SDL and Games Wod

First time doing Sumo Deadlifts.  Kind of amazing that I have been doing crossfit for 6 years and this movement has never come up.  Last night I woke up and checked the Craic site and realized that I could actually do a wod with the class as it was the same.   That all fell apart when the one rep max DL ending up taking a lot longer.   I ended up woding during the skill drills of the 6:30am class.  More on that later.

A) Sumo DL - Build to a 1RM 

135, 225, 275, 325, 295(3) changed to metal plates and miscalculated. Wondered why it felt light

365, 415, 425, 425 (wanted to nail the form) and then ended with 435.  New PR

21-15-9 

Deadlift @315 

Box Jump @30"

That strength portion took a lot out of me and I went ended feeling not so strong.  First round I ripped off 10 straight no problem.  After that it got heavy and i was doing 4, then 3s then 2;s and 1's.  Boxes were fine as I just tried to keep moving,  First round was about 4minutes.   I was coming up at 10 minutes when Jarrod switched off the clock - damn.  immediately turned on the iphone.   Total time was about 10:42.

Rest Day

Rest Day - No travel

Strength & Airdyne torture

Up early to be able to get my strength in so I would have time to spot Susie in her 1 rep max and Church.

AM

A) Strict Press 5-4-3-2-1 (3min rest in between) 

I think this lift is improving but I dont have any hard numbers to prove it.

Warm-Up 20 reps @45, 5 reps @95lbs

5 reps @115lbs

4 reps @125lbs

3 reps @135lbs

2reps @145lbs

1 reps @155lbs

1 rep @160 Failed

1 rep @160 Failed

I would really love to get to 170lbs but I have a few stops in between where I am to get there.

B) Hang Snatch High Pull 2-2-2-2-2 (2min rest in between)

2 @135lbs

2 @135lbs

2 @155lbs

2@175lbs

2@185lbs

Did a few reps on the way back down to work on my form.  

 

C) 100 Ring Push-ups for time 

Warming up for this movement I didnt think this was going to be too bad. Fat chance.  Took me about 4:15 to get through the first 50.  I started out way to fast and then ended up doing sets of 4.  Total time 9:15.

 D) DB ext rot - 8-10 x 3 - rest 1min between arms   Reps @15lbs

 Act II

After Church and helping Susie hit a 210lb back squat Which you can watch here: 

 I had to get after my wod.  It was completely brutal.  When I was finally done I felt like I had just done Fran.

AD Sprint 20s - rest 2mins actively 

x4

rest 10mins 

Calories

Rd1 - 21 Calories

Rd 2 - 21 Calories

Rd 3 - 18 Calories

Rd 4 - 18 Calories

Rd 5 - 23 Calories

Rd 6 - 19 Calories

Rd 7 - 17 Calories

Rd 8 - 14 Calories

Work Day

I was so geared up for todays workout I really didnt sleep well at all.  I kept going over in my mind the movements and thinking about how I really have to improve my technique.  I ended getting out of bed and reading a Q&A blog on lifts on Mike's gym web page. 

In the gym by 6:30 after watching some of the Olympic cycling race on my Ipad.  That ABC app will prove very addicting.


Warm Up = Active line drills

A. Quarter Squats - Warm Up  135, 165

5 reps @ 185
4 reps @215
3 reps @ 235
2 reps @245
1 rep @250

I was surprised at how taxing this was.  When I finished I could tell it took a lot out of me.  Here is a video of one of the early sets.  Look who shows up at the end of the clip looking jacked.

b.  Hang Squat Cleans - work to 1 rep max.  This was a chance to work the form and take it heavier.  Im much better at Power Clean but that doesnt make any sense.  I need to get better at my speed through the middle and getting under the bar.  All of my misses the bar was plenty high.

Warm-up 135, 135
165, 185, 195, 205. failed at 210 3 times.  Disappointed in this as I was hoping to get to 225 at least.

C    3 Rounds of 
15 GHD - 10 sec rest
15 Back Extentions - 2 minute rest
Felt great on this movement

20 minutes of double under practice including a 2 minute drill - 97 straight at one point which may be a new record for me.  This movement is back to where it should be.


2nd Workout of the day was 1 hour on the bike.   Felt very good on the flats.   Legs definitely felt it on the hills.

Rest Day

Got up early to see my massage therapist so that I can be recovered for tomorrow.

Snatches and Muscle-Ups

When I first got this block of programming I remember looking at the workout for this date and thinking well it will be a PR since I have never done 30 muscle-ups.  Now I wasn't even sure that I could do 30 muscle-ups that is until last weeks OTM workout.

Someone asked me today if I like working out by myself, I had to think about that before I responded.  In a lot of ways I like training alone as it allows me to really focus on my weaknesses.  The downside is that I don't have a number to chase or something to compare to until I cycle through enough of these.  Lastly I miss the group warm-up.  Im way to tempted to just get into to.

Strength
Hang Squat Snatch - 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3

Warm-Up - 75lbs, 95lbs

115(3), 125(3), 125(3), 135(3), 140(3), 150(2) F


As much as I would like to say that these are coming along, the video tells a different story.  My head is jerking all around, Im slow to get under the bar and my right knee is at some crazy angle.  Shockingly I am also pulling too early and my foot work looks awful.   On the plus side I dont think I have ever squat snatched this weight.


Here is the proof point that I still need lots of work and I am not very strong.

WOD -
30 muscle ups for time.   Was looking forward to this and wasnt quite sure how to break up the reps. I started poorly and somehow got the ring rope twisted. Then I got on a roll.

1-6-5-4-4-4-2-2-2 in 6:51.  I think I can do better.  but I will take it.

Airdyne intervals

Hard to believe I was looking forward to Thrusters.  I guess its all relative.  I have been half fearing, half looking forward to the airdyne!   The Airdyne is like the ultimate heart rate torture machine!

 

Good warmup

Run, Double unders and mobility.  Shoulders and lower back were a little sore but loosened up once i started to sweat. 

WOD

20s max Thrusters @95lbs

10s rest

20s max cals AD 

rest 4 mins 

x3

rest 10mins 

x2 

	Round 1.1	Round 1.2	Round 1.3
Thrusters	9	11	11
Calories	14	5*	13
	Round 2.1	Round 2.2	Round 2.3
Thrusters	11	11	10
Calories	16	9	11

So you can see the drop in round 2. The bike computer shut off! damn.   Do I did a make up round. Felt good on the Thrusters.   You can extrapolate the Thursters and realize that my Fran PR will be hard to improve upon by much.  Round 5 was another screw up as I started pedaling the bike backwards and paused to restart the other direction. 

Back in the Hood

The new and improved Craic Houz

First check in at Craic in about 3 weeks.   It is nice to be back in the gym.  I watched a video back from the opens yesterday and its amazing how far the gym has come.  The renovation turned out really and well and you wouldn't even believe it was the same place.  Looking forward to to the day that Craic takes over the whole building.  Its only a matter of time. 

Strength

A) Snatch Deadlift - warm up 5@135bs, 5@185lbs, 3@225lbs, 3@275lbs

     - 3x3 @ 325lbs

 

Mobility 

B) Back extensions 15 reps x 3 

 

WOD

10min AMRAP 

7 PC@115

5 Burpees 

2 HSPU (strict)

 

8 rounds - I felt I had great range of motion on all movements but probably not as fast as I should be.   HSPU - shoulders felt better every round.   Didnt have a lot of strength for some reason.

Travel Day

Rest Day.   It was great to have Hilah Elcock Schutt in the gym to get her work in.   I think watching is more painful than actually doing.   It was a 400m and pullup workout, then power cleans and then double unders on the minute. Looked brutally hard.

Flew back to Boston so not a true rest day.

Priority #1 and then Training

I wanted to get Marty up one more peak before he had to leave so I put my training plan after the hike.   We had a nice little crew to go up Dorr - Marty, Jack and Susie.  Marty found out very quickly that Dorr is very different the other trails that we covered yesterday.    Having Jack with us also adds another wrinkle as he always pushes the pace right out of the gate.  When he was younger he used to bonk but now he doesnt really even fade!   We had another spectacular day and the photos show it.

Mid point

Mary and Susie on the open rock

She made it!

But this guy is the winner again

The trek back down is as hard as the trek up!

Tight - I mean the space

My favorite section the steps near the rock face

Once I got home I  got after my strength training.   The good news I was pretty warm, which is good because when Im up here I hate warming up.  I would rather just get right into it.


Press 3x3
Warm up 15reps@45 and then 5@95lbs
135lbs for my 3x3.   I would have really been thrilled to do 155lbs.  I still dont have the shoulder strength that I need.

Close grip Bench - Warm Up 107 (started were Susie ended her Max Press), 135, 165

Started at 185lbs and banged out two reps and the got a cramp in my back.  Using a box jump as a bench sucks.   I thought that I could get it after stretching out but ended up doing 185 - 3 by 2 as I failed on all 3 third lifts.

After a day by the pool I came home and got after the WOD.

60sec on clock 

5 HPS@95

5 BoxJumps

Max calories on Rower in remaining time. 

rest 6mins 

x 6

score = cals per round - watch for critical drop off 

Round 1 - 11
Round 2 - 14
Round 3- 14
Round 4 - 9 - rower was set to wrong screen
Round 5 - 17
Round 6 - 13
Round 7 - Make up round for round 4 = 18

The official video if you are interested in critiquing the movements:

Hike and deload week

Got up early to another perfect weather day.   Marty and Lisa McDonough are here for the wedding tonight so I was able to drag Marty out for a hike.  Its been 15 year since Marty was here last and I wanted to give him a sense of the beauty of the place.    We had a nice pace and hit Parkman, Gilmore, Sargent and then Bald.   Here are a few shots of the day.

 
 

 A) Front Squat 3x3 - 235

 B1) Strict Pullups - AMRAP -2 x 3 - rest 10sec 
Still trying to figure the right rep scheme.  I know failure but I dont really know -2 from failure
Rd 1 - 10
Rd 2 - 6
Rd 3 - 6 

B2) Strict Dips - AMRAP -2 x 3 - rest 2 mins 
Rd 1 - 13
Rd 2 - 9
Rd 3 - 9

C) Toes to Bar 10......1 UB - strict 

Strict for me is tough as I immediately try to kip.   Really slowed it down to make sure strict.

3:11

Rest Day Hike

Got another fantastic hike in today.    Susie and I did Brown Mountain.  Now when I first started coming up here 20 years ago this is the only trail that we ever did.  Call the Chace's creatures of habit, but the would do this hike every single time.   I grew weary of it as a result but it really is a good hike.  Challenging up the front side but the trail improvements have changed that slightly.

Here are a few photos:

Clearly not part of the hike.  Bar Harbor at dusk.

Hike up the Bee Hive Trail

Straight Up!

This was only peak that I hadnt climbed on this side of the island and it was great to be able to hit this one today.  The only downside was that I hit it at rush hour and had to share the trail.   Here are a few photos: 

Bee Hive Trail Straight Ahead

Squat Cleans and Muscle Ups

Warm up - 600m Run
Burgener Warm-Up
Mobility

Strength
Squat Cleans  5-5-3-3-2-2
Warmup 95 (5) and 135 (5)

5@165lbs
5@185lbs
3@195lbs
3@200lbs
3@205lbs
2@215lbs

Here is the footage of 2nd set and last set

When I looked at the WOD I wasnt that concerned about the 115lb squat clean but I was concerned about the Muscle Ups.   Not that I cant do them but was concerned how my arm would hold up as it had been bothering me.  I prepared for the worst and made a column for 1 rep rounds but thankfully didnt need it.  In fact I was faster after the 3rd round and had no problem even though my rings were in the garden and the weights were in the garage.

OTM 15min 

2 HQ SQ CLN @115lbs 

2 MU's 

15 rounds completed!  Not sure if I have ever done 30 Muscle-Ups for time. Now at least I have a time.   Just need to chop 13 minutes off it to get in Jerry Hill range.

Practice and Punishment

Warm Up
400m Run
3 Rounds
20 Pushups
20 Squats
30 Situps

10 minutes of Hang Snatches with Hook grip - Bar and then 75lbs

Here are a few clips:If you feel compelled please comment.  I dont know what the heck it is about my head that i just cant keep it level.

10 minutes of Double Unders - went ok my best stretch was 44.  I dont know what the heck is wrong with these.  Slowly climbing back to proficiency but its been a long haul.


Ended with 4 rounds of

20 seconds of row followed by 3 minutes of recovery

rest 7 minutes and repeat.

Good test of what my best 500m time could possibly be if you extrapolated.  More work to do for sure.

	Round 1.1	Round 1.2	Round 1.3	Round 1.4
time	1:24	1:28	01:25.1	01:25.5
Meters	117	113	117	114
S per Min	43	47	43	42
Damper	8	8	9.5	9.5
	Round 2.1	Round 2.2	Round 2.3	Round 2.4
time	01:22.4	01:23.7	01:25.6	01:26.1
Meters	121	119	116	116
S per Min	55	39	55	42
Damper	10	10	10	10

No answers for now

Now that Crossfit Gotham no longer has a midtown gym I am completely screwed!  Can you say totally screwed.  This gym was less than a block from the hotel I always try to stay at when I am in NY.   The topper is that Coach  Michael Pommering took extra care of me and would challenge me and give me tips and things to work on.   Im totally bummed.   So sad :(

As I looked at todays programming from my coach I wondered where the hell can I go to do this work?   I looked at all the crossfit gyms, sent some emails out trying to figure out if there was anywhere where I could do my own thing early in the morning.  I mean look at the wod:

A) SN DL @3110 -2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2 rest 3mins 

B) BB Good Mornings - 8-10 x 3 - rest 2mins 

5 RFT 

5 DL@315lbs

3 rope climbs 

5 Ring dips 

I was so excited to do this one but came up short on how to pull it off while on the road aside from packing my own rope and rings and finding a tree in central park to hang them on.  Ughhh

Made do and got the strength work in at the hotel gym which did have free weights which is shocking I know.

 

SN DL

1 135

2-185

3- 195,

4- 205

5- 225

6- 235

7 - 255

8- 275

9-275

10-275

 

This was tough, using a hook grip and having sweaty hands and knowing you cant drop the weight is a lot of pressure.   I find this as much a workout on my hands as it is on my posterior chain.

 

On the way back to Maine I had to stop and change planes in Boston and I contemplated changing my flight just so i could go to Craic and do this wod.   Im craving for a wod!  I mean anything other than just intervals.  I would even do box jumps at this point.

 

Back at it on things I suck at tomorrow.

 

Travel Day - Rest Day

So here is what the town looked like at 4:30am!

Damn small plane!

Damn Small Plane

Nice view as we get ready to land....

Trail and Track

Right after the strength training we went out for a quick hike.  It was Jack, Tom and Henry Crane.  Jack had it in his mind that he was going to defend his top of the mountain title and that is what he did.   We did the ladder trail to Dorr Mountain and Jack set a blistering pace from the minute we hit the trail head up. 

After the hike, quick lunch and a boat trip I still had the 2nd part of todays workout to get in.  I was getting pressed for time so I made the executive decision to shave the recovery time which looked overly generous.  If my times fell off I would have gone for a longer recovery.  

PM 

10 Burpees 

Sprint 100m 

rest 3mins 

x4 

rest 6mins 

repeat 

Round 1- 43.67

Round 2 - 40.07

Round 3 - 43.61

Round 4 - 43.00

Round 5 - 40.00

Round 6 - 43.41

Round 7 - 45.56

Round 8 - 43.21

Pressing and failing

Loved watching the live streaming from the games yesterday - especially the ability to follow the masters events.   Nice to see Big Bri, Elaine and Lisa8 crushing it.  

A) Push Press@31x1 3-5reps x3 

Warm up 10@75lbs

5 reps @125

5 reps @145

5 reps @145

4 reps @145

4 reps @145

3 reps @155

3 reps @155

2 reps @155

 

 B)Close Grip Bench 6-6-4-4-2-2 - rest 3mins 

6 @125

6 @145

4 @155

4 @165

2 @165

2@175 

 

My shoulder have been toast by the time I have got to the second shoulder exercise.   I thought I would be fine in this and I had nothing.  It was mostly negatives and then a reset to the top 

 

C)HSPU 2 deficit (2 plates w abmat in between) 3-5 x 3 - rest 2mins 

First Round - 3 singles

Second Round - 2 singles

3rd round - remove 1 level of weights and got 1 and then did 5 negatives

 

Front Squats & Weighted Stuff

Saturday is the workday. As simple as these workouts are they seem to take a long time.  I dont know if its the rest between lifts or what but no way could i get this done in an hour.  

Warmup
 Burgner Warmup and Progressions with Barbell.  Feel like my footwork is improving.

AM 

A) Front Squat 6-6-4-4-2-2- rest 3mins 

 

Warmup - 10 @ 135lbs

6 @185lbs

6 @205lbs

4@215lbs

4@225lbs

2@235lbs

2@255lbs NEW PR  - Wasnt easy.  2nd rep was better than the first.  Getting more comfortable with this lift.

 

You all will find this video clip very amusing.   Learned a valuable lesson.  I think many of you will next make this mistake.

 

 

 

B1) Weighted Pullups - 5-5-5-5-5 - rest 30sec STRICT

5@20

5@30

5@35

5@45

5@45 Suspect last rep on both of these sets

 

B2) Weighted Dips -5-5-5-5-5 - rest 2mins  STRICT no kipping

5@20

5@25

5@35

5@40

5@40

 

C) Toes to Bar UB (strict) 10-8-6-4-2 

Was really looking forward to this one.  The only downside was no kipping.  I made sure I stopped my feet each rep so I didnt kip.

1:17 minutes

In the afternoon did a fast hike to Parkman.  It was great to have Jack come along and really push.  He loves to get the front and lead.  He describes his pace as bursty and it was.  Fast and rest. I would have preferred a more even pace.   Time on the trail - 60 minutes.

Skill Progression and Burgner Warmup

Mostly a rest day as I ran out of time in the morning to do anything more than the skill progression and burgner warmup.  Between work, a massage and a cocktail the day was packed.

Another Crossfit box - The Playground

Down in Fort Lauderdale for a meeting presented me to visit another box.   This one is called the Playground and is co-owned by Steve Bowser who runs Crossfit Affliction.  Lucked out as they have just added a 6am class this week otherwise I would have been stuck in the hotel gym. Even luckier was that Chris King came down early with his family so he had a rental car so we didnt have to deal with cabs which always makes the trip more complicated.

 The WOD was 5 rounds - 3 minutes to run 400meters and then do Max Rep Wall Balls. rest 3 minutes


I was really happy with my run times considering my foot was bothering me.

Splits

	Run	Wall Balls
Round 1	1:34	34
Round 2	1:31	26
Round 3	1:34	27
Round 4	1:39	23
Round 5	1:31	24
	Totals	134

Rest Day - Travel Day

Back to my rest day being a travel day.   Not much sleep. Last call was after midnight and I had a car pick up scheduled for 5:30am.   Would have liked doing what was programmed - rope climbs and then intervals on the Aerodyne.  Flew from Boston to Philly and then to For Lauderdale.

Late but not never

Got to get into the gym and have John drill me on the basics.  My foot work is really hurting my lifts, in fact both the Jerks and Cleans.   Just working on the basics needs to happen.  I really need to do them right so i dont drill the bad habits I already have. 



Strength:

We modified this to do a one second hold just above the knees on the up.
A) Snatch Grip Deadlift @3110 - 3-3-3-3-3-3-3 - rest 3min (3sec down, 1 sec pause, 1sec up, no pause at top)

135 (warm Up)
165 (3)
185 (3)
205 (3)
225 (3)
235 (3)
245 (3)
255 (3)
265 (3)
This was tough on the hand/grip using a hook grip and moving slow up and down.




B) 5 x 20 UB KBS@70


This was harder than I expected all because of the grip.  My forearms were crushed not to mention my hands.  i thought they were going to tear for sure.

total time 9:12

C) 7min AMRAP

7 T2B

5 HSPU (strict)

5 Rounds plus 8 reps

First 4 rounds unbroken.   Had to break up round 5 of HSPU.



 

Rest Day

PM WOD #2 ROW

30s Rower @100%
rest 3mins on the Rower
x4
rest 7min
repeat

	Round 1.1	Round 1.2	Round 1.3	Round 1.4
Calories	16	19	19	18
Meters	181	196	195	194
S per Min	40	48	49	52
	Round 2.1	Round 2.2	Round 2.3	Round 2.4
Calories	17	17	18	18
Meters	190	191	195	195
S per Min	45	43	44	60