AM
16.5 movement prep
PM
16.5
AM
complete
PM
13:24 (1:10 faster than 2014)
The final Open workout is finally here! Honestly, I was really bummed there weren't ring muscle ups in 16.5. I really thought there would be muscle ups and/or a max lift of some sort. But alas, it was another aerobic workout with burpees. I decided to go into this with a good attitude and a goal of beating my time from 2014.
I broke up the thrusters into sets of two. 11/10, 10/8, 8/7, 6/6, 5/4, then the 6 and 3 were unbroken. I actually felt really good all the way through the set of 15. I was trying to focus on breathing and staying steady on the burpees. I could hear Jenn telling me to keep breathing and I was thinking to myself, "I'm actually doing really well on this!" and then the set of 12 hit. I totally hit a wall on the set of twelve burpees, they slowed down so much. The set of nine thrusters wasn't too slow, I know I probably rested too much between the set of five and four but the nine burpees were SOOOOO SLOW. I couldn't imagine finishing these, it seemed like they were going to last forever. I should have picked up speed on the set of 6 but I slowed down even more. I was able to kick it into gear for the final three burpees. This hurt just as much as I remember it, if not a little more this time around.
I know this is not a stellar score, but I'm happy with it. I took over a minute off my previous time, so that's a huge improvement. I won't be redoing this again. There's no way I'll contribute on this workout and I'm happy with this time, even if it isn't competitive. I feel good about being one and done on this one.
It's hard to believe the Open is already over. This Open was so.....weird. And different. It was the complete opposite from last year in both the workouts and atmosphere. Overall, I'm happy with my performance. I only contributed one week, but it was the week I knew I would contribute. The workouts just weren't good for me this year and I've accepted that. I know what I have to work on for next season and my plan is still the same: have fun with my training and work hard as usual. I'll be writing a much longer blog post in the next week about my overall Open experience, but for now I'll say I'm glad it's over and I'm ready to get back to normal training. It's always a good learning experience and I always love seeing my friends crush it. Now back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Hold the vision, Trust the process Program design by Stephen Flamm
Monday, March 28, 2016
3/24/2016
10:00 bike @Z1
+
10 sets:
:30 bike @high aerobic effort- sprint the last :15 of the last set
:30 bike easy
+
10:00 bike @Z1
complete
+
complete
+
complete
+
10 sets:
:30 bike @high aerobic effort- sprint the last :15 of the last set
:30 bike easy
+
10:00 bike @Z1
complete
+
complete
+
complete
3/23/2016
AM
30:00 airdyne @Z1
+
15:00 mobility
PM
A. Squat snatch, build quickly to a single @80-90% 1RM
+
3:00 @90%
1 muscle up
3 thrusters, 85
2 muscle ups
6 thrusters, 85
3 muscle ups
9 thrusters, 85
and so on...
+
:60 rest
+
3:00 @90%
box jumps w/step down
+
:60 rest
+
3:00 to build to a tough (not max) overhead squat triple from the ground
AM
complete
+
complete
PM
A. 145
+
40 reps
+
50 box jumps
+
145
Snatching wasn't great today, I was still really tight from 16.4 on Monday. Lower back and hamstrings were still really sore. I was able to build to 145 in three lifts but it wasn't the prettiest snatch I've ever done.
The muscle up/thruster workout was tough, thrusters felt really heavy. Muscle ups were easy as usual but I was resting too much during the transition between thrusters/MUs.
Box jumps were not great, my lower back was totally blown up for this. I know this is a pretty pathetic number but I tried to stay moving. Everything was just so tight.
The overhead squat was hard, although I should have started heavier. I did one set at 125 and one set at 145. I wish I would have started at 130 or 135 and gone to 150.
30:00 airdyne @Z1
+
15:00 mobility
PM
A. Squat snatch, build quickly to a single @80-90% 1RM
+
3:00 @90%
1 muscle up
3 thrusters, 85
2 muscle ups
6 thrusters, 85
3 muscle ups
9 thrusters, 85
and so on...
+
:60 rest
+
3:00 @90%
box jumps w/step down
+
:60 rest
+
3:00 to build to a tough (not max) overhead squat triple from the ground
AM
complete
+
complete
PM
A. 145
+
40 reps
+
50 box jumps
+
145
Snatching wasn't great today, I was still really tight from 16.4 on Monday. Lower back and hamstrings were still really sore. I was able to build to 145 in three lifts but it wasn't the prettiest snatch I've ever done.
The muscle up/thruster workout was tough, thrusters felt really heavy. Muscle ups were easy as usual but I was resting too much during the transition between thrusters/MUs.
Box jumps were not great, my lower back was totally blown up for this. I know this is a pretty pathetic number but I tried to stay moving. Everything was just so tight.
The overhead squat was hard, although I should have started heavier. I did one set at 125 and one set at 145. I wish I would have started at 130 or 135 and gone to 150.
Wednesday, March 23, 2016
3/22/2016
AM
30:00 bike @Z1
PM
A. Bear crawl, 5x10' forward + 10' backward slow and controlled; :60 rest
B. Reverse hyper, 3x7-10 tough; :90 rest
+
5 sets:
4 alternating pistols- deep and controlled throughout
500m row @85%- high but sustainable effort within & across all sets
2:00 walk rest
+
Crossover Symmetry recovery
+
10:00 assault bike cool-down
AM
complete
PM
A. complete
B. complete, 90#/side
+
(these are just the row times, not including pistols)
2:04.8
2:03.3
2:03.6
2:02.1
2:03.5
+
DNS
+
complete
10:00 @Chels pace
then an extra 10:00 @Conner pace
Oh my. I am very sore. Hamstrings and glutes were really tight today.
I wore my lifting shoes and knee sleeves for the pistols. Honestly, if pistols come up in the Open I'll probably have to wear both of those. I'm much faster and more efficient with pistols when I have my lifters and knee sleeves on. The rows hurt a lot, not aerobically but physically. My lower body was really tight from the 16.4 redo yesterday. My lower back was still sore and I wasn't getting any power in my legs for the row, hence the slower times this week. This was legitimately my 85% today.
Ended up not getting to the COS, it was occupied so I hopped on the assault bike and accidentally forgot about it.
As I was doing my assault bike cool-down, Conner was also sitting on an assault bike and asked me what my watts were at the moment. I was pedaling at a glacial 71 watts. Conner said I should probably be closer to 130-150 watts when I'm doing any Z1 on the assault bike. Since I was almost done with my 10:00, I decided to add on an extra 10:00 at the pace he recommended. I got a lot more out of it and I was actually working instead of sitting there slowly pedaling while I dick around on my phone. He said I should feel like I'm running an easy 5k and that I need to make the most of my Z1 time. He was totally right and I really appreciated his advice, especially after my previous blog post about my goals. Good looking out, Conner. I have definitely lost sight of how important my Z1 sessions are, and the Open reminded me how much work I still have to do aerobically. No more zombie-pedaling while staring at my phone.
30:00 bike @Z1
PM
A. Bear crawl, 5x10' forward + 10' backward slow and controlled; :60 rest
B. Reverse hyper, 3x7-10 tough; :90 rest
+
5 sets:
4 alternating pistols- deep and controlled throughout
500m row @85%- high but sustainable effort within & across all sets
2:00 walk rest
+
Crossover Symmetry recovery
+
10:00 assault bike cool-down
AM
complete
PM
A. complete
B. complete, 90#/side
+
(these are just the row times, not including pistols)
2:04.8
2:03.3
2:03.6
2:02.1
2:03.5
+
DNS
+
complete
10:00 @Chels pace
then an extra 10:00 @Conner pace
Oh my. I am very sore. Hamstrings and glutes were really tight today.
I wore my lifting shoes and knee sleeves for the pistols. Honestly, if pistols come up in the Open I'll probably have to wear both of those. I'm much faster and more efficient with pistols when I have my lifters and knee sleeves on. The rows hurt a lot, not aerobically but physically. My lower body was really tight from the 16.4 redo yesterday. My lower back was still sore and I wasn't getting any power in my legs for the row, hence the slower times this week. This was legitimately my 85% today.
Ended up not getting to the COS, it was occupied so I hopped on the assault bike and accidentally forgot about it.
As I was doing my assault bike cool-down, Conner was also sitting on an assault bike and asked me what my watts were at the moment. I was pedaling at a glacial 71 watts. Conner said I should probably be closer to 130-150 watts when I'm doing any Z1 on the assault bike. Since I was almost done with my 10:00, I decided to add on an extra 10:00 at the pace he recommended. I got a lot more out of it and I was actually working instead of sitting there slowly pedaling while I dick around on my phone. He said I should feel like I'm running an easy 5k and that I need to make the most of my Z1 time. He was totally right and I really appreciated his advice, especially after my previous blog post about my goals. Good looking out, Conner. I have definitely lost sight of how important my Z1 sessions are, and the Open reminded me how much work I still have to do aerobically. No more zombie-pedaling while staring at my phone.
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
3/21/2016
AM
16.4 movement prep
PM
16.4.2
+
3 rounds not for time:
5-10/side heavy 1-arm DB rows
10 glute-ham sit ups
10 unweighted hip extensions
AM
complete
PM
203 (+2 from Friday)
+
DNS, totally forgot.
Happy with my 16.4 redo. I decided to break up the deadlifts 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-3 and this turned out to be a really good decision. It was better for me mentally because I really had no idea where I was, I just knew how many I had to do for the next set. The deadlifts flew by. I also felt much better physically, my lower back wasn't as blown up and I wasn't as fatigued when I got to the wall balls. I tried to rest less on wall balls, I did sets of 10 and then 8/7. I think the row was a bit slower than Friday, my tie break time was exactly the same. I started out with a set of 5 handstand push ups, then 5, 4, 3s, 2s. I felt a bit better going into the HSPU today but they were still just really tough. Lower back was starting to light up every time I brought my knees down to kip and my shoulders were so tired. I was happy to get two more reps and not do worse. At one point I looked at the clock and thought "there's no fucking way I am going to do WORSE on this workout." I managed to squeak out an extra two reps before time ran out.
I really felt like I couldn't have done any better today, I don't think I would go back and change anything. I just need to work on practicing handstand push ups under fatigue like that. I'm happy with my deadlifts, wall balls, and row. Mentally, I was much more "in it" today than I was Friday. I truly think I gave my best effort today and that's all I can do.
There's one week left of the Open. Honestly, it's going much faster than last year. I'm already looking forward to getting back to regular training so I can start working on my weaknesses. I have a lot of goals that have started to form over the past few weeks. There are still the same ones as usual- continue to work on aerobic capacity, faster transitions during longer workouts, etc. But there are also new ones- increase grip strength, increase core strength, work on more skillwork under fatigue, tweak nutrition quite a bit, better recovery. But I think my biggest goal right now is to start going dark in my training. The feeling of shutting everything off, making it hurt- I don't do that in training. I never push myself to the point of going dark and getting stupid. Then when the Open rolls around, I have a hard time tapping into that feeling because I rarely ever experience it. I shy away from the pain instead of just being like, "hello darkness, my old friend." Next year, I don't want this feeling to be anything new to me. I want to have experienced it several times before then. I need to go into the pain cave more during training. That is my biggest takeaway from this Open so far.
Also, I completely forgot to do the three rounds NFT. I vaguely remember Stephen saying something about it as I rolled around on the floor recovering from 16.4 but it immediately left my brain. Then I got distracted talking to Austin and Devin, and then I went to Red Tree, then I came back and checked my email and saw I had other shit to do but by then it was too late. Oops.
16.4 movement prep
PM
16.4.2
+
3 rounds not for time:
5-10/side heavy 1-arm DB rows
10 glute-ham sit ups
10 unweighted hip extensions
AM
complete
PM
203 (+2 from Friday)
+
DNS, totally forgot.
Happy with my 16.4 redo. I decided to break up the deadlifts 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-3 and this turned out to be a really good decision. It was better for me mentally because I really had no idea where I was, I just knew how many I had to do for the next set. The deadlifts flew by. I also felt much better physically, my lower back wasn't as blown up and I wasn't as fatigued when I got to the wall balls. I tried to rest less on wall balls, I did sets of 10 and then 8/7. I think the row was a bit slower than Friday, my tie break time was exactly the same. I started out with a set of 5 handstand push ups, then 5, 4, 3s, 2s. I felt a bit better going into the HSPU today but they were still just really tough. Lower back was starting to light up every time I brought my knees down to kip and my shoulders were so tired. I was happy to get two more reps and not do worse. At one point I looked at the clock and thought "there's no fucking way I am going to do WORSE on this workout." I managed to squeak out an extra two reps before time ran out.
I really felt like I couldn't have done any better today, I don't think I would go back and change anything. I just need to work on practicing handstand push ups under fatigue like that. I'm happy with my deadlifts, wall balls, and row. Mentally, I was much more "in it" today than I was Friday. I truly think I gave my best effort today and that's all I can do.
There's one week left of the Open. Honestly, it's going much faster than last year. I'm already looking forward to getting back to regular training so I can start working on my weaknesses. I have a lot of goals that have started to form over the past few weeks. There are still the same ones as usual- continue to work on aerobic capacity, faster transitions during longer workouts, etc. But there are also new ones- increase grip strength, increase core strength, work on more skillwork under fatigue, tweak nutrition quite a bit, better recovery. But I think my biggest goal right now is to start going dark in my training. The feeling of shutting everything off, making it hurt- I don't do that in training. I never push myself to the point of going dark and getting stupid. Then when the Open rolls around, I have a hard time tapping into that feeling because I rarely ever experience it. I shy away from the pain instead of just being like, "hello darkness, my old friend." Next year, I don't want this feeling to be anything new to me. I want to have experienced it several times before then. I need to go into the pain cave more during training. That is my biggest takeaway from this Open so far.
Also, I completely forgot to do the three rounds NFT. I vaguely remember Stephen saying something about it as I rolled around on the floor recovering from 16.4 but it immediately left my brain. Then I got distracted talking to Austin and Devin, and then I went to Red Tree, then I came back and checked my email and saw I had other shit to do but by then it was too late. Oops.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
3/20/2016
30:00 assault bike @Z1
+
15:00 mobility
complete
It was fun watching Alex do 16.4 today, it got me fired up for my redo tomorrow.
+
15:00 mobility
complete
It was fun watching Alex do 16.4 today, it got me fired up for my redo tomorrow.
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