Last weighed in at 213.0 on Wednesday. I hit the elliptical again on Wednesday but haven’t done anything that could be described as a workout since. I’ve done the usual shoulder band stuff and mobility drills a couple of times each day but nothing more.
Tomorrow is the 10K which will be awful. Fortunately a good few of my friends are also in my boat of total unpreparedness which means I won’t be totally alone when I inevitably have to start walking!
Here’s the elevation - not pretty, especially as most of it is off-road.
Anyway if that doesn’t kill me I’ll rest up on Sunday and resume normal lifting on Monday.
Woke up around 7am and got a bowl of cereal down me before being picked up for the drive down.
Arrived and met up with all my friends about 45m before the race started. We had 15 in our group, of whom one was a former national under 16 cross-country competitor, three were in the armed forces and did lots of running, two or three just run recreationally because… I dunno I guess their lives are empty? The rest were like me.
Set off and the first 1500m or so was flat road running. Then we came to the first hill, which almost every competitor power-walked or not-so-power-walked. It was a 200m ascent over the course of another 1000m or so, which was no fun. Then there was another 2K or so flat or slightly downhill, followed by a horrific steep bit uphill again. This brought us to the halfway mark, and then we had another 1500m long, 200m high ascent. Then another flat/downhill mix until the 8K mark, and a final steep but short ascent that I thought I might throw up on. Then we did the first 2K again backwards and were done.
I clocked in at 1h35m or so, which I’m actually pleasantly surprised at. The forces lads were “only” around 15m ahead of me, which isn’t exactly small potatoes in a 10K but it’s less than I expected. The cross-country guy was 1h1m. If we do it again next year I’ll be curious to see what I can do if I am actually able to train for it.
The winner was a former Royal Marine who is a nationally competitive triathlete and did it in 35m or so, about 10-15m ahead of second place. Absolute maniac.
Glute DOMs is insane today after those hill power walks, and I think I actually have intercostal DOMs from breathing so hard.
Anyway, that’s over now. Would not recommend. Back to lifting tomorrow.
Not the most fun day of training, but got it done. Switched up to a conditioning-first setup a la Dark Horse, so that combined with the fatigue from Saturday meant this wasn’t an earth-shattering day of strength.
However as I’ve never done a clean & press before, every rep was a PR by default.
Workout
Warmup
Flexible Five
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Bear complex
Main Giant Set
Four rounds:
8x burpee bar touches
8x clean & press away (30/35/37.5/40kg) I meant to record this topset but forgot. My cleans are probably awful.
10x overhead bends
10x med ball throws
Strongman Conditioning
AMRAP in 1m: Funfair Dumbbell (25kg)
7 reps right, 1m rest, 6 reps left
Secondary Giant Set
Four rounds:
5x chinups (couldn’t add weight, so did a dead hang pause between reps)
5x strict press @ 40kg
8x decline bench Russian twisty things w/plate
30s box jumps
First weigh-in for a while today at 215.8. It wasn’t a particularly decadent trip home, but I’m sure my macros were not as consistent as usual.
I had deadlifts booked in for today, but as I can afford to move around the planned active recovery day from Friday to today I did so. Not feeling 100% in terms of overall fatigue, and I think I may have picked up some sort of illness at home. Will see how it develops.
Workout
Warmup
Flexible Five
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Down a little to 215.4 today. Feeling a lot better this morning than last morning, illness-wise. Hopefully that’s that done.
The SGS was meant to be four rounds but I ran out of time as I had to wait a while for the rack to free up for deadlifts/good mornings. I got to play with my new mini bands for the first time so that was fun. Will definitely buy more.
Workout
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Flexible Five
Metcon
2m on/1m off for four rounds (AMRAP):
8x 30kg bag to shoulder (4 each side) // 10x burpees // 20x KB swings
Main Giant Set
Four rounds:
8x good mornings (25-30kg band tension at the top) w/40/45/50/55kg
8x deadlifts @ 100/120/130/132.5kg (sort-of PR*)
10x hanging leg raises (quite bent-legged if I’m honest)
30s KB swings
Assistance Giant Set
Three rounds:
5x front squats
10x DB stepups
8x burpees
Strongman Finisher
5m bear hug bag carry w/30kg** - each drop is a 5x burpee penalty
*I’ve hit 130x9 and 135x7 I think, so this is right in the middle. Definitely a rep PR at this specific weight.
**Didn’t have the time to do my usual MacGayvering of a heavier bag today.
Finishing off 2018
My original plan was to run Spinal Tap but astute readers will notice that I’m continuing with the giant sets and conditioning.
Decided instead to follow a condensed version of Brian’s LP (two weeks each 4x8, 5x5, 10x3) and I basically took all the parts of the last program that I hated most/was worst at and perused his WoDs for more nasty things and threw them all together.
I’ll start adding an events day on the weekend as well when the local Crossfit gym has finished its refurb.
Down to 214.6 today. Feeling extremely beaten up which makes sense because I basically took the week off last week, except to run up a big hill.
Wasn’t feeling today’s workout at all so overall pretty happy with how it went.
Workout
Warmup
Flexible Five
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Metcon
1/2/3/4 chins/pressups/burpees/mountain climbers
Then 2/4/6/8, 3/6/9/12, etc. up to 5/10/15/20 and back down. 10m time cap.
Main Giant Set
Four sets:
8x landmine rows each hand (20, 22.5, 23.75, 25 in plates on the bar)
8x bench press (50, 55, 60, 65 - top set a joint rep PR)
10x Russian twist w/15kg plate
30s BW manmakers
Strongman
EMOM for 5m:
3x power cleans. Add weight after each. Started with the bar and got to 45kg. Should probably learn to do these properly.
Secondary Giant Set
Four rounds:
5x Pendlay row @ 60kg (too easy tbh)
8x incline DB bench @ 20kg
12x cabley obliquey twisty thingies
Today’s workout was less of a full session and more just experimenting with squats to see what feels right, technique-wise. I’m not finding low-bar working all that well for me, despite it being easier on the knees. Going to give high bar another whirl now that my glutes are a little stronger.
Workout
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Flexible Five
Glute drills
Metcon
10/8/6/4 KB swings/manmakers/goblet squats/burpees
Then 8/6/4/2, 6/4/2/1, 4/2/1/1, 2/1/1/1, 1/1/1/1 and climb back. 10m time cap. Didn’t get back to the start.
Main Giant Set
8x double KB swings w/2x 16kg bells
8x squats (60/75/85/95)
12x standing crunches
30s burpees
Squats
Played around with bar position and setup. Worked up to a fairly easy 100x3 high bar. This was a good 30m or more so called it a day after. Will get back on proper giant sets next week.
Up to 217.2 today but had a really godawful day of lifts. Not sure if it’s the weird tricep pain I’ve been getting for a couple of days, the conditioning draining me a bit or just having an off day. My opening set of press, a weight I’ve done for 20 reps before, was heavy today.
Astute readers will notice that today was meant to be clean & press, but I forgot to bring cash for the PAYG gym where I can do that so had to go to my usual place where kneeling press is king.
Workout
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Flexible Five
Main Giant Set
Four rounds:
8x burpee bar touches
8x kneeling press (30/35/37.5/30) Couldn’t go heavier. Bizarre.
8x overhead plate bends
10x med ball throws
Strongman
Funfair Dumbbell: 25kg
3 reps right, 3 reps left. Also felt super heavy.
Secondary Giant Set
5x chinups
5x Z press (up to 35kg)
8x plate halos
30s squat jumps
@littlesleeper yeah it is a bit. Anyway some days I’m just weak. Well actually I’m weak every day but some days I’m weaker than others.
Tuesday, 27 November
Woke up at 215.5 today and decided to push the workout back to tomorrow as I had my driving test this morning and wanted to be fresh. However since I failed it I guess I should have just done the fucking deadlifts and not wasted a day.
Deads tomorrow, bench/squat either Thu/Fri or Fri/Sat depending on how my schedule pans out. I have a night out planned on Friday night so perhaps squats are best kept before that. After this we’re onto the 5x5 week and hopefully hitting some 5RM PRs.
My waistline is basically knocking on the door of “unacceptable under any circumstance” so this is alright.
Anyway today was one of the toughest training days I’ve had for a while.
Workout
Warmup
Flexible Five
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Metcon
Take a mouthful of water, then do ten rounds:
3x bag clean and press
10x KB swings
Spit out the water. Physically pretty easy as I used a 25kg bag and a 16kg KB, but no fun at all with the water. I got jaw DOMS during.
Main Giant Set
Four rounds:
8x banded good mornings (doubled up bands to get ~65kg at the top, so 85kg including the bar)
8x deadlifts @ 120, 125, 130, 135kg (PR)
10x bent-knee leg raises
30s KB swings Full disclosure: last set of deads was a major rest-pause after six reps (which was still a PR at 135) but I nutted up for the last two for an overall PR.
Strongman Conditioning
45kg bag carry: five minutes total. Can’t remember how many drops/resets I had but “surprisingly few” is a fair comment.
Secondary Giant Set
Four rounds:
5x front squats @ 60kg This is a “front rack position PR” as I’d only ever done 60-70 for five reps with crossed arms before - I’m going to take PRs wherever I can get them!
10x DB stepups w/17.5kg DBs
8x burpees
Warmup
Flexible Five
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Metcon
Three rounds:
400m row as fast as possible
20/15/10 lat pulldowns
400m row as fast as possible
20/15/10 chest presses
Main Giant Set
Four rounds:
8x landmine row each hand w/20/25/27.5/30kg on bar
8x bench @ 50/57.5/62.5/65 Wanted to hit 67.5 for a PR but 62.5 felt tough, so kept it easier.
10x Russian twists w/20kg plate
30s BW manmakers
Strongman
Practicing cleans with 5x3 at 50kg. Still no idea if I’m doing these properly but the bar is going from the floor to my shoulders and I’m not hurting myself (yet) so probably not awful.
Secondary Giant Set
Four rounds:
5x Pendlay row @ 70kg
8x incline DB bench @ 20kg
10x bandy-twisty-things
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Flexible Five
Glute drills
Metcon
15x3 goblet squats w/20s rest
Main Giant Set
8x KB swings @ 32kg
8x high(er) bar squats @ 60/70/80/85kg
15x standing cable crunches
30s groiners Would ideally like a bit more on the squat but I’m still working out some kinks in technique, so I’ll take it. Felt very good today.
Strongman
60s AMRAP deadlifts @ 120kg
Secondary Giant Set
Four rounds:
5x good mornings @ 60kg
30s hyperextension hold
8x glute bridges
Up to 218.8 today after the weekend. Think I’ll ride this gains train through the first six weeks of 2019 before working on recomping/leaning out as I’m still pretty chonky. Of course, this is depending on where my strength levels are at because I’d rather be strong enough to not zero everything in July than have visible abs.
Then again… ¿porque no los dos?
Sad news is that the new gym (with room to perform a proper standing press) didn’t really work out, so kneeling press it is. In January I’ll start doing a dedicated events day on Saturdays at the refurbished Crossfit gym.
Workout
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Flexible Five
Metcon
Some hill runs - on the way back from the other gym.
Main Giant Set
5x pullups
5x kneeling press @ 40kg
8x decline sit-up twist things w/ 12kg KB
30s KB swings
Woke up at 218.8 again after a terrible night of sleep with a really tight/sore lower back. In addition, I sliced my left ring finger open making dinner last night and it was really throbbing. On top of that, a flight to the London office tonight meant I had to really rush things and skip my strongman/SGS.
Perfect conditions to set a deadlift PR, then.
Workout
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Glute drills
Metcon
Max reps in 3m: burpees/KB thrusters
Rest 1m
Max reps in 2m: squat jumps/KB swings
Rest 1m
Max reps in 1m: KB snatches/mountain climbers
Main Giant Set
8x KB swings
5x deadlifts @ 120kg
12x standing crunches Meant to have burpees as a finisher here, but my finger was bleeding through the plaster and tape I’d jury-rigged so I figured I wouldn’t increase my heart rate too much.
8x KB swings
5x deadlifts @ 140kg
12x standing crunches At this point I had to go upstairs and get some more plaster/tape/bandages from the front desk, which gave me an extended rest period - this, plus the fact that 5x140 felt super-easy, meant it was PR time. Previous best 5RM was 145.
8x KB swings
5x deadlifts @ 140kg
12x standing crunches 150x5 is there on a better and less bloody day but wasn’t going to happen today; the fifth rep of 147.5 was a hitching RPE9.5.
That’s all she wrote for today. I’ll do some light conditioning in the hotel gym tomorrow morning, and then on Thursday I’m back for some benchin’.
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Flexible Five
Metcon
Two rounds of Tabata hang cleans without letting go of the bar. Owie on the forearms.
Main Giant Set
5x Pendlay row @ 60/65/67.5/70/70
5x bench press @ 60/65/67.5/70/70
30s side plank each side Focusing on leg drive and setup here. The topsets felt good, but I don’t think I had much more in me.
Secondary Giant Set
Four rounds:
12x DB row @ 40kg
10x close-grip bench @ 50kg
12x floor press w/15kg DBs
Down a little to 218.3lbs this morning. Cut the workout short for a driving lesson.
Workout
Warmup
200 pullaparts
100 dislocates
Glute drills
Main Giant Set
5x squats @ 80/90/100/100/100
8x KB snatch each hand
10x hanging leg raise Played around with technique a little here. Still trying to get comfortable with a higher bar position, but happy with depth on these reps.
Metcon
Tabata bag clean & press alternated with KB swings
