and I realized I wasn’t going to finish if I didn’t scale to regular pull ups. I broke up the reps into fives and eventually singles. I went a bit quicker after scaling but it still took me awhile to get those last few pull ups.

Wall balls are a strong movement for me and I was able to get through these reps. I broke up the reps into sets of 10 which were manageable. The row was a grind. I was feeling the effects of the wall balls as well as the squats. It was tough but I focused on each pull and zoned out. I finished the workout at 13:38.

Saturday

Snatch, 1 rep heavy
 
I spent Saturday working on snatches. After working on cleans the week before, I decided to switch to snatches. I’m very weak at snatches and it’s something I want to improve on. I started warming up with 75 lb. and focusing on form. I haven’t snatched heavy in awhile and all I have been doing in class is power snatches. I would stay at a certain weight until I was able to get at least three reps before adding more. I was able to get to 145 lb. but I started missing lifts.
145 lb. is about 94% of my 1RM. I was only able to successfully hit this weight once out of six tries. After my fourth miss, I decided to call it a day. A big issue was getting under the bar. My lack of experience really shows in this area. One of my coaches commented that I had the power but not the speed. I need to work on getting into that bottom position. I will try to get more sessions in over the next few weeks.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!

 

 

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): January 25 – January 31

Nick PalomoLeave a comment

Sorry everyone for the delay. I’m also trying out this graphic for this segment of the blog.

Monday

Back Squat – 6×2 at 80% (285 lb.)
Starting off the week with back squats. Like previous weeks tried my best to hit my numbers. I was only able to complete five sets at 80%, with one set at 75%. It was a great session, but I ran out of time.
WOD – 30 minute time cap
Run 200m
21 thrusters (75 lb.)
21 pull ups
Run 200m
15 thrusters (75 lb.)
15 pull ups
Run 200m
9 thrusters (75 lb)
9 pull ups
Rest 5 minutes
–then–
5 rounds
15 toes to bar
15 power cleans (95 lb.)
Rest 5 minutes
–then–
Max effort burpees, 3 minutes
As you can imagine, this workout was tough. I had to scale this workout because I knew I wasn’t going to finish on time. I treated it like Fran but I did go faster. The thrusters were okay, since it was only 75 lb. The pull ups were a bit difficult but I managed to power through it. I broke up the reps into small sets which helped.Finished the first part of this workout at 10 minutes and rested the full time.The second part of this workout was harder than the first part, mainly because of the toes to bar. The power cleans were done almost unbroken but I had to scale the toes to bar. I was tired by this point and I took a lot of time between rounds. I finished this part of the workout at 25 minutes. I didn’t get to start the max effort burpees.

Tuesday

Gymnastics Skill Work

I worked on dips and handstand push ups. The reps were 6×6 and all the movements were strict. It was difficult but I was able to get through it. I’m getting stronger on the rings, and my handstand push ups are getting better.

WOD – 20 minute time cap.

3 rounds

15 overhead squats (95 lb.)
50 double unders
Rest 3 minutes
20 lateral burpee (over barbell)
15 handstand push ups
10 power snatches (95 lb.)
15 handstand push ups
20 lateral burpees (over barbell)

 

I wasn’t able to finish this workout under the time cap or Rx. The initial weight for both bar movements was 135 lb. The overhead squats were harder than expected, even with a scaled weight. I wasn’t able to get a rhythm, and it took me a lot longer to finish the reps. The double unders were not too bad, was able to do at least half unbroken. The burpees were the hardest part of the second half. The handstand push ups and power snatches were quick but the burpees felt like forever.

Wednesday

Back Squat –  6×6 at 80% (275 lb.)
That’s a lot of reps. I wasn’t able to finish all the sets because of time. My legs felt great, they were not sore from Monday. My body might be starting to adapt to the work load. I was able to finish four of the six sets at 275 lb.
Partner WOD 
14 minute AMRAP
4 power cleans (135 lb.)
4 front squats (135 lb.)
4 shoulder to overhead (135 lb.)
Partnered with my fiance for this workout. Everything went great, we moved quickly but I had to rest longer. I would complete each round unbroken but I would take at least 30 seconds before my round. My fiance scaled her weight but she was quick. I wished she was slower so I could get more rest. She did great. We managed to finish five rounds each.

Friday

Back Squat – 6×2 at 80% (285 lb.)
I actually completed all the sets at 80% after deciding not to scale the weight. My legs felt great and I warmed up for about 20 minutes before the class. It wasn’t too bad, the last two sets were a struggle but I got through it. Thankfully I didn’t need a spot.
WOD
 
For time
20 back squats at 50% 1RM (165 lb.)
Run 1 mile
20 back squats at 50% 1RM (165 lb.)
Run 1 mile
I can’t remember the last time I hated a workout. Usually most workouts are fun but this one was horrible. The back squats were done from the floor and I almost lost my balance the first time I tried to load the bar on my back. Thankfully I was able to gain control and not drop the weight. I was able to finish all the reps unbroken. The mile run was a different story. I paced myself but I wasn’t quick. I haven’t ran a mile in awhile and this was another sign that I needed to run more. When I got back to the box, my quads were on fire. I powered through it and started on my second round of squats. I was able to finish this round unbroken as well but my quads were super tight on the run. I finally finished at 29:30, close to last in the class. I need to run more.

Saturday

Heavy Cleans
 
I worked on cleans this day. I haven’t been doing many oly lifts and came in on a Saturday to work on them. Since I haven’t done heavy reps in awhile I decided to focus on cleans. I started low and worked up to my 1 rep max. One of the coaches told me to add five pounds to the bar just in case I make it, it would be a new PR. I managed to lift 230 lb. for a new PR! I wanted to add more weight but I could feel some strain in my elbow. I called it a day right after. If I’m able to come in again next Saturday, I’ll work on my snatches.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!