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.
Crossfit and Open Gym
Metcon
Teams of 2
4 sets
5:00 AMRAP
400m Run (together)
Max Calorie Air Bike/Row/Ski in remaining time (shared)
-rest 3:00 between sets-
Echo bike - between 50 and 60 calories each round
Front Squat: 80x5x3
Strict Pull-ups: 10x3 (EMOM)
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Decided to do a deload and took another 2 days off. I think it will be really good for my CNS and tennis elbow. It coincides with an unheard of 5 days in a row of drinking. I usually drink like once in 2 weeks or even once a month. Wednesday was our 1 year anniversary, Thursday went out for with "work" friends, Friday met her friends, meeting my friends today, and going for a dog walk then pub with crossfit friends tomorrow. I'll be a hermit next week.
drinking day = 'a few drinks', or 'proper no nonsense hard man, absolute skinful, kebab and a fight on the way home?'
Crossfit
Strength
Deadlift: 135x10 (rep PR!)
Metcon
10 Power Cleans, 60kg
200m Run/Row/Ski or 400m Bike
8 Power Cleans, 70kg
200m Run/Row/Ski or 400m Bike
6 Power Cleans, 85kg
200m Run/Row/Ski or 400m Bike
4 Power Cleans, 92.5kg
200m Run/Row/Ski or 400m Bike
2 Power Cleans, 102.5kg
200m Run/Row/Ski or 400m Bike
9:49 - 50/60/70/80/90, 10 cal assault bike
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Deload done. One of the better days. My two ongoing issues that flare up when I train a lot are tennis elbow and lower back pain. Nothing at all today and today was ripe for it (cleans are the main culprit for my tennis elbow). My deadlift rep PR has gone from an allout 130x8 to 135x10 at RPE 8. Projected 1RM is 180. Love it.
I probably overscaled the metcon. I did the 6 at 70 unbroken, and was never in doubt to fail any at 90 (although I did starfish). Another great thing about the deload was that I felt AMAZING today. It felt like I had an extra gear cardio wise. I didn't really feel tired afterwards. I think I need to cut down to 3 hard days a week maximum, and never going back to back.
Great job on the pr. Is it the camera angle or was your left side coming up before the right after the first few reps?
Great job on the pr. Is it the camera angle or was your left side coming up before the right after the first few reps?
Thanks! If you look at every snatch I do, I land with my left foot behind my right and twisted. It's because one side is more mobile than the other. I went to a McGill guy and did a 3 hour assessment and all that.
Having said that, I really can't spot it in my deadlifts!!! I slowed it down and couldn't find it. What exactly do you see?
At Home
Superset: (3' rest between supersets)
Overhead Press: 35x10x4
DB Front Raise: 7.5sx10x4
DB Curls: 7.5sx12x4
C2 Bike: 40 minutes, 2:29.4
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I'm growing up. Today was a fun metcon followed by the lifting I did. But I am sticking to no 2 hard days in a row. I nailed the RPE at home. I felt a pump, but no sets were close to failure. Bike was at a very very easy pace.
Tomorrow is 1RM squat and a really fun metcon with back squats and push-ups. I might try and hit a 5RM (don't feel like doing a 1RM if I might not get a PR).
Thanks! If you look at every snatch I do, I land with my left foot behind my right and twisted. It's because one side is more mobile than the other. I went to a McGill guy and did a 3 hour assessment and all that.
Having said that, I really can't spot it in my deadlifts!!! I slowed it down and couldn't find it. What exactly do you see?
It almost looks like the left side of the bar is coming up first, but the more I look at it, the more I think it's the funky camera angle...or my broken eyes.
Crossfit
Strength
Front Squat: 110xAMRAP=3
Metcon
AMRAP 12:
1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10…
Back Squats, 60kg
10 Push Ups after each set
11+4 (we restarted at 1 squat after the 10 because of coaching goof up)
Ride Home
16.12km
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Well, I feel AMAZING after the deload week in terms of cardio. I don't feel tired during warm ups, I feel ready to go during metcons. My rep PR was 110x4 and I didn't attempt a 4th one because my upper back rounded a bit in the 3rd rep. We've done a 7 week cycle of 1 heavy AMRAP set every week. My deadllift responded to that, but my squat hasn't. It is simply too little volume.
I'm going to go back to 5/3/1 now for a while. 2 leader cycles of 3 weeks each, with lots of volume at comfortable percentages. Then a 3 week anchor cycle where I set rep PRs. I am debating doing back squats, because they just felt so fun and different today during the metcon. The 60kg squats weren't even a factor. It was all push ups.
Crossfit
Gymnastics
EMOM 10, alternating between -
1 - 20 Handstand Shoulder Taps
2 - 30s Max Ring Push-ups
did 12 HS shoulder taps, 10 ring push-ups each round
Metcon
3 rounds: (15 minute cap)
100 Double Unders
30 V-Ups
5 Wall Walks
13:20 - 80 DUs, 24 v-ups
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Fun day, very shoulder heavy, and a nice pump.
Double unders and wall walks are not my finest movements so this might be a good one to save to do later. I intended to do 80% of everything, but I finished the 4 wall walks in the first round in like 3 minutes and thought I better do all 5. I might have squeezed this in under the time cap Rx. Or not. Round times were 3:24, 4:44, and 5:13 and I promised I really tried to pace it!!
Weightlifting
1 Snatch Pull + 1 Power Snatch + 2 Squat Snatch: 45, 45, 45, 45
Snatch EMOM: 50, 50, 50, 52.5, 52.5, 52.5
Pistol Squats: 3x10 (5 per leg)
Run Home: 26 minutes
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Super fun. Snatches felt fine. My touch n go reps continue to feel way better. I think it's because I keep my upper back tight. Tennis elbow was fine. Next week is lighter weights in the weightlifting program and then I suspect 1RM week (I can only see a week ahead). Exciting.
Crossfit
Metcon
For time:
30 Deadlifts, 85kg
6 Strict Pull Ups
30 Calorie Row
6 Strict Pull Ups
30 V-Ups
6 Strict Pull Ups
30 V-Ups
6 Strict Pull Ups
30 Calorie Row
6 Strict Pull Ups
30 Deadlifts, 85kg
15:50
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Pretty hard effort, but pleased with that. It's an interesting metcon tactics wise. Deadlifts jack your HR, V-ups and pull-ups don't. The row may or may not depending on how fast you go. So optimal strategy would be to do the first row close to your limit and then your HR comes down during the next section. Slow second row, so you can do the deadlifts fast.
I did the deadlifts in 8-7-6-5-4 and was pretty fine. I kind of wished I had done the first set unbroken and seen what happened. Pull-ups all quick singles because it was all so grippy.
I've changed my weekly schedule slightly.
3 crossfit sessions (3rd session could be replaced by easy cardio)
1 strength
1 weightlifting
*1 additional squatting session after weightlifting
*1 run home
*1 long ride home
So I'm basically removing 1 weightlifting and adding 1 strength. I'm also going to start squatting twice a week and reintroducing back squats, just to change things up because it was getting stale. So squatting twice a week, bench once a week and I'm going to emphasise the crossfit sessions that have deadlifts and more pushing. I'm excited about this. I feel so much better with fewer hard sessions.
Open Gym
Front Squat: 65x5, 75x5, 85x5x5
Bench Press: 52.5x5, 60x5, 67.5x5, 51x5x10
Ride Home: 20.52km
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New 5/3/1 cycle begins. These lighter weights really helps with many reps and fine tuning technique. I might have overdone the distance on the ride home. But rest day tomorrow and a push heavy metcon on Thursday, so my legs should recover.
Crossfit
Metcon
For time: (15 minute cap)
45 Push-Ups
30 Calories Row
30 Handstand Push Ups
30 Calories Row
15 Strict Handstand Push Ups
6 reps left
Accessory
3 rounds:
10 Banded Pull-ups (blue band): 10, 9, 5
10 Bent Over Rows: 50, 40, 40
10 DB Curls: 10s, 7.5s, 7.5s
- rest 3 minutes between rounds -
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Super fun day. I always knew I was going to get capped. I had 4.5 minutes left for the strict HSPU and only got 9. I overdid it a bit with the accessory. It was all meant to be RPE 7 and I thought I started sensibly (even using a band for pull-ups), but underestimated how hard supersets were. Nice pump though. Easy cardio tomorrow (which I'm looking forward to for once because riding outside is infinitely better than inside), and then weightlifting on Saturday where I *might* go for maxes if I feel good.
Looking good on the front squats.
Bike
C2 Bike: 60 minutes, 24.26km, 2:28.4
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Torrential rain, so I had to do this indoors. It's nice to make use of my home gym. It is SO much more boring than being outside though. Super easy pace.
I was probably 5% to do it, but then saw your post, had a mull when biking, and now am 70%.
Thanks Rich, great to have you back!
Weightlifting and Open Gym
Snatch: 55, 60, 65, 70f, 70f, 70
Clean and Jerk: 60, 70, 80 (stopped because of tennis elbow)
Back Squat(!!!!): 75x5, 85x5, 95x5
Run Home: 18 minutes
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Fun and frustrating day. Feel motivated me to max out and I don't regret it. I even popped a couple of ibuprofen before because I knew my tennis elbow was lingering. My previous snatch max is 73.5. I weighed 78 then and am 76 now. My squat has also taken a bigger hit due to lower volume. So I was pretty pleased to hit 70. They actually felt and looked pretty decent today.
My clean and jerk PR of 96 was the lower hanging fruit. But my tennis elbow showed up and I was sensible and called it. 100 will have to wait for another day, but it will come.
That was my first time back squatting more than metcon weights in years!!! It actually looks decent on video. Thoughts?
I am excited to squat twice a week now and hopefully watch it explode.
Solid. You catch those snatches lower and you don't miss any of them. You're still catching them much higher than you need to.
Tennis elbow was persistently a nagging issue for me when I used to Oly lift, as were shoulder issues...and knees...and hips. So I guess all joints and connective tissue come to think of it. It's frustrating. Hope you feel better soon.
Nice work and well done for going for it.
Yeah, the height was the thing I noticed. You have enough strength and power to be lifting more still based on the height you’re getting the bar to. If you can get lower quicker it looks like you should have PRs in you for sure
Back squat looked very easy and solid
Crossfit
Strength
Back Squat: 95x2x4, 100x2x2 (every 1:30)
Metcon
2 sets:
3 Rounds:
15 Wall Balls, 9kg
9 Pull Ups
3 Wall Walks
- rest 3 minutes between sets -
14:58 - 5:22, 6:36
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I told myself to pace it a million times before the metcon. I didn't pace it. I was a master at pacing on the rower during lockdown (I blew up like maybe 2 times out of 50+ interval sessions). I just can't seem to go slower than I should when it's intervals at crossfit. As I'm typing this out, I realise there's no point whining about it, except to just go slower, ha.
Squats felt amazing. I am loving doing back squats again. I went quite a bit under the percentages. Wall balls in 9+6. Pull ups 5+4, except the last round in 4+3+2. I completely blew up in the last 2 rounds which probably took me 5 minutes.
It's been a month of fewer metcons and I feel AMAZING. I feel raring to go before one. I don't feel beat up. I feel good before each session. I feel my cardio improving as well.
Solid. You catch those snatches lower and you don't miss any of them. You're still catching them much higher than you need to.
Tennis elbow was persistently a nagging issue for me when I used to Oly lift, as were shoulder issues...and knees...and hips. So I guess all joints and connective tissue come to think of it. It's frustrating. Hope you feel better soon.
Nice work and well done for going for it.
Yeah, the height was the thing I noticed. You have enough strength and power to be lifting more still based on the height you’re getting the bar to. If you can get lower quicker it looks like you should have PRs in you for sure
Back squat looked very easy and solid
Yeah, I agree 100%. I need to spend way more time in the bottom position and get comfortable there. I think I'm going to force myself to just pause for 1-2 seconds on every snatch for a while at a deep bottom position.
Snatch Balance was the missing piece that got me dropping really quickly under the bar, albeit I also used to overhead squat heavy once a week as a finisher after my squat sessions
Bike
17.42km, 53:15
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It was a rainy day and I spotted a 60 minute window of no rain, but the minute by minute forecast let me down badly. I was wet and miserable without any cycling gear. I could barely change gears because my fingers were so numb. It still beats cycling inside because time goes by just so slowly. Another 9km of cycling still to come on my monthly journey to the office, but I'm not logging commutes.
Snatch Balance was the missing piece that got me dropping really quickly under the bar, albeit I also used to overhead squat heavy once a week as a finisher after my squat sessions
Same re snatch balances. I found them immensely helpful getting under the bar quickly to the point whereI was able to basically snatch my 1RM OHS.
May I also recommend warming up with a press in the bottom of an overhead squat with an empty bar (I think this is a Sotts press iirc). If the bar is too heavy, try it with a PVC pipe.
Crossfit
Weightlifting
Snatch: 40x2, 45x2, 47.5x2, 50x2, 52.5x2x4 (every 1:30)
Metcon
AMRAP 15:
10 Left Arm Hang Dumbbell Clean and Jerks, 22.5kg
10 Burpee Over Dumbbell
10 Right Arm Hang Dumbbell Clean and Jerks, 22.5kg
100m Run
6+21+some run - 17.5kg DB, 7/7/7 reps
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Snatches were slightly rushed and didn't let me really think, which may or may not have been a good thing. They felt fine enough. I was really thinking of extending completely.
I could have obviously done this metcon Rx, but the goal was 7 rounds and I quite enjoyed it. It was true suffering with no breaks and trying to hold onto the early pace. I lost a bit of will towards the end and didn't quite get to 7 rounds.
Same re snatch balances. I found them immensely helpful getting under the bar quickly to the point whereI was able to basically snatch my 1RM OHS.
May I also recommend warming up with a press in the bottom of an overhead squat with an empty bar (I think this is a Sotts press iirc). If the bar is too heavy, try it with a PVC pipe.
Yeah, good shout. I did them a while ago and got upto 10 reps at 25kg I think. They definitely helped a lot.
