Jim vs. Deadlifts, Box Jumps & Pull-ups

Back to the deadlifts.

335 x 3
300 x 5
270 x 5

That first set was rough, but the second and third tell me to bump my weights next week. Hopefully, I’ll be back up to 365 — my nominal 3RM — as a starting weight soon.

21-15-9 of:
box jumps
pull-ups

Last time I tried this one, I couldn’t finish. This time I wrapped it in 4:51. It was unpleasant, but I’m glad I went for it and got it done.

Jim vs. One-arm Dumbbell Shoulder Press, Rowing

Decided to do some unilateral work today.

One-arm DB shoulder press
50 x 3 (each arm)
45 x 4 (each arm)
40 x 5 (each arm)

That went quite well; it might make it into next week’s rotation, using heavier loads.

500m row
2:13
2:21

Slight improvement over last time. I’ll take it.

Jim vs. Push Jerk, Overhead Squat, Bench Press

Changed things up a bit, as this particular program encourages. (OK, I regularly change up the scheduling of workouts more than the program encourages, but this is the first time I really started trading out some exercises for others.)

Push jerk
140 x 1
160 x 1

Overhead squat
115 x 3
105 x 4

Bench press
185 x 5
165 x 6
155 x 7

First off, the reverse pyramid worked nicely for the OHSs. Second, my bench press seems to be back, to no small extent. Both are duly noted.

Jim vs. Kettlebells

The hotel gym has a 25lb kettlebell, so I decided to give this one a go with the device it was intended for.

Two-handed swing x 20
One-handed swing x 10, each arm
Clean x 10, each arm
High pull x 10, each arm
Snatch x 10, 9, 8… 2, 1, each arm

Finished in 10:36, which is a lot longer than it took me when I used a dumbbell. This is not surprising, all things considered, and I really did start to feel more comfortable with a lot of these movements by the end.

And I was flat on my back when I was done, so yeah: this worked as intended.

Jim vs. Bench Press, Kettlebell Skills

The fact that this hotel has a bench press station and a couple kettlebells does endear it to me.

Bench press
185 x 3
165 x 4
150 x 5

As much as I’d like to say that the reason I didn’t push these was because I couldn’t find a spotter, the truth is I doubt I’d have gotten more than one more rep on any given set. My bench, like my deadlift, has faded something fierce.

Kettlebell clean & jerk
25 x 5
25 x 5

Kettlebell snatch
25 x 5
25 x 5

I consider this to be skill work more than strength. I can move much heavier weights, but I need to work on the catch with the kettlebell. My shoulders and forearms got a bit beat up, but no persistent bruises, which has to mean that I was doing something right. I really need to get me a lighter kettlebell for home, and practice, practice, practice.

Jim vs. Helen

Knew this one would be tough, but didn’t realize how tough.

“Helen”
Three rounds for time of:
400m run
Kettlebell swings x 21
Pull-ups x 12

This was the first time I’d done this one with the 53lb kettlebell, and also my first bit of running over two months. That latter really made itself clear; I was sucking wind on my first 400m run, and that’s no kind of good.

Finished in 11:44, over a minute and a half slower than my PR. And the experience was very unpleasant. I need to start putting in more metcons in general, and more running in particular.

Jim vs. Deadlifts

I decided not to push the weight up this week. My sleep pattern’s been problematic, work’s been a bear, and I’ve been feeling generally fatigued and sore. So I just bumped up set #3.

Deadlift
325 x 3
295 x 5
265 x 5

Getting five reps on those last two sets was nice, and I felt good and blasted afterwards.  I think I made the right call.

Jim vs. Snatches, Snatch Pulls, and Front Squats

Another short day, and a really rough one to boot.

Snatch
110 x 1 (power)
110 x 1

Snatch pull
130 x 2
130 x 2

Front squats
185 x 2
165 x 3

That first snatch wasn’t supposed to be power, but that’s what I had. And that front squat reverse pyramid was supposed to be 3-4, but again: it’s what was there.

Rough one.

Jim vs. Clean & Jerk, Clean Pulls, Back Squats

Not much time today, so I just went with six total sets. But I used the highest weight I did on any exercise’s set last time for each set this time.

Clean and jerk
145 x 1
145 x 1

Clean pulls
145 x 2
145 x 2

Back squats
185 x 3
185 x 3

Huh. Looks like I should’ve been doing sets of 5 for the back squats. Damn.

Jim vs. Push-ups, Hanging Leg Raises

Took one from the original Greyskull book for my home workout today.

AMRAP in 7 minutes of:
Push-ups x 5
Hanging leg raises x 5

Got through 15 full rounds plus four push-ups. I have a feeling my chest and abs will be feeling this for a couple of days, at least.

EDIT: And as of today, March 10, I have worked out as many times in March as I did in February. Sadly telling, that.