Hate the Game, Not the Player

WOD

Tabata
squat - 23 all sets
push-up - 14 all sets
sit-ups - 14 all sets
dips - 6 all sets
row - 6 calories all sets
Score : 63

Notes: I have done so MANY tabata intervals. I know the game, but still over played this one. I could have gotten 1 more rep in everything. First time for rowing Tabata, next time 8. Sub dips for pull-ups because I am seriously training for a climbing project.

Another Day

WOD

BS triples
185, 225, 275, 295, 305


fast & light at 295

then

7 HSPU
7 KTE
7 burpees
5 rounds : 9:30

Last rep of last set : Quality always matters

Notes: Short on time, wrong shoes, and sun in my eyes. "Could have" lifted more. Some guy asked me how much I had on the bar like it was a lot (which it isn't). I am coming back nicely, compare to "Back to the Grind." Singles on HSPU were faster than resting for doubles/triples. Everything else was cruisy.

Upper Body Split

Bench Press
triples
135, 185, 205, 215, 215, 205, 185

One-arm Shoulder Press
5X5 55 lbs

Notes: Various types of pull-ups between shoulder press sets.

Back in the Game

WOD
DL triples from a box
315, 315, 315, 315, 345

then
100 dips for time
6:37

Notes: Compared to the miserable showing on Monday, today was great. My back could be set straighter. The first 50 dips took 2:00 minutes.

Short and Sweet

Warm-up

KB Complex
with 1.5 pood

It sucked. I was tired from the warm-up.

WOD
25 Hang Snatches, 45 lbs
25 Medicine Ball Cleans, 20lbs
25 Swings, 1.5 pood
10 Jingle Jangles
3 rounds in 13:21

Back to the Grind

Back to the weights. They are heavy. I am weak.

WOD

Back Squat
275 X1
315 fail
295 X1

Shoulder Press
135 X 1
145 X 1
155 fail

Notes: In the past, my sticking point in the press was the start. I realized I had to be "tighter." Now my sticking point is the crown of my head, the solution.

unGreasing The Grove

In the mist of planes, trains, and buses, I stopped training. Not smart. I still have time to pick it up.

WOD
50 squats
10 pull ups
10 ring dips
10 roll outs (from knees)
10 pushups

6.5 rounds in 20 minutes

Simple but effective

I am traveling, and it is a good time to break out of my ruts (a grave with the ends kicked out). The "fitness" room in unnamed high-end hotel had a plethora of machines and some free weights.

WOD
sprint on treadmill 1:00
10 one arm swings 25lbs (each arm)
5 rounds

rest 5:00

Man-makers 35lbs X2
pull-ups
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1

Notes: Might be first time ever on a treadmill. 10% incline & 7 mph was an effective stimulus. I like the quantifiable aspect. The swings were a joke. The man-makers were not fun or funny. Pull-ups felt easy after not climbing for two days.

Tabata Something Else

WOD

"Complete 32 intervals of 20 seconds of work followed by ten seconds of rest where the first 8 intervals are pull-ups, the second 8 are push-ups, the third 8 intervals are sit-ups, and finally, the last 8 intervals are squats. There is no rest between exercises."
source: Crossfit

pull-ups: 8/8/8/8/6/5/5/4
push-ups: 14/14/14/14/12/12/10/9
sit-ups: 13/13/13/13/11/11/11/8
squats : 25/24/24/24/22/22/22/22

total score : 419

Notes: I'm bad at kipping. I look like a drunk monkey. Sit-ups on the incline bench. Air squats are very easy for me.

Nothing but muscle-ups

I think I have the strength and tenacity to do the 15 muscle ups for my challenge.
A little bit of technique would always help.



WOD
5X3 ring muscle ups
short rest between sets

Under the bar

I finally got around to Olympic lifting. I lowered the weight and increase the reps.

Snatch: triples 65, 95, 95, 115, 115

Clean: triples 115, 135, 155, 185 (f), 185 *

* only a double but still a PR!!

The bar path is much straighter when compared to the earlier videos. However, I noticed in my Snatch videos I look down. I don't think that is optimal. The bar goes forward on the missed clean. I am still more comfortable power cleaning than squat cleaning. Overall, I need to work on full/triple extension.

Circuit
25 burpees
25 OHS 45 lbs
25 swings 1 pood
3 rounds in 11:47

Nothing but pull-ups

WOD
DE pull-ups 75 lbs
then ...
towel pull-ups 12,6

Hypocrite

My last post was about speed. Do I go to the gym and train speed? NO!!

WOD
12 DL 225lbs
20 bar dips*
5 rounds
rest 5 min between rounds

*last set was broken

What is your weakness?

Part of my Birthday Challenge is finding my weakness and then "treating" them. My biggest weakness is Speed. I am slow and don't like to feel to slow. Thus, I avoid the speed events: Olympic lifts, running, and 500 row. I need to take my medicine.

Here is a nice visual way to find your weakness: How fit are you?

Benching and War (Important stuff)

WOD
5X5 Bench
rest 2:00 between sets
185, 185, 195, 195, 195 (f)

The mind set for a 5X5 is very different from max effort. Max effort is like a fire fight. It is "on" from the beginning and over before you realized it. While a 5X5 is a more like the war in Iraq. Some bits are easy, some are hard. It goes on for a long time.

I don't like the war in Iraq.

Pushing

Sets of 2 or 3 mu to warm up. Then lots of ring dips and ab roller.

WOD

10 left arm swings
10 right arm swings
1 pood KB
5 rounds

time : 8:47

I have DOMS from my "Light Day." I try to set a new benchmark when I am not in the best condition. New benchmarks usually require new tactics. I can start to learn those new tactics when even when I am not peaking. Doing 100 one arm swings is very different from two arm swings. It requires more work (surprise!), and I don't have a good method for switching hands. I won't be surprised if that time was 1/2 next time I try it.

Light day

9 days off was way too long for me. I don't feel "right."

WOD

Box Squats

265 lbs 5X3 1:00 min rest between sets

then ...

air squats 20s on/10s off - 20 reps all 8 rounds
push ups 20s on/10s off - 20 reps rounds 1-6, 15, 15
8 rounds

This is very light for me, in the past have done 285 lbs and box jump/clapping push ups combos. Tomorrow is another day.

Warmup

I started with a test of HSPU.

I got 9 solid and so very close to the 10th. Notice how much my back curves as the reps go up. I need to focus on being tight and straight. Another event in the I-am-not-worried category.

I spent the rest of the day working on different techniques and getting my mind back in the game.
Tomorrow will be the first full day back.