11/29 & 11/30

Complete rest.

11/28/12

Today was a solid session. Felt solid, stoked for this weekend.

Dead-lift
2-2-2-2-2
-375, 405, 425, 435, 405#

-Went up to 435, felt a little heavy so I backed off for a final set and called it a day. I think 435# is a 2 RM PR, but I'm not sure. I know my 5 RM is 405# and my 1 RM is 465#, so this sounds about right.

Rest 10 minutes then...

4 x 500m Row + 10 KB Swings (53#) after each row @ 180 seconds rest

4 x 250m Row + 10 KB Swings (53#) after each row @ 120 seconds rest

-1:33, 1:33, 1:35, 1:35
-:43, :45, :45 :45

Rest 10 minutes then...

3 x 20 GHD Sit-ups
-Rest is partner's set (basically 1:1 work/rest)

11/27/12

Today was a great training session. I felt really good. This was the best training session I've had in a while. Hard work, solid effort, what it's all about.

AMRAP 8 Minutes:
50 ft Handstand Walk
100 ft Farmer's Carry (2 x 70#)

-Didn't record rounds, solid skill work. This is getting a lot better.

Rest 2 minutes then...

AMRAP 8 Minutes:
25 Double-unders
HSPU Ladder (1,2,3...) - increasing each round

-Got through 8 HSPUs. All DU's unbroken. HSPUs felt good, had to start breaking up sets at 6.

Rest 15 minutes then...

Back Squat
-Work up to 80% then...
EMOM 5 Minutes: 2 Reps @ 80% (320#)

Front Squat
5 x 3 - Pause on first rep for a 5 second count at bottom @ 120 seconds rest
-Went 225, 245, 265, 275, 285#, there was a little more there, but solid training

Rest 10 minutes then...

For time:
800m Run
5 Bar Muscle-up
9 Hang Squat Clean Thruster (135#)
400m Run
7 Bar MU
7 HSCT (135#)
200m Run
9 Bar Muscle-up
5 HSCT (135#)

13.50. Really great metcon. My runs were VERY slow. Just felt slow and it was extremely cold out (below freezing). My bar muscle-ups are getting a lot better. I got 5 at the start of each set. I haven't been able to do thrusters much over the last few months, I'm happy to be able to do them again. They felt really good. A great session in the gym. My hands are a little ripped up, hoping they heal by this weekend's competition.

11/27/12

Today was a little disappointing, but overall a solid time in the gym.

'Fran'
21-15-9
Thrusters (95#)
Pull-ups

3.08. This is not a PR. But considering yesterday's training I am wholly at ease with not PRing today. Also, I am happy that today was the first time I've ever done 'Fran' with butterfly pull-ups. Last year I did this workout in 3.03 with regular gymnastics kipping pull-ups. When I used traditional pull-ups I did the entire WOD unbroken. Today I had to break up the sets of 15/9 pull-ups because my grip just turned off on my butterfly pull-ups. I am happy that I have the technique down of this movement though. I just need to work it more and increase my grip strength and I'll have a sub 2:40. I was planning on training more today, but considering the cough/dizziness after 'Fran' I called it a day. Anytime you don't PR is frustrating, but some days it is just not going to happen even if you give it your all. I was happy with the quality of intensity I got out of this WOD; sometimes the shortest WODs are the best. Excited to train tomorrow.

11/26/12

Today was a really fun day in the gym. I also felt awesome. Eating more is significantly affecting my training. I definitely don't feel all crappy like I did a few weeks ago. Anyway, a buddy of mine and I have been wanting to try this WOD for a while. We finally got around to it and it was hardcore. It ended up being a great time and was really good mental training.

225# Power Clean 'Kalsu'

For time:
100 Power Cleans (225#)
-5 Burpees at the start of every minute

My time was 34.49. Hardcore workout. I went with triples for the vast majority of the workout. I definitely paced it well. When I do this again I want to go out with 5 reps per minute and see how that goes. Overall great training. I remember like it was yesterday when my 1 RM squat clean was 225#. To be able to throw this around for 100 reps is awesome. Being strong is fun.

11/25/12

Complete rest.

11/23/12

I was surprised how great I felt in the gym today considering all the abnormal things I ingested yesterday.

-Easy 1 mile run. 

For time:

1000m Row 

Then...

10 Rds:

5 HSPU

10 Air Squats 

1000m Row 

My time was right around 24 minutes. I don't remember exactly. I didn't have to do any singles on the HSPU, but they were not fast.

Rest 10 minutes then...

150 Sit-ups.

-Didn't time them, all 150 unbroken.

-Easy 1 mile run. 

11/22/12

Today I was out of town for thanksgiving, but I went to a local affiliate and ended up getting in a fun session. I just did the WOD off the board and then fooled around for a little bit.

For time:
100m Run (50# Sand Bag)
25 Box Dips
100m Run (50# Sand Bag)
20 Jumping Lunges
100m Run (50# Sand Bag)
15 Toes-to-bar
100m Run (50# Sand Bag)
10 Turkish Get-ups (53#)
100m Run (50# Sand Bag)
15 Toes-to-bar
100m Run (50# Sand Bag)
20 Jumping Lunges
100m Run (50# Sand Bag)
25 Box Dips
100m Run (50# Sand Bag)

12.15. Fun little WOD, not too taxing.

Rest 5 minutes then...

For time:
25 Tire Flips (370#)
-2.45.

Rest 5 minutes then...

5 Minute AMRAP:
30 ft Handstand Walk
30 ft Burpee Broad jump
-Don't remember my rounds, but this was really fun! Overall a fun day in the gym, I really enjoyed myself today and didn't worry about my performance at all. Stress free, the way training should be!

11/21/12

Complete rest.

11/20/12

Super solid session today. My quads haven't been this taxed from a workout in a while. Great stuff. I had a great athlete to train with and we went hard. This is what it's all about. This was the most I've enjoyed training in a long while.


Squat Snatch from high blocks - EMOM - 1 rep @ 165#

 -Felt fast, really worked speed and technique.

5 Back Squats @ 85% (345#) - don't rack the bar for entire time the clock is running
1 Rep Every :30 for 2:00
Rest 3 minutes
4 Back Squats @ 85% (345#)
1 Rep Every :30 for (1:30)
Rest 2 minutes
3 Back Squats @ 85% (345#)
1 Rep Every 30: for 1:00

-This was taxing. I've never done long sets with the bar unracked. Solid stuff.

Front Squats (3 count pause at bottom) 5x2 - 225,255,255,275,275#
-Hard effort, pause at bottom is rough.

Rest 10 minutes then...

For time:
200m Run
9 Muscle-ups
9 Power Snatch (135#)
200m Run
7 Muscle-ups
7 Power Snatch (135#)
200m Run
5 Muscle-ups
5 Power Snatch (135#)
200m Run

10.01. Great metcon. This is the first metcon I've had someone to train with and go hard. We finished literally within a second of each other on the final run. And it was fun because he was doing his muscle-ups faster than me and I was doing my snatches faster than him. This was an awesome time to just go hard, give it my all in the moment and enjoy training. Great day, excited to train tomorrow and for thanksgiving!

11/19/12

Today was the best I've felt in over 2 weeks. I've been eating a lot more, and a lot more non-paleo stuff. The extra rest is helping too. I need to back off from maxing out, lower my volume and get more consistent with my performance. Having said that, today was exactly what I needed, the best session I've had in a while. I'm glad I grinded through feeling like shit and I'm back in a good place mentally.

Snatch - 12 Singles @ 175#, 60-90 seconds rest.

-These felt light and I felt really fast. Went for speed and technique, great stuff.

Power Clean and Jerk - Worked up to two singles at 245#. I haven't done these in months. Zero pain, felt fast and strong. Really excited about this.

Rest 10 minutes then...

For time:
5 Rope Climbs (15 ft)
10 Wall-ball
4 RC
15 WB
3 RC
20 WB
2 RC
25 WB
1 RC
30 WB

9.03.

Rest 2 minutes then...

3 minute AMRAP:
-Bar Muscle-ups
1+2+2+3+3+5 = 16 reps. I eased into these. 5 unbroken is a new PR. I think there is a lot more there on this movement. I haven't been training them much at all. Great day in the gym. Stoked to train tomorrow.

11/18/12

Complete rest.

11/17/12

Today was a one-day competition. I felt okay, but today was one of my worst performances ever. My goal was top 10 (out of ~50 athletes registered). There was 90 minutes rest between each WOD.

Workout 1:
3 RFT:
15 Bar-facing Burpees (hand-release)
20 Power Clean (95#)

-5.22. Took 7th in the event. Went hard, paced the burpees and tried to go HAM on the power cleans. I was happy with my performance on this WOD.

Workout 2:
40 Shoulder-to-Overhead
30 Over-the-box Jumps (24")
20 Ground-to-Overhead
10 Over-the-box Jumps (24")

My time was a ~6:30. I think I took 14th in this event. I wasn't unhappy with my performance, but a little frustrated because my elbow injury has drastically reduced my shoulder-to-overhead capability. I haven't done a press from the rack position in over two months. I was really happy that my elbow didn't hurt (especially the next day). But just considering how little I've been training this movement, it was just a rough WOD. I know that a year ago my time on this would have been faster; that is not a good feeling. But I will get my strength in my shoulders back eventually. I'm trying to maintain a positive attitude and just be happy that my elbow is more-or-less 'back to normal.'

Workout 3:
10 minute AMRAP:
20 Wall-ball
10 HSPU
15 Front Squats (185#)
20 T2B

1 Round + 8 HSPU. This was an awful experience. I don't even want to write about it. It was like 'Dianne' at regionals all over again. After the push-jerks from WOD 2 there was just nothing in my shoulders. The HSPU ruined me; everything else was easy. I was doing singles and getting a ton of no-reps on that second set. I was really hoping for a better performance in this workout. It was just an awful/embarrassing experience.

Overall took 14th. I was extremely upset about this competition. I've been feeling like shit lately and I felt like more shit today. Today was discouraging.

11/15 & 11/16

First two consecutive days off in a while. My body/mind needs it.

11/14/12

Today was the best day I've had in a while. No lifting, just some lighter conditioning.

6 Rounds:
150m Row
10 KB Swings (72#)
10 Ring Dips
-Rest 2 minutes

18:20 - 10:00 = 8:20 work. Lungs felt really good, had to break up some of the ring dips toward the end. Overall solid training. This wasn't too taxing.

Rest 5 minutes then...

4 x 10 - Ring Rows @ 30 sec. rest.

then...

On a 20 minute clock:
60 seconds plank
60 seconds rest

-This went well, could have kept going longer. I want to try this again with 60 on 30 off for 20.

Good day in the gym, excited for this weekend.

11/13/12

Today was another rough day in the gym. I felt great when I was warming up, but once I got to working sets I felt weak-ish. I felt great on the metcon. But I'm pissed I didn't PR, it just wasn't there.

Back Squat - 1 RM
-While warming up 315# felt a little heavy, went for 365 and 385#. They felt heavy as well, missed 405#. This would have been a 5# PR. I just didn't have it. Knees came in and chest came down, not a good rep. I was extremely upset about this. I could have killed someone. Overall a very rough feeling. I hate failure. I missed 405# the last time  maxed this out in September. I don't understand how I hit 375# for a triple two weeks ago and now I can't handle 405# for a single. I'm in a rut; I need to take a step back from training and not max out anything for a while.

Rest 10 minutes then...

For time:
12-9-6
Front Squat (250#)
Muscle-up
-Athletes cannot use a rack, must clean bar from the floor

About 9 and half minutes on this WOD. Overall a ridiculous and challenging WOD. Today was a rough day, I haven't felt this 'crappy' in the gym in a while.

11/12/12

I was supposed to have a 1 RM snatch today. I warmed it up and just was not feeling it. I could have just gone for it, but I knew I wouldn't PR. I was training at the end of the day and I just wasn't in the right place mentally for a 1RM snatch. I felt tired and generally tight throughout my body; especially my lower back. It's just feeling a little tight and I'm not recovering. I feel like I've been in a bit of a rut since my PFT, I don't know why. I'm really going to take this week to get in the right place mentally, I want to do/feel well this weekend when I compete.

Despite feeling terrible on the snatch warm-up, once I started the metcon today I felt really good. My pull-ups and HSPU felt great.

'Bradshaw'
10 RFT:
3 HSPU
6  Dead-lifts (225#)
12 Pull-ups
24 Double-unders

16.14. This is a HUGE PR.

I did this workout 367 days ago (I vividly remember doing this, seems like yesterday! Time is flying by!). My time then was about 28 minutes. I remember doing this last year and my HSPUS just going out. Today I got all the HSPUS unbroken. The dead-lifts were unbroken and I had to break up sets 7-10 on the pull-ups. I also missed some double-unders like a dumbass, but my heart-rate was so elevated coming off the pull-up bar on the last few rounds I had trouble getting into a solid pace on the last sets of double-unders. But cutting my time by 12 minutes on this is huge. Jason Khalipa's ~11 minute time on this still boggles my mind. We'll see how much more I can improve my time on this in another 367 days.

I left this training session in a generally upset mood. I wish my elbow was 100% (I have push-presses coming up in a WOD this weekend - not excited to further exacerbate this injury) and I wish my lower back wasn't as tight as it is. It isn't pain, it's just tight as hell. It's a strange feeling. I might have a Dr. appointment in the near future if it doesn't go away.

I am so excited for this semester to be over. I just want to go home and sleep/workout/eat a lot and just recover mentally. Law school and training crossfit at a high level is a taxing combination.

11/11/12

Complete rest. Hoping to feel better this week than last week.

11/10/12

This has kind of been a weird week. I've lowered my caloric intake a lot; I'm leaner and stronger than I've ever been, but I haven't felt recovered this entire week. Tuesday took a hell of a lot out of me and I think I've just been under-eating for the training volume I've been doing.

I was still sore today, but once I got warm everything felt good. Today was amazing, we got together with another box and there were 18 teams of 4 people. It was really cool, we did a WOD at the first box, then a 1.6 mile run with a 53# KB to another box and then did another workout. It was a really fun way to train and meet some new people. Really solid day, nothing crazy in the WODs. I felt really good aerobically and my HSPU felt great/better than ever. 

WOD #1

3 RFT:

300m Row

15 Hang Squat Clean (95#)

15 Burpees

15 Pull-ups 

-Teams of 4, each person must go through the entire WOD, not switching to the next movement until the team mate ahead of them finishes. This was a cool workout, I felt really good. We got second place in this workout, by 4 pull-ups, only a few seconds. 

Straight into... 

WOD #2

1.6 Mile Run with a 53# KB 

-This took our team ~15:30. I think we did that faster than every other team, but I'm not sure. 

-Rest 20 minutes after the run then... 

WOD #3

3 Rounds @ 60 seconds intervals at each station, for max reps:

HSPU

Box Jumps (24")

KB Swings (53#)
Rest

-Our team won this event by a lot of reps. Great stuff. I got 13/11/9 on the HSPU. I was actually happy about this, I've never done 13 unbroken HSPU. The box jumps and KB swings were money, my lungs feel awesome. 

Overall a very fun Saturday morning with great people. I love the community element of Crossfit. Such great people! Excited to rest tomorrow and train this week and then a competition next weekend! 

11/9/12

Complete Rest. Body is not recovered.

11/8/12

My legs have not been this sore in ages. I can't remember the last time I felt this deep soreness. It's a good feeling. I cut out my lifting today and just did some skill/conditioning stuff. Ended up being solid training. Feeling decently fit.

Skill: 30 Minutes of Muscle-up work.

Did around 70 reps. All kinds of variations; strict, bulgarian dips at the top, double/triple dips at top, false grip, no false grip, L-sit. Just worked through everything and toward the end really worked linking no-false grip with a fast transition. Solid skill work, these are coming together. I want to hit a benchmark wod soon, maybe 'Amanda' or the new Outlaw front squat/muscle-up WOD and try to get all the muscle-ups without a false-grip. I've been too dependent on it and my muscle-ups are inefficient. It's getting better and all coming together though.

Rest 10 minutes then...

For time:
500m Row
50 Overhead Walking Lunges (25#)
50 Pull-ups
50 Squats
50 Sit-ups (25# - touching behind head and ground in front of feet each rep)
50 HR Push-ups (feet on 25# plate)
50 Double-unders
50 Toes-to-bars

16.28. Solid workout. The toes-to-bar were by far the worst part. The lunges and squats were hard simply because of the deep DOMS I'm feeling right now. Solid metcon. Excited to train tomorrow.

11/7/12

Complete rest. My legs are extremely sore. Took the rest, I felt I needed it.

11/6/12

Today was a pretty extreme workout. Very hardcore mentally. I was a little toasted from yesterday, but ended up feeling great once I got warm.

Back Squat
Warm-up Sets:
10,10,10,10, 5 - 135, 135, 225, 225, 315#

Working Sets:
8,8,8,8 - 315# for all sets
-Solid work, felt strong.

Rest 15 minutes then...

'Holleyman'
30 Rounds for Time:
1 Power Clean (225#)
3 HPSU
5 Wall-ball

39.22. This workout rocked me. I was on a solid pace until about round 17 or 18. Then I had to start breaking up the HSPU into singles. I only missed one rep on the HSPU, the first rep of round 28. I was pacing the single HSPUs decently, usually 5-10 seconds between reps. The power cleans and wall-balls were easy. I couldn't have done this WOD not too long ago. My HSPUs would have just gone off. I'm glad I can handle the higher volume on the HSPUs. My time for this WOD is not competitive, but I'm glad I was just able to finish it. This was great mental training. Very solid session; body is smoked.

11/5/12

My body was definitely not recovered from the 4 workouts I did between Friday and Saturday. But I tried to go as hard as possible today and had a decent workout.

Sq Snatch: 
2X2 @ 70% (145#)
2X2 @ 80% (165#)
2X1 @ 90% (185#)
2X1 @ 95% (195#) - failed second rep on this (usually wouldn't fail this, just wasn't there today) 
4X1 @ 85% (175#) 
– rest 60-90 seconds for the sets through 95%, rest 30 seconds between reps for the final set.

3X5 Snatch First-Pull (stopping at the knees) – heavier than 1RM Snatch (110% +), rest 60sec (225#)


3X5 Behind the Neck Snatch Grip Push Press – (185#, 205#, 205#) rest 60 sec. 

Rest 10 minutes then...

2 RFT:
50 Pull-ups
75 Sit-ups
50 Overhead Squats (75#)
75 Double-unders

22.02. Rough WOD. I didn't feel great, but tried to push it as hard as possible. I definitely need to work in more workouts with high volume repetitions like this.

-Worked on bar muscle-ups for 20-30 minutes after the WOD. Solid skill session. I don't do these enough, need to get confident with them.

Overall a solid day. I hope I'm more recovered/feel better tomorrow.

11/4/12

Much needed complete rest. Stoked to lift tomorrow.

11/3/12

Today was awesome. It was a little different in that there was no lifting, but today was all about some really solid work capacity.

Workout 1 (1200) 

For time:
100 Wall-balls
75 KB Swings (53#)
50 Box Jumps (24")
25 Pull-ups

11.03. Solid on the lungs. Had to break up the KB swings more than I thought I would. Solid training.

Rest 10 minutes then...

10 Rounds, with a partner:
500m Row
-Each partner rows 500m five times, while one partner is rowing the other is holding 2 KBs (35#) in the front rack position. We didn't time this, but went all out. This was entirely brutal. Great training.


Workout 2 (1730) 

Workout on the track in the freezing Chicago cold. I was a little spent from this morning, but once I got warm I felt fast and great.

3 Waves of:

100m
-Rest 1 minute
200m
-Rest 2 minutes
300m
-Rest 3 minutes

Total interval training of 1800m. Didn't time the intervals, but went for 100% intensity on each interval. Great stuff, felt fast, lungs feel good. Excited to rest and throw around some heavy weights on Monday.

11/2/12

Workout 1 (1200) 

Marine Corps PFT. 

Max Dead-hang Pull-ups:

20 (100)

Max Sit-ups in 2 Minutes:

100 (100)

3 Mile Run:

18:23 (97)

297. The highest PFT I've ever ran. I had to weigh in for this event. I tipped the scale at 201#. The pull-ups felt easy, could have kept going past 20, but 20 is the max score. Sit-ups were easy, did the entire set of 100 unbroken. I was a little nervous about the run, I don't run much these days. I took off and felt great. I felt light on my feet despite my current weight. I'll run sub 18 soon for a perfect score of 300. 

Workout 2 (1700) 

I felt decent this afternoon; this morning wasn't too taxing. The run got my legs a little bit, but nothing serious. I liked this afternoon's training, the strength training rest intervals were probably the shortest I've ever done. It ended up being a solid session.

Every :30 for 4:30 (10 reps total) - 1 Power Snatch + 1 Hang Squat Snatch @ 80% (165#) - I thought this would be a little light, but it ended up being just right. I really felt the speed on the hang snatch.

Every :40 for 6:00 (10 reps total) - 1 Power Clean + 1 Hang Squat Clean @ 80% (225#) - This was easier than the snatch above, but still solid training.

3 x 10 - KB Snatch + Lunge (Snatch and Lunge = 1 rep; 10 with right, then 10 with left = 1 set) @ 53#

Rest 10 minutes then...

For time:
15-10-5
HSPU
Ring Dips
HR Push-ups

This took about 12 minutes. I went strict on the movements until they went out and then started kipping. This was really hammering my weaknesses. I want to do the workout 'JT,' 21-15-9, of this soon. I can't think of a crossfit WOD I'd be worse at.

Rest 5 minutes then...

Close Grip Bench-Press:
10,5,3,3,3,3,3,3 - 135, 165, 6 sets at 185# - kept the rest short. This was taxing after the above pressing movements. Solid session today, pumped to train tomorrow. 

10/31 & 11/1

Complete rest; tapering down.