WOD, for time:
21 handstand push ups
21 line facing burpees
21 calories assault bike
15 handstand push ups
15 line facing burpees
15 calories assault bike
9 handstand push ups
9 line facing burpees
9 calories assault bike Time = 10:17
Notes: Not too much trouble with this one. Sucking wind by the 15’s on the WOD, but the moves weren’t too bad and the descending nature of the workout makes it mentally easier. I owe myself the accessory and mobility work when I get home from work.
5 rounds, minimal breaks:
10 DB bench press, 45 lb DBs
10 DB hex presses, 35 lb DBs
10 DB skull crushers, 20 lb DBs
11/16/2022
My day off from training!
Activity: Morning walk, biking to and from work, and 15 minutes of yoga/mobility
Notes: I’m feeling pretty good these days. I get a slight tightness in my lower back depending on my recent activities, and my wrists bother me a bit when doing handstand push ups. I’m progressing on the OLY lifts, but still struggle with double unders and some other CF techniques.
Coming up the next few days:
Thurs: Strength + soccer (will do conditioning if game is canceled)
Fri: Crossfit
Sat: Crossfit + yoga
Sun: OLY lifting + Strength
6 Snatch Grip High Pulls, 115 lbs
10 Weighted ring dips, BW + 18 kg
50 yard double DB front rack walk, pair of 22kg bells
8 towel KB curls + 25 yard “gun walk”, 22 kg bell
45 second Airdyne
Lunch time: 1 hour of soccer, indoor 5 on 5.
Notes: Kinda pulled something in my left lower back/butt area, but hope it’ll just work itself out. The workout was loosely based on today’s WOD at the CF gym that I didn’t go to.
Had a couple of compliments that made be feel like “Wow, I’ve still got it” today. We played soccer today and had some new guys join. A couple were pretty darn good, too. After the game, one came up to me and said I was an “amazing player”. Then, another emailed me and copied a captain running a local adult league team that’s looking for players. Introduced us via email and labeled me “the best striker” in our University pick up games.
I do have to say, after doing CF for 8-9 months now, I feel like I’m 19 playing sports. All those burpee box jump overs, rope climbs, med ball throws, jump rope, and hand stand work has me feeling like a high school kid playing sports after school. Just gotta (knock on wood) avoid injury in the games. Seen so many rupture/tear/twist something and be out a long time.
Notes: I was a bit tweaky last night after soccer, but felt fine this morning. Still, opted for this over Crossfit as to not re-aggravate anything. This workout felt awesome. My favorite template to do in my garage. I set a timer for every 2 minutes for the strength work. For the Walrus work, I didn’t time it but cruised through it at a reasonable pace.
Also, still using Surge. My protocol lately has been 1/2 a scoop before training, and about 3/4 -1 scoop during, depending on how I’m feeling and how daunting the workout is. Last night I hosted a pizza party, and so had plenty of carbs and calories to put towards today’s training. Might try so core work later tonight, but heading to SF for a concert so may not get around to it.
5 rounds, for time (using 115 lbs):
12 deadlifts
9 power cleans
6 push jerks
20 calories assault bike Time cap was 25 minutes, don’t know exactly what I did but 18ish minutes
[breakfast]
10 am: 1 hour yoga class
Notes: Was out late at a concert last night so was initially dragging, but actually feel pretty good. The Rx weight for men was 155 lbs, but I don’t have the power clean or push jerk technique to handle that weight with this volume while fatigued. For power cleans, it’s really the catch in the front rack that I struggle with. For push jerks, it’s simply learning to use my lower body to drive it up and jump under it better. I use too much upper body.
The yoga class was really good. It’s an instructor I like a lot, and has about equal emphasis on mobility work as it does vinyasa flow. I almost skipped it, but really glad I didn’t.
I’m holding up pretty well. I did a ton of weighted pull ups this week, and my elbows are telling me about it. I’ll back off on those this week. The plan is to hit an OLY lifting class tomorrow, and getting in some extra pressing and squating either as part of the class or after. Last week I did too much pressing prior to class, and found it impacted my overhead work (jerks and overhead work), so I’ll do any extra work afterwards. They keep it as an open gym on Sundays, so I’ll probably just stick around and do it there.
Notes: I’m happy with my continued progress on cleans. The coach for the class is really good, and has given me cues, feedback, and drills that have really made a difference. It’s also really useful to watch others, where the “early pull” is so obvious. For me, that’s been my problem. I think it’s been even harder because I’ve been doing OLY lifts and modifications WRONG on my own so I’ve had to fight my instincts to use upper body strength and pull early. It’s such a great feeling when you hit one correctly and the weight just floats up. The “catch” is coming along, too. Again, my inclination is to “catch” it with my elbows down in a position more like the start of an OHP, rather than elbows up in the rack position of a front squat.
I’ll get in some core and mobility work later, and some type of activity like a hike or bike ride. But, for now, my coffee and football on the TV are treating me just fine.
Notes: Working from home this morning, so did the workout at noon instead of 7 am. This was a tough one! The row was no problem, but the thrusters into assault bike was a killer. The 20-rep squat wasn’t bad, but is a tough ask prior to the WOD.
Will get in some grip/neck work later tonight when I get back from work.
Strength, every 1:15 alternating for 10 rounds:
5 reps bench press, 205 lbs
5 high hang snatch grip high pulls, 115 lbs
WOD, for time
21 TB dead lifts, 275 lbs
21 burpees
15 TB dead lifts, 275 lbs
15 burpees
9 TB dead lifts, 275 lbs
9 burpees Time = 6:40
3x10 ab wheel roll outs
Notes: Opted for doing this in the garage rather than going to class because I wanted to use the trap bar. My lower back feels really good, and I want to keep it that way. Also, hadn’t done DL’s in a while so thought this was a better ease-in. My time was really good, but again they’re easier with the TB high handles so not patting myself on the back too hard.
This will be my last “real” training until at least Sunday. Tomorrow will be traveling and a day off, and the next few days I’ll get in what I can. Push ups, pull ups, sprints, and maybe some light DB work (my parents and in-laws might have DBs up to 25 lbs at the most). But, this forced breaks are always good in the long run.
Will get in some mobility and maybe forearm work later.
3 rounds:
12 face pull rows
8 DB lat raises, 20 lb DBs
100 sit ups
100 push ups
Notes: This spot was actually pretty good. Had OLY lifting platforms, plenty of barbells and DBs, and was a nice big spot. Plus, they didn’t even try to sell me on a membership, they just let me in with the day pass with no sales pitch. I feel a lot better having got this after the day of gluttony.
Traveling day. Got in a 3 mile run before hitting the road but that’ll be it.
Good trip visiting family and I’d say I ate the “appropriate” amount of food and desserts. Which is to say too much but we’ll within reason. Back at it tomorrow with OLY lifting and strength work.
3 rounds:
15 inverted ring rows
15 lat raises, 15 lb DBs
Notes: First day back to normal. Still feeling a bit “off” just from the prior days of eating, traveling, and socializing. Hadn’t planned on going to an NFL game, but it just came up and decided to go. Planning on getting back into CrossFit tomorrow.
5 rounds, go every 3 min:
3 front squats, 185 lbs
0.5 mile Airdyne sprint (done immediately after squatting)
[put on 30# weight vest]
50 inverted ring rows
100 push ups
150 squats
Notes: Good workout this morning. Still shaking off the excess food and activities from last week, and this seemed appropriate. I think the front squat/sprint combo is a Litnokov of something like that training approach, described by Dan John. The sprints took between 1:04 and 1:09, so pretty decent pace I kept up. Then, when in doubt, get in some Walrus work. The rings were set up for rows, so did those instead of pull ups.
Tonight will get in some mobility and core work. Tomorrow will finally make it back to Crossfit class.
WOD, for time:
150 single unders
50 handstand push ups
1000 meter row
150 single unders
50 ring dips
500 meter row Time = 16:57
Notes: First time back to class in a week. Relatively “easy” workout today. The optional accessories and mobility will be done tonight before getting a COVID booster.
4 rounds of accessory work:
10 incline DB bench press, 60 lb DBs (heaviest I have)
10 rear delt raises, 35 lb DBs
10 lat raises + 10 front raises, 15 lb DBs
[Break for a COVID shot]
Yoga + ab work (100 total reps)
Notes: Planned the shot so I have tomorrow off. I got Moderna, which gave me a bit of a reaction the next day last time. I also have a dentist appointment tomorrow, so figured if I’m not feeling great might was well combine the suffering into a single event.
I’m pleasantly surprised how my body absorbed the holiday splurges. I did eat healthy most of the time, but had pizza, ice cream, cheesecake, donuts (and I never eat a donut), beers, and a burrito between Thursday and Saturday. Kept up training the whole time, though, and bounced right back on Sunday and again today to my usual eating while continuing to get my training in.
Signed up for another BodySpec dexasan in January. I did one last May and I’m interested in seeing any changes. I clocked in at 18.2% BF and 173.9 lbs last time.
Notes: Loosely following along the plan for CF had I gone to class today. Nice chest pump on the bench. The grip factor was working hard on the fat grip DL’s. Soccer coming at lunch. Accessory and mobility work after work.
Back squats, go every 90s
4x10x185* lbs (*first set at 205 lbs, but with about one minute rest had to reconsider the weight selection)
WOD, 4 rounds, go every 4 minutes
12 box step overs, 40 lb DBs, 24" box
24 GHD sit ups
12 box jump overs, 24" box (finished each round in less than 2:30)
Notes: Was thinking of the breathing squats when doing the 4x10. These were tough just due to the very short rest period. The prescribed weight was the one you did your 20-rep squat last week, which was 205 lbs for me. But no way to keep that up for all 4 sets. Happy, though, with the work I put in.
The WOD was fun! I feel disadvantaged being relatively short on the DB step ups, but if you get the technique down (swing the DBs in synch with the step up) it isn’t bad at all. GHD sit ups and box jumps overs are both pretty much right up my alley, and I finished each round before anyone else. On the last round I had a box jump failure, but luckily these are padded boxes so I don’t have a welt on my shin as I know all too well from using wood boxes.
Busy day coming up! USC plays Utah (go Trojans!) after work, and then I’m hitting a concert in Santa Cruz. May try to sneak away from work in the early afternoon and catch a nap. Just gotta prevent anyone from adding a meeting to my schedule.
Total work:
5 miles Airdyne
100 pull ups
200 push ups
300 KB swings
Done as 5 rounds, each set unbroken
1 mile Airdyne
20 push ups
10 pull ups
30 KB swings, 22 kg bell
20 push ups
10 pull ups
30 KB swings, 22 kg bell
Notes: Modified a workout @kleinhound posted a bit ago. I basically did it as the Walrus workouts I’ve been doing, subbing squats for KB swings (much needed after back squatting yesterday). Was out late last night at a concert, and it’s raining today so this seemed to fit the bill perfectly.