Ben Plotnicki

A – 10 MU for time, rest walk 5-6 min x 3

1:19 – 4/3/2/1 – wanted to hang on for the last set of 3 but positioning just didn’t feel right coming out of rep 9. 

1:15 – 3/3/3/1 – this was my original plan, got a little sloppy with mechanics in the middle towards the end, didn’t focus on staying nice and hollow. Will do more best swings in warm up next time

DNF – felt skin separate on rep 3, so I called it, which the blister popped later in the rig dip work. I was a little upset because I had a new plan that I wanted to try out, I was going to do sets of 2’s and start a set every 15 seconds. 
B1 – DB batwing row x 6/side (opposite arm remains flexed), rest 90 sec

55 x 3, 60 x 1, 65 x 1 (not as crisp here)

B2 – Close grip bench press x 12, rest 90 sec x 5

155 x 1, 165 x 2, 275 x 2 (really wanted to do s set at 185 but was by myself in the gym so no spotter for safety 

D – Ring dips @ 22X2 tempo x 6-8 + 20 sec ring support hold, rest 3 min x 4

6’s across, first 3 sets of 20 second holds were better than last weeks 15 seconds, but the last set was a struggle, broke at 15 seconds, elbows were bending shoulders were internally rotating, wasn’t pretty. Did 10 more seconds for good measure 

E – Bike 2000m @ same pace as last week, start a set every 5 min x 4

done

AMslept good just not long enough. 
Row 28 min @ 1:55-2:00/500m pace, hop off every 4 min to do 5 overhead squats @ 95lbs

This morning was a test of resilience, focus, faith and trust. For starters I was inconsistent with pacing (didn’t use my normal rower) pace would jump from 1:53/1:55 to 2:00/2:02. This test my focus for sure, my back was right past half way so I had to trust myself that I was going to be ok. Hips tightened up towards the end, but just positive and pushed the last 10 when I just wanted to stop and close my eyes. Didn’t move fast on the OHS, squatted with a steady tempo focusing on using the glutes. 

+

20 min hip/hamstring mobility
Spent more time on my hip flexors more than hammies. 

PM

A – Snatch – tough single

210
B – Clean and jerk – tough single

280
Back was a little tired after this am, just started feeling general fatigue in the latter lifts of the snatch, but did not feel to effect good positioning off of the ground so was happy about that. Didn’t have anything left in the tank for the snatch today but the c&j could’ve maybe grinded out one more lift. The last lift in the video, my normal footwork was a little off on the jerk making it harder than it should’ve been. Snatch felt decent today and clean just felt really slow. 
C – Back Squat – Find a 10RM

285

Definitely more in the tank here not sure how much though m, but I know this is normally a one and done attempt. 
+

20-30 min mobility and box breathing

A – MU beat swing practice – self directedused in extended warm up along with handstand holds and walks. 

B – MU clusters – 4.4.2 x 3, rest 30 sec/3 min 

felt really efficient today until 3rd set. Missed the second 4 in the last set, completely due to poor hand position through my transition coming out of rep 3. Tried to fight through it but just couldn’t make it happen. So to make it right I did 3 on the last cluster 

C1 – DB batwing row x 6/side (opposite arm remains flexed), rest 90 sec

40-45 x 2-50 

Might have been able to do more but the hold with the left was getting sketchy 

C2 – Close grip bench press x 12, rest 90 sec x 4

125-135-145-155

D – Ring dips @ 22X2 tempo x 6-8 + 15 sec ring support hold, rest 3 min x 4

holy shit I did not expect the hold to be so hard. 

8 on set 1 and 15 seconds was not pretty. 

7 x 1, 6 x 2

E – Bike 1500m @ same pace as last week, start a set every 4 min x 5

done 

PAILS/RAILS overhead shoulder flexion and sleeper stretch – 90 sec – 10 sec @ 80% – 45 sec – 10 sec @ 80% (1 time through for each arm/stretch)+

TGU – 28 alternating reps not for time @ 53lbs

Got a little sloppy with this early on, but slowed down, took my time and cleaned it up. 

+

2 rounds for time (make this hurt)

20 hang squat cleans @ 105lbs

250m row

4:35
First of all, yuck! Didn’t really like you for a brief moment after after. 

20 unbroken first set of cleans, done at :52, forgot to look back at my avg pace, but was aiming for mid 1:30’s. 10-5-5, mentally wanted to go all 20 or 15/5, just didn’t have it. Might have helped me with holding a pace around 1:31-1:33 on the last 250. Held 1:30/1:31 for about the first 175 and tried to turn it up more for the last 75m but my legs struggled to create that power with the high turnover. 

A – Banded strict HSPU – 16 sets of 3, not for time, rest as neededToday I decided I needed to go with some structure even though the work is not for time. I chose to start a set every 1:15, for the last 5 sets I went every 1:00, I know that’s a little ass backwards, but I liked the grinding challenge. 

+

AB 27 min @ 250-300 watts, hop off every 3 min to do 8 GHD situps

This felt much better today! Got some vitamin D on the bike as well

+

B1 – BB skull crushers x 8-10, rest 1 min

95 across x 8 first 2 sets, 10 last 3

Shoulder was popping, didn’t hurt but that’s why I only stopped at 8 reps the first 2

B2 – Bent over BB row x 8-10, rest 1 min x 5

145 across for 8 first 2, last 3 @ 10

First 2 sets was still a slightly dizzy from the Ghd sit ups. But went away after this movement warmed up 

C1 – Teacup rotations x 3/direction/side

done

C2 – Bent over thumbs up DB reverse flys x 8-10, rest as needed x 5 sets

15 across x 10

5/23A – MU beat swing practice – self directed

B – MU clusters – 3.3.3 x 3, rest 25 sec/3 min 

Round 2 was the best round. The best feeling was that if i was off on one rep i could quickly fix the very next rep and I think the best swings play a huge role. Set 3 was work though after the first cluster set 
C1 – Bent over single arm DB row x 10, rest 90 sec

80 x 10 across 

C2 – Single arm neutral grip DB bench press x 8, rest 90 sec x 5

65 x 3, 70 x 2

D1 – Archer pushups on rings x 10/side, rest 60 sec

getting better on control and consistently keeping the arm straight. 

D2 – Uneven ring pullups x 5/side, rest 60 sec, 3 sets

still challenging but this is the first day I felt solid through all sets and reps 

E – Bike 1km @ 85%, start a set every 3 min x 5

Average of 1:30ish each round. 
5/24

A – Power clean from blocks above knee – 1.1.1 x 5, rest 10 sec/2 min (85% ish effort)

when I got into the working sets I forgot I was supposed to stay at 85ish effort. 85ish would’ve been 225/230

230/235/240/245 – felt better as I went. 

B – Front Rack walkout @ 115% FS max, 15 sec on, 1:45 rest x 4

405 and damn this was tough. Really focused on keeping the glutes and abs super tight, elbows nice and high. 

C – Front Squats – 10×3 @ 76% 1RM, rest 90 sec

265

D – 25 bar over burpees for time (all sets under 1:55), rest walk 4 min x 4

1:49/1:49/1:47/1:42

Had a goal to be at 15 reps at 1:00, I let this be my gauge of finishing pace. Did not use a metronome today, and wanted to trust my rhythm that had worked on the past 2 weeks. Last round I played with barely jumping over the bar and twisting halfway in the air. That pace wasn’t as sustainable as the previous 3 sets. 

E – Passive hang from pullup bar 8 sets of 30 sec, rest as needed

done