6/14/13

Burpees: 3 sets of 21 burpees, each set under 63 seconds; 1 min. rest b/w sets
Bench Press: 170x5x2, 170x6
Pendlay Rows: 115x8, 125x8
Squats: 200x5x2, 200x8

I had a lot of errands to run yesterday afternoon so I decided to do the burpees before the workout. The third sets of burpees was close to the 63 seconds. I will give it a try again tomorrow. Mini rant: doing burpees before my workout was an absurdly dumb idea. I was extremely winded going into bench. I'm sure I lost at least one rep from the lack of energy. I'm better off skipping burpees if a day like this happens again.

I haven't down Pendlay rows in months. I always enjoyed doing them, but I had to stop because my left shoulder would hurt when I would put the weight down. I vastly underestimated my strength, an always welcome surprise.

I dropped a warmup set up for squats. I think that really helped keep my energy up for my working sets. I posted the videos from my squats in the form check thread. I posted the AMRAP set below. I'm disappointed that I mentally give up so easy. I think I may have one more rep in me. If anyone has any thoughts on my squats, please let me know.

6/16/13

Burpees: goal was 3 sets of 21 burpees/set, each set under 63 seconds; 1 min. rest b/w sets

I got the first two sets, but I finished the last set at about 63.5 seconds. I am disappointed at the last two times I did burpees since I did so well last Sunday. I definitely would have hit 21 burpees last week. My first set today was off compared to normal. I generally finish the first set with 4-5 seconds to spare; today, I finished with 1 second left.

6/17/13

Press: 100x5x2, 100x10
Weighted Chins: 12x8, 10x6
Squats: 205x5x2, 205x8

An overall fantastic day. I think I will go up 5 lbs on Friday for Press since I hit 10 reps in the AMRAP set two times in a row.

I was going to use an 8 lb dumbbell for the second set of chins, but there wasn't any available. Looks like I was underselling my lats and gunz.

I made sure to stretch out my hips for a few minutes before starting squats and it paid off. Last time I did the AMRAP set at 205, I only did 6 reps. It's the first time in a while that I feel like I am making progress at squatting.

6/18/13

Burpees: 3 sets of 21 burpees/set in under 63 seconds; 1 min. rest b/w sets

Ten minutes after the burpees, I ran 1 mile as fast as I could: 7:38.

CF gyms are not only ridiculously overpriced they are downright dangerous. lol @ 21/15/9 rep snatches for time! lol @ kipping pull ups BRB demolishing shoulder

lift heavy things + HIIT profit

my gym is $17/month and its 24 hours, we have tires 300/400/500/600 lb, fat bars, oly platforms, 3 squat racks, bumper plates, jacbos ladder machine, etc etc

lol @ crossfit

6/19/13

Bench Press: 172.5x5x2, 172.5x7
Kroc Rows: 70x23(l), 21(r)
Power Clean: 95x5, 135x1x3, 145x1x3
Deadlift: 290x7

Obv improved bench this time since there were no burpees beforehand. Today was the first time in a while that I could use chalk when deadlifting. I bought some liquid chalk online and it worked like a charm.

6/21/13

Press: 105x5x2, 105x8
Weighted Chins: 15x7, 10x6
Squats: 210x5x2, 210x8

I need to keep my core tighter on presses during my last rep or two. I can feel my back twitching in all sorts of ways and that cannot be good for my back.

Thanks to the increase in squats in the AMRAP set today vs. the last time I did them, I have a ton of confidence going into 215 on Monday. Six would be great, but I am going to aim for seven.

6/22/13

Burpees: 3 sets of 22 burpees/set in less than 66 seconds; 1 min. rest b/w sets

6/23/13

Clean and Jerk:
95x3
115x1
125x1
135x1x2
145x1x2
155xfx2

I need to practice the jerk. I can't generate any explosiveness upwards at all. It feels like a jumping press.

6/24/13

Snatch: 45x3, 65x1x4
Bench Press: 175x5x2, 175x6
Pendlay Rows: 135x8x2
Squats: 215x5x2, 215x6

The snatch weight was definitely light, but I wanted to work on form. If I slept a reasonable amount of time last night, I am pretty sure I would have gotten seven on the AMRAP set for squats. I think I have a good shot at squatting 220x5x3 on Friday!

6/25/13

Burpees: 2 sets of 23 burpees/set in under 69 secs; failed last set

10 minute AMRAP:
20 double unders
10 wall balls
5 toes-to-bar

5 rounds + 1 wall ball

After hurting my left knee last month, it has never fully healed. As a result of doing burpees, I have a developed an odd looking protrusion on my knee. It especially hurts when the burpees get tough and I have to push my knees off the floor. I am going to take a hiatus from the burpee challenge until my knee looks normal.


6/26/13

Press: 107.5x5x2, 107.5x7
Weighted Chins: 15x7, 10x7
Power Cleans: 95x3, 135x1x2, 145x1x4
Deadlifts: 295x6

Power cleans were strange. The only power clean that felt normal was my very last rep. I'll be curious if that trend continues.

6/28/13

Bench Press: 177.5x5x2, 177.5x6
Kroc Rows: 75x22(l), 19(r)
Squats:220x3

I tweaked my back after the third rep. I learned a valuable lesson as a result: always roll my back on two lacrosse balls taped together before squats. I typically do that, but I told myself that I would do it after squats since it causes my back to get tight. After this happened, I went home and took an epsom salt bath. I hope this pain goes away by Monday so I can take another crack at 220. It didn't feel nearly as heavy as it did three weeks ago.

6/30/13

The right side of my back is still tight. I'm not sure what I will do for tomorrow if it does not feel any better. I will likely try the same weights as normal for press and weighted chins, but I will go lighter for squats and see how it goes.

I haven't done cardio since Tuesday and I wanted to do something, so the only WOD I could think of doing that I could do at home that would not place too much stress on my back was flight simulator.

Flight Simulator (15 min. cap):

Unbroken double under pyramid
5-10-15-...-50-45-40-...-5

I got to the first round of 35. It must have taken six minutes to get past the round of 20. I kept messing up at 14. Once I got 20, I got 25 (PR) and 30 (2nd PR!) in successive rounds. I don't think I got any more than 25 in the round of 35.

7/7/13

I haven't lifted weights since my last post. It turns out I threw out my back and I needed to let it heal. I did some snatches today. I did a few singles at 75# that did not feel that bad. Once I kicked it up to 80#, I could not keep stable in the hole. Meh.

7/8/13

Press: 107.5 x 5 x 2, 107.5 x 6 or 7
Weighted chins: 15 x 7, 10 x 6
Squats: 215 x 5 x 2, 215 x 7

I decided to do the same weights as I did before the back problem. The results were flipped from what I expected. In any case, squats are looking good going into the monstrous 220 on Friday.

7/9/13

Power Cleans:

95 x 3, 135 x 2, 145 x 1, 155 x 1, 165 x 1, 175 x f, 175 x 1

WOD:

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 of:
Power Cleans @ 115#
Pullups
KB Swings @ 16 KB

I skipped sets of 4, 3, and 2 since it took so long. I didn't want the WOD to go over 15 minutes. By the time I looked up after the set of 5, I was at 16+. I finished the abbreviated version in 17:17. I hate these descending workouts, probably because it so mentally defeating after the set of 8, when you are halfway done. It never feels that way.

7/10/13

Bench Press: 177.5 x 5 x 2, 177.5 x 6
Pendlay Rows: 145 x 8 x 2
Deadlift: 295 x 6

These presses have sucked. Now that I have brought both presses up to speed, I hope they will be ready to go for more weight.

7/12/13

Press: 110x5x2, 110x7
Weighted Chins: 15x7, 10x7
Squats: 220x5x2, 220x5

EMOM: 125m row for 8 minutes - It took from 28-30 seconds each time.

I can't remember grinding sets of squats like I did in the last two sets today. I was so winded from the first set, I didn't think I had much of a chance of getting through the second set, let alone the third set. It's such a relief to finally get past 220. I can't remember the last time I could do 225 for 5 reps. Luckily I have the weekend to tricking myself into getting it done.

Nice work on the squats. I definitely know the feeling of grinding through them and feeling like death when your done. I'm a little confused by your formatting though, did you do 220x5 3 times?

Thanks POW! You are correct about my formatting. I write my lifts up as weight x reps x sets. BTW, congrats on the PRs in deadlifts. Seeing all these PRs on the boards make me want to max out sometime soon.

7/14/13

Push Jerk:
115x1
125x1
135x1
145x1
150x1
155x1 (PR)
160xf,f

Practiced handstand holds.

I never really practiced the jerk so I figured I should get some practice in. I am pretty sure I could have locked out at 160, but I need to get lower. Next time I do jerks, I plan on practicing with a PVC pipe and the bar to get my feet to know where to land.

7/15/13

Hang Snatch: 4 singles at 65#
Bench Press: 180x5x2, 180x5
Kroc Rows: 75x22(l), 20(r)
Squats: 225x5x2, 225x5

I really need to start rolling the lower part of my right hip/upper quad. I could feel it tighten up during the hang snatch. It really started being a problem during the warm up sets for squats. It was so bad, I didn't think five reps at 225 would be possible. I got by with doing some stretching between sets, but it didn't help that much. Foam rolling that part of my leg should help a ton in the future.

7/16/13

Snatch Balance:
65x2
75x1x2
80x1
85xf
85x1
90x1
95xfx2

4 rounds:
12 power cleans @ 115#
15 wall balls @ 20#

14:00. I suck at wall balls. I might start integrating them more on my second workout each week.

You're in good company.

Nice log, I'm also 6', weigh a tad less than you (around 178 just now) and am just a bit behind you in my lifts (probably more so upper body where I'm really weak).

My conditioning is ok and I was thinking of trying to copy some of your WODs in my HIIT days if you're interested in some friendly competition to push us both along? I am particularly interested in ones which involve skipping, burpees or rowing...

Michty6,

Feel free to do some of the WODs I post. FWIW, I just do the WODs from my gym (Crossfit Arlington). I tend to scale down the prescribed weights. Part of the reason I am doing more weightlifting and less WODs is so I can eventually do WODs at the prescribed weight.

If you ever want to work on burpees, try the Villain #1 challenge. The goal is to eventually do 100 burpees in 5 minutes. I was doing it earlier, but I developed an odd looking bump on my left knee. I am taking some time off from the challenge until it gets better.