Verbum Humanum

Warm Up
5x Muscle-Up (rings)

Strength Work
5/3/1 Press @ 85#, 95#, 115# > 1
Then
5x5 Push Press @ 115#

Push Press: 8 reps @ 115#

My last 5/3/1 press was 6 reps @ 110#; so I added 5 pounds and 2 reps in a little over a week.  I don't consider this a small gain.

Loading mentions Retweet

I have been training my brother Steve, remotely.  This is the WOD I gave him yesterday:

Warm-Up
Farmer's Walk 5x w/60# DB in each hand (one end of gym to the other)

Strength Work
Back Squat
2x5 @ 45#
1x5 @ 95
1x2 @ 135#
3x3 @ 150#

Then
5 rounds of
KB Overhead Lunge @ 15# (one side of gym to other) +
10x Pull-up

Here was his classic response:

"I'll never underestimate lunges again.  I woke up this morning and fell on my way to shut my alarm off.  My left leg was numb and I couldn't stand up.  I had to lay back down and go back to sleep for another 20 minutes.  It's felt weak all morning.  This Crossfit routine has twice left me feeling unright the next day.  I don't know why I didn't do it sooner."

While the WODs I am giving him haven't been strictly from the CrossFit mainsite, they are inspired by the CrossFit philosophy.

Loading mentions Retweet

Workout
Power Clean 3x3 @ 75#, 85#, 95# > 3
Then
Five Rounds of
4x Deadlift @ 135#
3x Power Clean @ 135#
2x Front Squat @ 135#
1x Push Press @ 135#
30 seconds rest between sets

Power Cleans: 6 @ 95#

Normally I would have done more cleans @ 95#, but I knew what was coming in the 5-rounder, so I used the 3x3 as sort of a warm-up.

Loading mentions Retweet

Workout
Deadlift 3x3 - 220#, 250#, 280# > 3
Then
18-15-12-9-6-3 reps of
KB swings @ 35#
Ring Pull-ups   

DL: 15 reps @ 280#; KB/Pull-ups: 12:45

Loading mentions Retweet

Did this one last night while my steak was grilling on the BBQ.

Workout
Military Press 3x3 - 80#, 90#, 100# > 3
Then
30x Renegade Man-Makers

Press: 11 reps @ 100#; Man Makers - untimed (iPod died around the 4:00 mark; probably around 7 minutes total).

It should be reiterated that those are 11 explosive reps.  I probably could have grinded out another 2-3, perhaps more, but I am looking to build power, not just strength.  So when the bars slows down, I stop.  Sure, I push hard and do everything I can to make it explode in the later reps, but I know when I've lost the explosiveness.

These weights may seem trivial to some, and the workout above may not look difficult, but there is a method here.  In the last 2-3 weeks I have lost fat while remaining at the same body weight, which tells me I am building muscle.  The numbers also tell me I am getting stronger.  Perhaps more subjectively, I feel stronger all around, without feeling lethargic.  I can bound up the stairs easily, which I could not say when I was squatting 240# for 3x5.  The goal is athletic strength, not simply raw strength.

Today is deadlift day, and I am not looking forward to today's WOD. Stay tuned.

Loading mentions Retweet

Back Squat 3x5 @ 145#, 165#, 190# > 5

BS: 6 reps @ 190#

My legs are still very sore from the DL/Fran workout on Tuesday.  But on the other hand, I don't think I have ever squatted 190# for 6 reps.

Loading mentions Retweet

Warmup
20x dBall slam @ 20#

Workout
Power Clean 3x5 65#, 85#, 95# > 5
Then
75x Pull-ups
75x Push-ups

Power Clean: 10 reps @ 95#; Pull-up/Push-ups: 19:03

Loading mentions Retweet

Workout
Deadlift 3x5 - 205#, 235#, 265# > 5
Then
"Fran" (21-15-9 reps of)
Thruster @ 95#
Pull-ups

DL: 12 reps @ 265#, Fran: 11:58

Today's Fran time proves my point that doing straight strength training kills your metcon abilities, or at least mine.  Anyway, this WOD was brutal all around.  It's almost an hour later and I'm still not right!

Loading mentions Retweet

Strength
Back Squat 3x3

BS: 225#

Loading mentions Retweet

Strength
5x3 Shoulder Press
Then
20x Shoulder Press

5x3 @ 120#, 20x @ 75#

Loading mentions Retweet