I have not done a muscle up in a decade, so I watched a vid to see what the current verbiage is. Looks like they're calling that the "hollow body" position. Which I guess it kinda is? I'm used to doing those just rolling on the floor on my back. You'll get way more out of a very aggressive leg kip than focusing on that position (like the actual gymnastics one).

But I may be misunderstanding that whole usage of that term.

Whatever. Hope it helps. Look forward to the vids.

I think we're saying the same thing. Getting into the hollow body position allows you to then get an aggressive kip. I'm curious - why were you doing muscle ups?

I wanted to **** up my shoulders and didn't have access to Olytarding equipment.

Open Gym

Bar Muscle Ups (every 2 minutes)
3-2-3-2-3-2-3-2

Push up EMOM
10 per minute for 8 minutes

Engine Builder - W5D4
5x3:30, 2 min off - Bike
41, 40, 41, 41, 41 cals



The muscle ups were great. Thanks for getting me to look it up and watch a video DM. This is the only time in history that I have recorded myself doing an exercise and thought "My form is actually decent". I lowered myself instead of pushing myself away from the bar and actually get into a nice hollow position. The 2nd and 3rd muscle ups in every set actually felt easier. I linked all the muscle ups and had way more left in me. I'm going to attempt a max bar muscle up test and then move on to better my ring muscle ups.

The last 2 sets of push ups got hard.

I'm a master of pacing (run, row, bike, whatever). There's so much room for improvement on the bike though. I think I saw on IG one of my ex-coaches did a 30 minute recovery bike at 15 cal per minute and here I am doing intervals at less than 12 cals per minute.

Congrats. That looks like exactly what I intended when I said "push away". MUs are similar to press in that 2-4 reps are frequently easier than rep #1.

Crossfit

Front Squats (every 2:30)
80x5x2
85x5x2
80x5x2

3 rounds for time (20 minute cap):
25 ab mat sit ups
150m DB front rack walk (15 kg DBs)
25 ab mat sit ups
15 front squats (50kg)

The 15kg DBs were all taken, so I used 12.5s and finished in 18:30

It was my first crossfit session with my girlfriend, and so fun!

Engine Builder - W5D5

3x5 min, 1 min off - Row

75, 75, 75 cals (average pace - 2:05.9)

In the last 15 days, I have done:
7 531 sessions (3 without accessories)
2 accessories
2 long runs
6 shorter conditioning sessions (run, row and bike)
3 crossfit sessions
2 yoga sessions
1 rest day
a lot of mobility

My back is a little sore and my bicep tendonities is just starting to flare up (1.5/10). I am taking 2 well deserved days off. Then back at it hard until Sep 7, when I am on holiday for a week, with no lifting at all.

I wrote this in the LC thread. I didn't feel it at all, so I went ahead with 531

531 OHP - C2W1

OHP
35x5
40x5
45x5x5 (maybe 6 sets)

In the last rep of the last set, I felt my right lat when lowering it. I felt it quite a lot. I took a few minutes off, then decided to see if there was any pain.

Pull up and Ring Dips (every 2:15)
6,6
6,6
6,4
5,0

I stopped because I could still feel it, and I was scared every rep of hurting it. I then went home.

I think I am overtraining and my body just can't handle the volume. I am getting injured too much. My main goal with all this is to first be healthy and injury-free, and then get better at crossfit.

I really didn't want to take time off because of a 1 week holiday in early September when I would take a week off, but so what? I will take some time off now, and then again next month. I probably need it.

I was whining about this injury to my girlfriend, and she said why don't I take a deload week now, and then go to the gym on holiday. Problem solved! I just hope this lat problem goes away after a week. So no lifting for a week and some conditioning. I feel better already

531 DL - C2W1

Deadlift
90x5
102.5x5
115x5
90x5x5

Seated Lat row
40x12
45x12x3
40x12

Tricep Pushdown
15x15
17.5x15
20x15x3

Barbell Lunges
40x10 per legx2

Hollow Rocks
3x15



A whole week off! I taught myself python in the last 4 days and got obsessed with it, so I actually had to drag myself to the gym for once. I'm really happy that I got it done though. 531 gives you freedom with accessories (current template is between 50-100 reps for push, pull and single leg/core). I chose easier ones since I'm going to crossfit tomorrow and wanted to ease back into it.

The lunges were horrible, more cardio than anything, so I switched to hollow rocks.

Crossfit and Open Gym

Bench Press - 15 minutes to build to a heavy 3
60x3
70x3
75x3
80x1 (failed 2nd rep)

4 tabatas with ~30 seconds in between:
AMRAP bike cals
AMRAP push ups
AMRAP bike cals
AMRAP pull ups

Bike - 44
Push ups - 54 (8 8 8 8 8 6 5 3)
Bike - 42
Pull ups - 23 (3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2)

163 reps RX

Squat
70x10x5 (BBB for squats)

My bench is actually going down, while my weight has gone up. I'm going to put it down to a bad day, a week off, and not setting up properly. There is no escaping that my bench and OHP are not increasing though.

During the anchor cycle, I am going to really evaluate how each of the 4 lifts have progressed. And then increase volume for specific lifts based on the results.

The metcon today was so much fun

Engine Builder - W6D1

15k run at 6:02 pace

Longest ever non-race run!

Mobility Update

2 months of done of (almost) daily mobility work.

Category: June-July-Aug
Overall: 44-56-61
Shoulders: 50-58-67
Overhead: 33-50-50
Hips: 53-65-65
Posterior Chain: 25-38-50
Ankles: 100-100-100

I did 13 hours of mobility work in the last month and 3 sessions of yoga.

Seeing concrete results is great and is exactly the motivation I need to continute with it. This app is such a great idea and so well made.

531 - Squat and OHP C2W2

Squat: 75x5, 87.5x5, 97.5x5x5
OHP: 37.5x5, 42.5x5, 47.5x5x5
Seated Row: 40x12, 45x12, 50x12x3 (first 2 sets super-setted with OHP)
Push ups: 21, 13, 10, 8, 8 (strict 60s rest)
Face Pulls: 3x10
Plank: 10x30s (20s rest)

I'm going on holiday in 10 days, so I want to squeeze in this 2nd cycle of 531 before that. I will treat the holiday as another deload, and then do an anchor after that, which will tell me where my strength is at.

It was a good and hard session. Next week at 102.5x5x5 for squats and 50x5x5 for OHP should be spicy. I will have to split it into 2 sessions.

Engine Builder - W6D2

15 x 1 minute, 1 minute off - Run

Average pace: 4:06

I looked at this workout from last year and did it in 4:03. But I made an effort to reign in my effort and not have these conditioning sessions be like a race. I'm proud of myself with running by feel.

I also decided to not do all 5 engine builder sessions in a week (1 easy, 4 hard). Between crossfit and these sessions, I will try to get in 3-4 conditioning sessions a week, and make sure 1-2 of them are easy. That will be more beneficial for long term sustainability and not getting injured

Weightlifting

Snatch: 30x3x2, 35x3x2, 40x3x2, 42.5x3
Clean and Jerk: 55x3x2, 60x3, 65x1





First weightlifting session in 3 months and it felt great! I haven't been going due to a combination of my back and bicep tendonitis, but once a week from here on out is the goal. I kept the weights light to ease back into it.

We had a stand in coach and he told me to stay over the bar longer and not pull with my back. It's the first time ever the bar didn't crash into me on cleans and it helped so much.

Cues for next time - stay over the bar, and pull the bar close to body

531 - Deadlift and Bench Press C2W2

Deadlift: 95x5, 110x5, 122.5x5, 95x5x5
Bench Press: 50x5, 60x5, 65x5x5
Barbell Row: 50x10x4
Pull ups: 10 in total, just to get to 50 reps of pull

1 hour later (at home)
75 push ups for time - 5:13 (started doing 5 every 20 seconds. I got only 4 going from 50 to 54 and then just tried to get them done as fast as possible)

Plank (every 1:45): 60s, 60s, 60s, 50s, 50s (wanted to do 60s for 5 rounds but it got too difficult)



Deadlifts felt a bit off. I just don't feel like I can press into the floor with my shoes, so this will be the last time I do deadlifts with shoes.

Deadlift in socks or hard and flat soled shoes. I prefer shoes. Also some people like WL shoes but some people hate them.

That set was a 10 or 12RM probably. Maybe you intended that. I think you're nitting over form too much but one thing I noticed is that your lockout is kind of awkward. Maybe try to finish hard with your glutes. Also I'd use a narrower grip.

I've noticed my lockout is awkward, but I have no idea why. I'll try using my glutes and the narrower stance. Also, on my 3rd rep, I came forward on my toes which is why I reset before the 4th rep. Then when I looked at all the reps carefully, I noticed my heel is coming off the floor. This obviously means that the weight is too far forward and I need to sit back, right?

I don't think "sit back" is an effective cue for the deadlift. You mostly need to be thinking "up" really hard to pull a heavy weight off the floor. The only place you might want to think about "back" is with your lats to keep your upper back tight and the bar as close as possible. Yes, it looks like the bar is drifting forward of your body, but with tennis shoes it's pretty tough to keep balance across your feet. Try pulling in socks.

I was going to say to narrow your grip, not your stance, but it looks like you're pretty much touching your legs at the start. Stance is based more on comfort but yeah I'd see if you feel more comfortable going a bit narrower with feet more flared out.

531 OHP - C2W3

OHP: 40x5, 45x5, 50x5x5
Pull ups: 10, 6, 5, 3, 3, 3 (not max effort, just wanted to get to 30 reps)
Seated Row: 30x20x2
Dips: 10 minute EMOM (5 per minute)
Hollow Rocks: 20, 15, 15



I've only posted 1 OHP video and that was ages ago, so form feedback is welcome!

Run

6k run at 5:53 pace (commute home)

531 Squat - C2W3

Squat: 80x5, 90x5, 102.5x5x5 (3-4 minutes rest)
Tricep Pushdown: 15x15x3, 15x10 (felt something, stopped)
Curls: 8sx10, 10sx10x4
Face Pulls: 3x10
Leg Press: 70x10, 90x10, 110x10, 130x10x2



Squats were really hard, but I'm pleased I got through them. I really need my dedicated readers' help with my squats. I feel like I'm at the point where they are okay, but nobody is ever going to look at them and think "He squats so well". What is the next think I can do to improve them? And RPE on that set? I'm thinking 7-8.

I did leg press after ages and it sort of hurt my lower back a little.

After rewatching the video and reading my cues, I think I know what I'm doing wrong. I start out with my weight evenly distributed in my feet, then when I take a breath in and brace, the weight goes back on my heels and my back is overarched. Then I get back into the correct position on the way down, so my back angle changes, and it looks a bit off.

I need to keep my weight evenly distributed on my feet even when I brace. I practiced a little in the mirror and am pretty sure that would work

Run

2.5k easy @ 6:02
6.5k MP @ 5:14
2k easy @6:03

Total 11k @ 5:34

This was not fun after squatting yesterday. 1 more day till my holiday!