Hang Power Snatch Practice

After my 5.3.1 I did a little Hang Power Snatch Practice
5 sets
5 reps @ 45#
3 reps @ 95#
3 reps @ 115#
3 reps @ 125#
1 rep @ 135#

5.3.1. Wendler Strength Re-Test

Today, Anthony and I decided to go into the box and Re-Test all of our Max Efforts on the Four Major Lifts - Bench Press, Dead Lift, Squat, and Military Press. This has been a very hard week for me, going on 6 straight days of Working Out. I should have taken Saturday off, but I couldn't pass up the chance to do a Fight Gone Bad. So I went in to this with very low expectations.. Planning on going up in weight by 5 pounds or so per lift.

Lift/Previous Best/Today's Best

Military Press/138#/140# - PR by 2#

Dead Lift/345#/360# - PR by 15#

Bench Press/225#/240# - PR by 15#

Back Squat/235#/290# - PR by 55#!!

I never thought, in my wildest dreams, that after the week I've had going in struggling with the Back Squat and doing all the leg exercises I've put my body through did I think I was going to PR here let alone be 10 pounds short of hitting 2 of my Goals - 300# Back Squat and 800 Crossfit Total (790#)! Really Great Feeling!! Now time to rest up and get back to my 2nd Cycle of Wendler 5.3.1.

Here is the video of Anthony and Me setting some PR's!

FIGHT GONE BAD

Today, one of the local Crossfit Affiliates, Real Fitness, invited all the local Crossfit Affiliates to compete in a big Fight Gone Bad!! Crossfit Redline, my box, was well represented as was Crossfit Blaze and Crossfit Estero. Even some of the LuLuLemon girls went at this monster. For those of you unfamiliar with Fight Gone Bad it goes like this:
3 Rounds for As Many Reps as Possible of:
1:00 min. of Wall Balls @ 20#
1:00 min. of Sumo DeadLift High Pulls @ 75#
1:00 min. of Box Jumps @ 20"
1:00 min. of Push Press @ 75#
1:00 min. Row for Calories
1:00 min Rest

This is meant to recreate how a professional MMA fighter feels doing a 3 round fight. Inspired by BJ Penn, who actually named this WOD: When asked how he felt after it he said, "It felt like a good fight gone bad!" There is also a championship version of this WOD which is of course 5 rounds.

It was my first time through this hell and I almost puked on the last round.. I managed to get 287 reps.. Was shooting for 300 or better but fell just short.. Anthony, owner of Redline, killed it with 328 reps I believe. Everyone had a great time and we all had a nice BBQ/my Going Away Party at Rocky's House after the hell. I will be doing this WOD again very soon to try to break the 300 mark!

MCGHEEEEEE!!!!!

Wow... What a WOD!
McGhee was the latest Hero WOD that CF Main Site posted sometime last week..
It breaks down like this:

As many rounds, plus additional reps, as possible in 30 Minutes of:
5 - Dead Lifts @ 275#
13 - Push Ups
9 - 30" Box Jumps

Anthony, the owner of Crossfit Redline, and myself decided to give this WOD a go on Sunday.
If we were going to do this WOD a month ago I guarantee we scale it down to something like 225#. We just simply were not strong enough to move that kind of weight for max reps in 30 minutes.. But just after a week of 5.3.1. Wendler strength program, that weight was very "do-able" I'm not saying it was easy, but we both were able to do double digit rounds.. I got 15 rounds and Anthony busted out 16!! 15 rounds is equivalent to 75 Dead Lifts or 20,625 pounds lifted in a half hour.. That's a lot! It definitely took us to the edge here and this is what Tuesday.. I'm still feeling it in my Back, Calves, Shoulders, etc.. I'm just sore. Luckily this week is an unloading week in 5.3.1. and the weight is going to be very light.. Only 40%, 50%, and 60% for 5 reps each..

Here is a link to some of that video!

First 3 minutes - http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1332106035917&ref=mf

12 Minutes in - http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1332091475553&ref=mf

Last 2 Minutes - http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=1332068674983&ref=mf

This Sunday, we plan on testing out our new Max Efforts for the Four Major Lifts - Dead Lift, Squat, Bench Press and Military (shoulder) Press before I leave for Whistler British Columbia, Canada to run the David Leadbetter Golf Academy for the summer!
I'm really gonna miss this place and all the new friends I've made thru crossfit. But hope to come back bigger, faster, and stronger than ever and look forward to making some new friends at Crossfit Whistler!!

Olympic Lift Practice Session

Here is a little Olympic Lifting Practice session I did the other day.. Same day as the low bar back squat. In this I work on some light weight Clean n Jerks, Snatch Dead Lifts, 3 Position Snatch - High Hang, Mid Thigh, and Below the Knee. Also a full Snatch.

Low Bar Back Squat Form Practice

After Watching my Low Bar Back Squat I decided to go back that same afternoon and do a light form practice session.. Here is the Low Bar Back Squat Video

Low Bar Back Squat

This morning I decided to try the Low Bar Back Squat position on my 5.3.1. Squat day.
5 reps at 160#
3 reps at 180#
Max reps at 205#

This position felt absolutely horrible and my form needs a lot of practice... With that said I feel this position will help me go up in weight on the Squat and hopefully help my first pull from the Clean and Snatch Position.

Google Mark Rippetoe - Low Bar Back Squat.. He goes into great detail of the physics and reasons for this position.

I also threw in 3 sets of 10 reps of Light Over Head Squats @ 95#- Focus being slow down and a hold at the bottom.. Something close to 2 seconds down, hold for 2 seconds in bottom and Explode Up and repeat (22X1)

I'm going to continue with the low bar squat until I get comfortable with the bar position and learn how to keep my back arched on the way down!!

Wendler 5.3.1. Strength Update

Wendler 5.3.1 Strength Update:
I realized I never really explained this program.
So here is how it all works:

Its all about Steady, Slow Progress.. There is now 3 month program for gaining strength.. This is something that will take a lifetime. So the overall Philosophy is Start Light and Consistent Progress over time!

1) Start by finding your 1 Rep Max for the Four Main Lifts that you will be performing - Military or Standing Press, Dead Lift, Bench Press, and Back Squat.
My 1 Rep Max for the lifts:
Press - 138#
Dead Lift - 345#
Bench Press - 225#
Back Squat - 235#

So as you can see, I am in need of some SERIOUS Overall, Functional Strength if I ever want to achieve the goal I have set for myself!

2) How the week by week Training breaks down:
You now take 10% off each of the 1 RM and you find your "Training 1 RM"
This is the number you will be working off of during your training.
Training 1 Rep Max:
Press - 125#
Dead Lift - 310#
Bench Press - 202#
Back Squat - 212#
Rounded up or down.

3) Its all about Percentages!
The Cycle breaks down into 4 weeks as follow: remember % off of "training 1 Rep Max"
Week 1
65% x 5 reps
75% x 5 reps
85% x 5 or More reps

Week 2
70% x 3 reps
80% x 3 reps
90% x 3 or More reps

Week 3
75% x 5 reps
85% x 3 reps
95% 1 or More reps

Week 4 -is a "deloading" week. Prepare for next weeks cycle
40% x 5 reps
50% x 5 reps
60% x 5 reps

So you notice the first 3 weeks the last set is as many reps as possible.. Your goal is number given but you want to go for as many as you can. You can then use this number to compare with other maximum efforts and track your progress. You can also find your Estimated 1 Rep Max with the following equation:
(Weight in # x Reps x 0.0333) + Weight in # = Est. 1 RM
The following Cycle (which is 4 weeks) you increase your Upper Body Training 1 Rep Max by 5# & and your Lower Body Training 1 Rep Max by 10# and work the same percentages!

4) My Schedule
3 Days On, 1 Day off, 2 Days On, 1 Day off
Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday - Press, Dead Lift, & Bench Press
Friday - Off
Saturday - Back Squat
Sunday - Olympic Skill Practice or Max Rep Day plus a Long or Medium Time domain Metcon WOD

I also add supplemental training at the end of each day. As the overall goal is to get strong, these moves end up being quite different from your typical Crossfit Metcon style WOD. But I do my best to keep it interesting. I usually keep the Supplemental stuff similar to the body part I am lifting that day.
For Example:
If I am doing a Bench Press day, I might do something like:
3 Sets of as many reps as possible Weighted Ring dips, followed by Tabata Mash of Pushups and Situps.. Or close grip bench press or, 7 Rounds of Hang Power Clean @ 95# increase by 10# every sets and alternate 10 Unbroken Push ups for time.

Today - 4.13.10
Warm up - 500m light row followed by hip and shoulder mobility work..
Then some light dead lifts with a snatch grip and some others with a clean grip plus the fat grip enhancements.. (makes the bar fat and kills your forearms!!)
5.3.1. Dead Lift Week 3
5 Reps @ 75% = 226#
3 Reps @ 85% = 256#
1 or More Reps @ 95% = 287#
I blasted out 10 reps @ 287#, which gives me a new Est. 1RM of 382.5# That is 37.5# above my PR.. I'll test after my next cycle and see how close this number is.. I'm pretty excited just for the fact that it is close to my overall goal of 400+ pounds!!
Then my supplemental work went like this:
A1) Single Leg Romanian Dead Lifts w/ 25# dumbbells each Hand. 3 sets x 8 reps/leg
A2) 50 Yard Reverse Sled Drag Sprints w/ 135# on sled
+
For Time:
15, 12, 9, 6 Reps of
Sumo Dead Lift High Pulls with a 2 pood Kettle Bell
GHD Raises
(Alt. between exercises)
Time: 3:55

So that's the break down of Wendler 5.3.1 Starting Strength Program. Time to get BIG!!

Snatch Balance Work

Sunday 4-11-10

Decided to get a good workout in before the Final Round of the Masters!!

Drilled my Snatch Balance Technique and then worked up to a Heavy Single.

95# x 5
115# x 5
135# x 3
155# x 1
175# x 1
190# x 1
200# x Failed at the bottom


Felt pretty good.. Really focused on a shorter more explosive dip and drive and made sure I stayed at the bottom for a few seconds on the lighter warm up weights. I'm going to throw in some Over Head Squat work later this week.. Light weight High reps..

After a little break I did a little WOD courtesy of ME Black Box:

For Time:


65# Thrusters x 50 reps
Double Unders x 40 reps
1.5 Pood Kettle Bell Swings x 30 reps
45# Plate Overhead Walking Lunges x 20 steps (10/leg)
Burpees x 10

Time: 10:09

A little disappointed with my time.. Broken Kettle bell swings killed my time.. Could have done more there.. And the walking lunges were broken into 10's with a break that was way too long!! Burpees were unbroken but horribly slow.. Felt like I had 50# on my back!! With that said, this was a very fun WOD and I got the response I was looking for! No more metcons this week.. Focus is pure strength on all my Wendler Lifts before I go into the unloading week where I will be working on my Olift Technique!

Here's the video of my Heavy Singles Snatch Balance Work.
Snatch Balance Work 4.11.10 [HQ]

Week 2 of Wendler 5.3.1

Week 2 of Wendler 5.3.1 Strength Program



Already seeing a difference in my overall strength.. Especially with my Dead Lifts. The light weight is really helping me to dial in my form.



I mixed in a little Olympic Lifting on my Deadlift day.. Usually I throw together a short Metcon or some isolated Strength work.. but on this day I went for my 1 Rep Max in the Power Clean and Split Jerk from the rack.

I managed to Clean 220# which is a 5# pr from the Games (215#)

and Split Jerked 235# which is a 10# pr from the Games (225#)

Felt a little faster through the middle this time around. Just need to be faster getting under the bar on the jerk.

Here are the Videos: First clip is at 135#, Second - 220# clean and Third - 235#Split Jerk

Week 1 of Wendler 5.3.1 Strength Program

Just finished off my first week of the Wendler 5.3.1 Strength Program..
Found all my 1 Rep Maxs for the Military Press, Squat, Deadlift, and Bench Press.. Excited to see these numbers go WAY up in the coming months.

Threw in a fun WOD on Sunday

First I built to a Body Weight 1 Rep Power Snatch at 174 pounds...Failed 3 times at 180#.. So close though! Video at the bottom.

Then for Time:
15 Power Clean @ 135
30 Box Jumps 24"
10 Power Clean @ 135
20 Box Jumps 24"
5 Power Clean @ 135
10 Box Jumps 24"

Time; 5:40

Very very excited about the Power Snatch.. Need to clean it up a little bit to hit that 200 goal! Lots of weight in between 174 and 200 but that's what I hope to hit in the next 3 months.