Wednesday

AM
4000m row @ Z1
+
10:00-15:00 hamstring/hip/quad mobility work

PM
A. Barefoot front squat, no sleeves, 3 x 4-6, 22X1; 2:30 rest
B1. DB bench press, 3 x 3-5, 20X1; :90 rest
B2. Reverse hypers, 3 x 8-12 moderate; :90 rest
C. DB walking lunges, 2 x 25m moderate; 2:00 rest
D. Banded terminal knee extension, 2 x 30/side w/same band as last week; rest as needed
+
3 rounds easy:
15m Farmer's walk, 100/hand
15 unweighted hip extensions
15 weighted Russian twists, hold a 6 lb med ball @ chest (L + R = 1)

AM

complete

PM

A. 123, 143, 163(4)

B1. 65, 70, 75(2)

B2. 180, 210(12), 210(12)

C. 25m, 20m with 50/hand - this was not moderate 

D. complete with black band 

+

complete 


Today started out pretty good, but lost a bit of steam towards the end.  

Front squats felt okay - knee is doing something weird, and I don't know if it's something to worry about or not.  It doesn't hurt.  

Surprised to get all 5 reps at 70/hand on the DB bench.  75 was a big jump, and it was very challenging to even get the dumbbells into position.  Almost had the 3rd rep at 75, could probably get it if I tried again, and if I was able to get the dumbbells into position with slightly less effort.

Reverse hypers were fine.  

Completely overestimated the dumbbell walking lunge steps - I did not check my notebook before beginning, and thought I had done 50/hand before so I just figured I'd do that.  I made it about 10 steps on the first set before I realized that this was way too heavy, but then decided to just roll with it and finished the 25m unbroken (barely).  Couldn't make it all the way back (grip, mostly), and when I dropped the dumbbells at 20m I considered picking them back up and lunging the remaining 5m then decided that because I went heavier than intended, I was okay to shave off 5m.  Sorry, Stephen.  Now that I'm writing this, I sound like a little bitch.

That was the turning point of the day.

Banded knee extensions got tough in the last 5-8 reps of each set, on both legs.

Took probably 15:00 to complete the final 3 rounds.  Nothing was difficult in particular, I just didn't feel like playing anymore.  Meh.

Tuesday

OFF or Z1 active recovery of choice

AM
OFF

PM
softball rained out

Considered jumping on my AirDyne this evening, but the couch was a much more appealing option...

Monday

AM
1200m light sled drag, alternate forward & backward as desired
+
10:00 mobility work of choice

PM
A. Barefoot box squat w/chains (box height to allow just below parallel bottom position), 2-2-2-2 build to tough (no risk of failing, though), 31X1; 3:00 rest
B. Front rack box step-up, 3 x 4-7/leg to 10", control descent as much as possible; :90 between legs
C. CTB pull-ups, 8 x 5 unbroken; begin a set every :60
+
5 sets:
500m row @ 2:02.0-2:02.9/500m
2:30 walk rest

AM

complete with 45 on the sled

PM

A. 165, 165, 175, 185 + chains to biggest jerk block 

B. 123, 133(6), 133(7) to biggest jerk block

C. 6 sets complete, called it after the 3rd rip

+

2:02.7

2:02.7

2:02.7

2:02.5

2:02.3

Solid day!

Box squats felt great; made a big jump to start at 165 and was shocked at how heavy it felt, but the second set at 165 was much better, and built from there.  185 was tough for sure.  I'm hoping the chains are respectably heavy, because it's a little demoralizing to feel like 185 is tough.

Step-ups went well.  Again, found a 7RM on these - no way I would have gotten an 8th rep at 133.

CTBs all butterflied and easier than last week.  Ripped once on the very first set, then again on 3 or 4, and then a big one on 6 and I just called it.  I knew from the muscle-ups yesterday that my hands were in rough shape, so I shaved them down quite a bit this morning, but apparently not enough.  Dammit.  In any case, happy with the way these felt today.  Keep 'em coming.

Felt much stronger on the rows this week than last week, so perhaps it was just the sickness making me feel out of shape last week.  And no grip fatigue this week!  Although I did bleed all over the handles (of course I cleaned it up).

Sunday

AM
30:00-60:00 easy walk or hike

PM
A1. Wrist flexion stretching, kneeling w/top of hands on ground and fingers facing toward feet, rotate locked elbows forward and lean back w/fingers pressed into ground, 2 x 10 reps w/short pause @ end range; :30 rest
A2. Wrist extension stretching, kneeling w/palms on ground and hands supinated so fingers facing toward feet, lean back w/fingers pressed into ground, 2 x 10 reps w/short pause @ end range; :30 rest
B. Muscle-ups on fat rings, 10 x 1, but if no misses you can add another 5 reps; begin a rep every :45
+
For time:
250' handstand walk
+
10:00 @ 85%:
max L-sit
15 ski erg calories
45 double-unders

AM

1:15:30 @ Ault Park with Chelsea, Emily, and Mary

PM

A1/A2. complete 

B. 12 of 13 (missed #3)

+

5:07 (PR by 1:00)

+

2 rounds + 16 double-unders

0:30, 0:20, 0:15 L-sits


Muscle-ups felt really good today - only missed #3 due to a technique issue (I did the first two reps looking up at the ceiling from the very beginning, including the backswing, then changed my mind on #3 and went back to my usual way of swinging and I just wasn't focused enough).  I've decided that I like the idea of spotting the ceiling while I'm throwing my hips up, but I prefer to generate a kip with my head neutral.  Didn't finish out the last two because I felt a callous starting to rip and decided it wasn't worth it.  

Handstand walk started off great, then fell apart pretty badly.  Did 5x 50' increments; the first 50' was easily unbroken, then broke at 25' on the second and third laps - basically, I didn't fight it, if I felt like I would have had to struggle to stay balanced, I just came down.  But then the last two 50' laps were horrible, like nothing over 10'.  I couldn't keep my shoulders or core tight and everything just felt extremely fatigued.  

L-sits felt good.  Ski erg was fine.  Double-unders were shit.  I tried to change out the cable this morning, then realized I don't have wire cutters, so now I have one handle attached to the new cable and one handle attached to the old cable.  I used my original Rogue plastic rope, which actually started off pretty good (42 unbroken on the first set), but as soon as I was fatigued, I was tripping every 10-20 reps.  This is so stupid. 

Saturday

AM
30:00-60:00 round-the-world of choice or swim

PM
A. Power clean, build to a heavy single
B. Double overhand Romanian deadlift w/straps, 5-5-5, 4010; 2:30 rest
C1. DB shoulder press from seated on floor position, 3 x 4-6, 20X1; :60 rest
C2. 1-arm DB row, 3 x 4-6/arm, no tempo but still ensure a high elbow @ the top; :60 between arms, :60 rest
+
2000m row @ Z1, off every 500m for 4-6 touch-and-go double-overhand axle deadlifts - add a little from last week

AM

@ home

30:00 AirDyne @ Z1, off every 5:00 for 10 perfect push-ups + 10 air squats

PM

A. 160, 165F - nanos, no belt, no hook grip

B. 145, 165, 175

C1. 35, 40(4), 40(3)

C2. 60, 65, 70(4)

+

complete 

6 across with 120


Thumb is still broken.  I tried hook gripping an empty bar; this did not go well.  Getting annoyed.  Bar flew out of my hands on the pull at 165.  The 160 does not qualify as a heavy single.  The first pull of the ground feels ridiculously light, but as soon as I start to pick up speed I can't control the bar without a hook grip.

Romanian deadlifts felt good.

DB shoulder press was very challenging today - the actual pressing felt much more difficult than last week, and it was almost impossible to get the 40s to my shoulders from a seated position.  I don't know how I could get anything higher into the starting position, unless I recruit an assistant...

Dumbbell rows felt excellent!  

Axle deadlifts went better than last week - I changed my grip, and feel a little more secure with all my fingers and thumb wrapped the same way over the bar (so then I can rotate my wrists a bit to keep the bar in my fingers), as opposed to gripping the bar with the thumb wrapped one way and the fingers around the other way. 

Pleasant afternoon with my two best buds.  Really fun to watch Austin smash that workout.

Friday

OFF

AM @ home
10:00 AirDyne @ Z1
10:00 mobility
x2

+

adjustment @ Pete's

Thursday

AM
5 sets very easy:
2:00 bike
:60 front leaning rest on ground
2:00 bike
:30/side plank
+
15:00 mobility work of choice

PM
10:00 muscle-up tech practice on fat rings - your technique is good right now, just need more touches...
+
A1. Bear crawl, 5 x 10' forward + 10' reverse, slow & controlled keeping hips level; :30 rest
A2. Deadbug w/hands pressed into wall, 5 x 10 alternating breathing out hard each rep; :30 rest
B. Power snatch clusters from blocks (just below knees), 5 x 1.1 @ 95-105; :10 between singles, 2:00 rest
C. Push press, 2-2-2-2, 21X1; 2:00 rest
+
Every 2:00 for 6 sets:
1 rope climb
5 strict handstand push-ups
+
3 sets:
4/side KB snatches, tough but fast - complete 4 consecutive on 1 side, then 4 consecutive on the other
150m row @ max effort
4:30 walk rest

AM

complete, but rolled the mobility into the 5 sets

PM

complete, 8 singles 

+

A1/A2. complete 

B. 105, 105(1.F.1), 105(1.F), 95, 100 - no hook grip

C. 145(1), 140, 140, 145

+

0:26

0:26

0:22

0:22

0:22

0:21
(what?!)

+

0:58 (0:29.4 row)

0:55 (0:29.6 row)

0:54 (0:29.7 row)

with 35lb kettlebell

Felt extremely stiff this morning on the first FLR, so decided to blend the mobility into the 5 sets... 

Totally rough evening session.  I feel physically exhausted from a month of the new work schedule, and mentally exhausted from trying to learn new things quickly, as well as from a demoralizing meeting with my new boss immediately before training this afternoon.  Things will get better, it's just been a bear of an adjustment.

I had been so excited to try out Austin's new muscle-up technique all week (looking up throughout the whole thing for a straight-arm catch), and I'm disappointed that it's not really helping me catch any higher.  A few of the singles were solid, and a few were still caught very low.  No misses, only one attempt at a double and it wasn't close.

Power snatches were slow, soft, and sloppy.  Blocks were set so the bar was mid-kneecap (lower than last week), which was a very awkward height to start from (I remember having this problem last time I progressed through the descending blocks).  Terrible, ugly reps. I don't know what the problem was, other than the awkward position. Tried to hook grip on one set, but thumb isn't ready for that yet.

Push press felt AWFUL.  As soon as I unracked the bar each time, it felt heavy and I felt like there was no way I could get it overhead.  Almost had the second rep on the first set, but was maybe an inch away from locking it out.  There is no world in which I should be failing a 145lb push press.

But then that rope climb / strict handstand push-up thing happened, and I felt like a million bucks.  Rope climbs were fast and easy, and the descent was like fire-pole style.  Zero transition time kicking up at the wall, and all strict hspus unbroken.  This is insane.  Every time I looked up at the clock, I assumed that there was a mistake.

Had a hard time snatching the kettlebell when warming up for the final piece, which is why I stuck with the lighter weight.  I completely forgot the corkscrew method and was whipping it up and the kettlebell would slam into the top of my forearm each time, so I thought that there's no way I could go up in weight.  The first set also went like this, but then on the second arm on the second set I finally remembered the corkscrew and so the final set was a million times easier.  Only saw 1:33 on the first row, bottomed out at 1:34 on the second and third.  Felt like I just had nothing left by the time I got to this piece.

Skyped with Mike last night.  We're both frustrated, but he says he has a plan and he's still confident that we can find something that works.  He's like, "What's your goal weight again? 145?" and I laughed hysterically and said at this point I'd be happy with 159 (162.6 today).  He's assuming that there are some changes in body comp going on despite the plateau on the scale, which I may or may not agree with (depending on the lighting).  Keeping macros at 150/60/240 for a little longer, but adding a refeed day on Fridays (150/55/300).  His next ideas are messing with my PWO shake (currently 20P/40C) or dropping my daily macros just a hair to have a bigger difference with the refeed day.  I feel good (other than today) and it's not terribly difficult to hit these numbers, so I'll continue trucking along... I've been compliant for too long to just say "fuck it" this late in the game, although Mike said that I can eat all the pancakes and gelato I like on Fridays (within the macros), so that kind of helps with the monotony.

Sorry for the novel.  Just one of those days.

Wednesday

AM
4000m row @ Z1
+
10:00-15:00 hamstring/hip/quad mobility work

PM
A. Barefoot front squat, no sleeves, 4 x 2-3, 42X1; 2:00 rest
B1. DB bench press, 3 x 4-7, 20X1; :90 rest
B2. Reverse hypers, 3 x 10-15 moderate; :90 rest
C. DB weighted Peterson step-ups to box @ mid-shin, 4 x 8/side :60 between sides
D. Banded terminal knee extension, 3 x 20/side w/same band as last week; rest as needed
+
3 rounds easy:
15m/side Farmer's walk, 100/hand
10 unweighted hip extensions
15 weighted Russian twists, hold a 6 lb med ball @ chest (L + R = 1)

AM

complete

PM
A. 165, 175(2), 175(2), 175(2)
B1. 60, 65(5), 65(5)
B2. 160, 180(15), 180(15)
C. complete with 35/hand
D. complete with black band
+
complete

Decent training day! (Kind of shocking considering last night's 9pm softball game and subsequent 6 hours of sleep). 

Front squats felt tough with the tempo today. The first rep was always solid but I felt my back starting to round on the second. Almost blacked out on the last set, got super lightheaded on the way up. 

Bench pressing continues to feel strong, regardless of barbell or dumbbell. Reverse hypers felt good. 

First set of the Peterson step-ups was rough, but got better as they went on. Failed a couple of reps on both legs but was able to regroup and repeat all missed reps. These are so tough. 

Everything else was fine. Back to work. 

Tuesday

OFF or Z1 active recovery of choice

AM

38:00 easy AirDyne and mobility @ home

PM

softball

Monday

AM
1200m light sled drag, alternate forward & backward as desired
+
10:00 mobility work of choice

PM
A. Barefoot box squat w/chains (box height to allow just below parallel bottom position), 3-3-3-3 build to tough (no risk of failing, though), 31X1; 3:00 rest
B. Front rack box step-up, 3 x 7-10/leg to 10", control descent as much as possible; :90 between legs
C. CTB pull-ups, 8-10 x 4 unbroken; begin a set every :45
+
5 sets:
500m row @ 2:03.0-2:03.9/500m
2:30 walk rest

AM

complete

45 on the sled

PM

A. 135, 145, 155, 165 to the biggest jerk block

B. 83, 93, 103 to the biggest jerk block

C. 10 sets, all butterflied and in rhythm 

+

2:03.5

2:03.5

2:03.4

2:03.5

2:03.4


Box squats felt great; only the last rep at 165 was pretty tough (wouldn't have gone any higher than this today if I had another set).  

Box step-ups also felt great; the last couple of reps at 103 were definitely tough on each leg, and this is pretty much a 10RM without pushing off the back leg.

CTBs felt only okay - they were all butterflied and in rhythm, but not effortless and required some focus to stay in rhythm.  Brushed very high (low? closer to stomach than collar bone) on a couple of sets, and these were surprisingly the easiest ones to keep in rhythm, even though I was pulling higher.

Rows felt tough.  I felt very out of shape, especially considering that I was doing 8-10 sets at 1:59 a few months ago.  I don't know if it's just this time of the training year, or the lingering cold, or what, but it didn't feel good today.  Also, my forearms blew up, which is annoying.

Sunday

AM
30:00-60:00 easy walk or hike

PM
A1. Wrist flexion stretching, kneeling w/top of hands on ground and fingers facing toward feet, rotate locked elbows forward and lean back w/fingers pressed into ground, 2 x 10 reps w/short pause @ end range; :30 rest
A2. Wrist extension stretching, kneeling w/palms on ground and hands supinated so fingers facing toward feet, lean back w/fingers pressed into ground, 2 x 10 reps w/short pause @ end range; :30 rest
B. Muscle-ups on fat rings, 10 x 1, but if no misses you can add another 5 reps; begin a rep every :60
C. L-sit, 5 x :12; rest as needed to ensure a solid :12
+
15:00 @ 85%:
max handstand walk
250m ski erg
40 double-unders
250m row

AM
29:00 @ Ault Park

PM
A1/A2. complete 

B. 15 complete, no misses

C. complete

+

2 rounds + 98m row

79', 39', 45' handstand walk 


Today was miles better than last Sunday's training, even with this lingering cold.

Muscle-ups were mostly good; a handful of low catches but no misses and some were fairly high (for me).  I fully credit the Game of Thrones/Lord of the Rings soundtrack.  

L-sit was fine.

79' handstand walk is a PR  by 19' (24m).  Probably could have gone a few meters farther if I had a longer straightaway.  Skiied at 2:25-2:35.  Rowed at 1:55-2:01.  Double unders were TERRIBLE today - each set was broken at least 4 times before 30, then on the last 5-10 of each set I was tripping after EVERY jump (so like, 33, trip, 34, trip, 35, trip, 36, trip, 37, trip, 38, trip, 39, trip, 40).  What the actual fuck.  There was a minute where I was decent at double-unders last year, but for the past several months they've been shit.  I ordered a new cable for my rope a few months ago, since the existing one got kind of bent, but haven't switched them out yet.  I should do that today.

Talked to Mike Kesthely yesterday - we're both frustrated with lack of progress. I've been working with him for 10 weeks and went from a very stable 165 to now a very stable 163.  I'll take the 2lbs, but it's just been an incredible amount of counting and calculating and stressing about perfectly hitting specific numbers for such a small weight loss.  I can't imagine that he has many clients more compliant than I have been.  He made a fairly dramatic adjustment - testing out 150P/60F/240C this week...

Saturday

AM
30:00-60:00 round-the-world of choice or swim

PM
A. Power clean, build to a moderate touch-and-go double
B. Barefoot single-leg Romanian deadlift, build to a very heavy triple/leg
C1. DB shoulder press from seated on floor position, 3 x 6-8, 20X1; :60 rest
C2. 1-arm DB row, 3 x 4-8, no tempo but still ensure a high elbow @ the top; :60 between arms, :60 rest
+
2000m row @ Z1, off every 500m for 5-10 touch-and-go double-overhand axle deadlifts - you pick the weight

AM

complete @ home

30:00 AirDyne @ Z1, off every 5 for 10 air squats + 5 perfect push-ups + 0:30 handstand hold against the wall

PM

A. 145, 155x1 - nanos, no belt, no hook grip

B. 145, 155x1/each leg

C1. 25, 30, 35(7)

C2. 55, 60(4), 60(5)

+

complete

6 across with 110


Picked up the cold that's going around... woke up feeling pretty shitty.  Grateful for a kind of chill day, and hoping to feel better by tomorrow.

I don't feel comfortable cleaning anything over 155 without a hook grip - the bar slipped out of my hands on the one rep at 155, so called it there.

The 145 single-leg RDL wasn't "very heavy", but I couldn't get a second rep at 155 (tried twice on the left, only once on the right). I think the issue was mostly balance, but my upper quad/hip flexors felt really tight at the heavier weight.  Pretty sure I was still doing a 31X1 tempo on these, even thought it wasn't specified.

DB press from a seated position was very strange, it was so hard to clean the 35lb dumbbells! I now have a much greater appreciation for the paraplegics who are cleaning barbells and shit.  That's hard.  Dumbbell rows were the same as usual.

As far as I can recall, that was my first time deadlifting the axle bar.  My child-sized hands were not amused.

Friday

OFF

AM

31:00 easy AirDyne and mobility @ home

PM

90:00 massage

Thursday

AM
5 sets very easy:
2:00 bike
:60 front leaning rest on ground
2:00 bike
:30/side plank
+
15:00 mobility work of choice

PM
10:00 muscle-up tech work on fat rings
+
A1. Bear crawl, 5 x 10' forward + 10' reverse, slow & controlled keeping hips level; :30 rest
A2. Deadbug w/hands pressed into wall (these should feel easy, by the way, think of it as core activation similar to the bear crawls), 5 x 10 alternating breathing out hard each rep; :30 rest
B. Power snatch clusters from blocks (just above knees), 5 x 1.1 @ 105; :10 between singles, 2:00 rest
C. Push press, 3-3-3, 21X1; 2:00 rest
+
For reps:
3:00 rope climbs
3:00 rest
3:00 strict handstand push-ups
+
3 sets:
7 kettlebell swings, 70
150m row @ max effort
4:30 walk rest

AM

complete @ home
forgot the mobility

PM

complete

+

A1. complete 

A2. complete 

B. complete - no hook grip

C. 135, 145(2), 140 - nanos, no belt

+

6 rope climbs 

30 strict handstand push-ups 

+

0:51 (0:29.2 row)

0:49 (0:29.5 row)

0:50 (0:29.7 row)


Totally mixed day.  Digging the higher volume though... 

Muscle-ups were better than they were on Sunday, but not nearly as good as they were last week.  Did 9 singles, no misses, but all with very low catches.  Tried getting some tips for a higher catch from Jeff and Austin, but nothing really clicked.  Thinking that I need some instruction for this tech work if I'm going to make any progress... 

Power snatches went well; for some reason my chest/scaps/lats were all a bit sore (DB bench?) so I didn't feel as tight in the set-up, but speed under the bar has gotten much better.  

Push press felt okay, but I was reminded that I don't know how to drive with my legs on these.

Completely bitched out on the rope climbs.  The first 3 were done super fast (under 0:60), and I mistakenly entertained the thought that I could get 8-9 reps. Then the next 2 took a full minute, and I looked at the clock with 0:50 remaining and decided that wasn't enough time for two climbs so I stood there for 0:35.  Fucking lame.  Should have been 7.  

But those strict handstand push-ups!  2 sets of 5, 3 sets of 3, then all doubles plus one single at the buzzer.  At least I have measurably improved at something in the past 6 months.

Enjoyed the mixed sprinting, as per usual.  The row started off feeling excellent and faded a bit with each set (although I did see 1:33 for at least one pull on all sets).  I don't know why I let the 70lb bell intimidate me, because these felt awesome.