Ben Plotnicki

A – Mcgill big 3 + Foot/ankle + Hip/hamstring

done

B – Squat clean triples – complete all 3 reps in a 25 sec window, if you do so, go up next set. if you miss the time but hit the weights, stay at that load for remainder. rest 2 min x 6 working sets

185-205-215-225-235-245 – the 245 was a rush of a lift, and in competition would have been a no rep as I wasn’t quite fully locked out as the 25sec window hit

C – Paused front squat triples – 6 sec pause at just below parallel, not complete rock bottom, keep tension, new set every 2:30 x 5 sets

165×2, 185×3 – I almost backed off of the 185 because I wasn’t sure if I was too low or just below, but fortunately or unfortunately I got confirmation that I was just below

+

Every 5 min x 2 sets

Deadlifts x 15 reps @ 155-185lbs

HSPU x 15

DU’s x 60

1:22-1:22

+ (directly into)

Every 5 min x 2 sets

Deadlifts x 10 reps @ 185-225lbs

Ring pushups x 15

DU’s x 60

1:18-1:17

+ (directly into)

Every 5 min x 2 sets

Deadlift x 5 reps @ 225-255lbs

HR pushups x 15

DU’s x 60

1:15(missed rep 50 on dubz)-1:10

Shoulder flexion and hip extension based dynamic warmup (glute activation, shoulder circles, passive hangs, etc)

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HS walk as far as possible unbroken, new attempt every 2 min x 5

36-40-56*-24^-56 *this round I went for the less aesthetic handstand walk position of a more scorpion like foot position and just felt better, when I tried to keep my feet together and point them to the ceiling is when I feel more like I’m overextending/overarching at the low back. ^this round my pinkie finger got caught under my hand and it jolted me a little with the next step and I felt a weird shock through my left oblique/low back. Didn’t try to recover just came down. Also to note here, could we keep doing something along these lines like this with little to no interference. This was good for my confidence and building in some volume with not a complete full rest to recovery but pretty close to it. 

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HS rebalancing work with box/wall – 20 sec rebalancing back and forth, new set every 2 min x 5 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LsXRAua58M)

It took until the 4th set for things to feel right here. I was pushing off the box too much with my legs as my quad kept cramping up. Definitely exposed some weaknesses here. 

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(DSGN overlap)

Open workout 15.1/15.1a

175 & 265 – goal was a round every 90sec, 4th round is when I started to fall off pace. My grip was becoming a limiter and my lats just felt smoked. This was also the point that I did not let negative self talk creep in. I was kind of over it at that point, but then I told myself whatever you do, do not put your hands on your knees or stop. You can move slow, make quick transitions and can slow down when you get there, but don’t stop moving. It took me 2 minutes to get my first lift up and I opened at 235, next lift was 265 and then I went for 285. I was trying to be quick in my prep and I only had 30sec left to get chalk, belt up and make the lift, I didn’t want to rush it too fast but wanted to do all those little comfort zone things. I stood up 285 with about 1 second left but didn’t think it was worth trying to finish the lift with time expiring. This was a good feeling as I have not been feeling strong at all lately and to still be able to make this clean was a positive.

HS skill work

Wall walk into lean away and progressive controlled steps away from wall

Kick up to partner spot and static hold then controlled steps forward – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXXIL2NHgNg&list=PL_6Iqj7TQV2PsbWl6uboBnD7gQR05z_KA&index=14

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Wall facing HS hold in hollow body, focus on full breath cycles and equal pressure/activation in shoulders – 30-40 sec on, 80-120 sec rest x 5 sets

This was great, the focus on breath cycles and equal pressure put my focus where it should be and my breathing is not ground when my handstand walk volume gets high so loved this

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For time

20 ring MU

(5 burpees to start, and 5 more EMOM after)

6:40 (6–3–2–3–2–3 (2/1x)—1 – on the very last set was trying to do a quick 2 drop down and do 2 more, I feel my miss was more because I rushed it and didn’t try and finish my kip by turning over too soon.

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For time

60 kipping HSPU (use open standard line for heels if you have someone to watch some reps, if not be strict about lockout)

(20 DU’s to start, and 20 more EMOM after)

7:52 (12&12 then it kind of fell apart) – I have felt a little heavy for the past week or so. Been trying to make sure I have a big breakfast and carb driven. So I’m going to tighten that up a little and try to feel that in. 

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Assault bike 90 sec @ 350 watts

AB 30 sec high effort (get up around 550-600 watts)

rest walk 2-3 min x 6 sets as able to sustain this effort

Almost called it on set 5, set 6 the 90 sec was starting to fade off the 350 watts goal, but the 30sec effort for 550-600 was solid

A – Power clean x 1/Split jerk x 2, rest 2-3 min x 6 sets, find a tough load by last set

245 – was pretty pleased with this as I have been feeling a little weak here lately so to be able to power and split jerk these was a semi confidence booster. Also coming off the road my hips felt a little tight and not a ton of great pop.

B – OHS x 10 reps, rest 3 min x 2 (take from floor)

185

C1 – Strict rope pullups x 8 (switch top hand after 4, pull chin to top hand each rep), rest 30 sec

Had to do a little boy scout rope tie job at home. And why do squeezing the rope with a death grip to do these always hurt. 

C2 – Ring dips x 15 reps for time with weight vest, rest 2 min x 3 sets

33-46-52 – ordered some new plates for my vest as this plates I currently have only get to 14

D – Negative body lever in straddle OR with legs/feet together, go for 8-10 sec negative each rep, rest 15-20 sec bt reps x 5, rest 2-3 min x 5 sets

Done – holy cow switched to straddle halfway in the 3rd set as the 8-10sec negative was going to become like a 2-3 second negative if I didn’t

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Feet elevated reverse plank hold x 30 sec, rest 30 sec

Front plank with feet on swiss ball x 30 sec, rest 30 sec x 4 sets

Had to get creative for swiss ball with feet in rings but thought that was a really good substitution

tttTD (7 min AMRAP)

6+1 – i think I sold myself a little short on this one. I knew a minute a round would be a bit aggressive for me, so I decided to go a round every 70 seconds. I knew the 9 box jumps would probably give me the biggest heart rate response so my goal was to go steady state on those. Even with steady state I still felt my heart rate elevate, but at the pace I took I feel my transition time was pretty quick to the rings. Could have been a little quicker from ring to the bar, I do remember a round or 2 putting my hand on the bar and taking a breath and then going as opposed to getting that breath with the barbell locked out overhead. My plan being 1 round every 70 is of course easy in the beginning, and I remember looking at the clock at 4:40 and I was finishing my box jumps and I thought well now I’m off pace, but I did keep my composure with positive talk and sped up my next round of box jumps. Muscle ups felt pretty good, would love to try this one again or something similar with box jumps and just trust the fact that I will be ok with it and get out of my comfort zone. 

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Sandbag bear hug hold – 1:30 on, 3 min rest x 4

Cut this short because I wanted to hit the road to go see my dad

A – Mcgill big 3

done

B1 – Clean pull x 1 + Squat clean x 1 + Hang Squat clean x 1 x 2 ‘reps’ of this complex, hang on to bar during complex but drop between ‘reps’ and reset, rest 30 sec after second rep

185 added 10lbs every set ending up at 225. The set at 205 was rough, I didn’t have the best control and let the bar pull me forward a little on the transition from the clean pull to the squat clean. These were a little more heart rate response relative than I expected, the 225 was not as much and I’m sure my overall cycle time wasn’t as fast. I also had better position because I was much more cognizant of the positions and control

B2 – KB sumo hold squat jumps x 1.1.1.1 for height, rest 2-3 sec bt reps, 2 min after all 4 reps x 5 sets

I don’t have much hops any more I feel like. 70 lb kb

C – Paused front squat doubles – 8 sec pause at just below parallel, not complete rock bottom, keep tension, new set E2MOM x 5

175 – um, yuck

+

get a thorough posterior chain/low back warmup for this

+

D1 – 40 deadlifts @ 185lbs, rest 3 min 

1:19 – 31/9 – I felt my lats start to fatigue most getting into the 20’s, then I started thinking I don’t think you can make it all the way, but I almost didn’t anticipate being able to do that from jump. 

D2 – 20 deadlifts @ 255lbs

40 – UB – went with my opposite mixed grip to start because I didn’t anticipate being able to go unbroken, so I thought if I break, I can switch back to what my normal comfortable mixed grip is and that will help speed up my cycle rate, so kind of surprised myself and was able to flat out grind through.

E – Edge of bench reverse leg lifts with glute focus x 10-12, rest 2 min x 3 (slight bend in knees)

Did not feel good at this at all

F – Wall assisted glute bridge hold with active PPT x 90 sec, rest 3 min x 2

I forgot how not fun this is and how long it makes 90sec feel

10 rounds, not for time, keep steady effort

6 toes to rings

6 kipping HSPU

24 DU’s

into

10 rounds, not for time, keep steady effort

6 burpees to 6in touch

6 wallballs

24 DU’s

into

3 rounds, not for time, keep steady effort

50ft HSW

5 squat snatches @ 165-185lbs

This is one of those days that I should have just called it, today was the first time back coaching the am shift, so that was good to be back in the environment of fitness. But of course there is some sacrifice of sleep. I did get a short nap in before training though so that is a positive. While warming up everything just hurt and ached, not sure if it was the rain or the sleep. In my barbell warm up I dropped the bar on my foot, not an empty bar, the loaded bar and the plate hit my foot. Luckily it was only 95, I wished I was recording my warm up because I still don’t know how it happened, been trying to replay it. Don’t know if it dropped directly from overhead or if it came off a bounce. I just don’t know smh……then in the first round, the very first round my main go to jump rope broke. After that I kind of settled in and just got in a groove of work. I didn’t push the handstand walk snatch portion, just wanted some quality work in. I did miss a snatch, but overall with the adversity, I enjoyed this day a lot. Even though it wasn’t for time, i tried to keep a relative intensity pace for the triplets. And worked on some burpee cadence.

Easy bike/jog/row warmup, spend 10-12 min getting some blood moving

+

Run 200m @ 88-90% effort, new set every 2 min x 5 (high effort but repeatable)

39-41 across – in the rain!!!!!!

+ (rest as needed)

Row 250m @ 88-90%, new set every 2 min x 5 (same, hard but repeatable)

51.1-51.0-50.9-50.9-51.3

+ (rest as needed)

AB 15 cals @ 88-90% effort, new set every 2 min x 5 (same, not full sprint but hit these around 600-800 watts)

34-36-34-34-35

I actually thoroughly enjoyed this day. The running even in the rain felt good, I actually recently had been going over pose running drill videos and this helped in warm up. Rowing felt like a lot of work and bike felt good, wasn’t able to hold (or didn’t want to work that hard) above 700 very long, but was in upper 6’s without a problem. After the work was done I definitely felt like I was working hard but in hindsight there might have been a bit more kick but not sure today if everything would have stayed as sustainable as it was

AB 1.5 miles

20 pullups

40 pushups

60 squats

AB .75 miles

rest walk 6-8 min x 3 sets, add vest if you want

10:04 – 11:03 – 10:42 – did with a vest, my first time using my new vest and I loved it! Through me off a little bit on the first round trying to find the balance, coordination and center of gravity on every rep. Push ups man, push us…..slowed me down the most in the second round. I honestly didn’t push the bike too hard, tried to stay above 300 watts on the first part, and then the back end a little bit more on the first, 2nd and 3rd just tried to get my sea legs under me and then stay above 330. Air squats were more mental than overall physical at that point.

tttTD (HSW/DB/Row)

14:32 – i know this is past the time cap, but lets dive into my struggles. Today was not a good handstand walk day at all. I started the workout and at the 8 min mark I had just completed 150ft and knew there was no way to finish. I was getting extremely frustrated, pissed off, kicking things, just down right pissed so I stopped. Sat and pouted for about 5 min, sat and reflected and breathed deeply for another 10 minutes and decided I was going to restart. This time I just decided I was going to set up markers at 12 ½ feet. There was a certain point I knew I wasn’t going to finish but I didn’t care I was going to finish. I did have to take a 15-20sec break to reset the clock from the time cap. The set up and the problems it creates. I did this in the garage, not sure if some of the slope leading into the driveway, or the cramped quarters in the garage mentally effected me, but what I do know is, if I had to do a comp with a ramp I would fail. There could be some other physical issues that effected me but those would be more excuses than anything, so hs walk just sucked today. I will mess around when I go to the gym this week and see if they are any better in that environment, but it was that reflection that in the old days when we had to do comps in parks, if I didn’t get the right lane I might have been in trouble, and I should be able to have the skill anywhere. 

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Bear hug hold – accumulate 5 min @ 150lbs, try to do this as 5x60sec this week

Because it was such a shitty day from the workout I was mentally determined to do 1:15 each set, I did rock back once each set to by myself some leverage mentally and physically, I also rested 2:45 bt sets but knocking this out in 4 sets was my way of at least trying to finish the day on a good note.