Weightlifting
Snatch: 52.5x2, 55x2x3 (failed 1 rep in the last set)
Snatch Grip Deadlift: 70x2x3
Metcon
For time:
50-40-30-20-10 Calorie Row
- rest 1 minute between sets -
14:05 - assault bike (3:03, 2:55, 2:18, 1:21, 0:23)
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Snatches felt okay. Not great, not bad. I loved this metcon. The bike version is right up feel's alley. I went out too fast in the round of 50, but then surprised myself by doing 10 cals in 23 seconds. I guess that meant I sandbagged the 20 cals a little (or most likely felt too sorry for myself).
Weightlifting
Snatch: 52.5x2, 55x2x3 (failed 1 rep in the last set)
Snatch Grip Deadlift: 70x2x3
Metcon
For time:
50-40-30-20-10 Calorie Row
- rest 1 minute between sets -
14:05 - assault bike (3:03, 2:55, 2:18, 1:21, 0:23)
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Snatches felt okay. Not great, not bad. I loved this metcon. The bike version is right up feel's alley. I went out too fast in the round of 50, but then surprised myself by doing 10 cals in 23 seconds. I guess that meant I sandbagged the 20 cals a little (or most likely felt too sorry for myself).
You bastard - the rowers were in use at the gym today so I did this. Horrible
Deadlifts are still low RPE and no lower back pain. Today was 5x5 at 74% of my PR (162.5) with not much rest. Promising.
Bench presses were RPE 8.5 on the last set. Again, promising.
My split jerks look a world apart from my push jerks. I watched a video on how to setup and tried my best to eliminate dipping and driving forward. The big aha moment was my toes coming off the ground while dipping. I kept my toes rooted and they felt incredible! I wonder if this transfers over to push jerks. Video is off the best and final rep.
Metcon
In Teams of 2, for time: (30 minute cap)
2000m Row
-into-
4 rounds
100’ Front Walking Lunge (43kg)
50 Box Jump Overs (24")
-into-
2000m Row
29:41 - 30kg lunges
Metcon 2
For time:
5-4-3-2-1
Bar Muscle ups
-between each set complete 200m assault bike–
4:23
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I had a partner who was a lot weaker than me and it was a great reminder how good scaling is. 30kg was really light, but it made sure my heart rate didn't spike and I didn't sit around staring at the bar feeling sorry for myself. It was a much better RPE.
The second part was actually ring muscle ups and a 200m run, but I did it after class and messed up the conversion to the bike. I still managed to keep all the muscle ups unbroken, while being tired after the 30 minute metcon. Very pleased with that!
Weightlifting
Power Snatch: 50x2x3
Overhead Squat: 55x3x3
Metcon
For time: (22 minute cap)
300m Run
5 Rounds of Cindy
250m Run
4 Rounds of Cindy
200m Run
3 Rounds of Cindy
150m Run
2 Rounds of Cindy
100m Run
1 Round of Cindy
1 round of Cindy - (5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 air squats)
Time capped after 2 pull ups in the 14th round of Cindy
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Squatted in my PJs at home, that was cool. Low enough RPE with not much rest.
Power snatches felt a bit off, but looked the best it has on video! I am actually locking out my knees and reaching full extension. They also look snappier.
Push ups 4+3+3 as usual. Murph is next week and I might skip it. My strength and WL is at its peak and my cardio is probably a bit under. Or I might scale it up to 10/20/30 so I don't have a time to beat.
Weightlifting
Power Snatch: 50x2x3
Overhead Squat: 55x3x3
Metcon
For time: (22 minute cap)
300m Run
5 Rounds of Cindy
250m Run
4 Rounds of Cindy
200m Run
3 Rounds of Cindy
150m Run
2 Rounds of Cindy
100m Run
1 Round of Cindy
1 round of Cindy - (5 pull ups, 10 push ups, 15 air squats)
Time capped after 2 pull ups in the 14th round of Cindy
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Squatted in my PJs at home, that was cool. Low enough RPE with not much rest.
Power snatches felt a bit off, but looked the best it has on video! I am actually locking out my knees and reaching full extension. They also look snappier.
Push ups 4+3+3 as usual. Murph is next week and I might skip it. My strength and WL is at its peak and my cardio is probably a bit under. Or I might scale it up to 10/20/30 so I don't have a time to beat.
Murph is next week and I might skip it. My strength and WL is at its peak and my cardio is probably a bit under. Or I might scale it up to 10/20/30 so I don't have a time to beat.
Oh wait, Memorial day is end of May. I might just go for a PR or do it as 10/20/30 for the first time and go for it.
Metcon
For time: (14 minute cap)
50-40-30-20-10
Double Unders
25-20-15-10-5
Kettlebell Swings, 24kg
5-4-3-2-1
Front Squats, 83kg
13:36
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A really bad day after a while. I was jumping forward in cleans. I wasn't extending completely. My power cleans and power snatches are good, I hit full extension. My cleans and snatches are not and I drop under before hitting extension. I need to trick my brain into thinking it is power I guess.
I should have scaled the metcon. My lower back hurt towards the end, and I need to be mindful of it in the next few days. I was worried about failing every power clean at 83kg with my grip and lungs under fatigue. 20kg swings, 70kg squats and this would been more cardio and less standing around after every set spiking my heart rate.
Push presses and jerks were the standard. I am dipping forward. I watched an entire series on the starting position and the dip/drive, and I know what I need to do. Dip with weight on midfoot, drive with weight on midfoot.
The metcon was a win. I scaled smartly and it was a really good RPE.
Metcon
For time: (18 minute cap)
5 rounds
15 Calorie Row
15 Toes to Bar
-into-
75 Dumbbell Snatch, 22.5kg
15:35 - 12 toes to bar, 20kg DB
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The first set of OHP (45x8) felt like RPE 5. The last set was a true RPE 10. So hard.
It was another day of scaling the metcon properly without kiling myself. The first part took 9:35 and the second part took 6:00. I did the first set of TTB unbroken, and then it gradually deteriorated. The last set was 7 and then 5 singles. Snatches were k. 0.5/10 back pain for the last 10, which really isn't much.
Part A - 400m bike - around 40s
Part B - 1 Push Press + 1 Push Jerk - 6 at 50, 4 at 55
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Great RPE today. Getting wiser, training smarter. I added the bench before, and it was RPE 8 on my last set. I think I have 97.5 in me now. I wonder if I should YOLO 100 in a couple of weeks.
I changed up the back breaking 60 clean and jerks for some more jerk technique. The good - I managed to extend my knees for the jerk like I always did for the push press. The bad - I am dipping forwards although that is the ONLY thing I am thinking about not doing.
I loved today. 36 minutes of cardio, and a bit of an upper body pump. My push ups are as strong as ever - it must be because my bench has gone from 87.5 to 95.
Snatches felt slow. I tried to fully extend and I think I'm using my back too much and leaning back and the bar is looping away from me. Sigh.
I scaled the metcon pretty well. My strategy was off though. I paced the deadlifts too much, which wasn't necessary since there was so much standing around during HSPUs. DLs were 6,5,5,5/6,5,4/9. HSPUs were 4,4,4,2,2 / 3,3,3,1,1,1 / 2,1,1,1,1,1,1. Really fun.
I am going to get my HR strap back out. I need a reminder not to push myself too hard.
It was nice to hit 90 4 times without much difficulty. I definitely have 95 in me. On watching the video, I think I'm hitting extension nicely, but then using my arms for a split second, before dropping under. That's making my legs go really wide.
Scaling metcons sensibly continues. I leave the gym feeling so good. Had I done this Rx, I would have taken 2:30 with a higher HR, and my rest would have been shorter and the effects would have snowballed and made it a max effort.
I got a new chest strap and finally used it! Max HR for each interval was 185, 188, 190, and 191. So still pretty high. But I left feeling good.
Superset:
Strict toes to bar: 5x8
DB Curls: 10sx10x5
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I've redone the strength cycle now and the only week remaining is the test week. Front squat PR is 122.5. I don't think it makes much sense to attempt 125 after 6 weeks, so I might go for a 3RM or a 5RM. I think I will attempt a bench PR because it doesn't take much out of my body. Squats felt heavier than usual today and bench presses felt good.
I caught a cheater on video today. The workout was 50 burpees, he did 38! He has stopped posting scores - I assume a coach called him out on it. But it looks like he can't resist looking like the alpha and finishing first (the workout started with 50 burpees).
Metcon
For time: (in teams of 2)
144 Calorie Row
10x100ft Farmer Carry, 30kg DBs
125 Calorie Row
50 Power Snatches, 61kg
58 Calorie Row
30 Muscle Ups
- Split reps as needed -
31:33 - 27.5kg DBs, 40kg snatches
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I loved today. This was a bike workout, and the coach messed up the conversions to the rower, hence the weird numbers. Farmers carries were really easy with 27.5s. Snatches were hard. 15 muscle ups were easy. Average HR 174, max 189.
Metcon
For Time:
800m Run
30 Pull-Ups
60 Push-Ups
90 Air Squats
400m Run
20 Pull-Ups
40 Push-Ups
60 Air Squats
200m Run
10 Pull-Ups
20 Push-Ups
30 Air Squats
26:38 - ave HR 180, max 188
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Phew. Wearing my HR monitor has been eye-opening on how hard these days are. I might do Murph as 10 rounds of 10/20/30 and try to go sub 50 or something.
One of the better sessions! Snatches felt the best ever. I realized that when I power snatch, I extend completely and then use my arms a little before dropping under. When I squat snatch, I become timid and don't extend completely and drop under earlier than necessary. Look how explosive and easy 60 looks!
So the fix - drop under EARLIER during power snatches. Drop under LATER during squat snatches. And all this while trying to use my legs more (and not my back).
I skipped the metcon and deadlifted. No back pain. Low RPE despite adding 5kg to this rep scheme from 2 months ago.
Metcon
15 min AMRAP
15/12 Calorie Assault Bike
10 Thrusters (34/25kg)
15/12 Calorie Assault Bike
8 Thrusters (43/29kg)
15/12 Calorie Assault Bike
6 Thrusters (52/34kg)
15/12 Calorie Assault Bike
4 Thrusters (61/43kg)
15/12 Calorie Assault Bike
Max Squat Clean Thrusters (70/48kg) in the remaining time
7 reps - 18 cal row
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Cleans felt off. I really tried to extend completely, but I didn't.
The metcon was another reminder to scale. I should have done 30-60kg, but Rx tempted me too much. The limiting factor was my tennis elbow for the clusters. I had 4 minutes and just did 7 because of it. My HR actually came down for that part. I am going to scale, scale, scale. Average HR 178, max 189.
Metcon
Every 2:00 (8 sets)
10 Toes to Ring (Or Toes to Bar)
10 Bench Press, 52.5kg
30 Double Unders
*Score is slowest round
1:20 - 8 TTB, 40kg bench, 25 DUs
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I watched another video and I realized my legs weren't locked out at setup. That seemed to help. I kept it light enough to work on form.
Metcon was brutal. I kept the toes to bar unbroken. I had to break the last set of bench presses 7+3! Double unders were mostly unbroken and good. The first 6 rounds were between 1:00 and 1:05, then 1:10, and finally 1:20.
This is not ideal prep for 1RM bench on Sunday, but let's see what happens. Going for a 125 front squat and 97.5 bench. If it feels heavy on the day, I'll set a 3RM or a 5RM
So bittersweet. I was expecting a bench PR and was iffy about a front squat PR and it was the opposite!
When I did 122.5 a few weeks ago, my back rounded and it was a struggle. Today looked so smooth! I had a bit more in me, but I will save it.
90 went up pretty okay. I then asked my coach to spot me and he had a broken thumb, so he asked someone else and in a couple of minutes everyone was standing around watching. I then didn't setup properly and kind of rushed it. All the people watching made me rush the setup and I just didn't feel comfortable. I then tried to hit 92.5 and then 96, but failed 92.5! Damn. I probably shouldn't have benched on Thursday.
I'll probably just redo this squat cycle, because why change something that's working? I'll look up a bench template that is more suitable to me. I'm thinking more reps at lower RPE.