USAWA Nationals Prep

Thursday, July 10, 2025

Garage Gym

1900

Warm Up

Bike Erg - 2000 meters

Ski Erg - 500 meters

Reverse Hyper

Crossover Symmetry

Saxon Deadlift

Build to heavy - 45-65-75-85-95

DB to Shoulder

Build to heavy - 62-87-102-112

Moving well.  Good to try the Rogue Calibrated plates, they do bite into my shoulder a bit

Euro Pinch

I sought out a Euro Pinch after hearing about a Grip Sport "total"

The total was three lifts

• RGC Rated Gripper Close
• IronMind Axle Double Overhand Deadlift
• Two Hand Euro Pinch

An elite total would be considered hitting 800+ pounds in a 12 month period.  This post dates back to 2011.  They were revived in 2025 as part of the World Wide Grip Battle: Chasing Elite - RESULTS

When researching the Euro Pinch, these were originally sold by David Horne.  Jedd Johnson started selling them as well.  Chris Rice had a custom set up.  Jedd's setup includes the steel plates and inserts for adjustable width and would be $269 plus shipping.

I was extremely fortunate that Steve Millard was cutting back on his grip equipment and would part with his euro set up for $40.  Apparently it had been collecting dust for quite some time.  The set up traveled from Carbondale to Cheyenne where Kim picked it up and brought it back to Denver.

It included locally fabricated steel plates, spacers from Jedd, Schedule 80 Pipe, Spin Lock Collars and Jedd's Euro Training DVD.  I have not watched the DVD yet, but have played with the set up.  I prefer a roughly 2.5 inch spacing.

Front Squat - Metcon

Monday, July 7, 2025

Westbound CrossFit (Coach Bryn)

1730 (8 of us)

Warm Up

 2 Rounds:

10 Air Squats

10 Glute Bridges

10 Lunges

10 Scap Push-Ups

 Front Rack Flow:

5 Front Squats (empty bar) – cue: elbows high, core tight

5 Pause Squats (2 sec in bottom)

5 Front Squats (light load)

Strength

Front Squat

 Every 2:30 x 4–5 Sets:

 3 Reps (building to heavy set)

 Focus: smooth descent, controlled bounce, aggressive stand

I was moving well, but not feeling this today.  I did 4 sets at 115, 135, 155 and 165 pounds.  

Conditioning

10-Minute AMRAP:

10 Thrusters (95/65)

10 Toes to Bar

10 Box Jump Overs (24/20)

Goal: 6–8 Rounds

I scaled this to 33 pound thrusters, hanging knee raises and 20 inch box jump overs.  I moved slow and only managed 3 + 20.  I should have added a little more weight to the thrusters and opted for stepovers.  Still a good conditioning workout.

Cool Down

2 Rounds:

12 Single-Leg Glute Bridge

15 Banded Lat Pull-Downs

20 Banded TKEs

Plate Mates

Mike Puccio in Lakewood has listed these several times.  Included are (4) 5 lbs and (2) 2.5 lbs.

Retail on these in non-sensical at $51.95 each for the 5 lbs and $46.95 each for the 2.5 lbs.  At over $300 retail, these would be about 15 cents on the dollar.

I do not own or even use any selector machines.  My motivation is for grip training and specifically plate pinches where these could be attached to the lower half of a weight plate so that there is a full gripping surface on the upper half.

I reached out, but the seller did not have them and would be picking them up next week.  I guess we will see...

Run - USAWA

Wednesday, July 2, 2025

CDOT

1200

Run

1.51 miles at 12:46 pace; it was really hot

Push Up Challenge - 15 unbroken reps

USAWA

Bench, 2 DB - 45-55-65-75 = 150 pounds

Cheat Curl DB Left/Right - 50/50 pounds (felt good, but need to build up)

Picked (2) more off the list

---------------------------------------------------------

(23) Remaining to Try

1. Continental to Chest Record is Open
2. Jerk - From Rack Record is 220
3. Miller Clean & Jerk Record is Open - Middle fingers only
4. Reflex Clean & Jerk Record is Open
5. Reg Park Bench Press Record is 156
6. Squat - 12" Base Record is 225
7. Half Gardener Record is Open
8. Holdout - Raised Record is Open
9. Anderson Press Record is Open - Press from Dead stop at lifters height
10. Cyr Press Record is 84 - Dumbbell Press
11. Goerner Stroll Record is 238
12. Bear Hug Record is Open
13. Travis Lift Record is Open
14. Bent Press - Record is Open
15. Clean & Press, Middle Fingers - Record is Open
16. James Lift - Record is Open
17. Judd Clean & Jerk - Record is Open - One Foot
18. Abdominal Raise - Record is 38
19. Lano Lift - Record is Open
20. Bent Press - Dumbbell - Record is Open
21. Carter Lift - Record is Open
22. Phumchaona Lift - Record is Open
23. Total Poundage - No Official Records

USAWA Record Session

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Garage Gym

1700

Warm Up

Movement Prep

Pinch Grip Deadlift, One Hand, Left - 39 pounds (39, 41)

Pinch Grip Deadlift, One Hand, Right - 41 pounds (39, 41)

Habecker Lift - 265 pounds (245, 265)

Lurich Lift - 335 pounds (275, 305, 335)

Kennedy Lift - 335 pounds (275, 305, 335)

Had more in the tank for the OTSM Lifts

Following this meet, I have now attempted 154 of the 195 lifts in the USAWA Rule Book.

• 195 total
• 154 attempted
• 11 mobility limited 
• Bench Reverse Grip
• C&P Reverse Grip
• Jackson Press
• Wrist Curl
• Chin Up
• Van Dam
• Kelly Snatch
• Mansfield
• Leg Press
• Leg Press Unsupported
• Bench Dip
• 2 strength limited 
• Squat One Leg
• Pullover & Press in Wrestlers Bridge
• 3 equipment limited
• Dumbbell Walk
• Foot Press
• Back Lift

-- 170

remaining to try - 25

1. Bent Press - Record is Open
2. Clean & Press, Middle Fingers - Record is Open
3. ***Continental to Chest*** Record is Open
4. James Lift - Record is Open
5. ***Jerk - From Rack*** Record is 220
6. Judd Clean & Jerk - Record is Open - One Foot
7. ***Miller Clean & Jerk*** Record is Open - Middle fingers only
8. ***Reflex Clean & Jerk*** Record is Open
9. ***Reg Park Bench Press*** Record is 156
10. ***Squat - 12" Base*** Record is 225
11. Abdominal Raise - Record is 38
12. ***Half Gardener*** Record is Open
13. ***Holdout - Raised*** Record is Open
14. Lano Lift - Record is Open
15. Bent Press - Dumbbell - Record is Open
16. ***Curl - Dumbbell, Cheat, One Arm*** Record is Open
17. ***Bench Press - 2 Dumbbells*** Record is 250
18. ***Anderson Press*** Record is Open - Press from Dead stop at lifters height
19. ***Cyr Press*** Record is 84 - Dumbbell Press
20. ***Goerner Stroll*** Record is 238
21. ***Bear Hug*** Record is Open
22. Carter Lift - Record is Open
23. Phumchaona Lift - Record is Open
24. Total Poundage - No Official Records
25. ***Travis Lift*** Record is Open

(15) of these just need to be set up and tried

(10) will take some work

• 2 Bent Presses
• 2 Hip Lift Variations
• C&P Middle Fingers
• James Lift (mobility)
• Judd Clean & Jerk (balance)
• Abdominal Raise?
• Lano Lift - Is it possible?
• Total Poundage??

Deadlift

Tuesday, July 1, 2025

Westbound CrossFit (coach Bryn)

1200 (2 of us)

Warm Up

 2 rounds:

10 Glute Bridges

10 Deadbugs

10 KB Deadlifts

 Barbell Deadlift Flow:

3 RDL

3 Paused Deadlifts

5 Deadlifts

Strength

Deadlift Pyramid:

 5-4-3-2-1-2-3-4-5

 Start light and build up to top set, then back down

 Rest as needed between sets

 Maintain quality reps throughout

I worked with 225-255-285-315-345-315-285-255-225 and was moving really well.  I was beyond excited to PR my deadlift, especially with this pyramid scheme.  I played a little bit with mixed grip after the workout.

Cool Down

2 Rounds:

10 Hamstring Curls w/ Band

10 DB RDLs

20 Banded TKE

Banded Terminal Knee Extensions are a movement developed by physical therapists to hone the last few degrees of extension before the joint fully straightens.  As a prehab movement it helps athletes tolerate the end ranges of knee extension.  Specifically through improving the strength and recruitment of the vastus medialis obliquus muscle which is used for patella stability and control.