Back Squats x20

The New Back Squats
Week 1
20 reps at 60%
I went with 165#. 

I went little on the lower side, but I am a little timid about a 20 rep program.  This is going to be a whole new back squat ball game, pushing my endurance and commitment.  The breathing alone on 20 squats is exhausting. :)

WOD
Baseline
500 m row
40 squats
30 sit ups
20 push ups
10 pull ups (GB)
time-6:18

When I get better at push ups, I will definitely be able to cut some time off of this one, as that is where I wasted A LOT of time.  Of course, my pull ups always need work, but I clearly need to work on getting more push ups in a set.  I was doing them in 5s.  Not good.

Love lifting heavy

I am going to give this another try...

Today-
Deadlift
213x5x2

These weren't as tough as I thought they would be. I must stay focused long enough to complete my second rep with the same form as the first. Good idea, right? It is easier on the back when I do that too.

WOD
800 m run
then 4 rounds:
8 hang snatches
8 burpees
finish with:
400 m run

Time-15:38

So the good things in a wod like this-
The 400 m turn around gives you some downhill running.
The final run was 400 not 800.
I kept the snatches light, super light and my shoulder doesn't bother me at all.
I finished.

I probably don't even need to mention the bad things in a wod like this.

Yesterday I did some squats.
Back Squat
213#x7x3

Then 5 rounds-
Butcher sprints 50#
rest 1 min

I love back squats.

Have I Been Doing Anything?

Quick recap-
Friday, July 29
Class with Ian
Lots of time working on the Snatch-starting position, 2nd pull, and some great coaching and feedback.

WOD
200 m run
15 power cleans 93#
15 wall balls 12#
200 m run
12 power cleans
12 wall balls
200 m run
9 power cleans
9 wall balls
Time-12 something,

I am really trying to stay committed to using the Rx'd weights more times than not, even if it means that it will take me a bit longer. I am strong, I have no doubt about that. Can I move weight quickly or for an extended period of time? That I do not do so well, so that I must work on.

Saturday, July 30
Back Squat 3RM
235x5
Whoot! It was even pretty fast and easy.

WOD
5-4-3-2-1 rope climbs (subbed 3 DH pull ups with GB for each)
5-4-3-2-1 Clean and Jerk 103#
Time-11:15

Super happy that I can't really do rope climbs when a wod like this shows up!!

Sunday, July 31
Weighted good mornings 113x7x3
Wt'd box jumps 30# DB, 16 " box

A week of not much work

Yesterday was open gym and I thought about skipping it since I was still nice and tired from not sleeping much at all for the 5 nights before, but I do love open gym and I wanted to make up my back squat 1RM.

Back Squat 275x1


And then last Tuesday's Wod-
July 19
Push Jerks 5x2x93#

WOD 3 rounds
9 DL
6 hang power cleans
3 jerks
400 m run
Time-felt like an eternity, but was something closer to 11 something.

Several people were talking about subs with Chris before this wod, so I tried to just slip in my own sub note-"Oh, yeah, I am going to row too, ok?"

It didn't work...I ran.

the good and the bad

Open Gym
Back Squats
7x3 at 185#

400 m run with 3 min rest
x3

Weighted Box Jumps
16 in box
25# DB
5x3

I knew I needed to run. I knew I needed to do some box jumps. I wasn't sure what else I should do, so I wandered around for a little bit. My quads were still a little sore, so I suddenly knew what I needed to do! Squat. As hard as it was to start and as much as my legs complained during that first set, I knew that my legs would feel back to normal after I was done. And it worked.

Doing squats on a day that I run and jump is also good for my morale. You can't just do what you struggle with or it gets pretty tedious!

The end of the week

Last week was a good week at the gym, even though I wasn't very good about blogging.

Thursday
Back Squat 3RM
255#

Super happy with this. I am currently in a great place in my training, with time and effort given to strength and time and effort given to conditioning. I love being strong, and I have worked hard to get to where I am. I also want to be confident and able to move my body quickly and effectively. I have lost a few pounds, kept up my strength and endured a lot more running, so I am quite happy with this max, happy to be in this place.

WOD
400 m run
OHS 65# 15-12-9-6-3
Ball slam 25# 30-24-18-12-6
400 m run
Time: 15:57

We had the choice of kettlebell swings or ball slams. I chose ball slams...About half-way through I was wishing I had gone with KBS, but in reality I think they were both hard. There was just no getting around the "pleasantness" of this wod.

Friday
3 rounds, not for time
10 OHS, bar only
10 K2E
10 push ups
1 rope climb

Rope climb progress-I can clamp on and move about 2 inches. Then I give up.

Snatch deadlift
worked up to 93#x2

Power snatch
easy work at 53#

WOD
5 rounds, 2 minutes each
1 min airdyne
10 GHD sit ups, rest remainder of minute

Max cal on round 5: 18
Max cal on the previous rounds: maybe about 11

I was tired on Friday, so the work above worked out well for me. More than anything, my quads were shot, so almost every possible wod sounded impossible, but this one worked out well.

Deep Thoughts on Box Jumps

Open Gym

My right shoulder was really, really tight and sore this morning. Deadhang pull ups seem to do that to me every single time...But when I am talking sore, I mean sore, sore. I did ice it, roll it, stretch and lax ball it, but nothing was seeming to help much.

It really hurt, but that didn't matter too much since I was already planning on squatting. The pain just meant that I had a really great excuse for not doing any of the wods that all the other gals were talking about. All was perfect until Morgan decided to do Christine. That was one I could have done. But does someone like me ever willingly choose to do Christine? Nope. So I had to admit that I really didn't want to do any girl or storm. I just wanted to squat. :)

Back Squat
185x5
215x3
225x1
235x1
255x1
275x1

Yes! That felt fabulous and fast.

Good Mornings
7x3 at 98#

No doubt about it, these are getting easier and easier. The first week I did these, my lower back, hips and hamstrings felt like they had just been used for the first time ever, but those muscles are adapting quickly.

Weighted Box Jumps 5x2
16 in box
30# DB

It was really hard to get that first jump with the 30#...If you don't know this yet, I have never really loved box jumps. It is one of those things where I think things like this-
I should be able to jump.
Everyone can jump, right?!?
Why am I so bad at jumping?!?
Why is it so scary to jump up to a box?
Will I ever get better at these or am I destined to be the box-jump impaired member forever?

And in fact I KNOW things like this-
I can jump, even if it's not very high.
I have gotten better. I used to step up onto plates. Then I stepped up onto the 12" box, then I jumped on the box and stepped down, then I stepped onto the 16" box, and so on and so on.
I can jump on the 20" box in a wod, even if I don't like to.
And now I can jump on the 16' box with 30# in each hand too.

And then I thought-
Jumping with 60 extra pounds in my hands puts me close to what I weighed when I started CF and box jumps, back when I was stepping up onto a 45# plate, not jumping at all. So I am considering this an awful lot of progress.

Whoo-hoo! 55 Light Back Squats!!

Tuesday

It is even hotter in SC...so I was just one big pile of sweat after just a few minutes of class.

Deadlift
5 singles at 215#

All felt great, back felt great, I felt strong. And all of that makes perfect sense at that weight.

WOD
10, 8, 6, 4, 2
back squats 135#
burpees
box jumps 16"
2 min rest
then repeat with
9, 7, 5, 3, 1

Those wonderful legs of mine got tired very quickly on this one. :)

Squats make me happy

First, something very important for all you Paleo-eaters who are already stressing about Valentine's Day, check out this free Valentine sticker download for your fruit! I love it.

And then on to the boring stuff-
Sunday, I was back to squats. Squats make me happy.

I also did 6 rounds of row sprints
(1 min on/1 min off)
1. 273
2. 267
3. 262
4. 258
5. 255
6. 259

My goal was 260, and I guess I was just cutting things too close in my effort to not overdo it. But this was a tough, tough wod, just like it always is.

Monday was Olympic lifting, and I was in the O-lifting groove! I had so much fun, as is often the case when something we have worked a lot on actually goes well.

I ended the session with Butcher sprints, 1 high/1 low x4. All of the low bar sprints were awful, and my quads were on fire.

Ouch!

Back Squat
228.5 x2x3

3 box jumps between each set

The squats were kind of off tonight-rolling onto my toes, dropping too fast, feeling like they were heavy...but sometimes you just charge ahead and get the work done.

WOD
5 rounds
15 yd suitcase lunge 30# DBs
15 yd resisted run (with Anna)

Last time I did this wod with 20# DBs. This is also the first time in a long time that I have done resisted runs with my own sister. If you want to work less, it is certainly preferable to partner with someone not related to you. Non-relations (Black-hearted Kyle excepted) tend to be concerned about not resisting TOO hard, and might even be worried about breaking you. My own sister apparently had very little concern for this.

I can feel the effects of this wod very, very definitely. Apparently I have still not adapted to the combination of back squats, weighted lunges and resisted runs.

The Butcher

Back Squats
220x3x3
with 3 box jumps between each set

WOD
Butcher Sprints 90#
30 yd high bar+ 30 yd low bar x4

That butcher is a nasty piece of equipment, no doubt about it. The distance with the higher bars was tolerable, but the low bar was brutal. It was brutal on the quads, brutal on the lungs, and a test of my ability to just keep moving even when my body was telling me to please stop.

Getting the Work Done

11/4/2010
Jerk
113x2x5
hold each split position for 2 sec

So I'll just go ahead and admit that bringing the bar back down for the 2nd lift was a big pain. I was so lazy that every once in awhile I just dropped it after the 2nd lift and got Danny to clean it back up for me. But as far as the actual lifts go, I tried to work on my landing position, making sure I was not doing the tight-rope spilt. I think this improved. Now punching up with active shoulders, I think improved a little bit, but I don't think Kyle agrees. That is why it is good to have a coach-to be nice and honest with you!

WOD
400 m row
21-15-9
DB snatches 25# (each arm, yes 21 each arm for the 1st round!)
push ups
400 m row
Time-11:15

I will get better at push ups. I will.

11/5/2010
Back Squat
213x3x5
with 3 box jumps between each set

Then I did a gob more box jumps, just because I love them so much. Or because I am supposed to be working on jumping high and landing softly, or something like that, and it is taking me some extra special time to figure out how to do that.

Side Bends
3x10 each side 35# KB

Yes! Who doesn't love to sculpt that waistline. These were a breeze, in fact I felt like I could just keep doing them, and doing them, until my head got tired of tipping over so many times.

But then I could feel them the next day, and the next day, and I can still feel them today.

11/6/2010
HPS + PSnatch
53
63
68
73
78x2x2
83x2x2
the 83 went like this-1st HPS fail, made the PS, second HPS made, second PS fail. So I had to PS that bar again. I am going to get totally comfortable with 83, sometime...

PClean and Jerk
73
83
93
103
113x1x5 (miss x2)

I was supposed to focus on a speedy turnover. Instead I had the slow-mo turnover. I knew I was slow. I knew I was pulling the bar plenty high enough every single time. I knew that if I just whipped those elbows around and stuck those hips back, I'd get it. But what my brain knew, my body refused to do.

Oh, look I did something over the weekend!

Saturday
SNDL

WOD
83# Cleans 5-4-3-2-1
Front Squats 5-4-3-2-1
Burpees 10-10-10-10-10
Time: 7:45

When Jason annouced this wod, he saw how quickly I realized that this was 50 burpees. Apparently it was all over my face. It feels super-duper to start round 2 after those burpees and then by round 5 you are agonizing over every single one.

Sunday
Power cleans
53x2
63x1
73x1
83x1
93x2
103x1x5

Back Squat
work to a heavy single, with no chance to miss
123
173
203
223
233
243

At 243, I started to noticably slow down, so I decided that was my last attempt before I'd honestly wonder if I would make it back up without a spotter.

Can I even explain how tired I am?

Back Squat
205x3x5

super set with sets of 3 box jumps (16inch)

This is me every time-this means 3 sets of five. So I do the first set with 5. Then I think, wait, maybe it is 5 sets of 3. Oops, yep, it is 5 sets of 3. I do this every.single.time. One day soon I will get it right the first time.

WOD
6 rounds
1 min calorie row
1 min-15 KBS

Rows-18/9/13/12/12/10

So that was tough. I did round one with the 2 pood, and that was really tough. The 45# I used for the rest couldn't even compare to those first 15. I was truly shocked to see that 9 on the second round, heavy kb or not, as in I had NO idea until I was done that I had dropped so low. I usually watch the display and hope for just one more calorie before the time runs out (the cal. flip so slowly!) So I had to make sure I didn't drop below 10 again. There was no way I was going to let that happen!

Now I am sooooo tired. I am exhausted and ready for a rest day and some extra time to catch up on a whole bunch of odds and ends tomorrow. :)

Who likes this WOD?!?

Press
with some super-secret, super wonderful formula I determined my percentages for this one-
73x5
80x3
90 for max: 3

WOD
5 rounds
15 deadlifts
12 hang power cleans
9 front squats
6 push presses
Time: 19:09
All at 73#

Um, that was hard. The deadlifts were the break, the hang power cleans were quickly degenerating cleans, the front squats should have been easy but every squat was painful, and the push presses were just presses.

Yesterday-
back squats
218x5x5

That is going to be my number one excuse for those front squats being hard. :)

Think About Mobility, all the time...

Back Squat
243x5
213x5
203x5

Tried to be super focused on keeping my upper back tight, pulling against that bar, keeping my chest up...all those great things.

SLDL
128x3x5

GHD 3x15

And I made up some mobility wods. These are my Starrett words for today-
Cultivate posture, greatness, and ready state. It's not enough to say to yourself: "I'm going to lift something heavy now, I'd better get organized". Greatness is all the time.

Watch out, Cliff. I might have found a new life coach...

What!?! Back Squat Again!?!

Yep, when you have the gift of being able to move down toward the floor and then stand back up again, you have to practice it a lot.

Back Squat
238x5
213x5
203x5

Power Jerk+Split Jerk
53x2
63x2
83x4

WOD
3 Rounds
30 OH plate lunges 25#
20 KBS 44#
10 Burpees
Time-11:48

Loved and hated this wod. It was super hard to like this while right in the midst of the 90 plate lunges. Step, drive shoulders up, try it again...But when a wod like this is done, I love that I did it, and that I stuck with it.

Oh, the joys of carb restriction

Just so you know, going back to good old carb restriction is pretty awful. I have gone back to under 60g carbs/day, after letting the carb intake creep up with fruit, sweet potatoes and a cheat here and there (things like Ben and Jerry's ice cream the night I got my 273# back squat. I loved it.) I really thought that it would be simple this time. I wasn't eating bread, pasta, rice... so it would be simple, right?

Well, today I feel like all I want to do is curl up into a ball and not move. I keep gritting my teeth. I have to make conscious effort to relax my jaw. The sound of someone else eating is enough to drive me over the edge. At times, the sound of my own blood pumping through my own head is torturous. Working out this morning took all the energy I had and after I was done I was shaky and dizzy. All I can do is drink water and plaster a smile on my face, hoping that when I wake up tomorrow everything will be all butterflies and roses.

I know this will pass. I know it will.

Thursday's Workout
Back Squat
I messed up the whole scheme, so it didn't work quite like it was supposed to:
203x5
213x5
238x2 then fail...

I was glad Kyle was there to pull the bar off.

WOD
7 rounds
7 DB push press 30#
7 burpees
7 pull ups (green band, deadhang)

Time-12:06

The presses were almost awesome. I looked forward to them in every round because both the burpees and deadhang pull ups were so, um...not awesome. I totally regressed on my burpee form, but for most of the wod, I didn't care.

Saturday's WOD
Snatch
53x2
63x1
73x1
83x2
93 fail, again...

Interval Cindy
2 min on, 30 sec off x5
2+5 pull ups, 10 push ups/2/2/2/2

Honest truth-once I realized that I wasn't going to get 3 rounds, ever, I just paced myself to make sure I got the full 2 rounds each interval. By round 3 I realized that I had to fly through the ring pull ups and squats to allow myself the extra time needed to complete the push ups. But even though they were hard, I felt pretty good about all my real, no knee push ups.

And I would rather do this with the ring pull ups over jumping pull ups any day. I truly, deeply, all the way to the core of my being, dislike jumping pull ups now.

Oh, and I owe great thanks to Golden for all that extra running he did to push me through the warm up run. I know you are too busy to even read blogs anymore, so you won't even see this, but without your help I wouldn't have made it. :) And my sister called me this afternoon to try to talk me into doing the Warrior Dash...agh.

The Russian Squat Cycle

Leah Takes on the Russian Squat Cycle from Jocelyn Forest on Vimeo.

So looking back, I am not 100% sure why I decided to start the squat cycle, except that I like back squats, had the extra time, and was ready for a clear challenge. I knew it would be rough at times, and I knew that I would have to just stick with it and see it through, even if I didn't really want to at times. I squatted 3 times a week for the 6 week cycle. I am know that there are longer and harder squat cycles, but this one was plenty for me. In the end I am very glad I did this, and I am glad it is finished!

The whole cycle was tough at times, and I owe big thanks to my coach Jocelyn Forest (who thought this whole thing up and is amazingly inspiring and supportive, not to mention super patient whenever I was whining or worrying) and to Kyle Haynes (who didn't come up with this idea, but is still inspiring, supportive and patient.)



Now if anyone is just fascinated with this idea, here are some more thoughts on the whole cycle, but I realize that most people won't really care what I thought about during this venture. :)

The first week was tough in that I was nervous and excited about the whole venture. I was excited to have my own dedicated squat program, excited to have such focus, excited to try something like this. I was nervous to squat three times a week, nervous to squat 208 that many times period, and very nervous of failing. And on top of that I got a cold, the first cold in over a year, and I was super bummed about that, and nice and stressed that I was going to start this cycle and then fall behind or mess it all up in the very first week. But I made it. I slept A LOT this week, but figured it was because I was sick. I also had to work hard to eat a fairly normal amount of protein. I realized right away that I had to be very meticulous about my recovery, and I could see that I needed to be more particular about what I had previously thought of as all the little parts of the squat-my hand position on the bar, my approach to the bar, re-racking the bar...

The second week I felt GREAT! I was fully recovered and I now knew I could squat 208# over and over again and still live. My legs did feel really tired and heavy most of the time, but I felt very confident with the squats. I realized that I was still tired and ended up taking naps at least a couple times during the week.

Week three marked the first time I felt like I HAD to not just sit down, but lie down between sets. It was at this point that I realized the value of committing to the 6 week cycle. If I hadn't made this commitment, I would have decided to stop, take a break, or just lift less. I would have told myself that it really didn't matter, so I'd just do less. So much of the cycle really had more to do with my mental state than my physical state. Because I had the time, it wasn't really that hard to ice, foam roll, eat and sleep. It was harder to believe that I could get the work done and sometimes it was very hard to not give up. I certainly do not have a lifetime habit of pushing myself physically, so this was not the norm for me!

Week four was when the cycle changed from various rep schemes at 208 to various rep schemes at increasing weights. I LOVED being able to return to my now safe and happy 208x2x6 following a heavier set. 208 was now my very, very good friend. There were times when it was exhausting to think about a metcon, let alone actually getting it done, and if it hadn't been for a coach pushing me through, I would have skipped out on the metcons this week.

Week five and six were h.a.r.d. I added ice baths to my recovery, moaned a lot, and fretted about every upcoming squat day. I had reached a new level of exhaustedness after my squat days so I started eating sweet potatoes. At this point it was very clear that if I had not had the constant support of Joc, I would not have finished. It was also clear that I really also needed the help of Kyle, as he was my spotter (and supporter) extraordinaire. Week 6, my last lift at 258#, was also my first miss.

When I finally maxed out, I felt ready, both physically and mentally. I love lifting the heavy weights, but I am also happy to see the changes in how I mentally approach the gym and the hard work that often faces me there. I am more and more confident, and there is no doubt that this cycle has a lot to do with that. I hit 273# for my final single. I so appreciated that several people made special effort to cheer me on for that lift-Joc, Kyle, Vero, and Lolo.

Lots and Lots of Stuff

Saturday

The Santa Cruz Affiliate Challenge

Tuesday

Back Squats

258x2

258 fail...

so then

243x1 just to finish strong

Hmmmph. I was bummed to miss that one. I dropped my chest. I don't know why I did that, but I did and 258 was just too much for me to get up once the bar moved forward a couple of inches.

Power Clean and Jerk

53x2

73x2

83x2

103x2

WOD

7 rounds

5 Overhead Squats 53#

100 ft sand bag sprint 25#

8 ring pull ups

Time: 9:xx

This was great fun in the new gym! I had so much space, but then that also meant that it seemed like I had a lot more ground to cover. I was happy to work on OHS in a wod, but I noticed that even with the lighter weight, I missed my lifting shoes.

Then I did today's mobility wod with the help of my own personal mobility coach.

Then I finished with the special wod of "move gym paraphernalia" for time. Good times!