Fitness 500
Push press 8 x 2 @ 80% (OTM)
165
For time: pull-ups 15-12-9-6-3 (complete 15 box jumps (24) between each set)
5.03
Notes: Felt good on the push presses. Need to remember to stay back on my heels and not over-extend so much. Really settled into a nice groove on the metcon. Bested my time from last November by nine seconds. My pull-ups felt very solid -- I think training C2Bs is the best approach. My box jumps were very clean today, too. I'm surprised that I was able to go so fast considering I'm carrying a good 10+ more pounds of bodyweight right now than I was last time I did this workout. Perhaps the Airdyne work is paying dividends already.
A freight train is strong, powerful, and steady across long distances. A freight train only goes "off the tracks" if it gets going at a pace faster than it can sustain. Bobby Scott Performance believes that a large volume of sub-maximal efforts paired with intelligently programmed bouts of intensity will develop a strong, powerful competitor with a huge aerobic base -- in other words, "an aerobic freight train."
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Monday, July 29, 2013
Airdyne 45 minutes (aerobic restoration)
Notes: Some interesting data on today's session. Last Monday, I went for only 30 minutes holding the RPMs at 53-57, and my heart rate climbed all the way to 145. This week, I actually kept the pace a little faster at 55-58 RPMs and my heart rate only climbed to 139 (it actually stayed in the low-130s for most of the piece). Plus, this was for 45 minutes. I suppose this shows some tangible improvement in my conditioning level. With Wednesday and Thursday being forced rest days due to the Bar Exam, I plan to hit something very hard tomorrow morning.
Notes: Some interesting data on today's session. Last Monday, I went for only 30 minutes holding the RPMs at 53-57, and my heart rate climbed all the way to 145. This week, I actually kept the pace a little faster at 55-58 RPMs and my heart rate only climbed to 139 (it actually stayed in the low-130s for most of the piece). Plus, this was for 45 minutes. I suppose this shows some tangible improvement in my conditioning level. With Wednesday and Thursday being forced rest days due to the Bar Exam, I plan to hit something very hard tomorrow morning.
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Fitness 500 (am)
Power clean (heavy single)
215
For time: 7 rounds of:
3 power cleans (185)
4 HSPUs
12.31
Airdyne 4 x 5 minutes (rest 3 minutes between intervals)
Notes: Tied a personal record on power clean. Probably could've gone heavier, but that wasn't the idea today. We were just trying to feel a heavier weight before starting the metcon. Made it through the first four rounds of the metcon unbroken on the HSPUs, but things started to break down on the last three rounds. Had to resort to single on the last two rounds, with significant rest between each rep. Handled the 185 fairly well on the power cleans. My gymnastics movements continue to hold me back: first it was C2Bs, then muscle-ups, and now HSPUs. My current template has about a session and a half of dedicated upper body work, but I probably need to revisit that and include at least two dedicated sessions.
Another ass-kicker of a workout on the Airdyne this evening. Used 180 as my heart rate cap for each interval, but it was tough to keep it below that number. I held the RPMs steady around 70 throughout the entire workout, and my heart rate touched 174, 180, 181, and 181. But, the lactic acid in the quads in just brutal. There's no escaping it -- the pain sets into the legs and stays with you for the rest of the interval. It's good training, though, because it teaches you that you can keep working even though your legs are on fire. I plan to do a recover piece tomorrow and am curious to see how it compares to the one I did last Monday.
Power clean (heavy single)
215
For time: 7 rounds of:
3 power cleans (185)
4 HSPUs
12.31
Airdyne 4 x 5 minutes (rest 3 minutes between intervals)
Notes: Tied a personal record on power clean. Probably could've gone heavier, but that wasn't the idea today. We were just trying to feel a heavier weight before starting the metcon. Made it through the first four rounds of the metcon unbroken on the HSPUs, but things started to break down on the last three rounds. Had to resort to single on the last two rounds, with significant rest between each rep. Handled the 185 fairly well on the power cleans. My gymnastics movements continue to hold me back: first it was C2Bs, then muscle-ups, and now HSPUs. My current template has about a session and a half of dedicated upper body work, but I probably need to revisit that and include at least two dedicated sessions.
Another ass-kicker of a workout on the Airdyne this evening. Used 180 as my heart rate cap for each interval, but it was tough to keep it below that number. I held the RPMs steady around 70 throughout the entire workout, and my heart rate touched 174, 180, 181, and 181. But, the lactic acid in the quads in just brutal. There's no escaping it -- the pain sets into the legs and stays with you for the rest of the interval. It's good training, though, because it teaches you that you can keep working even though your legs are on fire. I plan to do a recover piece tomorrow and am curious to see how it compares to the one I did last Monday.
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Saturday, July 27, 2013
Fitness 500
Power snatch (heavy single)
155
4 rounds of:
4 power snatches (115)
8 T2B
12 box jumps (24)
Actively recover on bike until heart rate drops below 130
Notes: This was just what the doctor ordered. Felt sluggish this morning -- I think yesterday's Airdyne workout beat me up pretty good. Hit a solid power snatch at 155 to prime the body for moving explosively on the workout. The workout itself was just about perfect. Bobby did something very similar about a month and ago and I've been excited to try it. I attacked each round just about as hard as I could my heart rate went to 180, 181, 182, and 182 and the end of each of the rounds. I would then spin it out on the bike until my heart rate dropped below 130, which took about 3 minutes with very easy pedaling. I utilized the double-bounding technique on the box jumps, which really jacked my heart rate. Snatches were very crisp today as I allowed the bar to get deep into my hips and my hamstrings were activated. T2B went unbroken, but grip was slipping pretty bad on the last two rounds. I feel much better after this workout than I did beforehand, which is great.
Power snatch (heavy single)
155
4 rounds of:
4 power snatches (115)
8 T2B
12 box jumps (24)
Actively recover on bike until heart rate drops below 130
Notes: This was just what the doctor ordered. Felt sluggish this morning -- I think yesterday's Airdyne workout beat me up pretty good. Hit a solid power snatch at 155 to prime the body for moving explosively on the workout. The workout itself was just about perfect. Bobby did something very similar about a month and ago and I've been excited to try it. I attacked each round just about as hard as I could my heart rate went to 180, 181, 182, and 182 and the end of each of the rounds. I would then spin it out on the bike until my heart rate dropped below 130, which took about 3 minutes with very easy pedaling. I utilized the double-bounding technique on the box jumps, which really jacked my heart rate. Snatches were very crisp today as I allowed the bar to get deep into my hips and my hamstrings were activated. T2B went unbroken, but grip was slipping pretty bad on the last two rounds. I feel much better after this workout than I did beforehand, which is great.
Friday, July 26, 2013
Friday, July 26, 2013
Airdyne 3 x 10 minutes (actively recover 3 minutes between intervals)
Notes: This was a bit gnarly. Heart rate touched 156 on the first interval, 164 on the second interval, and 168 on the third interval. Paul's guidance was to stay below 165, but it was tough to control on the last interval. I held the pace at 65 RPMs throughout and it was definitely manageable from a cardiovascular standpoint. However, this is just a nasty burn in the legs. I could feel the burn about two minutes into each interval, but I would just settle into it and hold my pace. I spun it out at about 40 RPMs during the active recovery period and my heart rate would come down to about 115. Interestingly, my legs were really sore before the workout from squatting yesterday, but they felt much better after the workout and some stretching. I definitely understand what they mean when they say that there's an adaptation period on the Airdyne in terms of building leg stretch before it can be used optimally for conditioning. Looking to snatch tomorrow morning and work some push/pull.
Notes: This was a bit gnarly. Heart rate touched 156 on the first interval, 164 on the second interval, and 168 on the third interval. Paul's guidance was to stay below 165, but it was tough to control on the last interval. I held the pace at 65 RPMs throughout and it was definitely manageable from a cardiovascular standpoint. However, this is just a nasty burn in the legs. I could feel the burn about two minutes into each interval, but I would just settle into it and hold my pace. I spun it out at about 40 RPMs during the active recovery period and my heart rate would come down to about 115. Interestingly, my legs were really sore before the workout from squatting yesterday, but they felt much better after the workout and some stretching. I definitely understand what they mean when they say that there's an adaptation period on the Airdyne in terms of building leg stretch before it can be used optimally for conditioning. Looking to snatch tomorrow morning and work some push/pull.
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Fitness 500 (am)
Clean & jerk 15 x 3 @ 70% (OTM)
150
Squat 1 x 10 @ 60%; 1 x 8 @ 70%; 1 x 8 @ 75%
185; 215; 230
Barnstable High School Track (pm)
Burpee muscle-ups 5-4-3-2-1 (perform 240 yard shuttle run between each set)
12.50
Notes: This was my first heavier day since my back injury, and it went okay. I made the mistake of thinking that I could jump back into my squat program without missing a beat, but that was not the case. The set of 8 at 230 was a total grinder, and I would have had to complete another set of 8 at 245 to stay with the program. Looks like I'll have to re-set and build back up from the bottom. The OTM-work wiped me out pretty good, too. Each set was manageable, but the cumulative effect was significant.
We had a good time out at the track for the afternoon workout. I've never done burpee muscle-ups before. The burpee doesn't seem like much, but it just takes enough juice out of your triceps to impact the muscle-ups. I tried to go a little too fast during the set of 5 and ended up failing a couple of reps. That dropped me behind Bobby and I was never able to catch up. I've been really impressed with his upper body strength on bench press, C2Bs, and muscle-ups. It has made me realize that I need to dedicate some serious time to building up some upper body strength. The shuttle run was the total length of the football field (120 yards, including end zones) and back. Back on the Airdyne tomorrow for some aerobic threshold work.
Clean & jerk 15 x 3 @ 70% (OTM)
150
Squat 1 x 10 @ 60%; 1 x 8 @ 70%; 1 x 8 @ 75%
185; 215; 230
Barnstable High School Track (pm)
Burpee muscle-ups 5-4-3-2-1 (perform 240 yard shuttle run between each set)
12.50
Notes: This was my first heavier day since my back injury, and it went okay. I made the mistake of thinking that I could jump back into my squat program without missing a beat, but that was not the case. The set of 8 at 230 was a total grinder, and I would have had to complete another set of 8 at 245 to stay with the program. Looks like I'll have to re-set and build back up from the bottom. The OTM-work wiped me out pretty good, too. Each set was manageable, but the cumulative effect was significant.
We had a good time out at the track for the afternoon workout. I've never done burpee muscle-ups before. The burpee doesn't seem like much, but it just takes enough juice out of your triceps to impact the muscle-ups. I tried to go a little too fast during the set of 5 and ended up failing a couple of reps. That dropped me behind Bobby and I was never able to catch up. I've been really impressed with his upper body strength on bench press, C2Bs, and muscle-ups. It has made me realize that I need to dedicate some serious time to building up some upper body strength. The shuttle run was the total length of the football field (120 yards, including end zones) and back. Back on the Airdyne tomorrow for some aerobic threshold work.
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Airdyne 30 x 30 seconds (85%)/30 seconds (50%)
Notes: This was awesome! It took me a little while to settle into a rhythm, but I definitely found it in the second half of the workout. I would rev it up to ~75 RPMs during the intense segment, and then spin it out easy at ~50 RPMs. This would bring my heart rate up to 175, which I had in my mind as the guidance (although I now think Paul had said 170). This felt like an 85% effort, so I think it was about right. Strangely, my heart rate barely drop at all during the 30-second spin segment. It would only come down to 168-170 before I had to rev things up again. Actually, the hardest part is the "burn" in your legs and arms more so than the elevated heart rate. But, it was really good training to take it up to the 75 RPMs and then just sit in that zone and feel a little bit of discomfort. I made sure to do a warm-up and cool-down of of five minutes each at ~55 RPMs (heart rate less than 145). I plan to squat if my back is feeling good tomorrow.
Notes: This was awesome! It took me a little while to settle into a rhythm, but I definitely found it in the second half of the workout. I would rev it up to ~75 RPMs during the intense segment, and then spin it out easy at ~50 RPMs. This would bring my heart rate up to 175, which I had in my mind as the guidance (although I now think Paul had said 170). This felt like an 85% effort, so I think it was about right. Strangely, my heart rate barely drop at all during the 30-second spin segment. It would only come down to 168-170 before I had to rev things up again. Actually, the hardest part is the "burn" in your legs and arms more so than the elevated heart rate. But, it was really good training to take it up to the 75 RPMs and then just sit in that zone and feel a little bit of discomfort. I made sure to do a warm-up and cool-down of of five minutes each at ~55 RPMs (heart rate less than 145). I plan to squat if my back is feeling good tomorrow.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Fitness 500
Bench press 3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1
175, 185, 195, 205(pr), 215, 220(pr)
For time:
15 C2B
30 push press (115)
12 C2B
30 burpees
9 C2B
6.31
Notes: Good to be back in the gym! Set a couple of personal records on bench press with a double at 205 and a single at 220. The overhead work, dips, and push-ups are obviously carrying over nicely to the bench press. Plus, I just feel most stable when setting up on the bench and am able to use my entire body to generate force. The metcon was really good, too. Went unbroken on the 15 C2Bs, 6/3/3 on the 12, and 3/2/1/1/1/1 on the 9. Kept a very good pace on push press and burpees. I'm very impressed with Bobby's performance on this one. I felt like I was really moving, but he got back to the pull-up bar for the set of 9 at the same time as me. I definitely need to work on my pulling power, perhaps with some more strict pull-ups. Anyways, it was great to jump back into the training mix with a nice intense piece like this one. Back on the Airdyne tomorrow for some 30/30s.
Bench press 3, 3, 2, 2, 1, 1
175, 185, 195, 205(pr), 215, 220(pr)
For time:
15 C2B
30 push press (115)
12 C2B
30 burpees
9 C2B
6.31
Notes: Good to be back in the gym! Set a couple of personal records on bench press with a double at 205 and a single at 220. The overhead work, dips, and push-ups are obviously carrying over nicely to the bench press. Plus, I just feel most stable when setting up on the bench and am able to use my entire body to generate force. The metcon was really good, too. Went unbroken on the 15 C2Bs, 6/3/3 on the 12, and 3/2/1/1/1/1 on the 9. Kept a very good pace on push press and burpees. I'm very impressed with Bobby's performance on this one. I felt like I was really moving, but he got back to the pull-up bar for the set of 9 at the same time as me. I definitely need to work on my pulling power, perhaps with some more strict pull-ups. Anyways, it was great to jump back into the training mix with a nice intense piece like this one. Back on the Airdyne tomorrow for some 30/30s.
Monday, July 22, 2013
Monday, July 22, 2013
Airdyne 30 minutes (aerobic restoration)
Notes: The Aerobic Freight Train is back on the tracks. My back is feeling much better now, so I decided it was time to get on the Airdyne for the first time. Stuck to the heart rate guidance of 130-145 for a "recovery" piece. Found of nice cadence of 53-57 RPMs and it slowly led me up the ladder from 130-135 for the first 10 minutes, 135-140 for the second 10 minutes, and 140-145 for the final 10 minutes. It was very easy cardiovascularly -- I felt like I could have gone for another hour. However, it did experience a bit of quad/glute fatigue. I've read that it takes a little time to gain to exposure to the Airdyne before your leg endurance catches up with your cardiovascular capacity. I really enjoyed this session and am looking forward to utilizing the Airdyne much more in the near future. It is very different from the rowing machine. The Airdyne is a little easier to operate and you can zone out a bit. The rowing machine requires a little more technique and doesn't move on its own. I think they compliment each other nicely. Over to Fitness 500 tomorrow for "Big Swole Tuesday!"
Notes: The Aerobic Freight Train is back on the tracks. My back is feeling much better now, so I decided it was time to get on the Airdyne for the first time. Stuck to the heart rate guidance of 130-145 for a "recovery" piece. Found of nice cadence of 53-57 RPMs and it slowly led me up the ladder from 130-135 for the first 10 minutes, 135-140 for the second 10 minutes, and 140-145 for the final 10 minutes. It was very easy cardiovascularly -- I felt like I could have gone for another hour. However, it did experience a bit of quad/glute fatigue. I've read that it takes a little time to gain to exposure to the Airdyne before your leg endurance catches up with your cardiovascular capacity. I really enjoyed this session and am looking forward to utilizing the Airdyne much more in the near future. It is very different from the rowing machine. The Airdyne is a little easier to operate and you can zone out a bit. The rowing machine requires a little more technique and doesn't move on its own. I think they compliment each other nicely. Over to Fitness 500 tomorrow for "Big Swole Tuesday!"
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Injured.
Notes: Still injured, but things have certainly taken a turn for the better. My lower back is feeling much better and my range of motion has improved significantly. Another day of the inversion table, rolling, and ibuprofen and I should be good to introduce some gentle work on the Airdyne into the routine on Monday. If that goes well, then I'll return to the gym on Tuesday for some upper body work. Back to the Airdyne on Wednesday and then, hopefully, back into some lighter squatting/pulling by Thursday.
Notes: Still injured, but things have certainly taken a turn for the better. My lower back is feeling much better and my range of motion has improved significantly. Another day of the inversion table, rolling, and ibuprofen and I should be good to introduce some gentle work on the Airdyne into the routine on Monday. If that goes well, then I'll return to the gym on Tuesday for some upper body work. Back to the Airdyne on Wednesday and then, hopefully, back into some lighter squatting/pulling by Thursday.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Friday, July 19, 2013
Injured.
Notes: Back felt terrible today after sitting on an airplane and bus for much of the day. Felt a little better after hanging on the inversion table, taking some ibuprofen, and soaking in the water at Sandy Neck. My hope is to continue treating it this weekend before gradually working back into things with a gentle Airdyne workout on Monday. It will be quite some time before I can do any type of dynamic loading of the lower body (i.e., squats, pulls).
Notes: Back felt terrible today after sitting on an airplane and bus for much of the day. Felt a little better after hanging on the inversion table, taking some ibuprofen, and soaking in the water at Sandy Neck. My hope is to continue treating it this weekend before gradually working back into things with a gentle Airdyne workout on Monday. It will be quite some time before I can do any type of dynamic loading of the lower body (i.e., squats, pulls).
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Injured.
Notes: This is a total bummer. My lower back is definitely jacked up. It is definitely going to require at least a few more complete days off and then I'll have to be cautious about any load-bearing. It's very frustrating because I had a great feeling of "building" in my training. The good news is that David has an inversion table that it really healthy for the lower. A couple days of inverting, rolling, stretching, and taking a few swims in the Cape Cod ocean and I should be back to training.
Notes: This is a total bummer. My lower back is definitely jacked up. It is definitely going to require at least a few more complete days off and then I'll have to be cautious about any load-bearing. It's very frustrating because I had a great feeling of "building" in my training. The good news is that David has an inversion table that it really healthy for the lower. A couple days of inverting, rolling, stretching, and taking a few swims in the Cape Cod ocean and I should be back to training.
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Rest day.
Notes: Something is wrong with my lower back. I tweaked it on my very first pistol of the day yesterday, but was able to keep going because my body was warm. It really locked up on me last night and was tight throughout most of the day today. I decided to try a 30-minute active recovery row tonight in hopes of loosening things up a bit, but my plan back-fired. I felt a sharp lock-up about two minutes into the row and decided to call it quits. Definitely no squatting tomorrow. I'll do a lot of rolling on the hips and glutes tomorrow and then try to do something light on the Airdyne on Friday. I'll play it by ear on Saturday and hope to get back under the bar by Sunday.
Notes: Something is wrong with my lower back. I tweaked it on my very first pistol of the day yesterday, but was able to keep going because my body was warm. It really locked up on me last night and was tight throughout most of the day today. I decided to try a 30-minute active recovery row tonight in hopes of loosening things up a bit, but my plan back-fired. I felt a sharp lock-up about two minutes into the row and decided to call it quits. Definitely no squatting tomorrow. I'll do a lot of rolling on the hips and glutes tomorrow and then try to do something light on the Airdyne on Friday. I'll play it by ear on Saturday and hope to get back under the bar by Sunday.
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Tuesday, July 16, 2013
Row 40 minutes (am)
1st 10 minutes: 2,139 meters; 2.20.2 (21) (142)
2nd 10 minutes: 2,224 meters; 2.14.8 (21) (154)
3rd 10 minutes: 2,326 meters; 2.08.9 (22) (164)
4th 10 minutes: 10 second sprint; 50 second easy recovery
8th & I (pm)
5 rounds, not for time, of:
2 muscle-ups & 6 pistols
For time:
20 pull-ups
20 ring dips
20 pull-ups
20 push-ups (hand-release)
20 pull-ups
20 burpees
10.00
Notes: I'm glad that I rowed this morning instead of yesterday after work. In fact, I may dedicate Mondays as a full rest day. It feels really good mentally to have a full day away from training. Anyways, today's rowing session went really well. I now have a better idea of the impact certain paces will have on my heart rate. However, I kept things conservative today because I wasn't sure what it would be like adding increasing intensity without any rest intervals. Did a great job of staying with my heart rate guidelines and actually felt the best during the 3rd 10-minute segment when I fell into a nice rhythm. I can't find as nice a rhythm yet at the lower heart rate zones because my stroke gets a little choppy. This was the longest session I've ever done on the rower and it felt quite good -- ended up rowing close to 8.5K in total.
My muscle-ups continue to improve, particularly when I remember to violently turn over the hips rather than simply "rolling" them through. Pistols feel great on my left leg, but are still difficult on my right due to limited ankle mobility. I was a little disappointed with my time on the conditioning segment. I finished the same workout in 9.42 last October; however, I was a good 10 pounds lighter at that time. It took me forever just to get through the ring dips today. Need to keep hammering away at the gymnastics movements.
1st 10 minutes: 2,139 meters; 2.20.2 (21) (142)
2nd 10 minutes: 2,224 meters; 2.14.8 (21) (154)
3rd 10 minutes: 2,326 meters; 2.08.9 (22) (164)
4th 10 minutes: 10 second sprint; 50 second easy recovery
8th & I (pm)
5 rounds, not for time, of:
2 muscle-ups & 6 pistols
For time:
20 pull-ups
20 ring dips
20 pull-ups
20 push-ups (hand-release)
20 pull-ups
20 burpees
10.00
Notes: I'm glad that I rowed this morning instead of yesterday after work. In fact, I may dedicate Mondays as a full rest day. It feels really good mentally to have a full day away from training. Anyways, today's rowing session went really well. I now have a better idea of the impact certain paces will have on my heart rate. However, I kept things conservative today because I wasn't sure what it would be like adding increasing intensity without any rest intervals. Did a great job of staying with my heart rate guidelines and actually felt the best during the 3rd 10-minute segment when I fell into a nice rhythm. I can't find as nice a rhythm yet at the lower heart rate zones because my stroke gets a little choppy. This was the longest session I've ever done on the rower and it felt quite good -- ended up rowing close to 8.5K in total.
My muscle-ups continue to improve, particularly when I remember to violently turn over the hips rather than simply "rolling" them through. Pistols feel great on my left leg, but are still difficult on my right due to limited ankle mobility. I was a little disappointed with my time on the conditioning segment. I finished the same workout in 9.42 last October; however, I was a good 10 pounds lighter at that time. It took me forever just to get through the ring dips today. Need to keep hammering away at the gymnastics movements.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Sunday, July 14, 2013
Sunday, July 14, 2013
8th & I (am)
Squat 1 x 10 @ 60%; 1 x 8 @ 65%; 1 x 6 @ 70%; 1 x 6 @ 75%; 1 x 6 @ 80%
185; 200; 215; 230; 245
Front squat 1 x 5 @ 60%; 1 x 5 @ 70%; 2 x 5 @ 75%
160; 185; 200
3 x 10 lunges/leg (95); rest 60 seconds; 10 T2B; rest 60 seconds
Washington-Lee High School Track (pm)
"Burpee jogging": 50 burpees in 5 minutes (1 every 6 seconds)
Notes: Had originally planned to first take about 20 minutes to work up to heavy hang snatch or snatch balance single, but my energy level wasn't quite there. So, I just decided to get right to squatting. Quads and glutes were a bit fatigued from yesterday's ball slams, but I was able to get my reps done. I may soon need to increase rest between sets because I'm having trouble recovering from a breathing standpoint. 10s, 8s, and 6s and quite taxing. Threw in some lunges for accessory, and they paired nicely with T2B, which felt better this week. Noticed on the video that my knee was tracking a bit too far over my toes on lunges -- I learned that from Jeff Handler in 1997 and shouldn't be making that mistake.
My energy levels improved in the afternoon and I was excited to get outdoors to try my "burpee jogging." I'd say that burpees are the most heavily tested movement in CrossFit. People overlook them because they aren't very technical. I plan to do tons of burpees in various formats to make them second-nature. Today's burpees were great. My heart rate got over 185 after the 25th burpee, and then stayed in the high 180s throughout the second half. That's obviously high, but it didn't feel particularly bad. I felt like I could have kept going for another 5 minutes at that pace. The stupid weight vest got screwed up and started whacking me in the head. I'm out there busting my ass and get rewarded by the weight vest banging me in the head during each rep. Anyways, it was a good start to another week of training. Planning to get back on the rower tomorrow for something more moderate.
Squat 1 x 10 @ 60%; 1 x 8 @ 65%; 1 x 6 @ 70%; 1 x 6 @ 75%; 1 x 6 @ 80%
185; 200; 215; 230; 245
Front squat 1 x 5 @ 60%; 1 x 5 @ 70%; 2 x 5 @ 75%
160; 185; 200
3 x 10 lunges/leg (95); rest 60 seconds; 10 T2B; rest 60 seconds
Washington-Lee High School Track (pm)
"Burpee jogging": 50 burpees in 5 minutes (1 every 6 seconds)
Notes: Had originally planned to first take about 20 minutes to work up to heavy hang snatch or snatch balance single, but my energy level wasn't quite there. So, I just decided to get right to squatting. Quads and glutes were a bit fatigued from yesterday's ball slams, but I was able to get my reps done. I may soon need to increase rest between sets because I'm having trouble recovering from a breathing standpoint. 10s, 8s, and 6s and quite taxing. Threw in some lunges for accessory, and they paired nicely with T2B, which felt better this week. Noticed on the video that my knee was tracking a bit too far over my toes on lunges -- I learned that from Jeff Handler in 1997 and shouldn't be making that mistake.
My energy levels improved in the afternoon and I was excited to get outdoors to try my "burpee jogging." I'd say that burpees are the most heavily tested movement in CrossFit. People overlook them because they aren't very technical. I plan to do tons of burpees in various formats to make them second-nature. Today's burpees were great. My heart rate got over 185 after the 25th burpee, and then stayed in the high 180s throughout the second half. That's obviously high, but it didn't feel particularly bad. I felt like I could have kept going for another 5 minutes at that pace. The stupid weight vest got screwed up and started whacking me in the head. I'm out there busting my ass and get rewarded by the weight vest banging me in the head during each rep. Anyways, it was a good start to another week of training. Planning to get back on the rower tomorrow for something more moderate.
Saturday, July 13, 2013
Saturday, July 13, 2013
8th & I (am)
Clean 8 x 1 + 1 (10 seconds between singles) (OT2M)
Sets 1-2 – 55-65%
Sets 3-4 – 65-75%
Press 5 x 1 @ 85% (1 minute rest); 3 x 5 @ 75% (2 minutes rest) + AMRAP push press after final set
130; 115 (14 push presses)
Washington-Lee Highschool Track (pm)
Ball slams 10 x 10 (40) (OTM)
Notes: Just a fantastic training day. Legs felt mega-powerful on cleans. I've never worked at that type of weight. I'm working off a 1 RM of 215, but I feel as though I could blow that out of the water now. The OT2M-format really kept things moving. After changing the weights, I'd basically have a minute to rest before the next set. There was a huge breathing component to the workout, but enough rest to for a serious expression of power. I stole this idea from Invictus, and plan to use more of their stuff for barbell work. My presses were very strong today. Weight was sub-maximal, but allowed for really crisp reps. I like the idea of finishing off your presses with a burn-out set of push presses.
I really revved it up at the track today with my trusty slam ball. I've done this same workout a few times in the past and it is really simple, but effective. Heart rate jumped to 182 after the first set of 10. It would then continue to go up even during the rest period! The last five sets had me touching 191. Paul had estimated my max heart rate at 190, but perhaps it's a little higher? Toughest thing with ball slams isn't the actual slamming, but getting the ball from ground to overhead. It really taxes the grip. I'm happy with myself for just hanging there and continuing to power along even though my heart rate was jacked so high. Back under the bar tomorrow for squats.
Clean 8 x 1 + 1 (10 seconds between singles) (OT2M)
Sets 1-2 – 55-65%
Sets 3-4 – 65-75%
Sets 5-6 – 75-85%
Sets 7-8 – 85-95%
Sets 7-8 – 85-95%
135, 135, 155, 155, 175, 185, 195, 205
Press 5 x 1 @ 85% (1 minute rest); 3 x 5 @ 75% (2 minutes rest) + AMRAP push press after final set
130; 115 (14 push presses)
Washington-Lee Highschool Track (pm)
Ball slams 10 x 10 (40) (OTM)
Notes: Just a fantastic training day. Legs felt mega-powerful on cleans. I've never worked at that type of weight. I'm working off a 1 RM of 215, but I feel as though I could blow that out of the water now. The OT2M-format really kept things moving. After changing the weights, I'd basically have a minute to rest before the next set. There was a huge breathing component to the workout, but enough rest to for a serious expression of power. I stole this idea from Invictus, and plan to use more of their stuff for barbell work. My presses were very strong today. Weight was sub-maximal, but allowed for really crisp reps. I like the idea of finishing off your presses with a burn-out set of push presses.
I really revved it up at the track today with my trusty slam ball. I've done this same workout a few times in the past and it is really simple, but effective. Heart rate jumped to 182 after the first set of 10. It would then continue to go up even during the rest period! The last five sets had me touching 191. Paul had estimated my max heart rate at 190, but perhaps it's a little higher? Toughest thing with ball slams isn't the actual slamming, but getting the ball from ground to overhead. It really taxes the grip. I'm happy with myself for just hanging there and continuing to power along even though my heart rate was jacked so high. Back under the bar tomorrow for squats.
Friday, July 12, 2013
Friday, July 12, 2013
Row 30 minutes (aerobic restoration)
6,222 meters; 2.24.6 (21) (140)
Notes: This was very, very interesting. Instructions were to keep heart rate between 130 and 140. I was able to do it, but had to keep gradually slowing down until really settling in around 2.26/500 meters pace for the last half. Heart rate reached 130 about two minutes into the workout, and then stayed between 130-135 for the first 15 minutes. Range was 135-140 for the second 15 minutes, touching 140 toward the very end. I stayed very relaxed and just focused on smooth stokes and movement. My legs felt great after the session and I'm looking forward to seeing how they respond to some heavy cleans tomorrow. This type of "easy" rowing has been a real change, and I'm anxious to see what kind of carry-over it has to more general conditioning. To this point, I've had a solid week of training and my body still feels very fresh.
6,222 meters; 2.24.6 (21) (140)
Notes: This was very, very interesting. Instructions were to keep heart rate between 130 and 140. I was able to do it, but had to keep gradually slowing down until really settling in around 2.26/500 meters pace for the last half. Heart rate reached 130 about two minutes into the workout, and then stayed between 130-135 for the first 15 minutes. Range was 135-140 for the second 15 minutes, touching 140 toward the very end. I stayed very relaxed and just focused on smooth stokes and movement. My legs felt great after the session and I'm looking forward to seeing how they respond to some heavy cleans tomorrow. This type of "easy" rowing has been a real change, and I'm anxious to see what kind of carry-over it has to more general conditioning. To this point, I've had a solid week of training and my body still feels very fresh.
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Thursday, July 11, 2013
8th & I
Power snatch 15 x 3 @ 70% (OTM)
125
Squat 1 x 10 @ 60%; 1 x 8 @ 65%; 1 x 8 @ 70%; 1 x 8 @ 75%
185; 200; 215; 230
Front squat 1 x 5 @ 60%; 1 x 5 @ 65%; 2 x 5 @ 70%
160; 170; 185
3 x 10 DB RDLs (70); rest 60 seconds; 10 dips; rest 60 seconds
Notes: I was anxious to see how my legs would respond after quite a bit of volume on the rowing machine over the last few days. As it turns out, they felt very strong squatting. That's a good thing, because I plan to base most of my programming around squatting and rowing. You'd think that rowing might detract from squatting, but the two movements actually seem to compliment each other. Squatting certainly helps rowing. In any event, my set of 8 at 230 was very intense, although it doesn't look that bad on video. I could almost feel my legs growing -- I think my legs sucked up all of my protein shake after the workout! Threw in some hamstring accessory because I've been hammering away at the quads lately and don't want to get too imbalanced. And, dips are always a major weakness of mine. I was barely able to lock out the last few reps on my final set. Excited to get back on the rowing machine tomorrow for a 30 minute recovery session.
Power snatch 15 x 3 @ 70% (OTM)
125
Squat 1 x 10 @ 60%; 1 x 8 @ 65%; 1 x 8 @ 70%; 1 x 8 @ 75%
185; 200; 215; 230
Front squat 1 x 5 @ 60%; 1 x 5 @ 65%; 2 x 5 @ 70%
160; 170; 185
3 x 10 DB RDLs (70); rest 60 seconds; 10 dips; rest 60 seconds
Notes: I was anxious to see how my legs would respond after quite a bit of volume on the rowing machine over the last few days. As it turns out, they felt very strong squatting. That's a good thing, because I plan to base most of my programming around squatting and rowing. You'd think that rowing might detract from squatting, but the two movements actually seem to compliment each other. Squatting certainly helps rowing. In any event, my set of 8 at 230 was very intense, although it doesn't look that bad on video. I could almost feel my legs growing -- I think my legs sucked up all of my protein shake after the workout! Threw in some hamstring accessory because I've been hammering away at the quads lately and don't want to get too imbalanced. And, dips are always a major weakness of mine. I was barely able to lock out the last few reps on my final set. Excited to get back on the rowing machine tomorrow for a 30 minute recovery session.
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Row 3 x 10 minutes (rest 3 minutes between intervals)
1. 2,389 meters; 2.05.5 (22) (160)
2. 2,333 meters; 2.08.5 (22) (160)
3. 2,323 meters; 2.09.1 (22) (160)
Notes: This was a beast of an aerobic session. Paul's guidance was to maintain a heart rate of 155-160. Based on Monday's session, I figured a 2.05/500 meters pace would be about right. As it turns out, that was a bit ambitious, and I quickly elevated to the 155-160 range and began creeping about 5 minutes into the first interval. Stepped off the pace slightly to about 2.09 and that leveled things off nicely. Stuck with the 2.09 on the second and third pieces and it was absolutely perfect. I would elevate to 155 about two minutes in, and then stay steady between 155-160 for an entire eight minutes, touching 160 right at the end of each piece. I spent a ton of time right in the desired heart rate range today, but it wasn't easy. It was mentally difficult to just sit in that zone for such a long period of time. I started to get low blood sugar on the last interval, too, which hasn't happened in many years. Paul had wanted me to stay on the rower between intervals to actively recover, but my back was too tight and these intervals were too intense. I simply needed to stand up and rest. I'm loving this type of training.
1. 2,389 meters; 2.05.5 (22) (160)
2. 2,333 meters; 2.08.5 (22) (160)
3. 2,323 meters; 2.09.1 (22) (160)
Notes: This was a beast of an aerobic session. Paul's guidance was to maintain a heart rate of 155-160. Based on Monday's session, I figured a 2.05/500 meters pace would be about right. As it turns out, that was a bit ambitious, and I quickly elevated to the 155-160 range and began creeping about 5 minutes into the first interval. Stepped off the pace slightly to about 2.09 and that leveled things off nicely. Stuck with the 2.09 on the second and third pieces and it was absolutely perfect. I would elevate to 155 about two minutes in, and then stay steady between 155-160 for an entire eight minutes, touching 160 right at the end of each piece. I spent a ton of time right in the desired heart rate range today, but it wasn't easy. It was mentally difficult to just sit in that zone for such a long period of time. I started to get low blood sugar on the last interval, too, which hasn't happened in many years. Paul had wanted me to stay on the rower between intervals to actively recover, but my back was too tight and these intervals were too intense. I simply needed to stand up and rest. I'm loving this type of training.
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
8th & I
5 rounds, not for time, of:
1 muscle-up & 4 Turkish get-ups (55)
Push press 8 x 3 @ 75% (OTM)
155
4 rounds (RPE 7) of:
6 pull-ups (C2B)
6 burpees (hand-release)
9 T2B
24 double-unders
Rest 90 seconds
Notes: Muscle-ups were super crisp today. My new wooden rings are fantastic and I was able to achieve a strong false-grip. TGUs were harder than expected, particularly with the left hand. In any event, this was a nice combination and I got some nice easy work in while developing an important skill. Push presses were solid. Lowering the bar to my shoulders hurts a bit, but it wasn't terrible today. The conditioning portion was a bit disappointing because my T2Bs failed me after the second round. I went basically unbroken on the first two rounds and my heart rate went to 175 and 178. I would have gone into the low to mid 180s on the third and fourth rounds; however, the T2Bs slowed me down and I had to resort to "swinging singles." I reached 179 and 177 on the last two rounds, but my heart rate peak was during the T2B. I was actually back down to the mid-160s by the time I finished the double-unders. I had actually planned 6 rounds, but the T2Bs just weren't there. These need to be a major point of emphasis for me again this year. My weak abs and tight hamstrings are a brutal combination for the movement. Need to remember to stretch and roll the lats tonight because this was a lot of ring and bar work. Looking forward to getting back on the rower tomorrow!
5 rounds, not for time, of:
1 muscle-up & 4 Turkish get-ups (55)
Push press 8 x 3 @ 75% (OTM)
155
4 rounds (RPE 7) of:
6 pull-ups (C2B)
6 burpees (hand-release)
9 T2B
24 double-unders
Rest 90 seconds
Notes: Muscle-ups were super crisp today. My new wooden rings are fantastic and I was able to achieve a strong false-grip. TGUs were harder than expected, particularly with the left hand. In any event, this was a nice combination and I got some nice easy work in while developing an important skill. Push presses were solid. Lowering the bar to my shoulders hurts a bit, but it wasn't terrible today. The conditioning portion was a bit disappointing because my T2Bs failed me after the second round. I went basically unbroken on the first two rounds and my heart rate went to 175 and 178. I would have gone into the low to mid 180s on the third and fourth rounds; however, the T2Bs slowed me down and I had to resort to "swinging singles." I reached 179 and 177 on the last two rounds, but my heart rate peak was during the T2B. I was actually back down to the mid-160s by the time I finished the double-unders. I had actually planned 6 rounds, but the T2Bs just weren't there. These need to be a major point of emphasis for me again this year. My weak abs and tight hamstrings are a brutal combination for the movement. Need to remember to stretch and roll the lats tonight because this was a lot of ring and bar work. Looking forward to getting back on the rower tomorrow!
Monday, July 8, 2013
Monday, July 8, 2013
Row 4 x 5 minutes (rest 3 minutes between intervals)
1. 1,254 meters; 1.59.6 (24) (164)
2. 1,251 meters; 1.59.9 (23) (171)
3. 1,252 meters; 1.59.8 (24) (173)
4. 1,251 meters; 1.59.9 (24) (175)
Notes: Great to be back riding Mikko, my rower! Paul and Bobby gave me some guidance in terms of heart rate and it worked just about perfectly. The goal was to settle into the first piece at a rate of 162-165, which I did. And then the goal was to settle into the rest of the pieces at a slightly higher rate of 172-175, which I did. It was very interesting to watch because I kept the stroke rate and pace per 500 meters exactly the same throughout the entire workout, yet my heart rate would continue to creep up. Basically, I would start each piece at 110, and then I would get up to 150 fairly quickly. Then, it was a slow climb on each piece up until I touched my max heart rate at the very end of each piece. I would get to about 160 at the half-way mark of each interval and then really settle in with the rate slowly creeping up. Spent a lot of time on the last two intervals in the low 170s, which felt fine. I feel very refreshed after this workout and know that I will feel good tomorrow. I believe that this type of smarter training will allow me to make steady progress without beating down my body or spirit.
Sunday, July 7, 2013
Saturday, July 6, 2013
Saturday, July 6, 2013
8th & I (am)
5-minute tempo "Grace" (1 clean & jerk every 10 seconds)
Squat 1 x 10 @ 60%; 1 x 8 @ 70%; 1 x 6 @ 75%; 1 x 4 @ 80%
185; 215; 230; 245
Front squat 1 x 5 @ 60%; 3 x 5 @ 70%
160; 185
The Amelia Gym (pm)
20 minutes (alternating OTM): 10 KB swings (70) & 10 push-ups
Notes: The last 10 clean & jerks really rocked me. My quads started to fill up with lactic acid and I could really feel it on the last few jerks. It took me a good 20 minutes before I was recovered for squatting. Part of this is being out of shape, but I also think doing the workout out in the sun on a 95 degree day wasn't the smartest idea. In any event, it was a nice wake-up call for the body and a good reminder that there's a long way to go in terms of building an aerobic base. Squats and front squats went well, but the higher rep sets are definitely an adjustment. I've been doing triples, double, and singles for the last few months -- sets of 10, 8, and 6 are no joke! I can already tell that this squat program is going to be difficult, but I know that I will come out on the other end with a massive base for all movements.
My heart monitor finally arrived this afternoon and I used it on the conditioning piece! It was really interesting to monitor. My heart rate went to 156 after the first set of swings, and it continued to creep up each set until finally reaching 175 after the 10th set of swings. It was interesting to watch it go from 156 to 160 to 163 to 166, etc. It would drop about 10 beats by the time I would start my push-ups. The push-ups wouldn't jack my heart rate as much. For the 20-minute segment, my average heart rate was 158 and my max, as I mentioned earlier, was 175. I'm excited about putting this to use again soon, particularly on rowing.
5-minute tempo "Grace" (1 clean & jerk every 10 seconds)
Squat 1 x 10 @ 60%; 1 x 8 @ 70%; 1 x 6 @ 75%; 1 x 4 @ 80%
185; 215; 230; 245
Front squat 1 x 5 @ 60%; 3 x 5 @ 70%
160; 185
The Amelia Gym (pm)
20 minutes (alternating OTM): 10 KB swings (70) & 10 push-ups
Notes: The last 10 clean & jerks really rocked me. My quads started to fill up with lactic acid and I could really feel it on the last few jerks. It took me a good 20 minutes before I was recovered for squatting. Part of this is being out of shape, but I also think doing the workout out in the sun on a 95 degree day wasn't the smartest idea. In any event, it was a nice wake-up call for the body and a good reminder that there's a long way to go in terms of building an aerobic base. Squats and front squats went well, but the higher rep sets are definitely an adjustment. I've been doing triples, double, and singles for the last few months -- sets of 10, 8, and 6 are no joke! I can already tell that this squat program is going to be difficult, but I know that I will come out on the other end with a massive base for all movements.
My heart monitor finally arrived this afternoon and I used it on the conditioning piece! It was really interesting to monitor. My heart rate went to 156 after the first set of swings, and it continued to creep up each set until finally reaching 175 after the 10th set of swings. It was interesting to watch it go from 156 to 160 to 163 to 166, etc. It would drop about 10 beats by the time I would start my push-ups. The push-ups wouldn't jack my heart rate as much. For the 20-minute segment, my average heart rate was 158 and my max, as I mentioned earlier, was 175. I'm excited about putting this to use again soon, particularly on rowing.
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Thursday, July 4, 2013
8th & I
Seated box jumps 5 x 2
Front squat 3 x 1 @ 104%+ (rest 3 minutes between sets)
250(pr), 255(pr), 260(pr), 265(pr)
Notes: Today was the culmination of my 12-week Burgener squat cycle. I have followed the program to a "T" over the last 12 weeks and it definitely paid off today. The program called for three singles at 250; however, I told myself that, if I was feeling good, I could increase weight so long as I maintained decent form. I absolutely blew myself away by hitting 265, which is a 30 pound gain over the course of the 12-week program! There's not much more to say. I'm going to enjoy this one for about 48 hours before moving into the next phase of my training cycle. I'll use 265 as my 1 RM front squat on my next squatting program and 305 as my 1 RM squat. Time to start building an engine to go with this new-found strength.
Seated box jumps 5 x 2
Front squat 3 x 1 @ 104%+ (rest 3 minutes between sets)
250(pr), 255(pr), 260(pr), 265(pr)
Notes: Today was the culmination of my 12-week Burgener squat cycle. I have followed the program to a "T" over the last 12 weeks and it definitely paid off today. The program called for three singles at 250; however, I told myself that, if I was feeling good, I could increase weight so long as I maintained decent form. I absolutely blew myself away by hitting 265, which is a 30 pound gain over the course of the 12-week program! There's not much more to say. I'm going to enjoy this one for about 48 hours before moving into the next phase of my training cycle. I'll use 265 as my 1 RM front squat on my next squatting program and 305 as my 1 RM squat. Time to start building an engine to go with this new-found strength.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
8th & I
Muscle-up 10 x 1 (OTM)
Push press (heavy single)
195(pr)
For time: 21-15-9:
Kettlebell swings (53)
Push-ups (HR)
5.14
Notes: Not great energy today. Perhaps a bit of a "hang-over" from pulling the heavy deadlifts on Sunday. Set up my rings for the first time outside at 8th & I and it worked okay. My rings are terrible, though. I'm going to buy some wooden ones from Rogue tonight. I struggled to maintain the false-grip on my rings and I felt really heavy. Extra bodyweight is great for squats and deadlifts, but not so great for gymnastics movements. Set a personal record on push press, which is cool. I've handled 185 for reps in the past, but I don't believe I've ever actually performed a rep at 195. I enjoyed watching the video of my conditioning. I've never seen myself perform swings before and I was happy with my form. I could also see a bunch of wasted time transitioning between movements. And, obviously my push-ups are weak. Time to rest up and end this 12-week cycle in style with a big front squat on Thursday.
Muscle-up 10 x 1 (OTM)
Push press (heavy single)
195(pr)
For time: 21-15-9:
Kettlebell swings (53)
Push-ups (HR)
5.14
Notes: Not great energy today. Perhaps a bit of a "hang-over" from pulling the heavy deadlifts on Sunday. Set up my rings for the first time outside at 8th & I and it worked okay. My rings are terrible, though. I'm going to buy some wooden ones from Rogue tonight. I struggled to maintain the false-grip on my rings and I felt really heavy. Extra bodyweight is great for squats and deadlifts, but not so great for gymnastics movements. Set a personal record on push press, which is cool. I've handled 185 for reps in the past, but I don't believe I've ever actually performed a rep at 195. I enjoyed watching the video of my conditioning. I've never seen myself perform swings before and I was happy with my form. I could also see a bunch of wasted time transitioning between movements. And, obviously my push-ups are weak. Time to rest up and end this 12-week cycle in style with a big front squat on Thursday.
Monday, July 1, 2013
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