Vacation!!

     That's right...I'm on vacation for the next 11 days!  Vacations for me a much less about travelling right now than they are about living like a human being for an extended period.  You know, little things like sleeping through the night, cooking all of my own food, hanging with my dog and ramping down the general stress of waiting for "emergencies".
     I took the opportunity today to get my body fat percentage tested by the amazing Sheena Lawrick because I've been up around 8-10 lbs lately and I want to make sure that it's a quality 8-10 lbs.  There's good news and bad news I guess.  The bad news is that I went from 5.9% bf to 7.2%, but the good news is that I added about 6 lbs of muscle with that as well.  Sheena said that it's next to impossible to add weight and muscle without adding at least some fat as well and I'll take her word for it.  (Although she doesn't have to look at me when I go to the beach.)  Honestly, as long as I keep seeing the strength gains that go with it I don't care what my weight is. Even Patron-Saint-of-Small-Crossfitters Chris Spealler is trying to gain weight this year.  You know...like this guy...

Beefcake!!!

     I haven't updated this for a few days so there's two days of training to get to.  The next two weeks looks somewhat similar to the last two weeks, with a few differences here and there.

On Monday, February 6 I did this bad boy:

      SERIES 1

back squat: 80-85% x 2-3 x 2; rest 3-4 minutes
+
5 minutes - easy airdyne

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kb squat jump: 32kg x 6 x 2; rest 3-4 minutes (only bending 1/4 here - no full depth squat)

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6-8 minutes - easy airdyne

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SERIES 2

back squat: 80-85% x 2-3 x 2; rest 3-4 minutes
+
5 minutes - easy airdyne

+
kb squat jump: 32kg x 6 x 2; rest 3-4 minutes (only bending 1/4 here - no full depth squat)

+
box jump, 20": 25 unbroken x 3; rest 2 minutes

*20" box - focusing on reactive ability, minimal ground contact

+
3 sets:
12 glute ham raise

15 ghd sit-up
rest 2 minutes

     Both Series 1 & 2 of the back squats were at 100kg x 3 x 2.  These felt really solid and I had no doubt about any of the reps.  Even if I feel myself coming up on my toes out of the squat I'm getting pretty good at pushing myself back on my heels and driving up.  For an exercise that I used to dread, back squats have quickly become one of my favorites.

     The 1/4 squat kb jumps felt a bit awkward at first but quickly improved as I got more used to the lesser range of motion.  By the end I was feeling very explosive again.  The increase in the box jump height from 16" last time to 20" this time was an adjustment as well.  All of the reps were unbroken but they occasionally felt clunky and like I was landing really heavily on the box.  I was able to focus on having minimal ground contact, like instructed, and these are definitely improving.  I also managed to remember to do the assistance work today as well.     

     Today's training was this:

A. bench press @ 55%: max x 3; rest 90 seconds
B1. ctb pull-up: 12-12-12-12; rest 10 seconds (keep working butterfly here)
B2. bat wing @ 20X3: 8-10 x 3; rest 2 minutes
+
3 rounds for time:
10 hspu

10 ring dip     

     A.  52 kg x 26, 52 kg x 13, 52 kg x 7.  I was somewhat happy with the 26 reps for the first set.  If the NFL combine used 55% bench press as a test rather than 225 lb bench I maybe would be a 6th round pick. Maybe.  (And that's if they don't look at any of the speed drills or jumping tests.  If they do then I'm definitely having one of those awkward Brady Quinn days).  The last two sets completely fell off a cliff.

     B1. 12 (butterfly), 12 (9 butterfly + 3 kip), 12 (7 butterfly + 5 kip), 12 (6 butterfly + 6 kip).  The first set of butterfly ctb always feels fantastic and then they start to die a slow, painful death.

     B2. 25 lbs x 10 x 2, 25 lbs x 8. 

     I ended up with a big fat DNF on the last part because my shoulder was killing me on the handstand push-ups.  My plan was to do sets of 3 (with one set of 4 obviously) for the HSPU and knock out the ring dips unbroken.  I only made it to two sets of three before dropping down to singles in the first round because of my right shoulder.  Every time I pushed myself up I had a terrible pain on the top of the shoulder.  I finally called it quits after one round + 5 HSPUs (at about 7:30).  I definitely should have thrown in the towel before I did but, like I've said a million times here, I'm not that bright.  Quitting a workout in the middle is really hard for me, even if it hurts.  Having said that, I think that something is up with my HSPUs.  I've had to stop probably 3 or 4 workouts due to injury in my somewhat brief CrossFit career and all of them have involved handstand push-ups.  It's not all the time and, when they're working, I can actually do them pretty well.  I asked Coach Jen for some advice and I've pretty much been doing most of what she suggested, such as mobilization and scapular retraction exercises (i.e. bat wings- which I've been doing so much of lately they make me want to puke).  It might come down to form which I should have her, or someone, check out when  I can try them again.  In the meantime I'm popping Ibuprofen and icing my shoulder like crazy.  You know...like this guy...

"HSPUs mess me up too!"