So it is Wednesday - feeling good but some what tired.  It didn't help that I was up at 3am to clear my driveway this morning.  Today's training was all about mobility and recovery - very easy.  Need to stay on top since so many sick people around.

Some high lights:
1. 5RM strict Press 120lbs.  I tried 125 - only got 3.

2. AMRAP 3: squat cl thruster @115 I did 28 reps.  Under pressure easily 30.

3. AMRAP 6: sprint cindy
- I did 8 plus 5 pull ups.  I struggled with the push ups from round 5 on and couldn't get 10 straight.

4. CG Deads: last round was at 325 for 3 reps

So now to deal with the pressure of the holidays - travel-family on both sides and food.  Need to stay on focus for the Arena Attack comp on December 28.

I will say that Monday in the gym was very cold.  Today will be worse- yikes.  So training went well though I think I wasn't fully warmed up on the squat cleans.  For my double I ended up at 175.  My 5RM shoulder to over head was 160.  I am not getting my hips under fast enough.  My 50 burpee time:
1st 25 I was at 1:02.  Total time for 50 was 2:23.

In the afternoon - strict pull ups- lats felt tight.  1st round was 19 unbroken with a 1 second pause at the bottom.  My 50 box jumps were all unbroken.  My 50 T2B were broken:
- 15
-13
-12
-10
-10

My HSPUs continue to suck.

Looking for a few competitions in the coming year to get me ready for the Open.  I have one 2 person team masters in early Feb.  Still looking at a few more - but will discuss this with Brandon before making some final choices.

So here it is December 15- the last 2 weeks have been a complete blur.  Training has gone pretty well but I totally went blank on my training log.  So a recap of my training:

1.  The cold has impacted training  - since I don't heat my gym the past 5 days have been really tough.  I have to spend more time warming up and it gets hard to feel good with my oly lifts.

2. Rowing is going great - earlier this week I did 3 x 250m after some AMRAP work and held 1:33 for the last 250.  I feel that the rowing will pay huge benefits come Open time since many of the WODs are longer.

3. My oly form is slowly coming along.  Though I tend to still lose it when the weight gets too heavy.

4. My AMRAP workouts feel much better.  I am able to do more work faster and recovery more quickly.

5. What needs work:
- Running since it is snowy and cold that suffers some
- HSPUs are coming but far to slow for me
- MUs again still hit or miss
- DUs which I try almost every day yet they still suck.

So I need to get over to Brandon's gym over vacation and work on my weaknesses.

So another week completed - Thanksgiving week did present a few issues.  Mostly due to how much pie and other non-usual items that I consumed.  I was able to complete all the training- even turkey day.  My max lifts are about the same but my amrap and intensity work is improving.

The Monday clean complex = I was able to get to 175lbs.  Better than expected - but I still should be doing more weight.  The 4rm back squat - was 230lbs.  I think I did too much at the lighter weights.  The strict press was 112lbs for 4.

Tuesday again was a slight struggle with the HSPU work.  Hoping the weekend of Dec 14 to get some extra help.  The intensity work went well - though the 6min recover seemed extra long.

Wednesday:
Snatch - only 125
C and J- 180(really struggled on the jerk)
Back Squat-250

Thursday I did some AD work and rowing for about 45 minutes.

Friday was more about prep work for Saturday.

Saturday:  so today was Jackie x 2, yikes.  I did an easy warm up.  Then worked on some easy snatch movements and thrusters.  My first Jackie was 7:51 - I was about 3: 29 on the 1000m row.  The thrusters - did 25 straight.  Then broke in rounds of 8 to 10.  The pull ups - opened with 10 - then rounds of 5.  

The 2nd Jackie - went 3:45 on the row.  The thrusters early rounds of 10 - then went to rounds of 6.  The pull ups - 5 and then down to 3.  Final time was 8:19.

Then the 10RM front squat.  I ended up 165lbs.  Tried 175 - no way.  My legs were cooked.

So I see progress yet most of all much better focus.  So looking forward to the 2014 Open.

Weekly Update:

So this past week training pretty well.  I have been trying to increase my food intake along with regular intake of creatine.  I do notice that with the cold weather it does seem to impact some of my workouts.  Since my gym isn't heated - I have to wear extra clothing and slowly take layers off as I warm up.

Tuesday: The morning 5K row went well.  I did vary the rpm rate every 2min along with some 10 stroke pick ups every minutes as well.  I was set to run 4 x 400 after my evening session but ended up doing them at lunch time.  Those were a struggle and it showed me that I need to run a little more.  Getting a treadmill soon - easier than dealing with snow.  The evening session of:
- 20 hang P. cl. @135, 30 CTB pull ups went well- but 40 front rack lunges - no way.  I had to cut the weight down to 105lb to make it.  That was a wake up call.

Wednesday: Was mobility - some easy AD work and then back squats of 7 x 5.  I started my 1st set at 185.  Increase to 195/205/210/215/.  Failed at 220 - very tired legs.

Thursday: Was rough since I had my last day of parent-teacher conf.  I had to stay in my office from 2-8pm.  After that I was fried and called it a day.  I was able to fit in some rowing- 2000 easy and than 8 x 20 tabata.

Friday: Today's training went alright - though my HSPUs were a struggle.  I need to check in with Brandon on these when I am his gym for the 12 in 12 workout.

Saturday:  Ran 10min steady and then onto the rowing machine for 2000m.  I went 7:11 and then followed with another 10min run.  I lost it on the row with the last 750.  I started out too fast for sure.

Sunday:  I did some catch up work:
- OHS skill work
- Ring Dips
- Easy rowing
- Some 20sec surges on the AD

Ready for next week.

So here it is November 18 and I have fallen behind on my blog inserts.  Training has been going very well - but by the time I am finished in the evening - get my kids settled in, spend some time with my wife - yikes I forget the blog.   So the last 2 weeks of highlights:
1.  Last Saturday I attend the Don M weightlifting clinic held at Brandon's gym.  It was very informative to say the least.  Lots of info for me to work with since I have spent so many years using the wrong technique that i have to re-learn the new movement pattern.

2. My met con ability is improving as well.  The workouts have me focusing on more intensity - rather than the longer grinds that I used to do often.

3. My over all strength seems slow to develop.  It is coming - but I am some what impatient as usual.

4. A new 1RM Thruster of 170lbs after a 10min intensity set.

5. I am doing doubles 3-4x each week which I really love since I am used to high volume.

6. My goats still are:
- Muscle Ups
- Double Unders
- HSPU's are hit or miss but I can't complete large numbers of them

7. I did Brandon's lunch time workout on Saturday.  4x:
- 5 CTB
- 10 STOH @135
- 10 cals Row
- 5 Hang Sq. Cl. @135
Time was 9:57.  Felt pretty good though I dropped the weight from 155 to 135.

So Monday Training:
AM: Some small work and then 14min rowing - 30sec hard/30sec easy

PM: Back squat work for a 10RM - did 230.  Then followed with squat clean cluster work- hold 3sec in the hole.  Did 135, 145, 155, and 165.  Followed with 5x: 5 thrusters @125 and 7 CTB.  I was able to do all rounds of thrusters unbroken.  Then followed with a 10min rest.  Then establish a 1RM thruster.  I was able to get 170 - excited about that.  Just missed 175.

Finally got the go ahead to get an Iphone - now doing videos of my training will be so much easier.