Pushing

Pushing today, and a new version of an exercise I love to hate.

Rack Bulgarian Split Squats (11 holes)
95x3
115x3
135x3
145x3
155x3

Rack Bench Press (smith) - 120x10, 140x10-10-10-10

Pushdowns - 70x15, 90x15-15

Most people know what bulgarian split squats are, rack is pretty self explanatory if you know what rack squats are.  I started at the top and lowed down to the 11 holes (12 seemed too high), reset and then stood back up, the main thing to mention is that you STOP on the pins, not touch and go that in easier and a different exercise.  I like this exercsie I really felt my quads and glutes working.  I was getting a bit sick of cables so I wanted to try some bench press, I opted for the smith machine and rack style, this time starting from the bottom, it felt about the same as when I do 8 holes on the power cage.  It felt nice to do some bench press again, even if it wasn't horribly heavy (not horribly light either).  I did feel my elbow a tad, but not much so maybe bench can slowly make it's way back.

Pulling

Remington 870, other weapon I used at the range

The above weapon also left a nice bruise on my shoulder, that thing has some recoil but damn it's powerful.  Anywho some pulling today, I was exhausted today too.

Power Cleans (touch and go)
140x3
160x3
180x3
190x3
200x3

Chinups - 5xrelative max......13, 10, 10, 8, 9

Incline Curls - 25s (10, 8, 7)

Last time I did touch and go power cleans for 3 reps the weights were exactly the same as today but 5 pounds lighter per set.  200 pounds was really close but I am happy I was able to do it for 3 reps.  The chinups were harder because of the cleans, but I wanted to get 50 reps in the 5 sets, done.  Went home and passed out for an hour, buut I passed all my training for flying colours so it was a good week.

Full Body

The weapon I fired 500 rounds from today

Full Body day today, just for the hell of it.

Squats Cleans (touch and go)
135x5
155x5
165x5
170x5
175x5

Incline Cable Bench Press
40x12
60x12
70x12
80x12
90x10

Weighted Wide-Grip Pullups
20x5
25x5
27x5
32x5
35x5

V-Bar Pushdowns - 80x50 (20-10-12-8)
Preacher Curls - 40x50 (15-15-12-8)

Those squat  cleans were flipping close to being a no go on that last round, both the clean and the squat were getting close.  175 for 5 touch and go reps seems pretty good though.  The pullups are obviously much harder with that grip compared to chinups last week, but I maybe....just maybe could have gone heavier than 35 for my last set.  Overall good day, plus firing 500 rounds at the range today, loading all 500 one by one certainly left some callouses on my finger.

Legs

The trap bar at the gym is back, time to use it.

Trap Bar Deadlifts (touch and go)
220x5
260x5
310x5
330x5
350x5

Low Bar Back Squats - 4x7.....all done with 225

Simple leg day after my first training day at my hopefully new job.  The trap bar deads felt good I remember why I like them, I feel my quads, glutes, hamstrings and low back, the trap bar allows you to squat lower so my quads kick in more than usual.  I haven't done sets of 5 for touch and go (I usually reset) but I was happy with getting up to 350.  The lbbs looks random, basically once I was at 225 I squatted till it got hard, which was 7 reps today, I then tried to hit 7 reps for the next 3 sets, which I did, but oh so close by the last set.  Good simple tough leg day.

Upper Body

Jeff Leonard on 12.2

Nothing special about today.

Superset
Cable Fly - 40x10, 50x10, 60x10, 70x10, 70x7
Cable Bench Press - same reps and weight as above

Superset
Straight Arm Pulldowns - 100x10, 110x10, 120x10, 120x10, 120x10
Chinups - 8, 5, 4, 4, 4

Lateral Raises - 3x10.......27s

Alternate Set
V-Bar Pushdowns - 3x15.........70, 80, 90
Alternate Curls - 3x5......40s, 45s, 47s

Everything burned quite a bit, all good burns.

Full Body

I don't care how light those weights are, if you look like that you can lift whatever you want

This was more of a power day, not really fitting into my goals, well maybe a bit.

Squat Clean and Push Jerk - 135 (5, 5, 4, 4, 4)

Alternate Swings - 3x16 (per arm)..........24 kg

Ball Slams - 3x10......20 lb med ball

The clean and jerks were tough, they definately got my heart rate up, I'll try and work on that one till I can do 5 reps across.  The alternating swings is kind of a random number, but I used to the first set to gauge a good number to try and hit every set, every set was very close.  The slams I focussed on max power each and every time, not really worrying about speed.  These kind of days are fun, they are different.

Upper Body

Upper body day today, my glutes are decently sore from yesterday, but not as bad as expected.

Alternate Sets
Cable Bench Press
50x12
60x12
80x12
90x12
110x10

Weighted Chinups
30x5
40x5
50x5
55x5
60x4

Alternate Sets
Incline DB Fly - 40sx10, 45sx10, 50sx10, 55sx10
Cable Row - 120x10, 130x10, 140x10, 150x10

Alternate Sets
Rope Pushdowns - 3x15......70
No Cheat DB Curls - 30s (10, 8, 7)

The video shows the last set at 60 pounds, I was very close to getting my chin over the bar for that 5th rep, but I juuust fell short.  The cable bench press felt pretty good I think I'm getting stronger on that exercise.  The next pairing was pretty good it got hard by the last set on each where I barely was able to make it 10.  No cheat curls means my upper arm was against a pad and not able to move, not allowing any cheat.  So far my new program has done a decent job, I'm 5 pounds heavier.

After the workout I went for an intense mountain bike ride, it was hard but a blast.  It lasted maybe an hour but me and a co worker went fast and hard, which isn't easy for an hour, almost got lost as well.  My glutes and quads and lungs and traps were simply done, but again it was a lot of fun, this past Sunday was my first hike of the season, today was my first mountain bike ride of the season, the heat cooked me but I can't wait to do it again.

Legs

Legs today.

Deadlifts (touch and go)
275x5
315x5
335x5
345x5
355x5

DB Travelling Lunges (continuous) - 3x16 (per leg).......35s

Alternate Sets
Hamstring Curl - 3x12......70
Leg Extension - 125x12, 140x12-12

Th video shows the last set at 355, I feel like I kept decently good form, the weight seems to fall in from of me a bit but that may be because I don't do touch and go as much anymore.  I only really did for a change, it got to heavy sets at 5 reps.  The travelling lunges required a little explaining, the reps are all continuous, meaning you never stand up between reps with your feet together you always drop right into the next rep.  16 reps also may sound random, but that's how many steps it takes me to get across my gym and back, 16 steps there and 16 back, so 32 total (or 16 per leg).  This was one of the most painful things I have put my legs through recently, the high reps (32 total freaking steps) and the fact that I have to keep it continuous (which at times I couldn't) made it burn like crazy, that one really really hurt.  The last pairing I played with the angles of the machines a bit to get the best range of motion, meant less weight but I really felt the muscles burning, painful but awesome leg day.

Upper Push (mostly)

Kevin Simons

Only a short one today, so some upper body simple stuff mostly pushing.

Incline Cable Bench Press
40x12
50x12
60x12
70x12
80x12

Superset
DB Flies - 4x10..........40s
Tension Pushups - 10, 8, 8, 8

Alternate Set
Straight Bar Curls - 3x10.......65
Pushdowns - 3x20......70

Cable bench press hurt pretty good, like usual.  The superset for my chest did also, tension pushups just means you don't full extend at the top, so it makes them a bit harder hence the such low number.  I was strapped for time today because I went to the trails with a friend after this, we decided to take the part of the trails that said 'closed', I don't know why I have trouble following rules like that, but it was fun, lots of uphill climbing, points where I was forced to be on all fours, I missed hiking.

Conditioning

Is this a stretch...who knows and who cares

Conditioning, I got the the workout today from a clients friend, he did this 'hero' wod with some modifications, I liked the look of it so I decided to give it a go.  The original calls for a 600 metre run as well, I took that out as this version fits in with my goals more.  I'm not really focussing on conditioning either (in a sense), but they are still fun.

6 Rounds for time
6 Power Cleans - 175 lbs
6 Box Jumps - 30 inches (regional standards)
6 DB Swings - 70 lbs
6 Over the bar Burpees
Time: 21:02

Kipping Pullups - 3x10

That was a tough workout, taxed my breathing and lower back and legs a lot.  The cleans were the hardest part, it was the required weight, and far from my max but they got hard fast, only the first round did I use tough and go, every other round I dropped and reset each time.  The box jumps were never broken really, maybe a second or 2 break between some reps at the top.  Odds are the box jumps would have allowed for opening up the hips in the air, which is quicker, but I decided to use the regional standards, standing up fully on the top then hopping down.  The swings weren't too bad, never broken, 70 pounds isn't really too heavy but using a dumbbell is a bit awkward as my gym doesn't have a kettlebell that heavy.  The over the bar burpees were taxing, not to be confused with bar facing burpees, they were never broken but turned into slow motion at times.  3x10 on kipping pullups was surprisingly hard to hit after that metcon, I was gassed after this.

A video of round 1 and 6 can be seen here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzKqP4YZhhY&list=UUY76daDPRwJx9guouwnll4A&index=1&feature=plcp

Pushing

Camille Leblanc-Bazinet

It's been a while since I did straight up front squats, opting for speed, partial, 1 and 1/2, and pause instead.  The main reason is because I do more front squats more than any other leg exercise, even with me cutting back on them a bit they still remain close to the top of my most performed exercises, behind only pullups, cleans and deadlifts.  Today going for 5 sets of 5 to see if I can hit my old max of 215.

Front Squats
135x5
155x5
175x5
195x5
215x5

Superset
Cable Fly - 50x10, 60x10, 70x10-8
Cable Bench Press - 50x10, 60x10, 70x5-4

Alternate Set
DB Lateral Raises - 3x10......25
Pushdowns - 3x20........60, 60, 70

So I was able to match my old weights, and they felt pretty good too I maybe could have gone heavier.  The cable superset seems to be how much pain can I endure, it burns the chest muscles like crazy.  I have a video of the last 2 sets of front squats, my form seems solid, full range of motion (unlike most) and elbows up (minus the last rep at 215 a bit).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqI86IUWorY&list=UUY76daDPRwJx9guouwnll4A&index=1&feature=plcp

Pulling

Annie Thorsdottir

Some pulling today, it wasn't easy to find something on me that wasn't sore.

Clean Complex (3 Power Cleans + 3 Hang Power Cleans)
135
155
165
175
185

Superset
Wide-Grip Pulldowns - 120x10, 130x10, 140 (7, 7)
Chinups - 6, 4, 3, 3

EZ Bar Curls - 70 lbs (8, 6, 10)

That's a new clean complex, it went well but I tried using straps for the first time ever on cleans.  The straps I used I don't really like but it made catching the bar in the front rack position more difficult, but it did help me hold onto the bar easier as I didn't want my grip to get in the way here.  Back when I started doing cleans again I could just barely do 175 for 3 reps from the hang, I had to use poor form, so today doing 185 for 3 AFTER doing 3 power cleans is more proof of how my olympic lifting has improved.  The superset made my chins drop like a rocket, I felt like I weighed 300 pounds on the chinups.  For the curls I changed the style I used, hence the weird rep scheme.

Upper Body

Wow today I am sore, that snatch workout and 5 sets of 5 on back squats has left almost every muscle between my waist and knees sore, plus my upper back.  I can still do some upper body work today.

Superset
Incline DB Flies - 10, 10, 10, 10........35s, 40s, 45s, 50s,
Pushups.........20, 13, 8, 6

3 Rounds, AMRAP in 2 minutes of Wide Grip Pullups
23, 20, 17

Alternate Set
Overhead Rope Extensions - 60(12), 70(15, 12)
Alternate DB Curls - 5, 5, 5.......40s, 45s, 47s

So nothing too crazy, first part burned quite a bit, second part I tried pacing myself and my arms seemed dead by the end of each round so it worked, total of 60 wide-grip pullups sounds pretty good.  I have been using my elbow more lately, with tricep workout and chest work, and so overhead stuff, they seem to be the only things that bother it.  So far it was been alright but occasionally I do still feel it, but just slightly and it's always the muscles I am trying to work that hurt the day after.

Full Body

Decided to try a snatch conditioning workout inspired by the crossfit open workout 12.2, and one similar to one I made my client do in the morning, but with some changes.  He did this exact workout with cleans (same weights and all), I wanted to see how fast I could get through the first 3 rounds.

For time
30 Hang Snatches - 45 pounds (bar must start at or below knees)
30 Snatches - 75 lbs
30 Snatches - 95 lbs
Time: 10:00

Low Bar Back Squats
185x5
205x5
225x5
245x5
245x5

So technically I was slower than my client, as he complated the first 3 rounds in just over 8 minutes, but he used cleans, and I'm taller :).  Hah either way I wasn't really competing, the workout was tough my upper back and grip was slowing me down, the round at 95 pounds sucked, 95 never felt so heavy, my max power snatch (what I used for every rep) is 145, each one felt about that heavy.  Because it simply says snatch, not power or split or squat, that means you can do any style, at these weights power snatches or muscle snatches are the quickest.  The low bar back squats felt good I felt strong on those, most I had ever done was 255 for 3, so 245 for 5 I felt was an improvement.  There's a change I could have gone heavier for my last set but I wanted to focus on good form.

A video of most of the snatch workout the last 3 sets of the squats can be found on my youtube channel.

http://www.youtube.com/user/paul771771/videos

Upper Body

Upper day today, nothing special.

Weighted Chinups
30x5
40x5
50x5
60x5
60x4

Cable Bench Press (with bar)
70x10
80x10
90x10
100x10
110x10

Alternate Sets
Wide Neutral Grip Cable Row - 3x10......120
Lateral Raises - 3x10......25s

Alternate Sets
EZ Bar Curls - 3x10........70
Overheard Rope Extensions - 3x15........60

Heaviest on weighted chins in a while, used a belt for the last 2 sets but felt good to add some weight to myself, total of 245 pounds.  One of the other trainers brought in the bar that attaches so the cables, so it's basically a standing bench press, the weight started to throw my balance off by the end.  Everything else went fine.

Full Body

Full Body workout today, more or less.

Power Clean and Push Jerk - 5x5.......135

Power Snatch - 5x5......(2x95), (3x105)

Russian Chair Leg Raises (straight leg) - 3x15

First time going that heavy on an overheard exercise since my injury, 135 definitely on the lighter side for me, all reps were touch and go and I could have gone heavier but I wanted to see how the elbow felt, it felt fine.  power snatches went well too, 95 was little light so I increased it to 105, for 5 touch and go reps it was fine, I wanted to focus on max power.  The leg raises were tough as usual, overall good workout.

Pulling

mmmm, Tuna

Pulling day to counter the pushing day.

Romanian Deadlifts
135x8
185x8
205x8
225x8
225x8

Wide Grip Pullups
Cluster Sets - 3 sets......5, 5, 5,........4, 4, 4.......3, 3, 3 (10 second rest)

Cable Row - 3x10......120

Alternate DB Curls - 40sx5, 45sx5, 45xs5

I don't do rdl's all that much, I don't care as much about the weight just my form, 225 for 8 reps though isn't too bad.  I should explain what cluster sets are, I have seen them many different places.  It's simple, on the first set I performed 5 reps, rested 10 seconds, did 5 more reps, rested 10 seconds, and then again did 5 reps....that is one set (rest as needed between sets).  I dropped one rep off each round for the next 2 sets, but only because the set prior to it I barely completed, they were definately harder than I thought they would.  The cable rows felt good as did the curls, good pulling day.

Bastard Challenge

I got this idea (or challenge) from a client, he got it from menshealth in the uk I believe.  The test is simple, perform what they call a 'bastard' as many times as possible in a minute.  A bastard is basically a burpee but with some subtle changes, one you don't have to clap overhead, and 2 your feet need to come at least 6 inches off the floor, which is why you see me kick my feet up when I jump.  Here is my video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb-H7op-_As&list=UUY76daDPRwJx9guouwnll4A&index=1&feature=plcp

Total score of 25 'bastards'.  That puts me in first place, tied with 2 others, but upon watching the videos, others form certainly seem to be questionable.  A lot of people aren't coming close to there chest touching the floor, I know my chest did, at 35 seconds you'll hear my spit....damn piece of carpet or something got in my mouth.  What I'm guilty of, and what many others are too is not lowering that low into the squat, you see my nearly drop into the pushup.  Other than that I think my form wasn't too bad, I saw one other personal trainer get complimented on his form from menshealth and he was doing a similar thing.

Here is the list of the others scores (my client got 19).

http://www.menshealth.co.uk/fitness/challenges/the-mens-health-bastard-challenge

Overall I am happy, and other than being 6'3 (sucking moving that frame up and down) this is my wheelhouse, I'm a sprinter, so these fast paced 'tests' are my strength, having said that, I think this is a poor test of fitness.  I could have kept going at a similar pace, but only stopped because of the time.  Fun though, I decided to do it and 2 minutes later did it, no real prep, glad I didn't taste that sushi again.

Pushing

Pushing day, haven't done one of these in a while.

Split Squats
135x5
155x5
175x5
185x5
195x5

Push Jerk - 3x10........115

Cable Fly with Hold (after each set hold contracted position for as long as possible.
50x10
60x10
60x10
60x10

Overheard Rope Extensions - 50x20, 60x16 - 12

The split fired my ass up pretty good, my quads as well of course, I haven't done these in a while but I enjoyed a heavy single leg movement again.  The set at 195 was better than the set at 185, I lost my balance a few times on that set, 195 was however very heavy.  The push jerks continue to improve, 115 for 3 sets of 10 was again a little close, but still not too bad, I might lower the reps soon.   The flies hurt, but the extensions I felt solely in my triceps, that's what failed not my elbow at all.