it never gets easier, just faster

snatch and OHS

worked up to 135 for reps on snatch

OHS

95 x 10
115 x 5
135 x 3
145 x 3
155 x 3

not bad for having not overhead squatted in 3 months. my shoulders and legs were absolutely rocked from heavy fran yesterday. my 3RM on OHS is 175, but i felt like i had some more weight, just wanted to get back into the movement before pushing the weight.

just missed 145 twice for snatch. the reps felt solid though. i’ll get it soon enough.

heavy(ier) fran

21 - 15 - 9

115lb thrusters
20lb weighted pullups

time: 11:33

suuuuucked. i. hate. thrusters.

first set was broken 3 times at 12, 16 and 19. 2nd set of thrusters was broken at 6 and 11 and last set at 5. i just couldn’t catch my breath. and the weighted pullups were pretty awkward because the weight belt kept slipping off my hips.

bench press: 185 x 3 x 5
DL: 285 x 1 x 5
weighted pullups: up to 88lbs (PR)

had help with the last rep of each triple of bench press. deadlift was ok and i FINALLY got 88lb on a weighted chin. it’s about time. it only took 12 months.

burpee/35# kb swing ladder

burpees: 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2

kb swings: 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20

time: 15:41

so this WOD was 20 burpees - 2 swings, than 18 burpees - 4 swings, etc. and it sucked. mostly cause my conditioning blows averaging one metcon per 10 days. my first and last rounds were each 66 seconds. avg time per round was about 1:35 which is sloooooooow.

BS: 200 x 3 x 5
press: 125 x 3 x 5 (failed 1st and 2nd set, didn’t attempt 3rd)

i’d had 3 days off prior to this workout so i thought it would go well. nope.

my back squat has totally stalled out. i’ve been at 200lbs for 2 weeks and no improvement except with my form. i think when i first started on SS i used too high of weights with really bad form, and it was just kind of downhill from there.

my bp, press and weighted pullups 5RM have all increased, but my back squat hasn’t. so, here’s the new plan:

ME/WOD/WOD rest ME/WOD/WOD rest

the first ME day will be back squat + standing press + weighted pullups for the first.

the second ME day is deadlift + bench press + powercleans

I’ll probably alternate rep schemes from 3 x 5, 5 x 5, 1/2/3 x 3, 7 x 1 on all the lifts. i think this will not only maintain my strength, but increase it, albeit slowly, and allow me to keep my conditioning.

anyone have thoughts, suggestions, comments?

i should probably dust off the cobwebs from my workout blog, eh?

back squat: 200 x 3 x 5
bench press: 170 x 3 x 5
weighted chins: 45 x 3 x 5

back squat felt great. last rep of 3rd set i had some help, so i’ll stay at this weight next time. all reps were clean on bench press and weighted chins, so i’ll go up 5lbs in each next week.

7 rounds for time:

20 double unders
10 x 95lb powercleans
5 x ring dips

time: 16:04

wanted a metcon that i could blow through. i thought i would be able to do this with no breaks, but the double unders smoked me. first round was 1:06 and the rest average right around 2:25 after that.

back squat: 200 x 3 x 5
standing press: 125 x 3 x 5 (f - 1st and 2nd set)
powercleans: 155 x 3 x 3

the back squat felt great. first time i’ve done it that it has actually felt deep enough and the reps seemed easier this time. i made sure to maintain the tension in my hamstrings to utilize the bounce out of the bottom.

standing press was hard. i don’t think i warmed up enough prior to the first work set at 125. i missed the 5th rep so i dropped it down to 120 for the 2nd set and the reps were simple. moved it back up to 125 for set number three and they were all good. this was my 1RM 6 months ago. i’ll stay here next workout.

powercleans were cut short due to time. reps were a little tougher this time as a i used a 30mm oly bar vs a 28 that i normally use and it made a BIG difference. however, all 3 sets were OK.

i finally got my copy of starting strength: basic barbell training (2nd edition) and realized everything i was doing in my back squat was wrong and my depth was girly. (no disrespect to the huge number of girls who can back squat more than i).

so, starting back @ square one on back squat.

BS: 195 x 3 x 5
BP: 170 x 3 x 5 (failed 5th rep of 3rd set - damn)
weighted chins: 40lbs x 3 x 5

if you haven’t read this book but just tried to do the starting strength program off what you’ve read on the internet…don’t. i tried to do that and was doing pretty much everything incorrectly and with poor programming.

buy the damn book.

oh, i’m embarrassed that my press is as close to my back squat weight as it is.