Month: July 2017

Skill

10×1 Wall walk

This probably sounds simple but they are really hard! Take as much rest as needed between repetitions and focus on quality! Start on the ground and walk up the wall under control until your belly hits the wall and hold at the top for up to 5-10 seconds. Practice keeping a rigid body throughout each rep and make sure that you are under control on the way up AND down.  If you are unable to maintain a good body position while walking your chest all the way to the wall you can walk part way up and then return under control to the ground.  Partner up with someone to share wall space and watch the clock for each other depending on how long you want to hold the top of your rep.

WOD

AMRAP in 20 Minutes

9 Front Squats 135/95 lb
12 Power Clean 135/95 lb
15 Push-Up
18 Sit-up

Workout notes: Today we have an unconventional AMRAP of four movements! We start with the front squat and complimentary power clean. Both tax different muscle groups but fall into the same modal domain as a predominantly lower body power movement. Most athletes will find the front squat to be the most difficult movement of the two. Test the weight you are going to use in the workout and make sure you can perform at least 9 front squats in a row while you are fresh. Going unbroken is not required but an unbroken set should be easy while you are fresh. Scale the push-ups as needed so that you can maintain good form and get through the reps at a decent pace.  Keep your torso tight and make sure that your chest taps the ground for each rep whether you are working from your toes or your knees here.  Don’t be afraid to break up your reps early and often to keep the pace quick on your push-ups.  Do your best to hold yourself with whatever standard you start with even if that means working in small sets.

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes
1 Squat Clean

Today we’re going heavy and working up to a strong effort squat clean.  If you are new to the lift start by catching the bar in the power position and slowly riding the bar down into the bottom of your squat.  Start with your feet beneath your hips as you pull from the floor and widen your stance to shoulder width as you receive the bar and descend into your squat.  If you know your 1 rep max plan for a PR attempt in the 10th minute if things are feeling good!

WOD

21-15-9
Ketttlebell Swing 32/24kg
Box Jump 24/20″

Workout Notes: Today’s workout should feel fast. You do not need to be able to do any of the kettlebell swing sets unbroken, but plan to finish each round in 3 sets or less.  It is only 45 reps total so feel free to challenge yourself as long as you can handle your kettlebell safely when fatigued.  If the prescribed box jump height is too high choose a shorter box or stack some plates to a height that you are comfortable jumping to rather than stepping up to a higher box.  Move safe and steady on the box jumps and focus on quick transitions between movements.

WOD

Every 3 Minutes for 12, 21 or 30 Minutes *

10 Thrusters 95/65 lb
200M Run

*complete each round for time

Workout notes: For this workout you will have a choice for your total level of volume.  Choose 4, 7 or 10 rounds of the thruster running couplet. Whatever level you choose make sure you can complete each round in under the time cap by scaling weight or distance on the run if needed. It’s not required during the workout but you should be able to hit a set of 10 with your weight while fresh.  Score your rounds yourselves and try to complete negative splits if possible. Use those first rounds as warm up and step on the gas in later rounds.

WOD

For time

1000M Row

then

21-18-15-12-9-6-3
Squat Clean 95/65 lb
Push-Up

Workout notes: Today’s workout features a “buy in”, prior to starting a couplet of squat cleans and push-ups.  Be careful during that row! It does represent a large part of the workout but don’t go so hard that you are too fatigued to do the remainder of the workout.  Push the row at a moderate pace and leave something in the tank for a high volume of light barbell and basic gymnastics.  The benchmark for the barbell is intentionally light so choose a weight you can move in “TnG” sets while you are fresh.  If you start out with a bar loaded so heavy that you can only perform single repetitions you may have gone too heavy. If classes are large this will run in a waterfall start format with heats of 8 or 9 on the rowers every 5 minutes or so.

Skill 

EMOM for 10 Minutes
3 Power Snatch

Perform three power snatches every minute for a total of 10 rounds. You can choose to link your reps together or perform three singles, but make sure you’re able to get all 3 reps done within each minute.  The weight you choose should be in the  moderate effort range.  An appropriate weight would likely be 65-70% or less for newer lifters. Consider starting with a weight you are very familiar with and increasing by small increments if  the lifts are going well.  Even though we are not squatting in this version of the snatch, make sure to drop underneath the bar slightly as you catch it with your hips behind you.  If mobility is an issue for you, talk to your coach about practicing a split snatch!

WOD

For time
50 Toes-to-Bar
100 One Arm Dumbbell Overhead Lunge Steps 50/35
1000m Run

Workout Notes: Today’s workout is a chipper. You will start the workout with a high volume of toes-to-bar.  If you are unable to get your toes to the bar while keeping the rhythm of your kip, lower your target so that you are able to work on the skill of linking your reps rather than slower reps just to get your toes to the bar. 50 is also a large number of this difficult skill, a suggested scaling option would be to drop the number to 30 from 50 if that makes sense for you and your current skill level.  Never be afraid to scale if you are not ready to jump into a large set like this!  If you want to avoid hanging on to the bars for any reason feel free to talk to your coach about v-ups or another sit-up variation to switch out for the toes-to-bar.  If classes are large one group can follow another as soon as they are done with the toe-to-bar reps. For the overhead lunge you will be holding one dumbbell over your head while you lunge.  You can split the work up between arms however you would like, but do your best to divide the work evenly. After the lunges you’ll take off on a 1000m run to finish the workout.  Allow your legs a little time to recover and then do your best to push the pace on the run to finish strong.

Skill

Deadlift
3-3-3-3-3

Today we will be working up to a heavy set of 3 deadlifts.  Start with something manageable and build in weight as you go.  Judge your effort by the strain it takes you to achieve each lift.  If you don’t feel comfortable maxing out you can keep the weights lighter and work on proper body mechanics as you slowly increase in weight.  Start with a light weight and make sure that you have established a straight back and an appropriate setup as you address the bar.  Be sure to maintain your posture for all 3 reps of each set and as you increase in weight.

WOD

AMRAP in 12 minutes
9 Deadlifts 135/95lb
6 Burpees
3 Power Cleans 135/95lb

Workout Notes: Today’s workout features some very light deadlifts and a manageable power clean with a few burpees thrown in between.  Judge your weight for this workout by the power clean. You should be able to complete the power cleans unbroken during the early rounds with the weight you choose.  If you select the correct power clean weight it will guarantee that your deadlift is very light.  We’ve got vanilla burpees today so you will just have to jump and clap or reach over your head to complete each rep today rather than jumping over your bar.

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes
:30 seconds of pistols

Pistols are a unique challenge.  They require a lot of mobility and strength in order to perform them to full depth. Today we will be tackling this difficult skill, luckily there are MANY ways to scale this movement.  You can use a box and perform high box step ups with a slow negative or use assistance from a squat stand post, ring or band.  If you are close to being able to do pistols you might try wearing weightlifting shoes or sliding a small plate under the heel of your shoe to make things a bit easier.

WOD

5 Rounds with 1 Minute on each station

Thrusters 95/65lb
Pull-ups

Workout notes: Today’s workout will be scored as you would score the workout “Fight Gone Bad”. The thruster and pull-up combo should look familiar to many of you.  The thruster weight is meant to be light and something you could perform sets with during each minute.  Pull-ups can be scaled to jumping pull-ups, banded pull-ups or ring rows.  Choose a scaling option that challenges you.  Your score will be your total number of repetitions in all 5 rounds.  There is no rest between stations so do your best to transition quickly between movements.  If classes are large, barbells and pull-up bars can be shared with one group starting one minute behind the other so that everyone starts on thrusters and ends on pull-ups.

Skill

Tabata L-Seat

Today’s skill work has us performing a difficult core strengthening movement.  We will do a full round of Tabata holding 20 seconds of an L-Seat in every round.  For the L-Seat we will be sitting on the floor with legs straight and elevated.  The most difficult standard is to hold the legs in the air for the full 20 seconds with your hands on the ground beyond your knees. Putting your hands farther in front of your body will make the movement more difficult.  For most athletes this will be EXTREMELY challenging. Do not scale up unless you know you can hold that position for the entire 8 rounds.  For athletes that are certain they can hold the seated position for the entire tabata you can attempt scaling up to parallettes, L-hang or ring support.

WOD

AMRAP in 20 Minutes
400M Run
20 Kettlebell Swings 32/24 kg
40 Sit-Ups

Workout notes: Today’s workout sits in a longer time domain. Because this is a longer AMRAP and the rep count isn’t terribly high, today would be a great opportunity to bump up your kettelbell weight if you’ve been thinking about moving up.  As always make sure you are able to swing your kettlebell safely and with good form under fatigue.  Set your pace from the start rather than going out fast and try to remain consistent through the full 20 minutes.  It won’t be terribly hot today, but don’t be afraid to stop for a quick water break if you’re feeling the heat.

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes
1 Power Clean

Use 10 Minutes to work up to a moderate or strong effort power clean. Start with a light load and work up slowly increasing weight only if you have established the mechanics of the lift. Consider this as primarily skill work but going a little heavier than you might normally with a complex of multiple reps is okay.  Practice pulling the bar from the floor under control and exploding with the hips as the bar passes your knees. As your receive the bar in the catch position you should re-bend the knees and hips to meet the bar in a partial squat.   An appropriate weight would likely be a little more than 60% for newer lifters. Experienced lifters will notice there is a lot of recovery time so you can bump the weight a little bit.

WOD

AMRAP in 8 Minutes

12 Alternating Dumbbell Snatch 50/35 lb
6 Burpee Box Jumps 24/20″

Workout notes: Today’s workout follows the same format as the first Open workout from 2017.  The rep count is low in each round but you will quickly accumulate volume as you complete rounds so start out at a sustainable pace and try to keep moving through all 8 minutes of the workout. In a workout like this with smaller rep counts in each round you can use this opportunity to practice efficient movement patterns under fatigue. The snatch can be either “Touch and Go” or by performing single repetitions throughout.  Be sure to use a dumbbell you can lower down to the ground under your own power. If you can’t bring the dumbbell down under control you may have gone too heavy. Burpee box jumps can be scaled by height or performing step ups rather than jumping for each repetition.