Home Gym

I think everybody should have some fitness equipment in the house.  Whether that is a yoga mat or 1000# of power lifting plates and a barbell is the decision that I have struggled with.

When I was a teenager, I had a Sears bench and about 150# of weight on a hollow barbell which was quickly bowed.  As an adult, I have trained almost exclusively in commercial facilities, but eventually thought I wanted some stuff at home.

I started piecing together gym equipment when I found a flat bench at a yard sale for $25.  I did not know what I wanted to do with it, but it was too good a deal to pass up.  I also picked up a couple hundred pounds of standard plates and barbell at a yard sale for $20, but am not sure what I want to do with them.

When the girls were in gymnastics, I bought them a gymnastics mat and and an incline mat.  I enjoyed them more than they did.

After that, my goal was to build out a Crossfit style gym.  I grabbed an Olympic barbell and bumper plates.  I bought a pull up bar/dip station that I replaced with a fold away rig.  

Then I started getting odd ball stuff like plyo boxes, wall ball, kettle bells, gymnastics rings, climbing rope, abmats, sandbag and paralettes.

For a while I had a Glute Ham Developer, that I ended up selling due to size and lack of use.

The last item I picked up were Atlas stones.  I would like to have a loader tire around 250#, but have fortunately held off on that purchase.

I do not use the equipment much right now as I currently have a Crossfit membership.  

I really feel like long term, I will always prefer a $20-$40 membership somewhere instead of having equipment at home.  That being said, commercial spaces will rarely have rings, rope, paralettes, GHD or strongman equipment.  I can live without most of that stuff.

A dedicated power lifting space would be really nice.  The advantage of being at home is being able to drop weights and use chalk with reckless abandon.

• Platform (Rogue 8x8 $255)
• Competition bench/squat rack (Rogue Combo Rack, $2500)
• 20 kg barbell  (Rogue Chan Bar Cerakoe, $395)
• 275# of weight (4x45, 2x25, 2x10, 2x5, 2x2.5)
• $295 for 160# Rogue HG 2.0
• $140 for 90# Rogue HG 2.0
• $44 for 5.0# pair change plate
• $33.50 for 2.5# pair change plate.  

This works out to $900 for the bar and plates, $255 for the platform and the big wildcard is $2500 for the bench/squat rack.  An alternative would be to get a squat stand for $300-$600 and a flat bench.  If I have the opportunity, I will definitely set up a dedicated basement gym in a future home.  I could even pull it off in our current home if I get rid of the sofa and recliner.  

• Raptor Fitness Supplier Oly Platform ($649)
• Raptor Series 2"x3" Squat Stand ($235)

Could also get a homemade platform on Craigslist for around $100.  Although it would probably make more sense to make my own for a given space.  Squat stands could similarly be found for $150 on Craigslist.

With this, I would still like to add a ceiling mounted pull-up bar.

This set up could be supplemented with atlas stones and loader tire set up outside.

Sumo DL - PU - FRL - Metcon

Friday, January 31, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Lacey/Janet

1200 - 10 of us

Warm Up

60 sec pronated hang
60 sec boot strapper
60 sec FLR on floor
60 sec supinated hang
60 sec kb around the world
60 sec lunge stretch
60 sec kb RDL
60 sec scap pull-up
60 sec jumping pull-up
60 sec kb sumo DL

Weightlifting

Three sets of:

Sumo Deadlift (8 reps @ 21X1)
Rest 60 seconds
Weighted Pull-ups (4 reps @ 21X0)
Rest 60 seconds
Front-Leaning Rest on Rings (45-60 seconds)
Rest 60 seconds

I did the deadlifts at 65, 95 and 115# and was able to maintain good form and tempo
I did the pull-ups at 0, 0 and 5# and was able to maintain good form and tempo
I accumlated 45 seconds of FLR on floor at 30+10+5

Metcon

Metcon (Time)

Three sets of:
100 Double Unders
100-Foot Walking Lunges with Farmer’s Hold (24/16 kg)
Rest 2 minutes

I got 180 rope skips in 90 seconds each round.  I scaled to 12 kg KB. Rounds 1 & 2, I went 75 feet with kb and round 3, I went 100 ft with kb.

R1 - 187 rope skip, 75 ft with 12 kg, 25 ft unweighted 3:12
R2 - 180 rope skip, 75 ft with 12 kg, 25 ft unweighted 8:27 (3:15)
R3 - 180 rope skip, 100 ft with 12 kg 14:03 (3:36)

I should have taken the extra 15 seconds and kept the farmers carry.  I was targeting 3 minute rounds.

Hamstrings feel lit!

Metcon - HSPU technique

Thursday, January 30, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Janet

1200 - 10 of us

Warm Up

60 sec couch stretch
90 sec glute bridge/clam shell
5 hip cars each leg
5 squat therapy (3311 tempo)

then

2 rounds of
20 toe tap pike
10 ankle drivers
10 quarter squat jumps
5 single leg step up

Metcon

Metcon (Time)

Five rounds for time of:
400 Meter Run
20 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lbs)
10 Dumbbell Box Step-Overs (50/35 lbs; 24″/20″)

I scaled this to 10# wall ball and 50# DBs to 12" box.

Round 1 was quick with a 2:18 run and 4:16 round.
Rounds 2-5 slowed down.  The run slowed to around 3 minutes/400m, but I was able to do all of the wall balls and box step-overs unbroken.  Final time 24:12.

Gymnastics Technique

HSPU to 3 abmats - 2 reps
HSPU to 2.5 ambats
HSPU to 2 abmats
HSPU to 1.5 abmats - failed rep
Negative to floor
Negative to floor

Bench Press - Metcon

Wednesday, January 29, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Lacey

1200 - 9 of us

Warm Up

Thorasic opener - prone, elbows bent over head, push down then raise up

Y - T - W prone shoulder opener

2 rounds for quality
10 kb floor press each arm
6 half turkish get-up each side
10 strength kb sit up

Bench press warm up
5x45
5x95
5x115
4x135

Weightlifting

Every 3 minutes, for 15 minutes (5 sets):

Bench Press (3 reps)

I went
135
145
155
155
155# (all good reps)

Metcon

Metcon (3 Rounds for time)

Every 6 minutes, for 18 minutes (3 sets) for times:
Row 500 Meters
20 Alternating Single-Arm Dumbbell Snatches (50/35 lbs)
35/25 Hand Release Push-Ups

I scaled this to 25# alternating single-arm DB snatch.  This was a good weight and easy to keep good form.

R1 - 20 HRPU at 5:06 (6/5/3/2/2/2)
R2 - 20 HRPU at 5:09 (6/4/2/2/2/2/2)
R3 - 21 HRPU at 6:00 (5/3/2/2/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1/1)

The rows were taking me between 2:15 and 2:25.  I could finish the snatches around 3:45 to 3:55.  Then I completed as many reps as possible by the 5:15/5:15/6:00 cap.

Snatch Complex - Metcon

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Lacey

1200 - 6 of us

Warm Up

1 min mountain climbers
1 min air squats
1 min dead hang

then

5 wall slide
10 pvc cuban press
10 pvc ohs
10 single leg jumps each leg

10 snatch complex with pvc

Weightlifting

Every 90 seconds, for 15 minutes (10 sets):
2 Snatch Grip Deadlifts + Hang Snatch
(pause 2 seconds at mid patella on each of the Deadlifts)

I worked up from

35
45
50
55
55
60
65
70
75
80#

Felt good, coaching cue: fight for position on squat

Metcon

Metcon (AMRAP - Rounds and Reps)

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
30 Double-Unders
10 Deadlifts (185/135 lbs)
10 Pull-Ups

I scaled this to work on double unders for 30 seconds each round; 115# deadlift, 3+2 pull-ups

R1 - 30 DU, unbroken deadlift, 3+2
R2 - 30 DU, unbroken deadlift, 3+2
R3 - 15 DU, unbroken deadlift, 3+2
R4 - 20 DU, unbroken deadlift, 3+2
R5 - 11 DU, unbroken deadlift, 1 PU

stretched lower back on GHD after class

Front Squat - Metcon

Monday, January 27, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Lacey/Greg

1200 - 12 of us

Warm Up

200m run
5 boot strappers
10 quad stretch ; lunge L/R
ankle mobility
200m run
10 banded squat 3 second hold at bottom
10 mountain climber twist
10 plank walk front / back
10 banded clam shells

PVC front rack stretch
PVC lat stretch
5 front squat (down for 5 count, up fast)
5 front squat (3 second hold at bottom)
5 front squat

Front Squat 1 RM

Take 20 minutes to build to today’s 1-RM Front Squat

5x95
4x115
3x135
3x155
1x185
1x195#

Heavy for today, 96% of 203# 1RM

Metcon

Three rounds for time of:

Run 400 Meters
8 Front Squats

Barbell comes from the ground – no racks. Recommended weights are 205/145 lbs, but athletes are encouraged to scale up such that the load is between 75-80% of your 1-RM Front Squat.


I scaled this to 125# (67% of 1RM).  

R1 - Run 2:08, round 3:15
R2 - Run 3:55, round 7:15
R3 - Run 10:15, round 11:15

I went unbroken on the squats every round.  Last time I did this workout at 60kg and was going 3/3/2 on the squats.  My runs were a little faster and not having to reset the barbell saved me a lot of time.  4/9/2019 was 12:58.

Chest felt really good during the WOD.  A little phlegm on the walk back to work.

OPEN GYM: SLIPS - OHS

Sunday, January 26, 2020

Crossfit Golden - OPEN GYM

0800

Warm Up

Hip Hammy sequence
Forearm warm-up

SLIPS

Front scale
Back scale

Hanging from rig - held tuck, held L-sit (~5 seconds at a time)

Press up from
3 abmat
2.5 abmat
2 abmat

Negative to
1.5 abmat
floor

Plank hold for 90 seconds

Stretched as part of warm-up

OHS
6x15
5x20
5x25
3x30
2x35kg (77#)

GHD - Hip Extensions and Sit-ups

60 minutes total workout

Push Jerk - Metcon

Friday, January 24, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Lacey/Paige

1200 - 12 of us

Warm Up

2 minutes burpees (10 in first minute, 6 in second)
10 wall slides
3 times each leg lunge complex (forward, back, side bowler)

then 1 min each of:
jump/land
wall walk
jump/punch/land
HRPU
pvc push jerk
scap pull-up
pvc push jerk
ring rows

then with empty barbell
5 strict press
5 push press
5 push jerk

Weightlifting

Every 2 minutes, for 16 minutes (8 sets) of:
Push Jerk (2)
Build over the course of the 8 reps to today’s heavy.

I was focused on technique and went
85
95
105
115
125
135
140
140#

coaching cue: drive through heels

Metcon

Metcon (AMRAP - Reps)

Three sets for max reps of:
60 seconds of Dumbbell Box Step-Overs (50/35 lb DBs; 24″/20″)
60 seconds of Strict Handstand Push-Ups
60 seconds of Hand Release Push-Ups
60 seconds of Strict Pull-Ups
Rest 60 seconds

I scaled the step overs to 35# barbell and 20" box
I scaled the HSPU to 35# seated DB press
I did HRPU and strict pull ups

R1 - 8/8/13/7 = 36
R2 - 8/6/12/6 = 32
R3 - 7/6/12/5 = 30

98 total reps. 

My chest felt really good with minimal coughing and no phlegm to spit up during class.

Barbell Hip Thruster - Banded Face Pull - Metcon

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Janet

1200 - 12 of us

Warm Up

3 min foam roll
15 inch worm
15 scap push-up
15 glute bridge 20X1

4 min jump rope/technique/du

10 barbell hip thruster
10 banded face pull

Weightlifting

Five sets of:

Barbell Hip Thrusts (5 reps @ 20X1)
Rest 60 seconds
Face Pulls (15 reps @ 21X1 With Band)
Rest 60 seconds

I kept good tempo and went 95,115,135,135,135 on the barbell hip thruster (45%, target was 80% of 1RM deadlift)

I used a yellow band for the face pulls

Metcon

Metcon (AMRAP - Rounds and Reps)

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
30 Double-Unders
10 Alternating Dumbbell Snatch + 2 Alternating Reverse Overhead Lunges (50/35 lbs)
(1 repetition = DB Snatch, keep DB overhead, reverse lunge left, then reverse lunge right)

This was tough.  Scaled as follows:
R1 - work on DU (16 reps), 20# DB overhead for all of it
R2 - 30 jumping jacks, lower DB to shoulder for lunges
R3 - 30 jumping jacks, lower DB to shoulder for lunges
R4 - 30 jumping jacks, completed 4 reps, lower DB to shoulder for lunges

Chest felt OK, just winded faster than usual.

Metcon

Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Paige

1630 - 5 of us

Warm Up

1 min ankle dorsiflexion each side
1 min couch stretch each side
1 min thoracic expansion

then

2 rounds
short lap
bear crawl forward
bear crawl backwards
lateral plank
10 single leg jumps

Metcon

Metcon (Time)

Three rounds for time of:
800 Meter Run
20 Dumbbell Squat Clean Thrusters (50/35 lbs)
20 Toes to Bar

I jogged the 800 m each time
I scaled the DB Squat Clean Thrusters to 25# and did 15 reps each round
I did 20 strict knee raises each round

Round 1:  9 minutes (5:04 run)
Round 2: 19:40
Round 3: 30:37

My run slowed progressively each round, but I was able to keep moving.  Still coughing up a lot of phlegm.

Bulgarian Split Squat - Bent Over Row - Metcon

Monday, January 20, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Ryan

0700 - 5 of us

Warm Up

couch stretch
banded glute bridge with clam shell
leg circles
banded rows
over and under the fence
plank hold
air squats
throw downs
arm circles
jumping jacks

Weightlifting

Five sets of:

Bulgarian Split Squat (6 reps each leg @ 30X1)
Rest 30 seconds after each leg

I used 15# dumbbells for the first 4 sets and no weight for the last set.  I kept good tempo, but felt my right hamstring tighten up.

Supinated-Grip Bent-Over Barbell Row (8 reps @ 21X0)
Rest 60 seconds

I modified this to pronated grip due to a mobility issue.  I used 35# for the first set and 55 for the next 4 sets.  I could keep good tempo and maybe could have gone heavier.

Metcon

Metcon (2 Rounds for time)

Two sets for times of:
50 Calories of Rowing
50 Wall Ball Shots (20/14 lbs)

Rest 5 minutes

Note times for both sets.

There was a 4 minute soft cap on both movements.  I completed 43 calories both times.  I used 12# for the wall ball shots and did 20 reps before switching to air squats on the first round.  On the second round I did all air squats.

This was my first day back after getting hit by the respiratory infection 10 days ago.  I spent 3 days in bed, returned to work, but continued to rest and hydrate.  I was coughing a lot, but otherwise felt OK.  I felt sluggish from not working out and my heart rate was spiking faster than I expected.

I also picked up my Ascent Nutritional prize pack from yesterday's health and wellness expo.  My InBody scan indicated 25.1% body fat at 190.2#.  The only talk I listened to was on nutrition and the take away was to select a sustainable diet based on your lifestyle (macros, keto and plant based were specifically discussed).

Jackie - Bulgarian Split Squat - HSPU

Friday, January 10, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Paige/Lacey

1200 - 12 of us

Warm Up

2 min couch stretch and figure four stretch
2 min row

2 rounds of
10 mountain climber push-up
10 banded plank walk left/right/forward/back
10 banded slow air squats
5 burpee jumping pull-up, slow negative

with barbell
10 front squat
10 push press
10 thrusters

Metcon

Jackie (Time)

For Time:
1000m Row
50 Thrusters, 45#
30 Pull-ups

I scaled this to 35# barbell and jumping pull-ups.  Unlike last time when I abandoned at 40 45# thrusters, I was able to finish 50 35# thrusters in sets of 25-15-10.  The jumping pull-ups I did in 10-8-6-4-2.  Ideally both sets should have been unbroken, but 3-4 sets could be accommodated.

The row took me to 4:40, the thrusters to 8:15 and the pull-ups to 10:24.

Weightlifting

Three sets of:
Bulgarian Split Squat (8 reps each leg @ 3111)
Rest 45 seconds after each leg
Strict Handstand Push-Up (8-10 reps @ 2011)
(if you aren’t capable of this rep scheme yet, break up your reps and try to accumulate 8-10 reps in 60 seconds or less)
Rest 90 seconds

I did unweighted Bulgarian Split Squats and although unsteady, was able to do 8 reps on each leg.

The HSPU were much tougher.
Set 1 - 4+2+1=7 HSPU to 3 abmats
Set 2 - 3+2+1=6 HSPU to 3 abmats
Set 3 - 3+2=5 HSPU to 3 abmats

Although the intention was a much higher rep count, I felt comfortable with these.  Next time, I might throw in some negatives.

Finished with 1 rope climb

Split Jerk - Metcon

Thursday, January 9, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Greg/Lacey

0900 - 14 of us

Warm Up

3 rounds of
30 sec rope skip
5 reverse snow angel
10 pass throughs
10 pvc lunges
10 split stance press to overhead
5 burpees

with barbell
3 strict press
3 push press
3 push jerk

split jerk foot drills

10 split jerks

Weightlifting

Every 2 minutes, for 16 minutes (8 sets) of:
Split Jerk (1 Rep)

Build over the course of the 8 reps to today’s heavy.

I went
75
95
105
105
115
125
135
145# - this felt pretty good

coaching cues: soft knee; reach with heel of front foot; initiate dip with toes forward

Metcon

Metcon (AMRAP - Rounds and Reps)

Complete as many rounds and reps as possible in 8 minutes of:
30 Double-Unders
10 Burpees Over the Barbell
3 Ground to Overhead (135/95 lbs)

I scaled this to 30 jumping jacks.  I jumped all portions of the burpees.  I used 115# for the ground to overhead (this still felt heavy, I could power clean it well, but had slow elbows)

I finished the first round in just over 2 minutes and then slowed from there.  I finished the 3rd round with a little over a minute to go and finished all of the jumping jacks and was mid air when time was called for 3 Rounds + 30 reps in 8 minutes.

Front Squat - Row

Wednesday, January 8, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Ryan

1200 - 11 of us

Warm Up

8 min emom
stretch on own
kb front squat
45 sec hard row
mountain climber thoracic open

then

barbell warm-up
10 front squat 32X1
5 at 95
5 at 115

Weightlifting

Every 2 minutes, for 16 minutes (8 sets) of:

Front Squat

*Set 1 – 4 reps @ 65% of 1-RM
*Set 2 – 4 reps @ 70%
*Set 3 – 3 reps @ 75%
*Set 4 – 3 reps @ 80%
*Set 5 – 2 reps @ 85%
*Set 6 – 2 reps @ 88%
*Set 7 – 1 rep @ 90%
*Set 8 – 1 rep @ 90+%

Based on a 1 RM of 92 kg (202#) I went
4x115 (57%)
4x125 (62%)
3x135 (67%)
3x145 (72%)
2x155 (77%)
2x165 (82%)
1x175 (88%)
1x185 (92%)

The front rack position felt OK.  I added wrist wraps and a belt half way through.

If you don’t know your 1-RM, simply use today to build to something heavy, using the percentages as perceived effort guidelines.

Metcon

Metcon (Calories)

Every 5 minutes, for 15 minutes (3 sets for max calories):
90 seconds of Rowing

I got 27, 26 and 26 for 70 total calories for the 3 rounds.  I could open up around 1200 calories/hour, but slipped to just below 1000 calories/hour the last 30 seconds.

Note number of calories achieved in each set, then add the three for your total score – e.g. – 62, 54, 56 = 172 calories. Go all out on these and trust/test your ability to recover between sets.

Metcon

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Greg

1630 - 21 of us

Warm Up

3 rounds of
short lap
8 kb thruster
10 kb in front rack side stap
12 scap push-up
15 sec kb hollow body hold (I used the light green kb)

then

4 scap pull-up
10 sec L sit tuck hold
4 strict pull-up
4 strict knee to elbow (2 attempts)

Metcon

Metcon (Time)

Four rounds for time of:
400 Meter Run
6 Strict Pull-Ups
12 Dumbbell Shoulder to Overhead (50/35 lbs)
400 Meter Run
6 Dumbbell Hang Squat Cleans (50/35 lbs)
12 Toes to Bar

I did the 400 meter runs, scaled to 3 strict pull-ups per round, used 25# DB for the STO and HSC and scaled to strict knee raises.  I was average around 8 minutes per round and my runs slowed from 2:18 on the first one to almost 3 minutes on the last one.  I finished in 32:48.

I was just glad to show up as I was running late getting back from Pueblo and did not have much time to warm up.

Deadlift - Seated DB Press

Monday, January 6, 2020

Crossfit Golden - Greg/Lacey

1200 - 19 of us

Warm Up

12 min amrap of
10 burpees
50 feet OH KB carry right arm
10 scap push-up
50 feet OH KB carry left arm
10 side plank rotations
5 KB RDL right leg
5 reverse snow angel
5 KB RDL left leg
5 Hollow Body - Superman rotations

Warm up for WOD with
5 deadlift
5 seated DB press
5 deadlift
3 seated DB press
5 deadlift at WOD weight

Metcon

Metcon (Time)

"Strict Diane"

Complete rounds of 21, 15 and 9 reps for time of:
225/155 lb Deadlifts
Strict Handstand Push-Ups

I scaled this to 155# DL and 35# Seated DB press.  I could do the deadlift in 3 sets and had every intention of doing the seated DB press the same way, but they got heavy fast.  I opted for 15-9-6 on the presses and was able to get 3-4 reps at a time.  I finished in 8:10.

Accessory Work

Every 2 minutes, for 18 minutes (3 sets) of:

Station 1 – Barbell Hip Thrust x 6 reps @ 21X1
Station 2 – Band Pull-Aparts x 30 reps @ 1010
Station 3 – L-Sit x 60 seconds (accumulated time)

I used 95# for the hip thrust
Yellow band for pull-apart
Hanging from rig, I could go about 10 sec and was accumulating around 40 seconds in 2 minutes allowing myself at least 45 seconds rest.  Key is to really elevate the tuck during the L-sit scale to engage the core.

I felt kind of sluggish today, but felt like I was moving well.  No back issues after touch and go deadlift.