CrossFit 250222
The Other Total

Clean 1 rep
Bench press 1 rep
Overhead squat 1 rep*

Hang Power Clean: 165-175-185(f)
Bench Press: 225-245-255
Front Squat: 175-195-215

Score: 645

Today is a day to find a heavy single in three classic lifts. This workout has been coined as “The Other Total.” You are allowed to warm up and then have three attempts at each lift before moving on. Shoot to find a heavy single for each movement. Scaled the OHS to front squat - I probably lack the mobility to do a proper overhead squat and didn't want to use a heavy day to test that out. Everything felt real good - was slow on the last bench set but fought to complete the rep. Failed my last clean at 185-pounds. Need to turn my elbows over quicker at these heavier weights. Don't be afraid to take the bar in a half-or-quarter squat either so it does not need to travel as far on the way up. 

Stroke Rate Pyramid 
10-minute intervals with 2 minutes rest between
First Interval: change the rate each minute
r18-20-22-24-26-28-30-26-22-18
Second Interval: first minute light, second minute with pressure
r20-24-28-26-22

This was the fourth workout in Skeleton Challenge C2 podcast. Woke up with sore legs and kept the pacing on the moderate side, especially during the first interval. 

CrossFit 220814 

Bench Press 5-5-3-3-3-1-1-1-1 reps 

5s: 155 & 185 pounds

3s: 195-205-215 pounds

Singles: 225-235-245-250(f) pounds

Max output followed by long rest, work up to a near max effort. The 245-pound bar was a struggle and took everything I had to make the lift. As a result, I couldn't even get the 250# bar off my chest. Warmed up on the rower with a moderate effort.

CrossFit 220904 
Front Squat 5-5-5-5-5

145-165-175-175-175

Warmed up on the rower and then took two additional sets to build up to opening weight.

Practice the technique of breathing and bracing. Before every rep:
1️⃣ Take a deep breath into your belly, not your chest.
2️⃣ Brace your core like you’re about to get punched.
3️⃣ Keep your rib cage stacked over your pelvis.
4️⃣ Drive your elbows up and chest tall throughout the lift.

Rowing Warmup
1:30 @ lower rate followed by :30 at higher rate
r20/22; 22/24; 22/26; 22/28 and 22/28

Increase your intensity during the :30 intervals

Builder 
3 rounds:
21 bench press @ 115-pounds
21 banded triceps pushdowns (green)

Metcon
21 burpees
21 cals echo bike
rest 1 min
18 burpees
18 cals echo bike
rest 1 min
15 burpees
15 cals echo bike
rest 1 min

Builder reps should be slow and controlled focusing on getting full ROM and getting a stretch and squeeze at the beginning and end of the movement. Split the burpees into 3 sets each round and held a manageable pace on the bike (~60RPM) to try and manage my heart rate. 

Rowvember Day 18 - Light Ain't Easy 
3x 10 minutes
2:00 rest
DF 90

Set the damper to 1 for these three intervals and learn how to be quick at the catch. What you miss in tension at the catch, you'll make up for in speed throughout the drive. Work on changing directions quickly at the catch and keep your body tight and tensioned throughout. I followed along with ATFS #18 which includes three nine-minute intervals with easy, moderate and hard segments built in. I did an easy, moderate and hard final minute respectively for each interval to get to 10 minutes. 

5 rounds, each for watts: 
Max watts assault bike (cap at 20 seconds)*
12 Russian kettlebell swings @ 53lbs
6 jump squats 
- Rest 1:30 between sets

Warmed up on the rower, ramping up to :30 bursts at race rates to try and elevate the heart rate. The metcon was ROUGH. Got the bike north of 1100 WATTS each round, usually within 10-12 seconds. Was struggling to manage my heart rate and the rest between rounds was closer to 2:30 for the last three rounds. Subbed out jump squats for heavy wall balls due to limitations in the garage. In hindsight, holding the 14-lb med ball during the jumps would have been a better option.

 

Workout 42 - RowErg - Hindsight
2x 10mins with 3mins rest

Rate: 20 

First Interval 
3 Minutes Easy
4 Minutes Moderate
3 Minutes Hard
 
3 Minutes Rest
 
Second Interval
3 Minutes Moderate
4 Minutes Hard
3 Minutes Moderate

Another very humid morning out in the garage. Started a bit slow on the first interval. Low rate does not necessarily mean slow - for the hard intervals, aim to hold 5K pace. 

Workout 44 - RowErg - Opportunity Knocks
Warm Up: 
5 Rounds...
30 Seconds Easy
30 Seconds Powerful
 
Workout:
5 Rounds of 2 Minutes of Work
Each Work Segment 
5 Strokes to Build
10 Strokes at a Powerful Steady Cruise
Easy the remainder of the 2 Minutes
 
5 Rounds of 3 Minutes of Work
Each Work Segment
5 Strokes to Build
5 Strokes at a Powerful Steady Cruise
A Set of Power Burst Strokes
10 Strokes at a Powerful Steady Cruise
Easy the remainder of the 3 Minutes

7 rounds 

5 strict press @ 119-pounds

15 russian KB swings @ 53-pounds
-rest two minutes between rounds-

Warmup on the rower before tackling this piece. The swings are 'sneaky cardio' and I was nice and sweaty after a few rounds. The workout was written with push press but I opted for strict press as I was taking the bar from the ground each set. Could do this with push press at 155-pounds and would probably get a similar stimulus. Felt good to mix it up and do a metcon-style workout that did not include rowing. 

ErgWars #2 
1111m
No rest
2222m
Rest 2 min
3333m

Scoring: Interval 1, 3 and Overall Distance

Had planned on just treating this as an easy recovery row so my time for the first interval is not competitive at all. Felt great at the end, so I pushed hard during the last 400+ meters of the final interval. 

Row Conditioning 
1 min @ r28 (light pressure)
2 mins @ r22 
3 mins @ r20
2 mins @ r24
1 min @ r28
1 min @ r30

Set the monitor to 10:00 with 1:00 splits. Ended up here after starting 6x500m with 1:00 rest and only completing two rounds. Because of the extreme cold, I have really only rowed for the past couple of weeks and I was not really into it today. 

Row Conditioning 

⏱️ Duration: 10:00

💨 Stroke Rate: 24

🚀 Drag Factor (DF): 126

You'll alternate between sets of HARD and EASY strokes. Focus on pushing your limits with powerful strokes, aiming for a pace of around 2:03-2:05 for the HARD segments. Use the following EASY strokes to recover and lower your heart rate.

15 HARD / 10 EASY

20 HARD / 15 EASY

25 HARD / 20 EASY

30 HARD / 25 EASY

35 HARD / 30 EASY

Workout 69 - RowErg - Your 24 
Warm Up:
2 Minutes Easy @22 then,
10 Minutes Easy @24
At the top of each Minute, Row 10 Hard Strokes @24
 
Workout:
Five 4 Minute Intervals
Row 350m @24 Hard
Recovery Row @24 to finish the interval
No Rest between Intervals 

Held 5k pace for the HARD 350m. Define your endpoints at the catch and the drive. Catch, finish. Catch, finish.  Use the legs, PRESS them to extension, don't just FLOP them to extension. It can be easy to let your rate and pace fall away during the recovery periods. Bring it back. 

Row Conditioning 

4-3-2-1 minutes 

1:30 rest between each

26-26-28-34 stroke rate

Pace: start at 2k plus 10 and get faster

Drag: 118

Whoops! I messed up the programming and set the final interval to four minutes, causing the screenshot to look a bit weird. Put in a good warmup, working to r34 for a couple of 30-second intervals.  At such a high rate, you need to shorten your stroke and keep the body moving from 11 to 1. 

Crossfit 230517 
Complete as much as possible in 15 minutes of:
Row 500 meters
Max set push-ups

Push the row a bit while staying consistent. The goal is to finish 5 rounds of each movement. This workout demands that you use your legs on the row - otherwise the push-ups will be that much more difficult. Use the force curve to keep you honest. I don't have the same stamina with bodyweight movements anymore. It's clear that I need to work on my muscular endurance and shed some extra weight.

Stroke Rate Pyramid 
10-minute intervals with 2 minutes rest between

First Interval: change the rate each minute
r18-20-22-24-26-28-30-26-22-18

Second Interval: first minute light, second minute with pressure
r20-24-28-26-22

This was the fourth workout in Skeleton Challenge C2 podcast. During the second interval, your ratio is going to change from the first minute to the next. Your drive speed will increase to apply more power which means you'll need to slow down your recovery to hold the prescribed rate. PRESS the legs to extension, don't just FLOP them to extension. 

Workout 42 - RowErg - Hindsight 
Hindsight is 20/20. We head towards 20 Minutes of work at a 20 Stroke Rate.  In the first interval, leave yourself some room to make two jumps (measured in watts) from easy to hard. Set the monitor to view force curve. 
 
Workout:
Two 10 Minute intervals @20 with 3 Minutes Rest in Between

1st Interval: 3 Minutes Easy, 4 Minutes Moderate, 3 Minutes Hard
2nd Interval: 3 Minutes Moderate, 4 Minutes Hard, 3 Minutes Moderate

Try this exercise: 

Set your damper on a 1, row between a 25-30 stroke rate, use the force curve display and try to create consistent smooth curves that all look the same for 10 minutes. Training with the rower on 1 is like training with a PVC pipe to practice the Olympic weightlifting movements with good technique. You will find that you have to be really intentional and use your legs and time your transitions effectively with the damper at 1. Practice makes a habit!

On a 16 minute clock: 
Row 140 calories (120 if using assault bike)
-then-
AMRAP in remaining time
20 push-ups
12 v-ups

SCORE: 2 Full + 14 Push-ups

The metcon portion of this workout was challenging due to my current weight and limited stamina for pushing movements. I need to be more balanced in my training to address these weaknesses. 

Row Intervals 
Four 10-minute intervals with ~2 minutes rest between
Interval 1: 1 min @ r28, 1 min @ r26, 1 min @ r24, 1 min @ r22, 1 min @ r20, 1 min @ r20, 1 min @ r22, 1 min @ r24, 1 min @ r26, 1 min @ r28
Interval 2: 2 mins @ r22, 1 min @ r28, 3 mins @ r20, 1 min @ r30, 2 mins @ r24, 1 min @ r30
Interval 3: 2 mins @ r22, 1 min @ r26, 2 mins @ r24, 1 min @ r28, 3 mins @ r20, 1 min @ r30
Interval 4: 1 min @ r28, 2 mins @ r22, 3 mins @ r20, 2 mins @ r24, 1 min @ r28, 1 min @ r30

Warmed up with :30 on / :30 off for 12 minutes building in rate to prepare for the demands of this workout. Noted after the fact that recommended sequence was in reverse order from #4 to #1. Ten minutes blurs the line between power and conditioning. Don't let the pace drop too much on the lower rates, especially coming off a r26 or 28. Allow the pace to be dictated by the increase in rate, adding a bit of power but being careful not to redline.