Author Archives: bgoldstein

Starting Strength #6

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I think I did awesomely today. Here are the numbers:

  • Back squat: 3×5 @ 277# – They all felt easy. Maybe it was just the magical spotting skillz of Big Mike T.
  • Strict Press: 3×5 @ 145# – Not too bad. The last set was very challenging and I thought I might fail on the last few reps but I squeaked ‘em out. I am a bit apprehensive about 150# for the next, but we will see.
  • Clean: 3×5 @ 145# – These felt great. I think my form is getting better. I am looking forward to a more challenging weight next time!

Intervals and some other stuff…

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Since I have been doing intervals on off days, I have been making up stuff to do on the C2. Today, I wanted to do something for a longer period of time, but still have some HI stuff in there, so I decided to get on the rower and do the following:

1st Minute, comfy pace, then every minute on the minute, all out for 20s, then comfy pace again for the remaining 40s. I did this until the clock hit 11 minutes and got 2442m. Not bad!

After that, Chad was doing OPT’s site WOD, so I joined in the first part (until I had to leave) which was:

  • 8 – 6 – 6 – 4: snatch grip dead lift with 3s negative
  • 6 – 6 – 4 – 4: ring dip with 4s negative

These were supersets and there was 2 min rest between each.

Starting Strength #4

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It was all I could do to stay awake by about 3pm yesterday. Dragging my ass in there and getting the workout in took a lot but I got it done.

  • Back Squat: 3×5 @ 274# (failed on the last rep of the last set)
  • Press: 3×5 @ 140#. Felt challenging, but doable.
  • Clean: 3×5 @ 140#. I decided to work a lot on my technique and catch all of these in a squat. I think I need a lot of practice.

Weight: 226#

More Intervals

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I went to open gym this morning and was on baby duty so that V could get an uninterrupted workout in. Brenna and I went up into the other room and I did the following:

  • 30s double-unders (46); rest ~3 min
  • 30s row (~180m); rest ~3 min
  • 30s squat clean & jerk @ 95#(6 or 7); rest ~3 min
  • 30s double-unders (35ish); rest ~3 min
  • 30s row (~180m); rest ~3 min
  • 30s squat clean & jerk @ 95# (~5); rest ~3 min
  • 30s row (~180m); rest ~3 min
  • 30s row (~180m); rest ~3 min

I felt really solid on the rowing. I was able to keep it between 1:30 and 1:40 (per 500m) on each set.

Weight: 223.75#

Starting Strength #3

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Yesterday was tough. I was really tired but pushed through. Weights were as follows:

  • Back Squat: 3×5 @ 271# (currently 121% of my bodyweight). This felt really heavy today. I am currently adding 3# to every workout. I might have to reconsider this soon. Also, I am a little apprehensive about going TOO heavy for 2 reasons; 1, because I am still a little afraid of injuring my back again and 2, because there’s no squat rack at the gym. If I fail out, I just have to dump it backwards.
  • Bench Press: 3×5 @ 180#. This was doable. I am good with going up next time.
  • Dead Lift: 1×5 @ 325# (currently 145% of my bodyweight). WWWWooooooo did that feel heavy. I am going up 5# with every workout on this one, so I might reconsider that soon as well.

Weight: 223#.

1000’s

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Ewww.

I don’t know why I decided to “do some thousands” on the C2 yesterday, but that hurt. I didn’t go for max effort, just consistency. I ended up doing the following:

  • 1000m, ~4 min exactly, 3 min rest
  • 1000m, ~4 min exactly, 15 min rest… needed to take care of Brenna, she was fussy
  • 1000m, ~4 min exactly, 3 min rest
  • 1000m, ~4 min exactly, 3 min rest

After that, I decided to do the CFCP posted WOD with Victoria, scaled b/c I was shot from the rowing. The WOD was:

Every minute on the minute (adding 1 every minute), do a push up, into a squat clean, into a thruster.

WOT?

Whoever make that one up (DAVE) must have been pretty mad.

Anyway, I used 75# and made it thought 5 full rounds, the 4 of my 6th. I wasn’t really trying very hard, but still, that was terrible.

Starting Strength #2

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Back at it today with workout #2. Weights for this one were:

  • Back Squat: 3×5 @ 268#
  • Strict Press: 3×5 @ 135#
  • Clean: 3×5 @ 135#

Yes, I can clean more, but my technique needs some work, so I started out on the lighter side. I got a bit of help from Fio today and will try to work on the things he was coaching me on.

Haven’t gotten much sleep these past 2 days. Brenna has been up at night a lot so V and I have been dragging. Still though, getting into the gym gives me a feeling of accomplishment.

Weight today: 224#

A break from the regularly scheduled programming…

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Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans…

Starting Strength was going well, but I had to take a week off to come and spend some time with Victoria’s family in Mississippi. They have had some unfortunate events occur on both sides of the family and it was clear that us being with them and they getting to meet Brenna was something that needed to happen sooner rather than later.

While the selfish part of me is, well, selfish about wanting to get back on track with getting things right for myself, I am happy to be able to support her during these rough times with her family. It’s really more important that how many inches my waist is measuring.

It has been great to see her family and to see their reactions to Brenna. It saddens me that we don’t get to see them as often, but it’s important to cherish the times that we do.

At any rate, we will be back in Austin next week and I will likely start over with week 1 to hopefully get some consistency in.