I still intend to follow CF Football-type programming, but I won't be pulling all the workouts directly from there. It seems likely that all the arm/elbow pain I've been experiencing recently - which has prevented me from pressing, cleaning, or snatching at times - was probably caused by a battle between low-bar back squat and inflexibility in my shoulders. I intend to work on this, but until then, I'll be mostly working with either front squats or high-bar back squat (gasp).
Along with Becky, Kiley, and Kris (who range from probable to possible to definite, I think?), I'm planning on doing the St. Louis and Lincoln half-marathons, so some CFE training will be interspersed with the regular workouts. Most likely, this won't really start in earnest until after basketball season is over.
As Chris noted several days ago, the two months of eating more, drinking a gallon of whole milk per day, and focusing more on lifting are officially over. With the exception of the milk, it was a similar experience to last year's version of this for me. Overall, I am quite pleased with the strength gains. With this said, I did not eat as much as I should have in January. I still drank the milk (with the exception of 5-6 days over Christmas and in Florida with the basketball team), but the milk was supposed to be in addition to 3-4 regular meals per day. As it was, it started replacing those meals. Not acceptable. As a result, the strength gains still continued, but they definitely slowed (the last week was a bit of a loss with the arm/elbow issues).
Obviously, there was some weight gain that came with the strength gains. Although this was a byproduct of the goal (i.e., getting stronger) and not the goal itself, it was kind of fun to watch it happen. Beforehand, I was about 195-200 pounds, and I'm currently right at 220 pounds (maybe a shade under). Most of those pounds came during December when I was actually eating right along with drinking the milk. I'm guessing I'll drop back down to about 210-212 pounds when I decide to shed the excess weight.
Some things learned and/or discovered over the past few months:
- The two activities/movements that took the biggest hit were running and - a bit surprisingly - sit-ups. Running was not a huge surprise due to the weight gain and the fact that prior to last Monday, I hadn't run anything over 400m since about mid-November. I look forward to getting my times back down to a reasonable level again . . . well, I look forward to the times, not necessarily the work required to get them. Sit-ups were the surprise, and I think it's caused by both additional upper body weight and upper body resistance to sit-ups, i.e., my stomach, although not large, might provide more of an obstacle than it used to when sitting up . . . but that's mostly speculation.
- When you are concerned about bending down to pick up the marker you just dropped while teaching a class, it's time to get new pants. The legs were the tightest part, and I think I should have bought even bigger ones because the new ones are already getting tight again. Sigh.
- People think drinking a gallon of whole milk a day is crazy. I like it.
- Drinking two 16-ounce glasses of whole milk in fairly quick succession makes me sleepy for about 5 minutes.
- I won't go into detail - but I learned/decided some stuff on how to program for high school athletes as well.
- And finally, I got to do some cool stuff:
- Back Squat 325 x 5
- Bench Press 250 x 5
- Shoulder Press 150 x 5
- Front Squat 285 x 5 (I think - that or 280 x 5)
- Deadlift 440 x 5 (and came ridiculously close to 445)
Snatch
5 x 3
Compare to 01/30/10.
10 min AMRAP of:
5 HSPU
10 Box Jumps, 30"/24"
15 KB Swings, 1.5 pood/1 pood
I'm really hoping my arms can tolerate snatching this evening. If not, I guess I'll find something else to do.
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So, it's 9 am, and I'm eating breakfast at the apartment I'm keeping an eye on for people while they're on vacation. They left me some cake-like pastry, with some sauce. Normally you would eat this with coffee at about 3 in thea fternoon, but seing as I'm hungry now, I'm eating it for breakfast. I just poured the sauce on it... and I think I might have just lightly doused it in rum. If I don't eat it now, it's going to get all soggy. And I'm not *positive*. Guess I better make some coffee...
Sounds pretty darn good. And the coffee always sounds good - just made mine.
Snatch 5 x 3
45-2
65-2
85-2
105-2
-----
125-3
125-3
125-3
125-3
125-3
These attempts were successful in spite of my technique. On the few that I videotaped, I almost completely finished the deadlift before jumping. This results in the bar coming way too far back, and when I jump, this results in the bar swinging too far forward, which also causes me to jump forward.
Metcon
10 min AMRAP of:
5 HSPU (4 10# plates)
10 Box Jumps, 30"
15 KB Swings, 1.5 pood
5 rounds + 5, 10, 12
Will go lower on the HSPUs next time.
Did the row/thruster wod yesterday afternoon.
5RFT: Row 500m
135# Thrusters x 7
Time: 16:04
I subbed 50# dumbbells for the thrusters. This is mainly do to logistics of the equipment at the gym. Jacob has seen it - the "cardio" equipment is downstairs and the "weight room" is upstairs. They frown on me taking weights downstairs, but have yet to actually say anything. But I thought carrying a barbell with plates on it down the two flights of stairs would have been a little conspicuous. I guess I could have taken the elevator. Could have used 55# or even 60s for the thrusters.
I'm with Jacob - I like rowing, though I am at a double disadvantage to him being shorter and lighter. Row splits were:
1 - 1:52
2 - 1:59
3 - 2:07
4 - 2:12
5 - 2:05
As a side note, I have requested several times - in writing and in word, to have a C2 rower moved upstairs in the "stretching" area. No progress.
Oh, and being from Wisconsin, I think I can speak for the bovines when I say to all once on the GOMAD diet - welcome back to normalcy.
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