Ben Plotnicki

AM

Every 6 min x 4 sets

50 heavy cable DU’s

15 power snatches @ 95lbs

30 GHD situps

5 power snatches @ 155lbs

15 bar facing burpees (keep a good turnover here, chest to ground quick in that pseudo worm technique, push these knowing there’s rest coming)

4:22 – 4:19 – 5:13 – 5:44 – it was the combo of the power snatch/ghd that started eating my lunch. Also, not sure if it was just this surreal feeling of being in the gym that is completely stripped of 99% of it’s equipment or not my normal breakfast, but didn’t feel 100% today. Just a lot going on with the gym move and I know my body feels good but know we are pushing it hard. Also with the gym situation I didn’t want to risk their desire to break down the rig they left for me so I went ahead and did the deadlift muscle up part right after this. Not ideal for performance but gave me a good change to push through the challenge. 

PM

Clean and jerk gauntlet

1 rep every 90 sec until failure. start at 225lbs, add 10lbs/make, have someone help you load weights if able

Went ahead and did this at home, not enough waits left at the gym or bars so just loaded up the bar in the garage. 275 was solid, 285 was a grind out of the whole and missed the jerk

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Squat snatch speed ladder

1 rep each @ 145/165/185. rest as needed after

1 rep each @ 155/175/195. rest as needed after

1 rep each @ 165/185/205.

Only one bar used at home which i know takes away the stimulus but I think i did good for having to deal with that, 41 – 51 – and 1:41 – one miss @ 205 and I think I was just tired. Between sessions today and trying to help out at the new facility. 

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For time

12-9-6 Deadlifts @ 315lbs

6-9-12 Ring MU

10:13 – set of 12 unbroken on the deadlift, might not have been the smartest thing but also, when there is no rubber matting you get ZERO energy from the ground, and gained a whole new appreciation for rubber matting. Muscle ups felt a little off, but since there was only a small piece of the rig left, the rings played a little different so was just working on managing this and having a strategy to deal with that in the workout. The round of 9 i really found my kip and hip extension so quite a few of those felt really good. And into the set of 12 just tried sense of urgency strategies and sets that I didn’t have to rest long.

AM

Paddleboard 800-1000m for efficiency

rest 5 min x 3-4 sets, pending distances and timing

Still might be able to get on the water tonight, but will also help with some gym transition work.

PM

Split jerks – 10 singles @ 84-88%, tech focus at a higher percentage, keep footwork crisp, rest as needed

From 230-245 – this was exactly what i feel my jerk has been needing

+

Front squats x 10 @ 185lbs (can take from rack), rest 30 sec

30ft dbl DB OH lunge @ 50/hand (play around with positioning, try to get some where you’re pressing them together like we talked about at camp), rest 3:30 x 3 sets

I did not like trying to press the db’s together. What felt the best is having the bulk of the db behind my center of mass

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For time

10 1-arm DB power clean/push jerk @ 100lbs (5/side then switch)

40ft HSW (unbroken)

10 deficit kipping HSPU (4in)

40ft HSW (unbroken)

10 1-arm alternating snatches @ 100lbs

40ft HSW (unbroken)

10 deficit kipping HSPU (4in)

40ft HSW (unbroken)

13:50 there was some major victories here and some lessons learned…..for starters it wasn’t until my last db clean/push jerk that i learned how to be more efficient and effective, but i wasn’t about to start over just to prove to myself. That took the longest of everything the first 5 reps were done in about 1:21 and then the 2 missed reps really cost me even more time so finished here about 3:15ish. Last rep, on my right side i had a really good position where the heel of my hand was able to apply the most force, kind of a theory i had learned when throwing a punch and being supported by the ulna and it clicked right there at that last moment. I also missed 2 jerks on the right hand none on the left but the misses were due to not a good rack position and the longer i was in the rack the less likely i was to finish that rep. All hs walks done up my driveway and unbroken on all, however on the 3rd set – i could feel how hot the driveway asphalt was (i did wear gloves), and on the last walk i felt the good old blister starting to form but i was so close and wanted to be stubborn and finish the walk. Hs push ups werent fast but all unbroken and really made sure that i kipped first before pressinig. Db snatch, as soon as i positioned the db with a pronated grip I started moving it fast and efficiently but that wasn’t until rep 5 and then at that point was able to not rest but switching hands on the ground.

AM

5 Rounds for time:

12 DL – 155#/105#

12 TTB

9 HPC – 155#/105#

9 CTB Pull-Ups

6 S2O – 155#/105#

6 Bar Muscle Ups

Was planning on doing all 5 rounds, but was pushing to 4 rounds in under the 15 min time cap. At the 15 min time cap i had just hit 1 sto and didn’t get the 2nd one in. I really tried to pace conservatively in the beginning to manage grip and everything. After the cap i wanted to work on quick transitions as my focus, rested a little bit longer than game pace but forced quick aggressive transitions. Hands felt extremely raw after and had there been painfully one more round I do feel my hands would’ve torn

PM

Snatch – 8 singles @ 85-92%, rest as needed

185-190-195-200 – 2 @ each and these actually felt strong and solid

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Clean and jerk – 5 singles @ 85-90%, rest as needed

255 x 3 – 265 x 3 – clean felt really good and jerk felt good and like butter @ 255, not hard but not crisp consistently crisp on all sets of 265

+

Deadlift triples with hand flash at bottom, 5 building sets, rest as needed

315-335-355-365-385 – the 385 was slow but actually felt really good and the 2nd and 3rd reps felt a little faster……I think if i have to i could’ve grinded through 405 for a double for sure and fought for the 3rd with everyhing i had.

+

Rope climb – 6 for time to 15ft, rest 2 min

Rope climb – 3 legless for time to 15ft, rest 2 min

Rope climb – 6 for time to 15ft

1:12 – elbow started  flaring up and didn’t not feel as smooth as descent was a few weeks ago, rope i used felt different and i didn’t trust it, but still tried to work through it. LL – 47 – elbow was not happy at all and called it here, but wanted to finish the 3 stubbornly even if it wouldn’t be at game pace. On a separate training note, they are definitely going to leave a small part of the rig up for me and some weights around so there will be some accommodation, not sure if a GHD will be left but even as stressful as it is they are attempting to work with me. And the rope will be left up as well so still can get most things in. But still going to work on other alternatives to be safe as well.

I would also say this has added a small amount of stress, overall the body feels great, was feeling super jazzed about the DT/gymnastics piece that i felt super in control of, and was excited to challenge the rope climb, but was a little frustrated that it didn’t go as smooth as planned, but the point i was getting to is, my body feels great but my hands feel raw…..thank goodness for a rest day.

AM

For time

100 burpees to 12in touch on wall

*switch direction you’re facing after 50

*goal finish – sub 6:10, or around 16-17/min. practice the worm tech in this setup. get chest to ground quick

6:26 – no repped myself 4 times and all 4 of those were jumping with the wall to my left…..I was easily on pace for the first 50, (this is a footnote that came to me in hindsight, when i could used to dunk a basketball which was a very short window, i was a 2 footed jumper and could only palm the ball in my left hand so would jump/dunk with the basket to my right)…..i found when the wall was to my left it took me a while “under fatigue to find the right jumping effort, a few were too much effort then a few were too short, hence the no reps, and then I found my rhythm…..I also found it harder, on the fly to simultaneously move both feet back and together and and find the rhythm of getting the chest to the ground first as opposed to a step back. So this was good exposure to practice those things. 

PM

3 sets

35 GHD situps

HSW up and over 2-3 levels of plates (build as you go if successful)

Heavy cable/drag rope 50 DU’s

rest 3-4 min bt sets

This GHD volume actually felt really really good, i wasn’t as fast off the machine as i would like but still happy that i kept a good cadence. I stopped in the middle set but didn’t need to stop in the 3rd set. HS walks over obstacle were a semi win today, my efficiency was up and down but there was a big connection of my feet getting way over to create the momentum i needed but I could also really feel when i did this and lost midline, so i got some good practice with that and did some ramp work like we worked on at camp and actually had one where I made it almost all the way up while kickinig up near the bottom. The key was not rounding my lumbar while getting the feet where they need to be. 

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For time

30 box jumps @ 30in

30 kHSPU @ 2in deficit

30 box jumps @ 24in

30 kHSPU flat

30 wallballs @ 30lbs

30 ring pushups

13:54 – call this one 5 weakness and 1 strength where it doesn’t really matter…….was slow on 30 in box jump, deficit came out really good and felt good, and slowed down at 20, but at that point i caught myself wantinig to walk away from the wall and I made myself stay there, get learning and reminder, goal on 24 in box jump was to move steady and smooth, took one pause on top of the box around rep 22. The hspu on even surface started well but i was trying to be smart and not hit a wall, at one point I could feel the eccnentric control go and I kind of lost it and head slammed to my mat. At that point i just told myself, don’t hurt yourself and just try and keep rest short and sets manageable. When i got to wall ball, the first 2 reps my neck looking up after a few of the hspu did not feel great, so i just tried to block that out, and chip away. Not a great overall piece but there was some good efficiency lessons for me.

AM

For time

150 double under buy in, into

20 power cleans @ 95/65

20 chin over bar pullups

16 power cleans @ 135/95

16 chest to bar pullups

12 power cleans @ 155/110

12 strict pullups

8 power cleans @ 175/125

8 bar MU

4 power cleans @ 195/145

4 burpee bar MU, into

150 double under cash out

15:34 – This was a really fun workout……broke up all gymnastics movements except for bmu, strict pull up were broken up quite a bit more, knew i could keep a good sense of urgency by coming down and going back up on all, 95 barbell did 3 sets. UB first double under, and 50’s on the second, should’ve really pushed that a bit more, like a 50 then 100

PM

AMRAP 20 min

400m run

20 wallballs

20 burpees to 12in touch on wall (switch directions after 10)

20 1-arm alternating DB hang snatches

Due to a really big class, started at the wall ball because of wall ball space, so this really changed the dynamic of not being able to come out on the first run with some aggression, which those 4 movements combined made that run hard as shit. 3 + 60 w/about 75 meters into the run, however starting with the wall ball probably allowed me to get that extra set of burpee in.

PM (actually AM)

For time

40 bike cals

40 box jumps

rest 1 min

30 bike cals

30 wallballs @ 30lbs

rest 1 min

20 bike cals

20 BBJO @ 24in

rest 1 min

10 bike cals

10/arm 1-arm DB shoulder to overhead @ 75-85lbs

12:44 – this was hard as shit, but a fun hard as shit……the hardest bike effort was the last 10 cals, not sure if it was the cumulative fatigue, or so close or just knowing that to ramp up hot for a few seconds just to get done…..off the first 40 bike cals around 1:40 – hammered the first 20 cals, backed off slightly but stayed in the 500’s for the next 10 and damped for the last, box jump goal was just to keep moving. Wall balls, did 12 out the gate, 6, and then 12. Used chest to deck first on BBJO, and was great but at this point there was some fatigue so did a good job pushing through that, to a quick stop and breath to mentally gear up to push harder for the last 9 reps. On STO i warmed up with 95 and that was not going to happen, so it was either 70 or 95 and it would’ve been a lot of singles had I gone the 95 route

PM

Swim work, and my swim was for shit this PM, which was good practice because I think i was still a little smoked from the bike couplets. Just had a harder time of keeping my head down in the water and breath control but had to find ways to keep going whether head was open or combat side stroke. So this was probably a little more real world application of fatigue in a swim/competitive environment.

AM

5 rounds for time

400m run

15 OHS @ 115lbs

14:30 – did at home and same 400 route for the previous deadlift workout this past saturday. The slight incline on the run comes at the worst time, right after the squats. Runs didn’t hurt until the 3rd round, it might have been due to trying to push the squats a little more. I only allowed myself to pause, break and breath at the top is if i felt like i was going to lose my balance or my heels came off the ground. 

PM

Ring MU – 15 for time

rest 4 min

Bar MU – 30 for time

rest 4 min

Chest to bar pullups – 60 for time

Some good things and some being conservative things –

RMU – 1:32 – cost myself a little time here but wanted to go for it and see what happened. 10 out the gate, then 4, didn’t think i could hit that 5th one so i dropped stood under the rings and went right back up but I made a piss poor attempt because i didn’t feel it there. But still glad i went for it.

BMU – 3:12 – 10 UB + a quick 6, then 4 then 2 and then my hands felt really really sensitive like there could be a blister forming sensitive, so i pulled back the intensity, wanted to get small sets and self regulate some hand positions that might protect because in a couple weeks i will have to problem solve on the fly if something like that happens.

C2B – 4: 47 going into the c2b i was planning on just being smart and if the hands felt a little off then I would slow down but didn’t want to stop unless i felt I needed to take some precautionary measures. I did 6’s until 30 and then just rested a little longer between small sets just to protect the hands. This was not how I wanted the day to end but there is no rips, blisters or tears so that is good.

+

A1 – DIagonal band pull aparts x 6-8/orientation

A2 – Serratus anterior wall slides x 3-4 for control

A3 – Dbl DB reverse flys x 8-10, light

A4 – KB arm bars x 3-4/side, for control

rest as needed x 2-3x through

Doing in the garage right now as i type on breaks

Dryland “Swimmer Flow”

*https://youtu.be/qiN2E7-zXuA

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300m Swim @ cruise

*cold, no water-warm-up

*take note of your time here

*note: we won’t progress this 

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GOLF

4-6 x 5 / 90sec interval – GOLF

*target = 75-77 every repeat (working toward consistency)

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Tester: 

10min AMRAP

1-2-3-4….. Burpees

50y Swim 

*socre = total number of burpees

21 – this was one of my better swimming days i’ve ever had. Not that my swimming was efficient or anything, i would venture a guess it wasn’t pretty at all for half the time, but putting a clock to it, i just had to go, find ways to keep swimming, whether it was attempting a freestyle, a freestyle with my head down and head up, i even was able to do some freestyle go to a combat side stroke and then back into what resembled a freestyle. Overall this was a win, and burpee were actually a nice little break that I felt comfortable on land out of breath. I also was just finishing the swim that would’ve gone into the round of 7, so overall for me, this increased my confidence, still not where i need to be, but I did not walk away from the pool as frustrated as i normally am.

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Technique Touch-up / Kick Development

3 Rounds 

25 Kick w/ board (head down) 

25 Kick w/ board on LEFT SIDE 

25 Kick w/ board on RIGHT Side

15sec Rest (rest to the next ZERO on the clock)

25 Kick w/ board FOR TIME 

Rest to recovery 

Got in 2 rounds.

AM

For time

42-30-18 reps each

Row cals

1-arm DB alternating hang snatches

Flipped these 2 sessions due to some day scheduling conflicts that just made it more logistically efficient in my day. Hope that’s cool.

7:42 – i didn’t really know how to approach this as far as pacing on the erg went, and i probably could’ve been a little more aggressive. Originally i was going to break maybe once in the db of 42 but in the heat of battle said nope, lets go for it. First round of 42, approached in 3 different sections. Wanted to go hard on the first 14 calories and hard turned out to be staging around 1500-1600+, then in the middle 14 stayed around 1400, and the last 14 backed off to about 1200-1300, i thought the db was going to feel a little tougher, so should’ve stayed around 1300-1400 for the last portion of that row. Approached the round of 30 cals with the same mindset, I actually got the rower up to where i wanted to be pretty quickly but pace stayed more in the 1400-1500 and then backed off to about 1300-1400 but didn’t take the cruise route as i did in the first block of cals, the round of 30 db snatch was the hardest, my speed of rep/cycle time slowed down between 12-20 and the last 10 just told myself i have to go. The round of 18’s, i don’t really remember just pushed with what i had left. 

PM

Every 5 min x 5 sets

20 wallballs @ 30lbs

20 GHD situps

20 bar facing burpees

(if you spill over and rep speed/intensity drops off a lot, double the rest on that set then try to get back into it)

2:47-2:50-2:51-3:27 (rested twice as long) 3:07 – it was the ghd that crept up on me and effected my speed on my burpee…….Also on the first 3 rounds, i actually slowed my burpee down just a bit for the last 5-6 reps or so with the idea of staying fast, sustainable and not spilling over.

AM

tttTD (100’s, HSW/T2B/WB)

19:12 – first handstand walk might be the best 100ft stretch i have had, I had 75ft done at 50 seconds, took a few breaths before i finished that. Felt a little stiff in my TTB, i had a good warm up but I guess not enough attention to detail of making sure my pecs were opened up enough, had a good plan and around the 50 rep mark I started wanting to be a little more conservative. Each transition was really good into the next movement, so as I finished my TTB in the mid 8 min range got my first 25ft right away, and the next 75 just chipped away, I wanted to start a new set every 30sec, and after hitting 50ft i thought that might be too aggressive, so went about 40/45. The first 10 wall balls were just like i expected, more work and demand for my shoulders. So after that first 10 my plan was to treat the remaining reps in 3 30 reps clusters were i did 15, short rest, and 5’s for short rest, and a little longer break after each 30. I wasn’t paying attention to the clock but i’m sure those breaks were longer than they needed to be, but after finishing those 100 i came down on my first two 25ft attempts so from that point, i just decided that i needed to take a little more time to finish

PM

5 rounds for time

Run 400m

10 deadlifts @ 275lbs

10 bench presses @ 155lbs

15:14 – ran at home so there was some small elevation changes which was actually good practice because after the 1st round i told myself to really push the run when you are going down hill and grind uphill, the hills were minimal but definitely there and noticeable, the one things i wanted to focus on and practice was running right to the barbell for the deadlift, no walking up to it, just running right to it and going unbroken. I went unbroken on the first and last 2 bench press, don’t think i needed to break on the 2nd set but definitely needed to on the 3rd and the 4th, on the 4th i took 2 really quick breaks because i wanted to fight and grind for unbroken on the last set and try and pick up the pace. This was a fun workout!