Full Body - 1000% awesome. I'm following it exactly. Before this, I did 5x531 and modified it to suit me but in reality, I didn't know wtf I was doing.

Crossfit

45 minutes to find Crossfit Total

Back Squat:
115
125
135 (2.5kg PR)

OHP:
60
68 (0.5kg PR)

Deadlift
130
140
150
162.5 (2.5kg PR)

Bike

30 minutes on the assault bike
224 calories, 15.2 km

I'm really pleased with the PRs! 125 felt heavy with squats, so I rested more and decided not to go for 135 and then 137.5. 135 was a real grind. I almost came to a halt half way up, but pushed through. I don't think I had even 1kg more in me. A true 1RM.

My OHP PR was from last month, so I put on the 0.25kg baby plates for the first time ever. It was a grind halfway up again, but I was never worried about failing. Maaaybe 68.5 would be doable.

120 felt heavy during deadlifts! But I kept increasing it by 10. My form still stayed okay at 150, so I went for the small PR. 162.5 was atrocious, my back rounded a lot. It went up slowly, but not a huge grind. I probably have 165 in me with even worse form. Deadlift 1RMs are stupid.

BW: 74.5kg
Crossfit total: 365.5kg/806lbs
PL total: 385kg/849lbs

Engine Builder - W3D3

Row
12x1:45, 1 min off

Average pace: 2:04.7, SR: 25

I tried to keep it around 2:05, and sped up in the last interval doing 2:01.8. I was sensible about this workout and didn't push too hard. Total distance was 5049m and it was probably at quicker than 5k pace.

Sweet PRs!

Thanks, Monte!

Weightlifting

Snatch: 40x2, 45x2x2, 50x2
Clean and Jerk: 60x2x2
Jerk (from rack): 65x2x3

Snatches felt amazing. My only thought was to keep the bar close to me, and I got under it easily. My bicep pain flared up from cleans, so I just worked on jerks. I really concentrated on finishing the drive with the legs and it felt much stronger

531 - C1D8

Squat: 92.5x5x5 (3rd set)
Bench Press: 60x5, 65x5, 72.5x5
Seated Row: 55x10x3
Dips: 5x8 (EMOM)
Hammer Curl: 7sx20x3
50 Hollow Rocks for time: 2:26 (after rowing)

Engine Builder - W4D1

Row
10 min row, 3 min off, 7 min row

10min - 2:11.5, 24spm
7min - 2:10.4, 24spm

---------------------------------------------------------------

My lower back has been sore since the 1RM deadlift, so I switched 531 days around (today was meant to be deadlifts and OHP). I decided to go ahead and lift because it felt fine during weightlifting on Saturday and I took Sunday off. During squats however, it felt like the old lower left back pain injury, but a lot less severe (3/10). I should have called an audible and switched to front squats, but I didn't. After squatting, the rest of the workout was fine, but I can still feel it whenever I bend down. The pain seems to be a little lower this time, in my left glute. I am going to New York for 5 days on Thursday, so I hope 5 days of complete rest will do the trick. I will carry on training until then and just try and hopefully use common sense.

Row

Total: 10015m, 46:19 (2:18.7, 21spm)

Quoted below is from Oct 27. I think I made some technique gains since then and some fitness gains. By lowering my spm and increasing the drive (is that correct terminology?), I can keep my heart rate the same and increase my pace.

There is a chance that I pushed a bit harder today and had a higher HR though. Both were meant to be steady state rows.

10000 meters is no joke - nice gains! (And yes, the drive is the correct terminology).

Thanks Monte! I find rowing to be such a mental grind. I constantly stare at the screen and count the meters to go.

531 - C1D9

Weighted Pullups: BWx5x2, 5x5x5
OHP: 45x5x5
Seated Row: 50x15x2, 45x15
Incline DB Bench: 20sx15x2, 18sx15
Hollow Rocks: 20, 15, 15 (after rowing)

Engine Builder - W4D2

Row
20x30 sec, 30 sec off

2575m, 1:56.5 pace, 32spm

Back was still not okay for deadlifting, so I switched it for weighted pull ups. I did 18x30 sec, 30 sec off on Oct 23 and my average pace was 1:58.0, so more rowing gains!

That's 1 cycle of 531 done. I'm increasing my training maxes on everything except deadlifts. I'm going to play it by ear with deadlifts. It's the only lift that aggravates my back injury. I may just work up to a set of 5 with no pain on the deadlift day or maybe 5x5 at baby weights. Let's see. My first priority is to get rid of this stupid injury that has lasted forever. I'm also going to start doing touch and go. I've done a lot of reading about it and there seems to be pros and cons to it. I just have such trouble getting tight during the setup that the thought of only doing it once and remaining tight sounds amazing.

I'm going to New York, 5 days off now. My goal is to do the shortest gowod mobility every day (8 minutes), 1 run, and 2 push up workouts (1 EMOM and 100 push ups for time).

See you in 5 days!

I am not sure if I ever suggested this but have you watched any Dark Horse Rowing videos? Your times are not the greatest from all the working out you do. It is all about the leg drive

Also an app Ergdata great for rowing gives you more info

I've watched videos and use ergdata. I think my form is mostly fine, based on what coaches say. I am a small guy 5'9, 75kg and most of my cardio has been running. My rowing is definitely weak and I'm trying to make it better.

Crossfit

15 minutes -
Build to Heavy Complex:
1 Pausing Back Squat (3 Seconds)
1 Back Squat

50, 70, 80, 90, 100, 105, 110, 115

3 Rounds For Time: (15 min cap)
30 Plate Ground to Overhead (15 kg)
20 Cal row
20 Single Dumbbell Box Step-ups (22.5 kg, 24")

14:18 RX

So I did 5 days of nothing. No mobility, running, hotel WODs. It was a nice break. The complex at 115 was heavy for the day. I don't think I could do much more. The 3 second pause is hard.

The metcon had a generous time cap, so I did it RX. Everything was unbroken and slow except for the last round of ground to overheads which was 20+10. It feels good to be training again.

I hope I didn't come across badly with that comment. I saw all your open scores and based it on that. If you look at some of the top distance times they are not by big guys.

No offense taken. This open taught me a lot. I neglected my cardio and it cost me a lot of places in 20.1 and 20.2. I've settled into a nice routine now with cardio 4-5 times a week and I can already feel improvements.

Row

11,011m, 2:18.5 pace, 22spm

This became hard with 20 minutes to go. I need to stop trying to beat my time/pace from the previous session with long rows and just keep it easy. Also, open the damn window even if I freeze a little in the beginning.

Are you rowing at the box or at home? Music, TV show can help with those 10,000s .

Also why not just program in a 10,000 meter row instead of rowing 11,000 or some random # . Your stroke per minute is good. If I had to guess your not using enough leg drive . Also I program in a pace boat or two. Nothing like trying to stay ahead of the pace boat.

I find if my leg drive is great I knock 5-6 seconds off my pace withy the same exertion. Sadly most crossfit coaches are not great rowing coaches. At 55 in the box I still crush guys on the row 20 years younger than me. Dark Horse is still the best. Though if your looking to increase endurance I don't think rowing the long distances is best


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6GEcWuqt70

Thanks for the video, that was really helpful. I will video myself and post it on here and hopefully you can tell me how my rowing is. I row at home or at the gym after strength. I hardly ever row at the box because our open gym hours are almost non existant.

So currently, my plan for endurance/cardio in a 8 day window is:
1 60 minute steady state
1 30 minute steady state
3 engine builder sessions
1 crossfit metcon

I'm using the rower/bike/running based on what I feel like. Currently, I just don't feel like running and my rowing is so much worse anyway, so improving that ought to be easier. Why do you think rowing long distances is not good for endurance? The reason I did 11000m is just to gradually build to an hour. I don't preset the distance because I hate the metres counting down, that's why I end up with distances just over what I aim to row.

FYI, engine builder is (in a week):
1 steady state that builds to an hour
4 engine builder sessions

All sessions can be done on run/bike/row/ski. I have removed the anaerobic session because it just beat me up and I was dreading it. So I have just slightly tweaked it to fit what I think is sustainable for me in the long run. Would you change anything? I love talking about programming, so all input is welcome!

I came across this video, which is what jdb was telling me ages ago. It seems like this video was made for me. It addresses the exact things I am doing wrong.

531 - C2D1

Squat: 80x5, 90x5, 102.5x5
Bench Press: 65x5x5
Chin ups: 5x1 (1 rep after every bench press set)
Pull ups: 10, 5, 5, 5
Dips: 15, 10, 7
Hollow Rocks: 2x25

Pretty uneventful. I tried incorporating the squeeze glutes, ribs down, brace hard cue and the overarching seems to have gone. I think my chest collapses a bit though, so I have to use the chest up cue as well.

The reason I like doing a set piece of 6000 or 10,000 meters is you see an average stroke rate and projected finish time. Always have a time to beat. Also allows you to take your best time and program a pace boat. Amazing how you hate losing to that pace boat.

AS for building an endurance I think the most you see in a WOD is a 2000 meter and 500 meter and 1000 meters plus Cals. I think your best doing 5 x1000 or 3 x2000 with small rests.

Though if you keep improving your times at 10,000 meters no question your improving your endurance

I am guilty of it also not watching videos. There are so many on Darkhorse.

https://youtu.be/RccHEXScCEYhttps://...be/RccHEXScCEY

lozen, the bolded is horrible advice. It is pretty universally accepted that the way to increase endurance is via more steady state with some intervals. Do you think someone training for a mile race only runs mile repeats? Mileage is going to be the single most important factor in a mile time and the only way to get high mileage is to run slow.

I had a look at your log and you rowed a 45 minute 10k weighing 260 pounds and said my easy paced (not even close to all out) 46.xx 10k was bad at 165 pounds. I'm not trying to start a fight or create any ill will, but that just strikes me as odd.

Having said all that, you did get me to watch some rowing videos and film myself which has been helpful. I definitely use leg drive (seat and handle move at the same time), but my heel and toes come off which I am not sure is right or wrong. The video is pretty bad quality so I will get a better one before posting it.

Your link does not work

My apologies I am thinking more towards Crossfit WOD Endurance I haven't done any Crossfit in a year but the three years I did do it I always loved the Airbike and Rows as I could dominate that.

Also my log and my latest rows are not the greatest times. I just started getting back into rowing to drop some pounds. I have about 3-4 weeks under my belt. Sadly my best rows are in the past 2009 19:25 5000 Meter and 40:37 10,000

Also me reviewing a row video may not give you the best advice nor would most Crossfit coaches. I always look for ways to improve and Dark Horse has been the best

Love your posts and will keep following it.

Glad you were able to watch some of the videos and pick up a few things. Again my apologies

On a side note when Castro announced the Marathon row at the games I was in shock at the times posted and the leg drive both the men and woman had

You were shocked that generalists weren't elite at a disclipline that doesn't really come up often at the top level?

Interested to see your rowing videos . . . Probably should take some for myself at some point.