I’m almost done with the Devout and I have to prime my next model to paint. I assembled Thyra earlier in the year to test out a list but now I think it is time to paint her. Small bits of the model are missing and the pose is a little off but it will have to do. The smaller model and details may be a hurdle that I will have to overcome. It’s going to be a challenge but it’s only going to make me better as a painter.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!
If you want to see my workout week, check out my Beyond the Whiteboard profile
Deadlift – 3×3 at 95% (405 lb.)
My goal was to try and complete one set of deadlifts at 405 lb. but after a few weeks of deadlifts, I knew it was a lofty goal. I worked up to 365 lb. and added 10 lb. every set. 365 lb. felt a lot heavier than what I was used to and I didn’t want to make large weight jumps. At 375 lb. and 385 lb. I was able to complete one set, but I failed to get more than one rep at 395 lb. I decided to drop back to 385 lb. but I was only able to finish two reps in the set. I completed the last two sets at 375 lb.
I was frustrated during this strength session because I felt weak. 385 lb. and 395 lb. used to be manageable and I would be able to finish all three sets at this weight. I have to remind myself that I need to put in the work in order to maintain strength.
Partner WOD – 40 Minute Time Cap
Row (100 cals.)
100 wall balls (20 lb./10 ft.)
Rest 5 Minutes
15-12-9
Clusters (135 lb.)
Muscle Ups
Rest 5 Minutes
100 wall balls (20 lb./10 ft.)
Row (100 cals.)
This is a repeat workout that I did in 2015. I wasn’t writing about my workouts back then so I can’t recall how that workout went other than the result on BTWB. Previously, I modified the workout since I was not able to complete muscle ups then. We also reached the time cap at 40 minutes. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to Rx this workout. I haven’t been able to complete a muscle up since last year. I have been doing more strict pull up work and decided to try and complete a muscle up instead of scaling. Surprisingly, I made one rep and it felt like riding a bike. I did two more to get used the movement and I was ready for the wod.The first part of the workout was divided evenly, the row was two sets of 25 cals. and the wall balls were broken up into five sets of 10 reps. The row went well, both of us kept a good pace and finished quickly. The wall balls were harder but not by much. Breaking the reps down into sets of 10 really helped. I was able to get some rest while my partner did some work. The last 10 – 20 reps were difficult but we powered through and before we knew it, five minute break!
The cluster muscle up workout was the easiest part. Since I was comfortable with the weight, I did the extra rep on odd sets. My rep scheme was 5-3, 6, 5 for this part of the workout. I did single reps instead of touch and go, resting for a second or two before the next rep of clusters. After finishing the clusters I moved on the muscle ups doing single reps as well. The rep scheme followed the clusters while my partner scaled the muscle up portion. This section went by quick and then we were able to rest for another five minutes.
The last section of the workout was a lot harder than expected. I knew it was going to be harder than the first section but I didn’t think it was going to be as difficult. We powered through the 100 reps of wall balls using the same rep scheme. I almost gave up and broke up the sets into reps of five but my partner pushed me to keep going. After the last set of wall balls, we walked to the rower. We did lower the sets for this section, completing sets of 15 cals. instead of 25 cals. We did two sets of 15 cals. and two sets of 10 cals. We finished the row and the workout at 37:37.
The push was worth it. The last time I did this, I wasn’t able to finish the workout and this time, we crushed it. I haven’t been hitting my strength numbers recently but I’m satisfied with how my metcon times have been coming along. It was great feeling finishing that workout under time cap. Now I just need to push it and be faster next time it pops up on the whiteboard.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!
Deadlift – 5×5 at 85% (355 lb.)
I haven’t been hitting my deadlift numbers this cycle. I haven’t been doing them consistently for the last few weeks and it shows. My 85% from my lifetime 1RM is 355 lb. I was only able to lift 325 lb. for 5. I’m also more cautious about deadlifts because of injury. I am not where I want to be but I am not in a rush to get there. Proper form will lead to progress eventually.
For Time – 9 Minute Time Cap
30 pull up
400 m run
50 thrusters (45 lb.)
This was a short workout but it was one of my favorites from the week. Pull ups were going to be the hardest movement but we would have some rest time on the 400 m run. I was not sure how well I would do on the thrusters but I was pretty sure I could do them in two sets, three at the most. My goal was to finish under seven minutes.
The pull ups went okay. I set a pace of about 5-10 reps a set and finished in about three minutes. The strict pull ups I have been doing at home are starting to pay off. The pull ups felt easier and I didn’t struggle as much. I also felt more control on descents. I should start doing more gymnastics accessory work at home. I was able to finish the run in two minutes but I took about 30 seconds of rest before I started the thrusters. My first set of thrusters were 20 reps. My shoulders started to give out and I switched to doing 10 – 15 reps per set. After resting a good amount of time between sets, I finished the workout at 7:15.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!
Strict Press – 3 Rep Max (135 lb.)
I was not able to match my previous 3RM of 145 lb. I was able to lift 135 lb. without a problem but got stuck at 145 lb. We haven’t done strict press in awhile but we have been doing a lot of strict HSPU which I thought would transfer over. Hopefully, I’ll be able to regain my strength in this lift and get back to a new strict press pr!
AMRAP – 12 Minutes
150 double unders
-then-
AMRAP
15 push press (60 kg)10 front squats (60 kg)
5 power snatches (60 kg)
This was my favorite workout of the week. It’s not too long (20 minutes) and I like all the movements. My goal for this workout was to finish two rounds. Others in previous classes were finishing two to three rounds. The double unders went well and was able to finish 75 reps before breaking. My arms were tired and I couldn’t keep the rhythm. I wasn’t able to go for another 75 reps and had to break it up into a few sets. I finished the double unders around three minutes and started on the barbell portion of the workout.
We did this workout after the strict press 3RM and the 60 kg push press felt heavy. I was able to complete eight reps before dropping the bar. I completed four reps and had to drop the bar again. I had to take a few minutes to recover but I eventually finished the last three reps. The front squats were not a problem in the first round and was able to finish unbroken. I did the power snatches in singles. The second round was harder than the first. The push press was broken up into sets of four to five and I would take a minute in between. I was able to finish ten reps of the front squats by time.
Overall, this was a great workout. I was short of my goal but I did my best. This will be a fun workout to retest.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!
Back Squat – Find 1 Rep Max
In the weeks leading up, I wasn’t able to lift my 90% or my 95%. I was not feeling confident, but I was going to attempt this lift. I warmed up to 275 lb. and started to follow the percentages on the white board. I went up to 315 lb. and did two reps before adding 365 lb. I put the bar on my back and got into a good position. I was able to control the weight but I was not able to stand it up. I got stuck on the bottom and promptly bailed. No use in trying to save that lift, I would re rack the bar and try again.
I thought about what I was doing wrong. My feet felt good, I had control of the decent but couldn’t make it out of the bottom. I took a few minutes and tried again. The bar felt the same, the decent felt the same and not making it out of the bottom, felt the same. It was at that point I decided to call it a day. I didn’t get to PR and it sucked. I haven’t missed a squat max since I started and it felt bad.
I realized that not lifting a new PR is a direct result of my training. I haven’t been putting in the work and it showed. I talked to my coach after class and he gave me some tips and what to work on. I’ll definitely hit a PR next cycle.
Partner WOD – 15 Minute AMRAP
4 deadlifts (135 lb.)
3 hang power clean (135 lb.)
2 push press (135 lb.)
1 front squat (135 lb.)
I partnered with my wife for this workout and we broke up the workout into alternating rounds. I was not worried about a particular movement. The weight was light enough for me to get through most of it unbroken even at later rounds. We tired to keep each round to under 45 seconds but we couldn’t keep up that pace in the later rounds. My grip started to give out around round 24. I lost the grip of the bar during a hang clean. I took a few seconds and finished the round. We finished 26 rounds of the workout.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!
 |
| Colorway (Grey/Blue/Black) |
The first shoe I reviewed on this blog was the Inov-8 F-Lite 235. I loved that shoe. It was light, looked great and felt awesome during workouts. The new version was released late last year and I have been using them for about three months. So far they are great but I have some issues with them.
Specs
Fit – Standard
Drop – 0mm
Weight – 235g
Sole Compound – Sticky
*Specs taken from Inov-8 Website.
Looks
The first colorway that interested me was the red/blue sketch that Inov-8 Training posted on their Instagram.
 |
| Screenshot taken from @inov8training Instagram profile |
I love the red and blue color scheme which is why I purchased the first version in that color. Unfortunately, the sketch was not a production color. After looking at the launch colorways, I decided on the grey/blue/black version. The shoe resembles many of the shoes in the Inov-8 catalog and is not something completely different like the original 235’s.
Fit
I ordered my pair from Zappos.com, in the same size as the v1’s. I am not sure if I received a defective pair but they were a little more than a half size too big. I had to ship it back for a half size smaller. When I got the new pair, it still felt a little big but not by too much. I had more room in the toe box compared to the original.
Construction
After using the shoes for about five months, they are holding up great. No rips or tears from rope climbs or general use. The only issue that I have is with the rubber label on the tongue. It was attached using some kind of adhesive and has started to come off. It’s not a big deal but it’s the only flaw I can find in the shoes. The mesh is also showing some signs of wear where the shoe flexes. It looks like it will hold up.
Performance
If you are a fan of the original 235’s, you will like this version. Since it’s not as snug, I was afraid my feet would be sliding around during workouts and lifts. I have used these shoes for almost six months and almost any workout. They held up against olympic lifts, metcons, squats and deadlifts. The soles felt sturdy during squats and flexible during runs. Power transfer was not an issue during heavy lifts thanks to the dense sole.
Rope climbs feel great as well. They grip the rope better than the Metcon 2. Better technique might be able to explain that however. I set some pr’s while wearing the v2’s, a new power clean pr and a few metcon pr’s. Check out my Instagram or the Barbells and Boxcars for videos of me wearing them.
The v2’s is a great follow up to the original 235’s. It does what good shoes are supposed to do, let you forget about them. I did not think about my shoes during workouts and did not have to switch them out when heavier lifts were programmed into the workout. It could be that I’m getting better at the movements but the shoes definitely help. If you can get passed the aesthetics, these will be a great buy.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!
Back Squat – 6×3 at 80% (325 lb.)
Last week I did squats at 70%, this week we’re up at 80%. I did this twice this week, the Monday session was great, completing four out of six sets at 325 lb. The session of Friday was terrible. I played some Ultimate Frisbee on Wednesday and my legs may have been worn out. On Friday, I worked up to 325 lb. but it felt extremely heavy. I was only able to complete one set. I dropped the weight to 315 lb. but that was too much as well. My coach told me to drop to 275 lb. and do some one second pauses at the bottom. It was a tough week and I should get some heavy reps done. We will be maxing out next week and I hope I’m ready for a new PR.
Partner AMRAP – 20 Miniutes
10 row (cals.)
15 wall balls (20 lb.)
15 Russian kb swings (54 lb.)
*Partners will alternate movements
Did this workout with my wife and it was a lot of fun. The movements were alternating which gave some time to recover. The hardest movement was the wall balls (as usual). At the beginning of the workout we set our goal to 10 rounds.
I started on the wall balls with the goal of doing all of them unbroken for the entire goal. Looking back on the open, the wall balls in 17.4 were my biggest hurdle and now is the time to work on them. I knew I would be okay on the row and kb swings so I didn’t worry about them. I tried to keep a good pace on the rower 900 – 1100 cals. on the rower and complete the kb swings unbroken.
Towards the end of the workout, my wife would finish a movement but I was not ready to start the next one. I was still trying to catch my breath, but it would only take a few seconds. On my last round of wall balls, I broke at 10 reps. I wanted to keep going but my arms and legs were giving up. After a few seconds of rest, I finished the wall balls. We pushed each other and were very supported during the workout. We finished with 10 rounds, 10 row and 9 wall balls.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!
8-Bit Barbell 