Tuesday

3 rounds not for time:
10 hand-release push-ups
10 ring rows
+
10:00 @ very easy pace:
15 row calories
20m unweighted walking lunges
10 burpees
+
10 sets:
:30 AirDyne @ 90% aerobic
:30 AirDyne @ 50%

complete 

Thursday

A. Power clean, build quickly to a single @ 80-90%
+
5-4-3-2-1 for time:
Power cleans, 125
Ring dips
+
5:00 @ 80% of [5 fat bar pull-ups + 30 double-unders]
5:00 rest
5:00 @ 80% of [10 row calories + 10 hand-release push-ups]

A. 165 (89%)

+

2:20

+

4 + 3
+
4 + 5

Power clean felt good, made large jumps (125-145-165) and done in nanos.

Power clean / ring dip thing was super fun!  Power cleans were fast; strung some together but switched to singles as soon as I felt like cycle time was starting to slow.  Ring dips felt really solid, broken 3/2, 2/2, 2/1, 1/1, 1 and all pretty much strict (classic).  Played around with kipping afterward; it still eludes me.

Both 5:00 pieces felt really good aerobically.  3/2 then mostly singles on the pull-ups; double-unders were shit today (only one set unbroken).  Rowed at 900-1000 cal/h and HR push-ups were easy.

Thursday

AM
mobility @ home

PM
A. Power clean, build quickly to a single @ 80-90%
+
5-4-3-2-1 for time:
Power cleans, 125
Ring dips
+
5:00 @ 70% of [10 kettlebell swings @ 53 + 50 double-unders]
5:00 rest
5:00 @ 70% of [10 row calories + 10 hand-release push-ups]

DNS, cortisone shot


Saw Tim McConnell this afternoon.  Over the last several weeks, knee has deteriorated back to where it was in December (pre-cortisone shot), so I wanted to get a clearer picture of what I needed to do moving forward and make sure I wasn't being stupid.  Turns out, the meniscus IS torn (posterior aspect of medial meniscus), but it's not intra-articular, meaning that it's not displaced or mechanically unstable - or, at least, it wasn't in December.  He brought up the MRI images again, and it's actually pretty clear that it's like a slit through the middle.  He said it's possible that it's worse now, or could get worse in the future, but the treatment would be the same (scope/clean-up) unless there was ACL involvement, which he said was pretty unlikely.

I explained that our team is on the bubble for going to Regionals, and I'm on the bubble of being considered for the team, and asked if it would be irresponsible to train hard on the knee for the next month or two (ie, pistols).  He said that if it were him, he would be training for Regionals, no question.  He offered a second cortisone shot to tide me over, explaining that it's only blunting symptoms and not treating the problem, and that surgery will be required ultimately, but since I responded well to the first one and it's been more than 3 months, he thought it would be a good choice for the short term.  We're planning on surgery in June, unless something drastically changes.

Bottom line: I want the 4th spot.

Monday

AM
shoulder prep
+
20:00 AirDyne @ Z1

PM
A. Front squat, build quickly to a moderate but fast single, nothing over 185
+
3 sets increasing efffort:
9 handstand push-ups
15 wall balls, 14 to 9
21 hand-release push-ups
28 AirDyne calories
3:00 walk rest
+
10:00 mobility work of choice

AM

complete

PM

A. 185 easy
+
4:48
3:48
3:44
+
complete

Front squats felt super easy today, 185 would not have even qualified as moderate.  Knee felt fine (bees knees).

The 3 sets were definitely at increasing effort, but I pushed the last set of handstand push-ups too soon and failed, which explains the time difference.  Broke 5/4 for the first 2, then 5/2/1/F/F/1 on the last set.  Wallballs were all unbroken, but 15 still feels like a really large set.  Knee felt fine here too (black knee sleeves).  I'm continually surprised by how difficult push-ups are.  These by far took the most time, and I had to rest more than I would have liked.  Took the first AD at 70%, then 90%, then 97% (ouch).

Saturday

AM
10:00 @ 70% of [250m row + 25m/side moderate 1-arm overhead DB carry]
5:00 rest
10:00 @ 70% of [15 AirDyne calories + 25m/side moderate 1-arm Farmer's walk]
+
20:00 shoulder mobility + scap pre/re-hab + muscle-up play time

PM
A. 2 push jerk + 2 split jerks, build to a heavy set
B. Power snatch, 1-1-1-1 @ 85-95-105-115; rest as needed
+
For 12:00:
Evens: 3-5 touch-and-go power snatches, 85
Odds: 10 hand-release push-ups
+
10:00 AirDyne @ Z1

AM

complete with 40lb DB and 53lb KB

Noon

Mobility Clinic

PM

A. 175

B. Complete 

+

Complete 

+

Complete 

Did 4 muscle ups, then ripped :(  Wanted to try a few on the fat rings and work on stringing two together, but alas. 

Mobility clinic was great; most of this was stuff I learned from him last year, but always good to be reminded. Going to add back in a few pieces I had forgotten about.  Also, it's insane how keeping up with this stuff really works; huge difference from 8-9 months ago. Looking forward to another one of these with a lower body focus... 

PM session was short and sweet. Overhead complex felt good, ran through it at 165, and, while it was heavy, I knew that if I could get the first push jerk at 175 I could get the whole complex.   Everything was crisper at 175 than at 165. 

Power snatches felt much better than last week, 115 still isn't pretty but not nearly so bad today. 

Changed into nanos for the EMOM to practice for the Open. Felt the 4th rep get iffy on the first set, so decided to stick with 4 reps across, but these felt better as the sets went on so did 5 on the last one. HR push-ups felt very easy today. 

Man, I love this place. Great day. 

Wednesday

AM
4-6 sets @ Z1:
300m ski erg
15 AirDyne calories
5 wall balls, 14 to 9'
10 unweighted hip extensions, 10X1

PM
A. 1 clean-grip deadlift + 1 clean pull (emphasize shrug/arms), 4 x 1 @ 185; begin a set every 2:00
B1. Power clean clusters, 3 x :30 @ 135, :90 rest
B2. Ring dips, 3 x :30; :90 rest
+
5:00 @ 90% of [10 alternating DB snatches @ 50 + 40 double-unders]
5:00 rest
5:00 @ 90% of [100m ski-erg + 10 hand-release push-ups]

AM
6 sets complete

PM
A. complete

B1. 6, 8, 8

B2. 9, 8, 8

+

3 rounds + 3 snatches

+

5 rounds


AM stuff felt really good this morning, and I finally had a Wednesday where I wasn't short on time and could do the full 6 sets. Knee continues to behave, 14lb wall balls were fine. Still catch myself protecting it a bit (slightly loading the opposite leg). I'm trying very hard to stop doing that, because there's absolutely no pain - I'm anticipating that it will hurt, but it doesn't. 

Clean pulls finally felt pretty strong today - although, I wish I could reproduce this at heavier weights.

Didn't realize that I had a broken collar, and the clip and one of my 5lb weights fell off the bar in the middle of my first set of 0:30 cleans - dammit! Should have been good for 8 reps on all 3 sets.  These felt super easy today.  All singles.

Ring dips felt better than last week, but still got tough - was opening with a solid set of 4 or 5 each time, but then mostly singles.

Felt like I was moving pretty slowly on the DB snatch / double-under piece.  The dumbbell actually felt really light, but I just couldn't make myself cycle through the reps any faster.  First two sets of double-unders unbroken, tripped twice on the last set.  Still getting used to the new rope, I can't tell if I like it or not yet... 

And that ski erg / push-up thing - holy triceps, Batman.  That's all I have to say about that.

Tuesday

AM
shoulder prep
+
30:00 Z1 of choice

PM
A. Muscle-ups, 5-10 attempts only; full recovery between attempts, play around w/slow air squats during rest, just a few at a time
B1. DB bench press w/knees & feet off bench, build to a 5RM in 4 sets, 20X1; :60 rest
B2. DB power row, 4 x 3-4/arm, 20X0; :60 between arms, :60 rest
+
4 sets:
:30 strict pull-ups
:30 hand-release push-ups
:30 abmat sit-ups
:30 AirDyne
2:00 rest

AM
complete
+

only 20:00 complete on the Assault bike 

PM

A. 2 muscle ups!!

B1. 55/hand - easy, not a 5RM

B2. 45(4), 55(4)x3

+
pull-ups: 7, 7, 6, 6
push-ups: 21, 17, 14, 14
sit-ups: 15, 14, 12, 12
Assault bike cals: 7, 9, 8, 11

YESSS! HOORAY! I am so happy and relieved that I got another muscle up, and then another one after that!  They felt so good today.  Missed the first 4 attempts, but they were all extremely close - I had a bit of an audience with some of the coaches here who were doing the "Awwww, COME ON" after each attempt.  Then made #5 (EASY) and #6 (EASY), and tried for #7, caught one side in the bottom but it was a little too deep to save the other side.  Called it there due to time, but really wanted to just keep going.  Really, really excited about this!  The year of the muscle up was successful.

Air squats felt a little better than last week - knee still feels a little off, but doesn't really hurt at all.  I'm still cautious dropping below parallel, but after a few pain-free reps, I started trusting it a little more.

Dumbbell work was very easy again - 55/hand for the DB bench is not a 5RM, probably could have done 7 or 8 reps at least with this weight.  

4 sets were a nice change of pace; this got challenging though...

Awesome day :)

Saturday

AM

10:00 @ 70% of [250m row + 3 kipping handstand push-ups]
5:00 rest
10:00 @ 70% of [15 AirDyne calories + 7-10 toes-to-bar]
+
20:00 shoulder mobility + scap pre/re-hab

PM
A. Speed squat clean ladder from Gobblers
B1. Snatch pull clusters, 4 x 1.1.1 starting @ 110% 1RM snatch; :15 between reps, :60 rest
B2. Hand-release push-ups, 4 x 16 fast; 2:00 rest
C1. Deadlift clusters 3 x 5.4.3 touch-and-go; minimal rest within each cluster, 2:00 rest
+
Not for time:
400m sled drag, heavy grind outside

AM

Complete; did the shoulder stuff first 

PM

A. Through twice + 145 

B1. 145, 150, 155, 160

B2. Complete 

C. 195, 205, 215

+

Complete with 135 on the sled 

+
gymnastics clinic


HSPU and TTB felt good this morning - all sets of 10 TTB.

Squat clean speed ladder felt very different than it did 2 weeks ago.  When warming up, cleared all of them easily, and 175 felt effortless.  When going through the first round, I think I just didn't respect how much heavier it would feel when a little fatigued, and didn't really focus for the first 175.  Also, I was moving pretty slowly, compared to last time.  I kind of realized that I wasn't going very fast, but didn't do anything about it until the beginning of the 3rd round.  I think stepping over the bars (instead of having them diagonally) made a little difference, but not much.  Also, last time felt like breathing got really high, and didn't even notice it today.  Overall, happy with the score and confident I will do well next weekend on this event.

Snatch pulls felt good, but can't ever imagine actually snatching that.  HR pushups were fast and easy.

Deadlifts got heavy, but I think I did a very good job of minimizing rest between clusters.  Basically just dropped from the top and immediately reset.  A little concerned that 215 felt as heavy as it did...

Sled drag wasn't nearly as rough as last time, but still felt heavy considering legs were very tired from the cleans and deadlifts.

Saturday

AM
10:00 @ 70% of [200m jog + 3 kipping handstand push-ups]
5:00 rest
10:00 @ 70% of [250m row + 7 glute-ham sit-ups]
+
20:00 shoulder mobility + scap pre/re-hab

PM
A. Squat clean & split jerk, build to a heavy single
B1. Snatch pull clusters, 3 x 1.1 starting @ 1RM snatch & adding 10/set; :15 between reps, :60 rest
B2. Hand-release push-ups, 3 x 20 fast; 2:00 rest
+
For time:
2000m row

AM
complete

PM

A. 195 (PR +10); cleaned 200! (PR +5)

B1. 135, 145, 155

B2. Complete 

+

8:22.8 (PR by 0:23) 

Did the shoulder stuff before the Z1 this morning - warm shoulders really helped with the HSPUs.  Three sets of 3 unbroken! Happy that these are coming back. 

Very happy with the clean and jerk!!  That was cool. 

Don't know how much better I could have done on the row. Planned to hold 2:05-2:10 for the first 1500m then increase in the last 500, but I was feeling really tired and felt like if I started pushing too early I wouldn't be able to finish strong. So I edged down to 2:05ish for a couple hundred meters but didn't push the pace to sub-2:00 until 250m left, and got down to 1:46 at the end. I probably could have started pushing around 350m and been fine, but overall I'm pretty happy with the effort and progress here. Great day! 

Oh, and knee feels way better. Not perfect, but much, much better. Hooray! That's a relief. 

Saturday

AM
10:00 @ 70% of [200m jog + 7 glute-ham sit-ups]
5:00 rest
10:00 @ 70% of [3 kipping handstand push-ups + 150m row]
+
20:00 shoulder mobility + scap pre/re-hab

PM
A. Squat clean & split jerk, build to a heavy single
B1. 1 segmented snatch-grip deadlift (pause just off ground, just below knees, & mid-thigh) + 1 snatch pull, 4 x 1 starting @ 1RM snatch & adding 10/set; :15 between all reps, :60 rest
B2. Hand-release push-ups, 4 x 15 fast; 2:00 rest
+
3 rounds for time:
10m handstand walk
8 stone-over-shoulder, 95
50 double-unders
+
1200m row w/increasing effort every 300m (2:10-2:05-2:00-very hard)

AM

Complete

PM

A. 185, failed jerk @ 190 (video)

B1. 135, 145, 155, 165

B2. Complete 

+

8:15

+

Complete 

Handstand push-ups were AWFUL.  I feel like I've lost all the progress I made on these in the spring.  Never made a set of 3 unbroken, lots of singles with a couple doubles and a couple fails.

Clean and jerk @ 175 was crisp and beautiful. Clean was easy @ 185 but jerk was a little soft. Cleaned 190 without an issue but failed the jerk. Video revealed that elbows dropped to point down at the floor on the jerk dip - never had a chance to save it. Didn't film any of the successful jerks, not sure if my elbows always do that or if that was one of my classic "oh it's getting heavy, let's change everything!" fails. Tried to clean 190 again but lost it forward and moved on. 

Snatch pulls at 135 and 145 were excellent; didn't get quite as high at 155 or 165. Hand-release push-ups were all very fast and easy. Also had an easier time keeping elbows tucked in - I feel like that's a result of all the scap work. 

All handstand walks and all double unders unbroken!! Transitions were a little slow because I was really wanting to recover enough to do each piece unbroken, even though that wasn't necessarily the goal. First round done in 2:00 flat, but then second and third rounds took just over 3:00 each. Stones got a little tough by the 3rd round, which surprised me. 

The row was really challenging. Never held exactly the pace I was supposed to. Bounced up and down a lot in the first 300m (2:07 to 2:15). Then was solidly 2-3 seconds slower at 2:05 and 2:00. Final 300 was awful - I built pace a little more slowly than last week to make sure I didn't flame out, but then couldn't get under 1:50 in the final 150m. 

Tuesday

AM
45:00 AirDyne @ Z1, off every 5:00 for 1/side moderate 1-arm KB overhead squat + :30 front leaning rest

PM
A. Tall snatch, build quickly to a tough but perfect single
B. Squat snatch clusters, 5 x 1.1; :10 between singles, :90 rest
C. Back squat, 3-2-1-1 @ 80-90%, 20X1; 2:00 rest
D1. 1-arm DB row, 2 x 2-3/arm, 11X1; :30 rest between arms, :30 rest
D2. DB bench press, 2 x 5-7, 30X1; :90 rest
+
8 rounds for even times:
5 strict pull-ups
10 hand-release push-ups
10 row calories
:90 rest

AM

complete with the 35lb KB

PM

A. 100

B. 105, 110, 115, 120, 125

C. 240(3), 255(2), 270(1), 270(1)

D1. 75(3), 80(2)

D2. 45(7), 50(7)

+

1:37

1:33

1:36

1:32

1:36

1:33

1:31

1:31

Very happy to have a decent training day!

Snatches felt good, but not quite as smooth as last week.  Super pleased to have no misses.  Considered going for a bonus round at 130, but decided to be happy with hitting every rep and end on a good note.

Back squats felt much better than in the past few weeks, but I'm still slightly concerned that 270 feels as heavy as it does...

Rested way longer than 0:90 before the second round of 1-arm DB rows.  I could not grip the 80lb DB with my left hand for the life of me.  As soon as I rolled it off the bench, it would slip right out of my hand (this is the same problem I had when trying to use the 80s for Farmer's walks a few months ago).  I finally got enough of a grip on it to get 2 reps, but the tempo was shit.  I have a hard time believing 5lbs makes that much of a difference... is the diameter of the 80lb slightly bigger than the 75?  #childsizedhandproblems

8 sets felt really good.  Pull-ups all broken 3/2.  Rowed around 900cal/hour, +/- 20.

Tuesday

AM
45:00 AirDyne @ Z1, off every 5:00 for 1/side moderate 1-arm KB overhead squat + :30 front leaning rest

PM
A. 1 muscle snatch + 1 hang snatch high pull + 1 tall snatch, 7 x 1 light & crisp; begin every :75
B. Squat snatch, 1-1-1-1-1-1 adding so that only last couple reps are challenging; :90 rest
C. Back squat, 3-3-2-2 @ 80-90%, 20X1; 2:00 rest
D1. 1-arm DB row, 2 x 3-4/arm, 11X1; :30 rest between arms, :30 rest
D2. DB bench press, 2 x 7-9, 30X1; :90 rest
+
6 rounds for even times:
250m row
6 strict pull-ups
12 hand-release push-ups
2:00 rest

AM

complete with 35lb KB

PM
A. 65 x4, 75 x3
B. 85, 95, 105, 115, 125, 130F, 130F, 130!
C. 240(3), 250(3), 260(2), 270(2)
D1. 65(4), 70(4)
D2. 25(9), 35(9)
+
2:10
2:10
2:12
2:34
2:32
2:37

Hooray for heavy snatches!  Everything from 85-125 felt so, so easy, that I knew I would get 130.  First miss at 130 was entirely mental.  Second miss at 130 was just a little forward in the bottom.  Finally got the 3rd attempt at 130, but stepped forward with it off the platform.  I'm doing a much better job of pulling all the way into my hips and not bouncing it off my thighs early.  Very excited to see progress here.

Back squats felt heavy again.  What the hell?

Started way too light on the DB bench press - wasn't sure where to start with that rep/tempo scheme.

Felt like I weighed 1000lbs on the strict pull-ups today.  First 3 sets broken 3/3, but pretty sure the last rep on the 3rd set didn't count, so backed down to 2/2/2 for the final 3 sets (explains time difference).  That's weird, because strict pull-ups have been feeling really solid recently (they should, with how many I do in a week!).  Had a hard time controlling the descent and ended up hanging at the bottom between all reps, which I don't usually do with sets of 2-3.  Rowed at 2:05-2:09/500m.  HR push-ups got a little tough in the last two sets, but still unbroken.

Tuesday

AM
45:00 AirDyne @ Z1, off every 5:00 for 1/side light 1-arm KB overhead squat + 8 sit-ups

PM
A. 1 muscle snatch + 1 tall snatch, 6 x 1 light & crisp; begin every :60
B. 1 snatch high pull + 1 squat snatch, 7 x 1 moderate loads; begin a set every :90
C. Back squat, 3-3-3-3 @ 80-90%, 20X1; 2:00 rest
D1. 1-arm DB row, 2 x 4-5/arm, 11X1; :30 rest between arms, :30 rest
D2. 1-arm DB press, 2 x 3-4/arm, 40X1; :30 rest between arms, :60 rest
+
5 rounds for even times:
12 hand-release push-ups
350m row
8 box jump overs, 20
2:30 rest

AM

complete; KB OHS @ 25

PM

A. Complete @ 65

B. 85, 95, 105 x 5

C. 240, 250, 260, 270

D1. 60(5/5), 60(5/5)

D2. 40(4R/3L), 40(4R/2L)

+

2:36

2:46 (rower malfunction)

2:28

2:28

2:27

Disgustingly humid today - felt sluggish and took a lot of time between pieces. 

Tall snatches and squat snatches felt really good and easy, but the complexes were limited by the muscle snatches and snatch pulls. Timing was way off on the snatch pulls, but almost all the snatches felt really solid. 

Back squats felt heavy. The last rep at 260 and 270 got a little sticky. I know at 260, I wasn't back on my heels, which is why I still jumped up for the last set. 

I really don't think I'm doing the DB rows correctly as they get heavy. Elbows are not getting very high... Which is why I didn't go up in weight. Also, left arm was not cooperating today... That was weird. Had a hard time with the left arm last week on the OH carry, too. Shoulder isn't bothering me at all, so not sure what that's about. 

Aerobic stuff at the end was pretty easy and controlled. HR push-ups felt easy. Rowed at 2:07-2:11/500m. Box jump overs steady and consistent. Rower didn't register my first 5-8 pulls on the second round... Otherwise, would have been a more consistent time. 

Wednesday

AM
For 45:00 @ Z1:
750m row
15 AirDyne calories
200m jog

PM
A. Clean-grip deadlift, 15 x 1 @ 255; begin a rep every :30
+
For 20:00:
Evens: 10 Russian kettlebell swings, 70
Odds: 5 hand-release push-ups w/brief pause @ lockout & w/hand off keeping elbows high
+
3 sets not for time:
15 banded good mornings
15 hip extensions
15 hollow rocks (forward & back = 1)

AM
complete
+
shoulder stuff

PM
complete; green band for the banded good mornings

PM2
60:00 walk with a friend; couldn't pass up the gorgeous weather!


AM z1 has been feeling better and better - rowing has significantly improved.in the past 2-3 months.  2:25/500m ish pace.

Shoulder feels 100% and both feel very strong after a few weeks of these exercises.  It feels strange to be aware of so many different muscles that I've never noticed (or used) before.  Looking forward to using my arms again!

CGDL felt good.  Tried to pull the bar into my shins on every rep, and it definitely made a difference.

The 20:00 was very controlled and easy.  Those were the most beautiful HR push ups anyone has ever seen.  Felt weirdly easy by using my new-found shoulder muscles...