Saturday 2.11: Deadlift, metcon of jerk and pull-ups

Saturday. Strength, deadlifts (PR 200kg!). Metcon, 500m row, then 5 rounds of: 5 push jerks (60kg), 15 pull-ups. Time 9.11.

My goal today was to do deadlift doubles as I've intentionally neglected them lately because I've added squats remarkably in my training in October. It turned out to be a PR day! Then after getting myself together again, I did a grueling metcon of push jerks and pull-ups. Great training day with Pauliina!!!

200kg, boom!

Strength. Deadlifts, 5x100, 2x130, 2x150, 2x170, 1x190, 1x200f, PR 1x200kg.

I had a picture in my mind that I would do doubles at something like 150-160kg for a couple of sets. Once I started adding weights on the bar, I realized it doesn't weigh at all, it was like a feather being lifted from the floor. Okay, slightly exaggerated… Anyway, it felt extremely good to do deadlifts after a while. I recall August or September being a month where I lifted somewhere around 30.000+ kilos and my results bounced up in a short time. In October I decreased the amount greatly because I wanted to focus on my squats. And doing both at the same time creates too much pressure on lower back and I don't want that. Want to focus strongly on the things I'm developing.

I did doubles up to 170kg. At this point I made my decision to forget this method and loaded it to 190kg, took a single rep and decided instantly to hit 200kg. My first attempt was very very close but my hands started to slip in the end, just before I was about to straighten my torso. I had gloves on because I forgot my tape at home. Those gloves are not ideal for deadlifts but I need something to cover my hands because otherwise my calluses will get ripped off and my hands are all bloody. Been there, done that. That's the reason why I'm always wearing tape on my hands.

After the first attempt of 200k I thought how will my hands have it for another attempt. Then I remembered I have chalk in my training bag. Threw the gloves away, and chalked the bar and my hands so that it wouldn't be depending on my grip anymore. That turned out to be a perfect decision. The grip was from another world! There was no doubt in my mind and I smashed the old PR of 190kg. I had my moment once I had straightened my body, wanted to savor that moment for a second or two.

Pretty much the first time I grabbed a barbell in my life was in the summer of 2012. Then we started lifting weights with Toni. The progress has been great to say the least. I still remember those PR's I did with 120-135kg deadlifts. They were huge benchmarks for me. Now, I reached something beyond my wildest dreams. 200kg is a weight I didn't know would be reachable in my life time. This gives confidence to everything I do at the gym or outdoors. And the means to do it: crossfit. I don't want to let my body get used to anything, constant variety. Everything's achievable. Just believe it!

Recap of deads

Metcon. Time 9.11

• 500m row, then
• 5 rounds of:
• 5 push jerks, 60kg
• 15 pull-ups

Uuh, one tough metcon. Starting off with rowing for 500 meters, then 5 rounds of a couplet: jerks and pull-ups. This is a modification of the "2007" workout that we saw in this year's Crossfit Games 2013. Those monsters did 1.000m row, then 5rds of: 7 jerks and 25 pull-ups. A little too much for my upper body strength. These loads were perfect for me.

I got the workout done unbroken. That was a huge thing for me. Both movements made my forearms, biceps and triceps burn and go numb. It took probably 10min to feel normal on my arms. Round after round I needed a bit more time to get muscles recovered and be ready for the next set ahead of me.

My baby <3

Don't know which movement was easier / tougher, they both had their twists in the game. Grip power was an issue. For the entire 9 minutes I had to do work to keep a hold on the barbell or the pull-up bar. Tough metcon to say the least. Breathing was manageable. Heart rate was up, of course, but the tougher thing was the strength issue and grip strength. My forearms were tingling from round 2 on. Go try it and have fun!