Nomadic Gains

Sorry, sorry, sorry!

Yes, I know it’s been a few weeks since the Huel Review post. I have no excuse and seek your forgiveness. Do I have it? Cool, thanks! You guys and girls are great.

So, I’ve been away for the last few weeks. My travels and holidays haven’t stopped me working out though, and I’ve seen gains on the way.

Before I get in to the travels….a new Clean & Jerk Personal Record! After the 103.5kg a short while ago, I then nailed 105kg…followed with 107.5kg in the garage gym, on a Sunday! @amrapplusone programming really pulling me up this hill. Love it!

First up, Tampa, Florida. Yeah, boy!

Florida in July. All with work but after a 9hr flight, I was invited to throwdown in CrossFit TAS by a long-time buddy of mine. Yep, within 90 mins of landing, this was us:

CrossFit TAS are regular Regionals Team competitors and yeah, it shows. What a box. Newbies and elite athletes throwing down together to the same programming each day. Immense attitude and genuinely friendliness too, top bunch. It was awesome to catch up with Roly. He got me in to CrossFit in early 2012 although he has really progressed onward and upward. Great to see.

Next up, back to the garage gym and another Personal Record, this time in the Snatch.

Using my 10.5kg York Beefy Bar, and a random collection of old plates, I secured a 77.5kg Snatch. That’s 2.5kg higher than a number that I’ve held for over 2 years, unchanged.

Staying in the garage gym at home, I also recorded this little number: https://youtu.be/kRCmAJJirJQ

Do check it out.

In between all of that, I’ve been getting workouts in regularly, not letting the excuse for a British Summer put me off with its regular downpours and cold snaps. We’ve also been out and about in Cornwall and North Devon. While I have no photos, I did this on the beach in Combe Martin:

I ran the mile down to the beach in an ok 7:30, did the WOD with a piece of wall, bricks and cement (all unbroken) and then staggered back the second mile.

So, it’s been a good couple of weeks away. Back now, and back in C.F. Watford for the next few weeks, I’m looking for some more pre-summer holiday gains and improvements.

Watch this space!

Pre-Open Confidence, More Travel Training

A Tiger doesn’t lose Sleep

Over the opinions of Sheep.

Strength. My Weakness. Despite significantly increasing my engine over the last year, my overall strength and heavy barbell cycling have plateaued, nae, reduced. It’s been a goal of mine for a few years to increase my strength but I have categorically failed at each attempt. My Snatch 1RM remains 75kg, with my Clean & Jerk at 102.5kg. 

It’s too late to make strength gains now but going in to this Open, I do have more confidence that I’m going to improve my global ranking with the improved engine and gymnastic skills. However, I have been worrying about Snatch specifically. I needed to prove to myself that I can at least match last year’s abilities.

I wasn’t going to train today, after training and coaching twice yesterday, and with travel today. But then, CF Open WOD 13.1 showed up on the programming.

17min AMRAP

• 40 Burpees 
• 30 Snatch @ 35kg
• 30 Burpees
• 30 Snatch @ 60kg
• 20 Burpees
• 30 Snatch @75kg
• 10 Burpees
• Max Effort Snatch @ 95kg

What an opportunity!!My best at this, during Open 13, was 14 Reps of the 60kg Snatch. I attempted it a year later and scored only 9 at 60kg. I’ve not tried it since, until today.

Total: 12 Reps @ 60kg 

While not a match for my best, I take a lot of confidence from this. In competition mode, I’ll add a few more reps to this, I have no doubt. Most of the Snatches were of good form although I acknowledge that some were indeed shitty. I REALLY need to get stronger but right now I know I can cope with 60kg (135lb) work in Open 17.

Travel

Once again, I find myself on a plane. Again, disrupted training. Again, an opportunity to work other aspects of my fitness portfolio. In this case, I’ll be working on Pistols and Handstand Push Ups. After a few years of increased gymnastic work in the Open WODs, I am expecting to see Pistols coming up this year. It pays to refresh certain skills and they are both easily dealt with while in unfamiliar surrounds and with no equipment.

Snatch Increase (not PR), Weighing My Food

Train Hard.

Eat Well.

Rest.

The reason for Fitness: to be able to explore and enjoy as much of the world as possible, for as long as possible.

After a long and tortuous journey on Friday, it was a relief to get home for a weekend of just ‘family time’. Since early Dec, we have been with friends or family every weekend; this was the first opportunity in what felt like ages to just do our own thing. What a superb weekend it was too! From walking around Burrator Reservoir, to Scratch coding with our eldest, doing colouring-in (DC Super Heros colouring book for Christmas 😉 ), to an awesome family Sunday lunch (with leftovers today, thanks Mrs Nomad!!), it was excellent. I just had to get that in there 😀

Batman rest on Sunday with a Superman mug of coffee.

One thing I noticed over the weekend was that I am starting to get my abs back. Now, I’ve never had a six-pack and am unlikely to but I’m getting back in to the shape I was in during last Summer. I had set that target for the start of the CF Open in late Feb but I’m there now after 3 weeks of disciplined eating (for the most part anyway).  I’m now going to take this further and see how I pan out over the next few weeks. With that in mind, I’ve taken Mrs Nomad’s kitchen scales and will spend this week weighing my food so that I can actually see what I am eating – I’ve already noticed that some of my estimates over the last few weeks have been well off. By creating a little notebook of quantities, I’ll be able to gauge my intake better in future as I tweet my training and nutrition.

But on to this morning….

-4C

…it was COLD! It hit -4C as I was driving back last night and no doubt a little further down the slide over night. Walking to the gym for the morning Snatch session was not a pleasant stroll.

Morning Snatch Session

Chatting through my Friday frustrations with one of the CF Watford Coaches (Hat, cheers for the logic!), I decided to switch my programme around slightly so that my Snatch 1RM work is done on a Monday, leaving Wed and Fri for the technique / accessory work. This way, I am rested and more likely to get in to the 85% bracket.

And that’s what happened today. Despite struggling and failing to get beyond 60kg on Friday, I achieved 67.5kg today (90%). Ok, there were a few fails in there but that’s because I’ve been messing with my technique a little as I seek to keep that bar as close to the hips as possible without actually smacking it forward and away.

Evening CF Watford Session

Strength

3 x 5 Strict Press

60 / 65 / 67.5kg

My record is 70kg but I wasn’t able to get to that in the time this evening. It’s fine, I’m confident with upper body strength.

MetCon

30min Partner WOD – one completes entire round while other rests.

• 15 Cal Row
• 12 x Clean & Jerk @ 42.5kg
• 12 x Wall Balls @ 9kg
• 12 x Toes to Bar

Total: 9 rounds + 28 reps. Between Tom and I, we completed 9 rounds. I completed 5 of those but only because I started first. Had  Tom started, I doubt I would have done so well; while I completed each set of 15 cals in under 40 secs, the C&Js slowed me down – first round unbroken, others were 6+3+3. Wall Balls were unbroken and TTB were 6+3+3 or 6+6. My grip strength really struggled but it wasn’t just that. My head wasn’t in it but I’m actually not too fussed by it at the moment. I know I’m in a strong place overall.

Nutrition

MyFitnessPal: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/nomadcelt

Having listened to the very excellent “Eating for Strength” from Barbell Shrugged, I’ve tweaked my requirements a little to support strength and recovery.

• 182g Carbs – green leafy vegetable carbs, on the whole.
• 180g Protein – Lean Meat, Nuts, Seeds, Whey Powder to supplement.
• 70-90g Fat – keeping it closer to the 70g mark while I lean down a little.

These numbers won’t be hit exactly and will require a little tuning over time. I am including more carbs late in the evening though in order to raise insulin, which leads to a drop and a subsequent drop in cortisol, which aids sleep.

Improving all the Time. CF Open 17 – Registered.

I may not be there yet

But I’m closer than I was yesterday.

Another restful weekend has just passed by. We spent it in the historic town of Warwick, mooching about Stratford Upon Avon, visiting castles and having fun with family. Having two full days off from training really appears to be working out for me, especially if I’ve been able to get a solid week of 6-7 sessions in beforehand. With a good rest, I always come in to the week with an explosive start; today was no exception. Starting off with the AM Snatch programme, I set myself a new record, starting heavier and finishing heavier. By the end of the day, I entered CF Watford aiming to do well and ended up joint top! Tidy beans!

Finally, the CrossFit Open is here again!! All signed up and RARING to go. Despite being a year older, I’m faster, have a much bigger engine and am in a better state than this time last year. Ok, my overall strength hasn’t increased but it hasn’t decreased either. My barbell cycling is better and all of my benchmarks scores have improved. I am genuinely excited going in to this one. Here goes!!

Morning Snatch Programme

Every Minute on the Minute x 20 (EMOM 20)
3 x Snatch Hi-Pull

5 x 50kg
5 x 55kg
5 x 60kg
3 x 65kg
2 x 70kg
1 x 72.5kg (1 Set of 3 Hi-Pulls at 72.5kg)

I started and finished heavier than last week. This is a better place to enter the Open with. If I can push this up to 75-77.5kg then I’ll be more content; of course, I actually have to be able to Snatch that much too!! 😀 😀

CF Watford Evening Session

Strength

5-3-1 Strict Weighted Pullups

5 x 16kg / 3 x 20 / 1 x 24 / 1 x 28 / 1 x 32kg!

PR! BOOM!

MetCon

14min AMRAP

• 20 x Double Unders
• 20 x Toes To Bar
• 20 x Box Jumps @ 24″
• 200m Run

CFW is really hammering the double unders at the moment and my right achilles is feeling it (which is weird because for the last two years it has been my left one). I only managed the third set unbroken, the others were broken once each, usually around about 15-18 – I do need to tighten these up before the Open. The Toes To Bar were tough – I’ve not done them in a while but I know there are more to come and so am happy they’ll be sorted by 23 Feb. As for the box jumps – unbroken throughout.

All in all, a good start to the week.

Nutrition

A shoddy weekend of food, truth be told. I’ve got to grip what I’m eating and drinking at weekends. Yes, I absolutely should have a “Vice Friday” or “Shame Saturday” but not a whole weekend of poor food; it was hard though because we were out and about, walking around in the rain and eating in Wetherspoons.

Today though:

Pre-AM Session: 10g Walnuts

• Post-WOD: 25g Whey Protein + 200ml Whole Milk
• Breakfast: 75g Porridge Oats + 200ml Whole Milk
• Snack: 10g Mixed Nuts
• Lunch: M&S Egg & Avocado Salad Bowl
• Snack: 10g Mixed Nuts
• Dinner: Fajita Chicken & Pork Mixed (350g approx. total) + 400g mashed Carrot & Parsnip
• Post-WOD: 25g Whey Protein + 12.5g Skimmed Milk Powder
• Drink: LOTS of Pink Grapefruit Squash (no sugar) and 330ml Coconut Water

 

Stash from Ryderwear. Squats and MetCons from Watford.

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I was up early one morning, in the gym causing intentional DOMS with the squat programme, when my phone pinged. I don’t usually stop to check it in the middle of a session but I think I was looking for any excuse at that point for an increased break from the barbell!

What glowed up at me though was a rather neat email from a rather neat sportswear company that I’ll admit I’d not heard of before. RyderWear, a sports apparel shop in Australia, had seen my blog and were offering me the chance to test out some of their kit! Well who isn’t up for free stash!?

Taking a look at their site, I was immediately struck by the ‘functional fashion’ on offer. Sure, PT kit has to be functional. Noone wants to trip over their own over-stretched t-shirt and break their fall with their nose during Fran but this is something different. It is quite obvious that each item is carefully thought out in relation to others on offer. Indeed, one click of a top and you find recommendations for matching shorts and shoes! Well, being about as fashion aware as “Brick” from “Anchorman”, I definitely appreciated this kind of guidance. It might have been known (within the last few days even) for me to wear an orange CF Watford t-shirt, bright green shorts, dark green cycling shorts and blue compression socks!! Yeah. I am THAT guy in the CrossFit box.

Selecting a few items that definitely do go together, and keeping it pretty military, I went for the following:

Military Ribbed Tank, Action Mesh Shorts & Raptor Khaki Shoes

What amazed me next was the delivery speed. Sent via DHL, they were signed for in under 4 days! And that’s FREE international shipping, people! Unfortunately, I was away when they arrived and so had to get excited from Texas, in excited anticipation, from afar.

I’ve got a little mobility issue going on in my left arm, it would seem…hmmmm….should really get that checked out.

Starting with the Tank vest, I am extremely impressed with the ruggedisation and fit.
I’m not the biggest guy, nor the most muscular, and I therefore

mmmm….sweaty.

don’t usually do vests. However, this is now in my favourites pile. Tough, nicely fitting (I got the Medium) and extremely flexible across all dimensions, this met the needs of the squat programme session in the morning and a CF Watford MetCon later on – yes, I did wash it in between! What do you think I am!? 😉 The cut is such there is completely free movement under the arm without chafing on the material.

It’s still pretty warm over here and a tank vest has exactly been what is required. Perfect timing for a humid and muggy Autumn evening in London.

Next up, the shorts. These appear to have been built for ‘functional fitness’ and are a superb fit for CrossFit. I always suffer with shorts in one way or another, usually around the thighs when getting in to a squat or when beginning a Snatch or Clean or because they are too loose and get caught somehow. Not so with these babies. Loose enough to allow completely free movement but secure enough not to be flapping around during running or high intensity MetCons. These are excellent gym-based fitness shorts.

Ok, the shoes……

Right, I’ve been in the fitness trainer game for about 5 years….I’ve been in to fitness for almost all my life in one shape or other. I have never seen lifting shoes quite like these Ryderwear ones. High ankle, soft uppers and with a completely ‘minimalist’ (no heel drop) base, these took a little getting used to. I have no doubt that high-level Australian professionals have endorsed these and so I have confidence in their performance…..they’re just not what I was used to with my Adidas Powerlift 2s. Slipping them on felt like I was pulling on my old flanker (wing-forward) rugby boots. I used to LOVE those things. Despite being a sprinter, I always felt more secure with the ankle support; so too here. I have weak ankles and this provided a degree of lateral stability. However, what I gained there, I lost in dorsiflexion – this is a condition of ME and not the boots, I should add! Having had operations on both ankles to remove bone growth, I have limited dorsiflexion in either ankle and absolutely need a heel raise in order to get down in to the bottom of a squat or lift. Simply resolved, I added my orthotic insoles and I was away! The flat sole provides the grip and overall stability that you need in a lifting shoe while the boot-like upper, despite being soft, provides the security. They are still a little ‘new’ to me but I know I’ll come to love these little beauties in short order.

Shoe change to my Inov-8s as there was running in the MetCon

Not the best example of an Overhead Squat! Do as I say, not as I do, people!

Not having seen Ryderwear.co.uk before, I am really excited by this brand and will be buying more stash shortly. The free international shipping is an absolute no-brainer, making this immediately competitive with UK companies. Am I a gym ‘fashion’ convert because of it? No. I’m 37 years old and my days of trying to be fashionable are behind me….but if the site tells you exactly what matches what then who am I to argue?!

Snatch This! :D Equalling a Record and Feeling Awesome!

Yeah….um….about this morning.

I KNOW what I’ve been saying recently about motivation, achieving goals, even smugly highlighting that I train in the rain when others don’t…………but………you know some mornings when even though the sun is shining you look outside and think, “nah”. Well, that was me this morning. I’d had another pretty crappy night’s sleep and was feeling a little shocking. However, I’d foolishly put on the CF NWD page that I would be up and raring to got for “Cindy” at 0615. What a douche!

So here’s what happened next. I got dressed in to PT rig, headed downstairs and outside to the monkey bars. Noone there. About-Turn. Walk back up to room and lay on bed reading book.

Yep, that actually happened! As the French might say, “qu’est ce que le fuck?!”

So, yeah, it happens to us all.

However, tonight, I did go to CF Watford to cleanse myself of such lazy thoughts and actions!  And I won.

Strength – Building towards a 1RM

3 x 3 Snatch

3 x 50 / 3 x 60 / 3 x 65. THEN. 1 x 70 / 1 x 75!!!

The WOD was for 3 x 3 but I couldn’t resist it!! I knew I had it in me to hit 75kg for the first time since Oct 15, despite many, many attempts. The morning work has been paying off. I have confidence to go for more very soon, as with the Clean & Jerk.

MetCon

• 1 min ME Box Jumps @24″
• 1 min ME Sumo Deadlift High Pull @ 42.5kg
• 2 min ME Box Jumps
• 2 min ME SDHP
• 3 min ME Box Jumps
• 3 min ME SDHP

27/15 – 41/25 – 50/35 = Total of 203!

A good test of Muscular Endurance, the trick is to pace this at the beginning and not go out too hard. Yesterday’s Anaerobic Recovery WOD was complemented today by an Aerobic Capacity / Muscular Endurance WOD. This one very much focused on low weight, high volume balance and coordination.

Nutrition – Recipe

Banana Nut Butter Protein Cake

Recipe:

• 1 medium Banana
• 1 scoop Whey Protein Powder (Chocolate)
• 1 teaspoon Crunchy Nut Butter (almond or cashew)
• Handful Oats / Dried Fruit
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 microwave
• 1 minute on full

In a mug, mash banana until completely liquid (who knew there was so much liquid in a banana!). Mix in Nut Butter & Oats / Fruit and keep whisking with fork until smooth (apart from the crunchy nut bits). Add 20-25g Whey Protein and keep mixing until smooth (yeah, apart from the nut bits!). Add 1 x Large Egg and whisk with fork. Put mug in microwave (do not cover, you’ll find out why). Shut door (health and safety). Put power on Full and Timer for 1 minute. START.

This is ‘Take Two’ of a version I tried a while ago that was dry, spongey and quite horrible. This one is so much better. What grows up out of the mug is a delicious cake of pure awesome power-in-a-cup!! This is now my Go To sweet snack pre or post-WOD. Amazing hot or cold. You may need to eat it with a fork though as you tend to get some gooey chocolatey goodness at the bottom. Alternatively, turn the mug upside down to get it out and you’ll have a cake with ready-made sauce! Why not try adding coconut instead of oats / fruit?

Links

Day 15 – #22kill #22pushupchallenge: https://youtu.be/KkBihuKkYOM

On Target at the end of the Week – 16 Jun 16

I’ll start with last night, Wed 15 Jun.

Pulling in to CF Watford, I was gunning for some barbell work; after a lot of bodyweight, aerobic, gymnastic work recently, I really wanted to get hold of the barbell and throw it around. The CF angels shone down and sure enough, I smiled at being welcomed by:

Strength – Snatch Accessory Work

4 x 3 Behind the Neck Snatch Grip Strict Press

20 x 20 / 5 x 40 / 3 x 45 / 3 x 47.5 / 3 x 50 / 3 x 52.5kg

The heaviest weight in the box, I am particularly pleased with this as I work towards getting back to beyond my previous Snatch best. All strict. I reckon I can go heavier too.

MetCon – Extended Anaerobic, Low Weight, Medium Reps

Here’s the fun part!

For Time (@42.5kg):

• 20 x Thruster
• 400m Run
• 20 x Power Clean
• 400m Run
• 20 x Front Squats
• 400m Run
• 20 x Shoulder to Overhead (Push Press)
• 400m Run
• 20 x Overhead Squats

Time: 13:54 Rx

Studying the board beforehand, I was a little intimidated by some 14.5min times on there. However, aim at them I did and SMASH!!!! Top score of the day! All Thrusters unbroken, Power Cleans SHOULD have been unbroken but I broke in to 10 / 5 / 5. Front Squats were 15 / 5 (could maybe have squeezed them all out), Push Press unbroken and Overhead Squats unbroken!!

I must confess to dancing around the gym as I came in under the 14 min mark. Boom!

Cheers Arnold, you’re the best.

Today – 16 Jun 16

A whole day in a conference in central London and I was aching to get in to the gym tonight. However, after 3 days on the trot of muscular endurance work, I wanted to take another crack at my Clean & Jerks; 2 weeks ago I was upset to not get past 100kg Clean and only a 92.5kg Jerk (different sessions).

After conducting my #22kill #22pushupchallenge Day 10 video (here), I started pushing through some good Clean work.

Strength – Olympic Lifting

1 RM Clean & Jerk

80 / 80 / 85 / 85 / 90 / 95 / 90 / 92.5 / 97.5 / 100kg

YES! Back on track. Ok, it’s not my 102.5kg best but that’ll come. This was about getting confidence on the bar again and I’ve done that. It wasn’t plain sailing though; I failed at 95 and 102.5 while working up the ladder. I’d like to have had another 15 mins or so to go back down again and try to breach 100 but ultimately, I got what I wanted.

Nutrition

Not ideal. Conference food. It actually was very good quality but it was wraps, sauces, pastries, etc. I snacked on a few boiled eggs on the way home and ate homemade chilli & rice for dinner (thanks Mrs Nomad).

Well Being

A very poor night’s sleep last night. I’ve had a valerian sleep tea tonight and hope it does the trick. Once I’m asleep, all is well, it’s just getting there in the first place that seems to take time.

Links

• Clean & Jerk with Mike Burgener: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5aAuwgpJZE
• Behind Neck Push Press: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L100AVnh49A

Stronger than Yesterday – 14 Jun 16

Just a quick update this evening as I’m headed for my bed after 4 sessions in 2 days.

Strength AM – Snatch Accessory Work

Hang Power Snatch 5 x 5

5 x 50 / 5 x 55 / 5 x 55 / 5 x 57.5 / 5 x 57.5kg

Stronger than I’ve ever achieved before. Good form, very pleased. Skin sore on hands (if not missing) but perseverance paid off this morning.

Strength PM

@CrossFit Watford. Dreaded what I saw of the MetCon as I walked in but I’ll get to that.

Snatch Grip Deadlift

5 x 60 / 5 x 60 / 5 x 70 / 3 x 90 / 100 / 110 / 120

Pain in the palms was a bit of a limiting factor, no hook grip possible. However, I’m quite pleased with this. It’s not a big lift compared to my regular deadlift but it’s accessory work for the Snatch, not the deadlift.

MetCon – Aerobic, Gymnastic, Muscular Endurance

For Time (20 min Time Cap):

30-25-20-15-10-5

• Burpees
• Box Jumps
• Toes To Bar

Total: 15s complete, plus 5 Burpees.

I’d love to have completed it but my pacing was slow. Toes to Bar were in 10s and 5s, no less except in the last round. This was TOUGH. Aerobic, Gymnastic and all about the ability to keep going. No breaks to speak of, just a stead plod through it. Spent.

Nutrition

Not watching it too much at the moment. Certainly not recording it. Still clean though. Eggs/Beef/Milk for Breakfast, couple of bananas during the day, plus some nuts. Meat and eggs for lunch, plus 1-min Microwave Protein Cake. Dinner was homemade chicken curry and sweet potato, washed down with whole milk.

Well-Being

As pointed out by Mrs Nomad, I am looking very tired in my #22kill #22pushupchallenge videos (see link below). Sleep was good last night and I’m anticipating a good night of sleep tonight too.

Links

My YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS9nRq9E0iv8nVG5CrsfVAg

How much do I want this? Get Out Of Bed! Monday 13 Jun 16

Back in to it with force this morning. Following on from last week’s early morning theme of ‘Power’ and Oly Lifting work, it was all about the Hang Power Clean today. So, up at 0600, Tassimo in the cup (Carte Noire Petite Dejeuner, I’ll have you know) and kit on. A quick mooch over to the gym and by 0615 I had a barbell in hand. Especially on a Monday morning, but generally too, CF NWD is pretty quiet; I was tempted to start conducting some coaching in the mornings but am enjoying the time on my own actually, now that I have set out morning areas for development. I also forgot my iPod….lesson learned for tomorrow!

AM Strength – Skill, Moderate Heavy Lifting

Hang Power Clean

10 x 40kg / 10 x 50 / 5 x 60 / 5 x 65 / 5 x 70 / 3 x 75 / 3 x 77.5 / 3 x 77.5kg

It look a while to get the hips engaged but once I was through the 40/50kgs, I was getting a lot of power up through the hips. 85% of my 1RM (90kg) is 72.5kg and so I was extremely pleased to hit the 77.5kg as I did. The skin being ripped off my thumb and the pain in the thumbnails (hook grip) were limiting factors in this case but actually I wouldn’t have gone heavier. Tomorrow will be Hang Power Snatch, if I can find some zinc oxide tape for my thumb!

PM @ CF Watford

I should have guessed what would be on the menu after trashing my thumbs this morning – SNATCH! HAHAHA!!!!

Not a worry though. I got to Sainsbury beforehand and grabbed some tape; it didn’t help the pain in my thumb as I tried to hook grip though – By Thor’s Scraggly Beard!

Strength

3 x 5 Snatch

40 / 50 / 60kg

Ok, still not all that strong, I get that. However, I was very pleased with the form and ability to cycle through 5 @ 60kg. Now’s the time to start pushing the weight. Confidence under the bar is key. Tomorrow morning’s Hang Power Snatches will help.

MetCon – Muscular Endurance, Gymnastics, Active Recovery, Coordination

Partner WOD

30min AMRAP

• 30 x Double Unders
• 15 x Pull Ups
• 15 x Push Ups
• 100m ‘Sprint’

Total: 13 rounds plus 32 Singles (partner did single skips)

I Rx’d the lot, completing 7 of the 13 rounds. Pull Ups were the hardest part but easily the bit I was most happy with. Double Unders unbroken throughout (almost, 1 trip in round 2), Push Ups were strong. The Pull Ups were unbroken in round 1 and 2, then broken in to 10s and 5s for 3/4/5, then 5s for the final 2.

Nutrition

I’ve been adding more to the food as of this morning. Still very clean but just a little more of everything. 300ml of Whole Milk, for example, an extra egg at lunchtime. Food over the weekend was typical, with beer, nachos and relaxation food. However, it’s back to the working week now.

Well-Being

Feeling strong. Really enjoying the training at the moment. The routine seems to be working. Now, I just need to sort out the sleep issue (not getting off to sleep well at all). Generally feeling very motivated though and am also loving adding a little bit back in to the Twitter world @nomadiccrossfit

Links

Kipping Pull Up Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZJMblG5apg

 

Olympic Lifting Practice at Dawn O’Clock – 08/09 Jun

Wed 08 Jun

So I rolled, limp as a fish, out of bed yesterday morning after a shocking night; my phone’s updates kept vibrating the sideboard to the point that I was so bloody angry and would have crushed it beneath my boot had I not needed it for the alarm…and if I was wearing boots (which I wasn’t…..because I was in bed….and that would be weird). Nevertheless, with a day at an Information Security Expo ahead and no chance for an evening workout, this was my only chance.

Scoffing a banana down and washing it away with coffee, I stumbled, bleary-eyed over to CF NWD, turned on the hall lights and crawled to the lifting platform. It was my aim to work on Cleans, breaking the movement in to component parts just to get back to being with the bar. As I said the other day, I’m not intending to breach 85% 1RM in the mornings. Still, that’s 85kg that I have to lift at 0630!

But lift it I did and lift it well too:

• 10 x First Pull to Above Knee @ 20kg
• 10 x Knee to Mid-Thigh @ 20kg
• Repeat
• 10 x First Pull to Above Knee @ 60kg
• 10 x Knee to Mid-Thigh @ 60kg

5 x 1 @ 60 / 5 x 1 @ 70 w/ Front Squat / 5 x 1 @ 80 w/ Front Squat / 3 x 1 @85kg w/ Front Squat

Even at 0630, with a good warm up and proper control over the movement breakdowns, you can achieve your aims. I hit those 85kg solidly and with great form. Tired Lion I might have been but I moved when I had to.

Thurs 09 Jun

After a great night’s sleep, this morning was initially the opposite of yesterday. I lept out of bed, grabbed my clothes and gulped a banana down in one fell swoop with a glass of whole milk. Running over to the gym, I was in great stride!

Looking at the Snatch this morning:

• 10 x First Pull to Above Knee @ 20kg
• 10 x Knee to Mid-Thigh @ 20kg
• Repeat
• 10 x First Pull to Above Knee @ 40kg
• 10 x Knee to Mid-Thigh @ 40kg

5 x Overhead Squat @ 40kg

Snatch: 5 x 1 @ 40 / 5 x 1 @ 50 / 5 x 1 @ 55 / 5 x 1 @60 / 3 x 1 @65

Given that 85% of 75kg (my official, albeit long time ago, 1RM) is 63.75kg, I am happy that I again achieved my morning aim. On Friday, I intend focusing on the Deadlift a bit. More than anything, I am just having time on the barbell and getting those movement patterns locked in again, gaining more confidence with each rep.

CF Watford

Not content with that little number, I signed up for the evening session at CF Watford. I felt in AWESOME form as I walked in and was even more pleased when I saw tonight’s WOD:

Strength

3 x 5 Overhead Squat

5 x 60 / 5 x 65 / 5 x 70

I warmed up with sets of 10 at 40 and 50kg but I was so pleased that I’d worked on Snatches this morning, it meant my shoulders were exactly where I needed them to be for this. It was the highest score of the day, albeit the ‘elite’ guys hadn’t conducted it – that said, I think they have a separate programme anyway so of those who actually did the lifts, I got top today! BOOM!

MetCon

7 RFT:

• Run 200m
• 15 x Box Jumps @ 24″
• 15 x Toes To Bar

Time: 18:53 Rx

If ever there was a WOD for me, this was it. Storming in to the top time of the day for this one too, I was extremely happy throughout. I pushed myself on the run, tried to go unbroken on the box jumps with bounding jumps; the only times I stopped were to pull the box back as I risked cracking my head open on the pull up bars. The TTB were unbroken for the first round but in 10/5 for rounds 2-4 and then 8/4/3 for the remainder. I really pushed myself today and felt good for it. Not once did I slow down to try to catch a breath, I just kept going. It’s not often I get to say that.

Nutrition

Pretty damned good.

• Breakfast: egg / milk / chicken slices / leaves / tomatoes / protein powder / banana / coffee
• Lunch: Chicken slices / leaves / protein / banana / tomatoes / Tuna
• Dinner: half a roast chicken and hot sauce / big glass of whole milk / leaves
• Pre-WOD: USN Protein Bar (vanilla) as it was reduced in Sainsbury
• Post-WOD: Whey protein

Well-Being

When I’m getting the sleep in, it’s pretty ace, to be honest! Feeling good overall in myself, can’t complain.

Links

 

• Clean: https://youtu.be/7J8MnL7syDY
• Snatch: https://youtu.be/cS7KkO2CaTI