Tuesday, October 30, 2012

10/30/12

Today was a solid session. I wasn't as smoked from yesterday as I thought I'd be. Feeling decently fit right now. My aerobic capacity isn't what it's been in the past, but overall it's coming along. I feel way better than I did 1-2 months ago. Not binge drinking is helping a lot with that. I love the progress I'm seeing / where my training is headed. Great stuff.

Dead-hang Pull-ups
1,2,3,4... (rest is :10 x reps completed - i.e. :10, :20, :30, :40...)

-I got to 11 reps, failed on the 12th rep of the 12th set. Great effort, felt strong.

Dead-hang Pull-ups:
8 Sets of 5 reps (15# vest), varying grips @ 60 seconds rest
1. Underhand
2. Overhand
3. Mixed
4. Chin over right hand
5. Mixed - opposite above
6. Chin over left hand
7. Underhand
8. Overhand

-Felt strong, was fairly taxed by the end of this. Stoked that these feel so great.

Rest 10 minutes then...

For time:
21-15-9
HSPU
Box Jumps (30")

-This took just over 10 minutes. My HSPUs just were not feeling great today. They are coming a long, but I should be able to do this WOD in about half this time or even less. I worked on my HSPU technique for about 20 minutes after this workout. They are coming along; and have come an even longer way, but they are still my weakest movement.

Rest 20 minutes then...

3 Rounds for Time:
400m Run
30 Burpees
15 Snatch (135#)

18.02. Solid effort on this. Very aerobic. The burpees were awful. The snatch felt decent, it was just heavy enough to suck. Great metcon. During the last 400m run I just had that feeling, running down the streets of Chicago in the cold wind, "why the hell am I doing this to myself." I love that feeling. It means you are doing hard ass work. Your rational mind is telling you no, but you just go. That's what it's all about. Great session. Stoked for Friday!

Monday, October 29, 2012

10/29/12

Today was an amazing session. I had the biggest assignment of the year in law school, out side of final exams, due today. Took out the anger on the barbells. Had an amazing session. Loving training right now. Huge PRs today.

Clean - Establish a 1RM
Went 275, 295, 315 (15# PR) - Felt good, almost went for more. But I'll save it for next time.

Back Squat 5-5-3
Went 315#, 365#, 375# (365 is a 25# 5RM PR, 375# is a new 3RM)
-Solid effort on these, felt strong. Can't wait to PR my 1 RM HHBS.

5 Max Sets - Dead-hang Pull-ups @ 90 sec. rest
20, 12, 11, 10, 9 - I haven't gotten 20 in a while. This felt great. 20 is what I need for the PFT on Friday.

Rest 10 minutes then...

5 RFT:
500m Row
15 Bench Press (135#)

19.32. Solid metcon. I had a big distance to travel between the bench and the erg. Definitely could have shaved some time off if with a better set-up. Overall solid stuff though. Stoked to train tomorrow.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

10/28/12

Complete rest. Tapering off for the next few days of training and an important event on Friday.

Saturday, October 27, 2012

10/27/12

Extra day of rest really helped, I felt great today. No lifting, just a really solid metcon.


6 Rounds, each for time, rest is partner's round:

6 Overhead Squat (135#)
2 Rope Climb (15 ft)
10 Wall-ball

Straight into...

2 Rounds, each for time, rest is partner's round:

6 Squat Snatch (135#)
2 Rope Climb (15 ft)
10 Wall-ball

-Solid session. We didn't time the intervals, just went for intensity. Every set was at 100% intensity, all unbroken reps. Solid training. I felt strong, squat snatches felt great.

10/26/12

I wasn't planning on taking rest today, but I had to. It ended up working out well, I just pushed today's workout to tomorrow.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

10/25/12

My body was still tight today, but once I got warmed up I had a solid session.

EMOM 20 Minutes:
4 Weighted Ring-Dips (15#)
-I went strict for 5 minutes, then 2 strict/2 kipping for a few minutes and then kipped them all for most of the second half of this. I'm happy I didn't miss any reps.

Rest 10 minutes then...

EMOM 20 Minutes:
-Odd Minutes: 3 Back Squats @ 75% (300#)
-Even Minutes: 3 Weighted Strict Pull-ups (35#)
-Solid training, there was a little bit more there on both movements, but hard work/good training nonetheless.

Rest 10 minutes then...

For time:
800m Row
60 Sit-ups
400m Run
20 Burpees
400m Row
30 Sit-ups
200m Run
10 Burpees
200m Row
15 Sit-ups
100m Run
5 Burpees

13.23. Solid conditioning, lungs felt great. Overall a good day in the gym. Stoked to train tomorrow.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

10/24/12

The last two days of training have been amazing; they have completely toasted my body.

I was debating whether to get in some active recovery today, but just cut it out and took complete rest. I felt I needed it.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

10/23/12

I was decently sore today, but once I got warmed up I ended up having an amazing workout. I'm starting to feel really/strong fit again. I love that feeling. Somewhere this summer between all the burnout from regionals (basically from coaching myself through it)/beer/being single for the first time in years/traveling and just in general having as much fun as possible before law school started, I really lost for a while just how much I love this sport. I love the training grind. I love the opportunity to just go for it. I love to throw a few more pounds on the bar and really find where those limits are. I pushed it hard today and I left the gym in a daze. Such a great session. This is what it is all about.

On a 10 minute clock:
Establish a 1 RM Power Clean

225# x 2, 245# x 1, failed 275# once and then nailed 275# (10# PR). I received the bar pretty much entirely standing up and felt really strong. I don't know exactly what happened on the previous rep. I just screwed it up. I wanted to go for another attempt, but due to time constraints called it there; I'll PR this again soon!

After the above attempt, on the same clock, straight into...

EMOM 10 Minutes - Power Clean - 1 Rep at 90% of above 1 RM
-250# - Hit all reps easy, felt light. I love cleans.

Pendlay Row 5x5 - 135,185,205# x 3 sets
-I've never done these before. Definitely more there, will go heavier next time.

Good Morning 3 x 5 - All sets at 135#

Rest 10 minutes then...

3 RFT:
500m Row
75 Double-unders

-10.14. This took a lot longer than I thought. I rowed fast, probably a little too fast as I missed a lot of double-unders on the 2nd and 3rd sets. I'd like to try this workout again and row slower and save more for the DUs. Overall really solid conditioning though.

Rest 20 minutes then...

4 RFT:
7 Dead-lifts (345#)
5 Muscle-up
7 HSPU

13.02. This was a brutal WOD. I had to break things up quite a bit. I got the first three rounds of DLs unbroken, but went 3/2/2 on the last set. Muscle-ups straight into HSPUs were rough, but great training though. I left the gym today just smoked. Great session.

Monday, October 22, 2012

10/22/12

I partied a bit too hard this weekend. I had a lot of alcohol and weird/abnormal foods. But when I got back in the gym Monday afternoon I felt awesome. The rest/cheat food was needed. 

Front Squat - Go for a 1RM

-I went 225 x 5, 275 x 3, Singles: 295, 315, 335, 350# (335# was a PR, felt easy so I went for 350#, a 25# PR). I was stoked for 350#. I can't wait to go for a PR clean next Monday. 

Dead-Hang Pull-ups: 10 Sets of 7 reps, varying grips @ 60 sec rest. 
1. Overhand
2. Underhand
3. Overhand - Chin Over Right Hand 
4. Overhead - Chin Over Left Hand
5. Narrow Overhand
6. Wide Overhand 
7. Mixed 
8. Mixed (opposite last set) 
9. L Pull-ups (had to go 5/2) 
10. Overhand 

Snatch: 
2x2@70% (145#)
2x1@75% (155#)
2x1@85% (175#)
2x1@90% (185#)
4x1@75%  (155#) 
rest 60-90 secs for sets through 90%, rest 30 sec between reps for the final set.

3x5 Snatch Hi-Pulls – All reps at 205#, rest 60 sec. 


3x5 Non-Heaving Drop Snatch - 95#, 135#, 185#–  rest 60 sec.


-I'd never done these before, the only real working set was the 185#. It was challenging. I will take more time on these and go heavier next week. 

-Practiced HSPU, Hand-stand Walk and shoulder touches for 20 minutes. Everything is coming together, feeling a lot more confident on my hands. 

Rest 20 minutes then... 

For time: 
10,9,8,7...1 - Hang Power Snatch (95#)
1,2,3,4...10 - Over-the-bar Burpees 

6.56. This was a solid burner on the lungs. Great session in the gym. Stoked about the Front Squat PR and I'm pumped to train tomorrow. 

Friday, October 19, 2012

10/20 & 10/21

Complete and needed rest. First two days off in a row in a while. Stoked for some much needed rest/vacation and to hit it hard come Monday.

10/19/12

Today was a bit of a rough day. I felt good overall, but I programmed myself some rough movements for me.

I was thinking the about programming the other day, basically comparing myself to other athletes. I was attempting to put together workouts that would crush myself and workouts that would crush other athletes, but that I would excel at.

My goal is to confidently walk up to any working/programming and excel. I know a lot of other athletes and I know exactly how to program a workout that I would beat them at simply out of the structure of the workout/movements involved. Through this perspective on programming, I basically programmed myself a day that would crush me/make me look bad/ a WOD in a competition I would place poorly in. I am going to structure a lot of my workouts like this going forward. I'm not going to ignore my strengths, I'm just going to put a huge bias on my weaknesses (at least more so than in the past). My weaknesses are the areas in which I have the most athleticism to gain and my goals are primarily orientated about improving these weaknesses.

Having said all that, today was all about my weaknesses and the workout rocked me. Solid session.

Bench Press + T2B

10 Sets:
10 Bench Press + 7 T2B

2 Waves:
2 Sets @ 135# + 7 T2B
2 Sets @ 145# + 7 T2B
1 Set @ 155 # + 7 T2B

100 (bench)/70 (T2B) reps. Solid volume.

Rest 20 minutes...

20 Minute AMRAP:
4 HSPU
4 Ring-Dips
8 Burpees
12 Wall-ball

6 Rd. + 3 HSPU. This is not a good score. My ability to press was just shot from the bench pressing. I had to do a lot of singles on both the HSPU and Ring Dips. A solid workout though. I need to program more to my weaknesses and today was a perfect example of that. More of these to come in the future.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

10/18/12

Much needed complete rest. Posterior chain is wrecked; haven't been this sore in a while.

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

10/17/12

I had a really solid session this morning.

EMOM for 20 minutes:
4 Dead-Hang Pull-ups (15# Vest) - Switch overhand/underhand grip each minute

-Solid volume training, felt strong.

Rest 10 minutes then...

2011 Regional Dead-lift/Box Jump WOD
For Time:
21-15-9
Dead-lift (315#)
Box Jump (30")

6.03. This was a big PR for me. I did this ten months ago and it took 7.42. I wanted to be sub 5 on this, but it just didn't happen. I think it's a box jump issue. 30 inch box jumps just rock me. I got the first set of dead-lifts unbroken and then the other sets were 5/5/5 and 5/4 with very short rest. I was happy that I got 21 reps of 315 unbroken; last time I got 15 unbroken and then gassed hard. I literally remember doing singles on this WOD last time. Overall a solid effort. I was stoked to PR, I'll hit this again in another 10 months and hopefully shave off another 1:40 off my time.

Rest 20 minutes then...

'Mini Nate'
5 RFT:
2 Muscle-ups
4 HSPU
8 KB Swings (2 pood)

-This went really fast, just over 5 minutes, everything unbroken. My HSPU are starting to feel REALLY good. I'm extremely happy about this. Today was a very solid day of training.

Tuesday, October 16, 2012

10/16/12

I had an awesome workout today. I felt really strong on the lifting and great on the metcon. I'm lowering my volume a little this week, cutting back the O-lifting volume to get give my body a break.

Back Squat:
1 x 5 @ 75% (300#)
1 x 3 @ 80% (320#)
1 x 3 @ 85% (340#)
5 x 1 @ 90% (360#)

-All the sets felt light. I felt great. Wanted to go for more, but due to time constraints had to call it there.

Rest 10 minutes then...

-With a 15# Vest, 20 Minute AMRAP:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Squats

17 rounds. I thought it was a 20# vest, but after the WOD I weighed it and it was only 15#. I felt strong on this. I butterflied all the pull-ups and they are feeling a lot better. My push-ups felt really strong as well. The hardest part of this WOD was the air squatting. After the back squats my legs were just not happy. Overall a solid session, stoked to train tomorrow!

Monday, October 15, 2012

10/15/12

Elbow is still hurting. It's really pissing me off and affecting me mentally. I had to alter the programming today because of it, but once I got on the clock I felt great and had a solid session. I'm switching up my workouts this week a little bit. I'm backing off the O-lifting for a week, my body needs a rest from it. So I didn't lift today, but had some solid metcon work.

Death by Strict Pull-ups:
I got through round 10, failed on round 11.

Then...

6 RFT:
5 Power Cleans (205#)
5 HPSU

-9.01. The power cleans felt light as hell. I was receiving them standing fully up or almost standing up every time. I got a few of the sets unbroken and only had to do singles toward the end. My HSPU were almost all unbroken as well. Two of the sets were 3/2 and I fought through the last set and got it unbroken. Great training. I feel strong and my HSPU are getting a lot better. If it wasn't for my damn elbow life would be great!

Rest 20 minutes then...

5 RFT:
50 Double-unders
200m Run

7.36. I think I've done a WOD similar to this, I don't remember if I did the double-unders or runs first last time. Either way, this was a solid burner on the lungs. My double-unders were great, felt a little sluggish on the run. Overall a solid day of training. Stoked to train tomorrow.

Sunday, October 14, 2012

10/14/12

I'm still a little tight throughout my body. I ran a 5k today, it was a great time. I felt light on my feet and quick. I didn't push the pace at all. I had a terrible starting position and basically for the first kilometer I was just stuck in traffic. But once I broke out I set into a solid pace and ended up finishing in about 20:30. Great moderate/easy active recovery run. It was one of those 'Color Runs;' look it up, they are way fun. Great way to spend my morning and get some activity in. Stoked to train this week!

Friday, October 12, 2012

10/13/12

Much needed and deserved COMPLETE REST.

10/12/12

Today was an amazingly productive day of training. I got to train with another good athlete we trained together for both workouts today. I want to get in two-a-days on Fridays throughout this next year of training.

Workout 1 (1300)

6 x 200m on a track. All of the intervals in the 32ish range. I don't remember my times, but the person I was training with said my splits were all consistent, which is good. I felt light on my feet and strong on these sprints. I haven't done a dedicated track workout in a long time. It felt great to run fast.

Workout 2 (1700) 

I was a little taxed from the sprints, but once I got warm I felt decent. The squats sucked; I've done a lot of squatting/cleaning this week and plus the running today I just wasn't feeling them. But I got them done.

Bench Press + Toes-to-bar - 15 sets total

5 Sets:
5 x (135#) + 5 T2B
5 x (155#) + 5 T2B
5 x (175#) + 5 T2B

75 Reps on the bench, 75 T2B total. Rest was partner's set. Solid training. I missed the 75th damn rep of bench! The weight was light, but the rest intervals were short and the intensity high. Great stuff.

Rest 10 minutes then...

EMOM 10 Minutes:
3 Front Squats (225#) - Solid work. My legs were smoked after this week.

Rest 20 minutes then...

For time:
1000m Row
50 GHD Sit-ups
30 C2B Pull-ups

8.36. Solid work. I think I came off the rower in 3:20. I'm not sure if this is a PR, it might be. The GHD's became a slog after about rep 30. I haven't done C2B pull-ups in a while, they felt tougher than I remember. Overall a great day of training. I'm ready to rest!

Thursday, October 11, 2012

10/11/12

I had an awesome session today. I took a nap today and when I woke up from it I almost didn't want to train because I was so tired/sore, but once I got warm I felt great. I did a bunch of movements that didn't cause any elbow pain. I was really happy with today. Lots of stuff I used to be awful at; snatch, muscle-ups and HSPU. The HSPU are still my biggest weakness, but it's coming along.

EMOM 20 Minutes:

5 Minutes: High Hang Squat Snatch - 135#
5 Minutes: High Hang Squat Snatch - 155#
5 Minutes: Squat Snatch from Floor - 175#
5 Minutes: Squat Snatch from Floor - 195#

-I was stoked to hit 195# for 5 minutes in a row. It's 10# off my max. I'm stoked to PR my snatch soon.

Snatch Grip Push-Press - 3,3,3,1 (f) - 175, 195, 215, 225 (failed on second rep, shoulders just done)

Every :30 on the :30 for 10 Minutes:
-Start of Minutes: 1 Muscle-up
-Start of :30: 1 Strict Muscle-up

-20 reps total, 10 kipping, 10 strict. Both movements felt really good. If I didn't have to save my shoulders a little for the metcon I would have kept going.

Rest 15 minutes then...

For time:

800m Run
then...
10 Rounds:
10 Burpees
5 HSPU
then...
800m Run

28.07. This is the longest metcon I've done in a long time. The 'good' athletes in the gym were doing this in under 20 minutes. My run was average speed, burpees were fast, my HSPU just went out after about 30 reps. My kip is getting drastically better. I can't wait to get this 100% down and have it be second nature like a kipping pull-up. Overall a solid day. I love where I'm at (outside of my elbow) and I'm super stoked to train tomorrow!


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

10/10/12

Had a solid session today. Good training.

5 x 2 - Snatch off low blocks (above knee) - 155, 165, 175, 185, 195# (this is a PR)

5 x 2 - Clean off low blocks (above knee ) - 5 sets @ 225# - went light on these considering yesterday.

3 x 20 - Alternating Lunges onto a 20" Box (barbell in front rack) - 95, 115, 115# - never done these, they were great.

3 x 5 - Weighted Strict Chest-to-Bar Pull-up - 3 sets @ 18# KB - went light/not to failure on these considering the metcon.

Rest 15 minutes then...

'Helen'
3 RFT:
400m Run
21 KB Swings (53#)
12 Pull-ups

8.25. This is about 30 seconds off my PR. I just wasn't feeling the run after those cleans yesterday and the lifting today. My butterfly pull-ups are getting A LOT better. Strung them together today and they were fast. Solid stuff. Stoked to train tomorrow!