Jim vs. Clean & Jerk

Decided to push myself today, and I’m glad I did.

Clean & jerk
95 x 1
135 x 1
175 x 1
155 x 1
115 x 1

Not only is 175 a new PR for the clean & jerk, but it’s my first new PR in over a year, near as I can tell. I went with wider load differences on the off-kilter pyramid than I usually do for the C&J, to make sure I had energy left for the third set, and that paid off.

That’s too long between new PRs, though. I need to push myself more often.

Jim vs. Kettlebell SDHPs, Sandbag Push Jerks

Another home version of a Pack-scale CrossFit Brand X workout.

For time:
21-18-15-12-9-6-3 of:
Sumo deadlift high-pull, 53lb kettlebell
Push jerk, 50lb sandbag

Didn’t take as long as I thought it might: finished this in 8:09. Now I need to go stretch well so my lower back doesn’t lock up.

Jim vs. Shoulder Press, Bent-over Rows

Back home, and back to Teagle for barbell work.

Shoulder press
130 x 3
115 x 5
110 x 5

Bent-over rows
145 x 5
130 x 6
115 x 7

The shoulder press went well, and next time I’ll bump up the starting weight. With the bent-over rows, the load I started with was less than it needed to be, so I’ll bump it up yet again next time. I will say that I like the movement a lot, and with some of the adjustments I made to my deadlift last time I can definitely see how the two movements relate. I’m not sure why the row — both barbell and kettlebell — is so excluded from the CrossFit canon.

Jim vs. Shoulder Press, Bent-Over Rows

Yesterday was all about my legs, so today’s barbell day hit the upper body a bit harder.

Shoulder press
130 x 3
115 x 4
105 x 5

That first set is 10lbs shy of my 3RM, and it was a damned close think getting through all three reps. My long war with this movement continues.

Bent-over rows
135 x 5
120 x 6
110 x 7

Last time I did these, my first set was 125 x 4 and I took notes to go heavier next time. Looks like I need to go higher still.

That ain’t a bad feeling.

Jim vs. Shoulder Press

I will never be a fan. But it’s press day.

Shoulder press
70 x 5
90 x 5
110 x 5
100 x 5
80 x 5

Peaked at 90% of my 5RM, and I’ve done this set of loads before. No surprises.

Jim vs. Push Press

This went well.

Push press
75 x 3
95 x 3
115 x 3
135 x 3
125 x 3
105 x 3
85 x 3

I didn’t mess up my shoulder, which always feels like a win. Not much to say beyond that.

Jim vs. Shoulder Press

Back to Teagle for the first time in weeks. My game plan thus far is to follow-up on last week’s last workout with strength work this week, then do four days of BrandX programming next week, and five the week after.

We’ll see.

Shoulder Press
65 x 3
85 x 3
105 x 3
125 x 3
115 x 3
95 x 3
75 x 3

Topped out at 90% of my max, and while those middle sets were tough, they were very much do-able. Haven’t done sets of 3 on this exercise since July, and I used the same weights here, just with extra sets tacked on at the beginning and end. Felt solid, and didn’t feel any kind of cold relapse coming on after. So that’s good.

Jim vs. the Split Jerk

I missed the barbells, but they didn’t miss me. What other explanation could there be for my first workout of the year back at Teagle being an exercise that a) I rarely do, and b) is likely to re-injure my shoulder?

Split jerk
95 x 1
115 x 1
125 x 1
135 x 1
145 x 1
125 x 1
105 x 1

I dropped the weight for the last two sets because by set #5 my form was getting iffy and I was getting the occasional shoulder twinge. I’m not in there to injure myself, and even with the lighter loads my shoulders and back and legs feel worked.

Once I’m doing barbell work 2-3 days a week again, I’ll start pushing harder.

Jim vs. Shoulder Press, Bent-over Rows, and a Finisher

Something old, something new.

Shoulder press
125 x 3
115 x 4
100 x 5

Those are the exact same loads and reps I’ve managed the last two times I’ve done a reverse pyramid with this movement. Granted, this is my first week back to barbells, but I need to stop settling.

Bent-over row
125 x 4
115 x 6
100 x 8

This movement, on the other hand, is one I haven’t done in years. Several of the supporting videos for the kettlebell/bodyweight hybrid program I just finished emphasized the importance of the row, so I figured I’d start working in the barbell version. Those numbers scream, “You can go heavier.” So next time, I will.

6, 5, 4… 1 of:
Spider-man climbs (both sides)
Jump squats
X-body mountain climbers (both sides)

Finished this in 2:11, which means I either wrecked my previous time or I miscounted somewhere around the “x 2″ round. I’m guessing the latter.

Jim vs. Push Press, and Another Finisher

Back in the gym. When I did the Klokov complex, it drove home how rarely I do the push press. So I decided to start by changing that up.

Push press
95 x 3
115 x 3
135 x 3
125 x 3
105 x 3

Those weights seemed to be really good. There wasn’t an easy set in the lot, but I also got them all done.

I finished up with another, well, finisher:

6, 5, 4… 1 of:
Spider-man climbs (both sides)
Jump squats
X-body mountain climbers (both sides)

Got through this this in 2:42, and it definitely worked me harder than the last one. A big part of it was the quicker transitions; in fact, most of the time there was no real transition between the x-body mountain climbers and the next round of Spidey climbs. Good stuff.