11/1

Press w/ kb, each arm (x5): 35, 44, 53 (F after 1 rep w/ left)
KB rows, 1x8 w/ 35, 53. EZ and quick, just wanted something help build shoulder strength.

Metcon: 20:00 of 5 pullups, 10 pushups, 15 airsquats, 20 doubleunders. 10 rounds + 5 pushups. Wanted 10 or more so was OK. Pushups were the struggle.

Tomorrow full cleans (triples) and metcon with fairly heavy DL, boxjumps & run. Followed by a day off for sure on Thur.

ART apptmt tonight - will try to get 2nd one scheduled later this week and get back to 2x/wk. Want that full ROM.

11/28

Been busy and haven't had time to update. Summary of the past 4 weeks:

The good:

100kg clean (highest in a long while).
Attended good Oly seminar and learned a lot - have already helped others with some pointers I learned.
CF workout "Christine" PR (9:57), best by almost 1:00 and almost 2:00 better than earlier this year. 12 bw DL like butter.
95# HPC ladder - EMOTM, goal to get to 20. Hit 21 + 13 reps.
HBBS 8x255 and felt good doing it.

The bad:

Bad blister on hand from said HPC ladder, taped the thumbs but pinky tore. A pain for a week or so.
2 days after 8x255, couldn't get 3x265 (???).
Pulled my f*&$#ng hamstring playing football over the holiday. Have never done that, and it happened midway thru 2nd half so I was plenty loose. Luckily no noticeable bruising. Icing daily multiple times and self massaging.

I rec'd the go ahead to be a test subject for Dr Leahy at upcoming ART continuing education (upper extremity is the topic). My question: it's at 4:30pm in Chicago and likely a 2 hour commute each way - worth it??????????????? Wifey thinks I'm nuts. I just want full ROM and will resort to voodoo if needed...is that what I'm doing/hoping for?

Plan on working some rehab to improve scapular engagement. Already started with some rows and band work. Not sure what the longer term plan will be once hammy heals...need something to target. Maybe back on Coan DL program and follow for the 10 weeks?

12/10

Hamstring feels good now @ 2 week mark. Never had any bruising. Tried some DL and worked up to 3x325 with no issues - will start opening that up a bit this week.

Decided to be the case study for my ART practitioner at a CE class yesterday - justified it with some business in the area. Glad I went.

Was odd sitting up in front of 100 people on a table. He asked where the issue was after hearing a brief history on my injury. He narrowed it down after watching me move and then feeling around: adhesion and scarring right around the area where the anchor is located.

He worked it pretty good for a while (skin bruises as proof). Had me lean on his knee to help the humeral head drop in the joint to better allow him to work the adhesion.

I gained some ROM in the short session. My ART practitioner then worked with Dr Leahy to help better learn the work that I need. There is still hope.

Trying to decide what I'm going to focus on in the upcoming months. Weighing out going on 10 week Coan DL program, squatting 2-3x/week, C&J. Continued shoulder therapy is a given.

Sounds awesome.

12/29

Hamstring is pretty close to 100%, no pain/twinge/weakness. I did the CF Regionals WOD#3 (315# DL + 30" boxjump) with no issues. DL did feel heavy due to lack of DL'ing much over past 2 months. Boxjumps felt as good as any have in a LONG time....I'm sure focus on mobility in hip and psoas is paying dividends. Knee feels better as well.

Shoulder ROM improved after quick session with Dr Leahy 3 weeks ago. To the average person it may appear I'm there but I still think there's a little more to go. Haven't had a followup session - had a fairly nasty scab on the 2 points where he was applying pressure.

I've been working with bands to help scapular movement 2x per week and feel that's helped.

This week did:
3x195 Bench
3x130 Press (which REALLY surprised me, since I haven't tried > 95# in > 1 year)

Plans for 2012

First 90 days going to do a CF Football schedule. My workouts will be 4-5 days/week and consist of:

1 day pickup basketball
1 day Oly (maybe quick metcon at the end)
2-3 days CFFB lifts & possible metcons

No metcons likely > 15:00. No bazillion reps of pullups, airsquats, etc (not that I've been doing much of that).

Why this path?
1. A formalized plan (and other participants) will help
2. I want to get stronger
3. My joints are feeling better and I'd like that to continue.
4. I do like the conditioning aspect involved with CF and don't want to kick that aside to totally do SS or Oly. I realize gains may not be as much but I will make sure I allow for recovery.

Also going on almost 3 months of caveman eating (along with wife). I've probably dropped 5# and feel pretty good. Wife (after 3 hellish weeks - she was much more sugar addict than I, likely due to lack of calories overall from good food and her body said 'feed me' to try and support her activity level) has made great strides - despite losing a couple #'s her strength #'s are still going up and her running pace has dropped to levels of 8 years ago (LSD yo), 8:00 miles up to 11 miles.

I know this is drinking the CF koolaid but it is working. I've eliminated chips from my diet and in general am learning to do a LOT of cooking. Picked up 50# of grass feed meet (which is awesome...do recommend) that I'm working thru.

Staples for her: sweet potatoes with cinnamon and mixed with no sugar added applesauce. We purchase 6-10 lbs per week of sweet potatoes/yams. Almond butter & apples.

Staple for me: almond butter

Schedule is set:

Tues: 3x5 squat, 3x5 press
Thur: 3x5 squat, 3x5 bench
Sat: Oly. Skill work as part of the warmup followed by various combo of Snatch, C&J
Sun: Pickup hoops.
Mon: maybe every other week DL, will depend on recovery.

Probably 2 or 3 conditioning type workouts involving both metcons and other skill/strength (ie, weighted pullups) after the lifts.

Will attempt to follow linear progression each squat workout (+5) for 3 months. Looking at using 70% of 1RM for starting point on squats. Sound like a good plan? Will reset at 90% of last successful lift if needed.

1/3

Let the climb begin....

Squat 3x5 205
Press 3x5 95

Metcon: 7 rounds of 7 FS 135#, 7 russian kb swings 70# 7:40

Squats all felt pretty good. Lifted at night and will continue that for the next 60-90 days, will take some getting used after years of early a.m.'s. I think I'll like it. Won't always be a metcon involved but if so will definitely be the shorter type. Sledge hammer strikes and OH waiter walks next.

1/5

Squat: 3x5 210
Bench: 3x5 165 (80% of recent 1RM, hope I didn't start too high)

Metcon: CFFB 12/24/11 15:00 AMRAP
21 sledgehammer strikes RT
21 sledgehammer strikes LT
20 yard OH walk RT
20 yard OH walk LT

* used 10# sledges on a tire (all Home Depot had) and 55# kb for OH

think 5 rds + 13 sledges (RT)....thumbs don't want to work now.

1/7

Oly day

Powersnatch (2-2-2-2): 75-85-95-105 (#, as if you couldn't guess). Felt pretty good.
PC (5x3): 185
Powerjerk (3-3-3-3): 95-115-145-165(F, 1). 165x1 was post surgery PR. Just need to continue to do them and build confidence.

All felt OK. Played around with shouldering a couple atlas stones (115# no issues, 175#-not today) after the workout. Back was a little fatigued. Will be using these in the next couple weeks.

1/8

4 games pickup hoops.

1/10

Squat: 3x5 215
Press: 3x5 100

Good...hoping I set my starting #'s at the right level.

Metcon: 10:00 EMOTM 3 weighted pullups (50#), max PC 65% of 1RM for remainder of minute

Tried 35# pulllups....then dropped to 30 after round 3. LOLbad. I was planning on incorporating these a couple times/month into my lifting days and now that MUST happen.

PC @ 145#, total of.....24. Just a train wreck of a workout, mostly due to pullups.

1/11

Snatch skill work, up to 5x75# powersnatch.

Metcon: 2:00 of each exercise with :30 transition between of:
Abmat situps 79
Ring Dips 21
Burpee box jump (24") 20
15' rope climb 4

Nice quick one that I didn't think would interfere with the strength cycle. Feel good.

1/12

Squat: 3x5 220
Bench: 3x5 170
DL: 1x5x350
Speed DL: 4x3 300 (90 seconds rest between sets)

Felt good. Squat not light but far from overwhelming...again hope I set the starting point good.

Happy with DL...during warmup 2's & 3's felt my hamstrings & glutes fire well. Probably will DL every other week for the next month or so.

Plan to squat 300# for reps soon (8 weeks, just before my Vegas trip if no reset is needed)...all HBBS, all the time. Tried LB and didn't have a comfort level with my shoulder on the grip.

1/14

Hang Muscle Clean: worked up to 1RM, 155#
Split Jerk: 5x95-115, 2x135, 1x155-165-175-185(F)

Muscle Cleans/Snatches are great drills to really work on 2nd pull & opening of the hip. I will try and use more. 155# was PR (1st time trying).

Jerks felt pretty good, not enough drive on 185. Still post op PR @ 175. Working from blocks would be great to avoid the stress on the shoulder coming back down.

Not sure if I'm compensating for slightly limited ROM of left shoulder my not keeping my midline tight. Some video would help identify that, will try next time.

1/15

Basketball, 5 games.

Felt pretty good, made a few shots and had good wind.

We finally found the switch to turn on the heat in the gym after playing there for 15 years and absolutely freezing during the winter. Were also afraid (it's an old school) that we could be responsible for burning it down. No fires AFAIK.

1/17

Squat: 3x5 225
Press: 3x5 105

Metcon: From CFFB (last done 12/16)
30 KB Swings - 2 pood

*You have 1 minute to get 30 KB swings. If you do not get 30 KB Swings in 1 minute, count a penalty.
*Perform this workout one minute on and one minute off. Total time is 10 minutes

Rx'd with no misses. All sets done :46 to :48. Was hard, glutes & hams toasted after 3 rds. Grip a factor last round. Exertional migraine for about 10 minutes afterwards. Lungs not an issue with the rest. My DL will like russian swings for sure.

Yesterday (1/16) did some lighter DL plus half-arsed metcon with 44# kb lungewalks, 135# FS and burpees. Should not have done but didn't have a negative impact on today's workout. Welcome day off tomorrow.

1/19

Squat: 3x5 230
Bench: 3x5 175

Metcon (really not):
3 rounds
40 yard farmers walk (RT), 1/3 bw (used 70# kb, bw 197)
40 yard farmers walk (LT), 1/3 bw (70# kb)
max reps chinups with 2 second hold at the top

9, 5, 4 = 18

No breaks between rounds and chins obviously got difficult.

Squats felt good - knee feels great and 1st set is always the toughest.

Saturday going to do some power snatches (might try split snatch to accomodate for limited shoulder flexibility...may be silly but can't hurt to try) and doubles of cleans. Then fight gone bad workout for 1st time in a long time, would hope to get 300 reps.

1/21

Muscle cleans: 5x45, 5x95, 3x115, 3x135, 2x1x165

Fight Gone Bad: 282 total. Conditioning not that great and I'm not there yet with shoulder strength/stamina.

1/22

4 games of hoops. Got hit in the face with a pass and elbowed in the head same game. And whacked in nuts....boy that sucks - used to happen much more in the younger years when I was faster & jumped higher. Being stuck to the ground has it's advantages.

Went 3-1 though.

1/24

Squat: 3x5 235
Press: 3x5 110

Metcon: CFFB

Every :30 for 8:00 - 1 PC (70-75% 1RM) and 5 40# ball slams (sub: 7 sledge strikes, 10#)

Used 155#, went OK. Heaviest sledges we have and trying to find a good sub for ballslams.

Squats felt very good, easier than press.

Debating on doing some 3RM hang PC, push press and FS tomorrow....think that would mess too much with recovery (I'm benching/squat/DL on Thur, off Fri....tomorrow possible off day). Progressions are still feeling good and don't want to wreck that.

1/26

Squats: 3x5 240
Bench: 3x5 180
DL: 1x5 365 (warmup was 5x135, 4x225, 3x295)

Metcon: 5 rounds:
7 DL (250#)
15 doubleunders

3:53. Did a quick metcon in lieu of speed DL we did a couple weeks ago. Some thoracic rounding on reps 4 & 5 of DL...need to make upper back more of a focus.

Squats felt good - bench starting to get tough, esp. with my left side.

Sleep has been good - 8 hrs/night and I know that's not hurting.

1/28

Warmup: 500m row, 3 rounds of 5 strict pullups/10 pushups/10 airsquats

Muscle Clean: up to 1x170

Split Snatch: 2x65-80-95-115FFF

Clean: 2x115-145-185F-165-185

Metcon: 10-8-6-4-2 135# PC, strict pullup/chinup 5:27

Not the best day, think I was moving too slowly and got stiff in the middle of cleans. Split snatch in 1st attempt felt OK but snatch in general was a weak movement for me so it will take some work.

Middle of round of 8 the chins/pullups got hard on the metcon. Cleans felt easy.

1/29

Basketball, 5 games. Felt good at the start then last 2 games right knee was iffy. Expect it to be better tomorrow.

1/31

Squat: 3x5 245
Press: 3x5 115

Metcon: 12:00 AMRAP of - 30 OH lungesteps (45# plate, subbed 35#) + 15 ringdips
3 rds + 30 lunges

Squat felt great. Even last set focused on speed and not close to a struggle. Was concerned going in with my knee flareup on Sunday and a little this a.m....just walking (?). No issues after a good warmup.

Press getting tough. Metcon was OK. Hate lunges (really need to add in some single leg work for stability).

Every workout I'm doing some sort of pullup/chins for warmup or in the metcon. Starting to feel much stronger on pullups - set of 10 today and probably had 4-5 more if going for a max set.

Going to throw in some supplemental work (rows, mobility, general rehab) tomorrow in between workouts. Feels odd to only workout 4x/week but it seems to be working so far.

2/1

rehab day: 500m roll, foam roll, lots of stretching

some pushups, then my version of Kroc rows: 1x20x55#, 1x10x55# (each arm)

I really want to start adding these as I know it's needed for continued shoulder progress and will help like all (press, bench, squat, DL, Oly) in many ways. I've done some band work and am increasing chins/pullups but want to be consistent and use weights more. Hard to fit in during my normal gym time so I may add a floating extra day where I hit this and any other stuff that I need.