Road to the 2027 Crossfit Games
You gotta have dreams, right?
Background:
I'm 28, 5'9, and 67kg. Around 5 years ago, I was 77kg and pretty fat with very little muscle. I then cut on and off for 2 years, making tons of mistakes along the way. I got down to around 59kg, and realized I was way too small and weak. I then did SS, got too fat (ate way too much), then cut again. I then did Madcow 5x5, got too fat, and cut again. Next came 5/3/1, fatness, and another cut. Along the way I plugged many leaks. One of them was that I would count my calories diligently until dinner, and then eat whatever for dinner without going overboard. Looking back, that was a really dumb move because I ended up eating way too much on both cuts and bulks. My cuts were really slow and I put on weight way too quickly when bulking.
Once I figured this out (duh), my previous cut was the best ever and I was pretty easily able to lose weight. Now, I plan on going on a long, slow, bulk (300 calories above maintenance).
That was the introduction to my previous log 3 years ago. I'm now 31, still 5'9, and around 71kg. I did a few bulking and cutting cycles, but it was becoming really monotonous and I was taking a lot of mini breaks. Enter crossfit. I stumbled onto the website of one, signed up for an induction class, and was hooked after day 1. I liked the structure and the competitive nature of it. I also liked how you had to be good at everything to be good at crossfit.
Crossfit Journey
I started in October 2016 and until around December 2017, just did crossfit. I stayed around the same bodyweight, my lifts went up, my endurance improved, my gymnastics got better, I learned the olympic lifts, and I finally didn't have to deal with feeling fat and skinny from all the bulking/cutting cycles. Having said that, I think I've reached the point where I need to do less crossfit to become better at it.
After a year and a half, I think I'm finally a pretty average crossfitter. Here are some of my numbers:
Squat: 127.5
Front Squat: 115
Deadlift: 145
Bench Press: 84 (estimated)
Overhead Press: 62.5
C&J: 77.5
Snatch: 52.5 (a bit old, should be closer to 60)
5k run: 24:37
1k row: 3:40
Jackie: 10:03
Fight Gone Bad: 225
Crossfit Open 2017: 28th percentile
Crossfit Open 2018: 45th percentile
Strict Pullups: 13
Muscle Ups: 1
Handstand Pushups: 14
What I'm doing now
My gymnastics is relatively stronger than my strength and endurance, and my weightlifting is pretty rubbish. Here is a rough weekly plan for the next couple of months.
5/3/1 - 2 sessions a week (combining BS and BP in one session, DL and OHP in the other)
Pete's plan beginner - 3 a week (it's a rowing program, to get a solid aerobic base)
Olympic lifting class - 1/2 a week
Crossfit class - 1/2 a week
Run - 1 a week (I wish I could run more, but it destroys my legs)
The End Goal
The goal is to just become as good at crossfit as I can and to keep getting better. I turn 40 in 2027 and there is a 40-45 division at the Crossfit Games, see you there.
Always nice breaking 10 on the girls.
It seems like the UK has had a ton of sickness this year? All my mates seem to be sick constantly
Open Gym
Front Squat: 90x3, 92.5x3, 95x3, 97.5x3, 100x3
Bench Press: 60x5, 67.5x5, 75x5, 50x10x5
Ring Rows: 4x15, 10
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Another puncture on my long ride home, so cut it short. I'm fed up of starting and stopping strength programs in the last 3 months because of illnesses, so just going to wing it till after the Open is over. My priority is my cardio and I hope to just maintain my strength until then.
Crossfit
Weightlifting
2 Power Snatches + 2 Overhead Squats: 40, 45, 47.5, 50, 52.5, 55 (every 2 minutes)
Metcon
AMRAP 11:
9 Chest to Bar Pull Ups
7 Burpees over Bar
5 Squat Snatch, 52.5kg
4 rounds - 42.5kg snatches
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Loved today. There was a new-old coach who was EXCELLENT. And I was the only one in class, so I got a nice 1 on 1. Warm ups were with purpose, he knew his ****, constant feedback.
The metcon was very Openny. I died a little. Round times were 2:24, 2:56, 3:04, 2:35. I did the last 5 snatches unbroken, which was quite nice.
Ride
27.12km - 1:24:58
Crossfit
Metcon
3 Rounds:
21 Dumbbell Deadlifts, 22.5s
15 Dumbbell Hang Power Cleans, 22.5s
9 Dumbbell Shoulder to Overhead, 22.5s
5:58 - 17.5s
Accessory
Ring Muscle Ups: 3,2,2,2,4 (every 2 minutes)
Ride Home
14.32km
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Fun. Target time was 7 minutes, so I guess I could have gone Rx. It's a bit of a silly metcon though. 6-7 minute ones should be all heart and you go to a dark place, like a mile run or a 2k row. But the limiter here was just the grip.
Pleased with ring muscle ups. Bring on the Open.
Crossfit/Open Gym
Metcon - 21.1
For time: (15 minute cap)
1 wall walk
10 double-unders
3 wall walks
30 double-unders
6 wall walks
60 double-unders
9 wall walks
90 double-unders
15 wall walks
150 double-unders
21 wall walks
210 double-unders
261 reps - (PR by 43 reps!) - 37 double unders into the round of 150
Strength
Overhead Press: 42.5x5, 47.5x5, 53.5x5, 42.5x5x5
Ring Rows: 4x15
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Fridays are past Open days and after missing 2 weeks due to illness, I've obliterated my previous bests in the last 2 weeks. Chuffed. I beat my score from 4 years ago around 12 minutes in. Double unders actually felt like a break this time. I did the last 37 unbroken and could have gone on. The 15 wall walks were no fun and took like 4:30
Weightlifting and Open Gym
3 Muscle Snatches + 3 Drop Snatches: 30, 30, 32.5
Snatch: 45x3, 47.5x3, 50x3x3
Front Squat: 80x5x2, 90x3x2, 95, 100, 105
Ride Home: 14.28km
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Super fun. My touch n go squat snatches from last week really made something click. I was dropping under better when tired in a metcon than when doing weightlifting. It was because my arms were loose. I did that today, and snatches felt so good!
Crossfit
Metcon
For time:
100 Calorie Row
-into-
5 Rounds
50 Double Unders
10 Handstand Push Ups
-into-
100 Calorie Row
25:54
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Super pleased with this. 100 cal row is approximately 1600m. The first row was in 2:07 and paced, the second row was in 2:03 and suffering. Quite pleased to hit that pace while going into it at a very high heart rate.
Round times for the middle section were 1:56, 2:15, 2:30, 2:43, 2:53. I kept the HSPU to 6/4, except the final set was 5/3/2. My double unders feel SO much better. I don't think I've actually gotten better at them though. My cardio has improved and I feel less out of breath doing them.
I'm about to buy a new Garmin. Thinking about the latest fenix. My forerunner 735 is many years old now. I hear wrist heart rate technology is miles ahead, so could be fun to track that.
Crossfit
Strength
Tempo Front Squat: 85x2x4, 90x2x4, 95x2 (3 seconds down)
Metcon
15-12-9: (12 minute cap)
Hang Squat Clean, 52.5kg
Burpee Box Get Over, 30"
Chest to Bar Pullups
10:27 - 45kg
Ride Home
14.29km
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Squats were fairly easy. Perhaps I should have done all sets at 90-95. I am SO happy with this metcon. I nearly did 52.5, but didn't want a DNF so dropped it down. Chest to bars were all singles, until something clicked in the last round!!! My plan was to do singles, but hang on to the bar to make it faster and by doing that I sort of automatically got into the perfect kip and linked them so easily!
Seriously, bring on the Open. My cardio is miles ahead of where it has ever been. It's been 6-7 months of grinding away at easy cardio.
