Progress in the gym

At CrossFit, we are currently in the fourth week of a 12-week squat cycle.  The program we are using is described here:

Hatch Cycle

The page has a link to a spreadsheet.  Basically, you enter your current best in the front squat and back squat, and it spits out 12 weeks of workouts, 2x per week minimum, with some optional days as well.  I've found this to be really difficult so far, as we are doing lots of high rep days, particularly with back squats.  So far, a typical day has started with 10 reps at 200 pounds and then moved up to 6-8 reps at 265-280 pounds.  Front squats have been pretty consistent at 4 sets of 5 reps, but the weight is moving up there as well.

But, as the weeks go by, I can feel my legs getting stronger.  The nice thing about the program is that the reps go down over time, and it will look like a more traditional power-lifting cycle soon.  I've never done reps beyond 5-6 per set for pure strength work before, so this has been an interesting start to the cycle.

Adding this work to the rest of  our typical CrossFit week has been a challenge.  I've also been trying to sneak in some running - maybe half a mile or a mile at a time, before or after class.  Overall, I would say that the last four weeks of CrossFit have been as difficult as any four weeks since I joined the cult.

I've heard others in the gym echo the same sentiments.  I've also heard of a number of people hitting new PRs in a variety of lifts.  Yesterday we started with heavy split jerks - seven single reps, trying to get a new 1 rep max.  After failing on this lift at 175# a number of times, I finally got that weight overhead last night.  A lot of people got new PRs yesterday, so the hard training is paying off.

I'm still trying to get to CF four times per week.  Usually, that means a rest day on Wednesday or on Thursday.  I'm still not sure whether I'll go to the gym today, although I am leaning towards going.  Tonight's working includes lots of bench pressing, followed by pull-ups, running, kettlebell swings and wall-balls - basically a vertical shot put of a medicine ball from a squat position.