Ben Plotnicki

3 snatches @ 165-185 (keep it moving fast)

4 BBJO

1 snatch

2 BBJO

rest walk 3 min x 2

Snatches in both sets for the 3 were done in around 28 seconds, now the big question is. If the workout is the same, or very very similar as quarterfinals with 185 as the loading, bbxjo @ 30” just needs to be done fast just based on not feeling comfortable stepping down, after the 4 reps today, it is very important to find the right amount of rest/transition time before making the next rep of the snatch count. The first set i missed that single because i was trying to get back on it, the second set I waited about 15-20 seconds and hit that single. Very valuable feedback here as I don’t want to waste the energy that goes into missed reps. 185 is just enough that I can’t fuck around and the combo of those 2 movements are beautiful in the interference they provide. I did power all the reps today, and the one miss was a squat and for a moment I was like damn that was easy i got it, and then lost it forward. Thoughts on this from what you saw in the quarterfinals with athletes of similar skill sets and capacities?

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2 Sets:

2 Rope Climbs AFAP (ensure elbow is good here, dont aggravate unnecessarily)

14 alternating pistols 

rest as needed

This was actually very valuable work today. Found a good groove on the ascent and descent was better. Still not where i want it to be but so much better all the way around

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2-3 sets

30 sec progressive intensity row, faster every 10 sec

new set every 2:30

3 sets – was pretty pumped that I actually got the last 10sec to stay in the 2000’s and even touched 2100 a few times. Really good and exciting for me

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For time, high effort, work speed of transitions in the setup and floor plan

12-9-6 thrusters  @ 95lbs

30 DU’s/round

2:20 – this would suck in a similar format

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Easy 20min bike

done

AM

Accumulate 5 sets of 15 american swings @ 24kg, rest as needed while you do some snatch tech/positional prep

done

+

Power clean – find a tough single WITHOUT starfishing, pull the plug when tech drops off

255

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Hang Power snatch – find a tough single WITHOUT starfishing, same as above

185 – felt slow on both today but felt pretty strong in all positions which is a good feeling for not feeling fast at all

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Back squat – 3×3 @ 75-80%, rest 2 min

275-285-295

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BB hip thrusts 3 sets of 6-8, tough, rest 2-3 min

225

PM (from DSGN, EMOM skill touches, adjust volume inside each as needed to keep things crisp and sharp)

8 min EMOM:

Min 1: 8-10 DB Box Step Overs @ 50lbs

Min 2: 8-12 Strict HSPUs

Min 3: 10-12 C2B

Min 4: 60-80 Double Under

All high end of rep schemes

rest as needed

8 min EMOM:

Min 1: 35-50′ DB FRWL @ 50lbs

Min 2: 8-12 STOH @ 135lbs

Min 3: 12-15 GHDSUs

Min 4: 12-15 Box Jump Overs @ 24in

Low end of sto and box jump overs (longer transition for not moving the ghd, high end on lunge and ghd

Do you want to make any adjustments to tomorrow’s session based on floor plan?

3 rounds for time (from DSGN)

15 deadlifts @ 225 lb.

35 overhead squats @ 75 lb.

90 double-unders

11 flat – cost myself about 15sec in the last round when I was trying to speed up my DU with 30 left and clipped at rep 89. In hindsight I should’ve done first round of OHS unbroken. Did 2 sets, and 3 in the next 2 rounds. First round was afraid that they would effect my shoulders for DU but should’ve just fought a little more. Same for the next rounds. My allergies were really bad in the am so it took me a while to get fired up to get after it. Didn’t effect me at all in the session but getting motivated took a little longer in warm. Transitions were great, breaks were great and short in the first 2 rounds, and that 3rd round when I need the killer instinct wasn’t were it should be

+ (rest to recovery)

On the 3min for 2-3 Sets:

20 GHDSUs (remove and make these hollow rocks or V-ups if back isnt happy here)

2 Rope Climbs

2 sets – ghdsu were absolutely fine…rope climb ascents are feeling so so much better from a technique perspective, the descent still needs some work. I feel more comfortable when I have my gymnastics mat under me, even though it really doesn’t do much it still gives a slight boost of confidence.

AM

Squat clean x 1/Front squat x 1/Split Jerk x 1 – 5 building complexes, rest as needed, end around 88-90% effort

215-225-235-245-255-265 – i know i know thats 6 sets, i wasn’t happy with my set at 245 so i wanted to do an extra set

+

Front squat – tough 3 for the day, leave 15-20lbs in the tank

275

+

For time, strong effort

30 hang power clean/push jerks @ 95lbs

30 toes to bar

30 row cals

3:45 – i think i remember the hpc/pj in sets of 12/8/5/5 – only defaulted to the 5/5 in the last set because I wanted to see if i could drop the bar and put my hands back on it as soon as it settled on the ground, i did put my hands on it quickly though but didn’t pick it up as fast as i need to. TTB was 12/10/4/4 those were pretty quick breaks and then got on the rower hitting the first 10 cals trying to be no lower than 1200 and as soon as I felt my abs weren’t going to restrict me i got up to 1500 and stayed bt there and 1600

PM

20 pistols for smooth execution, think game pace of a bigger set like 50-60

rest 2-3 min x 2

Felt good to slow down and focus on a quality were I could keep moving

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Every 2:30 x 4 sets

30 sec strict HSPU into 30 sec kipping HSPU

Don’t remember my exact kipping reps, as I wanted to push my strict work and build some confidence there, 12/8/7/7 first set of kipping was 12 and then stayed in the ballpark of 8-10

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For time

3 rounds of dbl DB DT @ 50/hand (12-9-6 DL/HPC/S2B)

2:21 – accidentally did the first 2 rounds UB, i was going to do the old fashioned 11 and break but kind of got in the zone, wasn’t bad but didn’t like the blown up forearm feeling in that round of HPC, push jerk were fine, and then immediately went into the next round of deadlift and I did 9 and then took a break. 

rest 5 min

For time

2 rounds of (15 chest to bar/10 dbl db front squats/5 dbl DB devil press)

2:52 – the db’s felt super light here compared to the grip challenge that they gave in the first piece.

AM

Bike erg 40 sec on, 20 sec rest

*continue in this format until you accumulate 10000m

Rounded up to 30 total intervals and about 11188m as I estimated about 30 rollover meters per interval

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3x through, steady effort

8-10 straight leg situps

8-10 prone lift offs with PVC

8-10 good mornings with PVC

Check – prone lift offs are still one of my faves

PM

Ring MU thorough warmup

Check – used previous drills we’ve done plus tempo dips on ring thing

+

For time

50ft dbl KB farmer carry @ 32kg/hand

7-5-3 ring MU

rest 3-4 min bt sets (reps of MU go down each round

43-34-29 – felt a little heavy today…..what was cool today was if my kip was a little (straps being a off of center) off I felt I could correct it on the next rep

+

For time, high effort

15-12-9

OHS @ 95lbs

bar facing burpees

3:46 – 12 overhead squats is an annoying number in the middle, it’s still feels like it’s close to 15…..had a goal of hitting about 2.5 sec/rep on burpee and did so on 15 and 12, slowed down a little on 9 but so did my ohs

EMOM x 20

Min 1 – 50 DU’s

Min 2 – 50ft HSW

Min 3 – 24 alternating pistols

Min 4 – 10 dbl DB snatches (touch ground single head at bottom)

I knew this was going to hurt and it wouldn’t have been so bad if it wasn’t for the db snatch, everything else was pretty solid. Really tried to push the hs walk, and the first 3 rounds were solid and could feel some fatigue and efficiency dip in the 4th round. Found a groove and the first 2 rounds of pistols and then tried to push that pace even more and go a little sloppy and then got really tired in the last round. Dbl db snatch was just move, breath and survive. 

+

GHD situps – 50 reps for time, 1 set

Every now and again the ghd send a painful nerve signal up my back and it did so on the first few reps even at my normal setting. So I readjusted the setting, started over and was a little better but was still apprehensive so I did the 50 with a sense of purpose and urgency but wasn’t going to a time on the clock

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60 Cals Row for Time

rest 3min

45 Row Cals for Time

rest 3min

30 Row Cals for Time

rest 3min

15 Row Cals for Time

2:14 (1592) – 1:39.9 (1604) – 1:06.7 (1599) – 31.8 (1670) – really surprised myself on the 60 cals that I was able to stay in the 1600’s the whole time. Wasn’t sure I was going to be able to do that but about 45sec in I thought, this isn’t that bad and i can keep this effort the whole way. In the 45 interval I was going at a great clip but with about 10 calories to go I felt like i was dying. The 30 set, my stomach felt that feeling that you feel when you don’t feel great.

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20min Continuous Bike erg (nasal breathing only)

Only had time to get in 12 minutes (poor procrastination on my part and a client showing up early)

4/26

AM

Accumulate 100 russian KB swings @ 24kg, sets of 20-25, load hammies and get them warm

Sets of 25

+

Halting snatch grip deadlift x 1 (pause above knee, shoulders still over bar and hamstrings loaded, then return to floor) + Snatch pull x 1 + Squat snatch x 1, reset at ground before pull and full lift. rest 2-3 min x 6 complexes

135-150-160-175-185x-180-182 – trained in the garage today and Michelle was having meetings all morning so I did not drop the barbell at all, this might have played a minor minor role on my miss at 185, because 180 and 182 were not a problem at all, or maybe it was the jump from 175, doesn’t matter but I missed it because I wasn’t aggressive enough opening my hips

+

Front rack split squats x 6/side x 4 sets, rest 1 min bt sides

135-155-175×2

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BB split stance good mornings x 6/side, slow tempo on negative to feel hamstring lengthen and take the tension, rest 45-60 sec bt legs

I had a harder time with left leg forward feeling the hamstring tension, right leg no problem, but left leg I felt deep in my glute a little more and was adjusting foot position, knee/shin angle, and could get some tension in there but wasn’t consistent like I was on my right leg forward

Banded terminal knee extensions x 25/side, squeeze VMO at the top of each with foot slightly turned out, rest 45-60 sec x 3 sets

done

After all of this conditioning and ramping up lately, I have missed the grind of a strength session.

PM (from DSGN)

2 Rounds:

10 Thrusters @ 95lbs

10 CTB Pull-ups

*rest 3 min

2 Rounds:

8 OHS @ 135lbs

8 CTB Pull-ups

rest 2min

For Time:

10 Front Squats @ 185lbs (from floor)

15 CTB Pull-ups

1:18 – 1:11 – :51 – I thought the front squat c2b was going to be the hardest because I was expecting the front squat to feel heavier than it did and grind through it but moved fairly smooth there. Other than just feeling sore and tired today, c2b felt really good

For time

10-8-6 ring MU, rest 3 min bt sets

33-27-20 – all unbroken. 

+

Every 2 min x 3-4 sets (same as yesterday, only move to 4th set if it will be valuable)

4 snatches @ 185lbs

8 BBJO @ 24in

2 snatches

4 BBJO @ 24in

I appreciate the vote of confidence that I could get that work done in 2 min on multiple sets and remain sustainable…..i thought that you must have been out of your mind. First set I was done at 1:46 and the second set i missed 2 attempts at snatches for the round of 2, so at that point i stopped, took a few minutes to recover and did 3 more sets starting a new set every 4 min. Even with that set up, i still finished in plenty of time, but I missed a few snatch, the only good news out of this (but it is what led to the missed snatches) – i was able to power snatch the round of 4, and i do think in the round of 2 trying to switch from power to squat was a struggle in my system to trying to slam on the breaks

+

For time

50 kHSPU (40x24in box)

50 chest to bar pullups

50 HR pushups

50 toes to bar

13:27 – not a great effort, i could’ve done so much better, i keep forgetting my mat at the house when I do handstand work, i need to get pracitice with my ideal set up and today did not have an ideal set up and trying to get used to that 40×24 standard. C2b i had no sense of urgency but I had a decent plan and was comfortable with it. Hr push ups suck. TTB – i wanted to do about 5 sets but after hitting 11-11 i felt i was going to fall apart so adjusted and adapted and tried to keep the rest short but was getting super fatigued with abs but was able to power through and fight for good positions. That was a good feeling is i never felt like i was going to need singles even when i felt super fatigued.

+

GHD hip extensions with light load hugged to chest, accumulate 60 reps with a strong hamstring focus

Was trying to balance this and cleaning the gym so even though i accumulated 60 reps they were broken up with bigger rest than i normally would have done. 

+

Row 2k easy effort, outside if possible

Was raining like a mofo at the time of my session so outside wasn’t an option and was just ready to get out of the gym at this point. So I went home, grabbed my umbrella and took the dog for a walk

AM

Power clean x 1/Hang Power clean x 1/Shoulder to overhead x 2/Hang Power clean x 1/Shoulder to overhead x 1 – new complex every 2 min x 6, keep moderate loading

185 x 3, 205 x 3 – 205 might have been on the higher end of moderate, more so in going into the hang power after the 2 shoulder to overhead, it was more finding the comfort in what hang position was best to move the bar efficiently. 185 felt like a sweet spot but more on the easy end so that’s why I wanted to add some loading

+

Front squat – 4,4,3,3,2. build each set, rest 3 min

255-270-280-295-315 – 315 was what felt like a grind, but probably one of those had I videoed would’ve looked much easier than it felt.

+

Every 4 min x 3-4 (only continue to 4th set if moving well and volume will be productive)

2 Rope climbs to 15ft

15 GHD situps

2 Rope climbs to 15ft

15 GHD situps

First 2 rounds were decent, the second set of rope climbs I was forcing the issue a little so started getting a little sloppy. Ascent was fairly decent today but my descent was very inconsistent at times. I was mostly working through the pain as I did not use any anti-inflammatories for the elbows which, that and  some other things boosted my confidence a little for the future. 

PM

3 rounds for time

21 wallballs (30lbs to 10ft)

14 row cals

7 bar MU

(rest 5 min after finishing)

5 min window to find a tough hang clean double (not maximal, just get a heavy bar in hands after this combo)

7:19 and 255 – metcon, right before I started i thought going unbroken on wall ball each round wasn’t a complete slam dunk if i pushed the pace of everything else, the30 pounder will make you think twice about it. UB first round and row was 1400’s ish, 2nd round wall ball was 14/7 and last round was 7/7/7 and I missed catching number 8 in front so that just made that an easy choice and wanted to push the stroke rate on the last row not just the pace. BMU first and second rounds were 3/2/2 – this break down I thought i could have very short breaks and right back up, first round i could have gone UB pretty easily but wanted to create that sense of urgency. Last round was 5/2 – was going to go for it but on rep 5 i decided to hop down short break and finish. 255 was not maximal but there wouldn’t have been a whole lot more in that short window. I wanted 3 lifts in the 5 minutes and 225 was easy, so went to 245 that wasn’t too bad and then 255 was tough so oh well, i broke the rules a little.

AM

Bike 40 sec on, 20 sec rest

*continue in this format until you accumulate 8000m

Took 21 intervals – had to jump into this immediately after coaching my am classes so I didn’t get a thorough warm up to prep so took the first few intervals as build ups. 

+

3x through, steady effort

8-10 straight leg situps

8-10 prone lift offs with PVC

8-10 good mornings with PVC

done

PM

Ring MU thorough warmup

+

15 ring MU for time

*rest 1 min*

200 DU’s for time

*rest 1 min*

15 ring MU for time

1:42-1:54 – 2:59 – 1st set of rmu was 10/2/2/1 – i knew 10 out the gate was probably way too aggressive but I just wanted to see what would happen and where I was at. Same for double under, i thought going unbroken or close to it might hurt the rmu on the back end but I needed to see what it felt like. Last set of rmu was 2/3/3/3/3/1 – i had what felt like a really aggressive turnover and felt that saved me on a few reps towards the end. After hitting 8, I told myself let’s not have that sense of urgency quite yet as to not force the issue but let’s do that after you get a little closer

+

For time

15-12-9 reps each of

Dbl DB thrusters

C2B pullups

*thruster station setup 8ft away from rig

3:36 – this hurt really really bad…not sure if i wasn’t fully recovered but dbl db thruster suck!!!!! I seriously wanted to break the set of 12. In the beginning I thought just go smooth and easy and after the round of 15, i saw this was going to be tougher then any other thruster barbell pull up combo ever. I had a brief moment where I felt I should’ve done a slight heart rate prep for this piece but then I said too late and you just need to survive