Hank's workout log

[henry whitaker]

I am starting this log after lurking here for a while. I did straight CrossFit for a few years and then switched to Gant's hybrid programming for a while. I have bought into the idea that there is a need to have more of structure in your strength program, and that CrossFit-style random, MetCon-beat-down programming doesn't make a whole lot of sense. So I have been playing around with 5/3/1-based programming and a linear SS-style strength progression for the past 9 months or so. I would like eventually to put some more focus on the oly lifts, but right now I feel like priority one needs to be to improve static strength, particularly in the squat, which unfortunately has gone nowhere in the past year or so. I also have a need for a little conditioning to support sports I am doing right now. So my current template looks roughly like this:

M: Press 5/3/1, dips, pull-ups

T: Power clean, squat 5/3/1, conditioning.

W: Bench 5/3/1, db row, pull-ups

Th: Deadlift 5/3/1, good mornings, conditioning.

Monday:

Press 5's week: 100# x 5, #120 x 5, #130 x 9. Maybe should have started lighter.

Dips: BW x 10 x 5.

Pull downs: 60 # x 8 x 4. Don't laugh. I am trying something new to assist pull ups based on this article: http://www.t-nation.com/testosterone-magazine-626#pull-up-strength

Yesterday:

PC: doubles: 80 kg, 100, 110. Then three more singles at 110. Felt strong.

Squat 5's week: 180# x 5, 220 x 5, 245 x 9. Wanted at least 10 here. Oh well.

Conditioning: 6 basketball-court suicides x 5.

[henry whitaker]

Yesterday:

1. 90 kg rack jerk singles on the min for 10 min. Felt slow; need to work on pushing under the bar.

2. Bench 3's week: 165 x 3, 185 x 3, 210 x 9. I'll take that.

3. Pull downs: 70# x 8 x 3, 60# x 8. Did not feel very strong so took off some weight for the last set. Going very slow.

4. Db rows: 30# x 20, 30# x 25. Never really done these before so started light. Supersetted these with the pull downs to save a little time.

[henry whitaker]

Friday:

Deadlift 3's week: 245# x 3, 275 x 3, 315 x 8. Crappy.

Good mornings: 75# x 10 x 4.

Conditioning: six court suicides + 15 burpees. Four times.

Today: soccer game. Messed around on the tennis court for a little bit later in the day.

[henry whitaker]

Yesterday:

1. Press 3's week: 110# x 3, 125 x 3, 140 x 8.

2. Dips: BW x 11 x 5.

3. Pull downs: 50# x 8, 70# x 8 x 4. Getting a little bored with these already but going to stick with it for at least a month, then re-test pull ups. Have a plan, and stick to it. Easy to say but hard to execute sometimes.

[henry whitaker]

Yesterday:

1. Power clean: 90 kg x 2 x 10, 90 sec. rest in between doubles.

2. Squat 3's week: 205# x 3, 230 x 3, 260 x 7.

3. Front squat: 145# x 5, 170 x 5, 190 x 5.

4. 5 min 20 kg kettlebell snatch: 92 reps. Still learning this movement.

[henry whitaker]

11/4

Bench 5 3 1 week: 175# x 5, 200 x 3, 225 x 5

DB rows: 35# x 30 x 2

Pull downs: 50# x 8, 70# x 8 x 2, 80# x 8 x 2

Bodyweight: 181.

[henry whitaker]

11/6

Deadlift 5 3 1 week: 260# x 5, 295 x 3, 330 x 7.

Good mornings: 80# x 10 x 4.

Conditioning: 8 hill sprints w/ ~15# backpack. 1 min rest in between.

[henry whitaker]

11/8

Press 5 3 1 week: 117# x 3 (oops should have done 5), 132 x 3, 147 x 5. Ungood.

Dips: ring: 8, 7. bar: 11 x 3. Dip bars not available at first so did a couple sets of ring dips.

Pull downs: 80# x 8 x 4.

[henry whitaker]

11/9

Soccer game. Pulled hamstring. Going to be limited for a bit.

[henry whitaker]

11/13

Back in the gym. Some light rehab work/deload:

Squat: #135 x 10 x 3. Not too bad on the hammy.

Bench (deload): three light fives up to 145#.

Pull ups: two ladders up to 5.

[henry whitaker]

11/15

Press deload: 5 x 3 up to #95

Hammy rehab: squat 135# x 10, 155# x 10 x 2. Getting better but not there yet. Running hurts much worse than squatting (which makes it actually feel a lot better after the workout).

Easy 1000m row, just under 4 min.

11/18

Traveling for work so hotel gym. Did a little hammy rehab with some dumbbell GMs and also 8 x 4 pull downs @ "9" (hopefully 90#).

11/19

Bench -- 5s week: 160# x 5, 180 x 5, 205 x 9.

DB row: 40# x 20 x 2.

Hammy rehab: Good mornings 45# x 10 x 3. Feeling better. May try squatting for real on Tuesday.

[henry whitaker]

11/22

Press 5's week: 105# x 5, 120 x 5, 135 x 9.

Dips: 12 x 2, 11 x 2, 10.

Pull downs: 90# x 8 x 3, 100# x 8.

[henry whitaker]

11/23

Dead -- 5's week: 230# x 5, 265 x 5, 300 x 8. Did not want to push hamstring. Happy I was able to do this many as it is.

Good mornings: 65# x 10 x 3.

11/26

Time limited today:

Squat 5's week: 190# x 5, 220 x 5, 245 x 10. Used last cycle's max since I missed a workout because of hamstring.

Bench 3's week: 170 x 5, 190 x 5, 215 x 8. Should have done 3 on the first two.

[henry whitaker]

11/29

Press 3's week: 110# x 3, 130 x 3, 145 x 6.

Dips: BW x 12 x 4, 11 x 1.

Pull downs: 100# x 8 x 3, 110 x 8.

[henry whitaker]

11/30

Deadlift 3's: 245# x 3, 280 x 3, 315 x 9. Left a rep or two in the tank. Still feeling the hamstring.

Good mornings: 75# x 10 x 5.

Max burpees in five minutes: 70.

[henry whitaker]

12/2

Bench 5 3 1 week: 180# x 5, 205 x 3, 230 x 5.

DB row 45# x 20.

Also got talked into doing a Crossfit-style conditioning workout:

21 knees to elbows, 21 KBS @ 24 kg, 21 box jumps (24" box), 21 push ups, 3 15' rope climb, 21 walking lunges.

Probably not the best idea but oh well.

[henry whitaker]

12/4

Power clean: 90 kg x 2 x 10, 1 min rest.

Squat 3's week: 205# x 3, 230 x 3, 260 x 9.

Started using a belt. Makes a difference.

[henry whitaker]

12/6

Press 5 3 1: 120# x 5, 135 x 3, 150 x 5.

Dips: BW x 12 x 5.

Pull downs: 110# x 8 x 4.

[henry whitaker]

12/7

Deadlift 5 3 1: 265# x 5, 300 x 3, 335 x 7.

Good morning: 80# x 10 x 5.

Conditioning: 100 kettlebell snatches @ 20 kg.

[henry whitaker]

Been busy.

12/9

Squat 5 3 1: 220# x 5, 245 x 3, 275 x 7.

Bench deload: work up to 145 x 5.

12/14

Press deload: work up to 85# x 5

Deadlift deload: work up to 175 x 5

Pulldowns: 110# x 8 x 2, 120# x 8 x 2.

12/17

Bench 5's week: 160# x 5, 185 x 5, 210 x 10.

Dumbbell row: 40# x 25, 20.

[henry whitaker]

12/21

Recovering from a bout of food poisioning. Am down in weight and have no appetite. Didn't expect much and didn't get much:

Press 5's week: 105# x 5, 125 x 5, 140 x 6.

Dips: 12 x 3, 10.

Pull downs: 120# x 8 x 3.

12/22

Power clean: 95 kg singles on the minute x 10.

Deadlift 5's week: 235# x 5, 270 x 5, 305 x 11.

Good mornings: 85# x 10 x 5.

[henry whitaker]

12/27

Squat 5's: 195# x 5, 225 x 5, 255 x 7. Last set cut short; tweaked lower back on last rep. Overextended at the bottom of the squat.

12/31

Took it easy on the back for a bit. Thought I could at least bench and I could.

Bench 3's: 170# x 3, 195 x 3, 220 x 8.

DB rows: 45# x 20 x 2.

1/1

Ran hills to bring in the New Year.

1/2

Press 3's: 115# x 3, 130 x 3, 150 x 5.

Dips: BW x 12 x 5.

1/3

Time limited:

Deadlift 3's: 260# x 3, 295 x 3, 325 x 9.

Good mornings: 90# x 10 x 3.

[henry whitaker]

1/5

Bench 5/3/1: 185# x 5, 210 x 3, 235 x 4. Almost got a fifth but spotter touched the bar. Doesn't count.

DB row: 45# x 20, 25.

1/6

Some light/moderate power cleaning to start, 70-85 kg. Then:

Squat 3's: 210# x 3, 240 x 3, 275 x 3. Program minimum. Back still is not 100 percent.

Front squat: 135# x 10 x 4. Thought I was going light but these were surprisingly hard.