Wednesday, April 10, 2013

4/8 – HSPU’s and PR’s

WOD
5 Minute AMRAP
Handstand Push Up (to 1 abmat)
34

Then

Find your 1RM Back Squat (in 20 minutes)
20 x 10 reps
40kg x 5 reps
50kg x 4 reps
60kg x 3 reps
then singles at:
65-70-72.5-75-77.5-80kg (PR)

We started a week of testing this week and I’m sure it’ll be a good one if this WOD was any indication.  HSPU’s and only HSPU’s for 5 minutes? Well okay, if you say so. 

It started well.  I managed 4 sets of 5, completing 15 reps in the first minute and 20 before 1:30 had elapsed and then it went downhill fast as it tends to do.  I did a set of 3 and then singles the rest of the way trying to make sure every rep I went for counted – I missed one halfway up and another I just dropped to my head and came out as there wasn’t enough there to get back up.  In talking with Coach Scotty after he mentioned that pacing maybe needed to be better but I’m not sure that would have helped as the sets of 5 felt strong.  I think it’s more like a bench press – you’re good until you’re not, like on then off, instant.  Who knows.  What I do know is that I’m quite happy with how it went.   I also know it’s quite amusing (though hard to HSPU if you’re laughing) to have someone directly across the room from you also doing HSPU’s (hey Luke), especially when they are directly in your (upside down) line of site.  Ha!

The back squats were good.  Going into them I felt tired and given how long it’s been since I’ve both gone heavy in my squats and set any kind of PR I didn’t think I’d get even close to 77.5kg (previous PR).  I figured I’d be happy with 65kg or 70kg.  No pressure.  I worked with Cheyanne and we moved through the warm-up sets pretty quickly.  I think I’d already done 2 or 3 of the single reps when we reached the half way mark of the allotted time (20 minutes).  This helped me have enough rest between lifts and time to work up to giving 80kg a go.  I won’t say that either the 77.5kg or 80kg lifts were strong technique wise but I got them up.  I think my technique is definitely getting better (using my posterior chain and keeping my knees out) even with my poor mobility in my calves/ ankles so I’m able to move a heavier weight.  If I can work on my mobility then hopefully I can manage even more.

I know that by the end of this WOD I felt about 2 inches shorter.  The compression from landing on my head so many times in the HSPU’s (ouch) and the heavy bar on my back during the squats definitely shrunk me.  I actually had Cam crack my back (it was a good one) before I started lifting in the Oly session as I was all kinds of off.  Good fun though.


Oly Lifting
C&J
5x(3+1)
35-40-45-45-45

Clean Pulls
4 x 4
55-55-55-55

There were also back squats in the oly workout but since we’d done them in the WOD I skipped them.  I also counted my two warm-up C&J sets as working sets as I was feeling tired.  Still, I wasn’t planning to do any of this when I went next door – I just went to chat with Cam but then I sat there and thought about my goals (getting stronger for primal throwdown) and decided that a bit of lifting would help me get closer to it.  Glad I did it but as it was it was definitely enough. 

Now that the open is over I’m excited to do more of the oly/ strength sessions.  With the open it’s been a bit off, mostly only Mondays but now I’m going to try for two if not three days in there a week after the metcon.  Hopefully my body holds up.  More mobility please.

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