Ari's OLY/Crossfit/Whatever Log

Ari Kestler · 01-13-2009, 05:59 PM

Starting up the CA WOD after going to the OLY seminar in DC this weekend (which was awesome). My goals are non-specific, I'd like to get stronger and improve my OLY lifts, but ultimately I see myself doing CF long term just because it never gets boring (whereas SS style routines have in the past). I could see myself doing strength work/technique work intermittently (perhaps during the winter months) but all of this is mostly geared towards improving my CF ability. So for now it's mostly going to consist of the CA WOD and some basic gymnastics in my warm ups. Once I work up to a reputable C&J and Snatch I'll probably return to CF for a bit. Ideally I'd like to be able to C&J 1.5xBW and Snatch 1xBW...not sure how long this will take or if I'll continue after...will depend on how much I enjoy the CA WODs...so here goes:

I decided to start about a month behind and with the strength cycle.

* Back squat - 185# x 3 x 5
* Snatch deadlift - 185# x 3 x 3
* Push press - 135# x 5 x 5
* Pull-ups - 5x5xBW
* Weighted sit-ups - 3 x 10 x 30#

Started out with 185 on the high bar BS as I've never done heavy high bar BS... just sort of testing this out for now...don't really know if this is 83% or not. It was difficult but not especially so. I'm waiting to see how my legs feel tomorrow.

Snatch DL is WAY higher than my actual DL, but if snatching somewhere around 185 is my long term goal I figured I'd just start practicing the first pull now. This wasn't too bad but did feel a little awkward compared to SS style DL.

Push press felt good.

Pull ups, I couldn't do them in sets of 6,8,10 so I broke it down into 5x5....

Weighted sit ups - will likely go up next time.

Ari Kestler · 01-13-2009, 06:07 PM

I should note the hardest part about today's workout was doing it at my CF gym and watching everyone else do the WOD. It looked really fun and I was a little bit jealous. It's hard to sit there and lift and rest, rinse, repeat while people are grinding through together...the camaraderie definitely helps my workouts.

Allen Yeh · 01-14-2009, 04:05 AM

What are your current snatch and C+J numbers?

Ari Kestler · 01-14-2009, 07:00 AM

At the OLY cert I PRed in the CJ @ 185#...I didn't snatch too heavy and I remember my last snatch PR as 135. So ideally, about 40-50 lbs to go on the snatch and 70-80 lbs to go on the CJ....

Ari Kestler · 01-14-2009, 02:11 PM

Warmed up with some PVC and DROM, which will probably be standard... I think on days where we do a lot of specific Olifts I'll warm up with burgeners warm up... on other days I'll try and incorporate a few CF exercises that I am trying to improve on... (double unders, HSPU, Muscle up progressions, high rep push ups, dips, GHD stuff, ice cream makers, frogstands...)

* Mid-hang muscle snatch - 75# x 3 x 3
* 2-position clean (floor, mid-thigh) + 2 jerk - 135# x 4 sets

Cleans felt good, but I did a couple extra sets because the first few were power cleans since I can't read right...

10-16-20 reps for time:
KB swings - 30% BW
KB clean + 2 push press (each side) - 30% BW

Did this with a 1.5pood....brutal...only did 1 push press on the 20 rep round, shoulders were fried... took me 11:04...Hopefully the swings weren't meant to be one handed as I was using both...

Ari Kestler · 01-15-2009, 04:17 PM

* Front squat - (185# x 3, 195# x 2, 205# x 1) x 3
* Snatch pull - 135# (of snatch) x 3 x 3
* Rack jerk - start with 1 push jerk + 1 split jerk until you can't push jerk anymore; then drop to split jerk only to a heavy single

I think I loaded the front squat too heavy....and my left shoulder which has been hurting all week since the seminar started acting up again during the FS and Snatch Pull...so only pulled 135 and tried one set of rack jerks before calling it quits...

I don't really feel like I've been over doing it this week, but then again, my shoulders definitely aren't used to this type of workload. Thank god tomorrow is a rest day. I'm doing my best to try this out for a month but I almost quit midway today to do the 30 min AMRAP run/l pull up/GHD/K2E that my gym was doing...

If this doesn't work out I might just try doing 1 heavy lift before 2/3 WODs and see how that goes... would probably be best to do snatches and C&J on bodyweight oriented WODs (like angie/barbara) huh?

Ari Kestler · 01-18-2009, 07:53 PM

Yesterday:

5x5 high-bar BS @ 225#
5x5 Push Press @ 135# (left shoulder started hurting again..argh)
5x5 L pull ups @ BW....

Emily Mattes · 01-18-2009, 08:09 PM

Stealin' my log title! I see how it is!

You may want to do light technique drills before each workout. I'm a beginning Olympic lifter and eventually switched from the CA WOD to my coach's prescription because I needed more individual technique development than I was able to get from the WOD. You're not planning on being 110% Olympic lifting all the time, so there's no need to be as serious about it, but if your technique is at all shaky (like your ability to squat snatch and squat clean) then you should do some sets of drills beforehand. Like broomstick and up to maybe 50% for triples or doubles. If you post videos of yourself doing the lifts then people can give you tips and you can tailor the drills you do to what you need.