He Needs A Spreadsheet

Workout date: 8/4/15

I apologize for the length of the Monday blog post.  If there is anything that I have learned from the August Athlete of the Month (Sir Chris Cline), it is the importance of brevity in writing.

(If you haven't already read his AOTM tour de force, click here)

Believe it or not, I wanted to write more about the Monday workout.  More specifically, I wanted to write more in terms of how I felt about the workout, but with the WOD being as long and multi-faceted as it was, I decided to cut the ending of my blog post a bit.  Nothing that can't be covered a little bit as part of my Tuesday blog post though!  We'll get there.

Tuesday would be equal parts recovery, strength, and skill.  I'm not sure anyone who did Monday's workout would have really enjoyed doing another metcon, so we got a break with some back squats and some chest-to-bar pull-up practice.  As I've mentioned in previous posts, I have been working my way through a 6 week back squat program and Tuesday was meant to be the day where I did 6 sets of 4 reps at 235 pounds.  With the workout calling for athletes to find their 3RM, I decided to get a hold of Rachel and ask if I could do my strength work during the 7:30 class she was coaching.  She kindly said yes.  Joining me in class were Laura A. and Sir Cline.

I wasn't entirely sure how much time we would have for the back squat portion of class, so my plan was to move quickly through the sets.  But after warmups, Rachel told us we had until 8:15, which took some of the pressure off.  That being said, I felt better than I thought I would during the squats, especially given that I was still feeling the effects of yesterday's workout when I woke up in the morning.  I did light sets of 5 reps at 135 and 4 reps at 185 before plunging into the sets at 235.  It wasn't until my third set that I got caught by my classmates.  Laura looked over at me when I finished set #3 and asked if I did an extra rep.  I admitted my guilt and let her know that I was really doing my 6x4 routine.  I made a joke about not being able to count to 3 and she hit me with a zinger about needing a spreadsheet to count that high.  I had no idea Laura had that in her!  Good stuff.

Later on, in my 5th set, Sir Cline came over to encourage me on, before he also wondered what I was doing as I kept the bar on my back for a 4th rep.  So they both caught me.  I made my way through set #6 still feeling good.  Good enough, in fact, that I decided to try to get a 3RM score.  I added 30 pounds and took on three reps at 265.  I had to move slower to get through them, but they weren't unbearable.  Yay, now I could put a score on the board and look like I did the workout as it was written up.

I felt like I could get more and since the clock had just passed 8:10, I knew I had time to get one more set in.  I added 20 pounds more to try out 285.  I don't remember what my 3RM is for back squats, but I knew 265 was my 5RM, meaning 275 was likely my 3RM number.  So I would need to get 285 to PR.  And if I could manage 3 reps at 285, my confidence would be sky high with regards to finally being able to back squat 300 pounds one time.  I took 285 off the rack, got my setup the way I wanted and did the first rep.  It was difficult, but I didn't get stuck as I made my way upright again.  And once I get the first rep, I start feeling good about getting all three.  Unfortunately the second rep did not go as well.  As I began to rise from the squat, my momentum shifted forward.  I was making my way upright, but I was also on my toes.  I hadn't moved very far back from the rack when I started my squat, so this forward lean was starting to bring me dangerously close to the rack.  Not wanting to collide into the rack with 285 pounds on me, I bailed the barbell.  It was mildly disappointing, but I have no doubt that 285 pounds will be my 3RM very soon.

With the last 15 minutes of class, we were supposed to work on chest-to-bar pull-up practice, recording our largest set during that time.  I told Rachel to write 1 next to my name because I did not think I had the ability to string them.  Although I suppose it was a bit bold to assume I could do one to begin with.  While Sir Cline and Lady Laura (the King and Queen runner-up deserves a title as well) worked on hitting a chest-to-bar, I focused on the flick.  I had tried this out one night and it proved to be a more efficient way of doing a pull-up.  And then on Monday it all went to shit.  I needed to get my mind right on doing this the proper way.  From there, I could figure out how to do a chest-to-bar efficiently.  I did a light flick back and a light flick forward with my feet before pulling my chin up above the bar.  It was working again!  And where the hell was this yesterday?  I tried it a couple of more times before asking Rachel how I could do a chest-to-bar version without a wild kip to get me up higher.  After all, this flick was efficient only to a point.  It was enough to help get my chin over the bar.  For the chest-to-bar, I needed more power.

Rachel advised me to stick with the flick though.  To get the chest-to-bar, I needed to generate more power from my arms.  I needed to pull much harder.  Worth a shot.  I went through my same routine, only this time I pulled as hard as I could when my feet flicked forward.  And whaddaya know, my chest hit the bar.  That sounds nice and all, but the truth is that I hit the bar with my chest and then ricocheted down to the floor.  I didn't fall, but it was the next closest thing.

So now I had a more efficient chest-to-bar, but how would I put a number larger than 1 next to my name for the skill portion of the workout?  My solution was probably not wonderful, but it was the only thing a man with a limited skill set could come up with.  I would do the chest-to-bar with the big pull, but then I'd try my best to hold on to the bar.  As long as I didn't let go of the bar, it was considered "stringing" reps.  I would just need to have a second big pull left in me.

As is generally the case for me in the gym, my execution was awkward.  I could get the initial chest-to-bar, but then I came to a complete stop, leaving myself in a dead hang while holding on to the bar with a death grip.  From there, I tried to flick again and get a 2nd rep.  The first time I was close, but couldn't get my chest to the bar.  The second time it worked.  After that, I tried for three reps, but my herky-jerky technique was only good enough for two reps.  I'm still filing that as a victory.

Sir Cline was not able to get a chest-to-bar, but he suffered from some high-grade Dave-quality overthinking while he was practicing.  He does pull-ups much better than I do them and it's only a matter of time before he's knocking them out over and over again.  Lady Laura practiced chest-to-bar pull-ups and bar muscle-ups with a band.  I thought she would have a bar muscle-up by the end of class as she was agonizingly close a few times, but that will have to wait until the next time she attempts them.

For only a three person class, there was a lot of camaraderie during the 7:30 last night.  We were all giving each other tips.  Lady Laura let me know that she wanted to give me advice on climbing the rope during the end of Monday's workout, but she felt it wasn't her place.  I will tell anyone reading this what I told her: feel free to give me advice as I know I am doing most things incorrectly during a workout.  I may not always correct myself, but most of the time I am listening.

One final takeaway from Monday and Tuesday: I need to find a way to improve my self-control.  When I am calm and relaxed, I actually can do a lot of the movements in the gym properly.  But as my blood is pumping, as my breathing gets erratic, and as the adrenaline fuels my competitive side, I lose focus of my form.  And nothing will help me more in long, brutal workouts like Monday's than maintaining good form and doing the movements efficiently.  Who knows, maybe I'll even be able to do chest-to-bars next time around!

Wednesday preview: rowing and snatches.  Early Isabel practice?