The Challenge, Part IV : Gymnastics

The front lever was the first event in the gymnastics portion. The quality is debatable, but it was a satisfying PR.

front lever, 15s

Weighted pull-ups were next. I had to fight for 135.

pull-up, 135

Keeping the balance.

dip, 135

The biggest disappointment was maximum repetitions pull-ups. I did so many pull-ups during training. I could only eek out 22.

It wouldn't be a CrossFit day at the UCSB Recreation Center without being informed that were breaking the rules. This time it was "unapproved photography". Time to head outside.

I don't think I have ever tested my vertical jump. It turns out I have good hops, 25'' vertical (approx), but not the best measuring system. It involved me chalking up my fingertips and measuring with webbing, stupid climbers.

Insert Your Own Caption ...

I knocked out out 11 handstand push-ups. Easy.
I knocked out 25 pistols each leg. Easy.

I felt locked in with L-sit and set a great PR. It became a whole body experience with everything giving out at the end.

L-sit, 41s

Word of the Day

Muscle-ups were another disappointment, 5. It was becoming very warm at that point.


Ring dips, 24. Hard.

Ring push-ups, 41. PR!! Very Hard.

Another Day in the Office

WOD

1) dips, 3X3, 100

2) shoulder press, 5X3, 135
Light for me but still big wheels overhead

3) 200m run
40 ring push-ups
200m run
30 ring push-ups
200m run
20 ring push-ups
200m run
10 ring push-ups
time : 7:52

Notes: 4th day on. I "unracked" and 1/4 dipped my challenge weight, 175. The presses felt hard, but it was the most weight on my right wrist lately. My right wrist is no longer completely jacked, only a little tweaked. No "wheels" in the sprints. The ring push-ups greased the groove nicely.

Getting ready for Olympics ... err ... my challenge

WOD

1) lots of pull-ups, muscle-ups, dips,push-ups (all on rings)

muscle-ups

dips

push-ups

2) ring dips, ladder 1-5-1-3-1

3) ring push-ups, 3X20, short rest between sets (i.e. :10)

4) pull-ups, 3X11, longer rest between sets (i.e. 1:00)

Notes : Today was a long day of gymnastic work. The muscle-ups felt good because I found a rhythm. Remember: "goggle the horizon." I don't quite have the dips dialed. I slipped and my kip could be improved. The push-ups were fine. They will be a sufferfest. Here is the breakdown for the gymnastic portion of my challenge:

muscle-ups - got it
ring dips - possible but very hard
ring push-ups - got it
pull-ups - need a miracle
front lever - possible but very hard
l-sit - need a miracle

I'm a fucking climber and like overhanging jug fests. Why is 40 dead hang pull-ups and 1:30 L-sit shutting me down? Commonsense says the hard events should be the squat and DL for me. Maybe I should quit climbing and just powerlift. The only problem is my dislike of the Bench. Sorry Crankenstein!

Same but Different

WOD

1) dips, 5X5, 70, rest 2-3 minutes

2) DL, triples from 2'' platform, 295, 295, 325, 325(f)
Am I red from the sun or trying hard?

3) Good Morning, 5X3, 135
This is the point I learned the location of my intercostals.

4) 5 One-arm Press, 45
100ft Farmer Walk, 180
5 rounds

Notes: I am a gym rat and love these kind of days, i.e. slow grind. My deadlift is getting stronger. I have never pulled from a 2'' platform nor done good mornings. It is similar to what I have done in the past but with a twist. My core got a good dose.

Endurance Effort (??)

WOD

50 - 40 - 30* - 20 - 10
pull-ups
push-ups
dips
Time: 26:11

* I had to skip the 30 dips because I was out of push juice.

Notes: This was hard ass workout. It is rare that circuits last longer than 15 minutes. My kip is getting better on the pull-ups. The push-ups were very easy. The dips were very difficult. When I first started Crossfit, I thought about quitting in the middle of every workout. That thought would flicker through my mind, and I would let it go. For long time it had not reoccurred, but the thought has been present for the last two workouts. It is a sign the workouts are challenging. Good stuff.

Trying to be Flash Gordon (or Hans Florine)

WOD

10 DL, 225
10 dips, 25
3 rounds : 4:10

Bench, triples, 175, 175, 195, 195, 195

100m sprint every 30s for 8 rounds, aka Tabata run

Notes: Feeling the effects of third day on. Speedy on DL and dips. Hopefully, speed work carries over for the dips because it is hard to go heavy. Good to get under the bench. The reps were quick until last set. The sprints suck because running sucks. Congratulations to Hans Florine for regaining the Nose speed record (off the couch).

Get Strong, Get Fast, Get Fit, Get Specific, Compete.

WOD

1) 15 pull-ups
15 dips
15 OHS, 45
15 push-ups
3 rounds

2) BS, 145 + chain, 8X3, rest :40
SP, 55 + chain 8X3, rest :40

3) 10 C & J, 35lbs X2
10 pull-ups
25 push-ups
10 pistols, left
10 pistols, right
5 rounds : 14:42

Notes: So many pull-ups!! Pull-up endurance has always been my weakness. That will change. I experimented by using lighter weights on the speed work. That was mistake. I am well-conditioned and my "true" 1 RM is much higher than my current PR. I should stick with 60-65% plus chain. The circuit was perfect, specific to my challenge. The title is some of the best advice I have heard in a long time. I won't even charge you.

Tabatas Suck (but not for the reason you might think)

WOD
Tabata What?
L pull-ups : 4
Thrusters, 45 : 11
Box Jumps, second highest box ~36'' : 5
SDLHP, 45 : 10
Jump rope, single-unders : 20
Total Score : 50

dip ladder : 1-7-1-6-1

Notes: First time with workout. I lack the technical skill for double-unders and am not working on it because I got bigger fish to fry. I earned a good score but over-gamed it. That is the problem with Tabata intervals and Crossfit scoring. It is exponentially harder to get a arithmetically higher score. I love intervals and think they are one of the fundamentals for athletic training. Crossfit Tabata scoring works well for beginning to intermediate athletes, but is lacking for elite athletes. I would argue the same is true for Crossfit in general. I think an athlete would have a hard time becoming Crossfit "Elite" by doing Crossfit as Rx'd. Overall, it was nice to have an easy day after the two hard days.

Mahogany Day for a Mahogany Challenge

WOD

1) dip(s), 1X1, 135

2) pull-ups, 4X1, 135
3X3, 90
3X10, "super"

4)BS, 3X3, 305, 305, 310(f)

5) SP (with press-outs), 3X3, 135

6) DL, 3X3, 315
Bad form but heavy weights still get moved

"But then again, those who argue against squatting and deadlifting on the same day may just be pussies." - Mark Rippetoe

Notes: The UCSB "recreation center" sucks. Reason #275 : there is no place to do weighted dips with more than 100lbs. Considering how many machines they have, it is ridiculous they don't have a simple, good dip station. I need to get creative for my challenge. "Super" pull-ups are dead hang pull-ups that end with your nipples at the bar. You get stared at when you do weighted pull-ups with $1.35, but you get mouth open gapping with "super" pull-ups. It was highly motivating to be joined by Crossfit SB for the "slow lifts." Mahogany Challenge is Normal Guy speak.

Red Hot Moon

WOD

max reps in 2 minutes
rest 2 minutes

muscle-ups (ring) : 14
pistols (alternate legs) : 35
dips (ring) : 30
squats : 120
push-ups (ring) : 39
pull-ups (bar) : 30

"The moon is full, you can't fake that light
In fact I'm quite excited, I get to play tonight"
Atmosphere

Notes: I am getting ripped in two. On one hand, I want to dominate my challenge. On the other hand, I still want to climb hard. My gym numbers are stalling/dropping, but I am climbing better than ever. Yesterday, I went climbing and ran out of time/juice for a workout. Today, I went climbing again and had no "pull" left. I felt my whole back tighten on the first pull-up (a very interesting sensation). I am very happy with the squat number, one per second for the entire time. Too bad air squats are not part of my challenge.

Take Warning

WOD

1 RM Box Squat : 305
a lot of weight & a short box

5X3 Squats 245 + 25lbs of chain, rest 40s between sets

3 pull-ups
4 dips
5 push-ups
30 rounds : 26:26

Notes: 8 weeks until challenge!! Time for Hard Routine. I'm satisfied with squats. Full box squats for max. The triples were touch-and-go. 30 rounds is an old school weight loss program, i.e. 30-minute-sets.

Working Work Capacity

WOD

15 pull-ups
15 dips
15 OHS - 45 lbs
3 rounds

then

3 Hang Squat Cleans - 135 lbs
25 push-ups
9 rounds in 20 minutes

Notes: Trying to build back up. I use to always do sets of 10 pull-ups, from now on it is 15. Cleans were about 70% of max and I did 27 of them. UGH.

Penance

WOD

1) 1 RM Front Squat : 265 lbs

2) triples 210 Front Squat
15 towel pull-ups
5 rounds
13:30

3) 5 pull-ups
10 dips
15 elevated push-ups
3 rounds
4:01

4) Sprint
2X 400m (rest 2 min) 1:22, 1:25
4X200m (rest 1 min) 40,40,40,41
6X100m (rest 1 min) 19, 17, 18,17,17,18

Notes: Make up for two skipped work outs. FS was not a PR. Need a real coach. Don't "know" how to do elevated push-ups, slowed down the circuit. Random gym moment: Some guy asked, "What program are you on?" I said, "I don't have a program." (I didn't have the time to explain the philosophy of my training: Jeet Kune Do.) I muttered something about Crossfit. He said, "It looks like you are trying to tire yourself out." I agree.

45 minutes well spent

test max dead hang pull-ups : 22

triples shoulder press: 115, 135, 145, 155F, 150F, 135

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-2-1
pull-ups & dips
6:20

5 OHS 45lbs
5 step-ups 90lbs
5 lunges 90lbs
5 rounds
7:15

22 KTE

Notes: I need to double the number of pull-ups. I failed on the SP because I switched to bench grip width, silly mental mistake. Next time I won't set down the DB on the leg ciruit. That would be a sadist touch. I am not worried about the volume for my challenge. I need to get stronger.

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.

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.

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

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