Jesters* Crossfit Journey

[Jester*]

Barbell Club on Sunday.

Coach led Warm Up

Complex - 15:00 for Max Load

1 x Squat Snatch
1 x Hang Squat Snatch
1 x High Hang Squat Snatch

Good fun, very cold today so not feeling incredibly mobile but managed to work my way up to and complete 75Kg for the complex. Had one shot at 80Kg and made it through to the high hang but unfortunately couldn't make the lift.

Then

15:00 to Set Max Load

1 x Back Squat

Squatting felt good. Went up as follows 80/90/100/110/120/130/140/145Kg. Was feeling solid and thought with my last lift I would have a shot at 155Kg, but it wasn't to be my day. Oh well, there is always tomorrow!

 

[Jester*]

Monday!

Warm Up (7:00)

1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9 - 10

Ground to Overheads (20Kg Plate)
Situps

Got warm, did many movements!

WOD 3:00 Work / 1:00 Rest (5 Sets)

3 Rounds
8 x Sumo DL High Pulls (20Kg bar)
8 x Push Press (20Kg bar)
8 x Back Squat (20Kg bar)

Remaining Time: Max Burpees

*Score is Burpees completed*

Strangely really enjoyed this workout. I approached it differently to everyone else it seems, where I paced the first 2 rounds then started to up the pace in the last 3. Everyone else went full effort round 1 and died towards the end. The 3 rounds of barbell work took on average 1:50 to complete leaving just over a minute to crank out burpees. My reps were 13/13/15/16/17 - 74 Rep Total

Bench Press - Every 2:30
4 x 12 @ 50%
3 Second Tempo

Did all my sets at 50Kg. Hard work in the last 2 rounds but happy to hit my percentage.

 

[Jester*]

Tuesday!

Warm Up 7:00
4 Rounds

15 x Hollow Rocks
20 x Overhead Plate Lunges (20Kg)
25 x Double Unders

Did movements and got warm.

Strict Pullups - Every 3:00

2 x 10 Unbroken *Add weight if able*

I completed both sets with a 6kg ball held between my feet.

5 x 1 Pullup Negatives
10 sec Down - 1 Rep Every 30 Sec

The bicep burn became pretty real!

WOD 7:00 AMRAP

20 x Thrusters (40Kg)
15 x Thrusters (60Kg)
10 x Thrusters (70Kg)
5 x Thrusters (80kg)

Lovely thruster ladder, much pain was felt especially during the 70Kg. Much worse than it looks on the board. Loaded 80Kg on the bar but had 20 seconds of time left and missed the first rep.

Zercher Squats - Every 2:30

4 x 8 @ Pick Your Weight

Did all my sets at 70Kg. Have decided I don't like these as they are really uncomfortable on the arms!

 

[Jester*]

Thursday!

Today was a surprise team WOD!

Warm Up

800m Row
20 x Wall Balls
1 x Tiger Crawl
20 x Wallballs
1 x Tiger Crawl
10 x Strict Pullups

Still cranking out the warming up. In addition to stretching before the session begins.

Team WOD - In Pairs
30:00

"KALSU"

100 x Thrusters (60Kg)
EMOM 5 x Burpees

This is the only workout I have quit since doing Crossfit. Trying to do this solo is an emotional roller coaster of pain and suffering. But as a pair it is not that bad at all. We finished in 14:39.

Extra WOD

30 x Deadlift (60kg)
20 x Squat Bar Jumps
10 x Strict HSPU

One of the girls was doing a seperate workout and in the true spirit of Crossfit the coach made us do a round with her. Legs hated the squat jumps after doing many thrusters.

 

[Jester*]

Friday - The final workout before Christmas.

Warm Up - (9:00)

4 Rounds

30 sec Active Hang
10 x Russian KBS (24Kg)
5 x Push Ups

Forearms and chest have been tight so the warm up was needed. Active hang was harder than usual!

WOD "GS 24"
45:00
In Pairs - 4 Rounds

800m Run / 50 x Wallballs
50 x Alternating Burpees (100 Total)
50 x Pullups

Tough workout this one, so while one partner was running the other was doing 50 wallballs. You swapped each round. It was an absolute slog, especially when it came to the pullups as my partner is only just practicing his butterfly technique which left me to do 35 each round. Which took its toll the further we got on. Hit cap with 3 rounds and 23 burpees complete into the fourth round.

Unfortunately I miss the Christmas workouts do to being on shift in the mornings, with the box closed in the afternoon. So an enforced few days rest before getting back into training on the 27th.

 

[Jester*]

First days training after nearly 6 days at a warm 3 degrees.

Lumberjack 20

40:00

20 x Deadlift (125Kg)
400m Run
20 x Kettlebell Swings (32Kg)
400m Run
20 x Overhead Squat (50Kg)
400m Run
20 x Burpees
400m Run
20 x Chest to Bar Pullups
400m Run
20 x Box Jumps (24")
400m Run
20 x Dumbell Squat Cleans (2 x 22.5Kg)
400m Run

Finished in 35:22 which is sloooooooow. But after 6 days of drinking and eating I am not too worried! About a minute slower than a year ago in the same conditions but 7:00 slower than May this year!

Lets get back into the training!

 

[Jester*]

Today was another Hero workout and one I haven't done for a whole year!

"Miagi"

45:00

50 x Deadlift (60Kg)
50 x Double Kettlebell Swings (24Kg)
50 x Pushups
50 x Clean + Jerks (60Kg)
50 x Pullups
50 x Kettlebell Taters
50 x Box Jumps (24")
50 x Wall Walks
50 x Knees to Elbows
50 x Double Unders

I had no idea what my score was last year and upon checking just now I improved by a massive 2 reps! The same sticking points as last year Clean & Jerks seemed to take forever and so did the double kettlebell swings. But this year I managed 35 wall walks, a small increase over the 33 of last year. Total reps 385.

We love any kind of improvements!

 

[Jester*]

New Years eve training.

"New Year Mayhem"

31:00

31 x Down Ups
31 x Overhead Plate Lunge
31 x Deadlift (60Kg)
31 x Box Jumps (24")
31 x Power Cleans (50Kg)
31 x Thrusters (40Kg)
18 x Man Makers (22.5Kg Dumbells)
31 x Thrusters
31 x Power Cleans
31 x Box Jumps
31 x Deadlift
31 x Overhead Plate Lunge
31 x Down Ups

Quite simply a pretty impossible workout in the time frame. So it really is max effort for 31 minutes. The man makers are absolutely ruinous, in combination with the thrusters before and after it tears your soul to bits.

Managed to get 5 power cleans into the second set. So 240 reps total. Really glad that is done for another year.

So now we are in 2019, first day back at work and the diet starts again in full force today. Getting myself back into the swing of things this week, back into double sessions next week linked with pool work. Will be signing up to ROMWOD at home in the coming week as well to get my stretching game on point.

Just under 2 months until the Crossfit Open kicks off and I really want a good open performance this year.

 

[Jester*]

Wednesday Athletes

First athletes session after the break was quite a relaxed affair.

10:00

Handstand Walk Practice

5:00 Ring Work

For me that was 4 x 3 unbroken Ring Muscle Ups

10:00

To aim to set a heavy 1RM Clean and Jerk (Aim for 90% of 1RM)

This went really well and I managed a 110 C+J. The jerk was slightly ropey but that is still pretty much 98% of my 1RM.

7:00 AMRAP

7 x Ground to Overhead (70Kg)
49 x Double Unders

Managed 3 rounds +3. Wasn't fun, double unders felt really difficult.

10:00 Rest

7:00 AMRAP

12 x Overhead Squat (47.5Kg)
12 x Pistol Squats EL (24 total)

Again exposes my pistol squats quite badly. Managed 1 round + 18 reps.

 

[Jester*]

Thursday was all about the gas tank.

Warm Up 10:00

3 Rounds

20 x Plate Ground to Overhead (20Kg)
15 x Plate Strict Press (20Kg)
10 x Overhead Plate Step Overs (20kg - 24" Box)

Then

40 x Box Jumps (24")

The warm ups are in danger of becoming full on workouts which makes me wary. So I still take my time, stretch mid way through and plod along.

12:00 AMRAP

12 x Dumbell Snatch (22.5Kg)
12 x Burpee

Burpees and dumbell snatches for 12 whole minutes. Kept a steady pace and did 7 rounds + 14.

5:00 Rest

12:00 AMRAP

12 x Thrusters (40Kg)
12 x Overbar Burpees

This was horrible. Movements most Crossfitters hate, put together for another 12 minutes. Legs felt like lead, blowing hard and doing the thrusters in sets of 6. Completed 4 + 16.

 

[Jester*]

Team workout today had a slightly different flavour to kick it off.

Bench Press - Warm up to 70% of 1RM

Then Teams of 3

5RM Benchpress - 3 Attempts each. (Score is best 5RM of each person added together)

I managed to hit 85Kg for 5 which is 85% of my 1RM and my team mates hit 52.5Kg and 35Kg respectively.

WOD 35:00

200 x Cal Row
200 x Wallballs
100 x Cal Row
100 x Toes to Bar

A good little heart raiser in our teams. The row was split into 1:00 intervals, I started off doing sets of 10 wallballs but found I had more in the tank so switched to sets of 20 to speed us up then my sets on toes to bar were 15/10/10 to finish in 27:02.

Moving on to the weekend and I am resting tomorrow. Going for breakfast and doing a few bits and bobs with the wife before hitting barbell club on Sunday.

 

[Jester*]

Barbell Club Sunday was very enjoyable.

Coach Led Warmup

Various crab walks, bear crawls, frog jumps interjected by 100m jogging.

10:00 EMOM

1 x Squat Snatch
1 x Hang Squat Snatch
1 x High Hang Squat Snatch

The aim was to hit 70-80% if you completed this complex on the 16th December. I hit 75Kg but decided to to open at the 80% which worked out at 60Kg. Hit all 10 sets of the complex and I really felt like I was moving well.

10:00 EMOM

1 x Hang Squat Clean
1 x Squat Clean
1 x Split Jerk

The same idea as above but I did not complete this complex back in December so I guestimated at 80% of my Split Jerk 1RM seeing as it was the lightest of all 3 lifts. Completed all 10 sets at 85Kg. No real issues moving the bar so very happy.

 

[Jester*]

Monday, I really had to drag myself into train.

Post night shift and not feeling 100% had my motivation low along with my energy levels.

Warm Up 6:00

2 Rounds

30 sec Extended Plank
10 x Hand Release Push Ups
30 sec Hollow Hold
5 x Candle Sticks
30 sec Under Hand Dead Hang
10 x Walkouts

Did movements, got warm.

WOD: 3 x 5:00 AMRAP (21:00)

12 x Deadlift (70Kg)
9 x Hang Power Cleans
6 x Push Jerks
5 x Pullups
10 x Push Ups
15 x Air Squats

The hang cleans were what slowed me down, really was not feeling this today and bar felt heavy. Hit 1 + 27 / 1 + 17 / 1 + 18 for the 3 rounds, so not terrible but not exactly a crazy pace.

Strict Press 3 x 20 @ 40% Every 3:00
Complete 30 sec Handstand Hold after each set.

Yea this was a challenge. Heck it would have been hard without having to do the handstand hold. Managed 20 / 15 / 12 reps at 30Kg. Completed all the holds, shoulders were sore after this.

Night shift tonight, hoping to feel a little more perky tomorrow but we shall see.

 

[Jester*]

Tuesday I trained solo, under the coaches watchful eye.

Warm Up 9:00
3 Rounds

20 x Air Squats
20 x Wide Air Squats
3 Laps OH Plate Walk (20Kg)
10 x Jumping Pullups

Enjoyed the warmup got all warm on a chilly afternoon.

Tempo Sumo Deadlift

3 x 10 (3 sec up / 3 sec down) @ 50% of 1RM Deadlift
No Mixed Grip

Did all 3 sets at 85Kg. Was a tough last set, grip was not happy!

WOD 20:00

150 x Double Unders
60 x Wallballs
30 x Chest to Bars
150 x Double Unders

Scored Twice - Time at completion of wallballs then final score at the end.

This was tough, double unders went ok, which means they weren't terrible but they weren't amazing either. First split was at 6:34 then finished in 13:59. That last set of DU were brutal.

 

[Jester*]

Wednesday

Warm Up 6:00
4 Rounds

20 x Mountain Climbes
10 x Air Squats

Gradually sped up. Got warm!

Zercher Squats 3 x 12 (Pick Your Weight)
Every 2:30

Still amazingly uncomfortable form of squatting and I am not a fan. But did all sets at 60Kg.

WOD 1 4:00

1:30 Max Strict HSPU (Hands on 20Kg Plates)
30 sec Rest
1:00 Max Strict HSPU
30 sec Rest
30 sec Max Strict HSPU

Tough, managed to get 14 across all 3 rounds.

WOD 2 20:00

30 x Burpees
30 x Wallballs
30 x Kettlebell Swings (32kg)
30 x Dumbell Push Press (Each Arm - 22.5Kg)
30 x Pullups
30 x Cal Row/Bike/Ski

This was quite fun, moved well throughout. Wallballs in 2 x 15, swings in 10's, push presses in 10's and the pullups in 10's also. I chose to ski at the end as I really do need to put more time into using it. Finished in 13:53

 

[Jester*]

Friday team workout was split into 2.

Coach Led Warm Up 10:00

Stretching and general mobilising was done before getting into pairs and hitting the following...

WOD 1 15:00

6 Rounds - I go, You go

60 x Double Unders
30 x Kettlebell Swings (24Kg)
15 x Burpees

Rest 15 - 18:00

WOD 2 20:00 AMRAP

4 x Power Snatch (50Kg)
8 x Ring Dips
12 x Box Overs (24")

*Break reps however you want*

Hard work, the first workout I felt was harder for me. Wanted to get all my double unders unbroken but tripped on 51 in the first round, but the next 2 rounds all 60 unbroken. Swings were done in 15/15 until my third round where the forearms started to die and went 10/10/10. We managed to get 4 Rounds + 96 reps.

Second workout was quite smooth for me, my partner suffered more and I took on more reps so she could recover. In the end we managed 15 rounds + 5 reps.

A weekend off for me as I am on mornings at work, so miss all the weekend sessions. Just some stretching at home until Monday!

 

[Jester*]

Fine mornings training.

Coach Led Warmup 7:00

4 x 8 Overhead Squats @ 70% of 1RM
Every 3:00

Hit my percentages on this nicely. All 4 sets complete at 70Kg.

WOD 14:00
AMRAP

21 x Wallbals (20lb)
15 x Power Snatch (40Kg)
9 x Overbar Burpees

Got gassy very quickly, broke up my reps from the start 11/10 then 5/5/5 and just ground out the burpees. Managed to get 3 rounds + 32 reps.

2 x 2 Back Squat @ 85% of 1RM

No specific time between the sets on this one, the idea being post exhaust lifting at a heavy weight. Went slightly under my 85% but still managed 125Kg for both sets.

That was the end of the session, but my coach who is prepping for the European Championships wanted some company lifting and I had nothing better to do and stayed back to do:

5 x 1 Clean + Jerk @ 80% 1RM
5 x 1 Snatch @ 80% of 1RM

The idea was to hit all lifts without failing any reps. Clean and jerk felt good and I managed to hit higher percentages, weights were as follows 90/95/95/100/100. Snatch went well, but I stayed at bang on 80% and did all my lifts at 72.5Kg.

 

[Delvis]

I don't envy you with all this haha

 

[Jester*]

I don't envy you with all this haha

Thanks for still reading! The difficulty should only be going up as I progress.

Tuesdays session was a mixed affair, some good and some not so good!

Warm Up 6:00

10 - 20 - 30 - 20 - 10

Plate Ground to Overhead (20Kg)
Hollow Rocks

Did ground to overhead and rocked a bit. Got warm.

10:00 Stretching

WOD1 12:00
4 Rounds

10 x Dumbell Strict Press (22.5Kg 10 Each Arm)
10 x Plate Step Ups (20Kg - 24" Box)
10 x Toes to Bar

30 Seconds Rest

This went so so, left shoulder wasn't playing ball and was a little tight. Got through 2 rounds and 14 reps.

WOD2 E3MOM - 15:00 (5 Sets)

5 x Strict Press @ 70%
10 x Down Ups
10 x Burpees

This went well however. Did 45Kg which is pretty bang on my percentage and finished each round in roughly 1:30.

 

[Jester*]

No athlete training for me this Wednesday due to being on nights. So I trained in the morning.

Warm Up 7:00
2 Rounds

15 x Good Mornings (Empty Bar)
10 x Strict Pullups
200m Jog

As always moved casually and got warm. Stretched mid way through as the left shoulder is still feeling tight.

Overhead Squat - Heaviest Load Possible (15:00)

5 - 5 - 3 - 3 - 1 - 1

This went extremely well, a proper confidence builder. I posted my PB last year in video and knew I had more in the tank and today I hit a new PB (managed the same weight twice as well) with coach saying there was definitely more in the tank, I also felt strong and solid. To PB after doing heavy sets of 5's and 3's felt awesome.

Weights as follows: 80/85 90/95 102.5/102.5

WOD 8:00

30 - 24 - 18 - 12 - 6
15 - 12 - 9 - 6 - 3

Dumbell Snatch (22.5Kg)
Burpees

With such a short time cap I knew I would have to go unbroken through the snatches to stand a chance of finishing. Unbroken I went and went sub 7 minutes to hit 6:56.

Today was a massive boost and them positive feelings are in full swings.