4/13/2015

AM
30:00 airdyne @Z1

PM
A. Squat snatch, build to a max for the day
B. Back squat, build quickly to a single @ 80-90% 1RM
+
3 sets:
2 rope climbs as fast as possible
:90 rest
+
3 sets:
5 hang cleans, 155
:60 rest
+
3 sets:
5 touch and go power snatches, 95
:30 rest
+
For calories:
:40 airdyne
:40 rest
:40 airdyne

AM
complete

PM
A. 145 (150 Fx2)
B. 235
+
:20
:24
:23
+
:12
:13
:13
+
:12
:13
:14
+
17 cal
18 cal


I was so relieved to hit 145 today, if my snatching went as poorly as it did last week I probably would have had a mental breakdown. I also didn't hit my shins at all today, so that's a good sign. I still would have liked to hit 150 (the first attempt was very close, the second attempt was not) but I'm happy with 145 for now. Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll continue to build up my confidence with snatching, I just need to get back into it. 

Back squats were fine, the actual squatting was never difficult but putting the bar on my back felt really really heavy. 

Rope climbs were good, I tried to jump right back up to the rope as soon as the first rep was done. These definitely don't make me breathe as hard as they used to. 

Hang cleans hurt like a bitch. My thighs are REAL bruised up, I think they were still raw from Saturday. I also should have taped up my thumbs more for these. 

Snatches were fine for the first two sets but got difficult on the third set. I feel very awkward when I do touch and go snatches. 

The airdyne piece was tough, although I think I should have pushed it more on the first :40. I think I kind of bitched out because I knew I didn't have much rest until I had to go again. I definitely went all out on the second :40. 

A long day but a good one!

Are these hang clean bruises noticeable?

4/11/2015- Grid practice #2

GRID PRACTICE IS THE BEST! I wish every Saturday was like this, it's so much fun. We had a great group today (Brandie, Megan, Eric, Teej and Mark) and the races were awesome too. 

Race 1, 4:00, MF, trading off every movement:

8-6-4-2:

Deadlift, 225/275/315/365  135/185/205/245

Weighted pistol, 25/35/45/55    10/20/30/40

I'm so glad in Grid you're allowed to do pistols on just one leg, because my pistols are on point on my right leg. They're getting really fast. This was actually my first time doing weighted pistols, they actually weren't bad at all. I did the second and third part of this race, so I ended with the 205 deadlift and 30# pistol. I really like this one!

Race 2, 5:00. MMMFFF, bar cannot touch the ground, advance after every 8 reps: 

28 hang cleans, 245/145

This was awesome, hang cleans are my jam. The weight never felt heavy, Megan and I just traded off between 4/3 reps each. 

Race 3&4, 4:00 w/:60 between, FF, 1 working @ a time:

20 1-arm overhead squat, 45

20 handstand push ups

10 muscle ups

20 power snatches, 95

This race is my least favorite, only having a minute between races is a killer. I did enjoy this one a lot more than the one last week. Megan started with the 1-arm overhead squats and did all of them. I did 15 handstand push ups, Brandie did 5 and I started on the muscle ups. I was only able to get 3 before I could feel them slowing down so Brandie took over and did 5. Then Megan did 3 (we did 1 too many) and I started on the power snatches, except I had no idea where the bar was placed so I was basically running around the gym until Stephen pointed me in the right direction. Megan and I traded 6/4 and then 5/5. Our transitions the first time were pretty sloppy, we were never really sure who was on what rep. The second time was much better, transitions were crisp and we were :20 faster. 

Race 5&6, 4:00 w/:60 between, MM, 1 working @ a time:

20 1-arm overhead squat, 70

20 handstand push ups

10 muscle ups

20 power snatches, 145

Race 7, 5:00, all go, 1 @ a time, start anywhere, can skip bars:

Thruster ladder, 85-105-125-145-165-185-205-225-245-265

I LOVE LADDERS. This one was sweet, I actually sort of wish it was going to be a thruster ladder instead of a deadlift ladder at the combine. I went first, everything felt really good up to 145. Stephen told me to take a few seconds before attempting 165, I wasn't sure how it would go since I'm not used to lifting with a men's bar. I ended up hitting it, the clean was easy but the press out was a bit of a struggle. I was happy with it though, considering 165 is my current 1RM thruster. 

Race 8, 6:00, MF, 1 working @ a time:

45 CTB pull ups

30 bar muscle ups

15 ring muscle ups

I really enjoyed this race. I believe Eric started with 15 CTB pull ups, I did 10, then Mark finished. My CTB pull ups felt like shit today, my hands were really raw and I couldn't get a good grip on the bar, I was hoping to do 15 reps instead of 10 but that wasn't going to happen today. Brandie started the bar MUs, Teej went after her, then me, then Eric. Mark started on the ring muscle ups and I think he did 10 reps, Megan went in but came back out so Mark did 2 more reps then I finished with 3. 

Race 9, 5:00, FF, 2 on the floor working @ once, cannot advance until all reps @all 2 stations are completed:

7 DB burpee clean thrusters, 30/hand

15 box jump overs, 24

60 double unders

3 rope climbs

10 cleans, 115

Eeeeeesh, the DB burpee clean thrusters sucked, I slowed way down around the 4th rep. I probably should have tagged in Brandie but I just stuck with it. My box jump overs were also too slow, Megan was going twice as fast as me so when she was done she finished my reps. She tagged in Brandie and we did the double unders, then I tagged in Megan and she did the rope climbs with Brandie. Megan and I did the cleans and they were very easy, I did all 10 touch and go. 

Race 10, 5:00, MM, 2 on the floor working @ once, cannot advance until all reps @ all 2 stations are completed:

7 DB burpee clean thrusters, 50/hand

15 box jump overs, 30

60 double unders

3 rope climbs

10 cleans, 185

Race 11, 6:00, MMMFFF, relay:

10 DB snatches, 60

3 back roll to support

80' handstand walk

10 burpee w/touch to 10'

15 toes to bar

2 power cleans, 275

The relay is one of my favorite races. Megan did the DB snatches, Eric did the back roll to support, Brandie did  the handstand walk, Mark did the burpees, I did the toes to bar and Teej did the cleans. My toes to bar felt really good and were pretty fast. Everyone did really well on this. 

This was a great practice. My confidence was much higher than last week and I feel more ready for the combine. I'm really happy that Mark, Megan, Brandie and Teej volunteered their time to help Eric and I prepare for the combine. They are the best. 

4/10/2015

AM
35:00 airdyne @Z1

PM
10:00 gymnastics skill work of choice, keep everything easy
+
A. Behind the neck jerk, 10:00 practice w/moderate loads for doubles and triples
B. 1 power snatch + 1 overhead squat, 10x1 @105-125, begin a set every :60
+
800m sled drag easy outside OR 15:00 airdyne @Z1 

AM
complete (making up from Thursday)

PM
complete
+
A. complete up to 145 for a double
B. complete
+
complete w/60# on sled


Really good training day. Gymnastics practice is always very enjoyable, I worked on ring muscle ups, bar muscle ups, and handstand walk. 

The behind the neck jerk was better than I thought it would be, the hardest part is returning it to my back for the second/third reps. The first few sets were a bit awkward since I'm used to jerking from a front rack position but it got better as the weight got heavier. 

Snatches went really well today! Weight felt easy for all sets, I even had a few solid Alex Scott-like bar pop off the hips. 

Overall a very solid day!

4/8/2015

AM
3 rounds very easy:
200m jog
10 alternating turkish get ups
500m row

PM
A. Squat clean, 5x1 @ 95-115-135-155-175-195 not for time, but only rest long enough to change plates, get focused, and make next lift
+
For time:
20 DB thrusters, 30/hand
10 DB burpee box jump overs, 30/hand, 24"
+
5:00-10:00 rest
+
For time:
4 ring muscle ups
8 bar muscle ups
16 toes to bar
+
5:00-10:00 rest
+
For time:
100m shuttle run (2x25m out and back- not really a sprint)
10 deadlifts, 205
100 double unders
10 handstand push ups, 8" deficit
+
10:00 airdyne @Z1 

AM
complete w/25# KB

PM
A. complete
+
2:29
+
2:03
+
3:21
+
complete


AM session was very enjoyable, breathing was good the whole time. 

The squat cleans were a bit of a mess today, my form just feels off. I was pulling under the bar really slowly. I just don't feel as confident in my lifts right now but I know that will get better once I get back into lifting more regularly. I actually failed my first attempt at 175, my pull was really weird and I caught it in a power position, then I tried squatting it but I felt on my butt. I was pretty pissed, I never fail cleans at 175. I did it again and hit it easily the second time. 195 was heavier than I would have liked, I felt slow standing up out of the squat and I caught it with my feet wider than usual. 

I think DB burpee box overs are my new least favorite movement. These are just terrible. This piece was way too slow. The thrusters were unbroken and were relatively easy but the DB BJO were SO SLOW. They were a lot slower than when I did them on Saturday, my legs were really tired and even coming down off the box was difficult. 

The muscle up piece was alright, I would have liked to get under 2:00. Ring MUs were unbroken. I thought I would be able to do the bar MUs unbroken but I ended up having to break them up 5/3. The TTB took way too long, I was being a bitch on these. I broke them up way too much (7/4/3/2) but I was struggling to hold on to the bar on the last 5 reps, it was getting really slippery. They felt fast but I just broke them up too much.

The last piece was really fun! I really liked the shuttle run, that was cool. Deadlifts were unbroken and pretty easy, double unders were unbroken and HSPU were ALMOST unbroken (got a no-rep on the 10th one, oops). I wish my HSPU would have been faster, although I haven't really done them at an 8" deficit so I guess it's just something I'll have to work on. I felt like I was moving too slow during this one but I couldn't really rush the handstand push ups, I didn't want to go to failure. 

I just need to make myself go faster on literally everything. 

4/7/2015

5000m row @Z1, off every 1000m for 3:00-5:00 mobility work of choice

complete


Today was much better than yesterday, it was nice and relaxing. Row pace felt great, kept it between 2:15-2:20 each set. It was fun getting to row with Pat and Duprie! 

4/6/2015

AM
45:00 airdyne @Z1

PM
A. Squat snatch, build quickly to a tough single
B. Back squat, 3-2-1 tough, 3:00 rest
C. Hang clean to overhead, 3x :20 @125-165, 2:40 rest
+
3 sets @100%
50 double unders
8 1-arm KB overhead squats, 53
2 rope climbs
3:00 walk rest
+
:60 airdyne calories @97%

AM
complete

PM
A. 125 (135 F)
B. 195-215-235
C. 5@125, 5@145, 3@165
+
1:38
1:42
1:46
+
27 calories on Demetrius 


I was really excited to get back to normal training volume today. Unfortunately, the session started out pretty poorly and only seemed to get worse as it went on. My snatches were so terrible today, everything felt heavy. I don't think I warmed up enough, I put 105 on the bar and FAILED it. What the hell. My arms just gave out at the bottom and I fell backwards. I went down to 85 and it was much better. I started adding weight but I noticed I kept scraping my shins with the bar on every rep. By the time I got to 125 my shins were bloody. I never scrape my shins. George and Stephen said I wasn't getting my knees out of the way in time, which I guess is a new problem? Because I never used to have bloody shins from snatching. I tried for 135 but my legs felt like lead when I was pushing them into the ground. I was just over-thinking everything and extremely frustrated and bloody at this point so I called it. I was pretty mad at myself, it's like I completely forgot how to snatch, and I felt extremely weak. I went to the bathroom to clean my shins and when I came back I had been kicked off my platform, which only added to my frustration. I still had to do back squats and I had planned on using the rack after I was done snatching. I eventually got it back and I'm not trying to be a workout princess, I know my training is not any more important than anyone else, but it's also equal to everyone else. I need to train for my shit just like other people have to train for their shit. To be honest I felt like I was being pushed around a bit yesterday and it stressed me out. 

Back squats felt fine, I think I could have gone a bit heavier. 

The rope climb workout wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, my times got slower because of dumb errors on my part. On the second set I lost my footing on the rope for a couple seconds as I was descending, and one the third set my shoe came untied during the double unders. The KB overhead squats actually got better each set, I used my left arm every time because I was able to stay back on my heels with that arm for some reason. Those are tough.

I was disappointed with the row calories, 27 isn't very close to what I got last time (31 I think?). I thought I was going out at a pretty solid pace the entire time but I guess I was going too slow? 

Overall, this training day was pretty bad. I was mentally out of it halfway through. I'm hoping Wednesday is better. 

4/5/2015

lots of mobility
+
1600m sled drag, 45# on sled


Woke up feeling really sore from Grid practice. It felt good to move around, the sled drag was very enjoyable and the weather was perfect!