A Beat Down

About ten minutes before the Saturday class is about to start, it's obvious that today is going to be special. People keep coming in, ten at first, then twelve, eighteen and finally twenty. It's a huge class and all the regulars are here. The word must be getting out that Saturday is THE day to see what you are made of. I know it is because for the last three weekends I've had my ass handed to me on a platter, Coach Clarke style. Today was no exception, but it was kicked up a notch. Hell, it was kicked up to the top of the notch pole.

Today is a partner workout and I LOVE these. My buddy Jeff is here and we're partners for this 20 rounder. Oh, did I mention that? Yes, it's 20 rounds of clean & jerks with 95lbs. That means we can expect to move well past the comfort zone. The idea is to lift as many reps as possible in 1 minute and then rest while your partner pumps out as many reps as he can. Back and forth until you have completed 20 rounds as a team. Because this will result in a tremendous amount of reps, form is VERY important with this one. Sterling and Coach Clarke have been helping me with my form and it's been paying off.

So we get down to it. I elect to go first and clean and jerk 10 solid reps during my minute, with Jeff cheering me on. I drop the weight to the matt and then Jeff begins his round while I get some water and mark my score. The minute is enough to let me catch my breath and mentally refocus. When it comes my turn again, I exceed my last round and push out 11. I'm happy with that and Jeff is on to his set. He's doing great and lifting smooth and strong. Both of us are starting to suck wind a little and the sweat is breaking out. A couple more rounds crawl by and the minute doesn't seem so long anymore. The clock keeps accurate time, chiming every minute to change partners, as we chug on and on. I both love and hate the sound of the clock. Love it when I end my round and hate it when I have to get back out there and go another. Conversation is impossible at this point and I can barely drink water I'm breathing so hard. I fucking hate the barbell right now. I'm angry at it. It defies me to keep lifting it over my head, but I keep on doing it – grunts and then a shout escapes my lips. An elderly woman walks by and stares at Jeff and I. She looks shocked and a little bit afraid. I don't blame her. We look like animals.

We're getting closer and closer to the magic 20 round mark and my form is starting to break down. A few of my jerks are with bent arms and not fully extended. I notice this and clean it up but now and then, you just don't have it in you. The 'wall' is right in front of me now and I have tunnel vision. Jeff voice seems very far away as he tells me the time as the clock counts down. My world has shrunk to a microcosm now – the sunshine, the barbell, and me. And the pain of course. Blisters are rising on my hands and my throat is so dry it aches. Almost done now. Jeff is giving it everything he has, pounding out his reps, pausing to gulp air, pushing two more, then dropping the weight and walking away without looking back. Yeah, I feel that.

Last round feels like a victory lap. I imagine a checkered flag waving in the breeze, as my last jerk is overhead. (With locked out arms) At last I am done. It feels like an endless journey has ended. Whoops of happiness erupt in the gym and we finish together as a team. The feeling is indescribable.

However, it's not over yet. With a partner, we must complete 100 burpees and 800 single skips. There are no skip ropes left, so we start our burpees. I go first having lost the rock-paper-scissors contest. I'm sad.

Sets of ten each, leading to 100. We do great until the end. It gets ugly. Then 800 single-skips. Yep, 800. However, it was surprisingly easy and I really need the practice if I want to switch to double-unders. The skipping almost feels like a pleasant vacation after what happened before and in a short amount of time, we're done!

The energy today was phenomenal. The De Boers had returned from California and brought fantastic energy with them and today was one for the record books. I wonder how other people started their day this morning. A cup of coffee, maybe a McMuffin with some hash browns. Us? We conquered the world. Wish you were here.

20 Rounds of clean & jerk 95/65lb
you go as many reps in 1 minute and then you rest 1 min while your partner pumps out as many reps as possible.

Then pump out 100 burpees, chest must hit the deck and you must clap your hands over your head. Each partner does 50 reps as fast as possible.

Following, 800 single skips. Each partner does 400 skips.

Clean & Jerked this!

95lb X 10, 11, 10, 10, 9, 9, 9, 8, 8, 9 = 93 reps of 95lb. 8835 lbs!