Workout 262, Saturday 17th 10:00am

Warmup

Snatch PVC Pipe warmup

Strength

8 @ Bar
3 @ 40kgs
3 @ 50kgs
3 @ 60kgs
3 @ 65kgs
3 @ 70kgs
4 @ 75kgs (just racked it after the fourth, small heart)

Happy enough.

3 @ Bar
3 @ 60kgs
5 x 3 @ 85kgs

Last sets was the best one for whatever reason.

Metcon

13:42, tough.

Workout 263, Tuesday 20th 10:00am

Worked a standard 8am to midnight day yesterday. Heavy weekend aswell, real lack of sleep.

Warmup

Pull Ups
Dynamic Stretching
Shoulder Band Work
Scap Slides
Scap Pull Ups

Strength

5 @ Bar
5 @ 60kgs
3 @ 80kgs
5 x 5 @ 102.5kgs

These were very difficult, still working through getting consistent form down for each rep.

Metcon

1:21.5

Died over the last 200m. I'm actually happy with this considering short term lack of sleep and stress and the fact that I've been training longer distances. This was my first test over the distance since the Championships so to be within a second with no specific training is acceptable.

Workout 264, Wednesday 21st 18:30pm

Warmup

Toe Taps
Reverse arches
Dynamic Stretching

Strength

8 @ Bar
5 @ 40kgs
2 @ 50kgs
1 @ 60kgs
5 x 3 @ 65kgs (These were really tough)
1 @ 70kgs (Ridiculous grind)

This was extremely tough. Very weak today.

Metcon

Tough, but got all reps done.

Workout 265, Thursday 22nd 18:30pm

Warmup

Left / Right plank holds
Dynamic Stretching
Hamstring Band Work
Glute stretching

Strength

5 @ 60kgs
5 @ 100kgs
3 @ 120kgs
3 @ 145kgs
3 @ 165kgs
6 @ 185kgs

Boom! These were awesome. Colm kept a close eye and was happy that form was good.

Metcon

14:30

****ing delighted, best session of the week by far.

Workout 266, Saturday 24th 10:00am

All the creamy, delicious pints of Guinness I could fit down my gullet in Bowes last night. Very ropey this morning. Realised when I'd made it down to the LUAS stop that I had forgot my lifting shoes, so this was all done in flats.

Warmup

Snatch PVC Pipe warmup

Strength

8 @ Bar
3 @ 40kgs
3 @ 60kgs
3 @ 65kgs
3 @ 70kgs
4 @ 75kgs (better than last week)
1 Strict Press @ 70kgs (went up smooth, needed to exorcise Wednesday from the mind)

3 @ Bar
3 @ 60kgs
3 @ 70kgs
3 @ 80kgs
3 @ 90kgs
1 @ 95kgs

Okay, flats obv make it a little tougher.

Metcon

Only got 3 rounds done. The weighted step ups were very grippy.

Workout 267, Sunday 25th 10:00am

Ah yeah, another fill of the black stuff, another deathly hangover.

Warmup

Turkish Get Ups
Dynamic Stretching
Scap Push Ups
Scap Slides
Scap Pull Ups

Strength

5 @ Bar
5 @ 60kgs
5 @ 80kgs
5 @ 90kgs
5 @ 100kgs (might have been the most technically spot on set of squats I've ever done)
5 @ 105kgs
3 @ 110kgs

Didn't have the heart for 5 x 5 but good to get some work in.

Metcon

Got 161 metres on the first, had a high of 168 on the fourth and all other were ~165. Hard work.

Workout 268, Monday 26th 18:30pm

Warmup

Left / Right plank holds
Dynamic Stretching
Hamstring Band Work
Glute stretching

Strength

5 @ 60kgs
5 @ 100kgs
3 @ 120kgs
1 @ 140kgs
5 @ 154kgs
3 @ 174kgs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPXmNd_z5vo

3 @ 195kgs

No hassle. Hips maybe getting a tad high to start and shins could be a touch more vertical. Strength is all there though.

Metcon

8:56. All the sweat.

Workout 269, Wednesday 28th 17:30pm

Warmup

Toe Taps
Reverse arches
Dynamic Stretching

Strength

8 @ Bar
5 @ 40kgs
3 @ 60kgs
5 x 3 @ 66kgs (Much better than last week)
1 @ 70kgs
1 @ 75kgs

Much more solid than last week.

Metcon

Got five rounds and 14 step ups done. Very happy with that, worked hard.

Mobility

Couch Stretch, 2 mins each side.

Workout 270, Friday 31st 18:30pm

Picked up a bit of a cold during the week and generally a little run down due to consistent lack of sleep the past while. Decided to push on and train nonetheless, was glad I did in the end.

Warmup

Turkish Get Ups
Dynamic Stretching

Strength

5 @ Bar
5 @ 60kgs
5 @ 80kgs
5 @ 100kgs
4 x 5 @ 105kgs

Sharing with big Pete and it actually helped this evening to spur me on. A few grindy reps in there, but form was generally good.

Metcon

8:47 - swings the hard part.

Workout 271, Saturday 1st 11:00am

Got ~9 hours sleep for the first time in a while and felt better this morning.

Warmup

Snatch PVC Pipe warmup

Strength

8 @ Bar
3 @ 40kgs
3 @ 60kgs
3 @ 65kgs
3 @ 70kgs
4 @ 75kgs

Didn't feel super strong

3 @ Bar
3 @ 60kgs
3 @ 80kgs
2 x 3 @ 90kgs

Not super strong today.

Metcon

15:33, happy. Rowed each round a little faster. Cass was also rowing and set up alongside each other and it helped to have a bit of competition.

Workout 272, Sunday 01st 10:00am

Warmup

Pull Ups
Dynamic Stretching
Scap Push Ups
Scap Slides
Scap Pull Ups

Strength

5 @ Bar
5 @ 60kgs
3 @ 80kgs
5 @ 100kgs
4 x 5 @ 107.5kgs

Getting very tough, having to fight on pretty much every set to get all reps done.

Metcon

10:20. Flew through the pushups all unbroken but probably gave the first set of Clean High Pulls too much respect.

Workout 273, Tuesday 3rd 18:30pm

Warmup

Chin Ups
Dynamic Stretching
Stretching
Shoulder Band Work
Hamstring Band Work
Glute stretching

Strength

5 @ 60kgs
5 @ 100kgs
3 @ 120kgs (Hmm, felt tight during the warm ups, didn't feel like I had usual range of motion)
5 @ 135kgs (Easy)
5 @ 160kgs (Fine)
8 @ 180kgs (Grind City)

Very tough, as it probably should be. Took a bit of heart to keep going after the fifth. Last rep was very difficult, got stuck for a millisecond before I could drive my hips through to finish.

Some perspective:

- this time last year I was working off a 1 rep max pull of 180kgs;
- on the 4th of June last year (i.e. one year ago) the below was a work set;



Going to say there is good progress being achieved!

Metcon

Was gassed out after the last Deadlift set so just sat on the plates panting while Derek laid out the metcon. By the time I got moving and put the plates and bar back all the longest skipping ropes were gone. By the time I got a rower out as a replacement and got moving we were already two minutes in. As it was I did:

Sit Ups 50 - 40 - 30
alternating each round with Rowing 15 Calories

Bad mix after the Deads as I had already trashed my midline. Glad to see time expire after my last go on the rower.

Are you locking those out completely at the top of the rep before dropping the bar? You also tend to roll the bar forward with your shins quite often with your setup.

The video above is a year old Aidan, I posted it to draw a comparison.

More recent Deadlift vids will show how I've significantly amended my set up to achieve a vertical shin and higher hips. I lock out at the top also. I deliberately try not to lean back at the top and extend the back but I'll end with knees and hips locked out and arms fully extended with shoulders and back in a neutral position which qualifies as lockout.

oops, sorry

Workout 274, Wednesday 4th 19:30pm

Woof, drained all day after last night's pulls.

Warmup

Hanging Knee Raises
Shoulder raises
Shoulder Band Work
Dynamic Stretching

Strength

8 @ Bar
5 @ 40kgs
3 @ 60kgs
5 x 3 @ 67kgs

Never really in danger of missing a rep. Onwards.

Metcon

Four rounds, just tried to keep moving.

Workout 275, Thursday 6th 18:30pm

Warmup

Pull Ups
Dynamic Stretching
Stretching

Strength

5 @ Bar
5 @ 60kgs
3 @ 80kgs
5 @ 100kgs
5 x 5 @ 110kgs

A few real grinds but they all went up so.

Metcon

4 Burpees left when time expired. To make matters worse, my mate who recently joined crossfit finished in 14:56. Tilt.

Was a real struggle, taxing few days training. Fair amount achieved though.

Workout 276, Saturday 7th 11:00am

Eh, not in the best of shape this morning to say the least.

Warmup

Snatch PVC Pipe warmup

Strength

8 @ Bar
5 @ 40kgs
3 @ 60kgs
1 @ 65kgs
1 @ 70kgs
1 @ 75kgs
1 @ 80kgs
**1 @ 84kgs** PB (Utterly epic grind as displayed in video below)






Last video is tiny unfortunately, but gets the point across. Have had to put a fair amount of work in for that 2kgs PB. Press is the most frustrating lift to achieve progress on.

3 @ Bar
3 @ 60kgs
3 @ 80kgs

Metcon

Got as far as 3 Push Press done in the round of 9. Front Squats were very time consuming.

Workout 277, Sunday 10th 10:00am

Had no business turning up to this session. Was outright ill from the get go. Easily the worst session since I started this last year. Actually tapped out on what I was supposed to do and struggled through the below.

Warmup

Turkish Get Ups
Shoulder Band Work
Hamstring Band Work
Dynamic Stretching
Scap Push Ups
Scap Slides
Scap Pull Ups

Strength

5 @ Bar
5 @ 60kgs
5 @ 80kgs
5 @ 100kgs
3 x 5 @ 105kgs

Diabolical. Extremely difficult and poor technically.

Metcon

Was supposed to be a 2k row for time but I wasn't able and Pete reasoned with me to do something a fair bit less taxing.

Pumping sweat by the end. Lesson learned for next time.

Workout 278, Tuesday 10th 18:30pm

But you can't be letting the ****s win now. Today's motivation video:



Warmup

Turkish Get Ups
Dynamic Stretching
Stretching
Glute stretching

Strength

5 @ 60kgs
5 @ 100kgs
3 @ 120kgs (Hmm, felt tight during the warm ups, didn't feel like I had usual range of motion)
1 @ 140kgs
3 @ 150kgs (Derek noticed that I was doing a mini bicep curl at the top of these!)
3 @ 170kgs (apparently still a slight curl on the last rep)
6 @ 190kgs (GOING HOME EVERY REP BABY)

The bicep curl / shrug / weird row stuff is a product of trying to really snap the hips through at the top. I need to just squeeze the glutes and keep in control through all percentage sets.

Lots of encouragement from Craig throughout the last set which really helped. The last two reps were very tough, but the 190 pulls felt very solid technically. Derek agreed that they looked good too.

Metcon

Kept moving, got 3 chin ups on some of the rounds.

Workout 279, Wednesday 11th 19:30pm

Warmup

Hanging Knee Raises
Shoulder raises
Shoulder Band Work
Hamstring Band Work
Scap Slides
Scap Push Ups
Scap Pull Ups
Dynamic Stretching
Stretching

Strength

8 @ Bar
5 @ 40kgs
3 @ 60kgs
5 x 3 @ 68kgs

A little grindey - definitely slower bar speed than last week. Let's see if we can get to 70kgs on this progression.

Metcon

3:36.3
3:36.3
3:35.8

Happy with the consistency. Was cumulatively tough without ever being terribly difficult.

Workout 280, Saturday 14th 11:00am

Warmup

Shoulder Band Work
Hamstring Band Work
Leg Swings
Bootstrappers
Airdyne

Strength

5 @ Bar
5 @ 60kgs
3 @ 80kgs
3 @ 100kgs
5 x 5 @ 112.5kgs

Some real grinds, and very difficult throughout. Will be surprised if I get all 25 reps at 115kgs.

Metcon

14:21
Lunges were a bloody nightmare after the squats. Legs in ribbons now.

Workout 281, Wednesday 18th 17:30pm

Heat = sapped energy. Heat = hay fever. Didn't feel tip top showing up for this.

Warmup

Hamstring Band Work
Stretching
Glute stretching

Strength

5 @ 60kgs
5 @ 100kgs
3 @ 120kgs
1 @ 140kgs
5 @ 160kgs
3 @ 180kgs (heavy today)
3 @ 200kgs (very tough and slow, but they all went up. Don't believe I would have had a fourth rep)

Was hard, but it was still a good result given the day that was in it.

Metcon

14:25. Pull Ups always hard for me so just glad to get the work done really.

Workout 282, Friday 21st 18:30pm

Warmup

Dynamic Stretching
Stretching

Strength

5 @ Bar
3 @ 60kgs
3 @ 80kgs
3 @ 100kgs
3 @ 115kgs (woah, got the third rep badly wrong and walked it in)
4 x 5 @ 115kgs

A real struggle, last rep of each set a sick grind. Was lightheaded after the last rep of the last set and missed the rack on the right side when walking it in. Managed to give my head and neck a good scrape with the bar for my trouble. Pete jumped in to assist me. Little scary but no damage done.

It's kind of embarrassing that 115kgs is so tough for me. The disparity between my squat and deadlift is utterly hilarious.

Metcon

Lost count on rounds - either 6 or 7. Let's err on the side of caution and call it 6!!

3 @ 200kgs

Nice!

RE: Squat/DL
If you don't already squat wide, try widening your stance on your squats to get more glute ham activation.