Catching Up

Upright Torso

Triple Extension

Legs Bent, Arms Locked

It’s so rare I can post pictures of myself commenting on proper form when it comes to any form of overhead pressing movement, but I got this one (granted with light weight) right.

Not a cohesive post so much as a collection of things I have been thinking about.

First, I have an update.  I am down to 205lbs.  For new readers, I started at about 190lbs, went on a strength gaining program that resulted in me gaining about 30lbs and getting up 220lbs.  At that point I returned to more conditioning work (though I probably still do a bit more strength than most) and am now at 205lbs.  What’s happened?

1.  Ran a mile yesterday in 6:23.  It’s a long course, but I felt pretty good about it.

2. Have the same benchpress I did for 3 sets of 5 when I was at my heaviest.

3. Squat is down from it’s peek but up from where I was at 190.

4. I have lingering hip soreness that developed when I was doing heavy squats 3 times a week.

5. Power cleans are good.  I am out of practice with squat clean and front squats and it has shown.  Need to make these a priority.

6. Set a PR in 30 clean and jerks for time (135lbs).  I have never been good at this workout but I am approaching respectability.  The issue is my jerk, which is a function of poor shoulder mobility.

Since I stopped the all strength all the time, I moved to a hybrid training program.  I try to do a max effort strength movement 3-5 times a week followed by a shorter metcon.  I try to make sure I hit longer time domains as well, so days I do NOT do a max effort movement I will sometimes run in the 15-30 minute time domain or do a longer series of intervals.

I am in the process of developing a more rigorous approach to this training style and one that does a better job of working on weaknesses.   Here is the basic outline:

1. Complete a max effort lift 3 times a week rotating between squats, front squats, press, push-press, bench press, clean and jerk, deadlift, snatch.  Some days on which I am not up to an extended effort, I may do two max lifts and no conditioning.  I will rotate between 5, 3, and 1 rep (though I will stick to the lower range for front squats, clean and jerk, and snatch).

2. I will do extended efforts most days.  It will be shorter on weightlifting days (2-10 minutes) and longer on other days depending to some extent on how I feel.

3. Perhaps most importantly I will start a regular gymnastics warm-up as described in this excellent article in the CFJ.  It will focus on progressive and consistent work to improve my handstand push-ups (which are very bad) and muscle-ups (which are ok).

4.  I will experiment with relative intensity per this article.  The gist of it is that I will adjust weight as a percentage of my 1 rep max so as to maximize my power output.  Way too complicated to describe here.

I am considering starting either a second blog that is more of a journal or posting daily stuff on here.  Haven’t decided yet.  I don’t want some of the few good thoughts I have to be buried in daily updates about my WOD and my food.  We’ll see.  What do you guys think?