Jim vs. (Power) Snatch

I tried to push the loads on the full squat snatch today, and it did not go well. So I adjusted.

Snatch
65 x 1
85 x 1
105 x 1 (power)
125 x 1 (power)
95 x 1
95 x 1
95 x 1

The only thing uglier than my 105lb rep was my 125lb rep. It was clear I needed to be working on skill, so I just stuck 95lb on the bar and got my form correct. That went well, at least.

Jim vs. Power Snatch

Wrapped up the week with an Olympic lift day. Haven’t done snatches in a while, and it’s been longer since I focused on the power snatch. And since 7×1 worked so well on Wednesday…

Power snatch
65 x 1
85 x 1
105 x 1
125 x 1
115 x 1
95 x 1
75 x 1

I peaked at my PR for this one, and it felt solid. I may need to move the snatch to 10lb intervals, as the weights get really light at the edges.

Jim vs. L-Sit, Weighted Pull-Ups, and Snatches

Today was supposed to be a testing day. I confess my heart wasn’t in it, but I still did pretty well.

L-sit, max time
0:22

Not much to say about that one.

Weighted pull-up, max load
75 x 1
85 x 0
80 x 1

That’s a new PR, which I’m especially impressed with as I’m carrying 10-20 lbs more than I should be; I weighed in at 202 today.

Snatch, max load
125 x 1 (power)
115 x 1 (power)
95 x 1

This one I just couldn’t get to come together at a higher weight. 125 is my max for the power snatch, though, so today wasn’t a complete loss.

Jim vs. the Snatch, Weighted Sit-ups, and a 3 Minute Finisher

I feel like I packed a lot into a workout session that didn’t actually take that long.

Snatch
75 x 1
95 x 1
115 x 1
105 x 1
85 x 1

These went well; the only one that came close to being a “power snatch + overhead squat” was the 115, but while the transition there was ugly I don’t think it ever stopped, so I’m gonna count it. Of course, Teagle still doesn’t have chalk and I neither emailed them about it nor brought my own, but it didn’t seem to mess me up too much.

Weighted sit-ups
+25lb x 15
+25lb x 15
+25lb x 15

These were downright easy. Gotta bump up the weight next time.

AMRAP in 3 minutes of:
Kettlebell snatch x 3 (each hand)
Goblet squat x 3
Close-grip push-up x 3

I had to use a 35lb dumbbell, as I was in Teagle, and I didn’t do decline push-ups this time because I wanted to spend more time working and less time transitioning between exercises. I completed five full rounds, plus three right-handed snatches and one left-handed snatch.

Really good workout, I think.

Jim vs. The Olympic Lifts

Back to the barbell! And since the last couple of weeks didn’t really have much in the way of ballistic movements, the Olympic lifts seemed like a good place to start.

Snatch
65 x 1
75 x 1
85 x 1
95 x 1

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

I didn’t push for new maxes on these or anything, but I ended up on loads that were at least moderately heavy. They went well, and felt strong, and it’s cool to be back.

Jim vs. Snatches, Back Squats

OK, today was a pretty cruddy workout. Dunno if it was distractions, fatigue, feeling rushed or what, but I did not bring my A game today.

Snatch
85 x 1
105 x 1
125 x 0
115 x 1 (power, overhead squat)
95 x 1

See what I mean? I failed on rep #3, which would admittedly have been a PR, and then couldn’t even put together a solid rep on #4.

Back squat
205 x 3
185 x 4
165 x 5

Did a decent turn on the reverse pyramid, at least. Wasn’t really pushing myself, though.

Jim vs. Shoulder Press, Power Snatch

Still working my way back from being sick. Decided to go for a two-part workout today, with strength and strength/metcon components.

Shoulder press
85 x 3
105 x 3
125 x 3
115 x 3
95 x 3

That was tougher than it probably should’ve been, peaking at 90% of my 3RM. But then, shoulder press has been my bane from the start, so I shouldn’t be surprised.

Power snatch x 2, on the minute for ten minutes

Only used 95lbs for this, but still felt it. I really tried to work on keeping the bar close to my body — especially my thighs — on the pull. That went… so-so, frankly.

The other thing I changed up today was moving my stretching from my warm-up to the end of the workout. We’ll see how that goes.

Jim vs. Olympic Lifts, 400m Run

Today ended up being a long workout, but a really good one. I’d initially intended to just do an off-kilter pyramid of the power snatch, with maybe a similar pyramid of power cleans if I still felt solid.

Power snatch
75 x 1
95 x 1
115 x 1
105 x 1
85 x 1

I still felt solid, so onto the power cleans. I widened the difference in loads for this one, which turned out to be a good call.

Power clean
100 x 1
130 x 1
160 x 1
145 x 1
115 x 1

I was glad to have a bit more leeway in the first two sets to build up to set 3, since it was 95% of my max. After that, I would normally call it a day, but I got it into my head that I wanted to run. And I felt like, for some reason, I could really go all-in on such a run. So:

400m run – 1:34

It was still 4 seconds shy of my PR, but it’s the fastest 400m I’ve run in 17 months. That’s how I like to end a workout.

Jim vs. Weighted Pull-ups, Power Snatches & Box Jumps

Haven’t done weighted pull-ups in a while, so I decided to give them a go with my new off-kilter pyramid format.

BW + 25 (220) x 1
BW + 35 (230) x 1
BW + 45 (240) x 1
BW + 40 (235) x 1
BW + 30 (225) x 1

This was easier than I’d expected, so I made sure to get my chin well above the bar each time, and go chest-to-bar when I could. The metcon, thankfully, was not so easy.

Five rounds for time of:
5 power snatches at 65% of max (80lbs)
10 box jumps

This one left my legs and back aching. I finished in 6:06, about 20 seconds slower than last time, and it was a grueling haul. Not sure why it was so much rougher — could five pounds on the power snatch make that much of a difference? — but it was.

Jim vs. Power Snatch/Overhead Squat Complex, Push-ups & KB Swings

Something of a mixed bag, today.

Power snatch + overhead squat x 2
65
75
85
95
105
115
125 (failed twice)

This is my third time doing this complex, and I still can’t get that 125. Granted, it’s my PR on the power snatch, I managed it a month back, and I’m certainly more tired on set #7 than I might be otherwise… but it’s still frustrating.

But there was good news coming.

21-18-15 of:
Push-ups
KB swings (52.5lb dumbbell)

Knocked this out in 2:45, 22 seconds faster than when I did it two months ago. That was a good way to end the workout, right there.