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My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled) – October 26 – November 1

Nick PalomoLeave a comment

Monday

Warm Up


15-12-9Single arm kettlebell deadlift (54 lb.)
Russian kettlebell swing (54 lb.)
Single arm kettlebell deadlift (54 lb.)
Goblet squat (54 lb.)

This was a hard warm up. The weight was a bit heavy for a warm up but I was going to take it slow and not rush it. The hardest movement was the single arm kettlebell deadlift. I would be able to do a few reps but I would loose balance easily. I’m not sure if my form was correct, but I tried to keep a neutral spine and hinge at the hips. The strength portion for today included front squats so I made sure to warm up my legs doing goblet squats. I finished around six minutes.

Strength/Skill – 2 Front Squats + Jerk, 3×2 at 60% (135 lb.), 3×2 at 70% (155 lb.)

Another fun weightlifting complex to start the week. After a light warm up I started on my first set. We only had 25 minutes to complete this section and I used half of it setting up and warming up. Each set was done with a short rest in between which made the last set of 70% harder than expected.

WOD – Power Clean Cindy, Time Cap: 15 minutes

10 power cleans (135 lb.)
–then–
5 rounds of:
5 pull ups
10 push ups
15 air squats
–then–
10 power cleans (135 lb.)
–then–
5 rounds of;
5 pull ups
10 push ups
15 air squats
–then–
10 power cleans (135 lb.)

I wasn’t able to finish this workout under time cap. I was able to get through two rounds in the last set of Cindy. The hardest part of this workout was the air squats. After front squats in the strength section, I wasn’t able to finish the air squats quickly. My legs started cramping up during the second set of Cindy and I had to break them up.

Weighted Plank Hold – 3×60 seconds, 35 lb.

Ended the night with some weighted plank holds. With all the push ups we just did, I wasn’t sure if I would be able to hold a plank for 60 seconds. I was able to complete the first set but had to break up the next two. I rested for about five to ten seconds.

Wednesday

Sumo Deadlift – Find a three rep heavy
I haven’t done many sumo deadlifts, and I wasn’t sure how heavy I could go. I slowly worked up to a heavy three rep of 295 lb. which is lower than my regular deadlift three rep. A few factors could have contributed to my lower weight. My in experience with the lift is probably the biggest issue. I felt off balance at times, and my pulls didn’t feel great. Another issue was my grip. The bar I used did not have center knurling and I couldn’t hold the bar for too long. I used a hook grip but it only helped a bit. I went a bit heavier to 315 lb. but was only able to complete one rep.
WOD – 21-15-9
Single arm kettlebell swing (54 lb.)
Box jump (30 in.)
Single arm kettlebell swing (54 lb.)
I wasn’t going to Rx this workout but I decided to push myself. The hardest part of the workout was going to be the box jumps. I’m 5’6″ and 30 in. is tall for me. I wouldn’t be able to do step ups and I would have to jump. Also, I wouldn’t be able to step down. I had to jump off while placing my hands on top of the box. I wasn’t too worried about the kettelbell swings but I knew I would be tired by the second round. I finished the workout in 7:56.

Thursday

Power Clean Skill Work
 
The skill work for today was power clean positioning. We worked on three positions, ground, above knee and power.
Three Position Power Clean  – Find a 1 rep heavy
After the short skill work, we loaded plates on the bars. My main goal was to work on technique and foot work. I started at 95 lb. and worked up to 195 lb. I noticed a few things while lifting. The bar would loop out as the weight got heavier. It also happened more on the hang and power power positions. I need to work on keeping the bar close to my body, keeping my elbows high. I was also rushing my first pull. Slowing down that pull really helped.
WOD
 
4 rounds for time:
Run, 300 m
Overhead walking lunge with a plate, 40 m (35 lb. – 45 lb.)
Even though the distance seems short, walking lunges are no joke. I started with a 45 lb. plate but after the second round I had to use a lighter 35 lb. plate. My quads were on fire and I was taking too long to complete the lunges with a 45 lb. plate. I finished this workout in 17:56.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!
 

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): October 12 – October 18

Nick PalomoLeave a comment

Monday

Warm Up – 8 minutes

Run 400 m
–then–
AMRAP:
10 pull ups
20 push ups
30 ab-mat sit ups
40 air squats

We did a quick 8 minute warm up to get the blood moving. We were going to need it since, the rest of the workouts looked rough. I didn’t focus on trying to get more rounds instead just making sure I was performed quality reps.

Deadlift –  2×2 at 100% 1RM (395 lb.)

Last weeks deadlifts took a toll on my body. I wasn’t able to lift my 80% on Wednesday but I took a few days off and let my body recover. I haven’t established my 1RM yet but the heaviest weight I lifted up until now was 385 lb. I decided I wanted to at least lift 395 lb. if not more. I warmed up to 335 lb. and started my sets at 365 lb. and finished with 395 lb. It was difficult but I was able to power through it. Afterwards I was confident in my deadlift, I knew I was going to break 400 lb. on Friday.

WOD

Time Cap: 25 minutes

30 pull ups
–then–
Run 400 m
21 Thrusters (75 lb.)
21 Burpees
Run 400 m
15 Thrusters (75 lb.)
15 Burpees

Run 400 m
9 Thrusters (75 lb.)
9 Burpees
Run 400 m
–then–
30 pull ups
As always, the run and the burpees were going to be the hardest part of the workout. I wasn’t worried about the pull ups or the thrusters. The first round of thrusters and burpees were not too bad. I broke the thrusters into two sets and was consistent on the burpees. The second and the third rounds were a different story. The run became difficult and was moving at a slow pace. My main goal for the run was to catch my breath and maintain a steady pace. The thrusters were not too difficult. I was able to do them unbroken. The burpees were becoming harder as time moved on. I was taking long breaks in between sets and wasn’t moving as fast as before. I did not finish the workout, finishing the last 400 m run at 26:48.

Tuesday

Pull Up Bar Complex
4 Rounds:
4 toes to bar
3 kipping pull ups
2 chest to bar pull ups
1 muscle up
The complex is supposed to be done without letting go of the bar. I’m not strong enough to do muscle ups yet but the other movements were not difficult.
Back Squat – 5×3 at 75% (275 lb.)
After warming up I started my five sets at 255 lb. and then moved up to 275 lb. I haven’t done back squats in a few weeks and I wanted to be more conservative with the weight.
WOD
 
Alternating EMOM: 10 Minutes
45 double unders
12 handstand push ups
The first four minutes were not too bad. I was able to complete all the reps but fatigue set in quickly. I wasn’t able to complete all the handstand push ups during the sixth minute and the double unders didn’t get easier. I kept messing up and only completed around 30 reps for the rest of the workout. My triceps and shoulders started to fatigue around minute seven. I wasn’t able to complete all twelve reps and stopped around six.

Wednesday

Warm Up

Alternating EMOM:

Row (45 seconds)
Plank hold
Easy warm up. Plank holds were a bit difficult by the end of the warm up, but managed to finish all rounds.
Deadlift – 6×3 at 80% (335 lb.)
I was trying to take it easy since our max out day was Friday. 335 lb. felt great and I’ve been getting used to the weight. I take less time set up and complete lifts and was power through it. I’m excited for our max out day on Friday.
WOD
 
AMRep 12 minutes
American kettle bell swing (54 lb.) – 3 minutes
Kettle bell goblet squats (54 lb.) – 3 minutes
Butterfly sit ups – 3 minutes
Row (calorie) – 3 minutes

At first I wasn’t sure about the weight for the kettle bell swings and squats. American kettle bell swings are a bit tricky and I didn’t want to burn all my energy in the first three minutes of the workout. I decided to stick with the 54 lb. kettle bell and power my way through it. I paced myself through the workout and luckily I didn’t “gas out”. I was able to complete 50 reps which is not bad considering I haven’t done American swings in a while.

Since their was no rest I was trying to keep a steady pace through the goblet squats. After the first minute however, my legs were on fire. I was only able to get about 10 reps in the first minute. I decided to at least get at least 10 reps a minute and I barely made it. At the end of the goblet squat section I finished with 32 reps. The butterfly sit ups were my “rest” round. I was able to keep a good pace and didn’t start to cramp up until two minutes into the round. I was able to finish with 52 reps.

By the time I reached the row I was already exhausted. I was able to recover during the sit ups but it wasn’t enough. During the row my pace suffered and my pulls were fairly weak. I was taking a long break in between pulls and was not pulling as hard as I should have. I picked up the pace in the last minute and finished with 37 calories. Total rep count for the workout was 171 reps.

Friday

Warm Up
 
24 – 16 – 8
Banded good mornings
Hollow rocks
Reverse alternating lunges
I took my time with this workout since it was max out day! Making sure I was able to warm up my hamstrings and lower back. I didn’t rush the workout and focused on making quality reps.
Deadlift – Find your 1 rep max.
I took my time warming up for this lift and made a goal of at least 405 lb. for my PR. Up until now my heaviest lift was 395 lb. I made sure my form was consistent and put in enough warm up reps before I started going heavy. The lift started becoming difficult around 395 lb. I would struggle to get the bar off the ground but once it was a few inches off, I knew I would be able to complete the lift.

My last lift was at 415 lb. and it was a struggle. It was the longest deadlift and I almost gave up. Thankfully I was able to power through it without compromising my form. The other gym members were also there to cheer me on which helped. Surprisingly, the weight wasn’t too hard to hold. At the top of the lift, I held the bar for a few seconds just to “feel the weight”. My new goal for the next deadlift cycle will be 425 lb. to 445 lb. It will be about a 6% increase which I would be happy with.

WOD

Every 1:30 for 12 minutes

3 cleans + 1 split jerk (125lb. – 145 lb.)

The weight we were supposed to use for this workout was 60% of our 1RM, but after all those deadlifts I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to pull that much weight. I decided to scale down a bit to 125 lb. which is slightly below my 60%. After the first three rounds, I started to add more weight. I was able to complete the complex under 30 seconds which gave me confidence to add more weight. After three more rounds I added another 10 lb. and finished the last two rounds at 145 lb.

The next strength cycle will be centered around the Olympic lifts. It’s going to be an exciting next few weeks.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week As RX (Probably Scaled): October 5 – October 11

Nick PalomoLeave a comment

Monday

Deadlift – 6×2 at 80% (335 lb.)
Deadlifts at this weight are starting to get a lot easier. My setup is quicker and my rest in between sets is a bit shorter. I hope I can keep this up until next week when we test our 1RM.
WOD
For Time:

Run 400 m
Max Rep Wall Balls (20 lb., 11 ft)
Rest 1 Minute
Max Rep Wall Balls (20 lb., 11 ft)
Rest 1 Minute
Run 400 m
Rest 3 Minutes
–then–
4 Rounds:
5 Power Cleans (115 lb.)
10 Later Burpee Over Barbell (115 lb.)
15 Deadlifts (115 lb.)
–then–
Max Effort Air Squats
Decided to use a new format for the WOD section of the blog since it would be easier to read as a list instead of a continuous line. The hardest part of the WOD was the wall balls, burpees and deadlifts. The wall balls were difficult because of the Rx requirements. Height and weight are listed above but their was a rep requirement as well. I was able to reach the Rx minimum for the first set of wall balls but not the second. The requirement was 25 reps and I was able to barely able to make 27 the first set and 15 the second set. I tried to hold on to the wall ball as long as I could but I gave into fatigue.   I was confident with the weight, it was was the reps I was unsure about. I wasn’t expecting it to be a max rep attempt instead thinking it would be max reps in a given amount of time.

I wanted to use 135 lb. for the second part of the workout but I decided to go down a bit more. The weight was supposed to be light enough that the deadlifts would be done unbroken. I was only able to do the first round unbroken. I was feeling the effects of the deadlifts from earlier and had to break up the deadlifts into two or three sets. The burpees were difficult because, burpees! Finished the workout with max effort air squat. After all the work we did earlier, these air squats were tough. The Rx reps were above 75 reps which is not hard for me when my legs are fresh. I only did 35 reps after two minutes.

Tuesday

Hand Stand Push Ups – max effort strict and kipping
 
Worked on some hand stand push ups. Started with a max effort strict hand stand push ups (MEHSPU) and I was able to complete ten reps which is a new PR for me. My previous PR was five. I was able to complete 11 reps on my kipping HSPUs but it wasn’t a PR. The most I’ve done unbroken was 15.

Floor Press – Find 2RM (235 lb.)

My floor press 3RM is 225lb. and I was shooting for at least 235 lb. on this attempt.

WOD – TC 12 minutes

25 toes to bar
50 overhead squats (45 lb.)
100 double unders
50 overhead squats (45 lb.)
25 toes to bar

Going into this workout, I thought my biggest hurdle was going to be the toes to bar. I was wrong, it was the 50 overhead squats! I was still sore from Monday and I felt it after 25 reps into the first 50 overhead squats. I was able to hold the weight overhead, but I wasn’t able to complete all the squats as quickly as I would have liked. I was slow during the double unders but I will attribute that to fatigue. I was only able to finish 35 reps of the overhead squats when I hit the time cap.

Wednesday

Warm Up – 3 rounds
15 ab-mat sit ups
15 banded good mornings
15 walking lunges with med. ball
Started Wednesday with an easy warm up. I used a light med. ball (8 lb.), and a thin band. I took it slow and made sure my body was warmed up for the deadlifts.
Deadlift  – 3×3 at 95% 1rm (365 lb.)
Not sure if I was fatigued from the previous days or if it was an off day, but I felt weak during the deadlifts. My estimated 95% is around 405 lb. but I was barely able to complete 365 lb. I actually had to scale down after my first set at 365 lb. I wasn’t able to get the second rep off the ground and scaled down to 315 lb. I might have to take longer rests in between sets but I’m not sure how much of a difference that was going to make. I hope I recover before next week.
WOD 
 
Partner Cindy – AMRAP 20 minutes
Partners alternate rounds
5 pull ups
10 push ups
15 air squats
This was a milestone workout since this was my fiance’s first day at the gym. She was a member of another local affiliate and was excited to workout with the Lions! I’m excited for her to be a regular member so we can both support each other through our fitness journey. I managed to do the workout Rx and she scaled the pull ups. We finished 14 rounds.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!
 

My Week as RX (Probably Scaled): September 28 – October 4

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Monday

Deadlift – 5×5 at 85% (335 lb.)

335 lb. is a little lower than my 85%. I’m trying to be a bit conservative on the deadlift, making sure I have better form on my lifts. My form has improved a lot, and my lower back doesn’t tighten up as much.

Partner WOD – 4 RFT: 25 cal row, 20 chest to bar, 15 handstand push ups

This WOD was challenging, but thankfully my partner was able to push me. We split most of the work evenly except for the row. I rowed 10 cals and he did 15 since he was a better rower. The chest to bar was done in 5 rep sets which allowed some rest and we split the handstand push ups 7 – 8 with me taking the 7 reps.

The hardest part of this WOD was the chest to bar pull ups. I’m still working on my strength and kip. I was able to do five straight and broke up the rest into smaller sets of two or three. At round three and four I was doing singles. My hands were starting to become raw and I was trying to avoid a tear at all costs. Thankfully I was able to finish the workout with no tears. On the last round, I was able to do 15 straight handstand push ups to make up for my slow rowing. We finished the workout out at 13:01.

Wednesday

Deadlift – 6×2 at 80% (335 lb.)
After the deadlifts on Monday, I’m more confident lifting 335 lb. It’s still feels heavy but my grip is getting better and my back feels better as well. Will start increasing the weight on Friday.
Three Headed Dragon – For Time: 400 double unders, back squat 40,000 lb. and row 4,000 m.
This is my first time attempting this WOD and thankfully it was a team WOD. Our team of three decided to split the work evenly. The double unders would be done in 50 rep sets until finished while back squats were going to be done in 10×10 sets at 135 lb. The row section was divided into threes as well. While one person squats, one person rests and the other is on the rower. We would rotate until we hit 4000 m on the rower and then focus on the back squats.

The double unders were a breeze, breaking them down into sets of 50 was a smart choice. The hardest part of the workout was the back squat. The weight becomes heavy, very fast. The first few rounds were not too bad but after set six it takes a toll on your quads. After the row was finished we focused on the remaining squats and finished in 28:46.

Friday

Deadlift – 4×4 at 90%
My 90% is 385 lb. and the heaviest amount of weight that I’ve lifted was 375 lb. This was going to be a challenge. I started off warming up until I reached 315 lb. I reached 385 lb. on my last set, it was tough and my grip almost gave out. I now have a new four rep max, potentially raising my max by 20 lb. I think our deadlift max day will be in two weeks.
WOD 1 – AMRAP 8 minutes: 4 burpees, 8 toes to bar, 12 wall balls (20 lb.)
The hardest part of this WOD was the toes to bar. My hands were still raw and I made a mistake of not shaving down the calluses. I was mindful of my hands and made sure to stop and scale when my hands were about to tear. The wall balls became a problem after the second round. I could feel it in my quads, they were still sore from Wednesday. I managed to finish this WOD with three rounds completed.

WOD 2 – AMRAP 6 minutes: 25 double unders, 15 thrusters (45 lb.)

We had a two minute rest in between workouts which helped me catch my breath. I was hoping my legs would recover in time but I wasn’t too sure. The double unders were not too difficult but the thrusters were hard on my legs. Most of my muscles were fatigued after the last workout making the thrusters harder after each round. I managed to finish one round under a minute but it took two minutes to finish the second one. I managed to finish the workout with three rounds and 25 double unders. 

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week as RX (Probably Scaled): September 21 – September 27

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Monday

Deadlift – 6×2 at 80% 1RM (335 lb.)

Today’s strength portion was a lot better than last week. I was able to find a “rhythm” in my deadlifts and my body felt a lot better. I was focusing on form, keeping my hips back and staying on my heels. My lower back still tightened up but I was expecting it.
WOD – In 20 minutes: 21 power snatches, run 200 m, 15 overhead squats, run 200 m, 9 hang squat snatch, run 200m. Rest 3 minutes. In remaining time AMRAP: 5 lateral burpee over bar, 5 front squats, 5 push press. Bar weight 75 lb. 
I decided to go with a lighter weight at the beginning of the the workout, the RX weight was 95 lb. My main concern was going to be the power snatches. I was comfortable with the overhead squats and the hang squat snatch at 95 lb. but 21 power snatches were going to be a problem. I was also concerned about the run after the deadlifts.

I was able to breeze through the snatches. I finished the 21 reps under 50 seconds but the run really slowed me down. I wasn’t able to run as fast since I my lower back was very tight. Was able to go unbroken on the overhead squats and hang snatches but the 200 m run rough. Finished this part of the WOD under 10 minutes. I was only able to finish 3 rounds in the second half.

Weighted Plank Hold – 3×60 seconds, 30 seconds rest. 35 lb.

Decided to go up 10 lb., third round was the hardest, dropped to my knees for about 5 seconds.

Wednesday

Warm Up –  60 du’s, 20 kb swings, 5 burpees, 45 du’s, 15 kb swings, 5 burpees, 30 du’s, 10 kb swings, 5 burpees. KB swings – Russian, 45 lb.
Managed to finish this workout under 5 minutes. The hardest part was the double unders. My forearms gave out into the third round which slowed me down.

Run – 1000 m, for time (5:59)

Not sure if the KB swing from the warm up tired me out but my lower back was on fire. I ran considerably slower than normal on this run. Finished this run in 5:59, 29 seconds slower than my last record. Need to test this when we’re not on a deadlift cycle.

Deadlift – 6×6 at 80% (315 lb.)

6×6 is a lot, especially at that weight! I decided to lower my weight just to complete this strength workout in time. It’s about 75% of my 1RM.  I like the structure of this class. The strength portion was at the end, giving us the rest of the class period all the time to finish. I didn’t really feel rushed and finished in time with a good amount of rest between sets.

Friday

Deadlift – 6×2 at 80% (335 lb.)

After improving my form over the week, my lower felt better after Wednesday which made this deadlift workout easier to complete. Two reps are manageable at 80%. I think the cycle is going to pick up next week, probably going up to 85% – 90%. I hope the rep scheme is low.

WOD 1 – Every 2 minutes for 10 minutes: 10 toes to bar, 15 air squats, 1 clean and jerk complex. Clean and jerk complex – 3 Power cleans + Jerk, 70% 1RM (145 lb.).

This workout was fun, except around minute 8 when fatigue started to set in. I thought I did well in the toes to bar, I could feel my lats engage and my form stayed consistent. The clean and jerks were not too bad either, I still need to work on my oly lifts. I slowed down around the fourth round. Fatigue set in and I wasn’t able to complete my toes to bar quickly.

WOD 2 – AMRAP 7 minutes: 30 push press (95 lb.), max row.

The RX weight for this workout was 135 lb. but after the previous workout, I wasn’t sure if I could have handled that weight. I decided to scale down to 95 lb. which I thought would have been manageable. During the workout I could feel my quads tightening up. Not sure how long I could have gone with the weight at 135 lb. Finished the 30 push press before 3 minutes and hopped on the rower. If I could have kept a 2:00 per 500 m pace I would have been able to hit at least a 1k row. The row was difficult and I wasn’t pulling as hard as I usually do. My pace was about 2:15 per 500 m, but I picked it up at a minute left in the workout. I was able to finish with 920 m, rowed. 

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week as RX (Probably Scaled): September 14 – September 20

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Monday

Deadlift – 6×4 at 80% (335 lb.)

Today was an off day. I only finished four sets since I took too long. I wasn’t feeling it, I felt weak and ended up doing doubles instead of four touch and go reps.

WOD – Run 400m, 30 handstand push ups, then 2 rounds: run 300m, 10 toes to bar + pull up, then 3 rounds: run 200 m, 7 clean and jerks at 70% 1RM, then max effort double unders. Time cap 25 minutes. Must start double unders at 23 minutes.

I was excited for this WOD before class started and then I started to run. My lower back was tight and my lousy running form wasn’t helping. The movements that gave me the most trouble were running and the clean and jerks. During the first round of the clean and jerks, my quads started to cramp. I wasn’t able to complete the last two rounds before 23 minutes. Started on the double unders with about a minute left and managed to get about 25 double unders.

Monday was a off day, I didn’t feel myself. I decided to shake it off and comeback stronger the next day. Everyone has a bad day, unfortunately, today was my day.

Tuesday

Annie – 50-40-30-20-10, double unders, ab-mat sit ups.
Buy in was Annie with a 7 minute time cap. I wasn’t sure if I could have finished it under time cap but I was going to try my best. I managed to finish 30 double unders at time cap. 
Back Squat Maintenance – 5×3 at 75% of 1RM (275 lb.)
Back squats felt great, unlike Mondays deadlifts. Trying to work on my explosiveness and controlling the weight at the bottom of the squat.
WOD – FGB style, 3 Rounds: Pull up hold, pull ups (strict), pull ups (kipping), chin ups (strict). 15 seconds working, rest 45 seconds.

This workout is deceiving. I underestimated the pull up hold, and I thought the strict movements would be easier with rest. I managed to do okay with with at least three strict reps and five kipping each round.

Wednesday

Deadlift – 6×2 at 80% 1RM (335 lb.)
Wednesday was redemption day. I felt a lot better and was determined to do better than Monday. I was able to complete all my sets with enough time to set up for the WOD.
WOD – 5 Rounds for Time: 10 Burpees, 10 Wall Balls at 11′ (20 lb.), and 10 one arm dumbbell snatch at (50 lb.).
I was not able to complete this workout RX. My main concern for this workout was the wall balls since it was a foot higher and the dumbbell snatches. The RX weight for the dumbbell snatches were 70 lb. which is a difficult weight for me. I scaled down to 50 lb. which is more manageable. Surprisingly the easiest part of this workout was the wall balls. I was able to go unbroken on most sets. The hardest part were the burpees and snatches but I was able to keep a good pace. I finished the workout in 13:45.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week as RX (Probably Scaled): September 7 – September 13

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Tuesday

Pull Up Strength Work

Tuesdays strength work was focused on pull ups. We did narrow, regular and wide grip pull ups and then some chest to bar work. 
WOD – 8 rounds FGB syle (30 seconds), pull ups, push ups, air squats, rest
We performed each movement for 30 seconds and then moving on the the next one. My hands were raw from all the pull up work that I decided to slow down when my hands were about to rip. Since pull ups were taking a toll on my hands I would have to gain reps on the push ups or air squats. I managed to stay consistent with most rounds being around 30 reps. 
Weighted Plank Hold – 3 rounds, 60 seconds, rest 30 seconds. 25 lb.

Thursday

Mobility 
Did some mobility work for 15 minutes. 
Handstand Skill Work

Worked on some handstand skill work. Started out with some headstand drills and then worked to handstand work. 
WOD – Run: 1600 m, rest 3 minutes, 1200 m, rest 2 minutes, 800 m, rest 1 minute, 400 m
Running is my weakest movement which is why I like running WODs. I PR’d my mile by 2 minutes, which was unexpected. I finished all the run intervals in 23:54, not including the rest times.

Friday

Deadlift – 6×2 at 80% 1RM (335 lb.)
After not doing deadlifts for more than a week this was challenging. I worked on keeping my back straight and not rounding it. Form was my main focus during the lifts. 
Strict Press – 6×6 at 70% 1RM (115 lb.)
The we superset the deadlifts with strict presses. I under estimated the weight and I quickly became fatigued. I decided to take a longer rest before the strict press to give my arms and shoulders a rest.
WOD – Partnered, split reps as needed. 200 m overhead walking lunge with 45 lb. plate. Then, AMRAP 7 kettlebell swings 70 lb., 7 burpees and 7 wall balls 20 lb. 
This WOD was tough. We decided to alternate exercises but in the end I couldn’t catch my breath fast enough and my partner kept the pace and made up the reps. I felt like I held him back but he assured me that it’s not about the score. He just wanted to get a good workout which humbled me. We managed to finish 10 rounds. 
Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week as RX (Probably Scaled): August 31 – September 6

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This was a short week. I was only able to make it to the gym on Monday and Wednesday.

Monday

Floor Press – Find 3 RM (225 lb.)
Todays strength section was find a 3 rep max floor press. Since the bench press cycle was a few months ago I had some numbers I could base it on. I was shooting for a bit heavier than my bench press 3 rep max of 205 lb. and was able to lift 225 lb. for the floor press.
WOD – 8 minutes: Run 1000 m, max effort dumbbell snatches with remaining time. Rest 2 minutes. 6 minute AMRAP: 3 muscle ups, 6 dumbbell lunges, 9 dumbbell swings. Rest 2 minutes. 4 minutes: max effort burpees.
Monday Funday! At first glance I knew I was going to have problems with the dumbbells especially at the RX weight. I scaled down to 50 lb. dumbbells. I am not proficient in my dumbbell movements so it was best to keep the weight lower in order to maintain form and not lose control of the dumbbell. The other part that worried me was the run. The last time I ran a 1000 m, I finished in 7 minutes. Leaving me no time to catch my breath and do some dumbbell snatches. 
I finished the run in 5:30 which was very surprising. I managed to complete 15 alternating dumbbell snatches as well. I had to scale the muscle ups and did 2 pull ups and 1 ring dip for every muscle up rep. I finished 3 rounds and up to 6 dumbbell swings. At this point I feel extremely exhausted and only managed 25 burpees. 

Wednesday

Deadlift  – Find 3 RM (375 lb.)
I didn’t get to find my 1 rep max during the last deadlift cycle so I wanted to push myself on this one. My previous 3 RM was 325 lb. and I wanted to see how heavy I could go. I managed to lift 375 lb. making it my new 3 RM PR!  
WOD – 5 rounds for time: 10 Deadlifts (225 lb.), 10 Box Jumps (30 in.), 100 ft walking lunge. Rest 1 minute between rounds.
This wod was very humbling. After coming off the 3 rep max deadlift pr, I felt confident going into the wod. I decided to not scale the deadlifts and box jumps. I was more worried about the deadlifts but I should have been more concerned about the box jumps and walking lunges. After round 2 I decided to lower my box to 24 inches and do step ups. My quads were on fire and by the end of the wod. I should have been more mindful of those two movements but it’s a learning experience. I finished in 13:46.
I’m starting to realize that I need to push myself more. I know I’ve been overly cautious in my workouts but if the last few weeks have proven anything, it’s that I can do it.

“You don’t need harder workouts, you need to go harder in your workouts” – Tommy Hackenbruk.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week as RX (Probably Scaled): August 24 – 30

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Monday


Pause Back Squat (3 Seconds) – 5×3 at 60% (215 lb.)
I took a long time to warm up, weight felt heavier than usual. I was able to power through under the time limit. 
WOD – 12 minutes: Run 1 mile, max power cleans with remaining time. Rest 3 minutes. 10 minutes: AMRAP – 6 Front Squats, 6 Push Jerks, 6 Toes to Bar.
At first glance this WOD looks like a grind. It’s 25 minutes of work and not much rest except for the 3 minutes after the power cleans. I wasn’t as quick on the run since it was just after the squats, my legs felt like jello. I was able to finish the run in about 9 minutes, and finish 20 max cleans. After the 3 minute rest I managed to finish 4 rounds, 6 front squats, 6 push jerks, and 3 toes to bar.

Tuesday

Skill Work – Pull Ups
Worked on strict chest to bar pull ups, kipping pull ups and toes to bar. I like gymnastic skill days, they give me time to work on pull strength. Need to more strength for the muscle up.
WOD – 15-12-9, Deadlifts (225 lb.), Lateral Burpee over Barbell, Run 200m 
I was going to scale this workout but I decided against it. 225 lb. is about 60% of my 1RM and I wanted to push myself. I was sure the burpees and the run will be the limiting factors in this workout which made recovering from the deadlifts a little easier. I broke up the deadlifts into 2 sets each with a 10 second rest between sets. I didn’t break up the burpees but did them at a constant pace. I finished the WOD in 9:40.

Wednesday

Did a short warm up consisting of air squats, pvc shoulder rotations and good mornings to warm up our legs, hips and shoulders. 
Overhead Squat 1 Rep Max – 205 lb.
I wrote about this in a previous post here. 
WOD – Partner Morrison 50-40-30-20-10, Wall Balls (20 lb.), Box Jumps, Kettle Bell Swings (24 kg)
Managed to finish this wod in 16:40, but I think I was too slow. My partner for this wod was pretty quick and didn’t seem to slow down at all. I managed to do all my Wall Ball sets unbroken as well as KB swings. My limiter was box jumps since I couldn’t jump all my sets, I would switch between jumping and step ups.

Saturday

Snatch Skill Work
Did some work on snatch positions and lat activation. I still have to work on activating my lats during snatches.
3 Position Power Snatch (Ground, Hang, Power) – 135 lb.
Worked up to a 1 rep heavy for this one. Started at 95 lb. and finished at 135 lb. I’m not sure if I could have went heavier. 135 lb. is ≈ 87% of my 1 rep max for snatches. 
Lift Heavy and Level Up!