Starting off 2010

The end of another week, and finishing out a "cycle" of OPT, culminating in the Big Dawg challenge, which I was a partial participant in. The scheduling difficulties are making it hard for me to keep up with all the workouts - I'm missing a good part of his conditioning workouts. First off, the last four workouts:

Wednesday:

A. Back Squat 30X0, 1x4 (255, 265)

B. Tabata push-up - (4 rounds - 20, 15, 8, 8)

C. Amrap DU 2min - 77

D. GHD sit up 2 x 20

Thursday:

A. Split Jerk 1x3 (185, 195, 205)

B. Hang Power Clean 1x3 (135, 155, 165)

C. CTB Pull-up, 3x10, 60 sec rest

D. Airdyne 30/30, 70%, 80%, 90%

Friday:

A. DL 3x6 (195lb), 30 sec rest

B. 20" Box Jump, 20 reps unbroken x 3, 30 sec rest

C. HSPU, 5 perfect reps x 3, 30 sec rest

D. Muscle-ups 3x5, 30 sec rest, in doubles and singles

Saturday:

A. OHS 15x3 - unbroken set of 15, 3 attempts for max weight (Failed 155 in 3rd set at rep 10, scored at 135)

B. 2k row then AMRAP DU in 10 min (8:06, 34)

The Big Dawg Challenge was on Saturday; the unfinished third workout (5 hours to do all 3 workouts) was 50 CTB pull-ups then 50 burpees. I would have liked to attempt the last part, but ran out of time. OPT's programming is interesting as it develops certain CF-specific skills and tendencies that are not necessarily part of other S&C strategies - frequently enough he asks that certain exercises be performed without breaks or that form be perfect at the expense of time (you're expected to rest longer if you know you'll need it). These conditions are useful in that they push people to do certain tasks they may not normally attempt by setting clear limits and penalties while at the same time helping prep for CF-style competitions (frequently specifying different forms of pull-ups, for instance). I'm debating whether or not to stick with this programming, find something else, or set out on my own to bring me into the tournament in April. Still debating on that.

Nutrition is good - I'm right at 170, while the weight class I compete in goes from 165-182. This is weight with the gi, however, which means that I'll need to add 5 pounds to whatever weight I'm at. Energy and diet are appropriate for where I want to be. Carrying on for now.

January 18, 2010

Past three workouts:

Thursday:

A1 Front Squat@20X1, 3x4 @ 225lb, 3 min rest

A2 PU (3 strict, 6 kip, 9 CTB) x 5, 3 min rest

B DL@12X1, 8x3 @ 225lb, 45 sec rest

C1 Toes to Bar 10x3

C2 GHD Raise 10x3

Friday:

5 rounds:

15 PP @ 95lb unbroken

10 burpees

25 box jumps @ 20" unbroken

2 min rest

1:30-2:30 per round, broke up PP in 4th round and added 10 reps as penalty

Monday:

Isabel as rx'd: 5:33 (with 5 failed reps, starting around rep 22)

rest 10 min

Tabata Airdyne (use up everything left)

Keeping up with OPT programming has been tough, as he doesn't follow a set 7-day schedule - doing doubles and moving around workouts has been tricky, and as a result I have missed the last two doubles (several very potent metcons in those days). Hopefully I'll be able to work things out eventually. The OPT programming has been interesting, although I feel that progress has been slow. I've only been only for about a month or so, so I'm willing to give it more time.

Nutrition has overall been good; my weight is very comfortably right where it needs to be for Pan-Ams. At this point I just need to be concerned about proper fueling for recovery.

A New Year

Things are starting off tough in 2010. Fully committed to OPT programming now, although my schedule isn't permitting me to keep up (2 days behind) or finish all the workouts (can't workout on Sundays, and fairly difficult to get in on Saturdays. I'm trying to supplement and shuffle workouts as best I can in order to get the sufficient stimulus, but it's still a bit of a jumble for now. Appetite and weight have gone down, although I'm already comfortably in my weight class. I may contemplate holding onto a higher bodyweight to stay anabolic, but we'll have to see about that.

Monday Double:

AMSAP 1-5 BS ladder @ 225lb in 10 minutes: 3 ladders completed

BB Jump squat @ 95lb, 6x6 with 60 sec rest in between, minimal amortization time

GHD sit up 3x20, 45 sec rest

rest 6 hours

AMRAP Double unders in 45 sec, rest 75 sec, 5 rounds: 35-45 reps all rounds

Tuesday:

A. Clean grip power snatch 3x5 @ 95lb, 105, 115-

B1. Snatch DL 30x0, 4x3 @ 195lb, rest 10 sec

B2. KBS 10x3 @ 2pd, rest 10 sec

B3. GHD raise 2010, 12x3, rest 180 sec

C. Tabata push-ups

The BS ladder dug me into a deep, deep hole; one that I'm still feeling now. 45 reps in 10 minutes at a load of 225lb is far more than I thought I'd be able to do - the volume came out to over 10,000 pounds over the course of the workout, and as a result I felt more or less useless doing the jump squats afterwards, as my legs had turned to jelly by then. Since the previous week I've found a slight variation on the GHD sit-up that's eliminated the pain I would get from spinal compression, and the exercise itself has become much more effective since.

The clean grip power snatch turned out to be a very pleasant movement; it stressed good o-lifting mechanics throughout in order to complete each rep. Small mistakes or distractions made themselves readily apparent with very little weight - There had to be powerful extension to propel the weight about 6 inches higher than for a power snatch, a quick and tight 3rd pull (and punch) were required to move the bar through its extremely long path of travel, and a strong, firm "stick" of the feet in the power squat position ensured that the weight didn't land in front or behind.

I still don't like push-ups.

An increasing issue for me with the opt workouts is how to do the doubles; on my days off this isn't much of a problem, but figuring something out during the workweek will be challenging; most workouts are difficult enough that I won't be able to simply do them together, although I may end up just trying.f