Ben Plotnicki

7/22

1 set, rest as needed

Tall kneeling thoracic extensions against wall x 3-4 reps with 3 breath cycles/rep

2-way half kneeling thoracic rotations against wall x 3 ‘reps’/side

1-arm KB snatch to high windmill x 3 reps/side

+

Additional thoracic extension drills

A1 – Hanging cobra stretch with bar in j-cups x 20-30 sec with controlled breathing (don’t hold your breath!!), rest 30 sec

*I like this setup as you can control the intensity by adjusting the height of the bar

A2 – Blocked thoracic extensions on GHD pads with hands behind head x 8-10 reps, rest 60-90 sec x 4 sets

+

B – Every 90 sec x 5 sets

Hang muscle snatch x 5 reps with a 3 sec hold overhead each rep

75

+

C – Every 2 min x 5 sets

Snatch grip overhead carry x 100ft

*maybe 95-105lbs?

105

+

D – Dbl KB front rack hold with alternating low box step ups x 90 sec, rest 2:30 min x 4 sets

28-28-29-29

+

15 min echo bike for calories @ 7/10 RPE

Check….i forgot what my calories as at this point, i think 152

7/23 – OFF

7/24

1 set current thoracic ext/rot drills

Tall kneeling thoracic extensions against wall x 3-4 reps with 3 breath cycles/rep

2-way half kneeling thoracic rotations against wall x 3 ‘reps’/side

1-arm KB snatch to high windmill x 3 reps/side

+

Additional thoracic extension drills

A1 – Hanging cobra stretch with bar in j-cups x 20-30 sec with controlled breathing (don’t hold your breath!!), rest 30 sec

*I like this setup as you can control the intensity by adjusting the height of the bar

A2 – Blocked thoracic extensions on GHD pads with hands behind head x 8-10 reps, rest 60-90 sec x 4 sets

*Picture trying to segment the flexion/extension movement as much as possible, one spine segment at a time. Try to set this up where you isolate the movement JUST at upper back, everything below sternum stays still. This hopefully allows us a way to ‘own’ the ROM by actively turning on the spinal erectors in that segment

+

Belly to wall HS hold x 20 sec with hands as close to wall as possible and controlled breathing, rest 1:40 x 5 sets

done

+

(Squat deload)

A – Front squats 8 sets of 3 @ 45-55% 3RM, rest 60 sec

125

B1 – Banded spanish squats x 8-10, rest 45 sec

B2 – Banded hip thrusts x 15-18, rest 90 sec x 4 sets

done

+

Lower body prehab x 3 sets, rest as needed

Seated banded hip abductions x 15-20

Half kneeling adductor dips x 6/side

Feet on row seat hamstring curls x 5-6

Mini band alternating psoas march x 10-12 steps (5-6/side)

Done and added in some reverse sled drags….because I really didn’t feel like I deserved a deload squat day because of missing last friday’s squat session and missing the saturday as prescribed piece. So today I added a few accessory things, i started off with some knees of toes volume, I had access to a sissy squat machine so i used that kind of in coordination with the spanish squat and banded hip thrust. And like i mentioned the reverse sled drag…..i will say over the course of the past month my knees have good days and bad days, more from being on my feet for big chunks of my days but after this my knees felt amazing. So very pleased with this work today and how i felt afterwards

7/25

18 Min AMRAP:

2-4-6-8-10…etc…

Row Calories

Double DB Step Overs – 50lb to 24inch 

Double DB Devil Press – 50lb per hand

14 row cals + 7 step overs. That is hands down one of the hardest throwdowns I’ve ever done. It’s dense, like one of the team said on the video, this is not the workout to do in a bad head space. I wasn’t in a bad head space per se, just when this workout punched I went into the fetal position and didn’t punch back. And fuck it got dense quick. The one thing I did do, and it was about my only win was saying hold am 1100 on row. In overall time you’re not going to be there much but I knew I would struggle with the other two so I had to fine something positive to strive for and much like the workout I didn’t do last Saturday, you said set a minimum pace and fight to stick to it. The only other win was when I got to the last devils press I knew it was the last time touching that movement so i just mentally pushed for a consistent pace and rhythm. 

(rest as needed)

EMOM x 10

Odd – 3 strict pullups with lean away negative

Even – 3 wall walks with 3 sec hold at top of each

done

+

Serratus/scap series x 2 sets for quality

8-10 band resisted scap pushups

5-6/side banded archer pullbacks with mini-band

6-8 band distracted light DB front raises 

6-8 scap pullups

done

7/26 – OFF

7/27

Part 1

Thoracic drills from Fri + Banded activation with your Macgyver setup

+

A – Empty bar burgener snatch warmup x 1 set

Done

+

B – Muscle snatch x 1/Hang muscle snatch x 1/OHS x 1, new complex EMOM x 3 @ light load

75

C – Power snatch x 1/Hang power snatch x 1/OHS x 1, new complex EMOM x 3 @ light to mod load

110

D – Hang squat snatch x 2, new complex EMOM x 5

*same series here, and pending how it went last week and the state of the body, we can open up for some more loading here on D

115-120-125-130-125 – the set at 130 something felt a little off, so just pulled back for the last one so I could dial in quality

+

E – Squatting sots press x 2-3 reps, rest 90 sec x 5 sets

*removing box here to really challenge strength/control a little more. Go as light as needed with bar.

Did about 7 sets as I just want to keep video diary here. I actually went up slightly in weight only to 25 and I could feel that overhead position a little more. 

+

3 min clock

12 deadlifts @ 185lbs

12 toes to bar

36 DU’s

AMRAP C2B in remaining time

rest 2 min x 3 sets

19-18-11 – I did the first set of TTB unbroken. I knew that wouldn’t be a problem, but the very first CTB pull up felt terrible so the second set I broke up the ttb and felt a little more fluid on that round of chest to bars, and then the third round, I broke up the TTB again lost a little more time there and when I got to the CTB, I did not feel a rhythm just felt like I was overpulling and struggling. So not the CTB day I wanted but there was some quality in there at times.

7/21

TTT Running Gait Prep – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llfzaIRyY8I

done

+

3 min easy jog

done

+

3 sets @ building intensity

200m run

8 bar facing burpees

rest 1 min bt sets

done

+

Cycle Test – Beebop & Runsteady

For time (25 min cap)

600m Run

10 Bar Facing Burpees

600m Run

20 Bar Facing Burpees

600m Run

30 Bar Facing Burpees

600m Run

40 Bar Facing Burpees

23:03 – felt pretty consistent with run paces, around 3:09-ish i believe for 624 meter runs (i want an extra high five for those 24 meters each round)…..I didn’t think the first 10 burpee pace really mattered in the grand scheme but felt every other set mattered. I was surprised how much i felt the run after the 20 burpee felt. I don’t remember exactly at this point how long it took those 20 burpee but I know I wanted to average around 4 sec/rep. Same for 30, and same for the run after that on the run. Just tried to get to running and it was probably 300meters that i felt i got my sea legs under. What I was thinking about on my last run was I wish i had a burpee technique that is built for a little more speed (not like a grief burpee) under high fatigue. My only strategy is to try and keep moving. I did take two quick breaks (i know they were longer than my perception of time) but I did those to try and push a little more. But it was about rep 28 that I just said stop beng a little bitch and just get this done. 

+

5 min backwards walking cooldown

It was amazing how hard this is after being really tired and smoked

7/20

Part 1

Thoracic drills from Fri + Banded activation with your Macgyver setup

+

A – Empty bar burgener snatch warmup x 1 set

+

B – Muscle snatch x 1/Hang muscle snatch x 1/OHS x 1, new complex EMOM x 3 @ light load

75

C – Power snatch x 1/Hang power snatch x 1/OHS x 1, new complex EMOM x 3 @ light to mod load

95

D – Hang squat snatch x 2, new complex EMOM x 5

*target will be a slow build in load as we go, keeping the RPE on D around 6-7/10. Let’s own positions!

95-100-105-110-115 – not mentioned in notes but wanting me to own positions i decided i wanted to hold the bottom position of each rep for 2-3 sets

+

E – Squatting sots press x 3-4 reps, rest 90 sec x 4 sets

*removing box here to really challenge strength/control a little more. Go as light as needed with bar.

15-20

hang Squat snatch & sots press

+

For time

1k ski buy in

into

21-15-9 reps each

Chest to bar pullups

Wallballs @ 20lbs

into

1k ski cash out

14:17 – ski splits 1:57 – 2::03.3 – couplet split according to ski interval rest time 6:16. several points to highlight. So frustrated with my chest bar performance from last week so I changed my workout location to the location I have way more confidence and comfort level doing CTB. Admit I had to delay my normal workout time but that’s just changed feeding strategies and will cut time into what I can do in the PM. Intentional goals – 1st ski 1st 500 faster > 1:55 2nd 500 faster > 1:59 – 1st CTB set goal was 3-4 reps within 3-4 seconds of finishing ski and doing 3 sets after that. All WB UB but making sure each 1st CTB no matter how small was w/in that 3-4 second transition. I almost did the set of 15 CTB in 2 sets but was afraid that might backfire in the 9, I broke my 3-4 second rule, might have been faster had I done a quick set and a second set, but I wanted to see if I could do the nine reps unbroken, I did best transition wall ball, and then goal was just to get the ski moving no matter how slow it was just get moving don’t stop. I adjusted my hands and the handles went flying so that threw off my rhythm and made a restart card trying to find a way to shift gears, but felt like I only could at the last minute.

Part 2

Self-directed mobility

Not as much time so i hit the rotator cuff mobilioty work

7/14

For time

10-20-30-40-30-20-10 cals each

Row

Ski

Bike erg

29:07 – really only had one plan, that was if 8/8.5 was sustainable I wanted to be 7.5 or 8 on the row so I could stay 8.5/9 on the ski. And I probably should’ve had more of a plan than that because I felt on the back end were I needed to shift gears I was holding on and surviving. The other thing that got really bad on the back end was transitions. Not getting on the machine but getting the machine up to the needed pace. The data on the row on the back end looks worse than the effort, those numbers were more i got my feet in but was very quick and slow pulls trying to get my feet adjusted as opposed to getting in getting up to pace and maybe strapping tighter if needed. 

Paces per machine per calorie amount

	10	20	30	40	30	20	10
row	1255	1061	1041	1019	1011	967	1044
ski	1074	1086	1091	1052	1008	1007	1120
Bike erg	1211	1203	1139	1111	1090	1072	1474

7/13

Part 1

CO symmetry full warmup protocol

Check – with the makeshift CO symmetry i have access too

+

A – Empty bar burgener snatch warmup x 2 sets, rest 1 min

Check

+

B – Slow snatch build, self directed in loading and movement comfort, but can follow something like this progression pending how it feels

Muscle snatch -> Power snatch -> OHS -> Hang squat snatch

Last week and this set up, I built up to 125 so today I wanted to use that it’s kind of a foundation to work off of so I did five sets at 115 across and used a structure of about E2M x 5

+

C – (Seated snatch grip sots press + Stand to top + Lower back down slowly to box + Lower bar back to BTN rack) x 5 light reps, rest 2 min x 4 sets

*basically adding an OHS to each sots press rep, stay light and work positions

50

+

6 sets for times, rest 90 sec bt sets

10 deadlifts @ 185lbs

15 chest to bar pullups

20 wallballs

*push the effort inside of each set a little higher than you usually would, slightly more aggressive with rest breaks and transitions

My CTB pull ups were a disaster today…i was a little intimidated with this workout because of the sheer volume of pull ups today and the lack of exposure. The good thing is my body/joints/tendons felt really good during and after. The bad is, man, I struggled with them. Forcing the transitions and minimizinig rest is great in theory but it pushed my positions to a breakdown point. I ended up dropping to 12-10-12 reps the last 3 sets as I ended up going to some singles in set 3. The struggle was going back to hollow from my arch from consecutive reps, when my heart rate was up and staying consistent in those positions was just not happening today. Time overall including rest was 20:38. Deadlifts were fine, i’m sure they played some role and of course wall ball had rest after it so fighting for the 20 UB was hard but that was more mental wanting to break it into 2 but i ot to rest after so WTF would I do that. 

Part 2

Self-directed mobility

Covering a class for someone tonight so at the gym I will do some hanging and banded rotator work while walking around and coaching

7/8

1 set, rest as needed

Tall kneeling thoracic extensions against wall x 3-4 reps with 3 breath cycles/rep

2-way half kneeling thoracic rotations against wall x 3 ‘reps’/side

1-arm KB snatch to high windmill x 3 reps/side

+

A – (Seated snatch grip sots press + Stand to top + Lower back down slowly to box + Lower bar back to BTN rack) x 3 light reps, rest 2 min x 4 sets

*same as Monday

I think i only went up to 55 – but i do not remember at this point but wasn’t much more if it was

+

B – Dbl KB front rack hold with alternating low box step ups x 60 sec, rest 2 min x 4 sets

2 @ 44/h x 18 – 2 @ 35/h x 22 – all to 14 inch box – i chose to drop weight because i really felt it was hard AF on the front rack/shoulders/upper back not necessarily the legs – so now i see we are progressing to 75 seconds I’m super thankful of making that decision

+

5 rounds for time

20 cal echo bike

15 toes to bar

10 1-arm alternating DB hang clean and jerks @ 50lbs

14:36 – first set I wanted to see if i could get the TTB UB, and right around rep 9/10 I thought i could but could be at what detriment. At that point I wanted to stay sub 3 min/round – as splits go I obviously lost that based on first round time, I felt pretty consistent on breaks for TTB – all sets were 9/6 – i know bike slowed down a bit, but i think most efforts from what I remember stayed around the 300 watt mark.

7/9 – OFF

7/10

Front rack prep x 2 sets

Blocked thoracic extensions x 5 reps (GHD/medball)

Undergrip PVC stretch x 5 reps with controlled breath cycles at end range each rep

Lat/teres stretch with racked BB x 5 reps/side, controlled breath cycles

Banded external rotations from front rack position x 6-8

+

A – Autoregulated Front squats – 1 rep @ 185lbs, rack bar and rest 30 sec, then perform 2 reps, rack bar and rest 30 sec, then perform 3 reps, rack bar and rest 30 sec…continue to add 1 rep each round until you reach a 8-9/10 RPE (had 1-2 reps in reserve for that round). rest 4-5 min x 2 sets

7 full – 7+5 Didn’t have the same juice today as I had last week with this. Legs were tired from the week and life not really feeling that training was the culprit. So not enough juice and not enough dog in me today. But that is the purpose of auto regulated…..also on set 2 I said at least don’t be a complete bitch so after I got the same number from set 1 I said at least go for one more and see what happens. 

+

B – Barbell hip thrusts – 4 sets of 12 @ 185-205lbs, rest 2 min bt sets, 1 sec pause at top of each rep to squeeze glutes

205 across 

+

For time 

99 wallballs

66 ski cals

33 bar facing burpees

11:34 – I changed my whole plan and whole strategy on this based on how tough and hard the auto regulated front squats felt today. I knew there wasn’t a ton of separation value in the wall balls and I knew today I was going to have to break them up quite a bit. So my first two sets I tried to do big chunks and then from there smaller sets, small rest. Finished right around the five minute mark. Much longer than I wanted, but accepted it based on how my legs felt today. It really was more leg fatigue today. pretty happy with my ski effort today was only below 900 cals  per hour and the last two or 3 cal. Wish I would’ve slowed down a little bit sooner though so I could’ve been faster on my Burpee. just try to keep moving steady on my Burpee’s, had to keep reminding myself to stay low cause I felt myself standing up higher, slowing myself down. Started the Burpee‘s at 9:04. So a bit slower pace than I wanted on burpee. This rep scheme was kind of funny for me mentally, counting in my head on both the ski and burpee it was getting close and then I’m “oh shit” you’re almost done, so reason I didn’t pull back sooner on ski but that’s ok because it probably would not have changed much and by the time I had four or five Burpee’s left a last-second push wouldn’t have changed much at all, but footwork was hard at that point

7/11

Gym workout placeholder

Did throwdown – 14 minute amrap – TTB/Row/thruster/burpee – first off I didn’t have the most amount of time for a thorough warmup as I chose to get some extra sleep – which with that being said, i knew this was going to hit and going to hit had so knowing this I wanted to minimize damage of heart rate response. I knew thrusters were going to currently be my limiter. I went super conservative there and broke up into three sets and I even think in my last round I did 4, goal with that was too not rest too long which i probably would’ve done had i done 3. Burpee goal was keeping that consistent low position and staying 4 sec/rep or less. – TTB was 2 sets and row outside of first round was 1050+. 3 + 11. Was very pleased with my transitions inside of each except for one set on row, just didn’t get the handle moving hard enough fast enough.

7/12 – OFF

7/6

Part 1

CO symmetry full warmup protocol

+

A – Empty bar burgener snatch warmup x 2 sets, rest 1 min

+

B – Slow snatch build, self directed in loading and movement comfort, but can follow something like this progression pending how it feels

Muscle snatch -> Power snatch -> OHS -> Hang squat snatch

125 on complex suggested as an idea. Felt smooth. I know muscle snatch is weight limiter here but that felt good on last one. Went below knee on hang squat as that felt my powerful and doable and bottom position felt pretty strong and comfortable. 

+

C – (Seated snatch grip sots press + Stand to top + Lower back down slowly to box + Lower bar back to BTN rack) x 3 light reps, rest 2 min x 4 sets

*basically adding an OHS to each sots press rep, stay light and work positions

55 across 

+

D – Deadlifts x 30 reps for time @ 245lbs, 1 set

1:39 – I just wanted to see what the biggest set I could do it, but as soon as I realized that 20+ was not going to happen I stopped, from what I remember around reps 24-27 I did singles to ensure that I didn’t rest too long and tried to make sure that I minimized time the barbell was not moving. 

+

For time

30-20-10-20-30

Row cals

Burpees over rower 

15:47 – I knew the real separation value was the burpees so my goal was to keep a strong but smooth pace on the row, targeting between 1000-1100 cal/hr, I wanted burpee turnover to stay consistent and high. I probably could’ve pushed a bit harder on the row, but I’m actually very pleased with my burpee pace, I didn’t feel I ever slowed down there. I do remember peaking at the clock a few times to make sure that i was staying around 4 sec/burpee or less and from what I remember I’m pretty sure i did. So overall this was a fun one with the challenge and trying to think big picture in the workout. 

Part 2

Self-directed mobility

Rotator cuff and scap work at home – bands, DB’s range of motion eccentrics and end range isometrics

7/7

Ski 95 cals @ 1000+ cal/hr

rest 5 min x 2 sets

5:31.9 (1021) – 5:28.9 (1028) 

+

Run 1.4k @ 4:30-4:40/1k

rest 5 min x 2 sets

7:26 – 7:07 – so each lap around my building is 156, as long as there aren’t a ton of vehicles parked in the way, i say that to say, it was around the 6th lap for both that I felt my pace dip quite a bit, in the first round i kicked only for the last lap but in the second set

+

Row 95 cals @ 1150+ cal/hr

rest 5 min x 2 sets

5:15 – 5:21 – I do not think weather was as big of a factor today but i just think by the time I get to this third piece in the day i’m done. So maybe I need some more carbs in my day, because ski feels great, run is debatable but when I get here I feel i have no juice. I started the row two different times, i started and was thinking i’m not ready so waited a bit longer to go.

For time w/a partner

6 rounds

Partner A – 100m swim while partner B holds 50lb in suitcase hold

Partner B – 100m swim while partner A holds 50lb in suitcase hold

into

6 rounds split however

20 Toe to Bar

20 single arm db push press @ 50

23:33

7/3

Front rack prep x 2 sets

Blocked thoracic extensions x 5 reps (GHD/medball)

Undergrip PVC stretch x 5 reps with controlled breath cycles at end range each rep

Lat/teres stretch with racked BB x 5 reps/side, controlled breath cycles

Banded external rotations from front rack position x 6-8

+

A – Autoregulated Front squats – 1 rep @ 175lbs, rack bar and rest 30 sec, then perform 2 reps, rack bar and rest 30 sec, then perform 3 reps, rack bar and rest 30 sec…continue to add 1 rep each round until you reach a 8-9/10 RPE (had 1-2 reps in reserve for that round). rest 4-5 min x 2 sets

5 into the round of 9 ——— 6 of 8, don’t think I could’ve got 9 on that set so might have been able to get more more and would’ve had to bounce like a mofo out of the hole. I think conceptualizing 8.5 is always hard because there is always one or two more there so I had to tell myself it was ok that you stopped a little early because the plan is not to go to failure. The instinct is to be frustrated because hindisght says you have more but that’s not the point.  

+

B – Barbell hip thrusts – 4 sets of 10 @ 185-205lbs, rest 2 min bt sets, 1 sec pause at top of each rep to squeeze glutes

185 across 205 would have probably felt almost the same as 185 but I do feel the quality of the 1 second was a 5 star effort and I just didn’t feel like getting the plates back on the bar…..just saying 

+

3 sets for time

20 wallballs @ 30lbs

15 toes to bar

20 wallballs @ 20lbs

15 GHD situps

rest 3-4 min bt sets

3:34 – 3:19 – 3:27 – broke up the 30lb wall ball in 3 sets each time and the 20 in 2 sets, wanted to see about doing that one UB on last set but think it would’ve pushed my shit in potentially. TTB UB each set, just went for it. Even though it’s really low total volume, this was a good confident booster with ghdsu because i had an elevated heart rate from wall ball and a little bit of trunk flexion and ghd might not have been fast but I kept moving the whole time so pretty pumped about that. 

7/4

Group overlap for the 4th

I will more than likely do some group overlap and it would be at the spot I normally do rope climbs at with Gus. Also, next week, we are doing a breakfast griddle throwdown at my gym after the morning classes so i wouldn’t mind doing a workout my gym. The benefit of this is, i program the Saturday workout so if there is any movement patterns you want me to get in or a fun partner concept of a workout idea you would like in my saturday structure let me know and we can make that happen. 

OR

tttTD for the 4th

For time (30 min cap)

800m Run 

400m 2-KB farmer’s carry @ 24kg/hand

400m Run 

10 Rope Climbs

400m Run 

400m 2-KB farmer’s carry @ 24kg/hand

800m Run

6/30

Ski 85 cals @ 1000+ cal/hr

rest 4 min x 3 sets – 4:49.5 (1014) – 4:54.5 (1030)

5:00 (1012 avg)

+

Run 1.2k @ 4:30-4:40/1k

rest 4 min x 3 sets

6:14 – 6:21 – 6:24 – i either really had last weeks distance off or this weeks. I have measured a lap around my building and it is 156. But sometimes if cars are in the parking lot and you have to go wide i know that can add some distance but how much? Anyways, also looking at the time, regardless of a few meters here or a few there, a whole minute and 20 seconds longer is an indicator in hindsight of the effects of the temperature difference from this week to last week.

+

Row 85 cals @ 1150+ cal/hr

rest 4 min x 3 sets

First one was great and dipped in the last 20 meters or so and of course that’s when i called it. 

7/1

1 set, rest as needed

Tall kneeling thoracic extensions against wall x 3-4 reps with 3 breath cycles/rep

2-way half kneeling thoracic rotations against wall x 3 ‘reps’/side

1-arm KB snatch to high windmill x 3 reps/side

+

A – Seated BB sots press @ 3112 tempo x 5 reps, rest 2 min x 5 sets

*as light as you need to go here to keep control, could be training bar if needed

Back to the box – 45-55–55-60-60

B – Belly to wall HS hold with deep breathing x 50 sec, new set every 3 min x 5

50-50-47-40-50 – man i really had to fight for the last set

+

AMRAP 15 min @ 75% effort, rest 5 min x 2

300m ski

20ft forward and 20ft backwards seal walk with feet on sliders

8-10 bar dips, strict

300m ski

100ft lightly loaded walking lunges (sandbag/DB on shoulders) 

6-8 pullups, strict

Adjusted the bar dips to 6, the first set it took me 4/4/2 and would’ve taken 3 sets throughout so i did 3/3 and 8 pull ups each time – I would’ve definitely gone for more rounds if the seal walk wasn’t at the start of the workout, theres not a ton of motivation to get back to that thing. That is the simplest but hardest fucking thing there is.

+

Accumulate 4 min hang from pullup bar, pronated grip

I owe you this – going to get it tonight while coaching class