I hadn’t either…
I did some reps without any weight to practice the technique
check this out for reference:
2 Likes
How did I miss this Mac, congratulations Grandpa.
1 Like
Thank you… Grandpa Mac x5 now =)
1 Like
Up today on the workout are Hand Stand Push Ups (HSPU’s).
Last time I did these it was for a WOD when I was doing CrossFit.
That was pre-shoulder surgery and I had a hard time with the movement because of shoulder pain so I ended up doing seated presses instead. I am about to go into the garage to see if I can do HSPU’s now or not so I know whether I need to scale the workout tonight by subbing in Box HSPU’s or seated DB presses.
Good news: I am able to do some semblance of a HSPU without shoulder pain.
Other News: I’m not 100% confident I can go all the way down and back up with sufficient strength/endurance to do the full 21 - 15 - 9 reps of HSPU’s in today’s workout so I will scale them and reassess in after a few more weeks.
1 Like
Lucky!
Did you do the whole body cheat method where you kick your legs? Just do as many as you can and call it good or throw in some presses to get to the proper number of reps. I have no idea how I’m going to address those, but I’m excited to try them.
Kipping HSPU’s really shouldn’t be the way you learn them to start.
Throwing in all the body movement and added momentum to a movement before you have it down is a good way to injure-reinjure. If you screw something up there’s a possibility to come crashing down on your head and who knows what that might do to your neck.
I think kipping HSPUs by the elite CrossFit peeps were just so they could do more in a shorter amount of time but they’re not any more beneficial than strict IMO.
I’ll stick to the strict for now and either do presses or box HSPUs.
The ladies do the kip. No offense to women, but it’s a real feat of strength to do a strict HSPU and I don’t know if some of the top competitors can do them strict.
I can’t do them strict. I never could when I was healthy and I damn sure won’t be doing any this year.
How are these different? I picture you putting your hands on boxes which lets your head go lower. That seems harder.
NO, those are negative HSPU’s where you increase the travel and yes they are fucking brutal.
The one’s I’m talking about are putting your feet on a box and then piking to 90 degrees and doing a press like that. Not quite as much weight and is a typical part of HSPU progression after/alongside seated presses.
Take a look:
1 Like
That makes more sense than my progression from a few years back. I used the wall and walked my feet up and turned it into more of a high incline press.
Monday 08/19/2019
Day 4 of 30
Weight: 170.6
21-15-9 reps of:
- DB power cleans (45# - scaled to 35#)
- HSPU’s (scaled as Seated DB press @ 20#)
Rest 2 minutes (or, if you’re as out of shape as I am, until you don’t feel like you have a sucking chest wound)
9-15-21 reps of:
- DB push press (scaled this @ 35#)
- burpees
Accessory Work: 5 Rounds
- 40 sec of alternating bicep curls (20#)
- 20 sec rest
- 40 sec of max skull crushers (20#)
- 20 sec rest
- 40 sec of plank hold on your hands
- 20 sec rest
NOTES:
- Snot slingin’ workout - tried to push myself through without taking too many breathers
- Was jonesing to get to the gym today; clock could not run out fast enough on the workday
- Good pump from accessory work bis/tris (abs will probably be wrecked from the plank holds tomorrow)
2 Likes
I think I learned something last night.
If you are going to do burpees, you need to alternate which leg you bring forward first when going to and coming up off the ground (once you get too tired to do both at same time).
Reasoning: If you don’t alternate, you will burn out the quads on one of your legs and it will not be comfortable the next morning trying to sit at your desk
2 Likes
I feel like this sentiment would quickly disappear during burpees.
Ya know, the thing I learned (but haven’t been able to implement 100% yet) when watching the CrossFit games is that there is benefit in constant work rather than FASTEST work.
My brain tends to want to get out quick and go hard ALL THE TIME.
With burpees, as with most CrossFit, HII type work, it’s much better to be steady and constant than try to go out fast (and burn out).
This foray into HIIB will be good for me to reign in that tendency to go for broke out of the gate. Slow and steady wins the race while guys like me are gasping for air and taking extended “breaks” after 2 rounds of a 5 or 10 round EMOM.
1 Like
Wednesday 08/22/2019
Day 5 of 30
Weight: 172.2
- EMOM x 10 min (both in the same min)
- 12 Single Arm DB swings 45 lbs (switch arms every other min)
- 12 air squats
Rest 5 minutes
-
EMOM x 10 min (both in same min)
- 8 DB deadlifts 70s
- 1 push ups
- a round should be 30-40 sec so keep that in mind if you want to add or subtract a few reps
-
Extra Credit
- 400m farmer carry w/ 45s
NOTES:
- Screwed up the routine…
- Paired swings with single pushup
- Paired DB deads with air squats
- 1st EMOM seemed easy…
- 2nd EMOM 'bout killed me
- had to do 4x100m farmer carry - Left hand grip struggled
2 Likes
Well, I’m back from a short hiatus.
Working with @Frank_C with his Alpha inspired plan through the end of the year.
Sunday 09/08/2019
W1 D1
WARM UP
Nimble 11
1KM Row - 4:18
MAIN GIANT SET (3 ROUNDS)
Squat Jump x 5
DB Hang Clean 50 x 4
Lying Leg Raise + Rev Crunch x 8
Jump Rope x 50 reps (singles)
No Rest except to suck wind
ASSISTANCE GIANT SET (4 ROUNDS)
Squat Jump x 2
Smith Squat 135 x 4
Med Ball Slams side to side 30 lbs x 4 (L+R = 1rep)
RDL 135 x 6
CONDITIONING
21, 15, 9 for time
DB Snatch 50 lbs
24" Box Jump
Well, everything felt good up until the conditioning. Last time I did DB snatches, I did 35# and I figured I’d go up to 50# like @JMaier3 did for this workout a few days ago.
I don’t really have a gym ego but going up to 50# to match J’s weight was not smart.
MATTER OF FACT, IT WAS STOOPID
On Rep 5 of my first round with my right arm, I felt my biceps tendon pop and pain shot through my shoulder. Thank god I did not actually tear the thing but it was sufficient enough pain to scare me into scrapping the rest of the conditioning.
I don’t do snatches, power cleans, etc. so my technique is probably pretty crappy and I think I was using my arm to pull rather than driving the weight up with hip drive. I think J is probably more proficient than me as he has done a lot of cleans.
Short of it is that I need to lower the weight on these cleans, snatches, etc. until I am actually able to do them better than a NewB and even then I may just keep shit light because it’s METCON and I’m not trying to set any records here.
Plan is to walk for an hour later this afternoon with weighted vest (going to start with 30#).
5 Likes
Monday 09/09/2019
CONDITIONING
3.3 mile walk with 30# weight vest
For some reason, my out and back route was .7 miles short of 4 miles.
I went out 2 miles and the return was 1.3 - I must have walked through a worm hole or something.
I’ll have to keep an eye on the MapMyWalk App to see where it glitched.
EDIT: my goodness, shin splints like mad with the extra weight -I prob need to get a new pair of shoes
2 Likes
Please don’t be just as @Frank_C, Take care man.
Nice workout except for that moment.
Thanks, @mortdk - yeah, this was my surgically cleaned up shoulder too and the reason I shut it down instead of pushing through. I think it’s fine and I just need to learn better technique.
1 Like
Well, plans have changed.
The pop I felt in my shoulder the other night appears to have been my biceps tendon starting to give way. It went a little further last night as I was doing some light cable fly work.
There wasn’t any pop or pain this time but my right biceps was exhibiting that “popeye” look as it appears the tendon of the long head of the biceps is very lax between the shoulder and the muscle.
Have an appointment Thursday to see an ortho here in Florida and I have a call in to my Dr. who did my shoulder scope last year to get his input. He’s in Texas now so I may end up going out there to consult with him depending on my comfort level with the Dr. here in Florida. I met with 3 docs before my shoulder surgery and really like the guy I went with, so I’m not sure if I want t go through the vetting process again here with new Drs.
I’m assuming this is going to require surgery given the challenges already present in that shoulder (shredded rotator cuff)
@Frank_C and I may end up being the Tenodesis Brothers
When he scoped my shoulder last time, the reason he didn’t do the tenodesis then was because he said that tendon had taken on the role of my rotator cuff over years of my cuff’s degeneration and was providing considerable stability to my shoulder in lieu of the rotator cuff tendons.
Alas, he did say that I might run into biceps tendon issues down the road given the beating it takes trying to do its job in addition to the added work it was doing in the shoulder stability dept.
I was hoping to get more than a year down the road though 
Looks like my “committed” challenge will have to change focus: committed to recovery and lower body/conditioning - not the worst thing in the world.
2 Likes