Strength and mobility log for Tuesday, November 1st

Had a rushed visit to the Y today to work on mobility and a bit of strength work.


I should have done my full gamut of shoulder/thoracic mob work but short on time and wanting to do some strict press, I mostly worked my my hips and hams with a bit of work on my shoulders/thorax.

Then I did my presses.   5 sets of 3 at 85%  115#,  I toyed with the idea of 120#, but my last "warm-up" set at 115# was clearly going to be my first working set.

I used 135# as my max, which I'm not even sure I could hit if I tried.  I've lost quite a bit since my year of strength ended 20 months ago.

Once I get my mobility worked out I'll have to find a balanced program to keep everything progressing, if more slowly, but not moving backwards.

So set 3 was rough, like, I-don't-if-I'll-get-through-set-4 rough. But I attacked it, really braced my core and it was easier than any of the previous sets.

Same for set 5. Pretty happy.  I didn't think I'd make set 5 let alone get through it.

Yay.

Crossfit log for Tuesday, November 1st

Grace.


Way back on April 14th 2014 I wrote:

Then it was time for the WOD: Grace. 30 clean and jerks for time. Rx is 135#, I've been doing 115# (I may be due to go up to 125# perhaps).

Going in I decide to use the 1 lift every 10 seconds strategy.  It worked really well, I was on pace at 2:30 with 15 reps done.  Took a break for 30 seconds hoping to repeat that, but I was getting winded, I did 1 every 10 seconds for another minute, taking me to 4:00, and another 30 second rest, leaving 9 reps to go.  I just hammered them as fast as I could and finished and finished in 6:01.

PR by 2 minutes, plus 2 reps!  Gotta be happy with that, especially given the amount of work we did before.

After the warm up of 5 push ups, 10 wall balls and 15 ring rows for 5 minutes and the dynamic stretching, which we substituted the figure 4 sit for a some gorilla walk nonsense we started warming up our clean and jerk.

In my mind I had done Grace at Rx, using the 1 lift per minutes, and it went well, so I vocally decided to try Men's Rx at 1 lift every 7 seconds.  Yeah, mistake.

I wish I had read the above beforehand.  I legit attempt at Rx on 0:10 would have been a good test.

Two downsides with 7 seconds, the obvious, not enough rest, but also time math. After 7 or 8 reps, figuring out the next split time is impossible.  Next time 10 seconds.  then if anything left hammer the last reps to get in under 5:00.

First 20 reps were okay, but I was already over 4:00. Slugged away at the last 10 and finished in 6:29.

6:29 @ 135#  compared to 6:01 at 115#, I'd call that a win.

The good thing about my vocal aggressive strategy is I think I pushed a couple of people to some pretty good times. 

Strength and mobility log for Thursday, October 27th

Went to the Y at lunch and did my mobility as usual.

I don't log those, but since I also did some squats, it warrants a blog post.

I did my archer post with the band and weighted bretzel then the two variations of the "triangle pose" with a kettle bell.  One kneeling and one standing.

Kinda like this:

Then I did some back squats.

3 sets of 5 at 245# 

After a warm up with empty bar, 135#, 185# and 225#

Yoga and strength at the Y for Tuesday, October 18th

Forgot my gym clothes again.  Gah.

So I left early, went to Winners and bought some lame capris, they had no shorts (WTF) and a t-shirt.

Arrived earlier than expected at the Y had half an hour before the yoga class, so I did my physio homework and mobilized my hips and stretched my hamstrings in anticipation of the class.

Went way better than last time.  For one I wasn't rushing to catch up, as I arrived on time.  I was limber, thanks to the early arrival.  I used a block to improve my position on the trickier poses.

All added up to better mobilization of hips/thorax/shoulders.

Afterwards I did some side sits to mobilize my hips, a couple of minutes each side.

Then I did some RDL's to further murder my hammies.  Next couple of days may suck.

Crossfit log for Tuesday, October 18th

I was kinda hoping for another heavy day like last Tuesday, but it was not to be.

I was also expecting more leg intensive after all those push-ups yesterday. Wrong again.

After the 6 minute warm-up of box step ups, hanging leg raises and shuttle runs we did a less than fun WOD

7 rounds
- 7 hang per cleans 135#/95#
- 7 handstand push-ups

So much for leg day.

Women's Rx, bear push-ups.

9:44

After that we did bench. 15-15-10-10

Worked with John. We did 75#-85#-95#-105#

Last few reps sucked each time. So i guess we got it right

Mobility and strength at the Y log for Thursday, October 13th

Quick session at the Y.

Did my physio homework, tomorrow's my appointment, so gotta cram.

Then did strict press  3 sets of 5 at 115#  Rough.  Just like in October 2014 in the middle of strength development.

So good.  Feel like I'm on track

Did some door stretch on my hammies,  progress being made there too.

Yoga, mobility and Strength at the Y log for Tuesday, October 11th

A yoga instructor at the Y has been pestering my to try her class, so today I finally did, a bit late, but I went in.

It was okay,  maybe once this round of mobility is done and I spend a bit of time on my hamstrings it'll be better.

Some of the poses I did really well at, thanks to all the thoracic rotation I've been doing no doubt.  Others weren't so great, most thanks to my tight hammies and what's left of my shoulder/thoracic end range limitations.

After words I did some of my physio homework and enjoy 5 glorious sets of 5 back squats at 225#.

I think, I'm back at it.

Crossfit log for Tuesday, October 11th

Heavy day.

After a 5 minute warm up is 10 squats, 5 burpees, 5 pull ups and 30 double unders we did clean and jerk

2 sets of 3 c&j @ 70%
2 sets of 2 c&j @ 75%
3 sets is 1  c&j @ 80%

4 singles heaviest weight for each

Wasn't stellar, but i haven't worked heavy in s long time.

145# for triples was okay. Got better with each set.
155# doubles was solid
165# singles were okay, jerks were wobbly.

Hit 185#. Clean was sold, jerk was very wobbly. Stopped there. No point hurting myself and we still had deadlifts to go.

Deadlifts, 6 sets of doubles at 70%

Felt good to lift heavy.

Strength and mobility log for Thursday, October 6th

I may be starting my strength cycle. 

I've done two sessions of strict press, last week and this week, but I didn't log either.  First one was 5 sets of 5 at 95# and Tuesday was 4 sets of 5 at 105# and one set of 5 at 95#


Today, after doing my physio homework, I did 5 sets of 5 front squats at 185#.

Thought that was closer to 75% of my 1 rep max, but I guess my current max isn't 285#.  So I'll take what I can get for now and see how things shake out in a couple of weeks.   Because I sure wasn't easy.

Crossfit log for Monday, October 3rd

Really didn't want to get out of bed this morning.

Got to bed late, had a couple of beers in the evening, woke up early and couldn't fall back to sleep.

But with Kiza away this might be my only workout this week so I couldn't miss it.

Warm up was 5 pull ups, 10 wall balls, 15 air squats.  for 5 minutes.

The usual dynamic stretching

WOD was
3 rounds for time:
- 35 sit ups
- 30 box jump overs
- 25 pull ups.


Finished round 1 in 4:54, could have gone faster on the box jumps, but it would have been too expensive.  Did the pull ups in 10-10-5

Round 2 finished at 11:35 so 6:40ish.  Sit ups were slower, box jumps were slower and pull ups were 10-8-7

Round 3 took me to 18:58 so 7:23.  Yeah.  Sit ups were a grind, box jumps were sad.  And pull ups were 10-5-2-5-3. 

At least it was Rx. 

18:58.  Done.

After that we did 4 sets of 10 bench.

Did 95#, 115#, 125# and 130#(6)

Crossfit log for Wednesday, September 7th

Ego is taking a beating during this mobility phase.

Warm up was 4 rounds of 10 wall Bala and 5 burpees.  Dynamic stretching. Handstand hold

Strength work 6 sets of 4 back squats, progressively heavier.
205#-215#-225#-235#-245#-255#(2) so I guess I'll count my last warm up set at 185# as first working set.
Maybe if I'd had my belt.

Kamil pulled off a 265#, I'm usually a stronger squatter, so I'm a bit pissed. But he had his belt. So it's okay I guess

WOD looked great on paper.
4 rounds
- 15 cal row
- 50 double unders
- 10 overhead squats 95#/65#

Made a tactical error. Choose 75# for the ohs and decided to wear my lifters.

Forgot my rope, so used a gym rope.

Combination of lifters and unfamiliar rope didn't work very well at all.

Everything else was fine. After two rounds of struggling coach said drop the number of DUs, it read taking too long.  So i did 30 the last two rounds

Finished in 1327

Not my best showing. Should have worn the nanos and worked harder on the ohs.

Oh well.

CrossFit lug for Friday, September 2nd

Thursday off might have been a good thing.  Felt pretty good this morning going in, once i got out of bed that is.

Warm up was partner route 400m vs 5 squats and 5 burpees, which i did 8 squats and 4 burpees. Twice through.

WOD was two parts
4 rounds of
- 18 bench press 135#/95#
- 18 toes to bar

Rest 5 minutes

21-15-12-9
- power snatch 95#/65#
- abmat sit-ups

Women's Rx for weight, between Kamil, Dave and I, we shared 2 benches.

1st round unbroken, then, 10,8, and 9,6,3 and 8,5,5

Tires to base were 8,5 then 7,5 hanging singles, then 4,4,4 and finally 5,4,3

Finished in 12:15

Started up at 17:15

Snatchers went 11, 10 then 9,6 then 7,5 and 9

Sit-ups were no fun.

Post two took 10:11 for s total of 27:26 including the 5 min rest.

Crossfit log for Wednesday, August 31st

When my alarm went off, I turned it off immediately and decided against going to the gym.

Our new dog, Pacha, clearly thought the alarm meant time for a walk.

So I took him out to pee and figured, I was awake now, might as well make something of it.

Warm up was 7minutes of 10 OHS, 10 wall balls and 10 push ups (which became 8 and 7) followed by dynamic stretching.

WOD was okay,

4 rounds for time of:
- 20 abmat sit ups
- 15 chest to bar pull ups
- 10 overhead squat  135#/95#

Regular pull ups thank you.  This would be an overhead squat workout for me.  I used women's Rx with the plan to go unbroken for the OHS.

Sit-ups are fine, if not annoying, pull ups started as high pull almost CTB but after 2 rounds were just regular old pull ups.  That's fine.  This was about the OHS.

At 95# I'm pretty good at cycling OHS.  Coach Alex commented on my range of motion, looking good.  *Glee*

Went unbroken all 4 rounds. Happy with that.

Finished in 16:20

Finished up with 4000m partner row which thankfully became 2000m shared.  That wasn't so fun.

Crossfit log for Tuesday, August 30th

Much like last Tuesday it was a low volume day. 

Not to be confused with an easy day.

Warm up once again had burpees (WTF?)  3 rounds of dumbbell step ups 10 per leg, alternating and 5 burpees, needless to say I only did 3 rounds.

Again with the dynamic stretching and handstand walk progressions.

This time the 10 minute EMOM was of 5 instead of 6 touch and go power snatch. And it was after the back squats.

We did 6 sets of 6 back squats. Working up each set to a 6 rep max.

185#, 205#, 225#, 245#, my deal was if I managed 245# beltless, I go for 265# with belt and if not, I'd get my belt and try 245# again.

Should have tried 255# with belt.  245# was rough without my belt, but I did it, so true to my word, I tried 265# with belt, and bailed on rep 4.  Meh. Good enough.

 

For few reps and the sake of progression I upped it to 85# this week  from 75#, got rough at the end. But I managed to hold form.

Pretty wiped after all that.

CrossFit log for Monday, August 29th

Pretty good workout this morning, scaled the crap out of it, but kept moving for the most part

Warm was 25'walking lunges plus 5 push ups, for 5 minutes, followed by dynamic stretching.

The WOD was 5 rounds of
- 15 axle hang power cleans 115#/75#
- 10 handstand push-ups

Did women's weight and scaled the hspu to one smart and started with 7 reps, which became 6, then 5 and 5 and finally 3 plus two regular push-ups.

The clans for hard on the shoulders by rounds 3, where I did 10 and 5, round 4 I managed unbroken, but it cost me.  The last round was 9 and 6.

Happy with that.

Finished in 13:31

Crossfit log for Thursday, August 25th

Exhausting workout.

First 4 days in a row for a long long time.  And this one tanked me, left me feeling weak and moderately nauseated.

Warm up was short shuttle runs and kettle bell swings, followed by dynamic stretch routine.  We all did wall walks with handstand hold for upside down work.  Shoulder were smoked.

The WOD was unusual.

7 rounds
-7 bench 155#/105#
-7 strict pull ups

5 min rest

6 rounds
- 10 push press  135/95#
- 10 kipping pull ups


Kamil and I did women's Rx. Bench went fine.  Strict pull ups not so much.  Started with a new Rogue blue band (thicker than the older blue and the red bands, but much thinner than the green bands).

Kamil started using my band so I got another one, and he quickly escalated to a green, so by round 3 I had both blue bands going.

Tried to start with one unassisted then 3 with one band and the rest with both.

Unassisted lasted 2 rounds, then it was straight to the single band for 3 reps, the the double band for 4 reps.

Man that sucked.  5 minutes rest isn't enough.

Push press go really hard to lock out on the last few reps by round 4 of 6.

Kipping pull ups went shockingly well.  10 unbroken except for round 5. 

Man I was wiped.

13:15 + 5:00 rest + 12:37

total 30:52

CrossFit log for Tuesday. August 23rd

Low volume day. Thankfully.

Warm up was 5 minutes of 5 burpees (yuck), 5 pull ups (yay) and 30 double-unders (meh)

Again with the dynamic stretching and handstand walk progressions. I was going to try a freestanding handstand in the middle of the floor, which wasn't too bad, but unstable, so I used the instability to try and walk, and managed a few feet.  So yay me.

Then we did a 10 minute EMOM of 6 touch and go power snatch. Just like 2 weeks ago. Upped it to 75# from 65#, got rough at the end. But I managed to hold form. Focus was on bar path and catching under the bar. Got praise on both points from coach Nikki.

Finished up with 4 sets of 8 back squats. Same weight each set.  Focus was on bar path.
Used 195# (60℅-65℅ of max).

Good choice, only started to fall apart on the last few reps on the last set. Praised again for form and bar path.

Nice to not be exhausted, and to be praised for quality of movement.

CrossFit log for Monday, August 22nd

A bit better than last time

Warm up was partner trade off. Run 285m around the building while partner cycles through 5 push ups 5 sit ups and 10 squats. 

Dynamic stretching. 

Upside down work was head stand, which gladly I'm still proficient at. 

WOD was a chipper
- 15 call row
- 20 handstand push ups
- 15 call row
- 20 thrusters 95#/65#
- 15 call row
- 20 lateral burpees over bar

Did bear push-ups, women's weight and struggles through the burpees.

10:14.

I really really really hate burpees.

 

Followed that up with 4 sets of 10 deadlifts

Did 185#-205#-205#-205#(7)

Shoulder stopped me. Grip and back were fine. 

Need to start another strength cycle soon.

Crossfit log for Wednesday, August 10th

Well that was a longer break than I had wanted. 

Yesterday I went to the Y to do my physio homework (negelected while on vacation) and found with the break I was a bit more mobile than usual. Bonus.

I also need to lift something, so I did 3 sets of 8 back squats at 185# (after a couple of warm up sets at 45#, 95# and 135#). Felt it a bit in my quads this morning.

Naturally, we had back squats today.

Warm up was 50 double unders + 5 strict pull ups. Tried a drill for the DU with a band around my arms at the elbows to keep my arms from going wide, which may explain my constant missing at around rep 9 or 10.

After about 10 attempts at stringing 2 together I took the damn thing off and threw it across the room and pumped out 50 unbroken. Then 41 + 9 and another 50 unbroken.

So I guess technically it worked.

Then we did the new dynamic stretching drill that have been added in my absence.  (yay, welcome back, not).

Frankenstein walk, straight legs, straight arms overhead, touch opposite hand to toes each step for 25' and back. Then squeeze knee to chest, and drop it down into a lunch with hands overhead stretch. Then inchworm, hand walk to extend, do a push up, feet walk to flex, legs straight, repeat 25'.  Then pistol walk: cross legged sit to parallel with foot on opposite knee, alternate for 25'.   Finally shoulder stretch on wall.

Then the work started.

10 minute EMOM of 6 power snatch. Might have succeeded at 75#, but hedged my bets and stuck with 65#.  Form held, heart was racing.  So good I guess.

Then 6 rounds of snatch balance.  4-4-2-2-2-2

This is the second time I've done these, since I've been able to actually do them.  It went well until the last set. 

Did 45#, 55#, 65#, 75#, 85#, 95#(x)

75# was the best set.  85# was okay, 95# ran out of shoulders. 

After that came the back squats.  3 sets of 15 reps at 60%, I did 155#, should have done 165#, but was glad for my maths error.  We alternated these with 3 sets of 12 dumbbell bench press (of which I only did 2 sets with 30# dumbbells).

Legs will be toast tomorrow and Friday.

Crossfit log for Thursday, July 28th

That was hard.

So the schedule had a 10 minute EMOM of 2 pause squats at 70% of max followed by a heavy set of 8 reps. 

Planned 215# for the EMOM and 245# for set of 8.  We just did 8 rep max and I hit 255# so 10# less should be fine right.

Wrong.  After 10 sets of pause squats my legs were smoked.  I was lucky to make 8 with the 215# from the pause squats.  Even walking it back to the rack was dicey!

Which didn't help the WOD at all.

Partner WOD with Vero.  Women's Rx all the way!

3 round for time of:
- 60 partner wall balls  14#
- 20 partner dead lifts 235#
- 200m partner run with tether.

She ran me into the ground.

First round was actually okay.  We went unbroken.   Decided to break the deadlifts in 2 sets of 10 for round two.

My hams were smoked at this point and I had to drop the second set of 10 at 5. So we did 10, 5, 5.

Revised plan for deadlifts 4 sets of 5.  Run sucked.  No legs left.

Wall balls were unbroken, last round of dead lifts, breaking up didn't help ended up being 5, 5, 5, 3, 2.  Without hams, my back started picking up the slack and that's never good.

Run was the worst,  Vero wouldn't let me stop. 

We were 14:30ish  not sure.  I must have writhed around on the floor for 10 minutes!  The next class was looking a bit worried. 

Glad that's over.