Jesters* Crossfit Journey

[Jester*]

Monday kicked off well. Apart from being scorching.

Warm Up 8:00 AMRAP

12 x Wallball Thrusters
100m Run
12 x Upright Rows (20Kg Bar)
12 x Bent Over Rows

Not that we needed much warming up. Moved casually through this, keeping the rows slow and controlled. 2 + 25 was the score at the end.

WOD 18:00

"Helen"
3 Rounds

400m Run
21 x Kettlebell Swings (24Kg)
12 x Pullups

ARX "Nasty Helen"

400m Run
21 x Kettlebell Swings (32Kg)
12 x Chest to Bar

Now Helen is one of my favourite workouts, but having to do Nasty Helen was pretty horrible. It turned it from a sprint workout into a bit more of a measured workout. I split the KBS into 7's and the C2B's into 4's. Which I stuck to until the last round when I suddenly found myself doing single C2B's as my forearms had blown up. Finished in 14:34.

Front Squat
Every 3:00

3 x 4 @ 85%
2 x 15 @ 50%

We had about 4 minutes after the end of the workout to get the weight on the bar and start squatting. I managed to get around my 80% and do those sets at 100Kg then dropped down to 65Kg for the 50% which is slightly higher than my actual 50%. Felt like I was going to collapse at the end. Hard work was done.

 

[Jester*]

Today was a bit more of a technique focused day.

Warm Up 6:00

50 x Air Squats - Eyes Closed
35 x Situps - Eyes Closed
20 x Push Ups - Eyes Closed
200m Run - Mouth Closed

An interesting warm up. With eyes and mouth limitations, fun and something different. Plodded along and finished in 5:16

WOD 10:00 AMRAP

7 x Handstand Pressups (20Kg Plates)
1 x Rope Climb
7 x Box Overs (30")

Had fun here, I like the more technical workouts as I definitely have my strengths here. Stayed consistent and completed 6 + 6 in the time.

Bench Press
E3MOM

5 x 3 @ 85 - 90 %

Hitting a heavy bench press post exhaust was fun. I completed the first 3 sets at 82.5Kg then the final 2 sets at 85Kg. Very happy with this as bench has always been a pain for me and my set 5 felt better than set 4.

Had a chat before the session with my coach who is going to give me 10 workouts to complete around the normal programming during August to push my cardio. Looking forward to getting on with this and improving my engine.

 

[booyaka]

cracking along nicely!

 

[Jester*]

cracking along nicely!

Good to see you back training again mate.

Wednesday - Athlete Training

A short(ish) sharp workout on what was a very warm night.

27:00 Rolling Clock

00:00 - 06:00 1km Run

06:00 - 11:00

1 x Full Snatch every 15 seconds (42.5Kg)

11:00 - 16:00

1 x Full Snatch
1 x Hang Snatch every 20 seconds

16:00 - 21:00

1 x Full Snatch
1 x Hang Snatch
1 x Power Snatch every 30 seconds

21:00 - 27:00 1km Run

Challenging and tough, reps felt good, 42.5kg was a good weight to do this at. The second snatch set was the worst, I did miss about 3/4 lifts throughout the 15 minutes of lifting purely as I wanted to catch my breath and chalk up as the hands were a sweaty mess.

The 1km runs were about 3:24 for the first run, then 3:50 for the second run. I was pretty much the slowest out of all the the athletes there. Which is soul destroying but does keep me wanting to push and improve.

 

[Jester*]

"Furnace Friday" Team workout.

Took the decision to train and just see how I felt. As we all know, it was pretty hot.

Teams of 2 today, but due to numbers myself and one other member mirrored each others reps and were part of a 3.

6:00 AMRAP

20 x Partner Wallball Throws
20 x Partner Situps

Got half way through the fifth round on this warm up. The irony of a warm up when the temperatures are a breezy 30 degress plus.

WOD 35:00

400m Run
50 x Toes to Bar
400m Run
50 x Overhead Squats (42.5Kg)
400m Run
50 x Thrusters (42.5Kg)
400m Run
50 x Overhead Lunges (20Kg Plate)
400m Run
50 x Kettlebell Swings (32Kg)
400m Run

Much running, which was a struggle. I was feeling good until we hit the thrusters. Body temperature seemed to go through the roof and I started to suffer big time, so throttled back a little, never any point in running yourself into the ground. We finished in 27:59 which turned out to be a very quick time for the day.

My team mate helped pace the runs, and got me pushing hard in the right places on the final 400m and we hit the fastest 400m of the workout. Work on those weaknesses.

 

[Jester*]

Barbell club on Sunday was a tweaked version of what we completed in the athlete session on Wednesday.


00:00 - 05:00

1 x Full Snatch every 30 seconds (50Kg)

05:00 - 10:00

1 x Full Snatch
1 x Hang Snatch every 45 seconds

10:00 - 15:00

1 x Full Snatch
1 x Hang Snatch
1 x Power Snatch every 1 minute

I did this at a higher weight while maintaining technique. It felt really good! It always helps when there is not a shed tonne of running involved also.

WOD 5:00

EMOM

3 x Deadlift
3 x Squat Clean
3 x Hang Power Clean
3 x Jerk

a lot of reps in a minute. Stuck with 50Kg and that was more than heavy enough to be breathing pretty heavy at the end of the 5 minutes!

 

[Jester*]

Monday ended being pistol practice!

Warm Up 9:00
EMOM

1. 20 Sec Active Hang + 20 Sec Extended Plank
2. 15 x Strict Press (20Kg Bar) + 15 Hollow Rock
3. Rest

Nice warm up, got everything going and I am really enjoying the new structured warmup that has been introduced recently. Definitely adds to the stretching I do before the session starts.

Push Press
Every 3:00

2 x 4 @ 85%
3 x 15 @ 50%

I really enjoy push press. Felt comfortable hitting my percentages today of 85Kg and 50Kg respectively.

WOD 18:00

40 - 30 - 20

Deadlift (70Kg)
Alternating Pistols (Each Leg - 80/60/40)
Box Jumps

Sooooooo this happened. As soon as I found out it was 40 each leg for the pistols in the first round I knew this was going to be a good practice workout. Managed to trudge through the first round in a blistering 16:00! But on the plus side I felt as if they were getting smoother.

 

[Jester*]

Tuesday leg day!

Warm Up - 10:00
3 Rounds

30 sec Left side plank
30 sec Push up position scapular circles
30 sec Right side plank
12 x Cossack Squats

A good warm up again, cossack squats always seem to get me!

Front Squat
Every 3:00

5 x 3 @ 85%

Much like last week, but this time we did it pre workout. So I was much more confident that I would hit my percentages. It went well did 107.5Kg for 3 rounds, then 110Kg, finishing on 112.5Kg which is pretty bang on 90%. Very happy with that.

WOD 10:00 To complete each round

2 Rounds

800m Run
50 x Wallballs

Not my idea of fun, went harder on the run as this is an area I want to improve on. May have compromised my wallballs slightly but not too badly. First round finished in 6:42 then the second round in 7:50. Going out on that second 800m run was horrible, legs were not really as loose as I would have liked them to be!

 

[Jester*]

Athletes on Wednesday evening was a pairs affair.
WOD 30:00

70 x Cal Bike
60 x Box Overs (30")
50m Handstand Walk
40 x Cleans (90Kg)
30 x Ring Muscle Ups
20 x Shoulders to Overhead (90Kg)
10 x Handstand Pushups (3 x 20Kg Plate deficit)

Yea this was pretty brutal. The handstand walk, was more of a handstand practice shuffle, got there in the end but it wasn't pretty! More work needed there that is for sure. Cleans got pretty emotional if I am honest, doing so many at a high weight is a harsh test. Muscle ups were done in singles, rings still lag behind my bar work! Shoulders to overhead felt one of the easier parts of the workout for me. I managed to finish off the set with 4 unbroken reps at 90Kg. Then the handstands were in 2's, with tired shoulders it was hard. We only just finished in 29:50!

 

[Jester*]

Thursday, was basically attacking the shoulders again.

EMOM 24:00

1. 20 x Box Overs (24")
2. 1 x Legless Rope Climb + 5 x Down Ups
3. 25 x Double Unders + 5 x Ring Muscle Ups
4. Rest

Oh this was a good test, 6 rounds of work. I managed to get all the box overs every round, and much to my surprise all the legless rope climbs and down ups. I took minute 3 as ring muscle up practice and did between 3 and 1 each round as the shoulders really started to fall off.

Push Press @ 60%
Every 3:00

1 x 12
1 x 13
1 x 14
1 x 15

Again this was pretty murderous. Got through the first 3 rounds and failed on rep 9 of the last set. Not too bad considering the sheer amount of shoulder work that we have done this week. I was doing 60Kg.

 

[Jester*]

Friday team workout was a fun affair. But I decided to do the Box's August Challenge before it.

50 x Cal Bike - For Time

So go nuts out for 50 cals and record your time. Yours truely thought this would be a good idea to do before the days team workout. First 30 cals went quick, by 35 cals I wanted to quit, 40 cals and nearly there, 45 and struggled over the finish line to record a 1:47. The pain in my legs was ridiculous and I never ever want to do that again. I put it up with 1Km Row for pain levels.

Team Workout 20:00
AMRAP

"Incredible Hulk" @ 52.5Kg

5 x Deadlift
5 x Hang Power Cleans
5 x Front Squat
5 x Push Press
5 x Back Squat

Up until about 5 minutes before this workout I was just going to do the bar as I was feeling horrible from the bike. But I had a word with myself and got onboard with the 52.5Kg. We managed 14 rounds + 1 rep. More than happy with that as my legs were screaming at me during the squats.

Weekend off and it has been a hell of a weeks training.

 

[booyaka]

50 cal bike - nasty.....I've got 36 cals in a minute before but I was broken at that point - not sure I could find another 14......

 

[Jester*]

Oh it was bad. I have said never again, but I've said that about 1Km row and have done that 4 times so far!

Monday we got some legs in.

5 x 3 Back Squat @ 85%
Every 3:00

Did the first 3 sets at 120Kg then the last 2 at 125Kg which was a tiny bit under my 85%. Happy with that, could have gone a touch heavier but it always takes a few sets to warm up into it, before you know it everythings over!

WOD 9:00

800m Run
30 x Burpee Bar Hops (Burpee, jump over the bar and back again)
15 x Hang Power Snatch (70Kg)

Very tight time cap on this one, came in off the run at about 4:15 then off the burpees at just over 7:00. Couple of seconds to get my breath before trying to pump out some snatches. Managed 5 in about 90 seconds before hitting the cap. Good workout, also very hot!

 

[Jester*]

Tuesday was purely barbell work. Which made a nice change!

Warm Up 9:00
5 Rounds

20 sec Right Arm/Left Leg Raised Plank
10 x Candlesticks
20 sec Left Arm/Right Leg Raised Plank
10 x Supermans

Alternate arm/leg planks are surprisingly challenging. Especially when you have to crane your head up to see the clock and fall on your face as you lose your balance.

Bench Press 4 x 9 @ 70/75%
Every 3:00

I never get too excited by bench, but got to put the work in to get somewhere. First set was done at 70Kg, found it too easy and upped to 75Kg for the remaining sets. Failed at rep 6 on the final set. Pretty happy as this was actually over my 75%. Chasing that 100Kg bench press PB, hopefully will come later this year when we retest.

12:00 EMOM @ 65%

2 x Snatch Grip D/L
3 x Hang Squat Snatch

I doff my cap to anyone that can complete this at 65% of their 1RM from the start. It took me about 6 sets to warm up into it at 50Kg (a good 10/12Kg below my 65%). Moved up to 55Kg from minute 7, then up to 60Kg from minute 10. So I managed to end up 2Kg below my 65%. I spat myself out of 2 snatches, poor technique on the second or third rep but on the whole I was moving really well. Definitely feel like I am dropping under the bar so much quicker.

 

[Jester*]

Wednesday deadlifts. Made the workout after much harder.

Warm Up 6:00
3 Rounds

200m Run
15 x Reverse Overhead Lunge (20Kg Plate)
15 x Ground to Overhead (20Kg)

Nice little plodding warm up. Never about finishing but getting the blood pumping and this was a good 'un.

E3MOM Deadlift

1 x 10 @ 50%
1 x 10 @ 60%
1 x 10 @ 70%
1 x 8 @ 75%
1 x 6 @ 80%

Hook Grip/Neutral Grip only - Unbroken Sets

So this felt really good. My weights went as follows 85/102.5/120/130/140. Really happy with how I am deadlifting at the moment and the last 2 reps at 80% were definitely tough but completed every rep.

WOD 20:00
5 Rounds

24 x Kettlebell Swings (32Kg)
18 x Alternating Reverse Goblet Lunges
12 x Box Jumps

Oh this looked so simple on the board. But after going heavy on the deadlifts I found that forearms, lower back and general midline were definitely fatigued. The swings and the goblet lunges were pretty tough going. I broke the swings into 8/8/8 and the reverse lunges into 6/6/6. The box jumps were the easiest part! Managed 4 rounds + 11 reps before hitting the cap. Not bad, but definitely a surprisingly tough workout.

 

[Jester*]

Thursday work. Finally a workout that plays to my strengths, always good when they come along.

Warm Up 6:00 - Empty Bar
3 Rounds

10 x Rear Rows
10 x Overhead Squats
10 x Bent Over Rows
10 x Snatch Balance

Only did one round through, as I was busy getting my stretch on at the same time. Targeting the lower body including some ankle mobilising ready for...

5 x 4 Overhead Squat @ 80/85%
Every 3:00

This went quite well, weights went as follows 80/82.5/85/85/87.5. Had to do 5 reps on the last set, my fourth rep was borderline breaking parallel, so being one to make sure and did the extra rep.

WOD 20:00

30 - 20 - 10

Shoulders to Overhead (60Kg)
Toes to Bar
Box Overs (24")

This was a workout that I quite enjoyed, being good overhead and solid toes to bar meant I got through this well. Box overs were just a case of grinding through them. Finished the workout in 13:02.

 

[Jester*]

Last Fridays team WOD was one from the 2018 Crossfit Games

"Triple 3"

50:00 Teams of 2

3km Row
300 x Double Unders
3 Mile Run

The run was split into an "I go, you go" style of 400m distances. So it was a total of 12 x 400m.

We split the row into 250m splits and I kept the pace at 1:38-1:40 during my splits. Double unders were in 50's and the runs were done at a good 2:00 pace.

We finished in a shade over 42mins at 42:12.

 

[Jester*]

Today I walked into a workout that is definitely not my strong suit. But it turned out to be quite a fun one in the end.

WOD 50:00

2 Mile Run

2:00 Rest

35 x Hand release pressups
35 x Wallballs
35 x Pullups

2:00 Rest

2 Mile Run

This went surprisingly well, tough as with all these running workouts for me. First mile was done in 7:15 and came in off the second mile at 15:30. Finished the mid workout, rested and back out on the run at 26:26. First mile came back at 34:55 then the final mile got through the door at 43:02.

Overall actually quite happy, baby steps but I do believe that my pace is improving.

 

[Jester*]

Beginning to think we might be having "leg week"

Warm Up (8:00)
3 Rounds

45 sec Hollow Hold
10 x Down Ups
15 x Situps
10 x Strict Toes to Bar

Front Squat - E3MOM

1 x 10 @ 50%
1 x 10 @ 60%
1 x 10 @ 70%
1 x 8 @ 75%
1 x 6 @ 80%

Hit my percentages, legs were feeling it after the last set. Weights were as follows 62.5/75/87.5/92.5/100. Legs were about to feel a whole lot worse...

WOD 13:00

3:00 AMRAP x 3

17 x Shoulders to Overhead (50Kg)
17 x Back Squat (50Kg)
Max Reps Wallballs

Rest 2:00

This was not very nice. The shoulders to overhead were split to 13/4 then straight into back squat and did all 17 reps. Wallball numbers were 28/21/21 to give me a total of 70 at the end.

Later on went and had my monthly treatment, targeted quads/neck/traps. Got some of the niggles out and already feeling much better.

 

[Jester*]

Athletes session last night. Legs are still suffering...badly.

10:00 Skill Work

Spent time on my hands, trying to get used to free standing to eventually progress towards handstand walks. I am spending 5/10 minutes after most sessions practicing so I can hopefully crack it by Christmas.

WOD 15:00

4 Rounds

11 x Burpee Box Jumps (36")
9 x Chest to Bar
7 x Toes to Bar
5 x Strict Handstand Pressup (Hands on 20Kg Plates)

Tough one this, very technical. Made sure I didn't bail on the high box jumps, no one likes wrecking their shins. Chest to bars and toes to bar are quite comfortable for me so they were not a huge issues. The strict handstands were my weakness, got through them but had 2 left as I hit cap. As soon as you start to fail, thats it.

5 x 8 Bench Press @ 70% (Legs raised off the floor)

1 x Legless rope climb after each set.

Yea this was also funky. Good old push/pull. Did the first 2 sets at 60Kg then upped to 65Kg for the last 3 sets. Managed all the rope climbs bar the 4th round where I lost my grip half way up and just decided to save what ever fingers I had left for the last round. That last climb was touch and go, grip managed to hold on for just long enough.

Really enjoy the tougher more technical programming.