Short Handled Shovel

05/15/2026

Nope. No idea.
Since coming back from .games I have hit 6 PRs. Some really big ones. Which honestly, I’m just going to stop questioning at this point.

This low hang clean is only 6 # below my all time best clean. 280 on the final lift.
These weekly EMOM lifting sessions have been treating me RIGHT.
Back to regularly scheduled programming next week and feeling HYPED.

05/11/2026

05/09/2026

Just trying to keep up with the crew
21 EMOM that ended with hang squat cleans

256 was a 1 # PR, 266 was an 11 # lifetime PR.
I did load 276…
Next time.

05/04/2026

I am HOURS early to the airport, so maybe I’ll just get all of these done now.

Day 2, Test 3
“Tie Down”
150 double unders
5 rope climbs 15’ (actually)
150’ sandbag lunge 100 #
100 double unders
5 rope climbs
100’ sandbag lunge
50 double unders
5 rope climbs
50’ sandbag lunge

I had tested a good chunk of this last week and was looking forward to it. I knew it was going to be challenging. The muscular interference between the lunges and the double unders is REAL. But these are all movements that I feel good about and liked my chances.
My legs disagreed…
At the athlete briefing they said the sandbag needed to be “on your shoulder”.
You can see here, the head judge didn’t think it was on my shoulder enough, so I have to adjust. Having it that far out on your shoulder really changes the movement.

Anyhow, I make the 150 dubs in 2 sets. Something like 120/30. Quick trip/reset. Get through the first 5 RC no problem and onto the sandbag in the middle of the field. 4-5th or so. Great.
Do the first 25’. Not so great. Original plan was to go 75/75’. Changed to 50/50/50’.
Then the 100 dubs felt like jumping with 25 # dumbbells strapped to my feet. I think it took me 5(?) sets. Back through the rope climbs relatively efficiently. I whiff touching the cross bar on one rep, so had to re-pull to the end, but only a minor set back. Dreading that I have to pick that bag up but planning on 50/50’.

Turns out, I would end up going, 25/25/25/25’ and nearly drop the bag halfway through the finally 25’. 👀

The clock is running on turbo speed during this part of the workout and when I drop the bag, I have just enough time to squeeze in one more rope climb. 🫠
Time capped. 29th.
I was looking forward to this one and thought I was capable of strong finish, but was way off the pace.
Wins: efficient rope climbs, didn’t have a complete melt down, adapted to judges comment on the fly, still no no reps.
Lessons: underfueled that morning/too long of a gap between fuel and event, practice all sandbag positions, belt is unnecessary, bring 3 knee sleeves

05/04/2026

Alright, I think we’re down to 5 people following along now.
games Day 1, Test 2.
Semi-Nate
8 rounds for time 15:00 cap
3 ring muscle ups
6 strict handstand push ups
12 Dumbbell snatches 50 #

My legs were pretty tired from the OHS earlier, but Iwas pretty pleased that my shoulders felt solid.
Ring muscle ups are not a strength of mine, but then have improved a ton over the last 2 months. I didn’t complete the 20 ring muscles up in 26.2, even though I had a dump truck’s worth of time to get them done. I got 19/20.
Strict pressing is ok, and the snatches were just there to elevate your HR before going back to the rings.
I felt like, if I played it smart and controlled my HR during the snatches I’d be able to finish the workout under the cap.
From the jump I broke the SHSPU into 4/2 or 3/3 and later maybe a sloppy round of 2/1/3.
I broke the DB snatches 8/4, with a controlled lower to the shoulder each rep, which honestly felt silly. We train these at such high volume and speed often it felt weird to put the brakes on here. But I needed to, to be able to jump up to the rings and not miss any reps.
All but one round of muscle ups I made 3 unbroken. I thinking was round 5 I broke into 2/1.
In the end, I think it was my personal best strategy, my capacity in these movements just held me back. I was shy of finishing by 6 HSPU and 12 snatches.

Wins: no failed RMLU (very proud of this one), no failed HSPU, overcame challenge of this very narrow wall, still no no reps.
Lessons: still need more ring work, still need more pressing capacity, didn’t approach failure so had more to give in this one.

.games

05/04/2026

Let’s do a little .games Semi-Finals event recap.
For my own memory and for the 6 people following along.
Day 1, Test 1. “Naughty Nancy”
4 rounds
600m run (indoor track)
25 overhead squats 135 #
(No photos from the event so here I am warming up)

I tested this last week and was pretty certain I wasn’t going to be able to finish under the 20:00 time cap. Not for the run, but for the 100 OHS at a moderate+ weight. My test runs were ~3:00 and 3:15.
We’re off and I felt like I hung back on the first lap and then started weaving my way through guys on laps 2-3 to get back to the bar 3rd or so. In 2:15. WAY faster than testing.
I knew I needed to break these up to even stand a remote chance of finishing. 10/8/7 for that first set and back onto the track. I knew the first 100-150m would be a shuffle while my legs cleared.
Back to the bar. 10-6… uh oh… 9. Ok!
Back to the track and I was either holding guys off or closing the gap to guys in front of me on the run.
3rd set on the think was 10/7/8 which was fine. For a little wobbly in there but made it.
Final run and I was giving myself some REAL positive self talk to “run”. It took about a lap, but I got moving.
I think I had 2:00ish to finish the last 25 reps. But went with a set of 12 to start in case I couldn’t. Then only 5 or 6. And I was watched the clock tick in slow motion, I knew I could get it done if I was gritty. So finished off the set an stopped the clock 19:43. 16th place.

I was stoked on this result and felt like it really kicked off the weekend with some strong momentum.
Wins: no no reps, no failed snatches/OHS, finished the workout/beat testing
Lessons: running shoes forced more quad engagement, narrower grip allowed more stacked position, lean forward to run - self preservation will stop you from falling.

04/30/2026

Little final touch EMOM
💪 for jumping in.
On to .games

04/04/2026

5 years of training and I’ve doubled the weight of my Sky Diver press.
Originally seen via who I believe got it from .
Would have loved to get it without the triple pump, but alas…

2/10 do not recommend.

04/03/2026

Everybody loves a Friday complex.
Friday special
Clean pull + low hang power clean
Drop
Low Hang squat clean + jerk

smashing it

01/06/2026

isn’t just for summer any more.
Ran out of daylight to finish up the loop, but mega start once I figured out the technique.