Mixed bag - Crossfit/Stronglifts/Spin

[booyaka]

Thought it would a good idea for myself to log some of my gym/training stuff to hopefully look back at it down the line.

Quick summary: 41 years old, self employed, married, 2 kids, dog, mortgage (living the dream!)
14 stone give or take. 6ft 3" - Diet is reasonable, I'm pretty good at watching what I eat

Anyway - mainly do a lot of cycling but I found recently that I've kind of fallen out with it/got a bit bored. I'll still keep it going but wanted to change things up for a bit.

So back to the gym - local Crossfit gym, no nonsense, no showers, in an industrial unit etc.

Got to say the staff/trainers/coaches and people that go are SUPER friendly, helpful etc - massive improvement over previous Bannatynes gyms etc

Whilst spin classes keep me ticking over for cycling, I'm going to focus initial on getting back into 5x5 and then progress on with the crossfit proper. Always lacked upper body strength.

So last 2 weeks started back at 5x5 - low weights to start with and building up.

This morning was 30 mins crossfit conditioning into 30 mins spin class.

Crossfit - partner workout.

Had to do 100 reps between you and partner - ideally 50/50

100 x 9kg ball slam to ground and then clean lift over head
100 x 9kg ball on chest situps
100 x 9kg ball on your shoulder deep squats
100 x burpees
100 x throw ball to partner and catch

Wrecked after that. Then spin class for 30 mins. Legs like rubber now.

Aim is off to Vegas in April 2018 with the boys and want to be a bit fitter and tone up. Don't really need to loose weight as around the 14st mark is fine for me.

Mixed bag of training but like I say, something to change things up from pure cycling.

 

[GSVBagpuss]

Glad you've found a place you like and that will keep the motivation high. I have a few concerns over crossfit generally (like high rep deadlifts - ugh!) but a well coached box is a great place to train. That 100 rep thing looks awful

 

[booyaka]

Thanks @GSVBagpuss

At it this morning with a shade of a hangover after a few beers last night.

Warm up

Squats
2 x 5 x 20kg
5 x 5 x 45kg

Felt fine - Going to get some knee supports as I've always had issues with my knees when exercising from a young age.

OHP - 5 x 5 x 22.5kg

Again fine but already know this was my nemesis from last time doing this.

DL

3 x 5 x 65kg

One set ain't really enough and I quite enjoy Deadlifts.

Onwards and upwards.

 

[GSVBagpuss]

Nice StrongLifts (?) workout. And good squat form should help not hinder your knees

 

[Jester*]

Pain across the knee (if that is what you get) could point to the VMO. When I started squatting it felt like the knee cap was rubbing on each squat, physio sorted me out! Worth getting things looked at by a professional before you crank up the weight.

Keep up the hard work.

 

[booyaka]

Pain across the knee (if that is what you get) could point to the VMO. When I started squatting it felt like the knee cap was rubbing on each squat, physio sorted me out! Worth getting things looked at by a professional before you crank up the weight.

Keep up the hard work.

yeah - knee pain from sports is something I've just live with my whole life. I have no cartridge behind my knee cap so it's painful after some sports. It's been like this for 25 years. (osgood schlatters disease)

It's fine at the moment, I've order some knee supports to help in the months to come.

I know a good physio after tearing my VMO last year (grade 1) whilst cycling bizarrely!! - so will keep any eye on it.

Onwards and upwards - Stronglifts tomorrow then a spin class after.

 

[booyaka]

Warm Up

Squats

2 x 5 x 20kg
5 x 5 x 47.5kg

Ok so far - weight seems fine at the moment.

Bench

1 x 5 x 20kg
5 x 5 x 30kg

Again fine - starting low and building up.

BOR

5 x 5 x 30kg

Tough at the end but no major issues.

Straight into a "hybrid" spin class - on and off the bike intervals. Off the bike was a mix of body weight exercises, fast step ups, situps, squats (!!! had enough already) - 30 mins of sweaty cardio.

Onwards and upwards.......

 

[booyaka]

Another stronglifts session.

Squats
2 x 5 x 20kg
5 x 5 x 50kg

Knee supports helped already. No major struggle yet but felt much more solid around the knees.

OHP - 5 x 5 x 25kg

All good but can feel the next few will be a struggle already!

DL

3 x 5 x 70kg

Strange sick way - I actually enjoy DL's!!

 

[GSVBagpuss]

Lifting a heavy weight off the ground is always great

 

[booyaka]

Crossfit Conditioning

partnered up.

2cals/2reps into 4 cals/4 reps into 6/6 into 8/8 etc for 10 minutes.

Assault Bike into Kettlebell thrusters (16kg) return to floor into burpees

Then same again 2/2/2 into 4/4/4 into 6/6/6/ etc

Rower into 7kg overhead slam ball into weighted situps again for 10 minutes

Then off to a 30 mins spin class

 

[booyaka]

Stronglifts day whilst my son did his crossfit kids class.

SQ

2 x 5 x 20kg
5 x 5 x 52.5kg

Feeling good still. I find the lower bar position much more comfortable so going to stick to that as I progress.

Bench

5 x 5 x 37.5kg

Ok as well - last set was hard work but nothing I felt was a huge struggle.

BOR

5 x 5 x 37.5kg

Same as above - all ok. Did a few sets of 6 just to push it a bit more but a bit more in the tank before I start the struggle!!

Onwards.......

 

[booyaka]

Stronglifts

Squats
2 x 5 x 20kg
5 x 5 x 55kg

OHP

5 x 5 x 27.5kg

Starting to find it hard but managed ok.

DL

3 x 5 x 77kg

Tough but good.

Into a 30 spin class which was intervals along with off the bike plate exercises. Legs are empty now.

I did take a video of my squatting - I'm nervous about posting it up but happy to take some critique I guess! Be kind.

 

[GSVBagpuss]

Bro, you're facing the wrong way

 

[booyaka]

Bro, you're facing the wrong way

yeah - I couldn't find anywhere to put the camera to get a good video from my usual "proper" side so did these back to front!

 

[booyaka]

6.30am Spin class! Must be mental

Then 9am back after school run for Stronglifts

SQ

2 x 5 x 20kg
1 x 5 x 40kg

5 x 5 x 57.5kg

Ok still.

Bench

5 x 5 x 40kg

last set was a bit of a struggle but ok.

BOR

5 x 5 x 40kg

Again - managed ok but last set was a touch ropey!

 

[GSVBagpuss]

yeah - I couldn't find anywhere to put the camera to get a good video from my usual "proper" side so did these back to front!

Fair enough If you haven't already, try posting the video in the Gym Ratz thread for more exposee

 

[booyaka]

Crossfit conditioning (30 mins)

warm up

5/6/7 - air deep squats/hand release press ups/burpees x 4 rounds

Then 4 man teams

Assault Bike/Box speed step ups/kneeing slam ball overhead/kettlebell snatch

30 seconds on/30 seconds off each exercise - 4 rounds

Then 4 man plank teams.

Everyone had to line up and hold plank whilst 1st person went, then 2nd person, then 3rd etc

1 hand release press up into half burpee
2 hand release press up into half burpee
3/4/5 etc

Anyone on the team came out of the plank whilst not doing their exercise and everyone had to stop.

Then off for 30 mins spin class. Legs are empty now.

 

[booyaka]

Horrible day today.

Drank too much on saturday, eat junk all day sunday......seriously paid for it today.....(a touch of manflu as well)

Stronglifts

SQ

2 x 5 x 20kg
1 x 5 x 40kg
5 x 5 x 60kg

Tried wider stance, knees following feet out - last 2 sets were seriously ropey but got them done. Not particularly a struggle weight wise - more just trying the wider stance technique etc

OHP

5 x 5 x 30kg

Again done - but not pretty on the last set.

DL

3 x 5 x 80kg

Done and still feeling ok on these - hard work but ok.

Then into hybrid spin class - horrible as my legs were wrecked from squats/deads

15 mins on the bike work then into intervals of 3 mins on bike, into 3 mins off bike.

Off bike was

7kg slam ball

10 slams into 10 squats (!!!) for 3 mins as many reps as possible.

Back on bike for 3 mins

Then off for 3 mins

10 ball press/15 hand release pressups/20 weighted situps.

By this stage legs were completely empty......Tough hours work - feeling awful now.

 

[booyaka]

Horrible today - have still got a touch of manflu.

SQ

2 x 5 x 20kg
1 x 5 x 40kg

5 x 5 x 62.5kg

Horrible - real struggle - no strength in the legs at all today. Managed but 3/10 for form!

Bench

5 x 5 x 42.5kg

Right from the start it was ropey - just nothing there but again - somehow managed to get the 5 sets

BOR

5 x 5 x 42.5kg

Nothing else to be said - done but felt crap

 

[booyaka]

After 6 days off with manflu - back today.

Crossfit class

Strength

3RM Deadlift -- 15 mins

Basically working in a group of 3 to build up to your max 3RM deadlift.

I was a little worried with my group as both of them are monsters but to be fair they were super helpful/encouraging etc.

Smashed out a huge PB for me - 120kg x 3 and 130kg x 1 (Considering I'd only ever done 85kg above in Stronglifts and my previous way back in time was 110kg 1RM)

Really chuffed with that and thanks to my partners for helping me there!

WOD

6 Min AMRAP
Max Cal Assault Bike.

Pacing was key here but working from my cycling background I knew I could hold around 300W for 6 mins so aimed for that with a sprint at the end.

Pushed 91 Calories - maybe a touch more in the tank but pretty much empty

WOD2

6 Min AMRAP

15 Double KB Deadlifts (24kg Male /16kg female)
3 Farmers Walks (turn and back)

This hurt big time on the shoulders - managed 4 full reps

WOD3

6 Mins
3-6-9-12-15.......
DB Snatch (30/20)
Pull Up's

Horrible - shoulders wrecked form the last WOD - used 20kg. Also since I'm rubbish at pull ups, I was doing standing on box/jumping pull ups and you have to do double them to count. Managed to get to 12/24.

Broken but very chuffed with my DL.