Jesters* Crossfit Journey

[Jester*]

Monday was a good open to the week with some good squatting.

Warm Up 9:00
3 Rounds

10 x Rear Rows @ 50% Bodyweight
12 x Reverse Snow Angels
15 x Back Squat Goodmornings
45 sec Hollow Hold

The usual, I always take my time and just ease through the warm up to make sure I feel good and solid in myself.

Back Squat

Max Power Output in 12:00

5 - 3 - 1

This was something quite new and it was my first time trying this format. Very hard to get right in 12 minutes and I went with the 1 and done for each of the rep ranges. 120/135/150 so finishing on 1Kg below my 1RM made me happy!

WOD
16:00 EMOM

1. 16 x Cal Bike
2. 10 x Bar Muscleups
3. 12 x Pistols + 8 x Toes to Bar
4. Rest

This was really really tough. I managed the cals on the bike, but my BMU reps went 6/5/4/4, Pistols squats were just horrible and I managed about 8 each round. Poor legs.

 

[Jester*]

Tuesday was shoulder work with a side of cardio pain.

Warm Up 5:00
4 Rounds

30 x Air Squats
30 x Single Skips

Standard warming up through the movements to get the blood pumping.

Push Press

5 x 5 @ 80% Every 2:30

Managed to complete this at 80Kg for every round. I do like a good push press.

17:00 Rolling Clock

WOD1 9:00 AMRAP

100m Run
15 x Lateral Box Jump Overs (24")
15 x Push Jerks (50Kg)

2:00 Rest

WOD2 6:00

60 x Kettlebell Swings (32Kg)
30 x Burpees

Ooooooh this got messy fast. Managed to survive the first 9 minutes and complete 4 rounds on the nose. Got through all but 1 set of the Push Jerks unbroken and the one I missed was down to poor reload and fluffed the rep. Second WOD got bad, managed a set of 10 swings off the bat but then it dropped to sets of 5 and I only just finished and got 5 burpees in. Overall some really good work done. Was happy with how hard I pushed myself.

 

[Jester*]

Wednesday athlete training went well! A birthday WOD for one of the guys.

19:00 Rolling Clock

"Heavy Grace"

30 x Clean & Jerks (70kg)

2 Rounds Of

18 x Box Jumps (36")
9 x Deficit Handstand Pushups (5" Deficit)

To Finish

88 x Down Ups (Wearing a 10Kg vest)

Heavy Grace went well, finished in 4:30ish then got through the box jumps and unbroken on the handstands by 11:00. Then it was a mind game to slog through the down ups until I finished at 18:04.

 

[Jester*]

Today was some good conditioning!

Warm Up 6:00

15 x Weighted Situps (15kg)
12 x Single Leg D/L (2 x 20Kg Kettlebell)
15 x Russian Kettlebell Swings

WOD 17:00

5 Rounds 5:00
5 x Clean + Jerk (40kg)
5 x Box Jumps (30kg)

1:00 Rest

5 Rounds 5:00
5 x C + J (60kg)
5 x Box Jumps

1:00

5 Rounds 5:00
5 x C + J (40kg)
5 x Box Jumps

Tough work for me, wanted to go hard and push my engine. I finished each round my times were 3:13 / 4:33 / 3:51. Very happy with this

Ninja Handstand Challenge

15 sec on 15 sec off
15 sec on 15 sec off
30 sec on 30 sec off
45 sec on 15 sec off
60 sec on

Always like doing this, I managed to complete it. The final 60 seconds were very tough.

 

[Jester*]

Last Friday team workout!

WOD Teams of 2

40:00

I go, You go

10 Rounds

15 x Wallballs
10 x Toes to Bar
5 x Burpee Box Overs

2:00 Rest

10 Rounds

12 x Wallballs
12 x Situps
12 x Burpees

Another test of engine really, finished the first 10 rounds in 15:04 and finished the second round in 32:34. We both put in a good shift and I felt pretty good through all the movements.

 

[Jester*]

After a weekends stag (my own) went back to training Monday and it proved tougher than I expected!

Warm Up 6:00

4 Rounds

10 x Push Press (20kg Bar)
10 x Back Squat
10 x Behind the head Thruster
25 x Double Unders

Good warm up, nothing special to say about this.

12:00 Back Squat for Max Load

3 - 2 - 1 - 1 - 1

Seems to be in favour with the coach at the moment and this went surprinsingly badly. Hit 135Kg for 3 then dropped 140kg for 2 before getting it on my second attempt. Then dropped 145Kg for 1 and called it a day there, just was having one of those days.

7:00 AMRAP

100m Run
15 x Power Snatch (40Kg)
15 x Handstand Pushups (20Kg Plates)

This was a fast and furious one, with the handstands getting pretty tough through the second round. Managed 2 rounds and 75m of the following run.

 

[Jester*]

Today went really well. Felt as though I may have recovered from the weekends antics.

Warm Up 6:00

4 Rounds

5 x Overhead Squats (20Kg Bar)
10 x Behind the neck strict press.
15 x Squat Jumps

Did my warm up thing here and casually moved through the reps.

Overhead Squat @ 60%
E2MOM - 4 x 10

Slight deload this week and I did all my reps at 60Kg, moving well and felt very stable.

16:00 EMOM

1. 15 x Cal Row
2. 10 x Strict Press (40Kg) + 8 x Toes to Bar
3. 10 x Burpee Box Jumps (30")
4. Rest

I was slightly worried about the burpee box jumps as this usually catches me right out. But I got through every single round well and hit all my reps within the minutes. It feels like my engine is improving, slowly but surely.

 

[Jester*]

Wednesday.

Warm Up 5:00
2 Rounds

20 x Jumping Lunges
20 x Hollow Rocks
20 x Push Ups

Gogo get warm time!

WOD 15:00
3 Rounds

12 x Front Squats (70Kg)
30 sec L-Sit Dead Hang
18 x Kettlebell Swings (32Kg)

This was hard, so much leg work this week has taken its toll. Unbroken 12 in the first round then 2 rounds of 6/6 reps. The L sit dead hang could be broken down and was by far my slowest movement. Bad core and heavy legs! The swings were done 9/9 all the way through. Finished in 12:51

Bench Press

4 x 10 @ 70%
Every 2:30

So I went 60/65/65/65 and it felt good. Hit my percentages and fingers crossed means my bench strength is slowly improving.

 

[Jester*]

Thursday was pretty much a barbell day!

Warm Up 6:00

50 x Double Unders
25 x Situps
35 x Double Unders
25 x Candle Sticks
20 x Double Unders

Fun warm up, actually decided to finish this one in 4:31.

10:00 Movement Prep/Warm Up

E2MOM for 12:00 (6 Rounds)

3 x Hang Squat Snatch (Pick Your Weight - ~70%)

Really enjoyed this, after some shocking snatch work by me a few weeks ago it felt way more comfortable today. Weights went 60/60/65/65/67.5/70. So finished a little bit above my 70%.

Every 2:30

4 x 10 Straight Leg Halting Deadlift @40%

All sets done at 80Kg. Yummy for the hamstrings.

Then I decided to do the September Box Challenge which I have been putting off for....well all of September as I hate GHD situps.

For Time

15 - 25 - 35

GHD Situps
Ski Erg

Took my time with the situps and went harder on the ski erg. Finished in 11:31 and now my core really hurts.

 

[Jester*]

Friday was a good team workout!

Teams of 2
40:00

300 x Wallballs (Both partners working to accumulate at the same time)
4km Run
5Km Row

One partner could row while the other does some running. Myself and my partner swapped after 800m of running and we got through it all in 39:27.

I did have to best effort 400m at the end to get in under the cap!

 

[Jester*]

We started our rep max testing today! Some of my favourite times of the year.

6:00 Warmup
2 Rounds

15 x Wallballs Cleans
15 x Kettlebell Swings (24Kg)
15 x Hollow Rocks

Good warmup, a bit chilly today so made sure I got all stretched and good to go for....

30:00 to set

3RM Squat Clean
3RM Power Clean

I didn't write down my previous 3RM Power Clean so I thought I PB'd but in actual fact I equalled my old PB. But it did feel easy and comfortable at 105Kg. The 3RM Squat Clean was where I wanted to make the gains and managed to hit 107.5Kg for the PB. I had one shot at 110Kg and dropped the third rep, next time it is going to get done!

WOD 5:00

50 x Air Squats
30 x Pushups
15 x Chin Ups

Good little blast to finish and completed the work in 2:43

Looking forward to more RM lifts!

 

[Jester*]

Continuing the confidence building with todays testing.

Warm Up 6:00

10 x Walkout Hip Extensions
10 x Alternating Supermans
10 x Candle Sticks

After yesterdays cleans the hip extensions felt so good. I might start doing them at home!

30:00 To Set

3RM Squat Snatch
3RM Power Snatch

Took my time and built up from 40Kg. My weights went 40/50/60/70/75/80 for the squat snatch then deloaded and went 70/77.5Kg for Power. Both PBs as I have never actually recorded either before.

My technique felt so solid. The snatches at 80kg felt better than at 75Kg, so very very happy.

WOD 6:00

30 x Burpee Box Jumps (24")
30 x Box Step Overs (20Kg Plate Held Overhead)

Finished this in 5:08 the overhead hold was a lot more taxing than I thought it would be.

Tomorrow is athlete training where we will be doing the first "The European Championship" workout which is a clean/burpee ladder. Looking forward to giving this a shot.

 

[Jester*]

Sooooo the first European Championship workout went down Wednesday night.

TEC 19.1 12:00

12 x Clean (50Kg)
7 x Overbar Burpees
10 x Clean (60Kg)
7 x OBB
8 x Clean (70Kg)
7 x OBB Burpee
6 x Clean (80Kg)
7 x OBB
4 x Clean (90Kg)
7 x OBB
2 x Clean (100Kg) Tiebreak time taken at the end of these Cleans
7 x OBB

Remaining time AMRAP Clean @ 110Kg.

Really really happy with how this went. Hit tiebreak time at 8:03 and went on to hit 8 Cleans at 110Kg. Baring in mind my 1RM is 120Kg. I was super pumped up at the end.

Below is a video of my last rep, and how pumped up I was after it.

 

[booyaka]

Good job - quiet a few from our gym hitting it this week.

 

[Jester*]

The first workout was fun and will probably be the only heavy barbell of the 3 so I am bound to suffer in the future weeks!

Thursday continued testing.

6:00 Warm Up

5 Rounds / Add +1 Rep to Each Movement Each Round

5 x Sumo DL High Pulls (40Kg)
5 x Hand Release Push Ups
5 x Down Ups

Went with an empty bar and moved slowly. Had to sprint the last minute and get the HR up.

30:00 To Set

3RM Bench Press
3RM Deadlift

I have never officially set a 3RM Bench so this was going to be good to get some numbers on the board. It turned out really well, weights went 50/60/70/80/90Kg then tried to see if I could hit 95Kg for 3, this being my current 1RM and I hit 2 reps ok but failed the last one. This happened twice! I think I should be on for a 1RM of 100kg finally! Was warming up the deadlift in between bench lifts so I did not waste any time. Weights went 140/150/160/165Kg to hit a new PB. 170Kg being my current 1RM, I have that firmly in my sights for when we drop to 1RM testing. 165 felt solid.

 

[Jester*]

Friday Team Workout.

A bit of a repeat workout from earlier this year, but made slightly harder. June 3rd was when this was last done.

WOD 40:00

Teams of 2

15:00 To Complete

3 - 6 - 9 - 12 - 15 - 18

Thrusters (40Kg)
Overbar Burpees

15:00 To Complete

15 - 12 - 9 - 6 - 3

Thrusters
Overbar Burpees

Then 400m x 4 run while partner holds a 20Kg plate overhead.
Everytime the plate is dropped you need to do 5 burpees. Cashable at the end.

Compared to last time, the coach has added a round of 18 reps and an extra 800m of running. The big one being the removal of 5:00 rest between rounds of Thrusters and Burpees. But luckily if you finished before the 15:00 round cap you could take up to 2:00 rest before restarting.

I managed to go unbroken through the thrusters last time, but this time I had to break in the round of 18, only once and split the reps 10/8. All of the other sets were unbroken. I pushed my partner hard, much to his horror and we completed the first round in 13:03 then the second round in 27:05. The runs were completed with only a smidge of cramp! Got the runs done and done by 39:27.

 

[Jester*]

Sunday Barbell Club

Decided to do the 3RM lifts I missed on Wednesday.

Warm Up 20:00

Mixed Barbell Exercises

30:00 To Set

3RM Strict Press
3RM Push Press
3RM Push Jerk

Again managed to hit PB's across all of these lifts. 62.5Kg/95Kg/105Kg increase of 4Kg/5Kg/5Kg across the board.

I think I still had a bit more in the tank but the time was quite tight. I feel ready for the 1RM testing to begin!

 

[Jester*]

Monday was the last of the 3RM testing. We like to keep the PB train rolling and today was no exception.

Warm Up 9:00

3 Rounds

20 x Cossack Squats
10 x Feet Together Squats
10 x Toe Touches

Got warm and stretchy.

30:00 To Set

3RM Back Squat
3RM Front Squat

Built up the weight and managed to hit a massive 1Kg PB on my back squat for 141Kg. But my front squat was much more convincing at a good 5Kg PB for 120Kg.

The back squat felt okish but the front squat had more there. 1RM testing starts tomorrow.

Had my monthly sports massage session today and stripped out the body with particular emphasis on the calves and forearms.

Now I get married this Friday. To celebrate and to buy myself something I have bought a new pair of NoBulls to add to my collection. They have a little significance as they are the stars and stripes trainers, which is apt as my honeymoon destination is New York.

 

[booyaka]

Nice - slightly feminine - but I'll let you off!

Congrats on the wedding coming up and you'll LOVE NYC - favourite city. Been loads as I have family in upstate New York.

 

[Jester*]

Haha they look quite light in that photo. A bit darker IRL!

We have both been and loved NYC but never been together so it made an ideal destination.

Today we kicked off the 1RM's!

Warm Up 6:00
3 Rounds

20 x Reverse Lunges off a Plate
20 x Jumping to Plate
20 x Wallball Throws

Got warm quickly. All good.

30:00 to Set

1RM Clean
1RM Power Clean

felt confident going in and it did pay off. Spent the majority of the 30 minutes on the squat clean as I was on a roll and semi rushed the power clean with 4 minutes left on the clock.

Hit 120Kg squat clean PB and it felt good. Then had a few attempts at 125Kg and got so close.

In the remaining 4 minutes or so I popped 115Kg on the power clean and had 1 attempt at 120Kg before running out of time. That would have equalled my PB.

WOD 6:00

40 x Shoulders to Overhead (40Kg)
30 x Box Jumps
20 x Toes to Bar

A sweet sprint workout to finish and I cracked through unbroken and finished in 2:35.

Clean Videos below!