You’ll remember, perhaps, back in February, I seriously hurt my back deadlifting. I’ve been resting and working, ever so patiently, to let my back heal and then make it strong again.
Today was the big day to test 1RM Back Squat. The last time I tested heavy was 22 December 2008. I squatted 335#, then got buried under 345#. The goal for today was to match that 335#.
- Warm Up
- 10x Overhead Squat @ 45#
- 10x Overhead Squat @ 65#
- 5x Overhead Squat @ 95#
- 5x Overhead Squat @ 115#
- 3x Overhead Squat @ 135#
- Back Squat
- 5x Squat @ 135#
- 5x Squat @ 155#
- 5x Squat @ 185#
- 3x Squat @ 205#
- 3x Squat @ 225#
- 3x Squat @ 245#
- 2x Squat @ 265#
- 2x Squat @ 275#
- 1x Squat @ 295#
- 1x Squat @ 315#
- 1x Squat @ 335#!
- 1x Squat @ 345#!!
My back felt totally solid. In fact, I think if I would have anticipated and planned a little better, I could have hit 350#.
My back is back!
Wednesday’s Workout
Sorry. I have some catchin’ up to do. Wednesday, we finally got outside. That was only the second time this year.
A little more than a year ago I wrote about a fella I call Gus. Gus has been talking, for all that time, of maybe, one day, coming out on a Wednesday morning. I’m happy to say, Wednesday morning Gus joined my Favorite Drinkin’ Buddy and me. He even brought along his 2 relatively new 16kg Lifeline Kettlebells.
- Warm Up @ 16kg KB
- 20x (10x ea. dir.) RTW
- 20x (10x ea. dir.) Figure-8
- 20x (10x ea. arm) Snatch
- 20x (10x ea. dir.) Figure-8 w/ a catch
- Warm Up @ 24kg KB
- 20x (10x ea. dir.) RTW
- 20x (10x ea. dir.) Figure-8
- 20x (10x ea. arm) Snatch
- 20x (10x ea. dir.) Figure-8 w/ a catch
- Circuit #1
- P1: Snatches @ 16kg KB
- P2: Swings @ 24kg KB
- P3: Long Cycle C&J @ 2-16kg KB
- 40sec:20sec Work:Rest
- 2x through each station
- Circuit #2: Ladders
- Renegade Man-Makers @ 2-16kg KB: 7-6-5-4-3-2-1
- Goblet Squats @ 24kg KB: 14-12-10-8-6-4-2
- Burpees: 21-18-15-12-9-6-3
- First Round looks like 7xRenegade Man-Makers, 14xGoblet Squats, 21xBurpees
- Second Round looks like 6xRenegade Man-Makers, 12xGoblet Squats, 18xBurpees
- Etc.
That was a killer. Gus got to cursing my name fairly early. I suspect, at least in the beginning, the cursing was more about it being 5:00am than about anything we were actually doing. That soon changed.
He made it through the warm ups well and, with some moderate struggling, through Circuit #1. He didn’t at all like the Long Cycle, but made it.
At the end of Circuit#1 we each took a moment for a drink and set up for Circuit #2. I believe he made it through the first two or three rounds before dropping out. After catching his breath and slowing his heart a bit, he summoned enough courage and strength to step back in for the last round.
Not bad for a first time out. I could tell he was bummed about not finishing the workout. I texted him later that morning.
- CES
- Thanks for coming out this morning. Hope you can find something redeeming about it.
- Gus
- It was good. Some things I was happy with. Clearly some things I wasn’t. But you gotta know where you are before you can get where you wanna go.
That’s a terrific attitude. It’s OK to be angry. It’s OK to be disappointed. You should use that to learn. Where are you today? What did you overestimate? What did you underestimate? Where do you want to be? Where are you today? What’s the gap? How do I cross that gap? All very good questions.
I can only hope he comes out again, continues to push himself, continues to grow, continues to do more of the things at which he sucks. That’s how you get better.
Monday’s Workout
- Warm Up
- 5x Power Snatch + 5x Overhead Squat @ 45#
- 5x Power Snatch + 5x Overhead Squat @ 65#
- 5x Power Snatch + 5x Overhead Squat @ 85#
- 5x Power Snatch + 5x Overhead Squat @ 95#
- 5x Power Snatch + 5x Overhead Squat @ 115#
- Warm Up (cont.)
- 10x Back Squat @ 135#
- 5x Back Squat @ 185#
- Back Squat & Chin Ups
- 3x Squat @ 225#
- 7x Chin Ups @ BW
- 3x Squat @ 275#
- 8x Chin Ups @ BW
- 3x Squat @ 300#
- 7x Chin Ups @ BW
- 3x Squat @ 300#
- 8x Chin Ups @ BW
- 3x Squat @ 300#
- 7x Chin Ups @ BW
- 3x Squat @ 300#
- 8x Chin Ups @ BW
4 Comments
Congratulations on the PR. That’s awesome!
Welcome Gus. The first day is always the hardest.
Chris,
Can you explain exactly what the long cycle clean and jerk is? I recently joined a gym that has a decent set of kettlebells and was looking into workouts with them. I hear you talk about them and I’ve watched videos but I can’t tell what makes a long cycle clean and jerk different from a regular KB clean and jerk.
Thanks for the congratulations.
It took TONS of patience…not one of my strongest virtues.
Jesse,
Sure. The name is only to distinguish it from the more common girevoy event.
One of the girevoy events is 1 clean from the floor + as many jerks (from rack position) as possible in 10 minutes.
The “Long Cycle” means you lower the bell(s) below your hips (like you do for snatches and swings) and re-clean the bell(s) before each jerk.
Make sense?
Gotcha.
Thanks Chris.
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