Crossfit Armoury - June 5, 2017: Snatch; 5 rounds: Deadlifts, Hang clean, Shoulder to Overhead

Monday; June 5, 2017 @ Crossfit Armoury - West

:0-10
Warm-Up:

Walkthrough EMOM:

Tabata Style, 4 movements for 8 Minutes:
Jump from feet onto 45 lb plate to feet on either side of plate
Behind the neck Dowel Push Press
Jumping Lunges
Dowel Sotts Press

:10-20
With an Empty Barbell:
Burgener Warmup - 
 (Up Down, High Elbows, Muscle Snatch, OHS drop to 2, 4, 6",  OHS drop to full depth)
Skill Transfer -
 (Behind the Neck Push Press, OHS, Heaving Snatch Balance, Snatch Balance, Snatch Drop)

:20-30

STRENGTH:

Work up to a HEAVY Single Squat Snatch

:35-40
WOD Warm-Up:  

With an Empty Barbell:
15 Deadlifts, 12 Hang Cleans, 9 Shoulder to Overhead
12 - 9 - 6 @ 115 lb / 75 lb

:40-55
WOD:  

Every 3 Minutes for 5 Rounds:
15 Deadlifts (155 lb / 105 lb)
12 Hang Cleans
9 Shoulder to Overhead


Today's Coach:  Mike K

My Thoughts:
Oh Monday, why are you so hard to wake up to?  And why is my mind so fuzzy at 6 am? 
Today, marks the first week of new programming.   As the owners of Crossfit Armoury had mentioned in our programming; that it's been 6 years since they started this box.   For this cycle, they had informed us that they are programming some old popular workouts that had them fall in love with Crossfit.    I'm personally, looking forward to this.

Warm-Up;
We started with a tabata style, alternating thru 4 movements.   First of all, we all were to get a 45 lb plate and use it for the jumping onto and off.   I must say, that on my second round; have dazed and sleeping,  I actually clipped the plate with my right foot and almost stumbled forward.   Coach Mike said, "Focus!!!"     So embarrassing, more so when Ray called me out... "who stumbled?", and I raised my hand.  Well, that woke me up.
The rest of the warm up went off without a hitch, now that I was awake.   During the Dowel Sotts Press, Coach advised us to look up and not down at the floor.  A little help with that movement.  Jumping lunges, still feeling it from last Thursday workout with my quads.  I couldn't get down far enough on my lunges, so did the best I could.

Coach had us return the dowel and grab an empty barbell.  However, we could pick the light barbell if we want.  I just opted to go with the regular men's barbell.  A decision that I would probably regret a bit later.  You know it's going to be a struggle when you pull the barbell out of the barbell stand and it feels heavy. That's how I gauge how my workout will be.  There are days where that empty barbell feels like a wooden dowel; and other days, it feels like it's 85 lbs.

I know what's causing this, the lack of consistent sleep.   I need to get back into  a routine.  Hell, I don't even have kids and I can't use that as an excuse!  Stupid late night gaming... my fault here.   /sigh
We worked thru the burgener warm-up, and performed 5 reps of each.  Coach Mike demoed each movement before we started.   Wow, my lack of strength in my shoulders showed up during this warm-up.   The weather today was a big muggy, and with that; sweating started during warm-up.  Thank goodness, I'm close to the garage door where Coach had open to let the air flow in freely.
After the Burgener Warm-up, we moved to Skill transfer following the same rep scheme as the previous warm-up.    

STRENGTH;
Today strength focus on building up to a HEAVY Squat Snatch.  I started with 75 lbs, and went up 20 lbs after each rep.  I had a failed attempt at 95 lbs, just a bit of doubt with the lift and could stand it up.  Took a few minutes to rest and tried again, success.  Moved to 115 lb and that was successful, that would end up as my heavy squat snatch.   Long term goal is to get back up to my previous 1RM (135 lb - Aug 2015) and pass it.    

WOD Warm-up;
Coach asked us to strip off all the weight we had on the barbell.  We went thru the rep scheme for each of the movement that we will be using in the WOD.  Deadlift from mid shin height, and as for the Shoulder to Overhead; we could use Push press, Push Jerk, or Split Jerk.  Coach Mike said that we should try to aim for Push Jerk as this will be the fastest method to lift.
Another suggestion from Coach Mike was to focus on deadlifting to rep 14, and then drop and stop.  Pick the weight up and do the final deadlift and transition into a hang clean.   Same theory applies when we do the hang cleans, goto to rep 8 and put it down.  Then perform the last rep of the hang clean and go into the Shoulder to overhead.    

WOD;

The slowest time will be recorded.   I would like to think my first round would be the slowest, but it turns out to be my last round.   My fastest was my 2nd round when I had to strip the weight down from 115 lb to 95 lb.  Bad guesstimation on weight in the beginning.  Back of my mind was saying go with 95 lb.  The devil in me (ego) said, no go with 115 lb.  Serves me right, as I felt it was brutal on my arms with the hang cleans @115 lbs.  Push Jerk at that weight felt tippy for me, even with Push Jerk.   So, the best thing was to drop the weight.  Even Coach came around and telling that to the class.  "If the weight it to heavy, then strip some weight off!!"
With 95 lbs, screamed thru my 2nd round in 1 minute and 38 seconds.   I thought to myself, oh... maybe I went too light?
Round 3, the time increase, and by the time round 5 came to; it was heavy enough.  I ended up resorting to changing my Push Jerk to Push Press as that seemed faster and more stable for me.

Time for this WOD:  2 minute and 9 seconds.

Misc:
First of all, I want to give a shout out to our Crossfit Armoury Regional team for an amazing showing at the West Regional.  I, like the rest of our members were busy cheering for you from our computers, tv boxes watching each event.   You did great to represent us!  We are all proud of you!   

Also shoutout to Carter Diederich for going as an individual, a rookie at that.  

Now, onto other personal ramblings:
I always do a self assessment when I write this up and analyze the shit out of things.  I should had, or shouldn't had.  In the end, it is what it is.  Considering that this is the first week of new programming; any weight establish will be the baseline.  And anything after this will go up...

It's amazing, when you are not consistent with your training.  I've been reviewing my personal spreadsheet on all my lifts, 1 RM, 2 RM, Heavy.  A lot of my heaviest was over 2 years ago.  I guess it's time to get serious about everything, and come up with a better plan.

I saw one of our member, Mike S. who was practicing his Double Unders.  He got a new RxRope with one of the heavier weight.   He said, he was going to practice up to 4 minutes every day after class on been successful with it, the goal is to do double under when the next Open comes around!
A great goal and something I should try as well.  I've been saying for the last year and really haven't done anything.  I guess, it's time to execute and not just repeat in a verbal diarrhea.

For those who have been expecting me to change my focus as I had stated in the beginning of the year; there were delays.   The hiring of a personal crossfit coach, a nutritionist was put on hold.   My injuries are pretty much as good as it can be now, and my eating is okay.  Managed to shave off 10 kg since then which is a good start. 
I'm not too sure when I will pull the plug on hiring the personal coach/programming as of right now, I've been enjoying the class style programming.  The goal for me is to get back to 4 classes a week.   I know that it will have to ramp up on that training schedule when personal training begins. I've built up some time on the Karma crossfit to offset any coaching from the Armoury group.   
Reality, it really comes down to when I want to get serious with this stuff.  And with it being summer, and the family schedule; I really don't want to start something that I can't stick to.  So, maybe I'll be the fall.   Time will tell...  but I'll keep everyone posted.  Thanks for reading    

- Tony

p.s.  Thanks to Ray S. for the picture of this morning whiteboard.  I left my phone in the truck and was too lazy to go get it and come back to box to take the picture.  Plus the guys give me crap because I have a phone that always take pictures darker than it should, regardless on how I manually change the settings.   Budget phones will do that... .so I say..  
Thanks Ray!


Extra credit; also known as extra programming for the likes.   In case you find that the WOD was not enough, or you are looking on increasing your skills, strength for an upcoming competition.  This little nugget is the thing for you!   Coaches are on-site and can be asked for assistance if there is a movement you don't understand.  They will also provide some guidance if you are doing it wrong.
Usually, the extra credit is performed after the class.   And more than likely, there will be others from the class who will want to do it.   This is definitely another way to get to know the other members at your box.

EMOM for 5 Minutes:
 Up to 50 ft Handstand Walk

Remember to stay consistent in your training and tackle one WOD at a time!!