Saturday 2.2: Squat, Snatch, OHS, Winter War

Saturday. Back squats 1-1-1-1-1 (max PR 140kg), snatch 1-1-1-1-1 (max PR 52.5kg), overhead squats 3-3-2-1 (max PR 50kg).

Huh, this was one heck of a crossfit day! I spent the whole saturday with my bro. First of all, we met in the morning at the box to do some serious training. Agenda was to train hard first, then take a road trip 2 hours away to Tampere where Winter War - Finnish national crossfit finals - took place throughout the day. Neither of us participated in the qualifiers but we wanted to drive and take a look what it looks like at the spot. Sipa definitely wanted to do the qualifiers before heading to the actual games. I have a Game Day tomorrow so I didn't want to risk anything by going too rough. That's why I went strength singles today, no metcons for me.

Box jumps, Sipa

Strength. Huh, three PR's today!

• Back squat 1-1-1-1-1 (100, 120, 130, 135, PR 140kg)
• Snatch 1-1-1-1-1 (30, 40, 45, PR 50kg, PR 52.5kg)
• Overhead squats 3-3-2-1 (30, 40, PR 45kg, PR 50kg)

I simply nailed it. I just wrote on Wednesday that I'd better get my bro to the box so I'd PR my back squat again =) It's been quite a tradition this far. Those squats felt easy for some reason. I didn't take many reps, just warming up with 60kg, trying to stretch as well before entering to real weights. I still had the feeling I could have piled more weights after 140kg, weird… Felt incredibly awesome!

Back squat, 140kg, PR

After squats I decided to give it a shot with overhead squats. My plan was to do sets of 3 reps and start the movement from the ground by snatching the barbell overhead. After discussing it with Sipa, I managed to find better stability in the overhead squat position. I have been playing snatches with 40kg for some time and gained good confidence. It's not an issue anymore to lift it. Therefore it was only natural to add kilos. I took set of 45kg, my old snatch record and overhead squatted my new record (40 -> 45kg). It was rather easy so I stepped it up a notch, 50kg, both snatch and overhead squat, c'mon! Finally I snatched 52.5kg, which now stands my current snatch PR. I didn't try to squat it at all.

This was beautiful, three PR's in one day. This day will stay in my memories for some time =) Sipa's day was sick. He did three workouts with 5 min rest between workouts. First one was the most cruel, heavy thrusters. Short break and continue with box jumps, push-ups and double unders. Finally funny combo of pull-ups and toes-to-bars. I'm telling you, this guy was crushed after the workouts. His shoulders were screaming in pain. Take a look at the videos below!

Sipa's workout no 1. Result 38.4 reps (38 thrusters and 4 burpees)

• 8 min amrap of:
• 10 thrusters, 40kg
• 10 thrusters, 50kg
• 10 thrusters, 60kg
• 10 thrusters, 70kg
• 10 thrusters, 80kg
• 10 thrusters, 90kg
• Once the athlete is not able to do thrusters anymore: bar-facing burpees

Sipa's workout no 2. Result 132 reps (2 rounds + 2 double unders)

• 6 min amrap of:
• 20 box jumps, 64cm
• 10 hand release push-ups
• 20 double unders

Sipa's workout no 3. Result 58 reps

• 4 min amrap of:
• 1 pull-up
• 1 toes-to-bar

Winter War. After the workouts we headed north to Finland's national crossfit games. The workouts were sick and the guys were monsters. We were stunned to look at the guys performing. The winner - Mikko Aronpää - participated in the Crossfit Games last year and finished as the 32nd fittest human on earth. These athletes had to go through 5 workouts before the last 10 guys reached the final workout which stood as follows. That was sick, especially as the 100kg front squats and 80kg overhead squats started from the ground, not from rack. Cruel.

Mikko Aronpää, rope climbs

With a 15min time cap perform the following. Barbell starts from the ground.

• 10 muscle-ups
• 10 deadlifts, 150kg
• 20 toes-to-bar
• 2 rope climb
• 10 front squats, 100kg
• 20 toes-to-bar
• 2 rope climb
• 10 overhead squats, 80kg
• 20 toes-to-bar
• 2 rope climb
• 5 muscle-ups

Mikko Aronpää at the clean & jerk ladder, 120kg