Saturday 30 November

45:00 AirDyne @ z1

rest 2 hours

A. Front squat, 5×1 @ 70-80-85-90-95%, rest 2:00
B. Build to a max Clean and Jerk in 20:00
+
3 rounds for time:
row 500m
10 C&J 175/115
20 CTB pullups

A. 175, 200, 215, 225, 240
B. 180 (PR +5) - first time cleaning with the bees knees.  cleans felt AWESOME today.  Definitely think I can get 185 soon.  Failed the first jerk at 175, but on the second try it was really crisp.  super happy!
+
24:10 – this was worse than it looked.  Couldn't get a decent rhythm on CTB, and did mostly sets of 3 and 2, then singles to finish out the last round.  Rowed super slow (2:10/2:15/2:20).  Meh.

Friday 29 November

40:00 AirDyne @ z1

Thursday 28 November

45:00 AirDyne @ z1

rest 2 hours

A. Front squat, 5-3-1-3-3-3-3-3 @ 70-80-90-80/85%, rest 2:00
+
2 sets:
AMRAP strict HSPU
0:60 rest
+
2 sets:
AMRAP kipping HSPU
0:60 rest
+
3:00 AMRAP double unders

A. 175(5), 200(3), 225(1), 210(3)x5 - third rep was a little challenging each set.  wore bees  knees for all sets (knees felt super weak while warming up...)
+
2, 2
+
4, 2 - shoulders are fried from the past week.  
+
108 - really off morning.  lots and lots and lots of trips and all small sets.

Wednesday 27 November

AM:
30:00 row @ z1

PM:
3 rounds, not for time:
4 strict pullups + 4 MU transitions (black band) + 4 ring dips
3x 0:10 L-sit
5/leg weighted pistols with 10lb KB
+
A. Jerk balance, 3×3, rest as needed
B. Power clean + split jerk, 6×1, rest 2:00
+
3 sets, goal is same time for each set:
row 500m
15 burpees over the erg
2:00 rest

complete.  left leg pistols still hit or miss, but right leg is pretty consistent.  
+
A. 83, 103, 113
B. 155×4, 160×2 - this is probably the best that power cleaning has ever felt at this weight.  still not my favorite though.
+
3:28
3:39
3:27

Felt like I had ZERO power on the rower.  Was rowing around 2:05 and that felt like it was nearly impossible to maintain.  Slowed considerably (2:11) on the second row.  Just kept moving on the burpees - started off jumping over the erg, but I could feel my feet skimming the erg and I was terrified I would eat it, so switched to stepping over on the last round (and that was the fastest one!).

Tuesday 26 November

A. Snatch, 8×2, begin a set every 0:60
B. Back squat, 5-3-1-2-2-2-2-2 @ 70-80-90-85/90%, rest 2:00
+
5 rounds for time:
15 pullups
20 KB swings, 53/35
40 double unders

A. 105×4, 110×4, no misses - really happy with how consistent I am snatching at sub maximal weights now!
B. 195(5), 225(3), 255(1), 245(2)x4, 250(2) - these felt GREAT today.  
+
19:49 – first round of pullups unbroken (PR), then all broken 5/5/5. All KB swings unbroken. One round of double unders unbroken, and on three rounds got 30+ before tripping.  Took my time on this one.

After a super stressful day at work, this was exactly the solid training session I needed.

Monday 25 November

rest day

should have done some z1 work, but decided to stress eat and veg out on the couch instead.

Sunday 24 November

A.
Against a 15-minute running clock:
Run 1 mile as quickly as possible
in the remaining time, take one attempt to establish a single set of unbroken Kettlebell Swings (32/24 kg)
B. (starting at 15:00)
Against a 15-minute running clock:
Run 1 mile as quickly as possible
in the remaining time, take one attempt to establish a single set of unbroken Double-Unders
(if you trip the rope in the first 20 DUs, you may perform one more attempt)
C. (starting at 30:00)
Against a 15-minute running clock:
Run 1 mile as quickly as possible
in the remaining time, take one attempt to establish a single set of unbroken Kettlebell Swings

A. ?? (clock got reset); 7+20 KB swings (overcorrected at the top on 7 and dropped it behind me by mistake; picked it right up and got an additional 20)
B. 9:24; 24 double unders
C. 9:17; 30 KB swings

Really happy with the runs, even though it was cold as shit today.  Not sure if the CSC course is exactly 1 mile, but it's not perfectly flat and to have 3 back to back miles under 10:00 was pretty cool (I'm 100% confident that my first mile was my fastest even though I don't have the time recorded).  Really disappointed with the KB swings.  Shoulders are fried from the heavy manmakers yesterday and mentally just didn't feel like it.

Saturday 23 November

A. Snatch: build to a max in 20:00
B. Clean and Jerk: build to a max in 20:00
+
For time:
12 manmakers (without the thruster)
0:60 rest
9 manmakers (without the thruster)
0:60 rest
6 manmakers (without the thruster)

A. 125 easy, 130Fx3 - this is getting ridiculous. 
B. 165, not feeling it today
+
7:03 with 45s

Not feeling 100% today.  Damned rhinovirus.

Friday 22 November

rest day

Thursday 21 November

AM:
30:00 row @ z1

PM:
A. Front squat, 5-3-1-2-2-2 @ 70-80-90-85-85-85%, rest 2:00
B1. Muscle snatch, 5×1 (adding per set), rest 0:30
B2. Tall box jumps, 5×1.1.1, rest 0:30
+
for times:
12 front squats @ 165 (must take from the floor)
rest 0:60
9 front squats @ 165 (must take from the floor)
rest 0:60
6 front squats @ 165 (must take from the floor)

A. 175(5), 200(3), 225(1), 215(2)x3
B1. 75, 80, 85, 90, 95
B2. 30″x4, 31″
+
set of 12 @ 165: 0:43, unbroken
missed the 165 clean twice for the second set, stripped to 155, rested closer to 2 minutes
set of 9 @ 155: unbroken, couldn’t see clock
rest 0:60
set of 6 @ 155: unbroken, couldn’t see clock

Front squats felt really off today - the doubles at 215 were much rougher than expected.  Disappointed that I couldn't clean 165 for the second set, but 9 reps at 155 was really tough (almost dropped the last one, and they were ugly reps) so perhaps it's for the best.  Also, couldn't breathe at all because the bar was crushing my trachea, so that was fun.

Wednesday 20 November

3 sets not for time:
10-20m handstand walk
muscle up transition work
8/arm KB snatch
+
A. 1 hang squat clean + 1 power clean + 1 split jerk, 6×1, rest 2:00
B1. Behind-the-neck split jerk, 3×1, rest 1:30
B2. weighted pull-ups, 3x 2-3, rest 1:30
+
AMRAP in 6:00
5 ring dips
10 pull-ups

complete; used the small black band for MU transition work; used 35lb KB for snatches
+
A. 135, 145, 155, 155(failed PCx2), 145, 145 - wtf was wrong with my power clean today??
B1. 145, 155, 165 - once I got over the fear of dropping the weight on my neck, these weren't too bad
B2. +5, +7.5, +10
+
3 rounds + 5 dips. dips mostly singles. all pull-ups unbroken!

Tuesday 19 November

A. 1 hang squat snatch + 1 squat snatch, 10×1 @ 75-85% 1RM snatch; begin a set every 0:60
B1. snatch-grip deadlift, 3×3 @ 115% 1RM snatch; rest 0:45
B2. strict HSPU, 3×3; rest 0:45
C. High-bar back squat, 5-3-1-3-3-3-3-3 @ 70-80-90-85-85-85-85-85%; rest 2:00
+
EMOM for 6 minutes:
10 double unders
10 toes to bar
10 double unders

A. complete @ 105 - these felt heavy today, but happy to have no misses
B1. complete @ 145 
B2. 3, 3, 2
C. 195(5), 225(3), 255(1), 240(3)x5
+
finished 6 rounds in 8:11. first three rounds on pace for EMOM, then drastically lost my kip.

Not feeling 100%, didn't sleep well last night, and didn't eat enough today.  Everything felt kinda shitty.

Monday 18 November

swim 1650 yards @ z1

took 44 minutes.  the last 400 or so yards were a little faster than z1, as I really wanted to finish the mile but was getting kicked out of my lane...

Sunday 17 November

rest day!!

Saturday 16 November

Today was the Gobblers and Goblettes Competition at CrossFit Covington 

(there were 38 teams competing)


WOD #1

In 10 Minutes: partner #1 will row 250m, while partner #2 completes AMRAP burpees. Then the partners will switch. They will continue switching until the 10 minutes is complete.

*When the rowing judge calls switch, the person doing the burpees must STOP and the partners switch immediately.

Score #1 – Total # meters rowed between the 2 partners.
Score #2 – Total # burpees completed between the 2 partners.

Cody and I did really well on this one!  (despite not hearing any announcement that the workout was starting... I wasn't on the rower when the announcer called 3, 2, 1 GO and kind of fell on to it, haha!)  My first round on the rower was way fast - like under 1:55 - but rounds 2, 3, and 4 slowed considerably (2:06ish).  I was back on the rower to start round 5 with less than a minute to go, and sprinted (1:47).  We ended up with 2218 meters rowed (28th place!).  The burpees were just a steady suckfest.  I couldn't wait to get back to the rower.  I think I got 17 burpees the first round, then tried to get 15 each round after that.  I stopped counting a few times, and I think one round was terrible and I only got like 12.  I just tried to keep moving, but a couple of times I took an extra second on the ground.  I couldn't see Cody while I was rowing, but he must have been a burpee machine, because we ended up with 145 burpees (29th place!).  Really happy with this event!

WOD #2 – Deadlift, Hang Clean and Double Jerk Ladder

Women’s Ladder: 125, 135, 145, 155, 165, 175, 185, 195
Men’s Ladder: 185, 205, 225, 255, 275, 295, 305, 315

*You will have 1 minute to complete the complex. There will be a 10 second transition between each lift.

I was really nervous going into the ladder, because I really wanted to do well.  This was the only event that I had expectations of, so that didn't help.  Also, there was not nearly enough rest after WOD # 1, and really no weights to warm up with (85lbs only).  Starting at 125 felt really heavy, because I usually like to start with something like 105, but once I was on the ladder the nerves kind of went away.  I ended up hang power cleaning everything through 165 - that was not the plan!  I planned to squat clean everything, but I kept catching the bar super high and just stood up with it.  I was very happy to get 165 - that's what I reasonably expected to get, and what I got in practice earlier this week.  I wasn't sure about 175 - that matches my squat clean max, and I've never cleaned and jerked 175 at the same time (much less two jerks!).  I caught 175 in a squat, but two of my fingers were caught on the wrong side of the bar, so when I stood up I was trying to free my fingers before doing the jerk.  I got both jerks, and was really surprised and happy!  That's a PR!  I deadlifted 185 twice, but both times I knew I wasn't going to get the clean.  REALLY happy with this event!  (12th place!)  Cody also PRed his clean and jerk at 205 (33rd place)!  So much fun!

WOD #3 – 3 Parts – **1 Minute Rest between each part**

Part #1 – You have 6 Minutes to complete as a team:

40-30-20
Deadlifts – (225/135#)
Alternating Partner Box Jumps (20″)

*On the deadlift, the partner must hold their bar at the top of the deadlift, while the other person is working on the deadlifts. You may switch at any time.

Cody and I had a plan going in, but we should have changed it in the middle of the workout.  We planned to split reps evenly, but the weight was really heavy for Cody (and really light for me).  I saw that he was struggling on the round of 40, but I didn't really put 2 and 2 together that I could just do more deadlifts.  I changed up the strategy on the round of 30, (I did 20 and he did 10) but it was still really heavy for Cody.  We did really poorly on this event, and this is the only one that I'm disappointed in because we could have done better with a different strategy.  135 is so light for me that I should have done way more.  We got 38th place on this one.  I don't think we finished the round of 30 box jumps.

Part #2 - In 6 Minutes as a team, complete AMRAP:

100 Double Unders
12 Thrusters (135/85#)

*For the double unders, one person working at at time.*For the thruster, the partner must hold the front rack position, while the other person is working on the thrusters. You may switch at any time.

Our plan going into this event was for Cody to do all the double unders, and for me to do all the thrusters (with the goal of going unbroken).  Cody's double unders are usually really good, but it was really crowded on the floor and his rope kept hitting obstacles, and he struggled stringing them together a bit.  I tried to jump in and do a few in the first round to give him a break, but I was pretty much useless ( I think I got 5 double unders not consecutively haha).  I did the 12 thrusters unbroken.  On the second round of double unders, I gave Cody a break again in the middle, and this time I was more useful - got at least 20 strung together, but I wasn't counting.  I did the second set of 12 thrusters unbroken again, and we just made it back to the double unders when time expired.  Double unders are so hit and miss for me (and Cody too) that this is a hard event to be disappointed in.  I'm really happy that I did the thrusters unbroken - that was my goal going in.  To be honest, I'm happy I didn't have to do a third set :)  We ended up in 34th place on this one.

Part #3 – You have 6 minutes to complete as a team :

3 Rounds:
10 Snatch (135/85#)
10 Muscle Ups

*One person working at a time for both movements, you may switch at any time.*If you do not complete the workout within that 6 minute time frame, then score is 6 minutes plus a one second penalty for every rep not completed.

Our plan for this event was for me to do all the snatches, and Cody to do all the muscle ups.  The snatches should have been light weight for me, and I knew I couldn't contribute to the muscle ups.  I did 4 snatches TnG, but my back was super tired at this point and I couldn't keep tight enough to string more together.  I finished out the 10 with singles and doubles, but it took way longer than I wanted, and I'm disappointed with this.  When I dropped at 4, I planned to finish with 3/3, but then I dropped at 2 and planned to do 2/2/2, but then I did singles, and it all went to hell.  Cody got through 8 muscle ups before time expired - I'm so proud of him!  He was exhausted and his muscle ups are pretty much strict and require a lot of energy, and I couldn't help him out at all on this part.  I wish I could have gotten back to the second set of snatches, because I had recovered enough by that point to do bigger sets, but at that point I was just happy to be done.  We ended up in 36th place on this one.

Overall, this was such a fun day!  We ended up in 35th place.  I'm so proud of Cody for doing awesome in his first competition, and so proud of everyone else from CSC!!  It was really nice being detached from the results and just competing for fun (applying the lesson from OPT).  I am really happy with everything I did, and it was a really nice change of pace from normal training.

As for fueling: I had coffee and oatmeal with protein powder and walnuts at 8am and a protein shake with vitargo at 1pm.  I had gatorade after WOD#1 and a protein shake with vitargo after WOD#2.  I felt really good the entire time, except next time I may add some caffeine before WOD#3.

Friday 15 November

rest day!  excited for the competition tomorrow!!

Thursday 14 November

Oly Clinic

Worked clean & jerk - built up to 165.  Need to focus on keeping knees back and out of the way on the first pull and setting up to jerk with higher elbows.

Wednesday 13 November

A. Deadlift + hang clean + double jerk ladder
+
6:00 @ 70%:
20-15-10 of:
deadlifts @ 135
box jumps 20″
Rest 1 minute
6:00 @ 70%:
10 double unders
12 thrusters @ 85
Rest 1 minute
10 snatches @ 85 AFAP
rest 2 minutes
10 snatches @ 85 AFAP

A. 165 - felt really solid.  deadlifted 175 and knew I wasn't going to commit to the hang clean, so I dropped it.  
+
8 box jumps shy of completion - round of 20 DL unbroken, then broken 9/6 and 5/5
2 rounds + 6 thrusters - all thrusters broken 6/6
4/2/2/2
5/5
That was very tiring.

Tuesday 12 November

AM:
45:00 AD @ z1

PM:
A. Back squat, 5-3-1-3-3-3-3-3 @ 70-80-90-85-85-85-85-85%, rest 2:00
B. Hang squat snatch, 10 x 1, begin a set every 0:30
C1. Snatch-grip deadlift, 3 x 3 @ 110% 1RM, rest 0:45
C2. Strict HSPU, 3 x AMRAP, rest 0:45
+
3 sets for reps:
0:30 pull-ups, 0:30 rest
0:30 burpees, 0:30 rest

A. 195(5), 225(3), 255(1), 240(3)x5 - did not use the bees knees today
B. complete @ 95
C1. complete @ 135
C2. 4, 3, 0 (added in a few slooooow negatives at the end)
+
12, 10, 9 pull-ups (12 was unbroken – I think that’s a record) - getting a lot better at consistency when breathing!
12, 13, 12 burpees - couldn't really see the clock, could have gotten at least one more rep on the first round for sure.

Monday 11 November

rest day!

intended to go swimming, only to discover that the pool was closed for Veterans' Day.

Sunday 10 November

45:00 AD @ z1

rest 2 hours

3 rounds for times:
15 CTB pull-ups
50 double-unders
rest 3:00
+
“Nate”
AMRAP in 20:00 of:
2 muscle-ups
4 HSPU
8 KB swings, 70/53

2:18
2:18
2:19CTB took just under a minute each time. DUs were a disaster today (but a consistent disaster!)
+
subbed 1 rope climb for the MUs
8 rounds + 1 rope climb

This was fun! It got really hard to go directly from the KB swings to the rope climb (forearms!) but tried to keep a steady pace throughout. HSPU are much improved!

Saturday 9 November

30:00 row @ z1

rest 2.5 hours

A. Build to a max squat snatch in 20:00
B. Build to a max squat clean in 15:00
C. Front squat, 3-2-1-1-1-1-1-1 @ 75-85-90-95%+; rest 2:30
D. Glute-ham raises, 3x 6-8 @ 3011; rest 0:60

A. 125, 130Fx2 - felt really solid through 120.  caught 125 a little forward, but saved it.  caught the first attempt at 130 at the bottom of the squat, but wasn't stable enough in the shoulders to stand up with it.  
B. 165, 170Fx2 - working up to 155, these are the smoothest and crispest cleans have ever felt.  kept catching in a really good front rack position through 155.  caught 165 a little forward, but saved it.  caught the first attempt at 170 really forward, and decided for the sake of my wrists not to fight for it.
C. 185(3), 210(2), 220(1), 230(1), 240(1), 250(1 – PR+5), 255F
D. 3 x 6 complete - easier than earlier this week!

Friday 8 November

Swim 1250 yards @ z1 (just under 40:00)

Thursday 7 November

AM:
40:00 AD @ z1

PM:
A. Jerk Balance, 4×3, rest as needed
B. Split Jerk, 7×2 @ 80-90% 1RM, rest as needed
+
3 sets of:
EMOM
1st minute: AMRAP CTB pullups
2nd minute: 5 bar dips
3rd minute: 5 bar dips
4th minute: 5 bar dips
5th minute: 500m row @ 90%
rest 3:00

A. 85, 105, 105
B. 145, 155×3, 165×3 - never like returning the bar, but these felt okay today.
+
7 CTB pullups each round, and they were all high and strong. All bar dips complete and unbroken (surprising! this was awesome). Rows were a mental struggle - just didn't feel like pushing it any harder.  Times:
2:01
2:03
1:59

+ a few sets of butterfly pullup practice (4-5 reps each time).  getting better!

Wednesday 6 November

AM:
40:00 AD @ z1

PM:
A. Squat Clean, 4 x 1.1.1.1.1; rest 10 seconds between singles;
rest 3 minutes between sets
B. Back Squat
* Set 1 – 5 reps @ 75%
* Set 2 – 3 reps @ 85%
* Set 3 – 1 rep @ 90%
* Set 4 – 1 rep @ 95%
* Set 5 – 1 rep @ 95%+
* Set 6 – 2 reps @ 95%
Rest 3 minutes between sets.
+
AMRAP in 6 minutes of:
185/135 lb Power Clean x 3 reps
30″/24″ Box Jump x 6 reps
Chest-to-Bar Pull-Ups x 9 reps
Rest exactly 4 minutes, and then . . .
AMRAP in 4 minutes of:
185/135 lb Shoulder to Overhead x 2 reps
24″/20″ Burpee Over the Box x 4 reps
Pull-Ups x 6 reps

A. 125, 135, 145, 155 - these felt great today!
B. 200(5), 226(3), 240(1), 255(1), 275(1), 280(1) – PR +14 - SUPER happy with this!  Wore bees knees for the last three singles.  280 was a tough single, but not a max... 300#, I'm coming for you!
+
3 rounds + 1 PC
+
3 rounds even

Really fun day!  I can tell that my breathing is already getting better from the extra z1 work.  Progress!

Tuesday 5 November

AM:
30:00 row @ z1

PM:
A. Snatch Balance + Overhead Squat, 5×1; rest 2:30
(build load over the course of the five sets)
B. 3-Position Snatch (high hang, just above the knee, 2″ off the ground), 5×1; rest 2:30 (form over load)
+
Three rounds for time of:
25 Handstand Push-Ups
50 Double-Unders
+
Three sets of:
Glute-Ham Raise x 6-8 reps @ 3011
Rest 30 seconds
GHD Sit-Ups x 15-20 reps
Rest 30 seconds

A. 83, 93, 103, 108, 113
B. 85, 95, 95, 95, 105
+
cut HSPU to 15 each round - these are feeling better and better, especially with the stronger kip.
20:39
double unders felt awesome today; hit a set of 43 and a set of 36!
+
6 GH raises and 15 GHSU each round (too dizzy to do any more!)

Monday 4 November

AM:
1000 yard swim @ z1 - took just over 30:00.  This was quite enjoyable :)

PM:
mobility work at home

Sunday 3 November

30:00 row @ z1

rest 3.5 hours

“Bridges”
Five rounds for time / 30:00 time cap:
10 Handstand Push-Ups to 4″/2″ Deficit
15 Thrusters (155/105 lbs)
20 Burpees Over the Barbell
25 Pull-Ups

2 rounds + 9 HSPU (no deficit).  HSPU have definitely gotten better; Stephen gave me a tip midway through to tuck my knees closer to my chest and that definitely helped.  Thrusters were heavy and all broken in sets of 3, but this was the easiest part for me.  Couldn't catch my breath on burpees and pullups were broken mostly into 3s, with some 4s and some 2s and a couple of singles.  Practiced butterflying a few each round, and that's definitely getting better but I still lose rhythm after 3-4.  Did everything at a steady (sustainable!) pace.

Saturday 2 November

40:00 AD @ z1

2 hours rest

A. Snatch, 10×1, begin a set every 2:00
B. Front Squat
* Set 1 – 3 reps @ 75%
* Set 2 – 2 reps @ 85%
* Set 3 – 1 rep @ 90%
* Set 4 – 1 rep @ 95%
* Set 5 – 1 rep @ 95%+
* Set 6 – 1 rep @ 95%+
* Set 7 – 2-3 reps @ 90%
Rest 3 minutes between sets
+
For time:
Row 2000 Meters
100 Kettlebell Swings (32/24 kg)

A. 85, 95, 105, 110, 115, 120, 125F, 125F, 125F, 125 – these felt super smooth up to 120, then kept having mental fails at 125
B. 175(3), 195(2), 207(1), 218(1), 230(1), 245(1 – PR+15), 207(3) - wore bees knees for the singles at 218, 230 and 245 - felt a huge difference in bouncing out of the hole.
+
16:58 (row 8:50.2; 10 sets of 10 KBS, slow and steady) - tried to keep breathing under control, but grip and low back were fried at about 60 reps in...

Friday 1 November

750 yard swim @ z1

This felt really good today.  Also, focusing on a distance to complete, rather than time, was much better.  Took just under 30 minutes.