Deadlifts and Powder skiing!

So, after recovering from the backsquat session which left my legs in dire straits which wasnt helped by a weekend a great powder skiing, it was now time for some deadlifts.
Again, I had to dig out the equipment from freshly fallen snow, and as soon as I had cleared the snow, more snow fell...deadlifts in the falling snow!

Warm up:
3 rounds of:
10 Overhead Squats
10Pressups
10 Ab Mat Sit Ups
5 L-Sit Pull Ups

Deadlift 5/3/1 program week 2
5 x 70kg
5 x 70kg
3 x 85kg
3 x 100kg
3 x 115kg
3+(11reps) 130kg
Then 5 rounds of with 30 sec rest inbetween sets of:
10 x 70kg

How to really kill the legs........Ski hard...then backsquats!

This week is the quietest week of the season, so have been freeskiing/ski training with friends...in itself enough stress for the legs....but not quite.

Yesterdays training was Backsquats, even though my legs were pretty tired from the hard days skiing on Wednesday with my pal Robin.

Today...Friday....after the backsquats, legs are in dire straits....big time DOMS!!! However, I love the feeling you get from lifting heavy weights....it just chages how you feel and how you think. Because my weight and crossfit training is not as regular as when I'm not skiing, the difference is really noticable in how you feel when you lift heavy stuff...its almost as if the body misses heavy training. Skiing all day can be hard, but my body, at least, misses the intensity of heavy training.

After Training a group of us went to a mountain restaurant to have a Mongolian Fondue (all meat!!) to celebrate my birthday...great night!


Training - 5/3/1 Program week 2 (Based on 145kg max rep Backsquat/70kg Max rep Shoulder press)

Warm up of:
3 rounds of:
10 Press ups
10 Overhead Squats
10 Sit ups
5 L pull ups

BackSquat
5 x 60kg
5 x 70kg
3 x 80kg
3 x 95kg
3 x 105kg
3+(8 reps) 120kg
Then 5 rounds (30Ssec rest inbetween sets) of :
10 x 70kg

Shoulder Press
5 x 30kg
5 x 35kg
3 x 40kg

3 x 45kg
3 x 55kg
3+(4 reps) 60kg
Then 5 rounds (30Ssec rest inbetween sets) of :
10 x 30kg

After the Storms, back to lifting!

Back to some lifing! Well after the biggest storms in the Alps for years, I was finally able to clear over a metre of snow and ice from my patio where all my equipment is.

I havent lifted any weights for about 3 weeks due to the weather and mainly because I have been Ski instructing more or less everyday for the last 4 weeks and skiing for the last 6 weeks, so coupled with the weather and work, crossfit and lifting has taken a back seat.

What I miss most is doing deadlifts, they seem to fuel me with energy, deadlift for me is the king of lifts for strength and hormonal boost. I get quite hestitant doing deadlifts, its something that I continue to work on, and especially when I have had a layoff, I find it hard to get back into the groove.

So, this morning, I decided to do a Jim Wendler 5/3/1 Deadlift and shoulder press program to get back into the swing, its was pretty cold outside, but the sun was out and was a erfect day to get back lifting.

Started of a warm up with some ITB foam rolling, then some skipping and overhead Airsquats.

Based the lifts on a 160kg deadlift and 75 kg shoulder press. Deadlift was fine, but I had lost some strength in the press, quite normal after a little layoff, with shoulders it comes back quickly! My mobility in my shoulders was good, just before Xmas I twinged it doing Kettlebell Swings, so its now back to full mobility.

Deadlift:
5 x 70kg
5 x 70kg
3 x 90kg
5 x 105kg
12(5+) x 120kg
Then 5 rounds of: 30 second rest in between sets
10 x 70kg

Shoulder Press
5 x 30kg
5 x 35kg
3 x 45kg
5 x 45kg
5 x 55kg
5+(3) 60kg didnt make the 5!
Then 5 rounds of:
10 x 35 kg

Back to Crossfit!

So, due to the amount of skiing I have been doing over the last couple of weeks and xmas too...my crossfit training has been sparse. We have had a huge amount of snow, and all my equipment has been buried under a metre of snow...alright...excuses, excuses.

Karl Stone, my Ninja and crossfit buddy sent me a Xmas Day Challenge...150 burpees...... I wasnt going to do it...but had no option 150 Burpees  - 14:48...2 days after I couldnt move my arms..thanks Karl!

Today I programmed a bodyweight WOD, which took longer than I had hoped for!

WOD
5 Rounds for time of:
5 HSPU (Hand stand Pressups)
10 L-SIT Pullups
20 Pressups
30 AirSquats
40 Sit Ups

Time: 27:32

WOD...Snow clearing...functionality at its best

The Box!

Verbier and the surrounding areas has had the biggest snowfall in 22years, we have had more snow fall in the last 3 days than all of last season. Beacause of this there is a huge avalanche risk (5/5 highest rating) Chalets in certain parts of Verbier have had to be evacuated due to the risk and the Slopes have been closed.

This morning the lower parts of the Slopes opened (Medran -Ruinettes) and its still heavily snowing! My 12:30 client cancelled his Ski Lesson, so I took the opportunity to clear the snow from my Chalet, dig out the Jeep and clear my gym area.

So with 3 snow shovels, I set to work. If I didnt do it then, what with more snow falling it would of got dangerous to get out of my appartment or more specifically to get back in at when it get dark....I live on a steep incline....falling down is not an option!

An hour and a half later, gym cleared, stairs and path cleared and 3 cars dug out...I was feeling in a generous mood, so decided to clear out my neighbours cars....all part of the WOD.

A mixture of deadlift and Kettlebell swings is about the best technique for this.....Crossfit the best preparation for the snow!

Heavy Snow and a Bodyweight WOD

Rest Day....means doing nothing, which for most of the day, up until an hour ago, I was doing well.
Didnt ski today,  and as I havent done a WOD this week, thought I better do one. It was raining heavily outside..which means it must be dumping big time higher up the mountain, I decided on a bodyweight WOD inside rather than the usual outside...lucky me!!

WOD
3 Rounds of:
5 Strict L Pullups
50 Squats
5 Strict L Pullups
50 Pressups
5 Strict L Pullups
50 Abmat Situps

Time: 24:28

Now going to prepare another Beefshin and feather steak stew with marrow bones!

London Throwdown WOD2

Legs killed from yesterdays skiing with the mighty Mike Mauer...there was fresh powder, bumps, rocks and blue sky.. what a great day skiing.

Really wanted to do one of the qualifying WOD's from the SICFIT London Throwdown, so decided to do it today and choose WOD2

I was a little concerned about trying it, because wasnt sure how my pulled shoulder would cope, so I scaled the weight by dropping it 10kg. The shoulder turned out to be ok, so will try this again at the prescribed weight next week.




WOD2

BUY IN: Output 1200kg of power clean - 24x 50kg

Then complete…

5 rounds of:

5 Shoulder-to-overhead 50kg (RX 60kg)

7 Front squats 50kg (RX 60kg)

9 Toes-to-bar

CASH OUT: Output 1200kg of power clean - 24x 50kg 

Time:16:31