My Week As RX

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): July 18 – July 24

Nick Palomo1 Comment

 

Tuesday

Bench Press – 5×5 at a heavy set of 5

I haven’t been doing much bench work lately. My range was probably going to be between 165 lb. – 185 lb. After warming up to 165 lb. I was able to complete five reps without much resistance so I went up to 185 lb. The weight was heavy but I was able to complete five reps each set. I ran out of time and stopped at four sets.

WOD
 
Elizabeth – 15 Minute Time Cap
21-15-9
Cleans (135 lb.)
Ring dips

It has been a year since I’ve done this workout. I scaled the cleans and ring dips but this time, I decided to Rx the cleans. I have been doing a lot of work at 135 lb. thanks to the barbell club. I would have to be smart about how I broke up the sets. My plan was going to be to break up each round into three sets.The cleans were manageable for the first round. I broke up the reps into sevens and the ring dips were the same. I tried to do the first round Rx but I gave up after rep 14. I haven’t been doing much dip work lately and it shows. The second round wasn’t too bad but I was a lot slower. The last round of nine, was hard. One of the coaches was pushing me to finish, making sure I would do at least one rep before resting. After finishing the cleans I felt light headed. I tried to do ring dips but I stopped after the first two reps. I couldn’t finish the last seven. My breathing was horrible and I just sat down and caught my breath. I had about two minutes left before time cap but I couldn’t get up and finish. That was the first time I felt that bad during a workout. My lack of conditioning shows and it sucks. I need to find a way to balance both.

Friday

WOD
3 Rounds Of:
Run (400 m)
21 kb swings (54 lb.)
12 hand stand push ups
This was a fun workout. I knew the run was going to suck, and the handstand push ups were going to be a lot harder after the skills work we did earlier. The first round was okay, I was able to complete the run at a good pace, the kb swings were done unbroken and the hand stand push ups were done in two sets of six. The second round was where I started to slow down. I was slower on the run but not by too much. I was able to finish the kb swings unbroken but I hit a wall at the handstand push ups. I was able to do five reps then three then four. I was considerably slower. The last round was the worst. The run was hard. I had to push myself mentally to stay focused and not walk. I finished the run and took 15 seconds to catch my breath. I picked up the kb and managed to complete 11 reps before dropping it. I was hoping to do it unbroken again but it was too taxing. After a short rest I picked it back up and finished the remaining 10 reps. The last round of hand stand push ups were slow I was able to complete maybe two or three reps before resting. Other members were cheering me on and I found the energy to complete the last few reps. I finished the workout at 15:48.

 

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): July 11 – July 17

Nick Palomo1 Comment

 

Tuesday

WOD – Every 1:30 for 15 minutes
100 m run with medicine ball (16 lb.)
10 wall balls (16 lb.)

When I read the workout I thought it was alternating movements. I thought it was a piece of cake until the coaches explained the workout. It was a lot of work and since I haven’t been doing much cardio, this workout was going to hurt. I decided to use a 16 lb. medicine ball but I should have went lighter. 14 lb. or 8 lb. would have been more manageable. The first few rounds went well. I was getting my run done under 30 seconds and I would finish the wall balls with about 40 seconds of rest. At the half way mark, my performance went downhill. I would finish the run around 40 seconds and only do about five wall balls or less. It was very tough and I wanted to finish but I didn’t have it in me.I learned a few things from this workout. The first lesson was read the workout carefully. My mindset going into it was a lot more relaxed and I should have mentally prepared for it. The second lesson was that I need to do more than just barbell club. I’ve noticed my lifts have gotten better but my endurance have gotten worse. I need to find a good balance. Lastly, I should have went with my gut and got a lighter ball. I’m not sure how much of a difference it would have made but I shouldn’t have gone that heavy if I couldn’t finish all the reps.

Shoulder Taps from High Plank – 3 Minutes

After that brutal workout, this wasn’t too bad. I was able to finish 76 reps at the end of three mintues.

Wednesday

Deadlift – 6×3 at 80% (350 lb.)

I wasn’t sure how these deadlifts were going to go. I haven’t been doing conventional deadlifts lately and all my pulls are done at lighter weights. I worked up to my 80% and managed to not break my form. I made sure my form wasn’t compromised for all sets and it felt great to deadlift relatively heavy again.

Partner WOD – 25 Minute TC
3 km Row
150 sit up with med. ball (4 lb.)
200 air squats
100 kb swings

This was fun and I partnered with my fiance. I wanted to split the row into 500 m sets but she advised against it saying 250 m would be a better distance. We used a light medicine ball (4 lb.) for the sit ups. *Spoiler Alert* we did not make it to the kb swings so the weights are not important.The row started off great. 500 m sets would have sucked and thankfully she had enough foresight to only go 250 m. I was able to catch my breath between sets and it wasn’t too bad. The sit ups were more difficult than the row. My abs started to cramp up around rep 80 or so. I would need to take a short rest before resuming. The air squats is where we stopped at the time cap. We made it through 160 air squats at time. We had to take short breaks since the rest between sets were not enough. I’m happy with our score since we pushed eachother to work hard.

Thursday

Push Press – 6×3 at 80% (165 lb.)

Heavy push press session was great. I’m still learning some techniques but it felt great. It was heavy but I managed to get through all the reps.

Back Squat – 6×3 at 80% (305 lb.)I remember when 305 lb. was around 95% of my 1RM now I’m doing them for three. The last half of the set I had some sticking points but I was able to get through them. My legs felt great.

Snatch Pull – 3×3 at 85% (135 lb.)
Ended the day with some heavy pull work. I started working without straps since I wanted to get used to holding the weight again.Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): July 4 – July 10

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Tuesday

Overhead Squat – Find a 3 rep heavy
I haven’t done heavy overhead squats in awhile. With my grip and shoulder issues, I’ve been staying away from the movement. After doing a lot more mobility before class and at home, my grip and shoulder issues have improved. My 3RM is 195 lb. and I wanted to come close to that weight.
Started out light to warm up. Lately, behind the neck push presses were hard to do. It would put a lot of strain on my shoulders and I would barely complete the lift. It wasn’t too bad however. After a few reps, I felt normal again. I loaded up the bar to 185 lb. and completed three reps. I decided to stop since we had to get ready for the workout. We only had four minutes left in the session. Surprisingly, the weight wasn’t too bad. The first rep was easy and quick. The next two were not too bad either. I could feel my grip slipping a bit but that’s probably because I didn’t have chalk. I didn’t finish at my 3RM but I came within 95%, which I’m happy with.
Partner WOD – 12 Minute AMRAP
50 kb swings (Russian, 54 lb.)
100 double unders
50 overhead squats (95 lb.)

This was a fun partner workout. My goal for this workout was at least two rounds. My biggest issue would be the overhead squats. The work was split equally. The kb swings were not too bad. The reps were broken up into sets of 10. The double unders went well. I was able to complete 40 reps before breaking. The overhead squats were broken up into sets of 10. I had to break it up into sets of five during the last two sets.The second round did not go as well. I was gassed by this point and I wasn’t moving very well. I was able to keep up with the kb swings but I lost it at the double unders. I would do around 5-10 reps before tripping. I was exhausted and my timing was horrible. I think we could have finished more reps if I didn’t mess up this section. The overhead squats were not as bad as the double unders but we started running out of time. We finished 1 round and 192 reps at time. We were so close to two rounds!

 

Wednesday

 

Snatch – 1×2 at 60% (95 lb.), 1×2 at 70% (110 lb.), 1×2 at 80% (125 lb.) x2

My snatches are starting to feel better. I had to adjust my pulls at the lighter weight because I was catching the bar high. As the weight became heavier, it was easier. The second round felt better than the first. It was probably because I was warmed up. Most of the reps felt really great and I didn’t make huge mistakes or any misses.

Clean and Jerk Complex – Every 1:30 for 9:00 Minutes

2 clean + 1 jerk at 75% (165 lb.)This workout was rough since I tried to keep the reps under 30 seconds. This way, I would have enough time to rest. The first few rounds, the cleans were not too bad but became harder as time went on. The jerks were the easiest part and I decided to focus mostly on form. I was able to get in good reps even though I was tiring out from the cleans. I’m still having some issues with grip but hopefully the stretches alleviate the discomfort. I may want to try and lower the bar on the first clean instead of dropping it before the second clean. This way I can also work on grip strength as I lower the bar.

Clean High Pull – 4×3 at 85% (185 lb.)

Did these reps quickly without resting too long. I took about a minute between sets.

Front Squat – 5×2 at 80% (245 lb.)

This was a fight. 245 lb. felt a lo heavier than 80%. The first two sets were great. My breathing was on point and I manage to keep my elbows up and back straight. The third set on was a struggle. I couldn’t keep a full grip on the bar and it would eventually go on my finger tips. My breathing was a bit harder to control and I felt like I was collapsing in the bottom position. It wasn’t too bad but I know where my weaknesses are in the squat. Not sure how I strengthen it either, hopefully doing more squats and midline work will make it easier.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): June 27 – July 3

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If you’re in the US, I hope you had a great 4th of July weekend.

Monday

Push Press – 6×2 at 80% (165 lb.)

The push press didn’t feel too heavy and I was able to get through it quickly. I focused on my front rack position and my dip and drive.

Snatch Complex – 2 at 70% (110 lb.), 2 at 75% (115 lb.), 2 at 80% (120 lb.)

Snatch pull + power snatchThis was a different snatch complex then the previous weeks. The snatch pull felt great while, the power snatch was a little off at the 70% and 75%. My shoulder have been sore for the past week or two and my shoulders didn’t feel as strong. Thankfully, I felt great at 80%. I may need to warm up longer in the future.

Power Clean – 5×2 at 80% (187 lb.)

Power clean was easy compared to the power snatch. Worked on my first pull since I tend to rush it.

Back Squat – 6×2 at 80% (300 lb.)

I haven’t moved 300+ lb. in a few weeks but these back squats felt great. I had a few reps where my weight shifted to my forefot and toes but I was able to correct it in later reps. I’m starting to feel more confident in heavier back squats.

Wednesday

Snatch – 2×2 at 60% (95 lb.), 2×2 at 70% (115 lb.), 2×2 at 80% (125 lb.)

I started doing Burgener warm ups before every snatch session and it helps a lot. The lifts started off a bit rocky but felt a lot better as the weights increased. The two sets at 125 lb. felt easier than the two sets at 95 lb.

Clean and Jerk Complex – Every 1:30 for 9 Minutes at 75% (165 lb.)

2 squat cleans + split jerk

This was fun but was tiring. I would finish the round under 30 seconds, just to make sure I had enough time to rest. The squat cleans felt great and I was able to get through them without much trouble. I focused on my split jerk form since a few reps didn’t feel great. I was able to complete all lifts but it could have been a lot better.

Clean High Pull – 4×3 at 85% (185 lb.)

After doing the clean and jerk complex, these were easy. My pulls feel a lot stronger now.

Friday

Front Squat – 5×2 at 80% (245 lb.)

Started the day off with front squats. I warmed up a bit but I wasn’t comfortable with the squat until the second set. I worked on my front squat issues mainly my breathing. I’m not close to being comfortable with my breathing but it’s getting better. I also worked on staying active in the bottom and keeping my chest and elbows up.

Snatch Pull – 3×3 at 85% (135 lb.)

The snatch pulls went well. I focused on not rushing my first pull and finishing in a good postion.

WOD
 
FGB style, 5 rounds
Kettlebell swings (Russian, 72 lb.)

Chin ups

At first glance, I knew this was going to be hard. I didn’t know what my goals were going to be for each movement. Kb swings were going to be tough especially at 72 lb. I had a feeling my grip would start to give out in the later rounds. The chin ups were going to be tough as well. I haven’t been doing gymnastics movements since I started doing more Oly lifts so this would be interesting. I decided to throw some numbers as goals. I wanted at least 10 kb swings and 5 chin ups.

During the first round I was able to get 15 kb swings and 5 chin ups. The kb swings were not bad but the chin ups were difficult. I was doing them strict since I’m not sure if their is a way to kip a chin up. The first round set the pace for the last four and I was determined to keep up with the number. I dropped to 19 reps during rounds two and three. I would complete 15 reps of the kb swings but I would drop to four chin ups. During round four I was only able to do 10 kb swings but I was able to complete four chin ups. I was able to complete 20 reps during the last round.

It was a great workout and I’m happy that I got to complete some gymnastics work. I have been slacking in the gymnastics department but I plan to do more work and get better. Need to find that balance between CrossFit and Oly lifting.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): June 20 – June 26

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Tuesday

I didn’t have enough time to complete all the Barbell Club workouts so I did the class instead.

WOD – AMRAP 9 Minutes

 

Row 30 cals.
-then-
5 burpees
10 pull-ups
15 kettlebell swings, Russian (54 lb.)
This was a difficult workout for me and I didn’t do as well as I hoped. The row wasn’t too bad. I kept a good pace and was off in good amount of time. The burpees and kettlebell swings were not too bad as well but I struggled with the pull ups. Since starting the Barbell Club, my gymnastics movements have deteriorated. I need to incorporate more strict movements into my training maybe doing more strict pull ups and handstand push ups. Other than my pull ups feeling horrible, the workout was great. I completed three rounds.

 

Wednesday

Snatch – 2×2 at 60% (95 lb.), 2×2 at 70% (110 lb.), 2×2 at 80% (125 lb.)
Same as last Wednesday and same issues. I was able to adjust quicker this time around. Surprisingly, the set at 80% went a lot better than the 60%. It could be because of the heavier weight or I’m getting better at snatches. I hope its the latter.
Jerk – 1 Rep Heavy
After the snatches I worked on my jerk. Previously, I was able to hit 100 kg. on my jerk and today I wanted to work up to that number. Started out around 60 kg, and worked up in 10 kg sets. I started having trouble at 95 kg. I missed this weight twice and finally was able to complete it on the third try. I need to use shorter jerk blocks since I felt the weights hit the block on my second to last attempt. I lost focus once I felt the weight hit the block and tried to attempt the lift. I should have just stopped and rested. I decided to end it there since I wanted to move on to the next workout and I didn’t want to tire myself out trying to get to 100 kg. I didn’t hit my goal weight but I will try again next time.
Clean High Pull – 4×3 at 85% (185 lb.)
We have been doing a lot of snatch high pulls and not a lot of clean high pulls. I had to ask one of the coaches to help me but I eventually got it down.

Thursday

Back Squat – 3×3 at 75% (285 lb.)
Haven’t done heavy squats this week so naturally, we have two programmed. Back squat and the front squat at the end. 285 lb. is heavy but it’s only three reps which isn’t too much. I focused on form and was able to finish quickly.
Power Snatch (Low Block) – 4×3 at 80% (125 lb.)
Starting to feel better doing snatches from the blocks as my form gets better. The bar loops out a bit but I’m working on bringing in the bar closer on the pull and turnover.
Clean Complex – Every 1:30 for 9 Minutes at 75% (165 lb.)
Power Clean + Hang Clean + Front Squat + Jerk
I had fun doing this complex. It’s a lot of work but I had fun with it. Thankfully, it was every 1:30 instead of every minute. I did spot some issues on the power clean and hang clean that I need to work on. I was able to finish all the reps without going over time.
Front Squat – 3×3 at 80% (245 lb.)
Final workout of the day and it had to be front squats! After that clean and jerk complex I didn’t feel like doing more front squats. I need to put in the work if I want to get stronger. I loaded up the bar and started doing some squats. My legs were warm by this point so the warm up wasn’t too long. The weight felt a lot heavier than what I remember but I managed to get through it. Thankfully it was only three reps. I worked on my usual weaknesses. Keeping my elbows up and straightening my back.
Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): June 13 – June 19

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Tuesday

WOD – AMRAP 7 Minutes
7 power snatch (75 lb.)
7 knees to elbow
I wanted to complete at least five rounds of this workout. Looking at the movements, the knees to elbows (K2E) were going to slow me down. I was comfortable with the power snatches but the K2E was going to give me a hard time. I was able to keep a good pace of a round every minute for the first three but I slowed down considerably. I couldn’t keep up with my K2E pace. I broke up my sets from 3-4 a set with about 15-20 seconds of rest in between. I had to break up the last set of power snatches into a set of five and two. I finished the workout with 5 rounds.

Wednesday

Snatch – 2×2 at 60% (95 lb.), 2×2 at 70% (110 lb.), 2×2 at 80% (125 lb.)I noticed that I need to adjust my pull for certain weights. At 70% and 80% I would pull too hard and end up catching the bar in a power snatch. I adjusted the power on the pull and was able to catch the bar in squat. Still need to work on my snatches.

Push Press –  1 Rep Heavy
I haven’t done a heavy push press since February and I was eager to complete a heavy push press. My 3RM is at 185 lb. which estimated my potential 1RM at 205-210. I started warming up to 185 and started doing singles. I had to re do a rep or two because I would slightly redip. I completed the rep at 205 lb. and could have went heavier but I decided against it because if time.
Snatch Pull – 3×3 at 85% (135 lb.)

I’m starting to like pulls and they’re starting to feel better.

Friday

1/4 Front Squat – 3×3 at 60% (205 lb.)

 

Went up 15 lb. from last time time I did this workout. It was just as difficult as last time. I had to control my breathing and keep my chest up. It was rough but I got it done.

Clean and Jerk Complex – 5×1 at 75% (170 lb.)

1 power clean + 3 jerks

The clean and jerks were not too bad. I tried to keep the rest at two minutes between reps. My jerks are improving and hopefully I get more confidant with higher weights.

Snatch Pull – 3×3 at 85% (135 lb.)

 

Same as Wednesday and just as great. All the pulls felt good, and I didn’t make too many errors. Great way to end the week.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): June 6 – June 12

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Monday

Strict Press: 6×6 at 70% (115 lb.)
These strict presses felt really heavy. I was actually surprised, since we have been doing a lot of strict press over the past few weeks. I was able to get through it but I wan’t happy with my sets.
Power Snatch (Low Block) – 5×3 at 70% (110 lb.)
The strict presses didn’t feel great but the the power snatches felt a lot better. I haven’t done many snatches from the blocks so this was great practice. It took me a set or two to get into a good rhythm. My lifts felt a lot better after that initial warm up.
EMOM – 10 Minutes
2 Squat Cleans + Jerk at 70% (150 lb.)

I under estimated this workout. The weight wasn’t too heavy and I thought it would be easy. After the first minute, I realized it was going to be a lot harder. Two squat cleans and a jerk add up quickly. I tried to recover but I could never fully catch my breath. I was able to finish the workout but it was tough.

Back Squat – 3×3 at 70% (265 lb.)

 

I’m not sure if I was tired from all the squat cleans but the back squats felt very heavy.

Partner WOD
 
AMRAP 20 Minutes
100 cal. row
800 m shuttle run
60 sit ups
40 power cleans (95 lb.)
20 burpee box jump oversAfter doing a lot of Oly work, I decided to do the class WOD. I still want to increase my Open standing next year and I need to do more metcons. My partner had to scale a few things because of an injury but I was able to finish everything Rx. All work was broken up evenly.

The hardest part for me was the row. We broke up the row into sets of 25 cals. which was bearable. I tried to keep a pace of one cal. per pull but I wasn’t able to keep it up for too long. The shuttle run wasn’t too bad. We did 100 m intervals which gave us enough time to catch our breath. The other movements were not too bad. I almost finished the power cleans unbroken but by grip started to give out. We finished the workout with 1 round plus 100 cal. row and 50 m run.

Thursday

Strict Press – 7×5 at 75% (125 lb.)

This workout was better than Monday. I was able to finish it quickly without much trouble. I felt a lot stronger than Monday.

Power Snatch (Low Block) – 4×3 at 75% (115 lb.)
Snatches from the blocks are starting to become one of my favorite workouts. I don’t have to worry about the first pull and focus on the second and turnover. It’s a lot easier to work on form since I have less to think about. The first few warm up reps took some adjustment but I got the hang of it. The snatches felt great, and I was able to get through them quickly.
EMOM – 9 Minutes
1 Power Clean  + 1 Hang Squat Clean + 1 Front Squat (165 lb.)
This complex was a lot harder than I realized. I was comfortable with the the power clean but the hang squat clean and the front squat were a lot to handle. The weight wasn’t too heavy but the reps add up quickly. The good thing is that it forced me to set up and try to recover as fast as I could. Thankfully, I was able to push through, and finish each rep before time.
Back Squat – 3×3 at 75% (285 lb.)

This session of back squats was better than Monday. It was heavier than Monday but I wasn’t too worried. I was still feeling the aftermath of the clean complex but I took some time to recover before warming up. My legs felt great so I gained more confidence in my lifts. I was able to get through all the sets without much of an issue. 285 lb. is not as heavy as it used to be!

 

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): May 30 – June 5

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Tuesday

Strict Press – 8×4 at 78% (130 lb.)

 

A lot of sets but I was able to finish quickly. I rested about two minutes between each set.

Snatch Complex – Every 1:30 for 9 Minutes.
 
1 Halting Snatch Deadlift + Hang Power Snatch + Squat Snatch at 70% (105 lb.)This was a fun complex. The weight wasn’t too heavy, and I worked on form.

No Feet Power Cleans – 5×3 reps at 70% (165 lb.)

I haven’t done this drill in awhile. I had to do a few reps just to make sure I wasn’t moving my feet. After getting used to it, I was able to finish the workout with out issue.

Thursday

The video at the bottom shows me performing the workouts. Let me know what you think.
Push Press + Snatch Balance  – 5×1 at 70% (110 lb.) 

I found a few issues with my form while doing this workout. I noticed my heels would come off the floor during the push press. I need to work on my hip mobility and flexibility. The first few sets of snatch balances were uncomfortable since my hips were still tight. I need to warm up better before lifting.

Deficit Power Clean – 5×2 at 80% (185 lb.)
This was a bit harder than the last time we did this movement. It might be due to fatigue but 185 lb. felt very heavy. I need to work on my upper body mobility to improve my front rack.
1 1/4 Front Squat – 3×3 at 60% (190 lb.)
This was the first time I doing this movement. I thought of it as a big bounce out of the squat. Even thought the weight wasn’t heavy, it did start to wear on me after the first set. It was a lot of time under tension.
Snatch High Pull – 3×3 at 80% (125 lb.)

Had to use straps for this workout. It was easier to focus on form since I wasn’t worried about my grip.

Friday

Strict Press – 10×3 at 80% (135 lb.)

More strict press work. I took two minutes after every set to rest. Was able to finish this workout under thirty minutes which was a good pace. The last two sets were the hardest. My form wasn’t that great but I managed to finish it.

Pause Back Squat – 5×2 at 70% (260 lb.)

3 second decent, 10 second pause

 

Like the pause front squat workout, this one sucked. However, it showed me a weaknesses in my squat. I had a difficult time breathing under the weight. I tried to keep my torso upright but I would collapse a bit after the 8th second. I was able to do both reps without rest for three sets. During the last two sets, I would rest a bit after the first rep. I was worried I would pass out and took the time to catch my breath.

Partner WOD – Partner Nate
AMRAP 20 Minutes
2 muscle up
4 handstand push ups
8 kettlebell swings, American (72 lb.) 

The did this workout a year ago and I had to scale it. Instead of muscle ups I would do four chest to bar pull ups and two ring dips. I also used a lighter kettlebell for the swings. This time, I was able to do it mostly Rx with the exception of the muscle up which I scaled to bar.

The workout went great and I didn’t have too much trouble. I didn’t miss a rep on the muscle ups which I’m stoked about. Like most workouts, fatigue was an issue. The kettlebell swings were the hardest movement. I had to reset my feet a few times because I would lose control. It wasn’t too bad, just a step or two forward every few reps. I was able to hold on, and complete the set unbroken. We were able to complete 19 rounds plus two muscle ups and two handstand push ups.

Lift Heavy and Level Up!

 

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): May 23 – May 29

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Monday

Strict Press – 6×6 at 70% (115 lb.)My strict press feels stronger. All the reps are starting to add up

Power Snatch
 
EMOM for 9 minutes
1 power snatch at 80% (125 lb.)I mainly focused on foot movement and a good first and second pull. I didn’t feel great during a few reps but I corrected it.

Clean Complex – 5×1 at 80% (185 lb.)
 
3 power cleans + 2 front squats
The power cleans felt great, better than the snatches. Was able to get through these without any issues.

Wednesday

Pause Front Squat – 5×3 at 70% (220 lb.) 

3 second decent, 10 second pause at bottom

I really hate pause front squats after this session. The 10 second hold was hard to handle. I couldn’t do the reps in quick succession. I would do one rep and then rest a minute or so. I had a hard time keeping my elbows up after five seconds. I was also trying to control my breathing. It was a lot harder than I thought.

Split Jerk (Behind the Neck) – 5×3 at 75% (175 lb.)

We did this workout last week but this time we had to add 5-10 pounds. Even with the heavier weight, the jerks were not too bad and I felt my form was good.

Thursday

Strict Press – 7×5 at 75% (125 lb.)Heavier than Monday’s session. It took a bit longer to complete but I got through it.

Snatch Complex  – 5×2 at 80% (125 lb.)
Halting snatch deadlift + snatch high pull + snatch
This was a great complex but I need to work on my snatches. It would have been easier if it was power snatches but it did point out my weakness. I need to practice more squat snatches.
Yolk Carry 

AMReps in 5 Minutes at (375 lb.) 

This was the first time I used a yolk in a workout. I’ve done short yolk carries but they were done at a lighter weight. I was excited to see how far I could get in five minutes. We have a 50 m course set up in the gym but I decided to do intervals of 25 m. The first minute and a half, I was able to complete 50 m. The yolk might have been a bit tall and I should have adjusted it. The path wasn’t exactly straight all the time. Members from a class would be doing double unders near the path and I would have to shift a bit to avoid the ropes. The shifts would also cause the weight to become unwieldy. After 75 m, I could feel my legs buckling under the weight. I would be taking slightly shaky steps but I was able to make it over the 25 m interval. It was a fun workout and I hope I get to do more in the future. I was able to walk 150 m in five minutes.

 
Lift Heavy and Level Up!

My Week As Rx (Probably Scaled): May 16 – May 22

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Monday

WOD – 10 Minute EMOM
2 power clean + 1 push jerk (165 lb.)
This wasn’t a hard workout since the weight was light. I focused more on my catch position since I tend to stand straight when the weight is too light. I wasn’t too tired by the end, it was a fun workout.
Front Squat – Find Your 3 Rep Max
I haven’t tested heavy front squats in awhile. The heaviest was 90% a week or so ago. My previous three rep max was 260 lb. and I wanted to hit a PR this week. After warming up I started at 265 lb. and worked up to 275 lb. reaching a new PR! Now I need to test a new 1RM.

Tuesday

Front Squat – Find a 2 Rep Heavy
The description on the workout was no PR’s. I decided to work up to my new 3RM. I was only able to get up to 245 lb. I wasn’t feeling it. My form didn’t feel great and I had a hard time keeping my elbows up. I stopped since I didn’t want to get hurt.
3 Position Power Snatch

The front squats didn’t feel the best but I wanted to make it up on the snatch. My heaviest weight for this workout was 125 lb. So I would use that as my weight gauge. I worked up to 135 lb. but it wasn’t the best. The ground and hang were good, I moved well but the lift from the power position wasn’t great. I didn’t get under the bar quick enough, and I pressed out a bit. I hope it was fatigue.

Split Jerk (Behind the Neck) – 5×3 at 75% (165 lb.)

I haven’t been practicing split jerks from behind the neck so I decided not to rush the weight. At 135 lb. the weight felt light so I decided to go straight to 165 lb. The lifts were great, the hardest part of the workout was lowering the bar on my back. I wasn’t using blocks so I couldn’t just drop the weight. It was a fun workout.

Wednesday

Strict Press – 8×4 at 75% (125 lb.)

 

This was a grind. I took a few minutes in between sets. I struggled with my form towards the end but I finished eventually.

 
Power Snatch – 9 Minute EMOM
1 Power Snatch at 75% 1RM (115 lb.)
I focused on making each rep, a good rep. The weight was easy to manage and I didn’t rush my set up time.
WOD
FGB Style, 4 Rounds
Row (cal.)
Burpee over Rower
Alternating goblet lunge (54 lb.)
Rest
This was tough. I tried to stay consistant with all movements but I hit a wall in the third round. I was short a few reps for each movement but I was able to pick it back up on the fourth round. My totals for the rounds were 36, 36, 29, 36.

Thursday

Strict Press – 10×3 at 80% (135 lb.)
This took me nearly 45 minutes to complete. I had to take a few minutes in between sets to rest. I got it done eventually.
Clean Complex – 3×3 at 70% (160 lb.)
Halting Clean Deadlift + Hang Power Clean + Front Squat
I still need to work on my first pull and my hang cleans. My butt is alittle high on the pull. My hang clean still needs some tweaking. I was beat after this workout so I decided not to do the WOD.

Friday

Power Clean and Jerk – Find 1 Rep Heavy
I was able to hit a 215 lb. power clean and jerk. My current clean and jerk is 215 lb. I didn’t want to attempt a heavier weight since I wanted to save some energy for the WOD.
Partner WOD
60 power snatches (75 lb.)
30 synchronized burpees
40 clean and jerks (115 lb.)
20 synchronized burpees
20 thrusters (135 lb.)
10 synchronized burpees
I did this workout with my fiance and it went very well. The work was split evenly and the burpees were done together. We decided on sets of five, since it would give us enough rest. The snatches felt great. I was able to go five straight without much of a problem, and my fiance was just as quick. The burpees were tough but we got through it. We would take a short break every ten reps. The clean and jerks were done in sets of five as well. The weight wasn’t too heavy and I was able to get through it quickly. The thrusters were the hardest part. The weight felt a lot heavier but it was probably fatigue. We got through the workout in 18:05.

 

Lift Heavy and Level Up!