I just completed my 5 x 5 workout with a new twist, and I’m anxious to share the results.

As you might remember, I recently decided to press the pause button on my squats after my right hip started cursing like an inebriated seaman. It’s been about a calendar week since I last dropped my hips back with any significant quantity of weight bearing down on my shoulders. Instead, I’ve implemented and performed Romanian Deadlifts at a pretty aggressive clip.

Today, I did RDLs, bench presses and rows for five repetitions and five sets each. Somehow, without the squats, it didn’t feel taxing enough at all for my refined (laugh) taste. With some “encouragement” from Cassidy and Hunter, I decided to add a finisher to my workout, if only for today. You may remember those two from this post on Crossfit.

Hunter grabbed me in the middle of my 5 x 5 and, with his best Tony Little impersonation, said “You ready for the ‘Jackie’?!?!” Apparently, this nightmare has a name. What exactly is the Jackie?

These are all done for time. Cassidy told me I should be able to knock it all out in 9 minutes.

Um, okay. No idea without context.

My first thought was “brother, you realize I just did 5 sets of rows at 245, right? So no, I’m not ready for the ‘Jackie’.”

I wasn’t in the mood in the slightest, but I always give the advice to folks depending on me for motivation to stop thinking, take the first step, and just start. It was time for me to take my own advice. I smacked start on my stopwatch and was off to the races.

Rowing became somewhat challenging at around 700 yards, but I made it through the last 300 without much difficulty.

The first 15 reps of the squat thrusters humbled my stubborn ass. I’m unprepared and not conditioned for longer sets. After all, my body depends on ample rest and very low rep schemes to move heavier weights. I immediately felt inadequate compared to athletes who perform the Jackie and similar workouts on a regular basis. I pushed on. By the time I reached rep 40, I was struggling to catch my breath and resting between every two or three reps.

Finally, I arrived at the pull-up portion of the workout. Generally, pull moves are my workout equivalent to fastballs down the middle. My back is proportionally the strongest part of my body, and despite my fatigue, I was confident. Unreasonably so, it turned out. I nailed my first 11 reps and was deceased. From that point on it was a struggle to complete the workout.

9 minutes? Not so much. It took me 11 minutes and 16 seconds, start to finish. I had no idea what that meant in the cool circle I was entering, but judging from Cassidy’s initial projection, my imagination has me thinking folks are laughing while digesting these words.

Not to worry, I’ve been embarrassed before; I’ll be better the next time. I’m glad I gave this a go. I feel energized. I’m stoked to improve my time next Friday, when I experience my new ‘finisher’ for the second time.

Burn after reading,

Kap