Tell me about, I can do more than 100 burpees without losing count every time 
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5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c5w3d4
Wednesday - 10 November 2021
Workout: Squat WM + conditioning + calves, 0750-0910 (80 minutes)
Squat - 210x20
Weighted vest walk - 24 kg - 15 minutes (to park)
Easy run - 9 laps, about 1750m - 10:16
Weighted vest walk - 24 kg - 15 minutes (from park)
Jump rope tabata - 16x20/10 - 1 round
SL CR - L/R - 30x12, 35x10 | 40x8 + isohold: 16s
Now that’s the way I like to work: none of that King Kong chest-pounding stuff, no psyching myself up; just get under the bar, do the reps, move on.
Fasted—it’s Wednesday morning, after all.
So that WM was 75% of my projected anchor TM, which is 275 lbs. Did some warm-up movements to get loose, hit 135x5, then 265x3 so 210 would feel light, and into the actual work. Did 16 reps before a 5-breath pause; bar speed though rep 11 was solid. Reps 12-16 were a bit slow—not grinders, but slow enough I wanted to breathe deeply and re-brace. Treated the last 4 reps as singles, 3-5 breaths between.
I’m obviously very happy with today’s 20-rep set, but honestly I knew I had 210x20 when I hit 195x20 on Monday after that full squat workout. Today’s work was a formality. So 265x3 was the real win today. I’ll need to hit 275 for 5 reps next week during the 7th Week Protocol, and I’m pretty confident I could’ve done that this morning. Chose not to, because the Widowmaker was the real work, but I bet could have…
Leisurely walk to and from the park today for a leisurely run. Still got the heart rate up a bit and kept my legs from getting stiff. Calf stuff was fine, and I’ll do the (Modified) Cooper WOD and BFPs later today.
Let’s eat!
9 Likes
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c5w3d4
Wednesday - 10 November 2021
Workout: Extra conditioning, 1535-1610 (35 minutes)
BFP - red - 4x25
(Modified) Cooper WOD - for time: 22:16
10 rounds of:
a) 10 burpees
b) 10 air squats
c) 10 KB swings - 24 kg
d) 10 sit-ups
Found some kind of extra reserve or something today: Cooper wasn’t particularly fast, but it was almost robotic. Kinda felt like I could’ve just kept going and going… Glad I didn’t have to, but I don’t mind feeling like I could have.
5 Likes
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c5w3d5
Thursday - 11 November 2021
Workout: Deadlift, 0745-0900 (75 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 0805; End: 0847; Duration: 42 minutes
Deadlift - 140x5, 170x5, 200x5 | 230x5, 260x5, 290x5 | (230x5)x5
Chin-up - BW - 10, 10, 10, 10
Ab wheel - ramp (11) - 25, 25, 10
Dip - 60 - 12, 12, 12, 4
Incline scap/trap - 2x40 lbs - 25
Good morning - 95 - 15
Push-up - 25
Deadlift - 225x20
Assistance totals:
Push - 65 reps
Pull - 65 reps
Single-leg/core - 75 reps
Decent day. Ate a ton last night, too much maybe. Lighter breakfast today, but felt pretty good going in, feeling pretty good now that it’s over. 290 felt heavier than I would’ve liked, but I think they were actually decent reps. Everything else went along just fine.
Widowmaker was super clean today—just 20 smooth, even reps. That was 70% of the projected anchor TM, so I just need to knock out 75% on Saturday morning and that’ll be that. Well, I’ve got the press WM at 75% later today, the bench WM at 70% tomorrow, and I guess I need to do it all over again following the PR sets in the actual anchor cycle, but Saturday’s deadlift WM will be it for the practice sets. So, yeah, nearly there, haha.
Press WM, burpees, swings, and BFPs later today.
11 Likes
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c5w3d5
Thursday - 11 November 2021
Workout: Conditioning + press WM, 1210-1240 (30 minutes)
4 rounds of:
a) 19 1-pump burpees
b) 19 KB swings - 24 kg
c) 25 BFPs - red
25-second rest between rounds
Press - 105x(18 + 2)
Well, crap: I missed the last two reps again. No pausing this time, tried rep 19, got about half-way there, but just didn’t finish it. Feeling like a wet noodle, head-to-toe, so rack the bar, pause for 10 seconds, bang out the last two.
Oh, and for the record, the last 5 or so reps leading up to the missed one were garbage: a bit lopsided left-to-right, leaning back again, core wasn’t tight—just utter garbage. I’ve obviously got a lot of work to do on my press…
Hit the conditioning work beforehand to get loose, followed that with a quick shoulder warm-up, then 95x5 and 130x3, and finally into the 20-rep attempt.
Thought for sure I had it today, but… I’ll get it next time.
10 Likes
Nice widowmakers.
1 Like
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c5w3d6
Friday - 12 November 2021
Workout: Bench, 0755-0900 (65 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 0811; End: 0848; Duration: 37 minutes
Bench - 115x5, 140x5, 165x5 | 190x5, 215x5, 240x5 | (190x5)x5
Standing DB press - 2x35 lbs - 16, 14, 10
Deficit reverse lunge - L/R - 2x20 lbs - 20, 20, 10
Pull-up - BW - 10, 10, 10, 10
Band pushdown - red - 25
Cable crunch - 50 - 15
OA row - L/R - 45 - 16, 9
Bench - 180x20
Assistance totals:
Push - 65 reps
Pull - 65 reps
Single-leg/core - 65 reps
Skin-splitting pump today, mostly because of that WM. Tough 1s week on the bench, but I’m pleased with how it went. The follow-up WM was 70% of the projected anchor TM, and I got 'em all today. Wasn’t easy, but wasn’t as hard as that attempt at 75% on Sunday. I’ll take it.
Didn’t feel particularly strong on the pull-ups or rows, and I could feel my left leg being weak (relative to my right leg) on those reverse lunges. I also really tried paying attention to my form on the standing DB press, given just how badly those press WMs went this week. Slow and steady with a super-tight core was the name of the game there.
Usual Friday afternoon stuff to follow later today.
10 Likes
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c5w3d6
Friday - 12 November 2021
Workout: Conditioning, 1510-1600 (50 minutes)
BFP - red - 4x25
BB curls - 68, 27
10 rounds of:
a) Sled push - 25 yds, 135 + sled = 222 lbs
b) 10 1-pump burpees
c) Sled push - 25 yds, 135 + sled = 222 lbs
d) 10 KB swings - 24 kg
No rest between rounds
Time: 25:20
Okay, folks, I don’t know if it’s because the deload is in sight or if it’s because I’ve been digging a hole with the barbell and trying to fill it back in with a spoon, but here’s the deal: I’m tired.
This afternoon went alright considering. Crushed the BB curls—5 more reps than last week on the first set, and got all 95 over 2 sets without a rest-pause in the second set. I found again that something in my mind just shuts off around rep 50 and I’m able settle in for the long haul. I’m 99% sure the reps are clean with minimal body english. Yes, I’m a trembly red-faced mess by the end of the sets, but I think they’re decent reps.
I’ve got the last of the Widowmaker practice sets tomorrow morning: deadlifts at 75% (240 lbs). Hoping to crush it either just before or just after the easy conditioning work, because I’ve got a long day as we’re headed out of town for my nephew’s first birthday party. If all goes well, I’ll be home in time—and with enough energy—to hit up the second workout.
Maybe I should have two pieces of cake, you know, just to be sure…
9 Likes
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c5w3d7
Saturday - 13 November 2021
Workout: Deadlift WM + conditioning + calves, 0440-0635 (115 minutes)
Deadlift - 240x20
Weighted vest walk - 24 kg - 35 minutes
Jump rope tabata - 16x20/10 - 1 round
SL CR - L/R - 30x12, 35x10 | 40x8 + isohold: 17s
Bike@120 bpm - 15 minutes
Fasted. Woke up naturally just before 0400, but it was a slow start. Two cups of black coffee and eventually got to work.
Warm-up, then 135x5, 185x5, 225x5, and 305x3 to prep for 20-repper. Everything felt good, 305 felt heavy—but that was the point. Knew I had 240 for 20 when the first rep came off the floor. Everything through rep 17 was smooth and balanced. Rep 18 came down a bit crooked, so that threw off my rhythm, but not enough to require a hard reset—I just adjusted on-the-fly to finish out the reps and that was that.
Super-pumped to get a break from the WMs next week. I’ll double-check later, but I’m pretty sure I only missed 5 reps total across all of the practice sets I did over the past three weeks. I want those failed press attempts back, and I really want that stupid bench attempt back, but overall not bad considering how much these things scared me three weeks ago.
The remainder of this morning’s work felt slow and hard today, but I got through it. Bike ride was good for my legs: they felt tired and heavy at the start, but they were much better by the end.
Headed to my sister’s for most of the day in just a bit, but still planning to do (Modified) Evil EMOM, remaining burpees, and BFPs when we get in.
11 Likes
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c5w3d7
Saturday - 13 November 2021
Workout: Extra conditioning, 2010-2050 (40 minutes)
BFP - red - 4x25
(Modified) Evil EMOM WOD - EMOM, 21 minutes
a) 10 thrusters - 65 lbs
b) 20 KB swings - 24 kg
c) 8 1-pump burpees
19 1-pump burpees
Not sure how I did that. I almost never work out this late. But it was a much longer day than I expected… Pent up stress, maybe?
Note to self: FaceTime calls apparently interrupt my interval timer. Going to have to find a way to disable that. My nephew—not the one who just turned one (!)—tried to FT me during the workout, which paused the timer for 16 seconds during one of the KB swing rounds. Luckily I realized the issue quickly, but I technically got an extra 16 seconds of rest in that round.
Stupid, yes, but it just kind of tics me off because I wanted to end the cycle on a high note. I got the work in, so maybe that’s good enough under the circumstances.
4 Likes
5s PRO, 5x5 FSL - c5w3 - summary
Another 1s week in the books. It went well, and once again I was pretty focused on the WMs such that the regular lifts were almost an afterthought. Well, except for deadlifting. That top set at 290 did feel pretty heavy. But 305x3 during the WM warm-up yesterday morning wasn’t any worse, so that’s good.
Hit all of my goals this week, even if I fell short by 2 reps on each of the press WM sets (at 70% and 75%) and 1 rep on the heavier of bench WMs (the one at 75%). The deload and then more work in the early part of the anchor cycle should help me be prepared for those next time around. I ate well this week too, and I didn’t overdo it at my nephew’s birthday party yesterday.
I’m happy to have celebrated some success this cycle, but as @boilerman said:
can’t dwell on any of it though- there’s more work to be done.
I’m moving into 7th Week Protocol, Deload this week. Looking forward to a lower-volume week, and it should help me realize some gains from the last three weeks before moving into the 5/3/1 & Widowmakers anchor cycle.
My goals for the deload are:
- Complete all 4 lifting workouts
- Complete 3 days of easy conditioning
- Do 50 burpees + swings every day
- Eat right
Alright, I think that’s it. Onward and upward—there’s more work to be done!
10 Likes
7WP, Deload - d1
Sunday - 14 November 2021
Workout: Easy conditioning, 0755-0845 (50 minutes)
25 1-pump burpees + 24-kg KB swings
Weighted vest walk - 24 kg - 35 minutes
25 1-pump burpees + 24-kg KB swings
Fasted. Late start today—slept until almost 0600, which was a nice treat. Felt good to get moving this morning, but it felt even better to be done for the day before 0900!
6 Likes
7WP, Deload - d2
Monday - 15 November 2021
Workout: Squat + extra conditioning, 0900-0950 (50 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 0912; End: 0938; Duration: 26 minutes
Squat - 110x5, 140x5, 165x5 | 195x5, 220x5, 250x5, 275x5
Pull-up - BW - 14, 12
HLR - 24, 18
Push-up - 25
BPA - red - 10 high + 10 mid + 10 low
Band pushdown - red - 25
50 1-pump burpees + 24-kg KB swings - 2x25, 25-second rest between
Assistance totals:
Push - 50 reps
Pull - 56 reps
Single-leg/core - 42 reps
Fasted.
Did a whole lot of nothing yesterday, which was simultaneously awesome and absolutely horrible. Was in some kind of fog all day. Sort of glad I was able to do that, but not looking to repeat such laziness anytime soon.
Today’s work wasn’t great. Still not feeling quite like myself, but I got it done. Yes, I’m technically in a deload, but I really like knowing my TMs are correct, so I did 5 reps on all weights based on the anchor TM this morning, rather than the deload rep scheme outlined in Forever. 275 was a bit ugly, but I’m going to chalk it up to a bad day—it moved well enough.
Was really only looking for 25 pull-ups and 40 HLRs, but the last few reps in the first set of each move weren’t great, so I just did a few extra because I could. Burpees and swings felt like I was moving in slow motion—not the good kind of slo-mo, but the kind where you’re wondering, “Why is it taking so much effort to move this slowly!?!”
Again, we’ll chalk all of this up to some kind of mental letdown or crash or something. The rest of today will not involve falling asleep while watching the most boring football games ever, so I should bounce back quickly enough.
8 Likes
7WP, Deload - d3
Tuesday - 16 November 2021
Workout: Press + extra conditioning, 0745-0835 (50 minutes)
Warm-up
Throws + jumps
Begin: 0759; End: 0824; Duration: 25 minutes
Press - 55x5, 70x5, 85x5 | 95x5, 110x5, 125x5, 135x5 (rep PR)
Push-up - 25
Bulgarian split squat - L/R - 2x20 lbs - 30, 20
Chin-up - BW - 15, 10
Band pushdown - red - 25
BFP - red - 25
50 1-pump burpees + 24-kg KB swings - 2x25, 25-second rest between
Assistance totals:
Push - 50 reps
Pull - 50 reps
Single-leg/core - 50 reps
I just pressed one plate for 5 solid reps, so that’s a PR and the “1” in my 1/2/3/4 plate goals. I’m already well above 2 plates on bench, and my 3-plate squat is within sight—not sure if I want to hit it as a 1RM sometime soon(-ish) or just wait until it’s my TM as I did with the 1-plate press. Decisions, decisions… Anyway, a 4-plate deadlift is further off, but I’m progressing there too.
All the reps today were clean and smooth, and 135 moved surprisingly well. Pretty happy with that, and I can now move into the anchor with confidence in the press TM (yep, you guessed it: 135 lbs). Bulgarians ate my lunch again today, first set on my right side was all kinds of terrible. And burpees + swings were in bad slow-motion again. Besides that, however, I’m generally feeling better today than I was on Sunday or Monday.
While I’m on the topic of PRs: I’m pretty sure all of the respective Widowmakers over the past three weeks progressed from PR to PR to PR, though I’m not sure that’s saying much because aside from some relatively light 20-rep deadlifts as part of a Dan John program a few years back, I don’t recall having done any kind of Widowmaker sets before, even on bench, which is the one big lift I’ve been doing sporadically since college. Whatever—mostly I’m just happy I found the grit to dominate (most of) them.
10 Likes
congrats on your PR
1 Like
Awesome work
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Congrats on your 1 plate PR on OHPs. That is always the toughest lift for me to add any weight to.
1 Like
Amazing stuff you’ve been up to! I’ll add my congratulations on the PR as well!
1 Like
7WP, Deload - d4
Wednesday - 17 November 2021
Workout: Easy conditioning, 0530-0625 (55 minutes)
25 1-pump burpees + 24-kg KB swings
Weighted vest walk - 24 kg - 35 minutes
25 1-pump burpees + 24-kg KB swings
Fasted. Back to feeling like garbage yesterday afternoon and so far this morning. Okay, maybe “garbage” is a bit strong, but it’s like I took my foot off the gas and now my engine is sputtering. I’ve been eating a bit too much comfort food in the evenings, too, so something’s definitely not right…
Had a chance to get this in before the day’s normal activities kick into gear, so I did. Luckily that’s it for today, so I can spend the rest of my time finding my way back to normal.
4 Likes
Damn, you’re kicking a lot of ass in here. The widowmakers are epic.
Remind me your weight again please?
Seems like you do 10 sessions every 5 days. Hard to keep up!
1 Like