Friday. Snatch / Ohs e2mom complex @ 60kg for 16min. Front squat 6x2 @ 110kg. Intervals, every 3:00, for 15min: 1 rope + 4x10m light sled push. Hang power clean triples, build up (up to 95kg). Accessory, 50 hspu.
This time I took my time at the gym. It turned out to be an effective session and I moved around between different portions. Started with snatch complex, then front squats for strength, intervals, more olympic lifts, and gymnastics work.
Oly.
Snatch + Overhead squat complex @ 60kg
Every 2:00 minutes, perform
1+3
1+3
2+2
2+2
3+1
3+1
4+0
4+0
This one was stolen from one athlete who's been working at Toni's Box the past week. It sounded like a great complex for improving snatch. Started with one snatch and more overhead squats, then changed so that the number of snatches increased and ohs decreased. The barbell remained at 60kg at all times.
There were some reps I wasn't satisfied with. It's not a good rep in my books if you have to catch it by stepping forward. You should be able to catch it where you land. My warm-up was also short and hips weren't feeling mobile so I stayed above parallel. Other than that the barbell felt good all the way and there were no misses at all. It's cool to see good things are happening at 60kg.
Strength.
Every 2:00, front squats 6x2 @ 110kg
Feels like an eternity since squatting. Last time it was back squats, this time front squats. Felt stiff and slow from the very first set. However, on the video it looks pretty good. Okay, it's still not the most explosive out of the hole but elbows seem to point straight ahead and form stays good.
Sprints, one rope up and down, then a sled that only had 4x10kg bumpers on. Went down and back for 4 legs of the matt. Felt miserable on the legs. I got 5 of these sets completed, one round every 3 minutes.
Oly.
Hang power cleans, build up to a heavy triple (40, 60, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95kg)
We were pretty much ready and everything had been performed what we had thought of. I threw in the idea of Toni joining me to pull some barbell from hang position. We basically didn't have any plans. I took a triple, and he followed. Round by round we added a bit weight until we reached something that could be described as a personal record for both of us. Toni was doing these as hang squat cleans.
I don't remember taking 3 reps of hang power cleans ever @ 95kg. It was remarkable for me! Gainz. Toni also reckoned that weight to be his record for a triple @ 95kg. Great work mister!
Gymnastics.
50 handstand push-ups
In the end I did quick gymnastics piece to burn shoulders and improve skills. Goal was to do sets of 10 reps with short rest periods. Those recovery times were on point. I got to 40 with 10-rep sets, then 2x5 to finish it. I was satisfied to these at this point of the session.
Toni did benchmark workout Cindy of which you can see the last reps here
Wednesday. Double Grace with Toni @ 80kg. Time, 8.30. Pair wod, 300m run, 30 power snatch @ 60kg, 300m run, 30 c&j @ 60kg, 300m run, 30 deads @ 60kg, 300m run, 40m front rack lunges. Time, 16.20.
What a day! We moved some barbell around with a purpose in the morning with Toni. Double Heavy Grace was in the program to start the day, and then another metcon with quite a bunch of barbell action, with running between movements. Then we spent the day with Pauliina and our little girl in the city of Helsinki.
Double Heavy Grace. Time, 8.30
60 clean and jerk @ 80kg
You go, I go, with Toni
This sounded like a good idea yesterday evening. Today as I woke up it sounded monstrous. And it kind of was to be honest. As we built up to this weight it started to feel like it's doable. The first lifts felt heavy as shit but time corrected this and it started to feel more comfortable. Or at least manageable.
It's pretty mind blowing that we were actually able to smash 80kg barbell like this for so many reps. And without having to slow down tremendously. We are freaking pumped to hit double Grace at 80kg. Great job Toni! This weight seemed to be perfect for a pair work.
Doubel Grace
Wod. Time, 16.20
300m run
30 power snatch @ 60kg
300m run
30 clean and jerk @ 60kg
300m run
30 deadlift @ 60kg
300m run
40 front rack lunges @ 60kg
Divide the barbell movements as you wish, run together as a team
After the first piece shoulders were shot but after warming up a little bit for this one they were in full action again. It was an awkward feeling that the barbell felt light'ish on the first snatches (as it was 20kg less than just before) but the movement was different so it needed some work to get used to it.
Metcon's parts
Great workout to say the least. Only thing I would have changed was the deadlifts. They were too easy and light so the breathing that was through the roof came down a notch. Had there been front squats it would have been a different ball game. Let's make the order like this: snatch --> front squat --> c&j --> lunges = horrible.
Monday. Clean and jerk 6x3 @ 70, 75, 80kg. Skills, handstand. Wod, 4rds of: 2 rope climbs, 25 du.
Olraight, another training day with Toni @ CF Kehä. We met in the morning. Even though we had a bit different approach to the session I believe we both got what we wanted. Toni worked on his handstand practice and then did a 30min emom alternating between rowing 15 cals and 30 double unders, together with Antti. I wanted to play with the barbell but jumped in on the handstand walks.
Oly.
Clean and jerk 6x3 @ 70, 70, 75, 75, 80, 80kg
These were supposed to be touch'n'go triples all the way. I'm okay with finishing each set overhead but it wasn't cool that I needed to pause on the front rack on the last reps of the 80kg sets. I was looking to bounce it right off my chest and over my head. Sets between 70-75 kilos moved up nicely.
Skills.
Handstand
It's been an eternity since practicing handstand walks. Considering that they went pretty nicely. The biggest weakness there is to learn how to breath properly when being inverted. On the other hand I'm happy I can save the form even when it feels like it's about to fall down.
Workout.
4 rounds of:
2 rope climbs
25 double unders
The last two times I have climbed a rope my left shin has been bruised, bled and been torn and worn. The first of those times kept it out of order for a month. Needed to get some medicine to get that inflammation away from there. So I purchased a shin protector from Rogue which was a lifesaver in action. I'm telling you I will never ever climb a rope without that anymore.
I started this workout as emom wod. Odd minutes were 2 rope climbs and even minutes were 25 double unders. After 2 rounds my shoulders felt like they needed a little more rest so I stopped watching the timer and just worked by feeling. First climb was okay all the time but that second one required some focus and strength. Double unders went nicely today.
It was another day as a kid in a candy shop as Toni invited me to train with him at Crossfit Kehä. It's the best crossfit Box I have visited this far. Okay, Crossfit Trykkeri was freaking cool in Copenhagen, Denmark. That's where Annie Thorisdottir seems to throw down every now and then too. Anyway, the point was we hit a great bro-sesh with Toni.
Oly.
Snatch triples @ 40, 45, 50, 55, 60kg
Snatch singles @ 65, f70, f70, 70, 70kg
Emom x 10min: 1 snatch @ 60kg
Couple of snatch balance singles @ 70kg during the process
We had agreed that I'd go for snatch and Toni for overhead squats but that was as far as the plan had went down. I asked him to write me a story to follow. He told me to for for touch'n'go triples and build heavy. Then some singles an see how it feels like.
Don't know why but the snatches felt super good all the way. Hips and shoulders were not tight and there were no restrictions at all. I got all the way up to 60kg for a triple which is definitely the heaviest I have done for a tng set. It gave me a ton of confidence.
From there one I went for singles, 65kg went up nicely. Next stop at 70kg. Didn't have enough courage though, it turned out to be a pathetic snatch pull. Wasn't quite sure what to do as usually it's difficult for me to get a successful lift after a failed one. That's definitely a mental thing. On the other hand we were at Crossfit Kehä and it was not the time to be a wuzzy.
Took another attempt, was able to go under but the barbell stayed in front. It was an important lift as I understood I have what it takes to get it up. Toni said why don't you take that weight as a snatch balance and dominate the weight. That way you would be stronger than the barbell.
I did exactly that, took snatch balance singles for 3 lifts just to make sure who is dominating the bar. Then went back to a regular snatch and took it up either 2 or 3 times, don't remember but the last one was very good. On the first one I had to step front which is not cool. But I ended it with style. Somehow I remember there were 3 successful lifts at this weight.
Toni was doing his overhead squats so I continued taking singles at 60kg. One lift every minute for 10 minutes. Those were the best 60kg snatches I have done in my life at this weight. No doubt, felt super! Could have continued all day. Toni hasn't gone over 80kg on ohs, and today took a triple @ 90kg. Previous personal record was 97.5kg so little by little he realized there was a chance to smash that one. And he certainly did, first 100kg, easy one, and finally 105kg. That was freaking awesome, congratulations buddy! He also jerked 110kg behind the jerk in the end, shared pr lift.
60kg
Metcon. Result, 171 reps (7 rounds + 3 snatch)
12min amrap of:
6 power snatches @ 50kg
8 pull-ups
10 box jumps
This was created little by little, last pieces written today. It turned out to be quite a piece to handle. We pondered between a 5-rounder and 12-minutes. This required more work, the shorter would have been even more intense. Different natures. This one at least sucked in a great way. Heavy breathing from the first round on.
Had I not done snatches prior to this one, maybe the weight could have felt heavier. Now it felt much lighter. There was a long break between my last snatch and the start of this metcon but body was still ready to hit it.
We agreed on the strategy to do snatches in singles to save forearms. I guess we both could have done bigger sets but then forearms would have destroyed earlier and probably there would have been more elbows leaning to knees. That's because those snatches really sky rocketed breathing. I felt like my technique was on point on these snatches.
There was no other choice on the pull-ups and boxes but to go unbroken. No strategy needed. I believe my pacing on this workout worked nicely and I got the best out of me. It felt bad quite early on but I pushed through still. And Toni was breathing down my neck. On the first round you can see from the video he had that classic boy-like eagerness and was almost running between stations =)
I'm very proud of my best friend Toni opening his own affiliate in Vantaa next month. We started our crossfit journey pretty much at the same time. I was happy to get a friend alongside to train with me for the first year. We built up the base for our strength and engines at Haaga's cave on a daily basis.
After the first year Toni decided to add the stakes and took On-Ramp course at Crossfit Vantaa and joined that Box where he's been training since then and has become a real crossfitter, and lives to compete in our magnificent sport. Now after less than 4 years of crossfit he is about to open his own Box with another pal of his. I'm wishing all the best on your journey Toni and Miku, and congrats on pursuing your dream!
