Full Body

Decided to test my elbow out a bit more today.

Alternate Sets
Power Cleans (touch and go)                      Pullups
135x3                                                         10
155x3                                                          8
175x3                                                          8
185x3                                                          7
195x3                                                          7

Alternate Sets
Power Snatch (touch and go)                     Cable Flies
95x3                                                            50x10
105x3                                                          60x10
115x3                                                          60x10
120x3                                                          60x10
125x3                                                          60x10

I really liked this workout, Tuesday I did touch and go squat cleans and this weight was identical, which did surprise me a bit but still glad.  My max squat clean is higher than power but this was definately getting close by the end.  I paired them with relative max rep pullups, so my grip had to work but they weren't super sets so I took my time, elbow didn't feel a thing on those pullups.  The power snatches got really close by the end, I felt I was doing better at dropping below the bar as the weight got heavy, the cable flies were again to work my chest as bench or pushups currently affect my elbow.  The power snatches normally would too, but today they were fine.

Full Body ish

Because my actual Birthday will potentially be too busy to workout (so my friends say) I decided to do something different, do smaller routines birthday inspired up till the day, first one was today, deadlifts :).

For time
24 Deadlifts - 315
Time - 5:24

Squat Cleans (touch and go)
135x3
155x3
175x3
185x3
195x3

For the deadlifts I wanted to move as fast as possible, so I opted for straps.  The sets broke down into 8-7-6-3, and were touch and go.  My hamstrings and lower back were burning, I was actually happy with doing this that fast, I rested maybe a bit too long between sets but the weight was heavy so I didn't want to take too many breaks and make use of the touch and go, which I did, good thing I am only turning 24.  The squat cleans I have done this way before and wanted to see if I could match my weight the last time.  Last time I started with them, the deadlifts fatiqued me so matching it would be good and I did.  195 felt heavy for the 3 reps too, but was happy with overall workout.

Randomness

Today I am pretty sore, 90% of that soreness is my quads which I actually like because they almost never get sore.  I went into the gym today and continued my experiment, an experiment I will keep a secret till it's over which will be 20 days starting yesterday.

My soreness isn't crippling, it's weird normally when I get DOMS it's the next day or 2 days after, not right when I finish the workout, I was more sore yesterday than I am today.  The gym, other than my experiment and plenty of stretching also included it.

3 Rounds of
5 Power Cleans - 135
5 Back Squats - 135

No time limit, rest as needed between rounds, performed like a complex so I didn't let go of the bar.  This was more to activate my legs, and while 135 felt heavier than it normally would, I was still able to reach hamstring to calf depth and it wasn't too bad.  Tomorrow is a rest day, minus my experiment which is an everyday thing.

Full body

Decided to tackle another heavy metcon today, they are fun and challenging and hell, it shows off the strength I've worked hard to get.  Instead of finding one on crossfit, crossfitfootball, or the forums, I decided to create my own, predicting it to be leg intensive.

5-4-3-2-1 reps for time
Squat Cleans - 185
Back Squats - 225
*In each round between the 2 exercises perform 10 box jumps at 30 inches
Time: 15:54

Kipping Pullups - 3xmax reps..........20, 12, 10
Cable Flies - 10, 10, 10.....40, 60, 60

From the best of my recollection, this stands as one of the most painful leg workouts I have ever done.  Normally after a leg workout that's extra hard I walk funny, and at times the rest of the day I risk cramping in my quads, this time that potential cramping actually started DURING the workout.  I fear how my quads will feel tomorrow typing this now, 3 hours after the routine they are simply aching it's hard to move normally.  The routine was decieving, the squats cleans were what I predicted, hard, the box jumps were harder than anticipated my legs have no go in them very quicky after the other 2 and a total of 50 became painful.  The back squats were very hard too but much harder than predicted, that weight was flipping heavy after everything else.  The kipping pullups and flies were just to add some upper body stuff.

Most of the heavy metcon workout, as well as my first set of kipping pullups can be found on my youtube channel.

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

Mostly Legs

Jay Rhodes

Another mostly legs day, and finally decided to try some speed squats, first lets go for a pr on pause front squats.

Pause Front Squats
155x2
175x2
195x2
215x2
225x2
235x2 (pr)

Speed Back Squats
135x5
155x5
175x5
185x5
195x5

Machine Fly - 10, 10, 10, 10.......80, 90, 100, 110(7)

Last time I tried the pause squats I got up to 225, and that felt insanely heavy, I was going to try and match it initially but once I did 225 I want to see if 235 was possible, close but still good.  I like this style of squats, much harder than regular.  I may not know what true speed squats are, but this is my version.  At no point can you stand up and pause, you must squat continuously for the entire set.  Ben smith, third place crossfit finisher, does them at 1:30 in the video below,

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgsaUY3ArmY&list=UUg9VfLvIjQZoozp2goMJhOg&index=10&feature=plcp

They really burned, not allowing myself to stand up and pause made the sets fast but painful I liked them, I was also surprised I got up to 195.  The machine fly's was to hit my chest a bit, no other reason.

Mostly Legs

I know I've posted this picture before, but it's just so damn cool

Still hammering my legs, supersets tend to hurt a lot so lets do that.

Superset
Front Squats - 155x5, 175x5, 195x5, 205x5
Jump Squats - 90x8, 90x8, 90x8, 90x8

Romanian Deadlifts - 205x5, 225x5, 225x5, 225x5
Natural Glute Ham Raises - 4 sets of 8

C2B Neutral Grip Pullups - 4x6....bw

That first pairing hurt like crazy, the jump squats at 90 pounds is pretty light but not so much after the front squats.  I tried to keep the jump squats continuous, but the last 2 sets I did stop at 6 reps, not broken up just stood there for a sec.  I was pleased I was still able to get up to 205 for 5 reps.  I haven't done romanian deadlifts in a while and could have gone heavier but wanted to focus on good form, it worked I could really feel my hamstrings working, that made the glute ham raises much more painful than they already are.  I also wanted to try some pullups again, as my elbow only hurts on pushing, so pullups are still okay, they felt fine too.

Conditioning

I bet a lot of people would call me stupid for the workout below, it was zero degrees, raining, and windy as hell out.....who cares those people don't understand.

4 Rounds for time
Around the block Run - just over 400 metres
20 Jump Lunges (20 per leg)
15 Box Jumps onto picnic table - about 26.5 inches
20 Kettlebell Swings - 24 kg
Time: 28:36

What a way to start off the new year, in conditions very unlike January the 1st.  Conditioning isn't something I have done much of lately, but they are fun from time to time.  I would have wanted to go into the gym, it was closed but I do have the key, just that my boss would be there cleaning up from a party so I decided a backyard workout would suffice.  The run winded me, just over 400 metres as I kept going into my backyard for the other stuff.  The box jumps were decieving, my legs were very heavy after those jump lunges.  Overall it was very tough and taxing, and I was still very sore but it loosened me up after the first round.