Longtime readers will know that every year since 2016, I perform the same workout during the week of my birthday in order to measure how strong, lean, fast, and athletic I am.
Here’s a link to the Google Sheet where I log the data. A screenshot is also pictured here, so you don’t have to click see it:
As you can see, each year I add 1 rep to the calisthenic ‘speed’ circuit, which is to be performed as quickly as possible.
I was bigger, a bit stronger, and much more heavily focused on Olympic weightlifting when I began this.
In 2021 & 2022, I barely did any barbell snatching during the year.
Even though I’m tempted to change the strength test to include lifts I practice all the time, such as deadlifts or presses, I won’t, because I like how the Olympic lifts measure both speed & strength.
The purpose of this is to support my goal of being able to live to 120 and do a push-up.
Not to break a world record for snatching.
I’d like to thank Coach Zach Even-Esh for everything, he’s been my main mentor for strength training. Thanks Coach!
Some observations about 2022’s performance:
I kept my body lean and got stronger. I have about 10% body fat, maybe less.
(I set an intention to get stronger after 2021’s workout. During 2021, I increased my yoga training significantly, but reduced strength training.)
I know I can squat 300 pounds, but I don’t care enough about the number to push my training over the 92% range when lifting heavy. I’m quite content to lift heavy, around 90% of max.
I absolutely CRUSHED the circuit, posting my best time ever!
I went through that circuit with just a few brief rest moments, barely stopping to move at all.
Watch out 44.
Watch out 120.
Posts about this workout from previous years are here:
42nd Birthday, 2021 – no post.
Matt Fried 