Ben Plotnicki

Felt super weak today even warming up. 
A – Squat clean – tough single

275

Wasn’t able to keep constant pressure into the ground as I felt my hips rising and losing good back angle. 
B – Front squat – 30 reps for time @ 225 (must take from floor)

3:23

(Last time was 3:51)

5/5/5/5/6/4

Felt heavy and better time I say was relative to smaller sets and shorter rest. 
+

AMRAP 7 min

7 thrusters @ 115lbs

21 DU

7+20
+

self directed hip/hamstring mobility

Done 

Have to figure out what is going on especially this Friday and last Friday. Haven’t felt strong at all. Pulling off the ground today was positionally challenging, pretty early on I knew it was going to be a tough day, footwork was pretty poor and these were all reasons when I hit 275 I called it there. The 7 min amrap felt good, didn’t push the limits too much, broke on a couple rounds of dubz, uncharacteristically, so just accepted today wasn’t a great day. I guess if there were any good news, as uncomfortable as my elbow has been, it felt better in the last several minutes of the 7 min amrap, not sure of this was a blood flow thing, adrenaline or cortisol thing, but did feel better. 
As far as health goes I’m closer to 100% than I was a week ago. We go back to looking at calorie intake and see if I’m down a lot or a little. But I’m sure that my feeding is a little off. Stress has been a little higher this week. Sleep has been above average this week, not poor but I one night was terrible and one less than ideal but the rest ok. 

A – Banded back squats 10 sets of 2, rest 60 sec (light, good speed)185

B – Single leg landmine RDL x 5/side, rest 1 min bt legs x 3 sets (https://www.instagram.com/p/BOVv8zQD3N9/)

+90

Might have been a bit aggressive 1st set but got smoother as I went 

C1 – Parallette Side to side leg lifts over med ball x 10 alternating reps, rest 30 sec

done 

C2 – Parallette L-sit ALAP with feet over med ball, rest 2 min x 4 sets

15-11-9-7

Quads cramping my main limiter here 

D1 – Banded high to low wood chops from half kneeling x 8/side, rest 30 sec

done in Flo o so got to use cables and adjust weight 

D2 – Partial ROM GHD hip extensions x 12, rest 90 sec x 3 (start at parallel with neutral spine, flex to about 45 degrees then re-extend through glutes)

done 

EMOM x 30Min 1 – AB 12-15 cals

Min 2 – KB bottoms up screwdriver from prone x 4 rotations/side (just flat on back, dont do side lying – https://www.instagram.com/p/BPCQAU_BRpW/?taken-by=quinn.henochdpt)

Min 3 – 2 controlled skin the cat reps on rings

Min 4 – Banded bicep curls x 8/side with controlled eccentric (get to full extension of elbow under control)

Min 5 – Banded tricep extensions with controlled eccentric x 8/side

done – screwdrivers done at 35 and wanted to focus on good external rotation 
+

20 min easy bike mixed with mobility (get off every 3-4 min to do some movement work – rolls, crawls, walks, support holds, carries, etc)

+

8 min box breathing @ 3 sec in, 6 sec out tempo
1/17/2017

6-8 min ring MU skill work (beat swings to MU, play around with different intensities and ‘size’ of kip)

didn’t feel great here transitioning from best swings to muscle ups, tried to focus on hollow body position and good tension. Best swing transitioning to muscle up didn’t feel smooth. 
+

10-12 min tumbling ‘play’ on gymnastics mat – forward rolls from kneeling landing in squat, forward rolls from inverted against wall landing in squat, forward rolls from a freestanding HS landing in squat, backward rolls (start these with head to alternating sides, then as you get used to pressing with hands do straight back), dive roll over alternating shoulders

this was super fun and actually had someone point out some cues that I was actually able and comfortable so the back rolls straight back. 

+

Death by row cals

21+18

Limiters truly felt like hamstring and low back endurance. Tried to get cute between 16-19 to try and sandbag effort to save energy when it was go time. I found out that this was a mistake and 

+

10 min breathing work @ 3152 tempo

done

A1 – Single leg plate RDL to toe off (crossbody plate path) – 5/side (let me know if you got the vid i sent separately)So I love these, felt pretty exhausting as I’m assuming the effort of extension here is kind of kep, plus balance and the crossbody movement. 

A2 – Banded glute march with slam ball in bear hug x 50 steps, rest 2 min x 5 sets 

done

+

10 rounds for time

5 HSPU (open standard)

15 row cals

30 DU

15:31
I told myself that I have to flirt with higher end effort on rower, still could’ve gone faster but did not allow myself to go below 1100 cals/hr and wanted to try and hang out at 1200. Mid way through, around rounds 5-7 found a groove in the low 1300’s. Pretty happy with this effort personally. Finished round 5 at 7:46, I know this isn’t a lot of hspu, but for me a personal victory from the standpoint that I didn’t have the issue of fighting and spending a ton of energy in the eccentric. Tried to make transitions super quick as well. The only round I clipped on dubz was round 1, lack of concentration

(Not sure if any relevance but time on rower for 150=8:20)

+

B1 – DB side bends x 12/side, rest 45 sec bt sides

Said screw it and went for 70lbs, a little uncomfortable after in the QL but movement overall felt pretty good

B2 – 1-arm KB oh press from squat x 8/side with heels elevated, rest 1 min bt sides x 4 sets

35

+

10 min mobility work

done

+

5 min box breathing

Done

A – Squat clean from blocks at knee – 6 singles, rest 3 min (4 @ 275, build for last 2)missed 285 2x, went to 280 and over pulled it but nailed it twice, was pissed and went back to 285 and missed it again. 

All over the place this am. Played around with bigger jumps in my warm up and might not be the best plan for me but I know it’s good exposure to force this sometimes. Jumps were 215 – 245 – 275. I’m sure this affected my top end lifting a little today, probably more so mentally as a crutch than actual physical performance. 

B – OHS @ 31X1 tempo, 4 sets of 4, rest 2-3 min

215 x 3, 225 struggled with tempo 

At this point I accepted that this am was just not my day with the barbell.

C1 – BB landmine half moons x 5/direction, rest 90 sec

Done @ +20

C2 – Twisting GHD hip extensions x 4/side, rest 90 sec x 4 sets

Definitely felt way more comfortable here than I feel I had with any of the previous days, not that it was bad before, maybe just a better set up in machine, but just felt good

D – 15 unbroken toes to bar, rest as needed to get 4 unbroken sets with no loss of rhythm

Done x 5 sets

Was going to leave in my notes that 4 sets felt good and could have done another so I figured what the hell, not the best day with a barbell so let’s walk away with a positive and see if you can do another. 5th was good and rhythm felt the same except for having to kip and activate lats a little more from rep10ish to 15. Don’t think a 6th set would’ve had similar rhythm. Hard to pinpoint the limiter exactly, but I would probably say abdominal endurance in the bigger sets. Rest time was approximately 45, 1:15, 1:45, 2ish minutes

A – Squat clean from blocks at knee – 6 singles, rest 3 min (4 @ 275, build for last 2)missed 285 2x, went to 280 and over pulled it but nailed it twice, was pissed and went back to 285 and missed it again. 

All over the place this am. Played around with bigger jumps in my warm up and might not be the best plan for me but I know it’s good exposure to force this sometimes. Jumps were 215 – 245 – 275. I’m sure this affected my top end lifting a little today, probably more so mentally as a crutch than actual physical performance. 

B – OHS @ 31X1 tempo, 4 sets of 4, rest 2-3 min

215 x 3, 225 struggled with tempo 

At this point I accepted that this am was just not my day with the barbell.

C1 – BB landmine half moons x 5/direction, rest 90 sec

Done @ +20

C2 – Twisting GHD hip extensions x 4/side, rest 90 sec x 4 sets

Definitely felt way more comfortable here than I feel I had with any of the previous days, not that it was bad before, maybe just a better set up in machine, but just felt good

D – 15 unbroken toes to bar, rest as needed to get 4 unbroken sets with no loss of rhythm

Done x 5 sets

Was going to leave in my notes that 4 sets felt good and could have done another so I figured what the hell, not the best day with a barbell so let’s walk away with a positive and see if you can do another. 5th was good and rhythm felt the same except for having to kip and activate lats a little more from rep10ish to 15. Don’t think a 6th set would’ve had similar rhythm. Hard to pinpoint the limiter exactly, but I would probably say abdominal endurance in the bigger sets. Rest time was approximately 45, 1:15, 1:45, 2ish minutes

AM40 min ATW @ En2-3 pace

Jacobs ladder 90 sec steady pace

5/direction KB around the body pass

5/direction KB drag through from elbow plank

Row 90 sec steady, no monitor

5/arm bottoms up KB press

5/arm 1-arm KB thruster

Done

I’ve always made clients do the KB drag from plank, now I had to do it and have better respect for them. Lol. Funny how it works out like that. Elbow felt tight and irritated in the KB thruster, so made the rack position adjustment so it felt good.

+

8 min breathing work from quadruped rock back position @ 3162 tempo

PM

A – Power clean x 1/Hang Power clean x 2 – 1 complex every 90 sec x 8 (light to moderate)

165 across

B – Front squat x 1 every 30 sec x 15 (good speed and bounce out of bottom on all)

225 x 7, 235 x 3, 245 x 5

C – Deficit halting deadlift, 5 sets of 3, rest 3 min (3-4in deficit, pull to just below knee for a pause then return to floor)

+

Row 150m high effort, new set every 2:30 x 6

27.7 (1:32.3-36)

27.1 (1:30.3-37)

27.4 (1:31.3-36)

27.6 (1:32.0-34)

26.8 (1:29.3-33) over exaggerated the sprint start 

26.7 (1:29.0-37)
+

D1 – Prone external rotation press x 4/side, rest 30 sec bt sides

D2 – Hands behind back scap pinches x 4-6 reps with holds in back, rest 60 sec x 4 sets

Meant to do these later in the day, but lost track of time so will do them at home.

Made up AM session from previous day, with the row and press @ 135 + bike and dead @ 275
A – Split jerk x 2 (alternate front foot each rep), new set EMOM x 12

205 off the blocks, felt more natural today, I know coming off the blocks made this much better from several perspectives

B1 – 1-arm DB split snatch x 4/side (dont jump to split, just drive the back foot backwards into a split catch), rest 60 sec

@70

Alternated which foot back I used. Didn’t really know so I wanted to play around with it. Just moving the foot back felt awkward without moving the front foot. Definitely against instincts

B2 – Single leg GHD hip extension x 6/side, rest 60 sec

Done

B3 – BB on back reverse lunges with 90 degree twist towards front foot in lunge x 10 alternating reps, rest 60 sec

@95

B4 – Single leg BB hip thrusts with 2 sec hold at top x 6/side, rest 60 sec x 3 sets

First set @ 155, couldn’t hold for 2 sec in the last few reps on each side, so the last 2 sets used 135

C – Zercher squat with axle bar @ 2020 x 8, new set every 3 min x 4

115

Not as bad as cyclist squats but they’re up there

D1 – Side lying banded clamshells x 8/side

D2 – Banded hip extensions from tall kneeling x 8 (squeeze glutes at top)

D3 – Banded psoas march x 4/side (maintain active hollow)

rest as needed x 5 sets

All accessory done

E – 10 min easy bike @ 100-150 watts

All bikes were being used

+

8 min breathing work from straddle seated position against wall @ 3162 tempo

So i skipped to breathing

AM15 min row, off EMOM to do 1 ‘tough’ strict press (heavy but dont overcompensate with lean back or grind)

+

15 min bike, off EMOM to do 1 ‘tough’ deadlift (keep form and speed, no grinding reps)

+

15 min mobility

Couldn’t get out of driveway in the am in time to knock this out. Going to do it on Tuesday unless you recommend against it.
PM

Wrist CAR’s warming up, with wrist flexion/extension and focused eccentrics in warm up
For time

100 cal AB

50 burpee box jumps to 24in

25 Ring MU

20:23
Don’t know if I should be happy or pissed here. For starters here are my splits

AB – 7:08

bbxj – 6:57

MU – 6:16
AB was conservative, didn’t know how much it would effect the burpee box jumps, tried to hold a minimum of high 300’s watts, could’ve definitely gone harder, but at what cost?

Bbxj – I might have done at least 5-6 more, but definitely no less than 50, was starting to think about my muscle up plan at this time and how much an elevated heart rate would affect the muscle ups. Breathing was high and a little cold air lung (man I miss Phoenix) but tried to keep steady movement and tempo with no highs or lows. Pushed the pace a little in the middle from around 25-40

MU – sets were 7-4-4-3-3-4

Not sure the set of 7 out the gate was the best choice for breathing rate, definitely rested too much b/t sets, not comfortable with high breathing and trusting myself, even though muscle ups felt good overall. 

+

10 min bike cooldown

Done

+

8 min box breathing

Harder to do effective box breathing today with still some congestion, so the 8 minutes were not continuous.

+

Bicep curl and band tricep press down with eccentric focus in cooldown.

Elbow update – still pretty tender, through warm up, mobility, and flossing. Felt ok with all the work today though. Congestion still pretty bad, overall body felt good after a goodnight sleep. So was back and forth on training and was going to let my cleans be the tell on to stop or keep going. 
A – Squat clean from blocks at knee – 9 singles, rest 120 sec (6 @ 270+, build for last 3)

270×2, 275×4, 285×2, 290 miss 

Didn’t make a a more aggressive jump or another attempt because was having to use plates for blocks old school style today 

B – Front squat – tough triple, reps must be done in less than 8 sec to count

245-265-280, had a done a couple more doubles warming up might have been able to hit 290 within 8 seconds 

C1 – Clean pulls from deficit x 3 @ 325, rest 90 sec

pulled off a rogue 25lb plate, not sure the height relative to the previous weight progressions but this felt the best today 

C2 – Single leg sorenson hold with plate rotations x 5/direction, rest 90 sec x 4 sets

done

D – GHD situps – 5 sets of 20, during rest time do Ring support hold 20 sec and active hollow hang 20 sec

didn’t have time to do, should I squeeze in tomorrow?