Category: Workout of the Day

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes
[Odd] :30 Seconds of Strict Pull-Ups
[Even] :30 Seconds of Hollow Rocks

Today’s skill work is 10 intervals of :30 seconds work and 30 seconds rest of strict pull-ups and hollow rocks, alternating between each movement. The strict pull-up is one the best upper body strengthening exercises that we have and should not be taken lightly. Take as many sets as you need to and complete as many reps as possible during that time.  If you are someone who does not quite have a strict pull-up yet try to progress to a lighter band or attempt jumping pull-ups with a slow lower down.  The hollow rock can be scaled many ways as well. Focus first on tightening the back and taking the arch out of your lumbar and then extend arms and legs to the best of your ability. Remember you can scale by pulling in one or both arms.
WOD

AMRAP in 12 Minutes
15 Burpees
15 Kettlebell Swings 32/24 kg

Workout notes: This workout is a time priority couplet with two difficult conditioning movements.  Remember to pace your self during the first couple of rounds and try to hold that pace as you get deeper into the workout.  Even those these movements are “lower” skill movements they do have technique to consider.  Perform the kettlebell swings by dropping into a partial squat and bowing forward slightly before driving the kettlebell upward.  Do your best to perform your burpees with an explosive spring forward and jump rather than just crawling up from the floor.

Strength

Power Clean & Push Press

1-1-1-1-1

Working from the floor, spend some time working up to a strong effort Push Press.  The skill work today will serve as a warm up and review of the power clean as well as testing a heavy push press.  You don’t need to necessarily go for a max lift today but work up to a weight that challenges you as long as your technique is sound and you are actively pressing the bar and not dropping into a jerk.

WOD

For time
50-40-30-20-10
Air Squat
25-20-15-10-5
Power Clean 115/75lbs

Workout notes:  You should have a good idea what is an appropriate weight for your cleans after warming up during the skill work. Your heavy push press probably won’t be a good comparison but the clean weight ought to be less than 60% or your 1RM power clean.  The total rep count is high so go for a weight you can move at a steady pace! Use a weight with which you can you could perform an entire round in a small number sets. If you are performing singles you probably went too heavy!

WOD

4 Rounds for time

15 Burpee Pull-ups
200M Uneven Farmer Carry
25 Box Jumps 24/20″

Workout notes: For the burpee pull-up look for a pull-up bar that is just outside of your reach and perform each by jumping as high as possible and finishing with a strict pull-up.  Most athletes find that a “mixed” grip with one palm pronated and one supinated is great for grabbing onto the bar and starting your pull-up. The farmer carry does not have a prescribed weight but you are encouraged to challenge yourself. If you are able to complete the entire 200M lap without rotating arms at the halfway point you may have gone too light. Either way, make sure that you distribute the work evenly across both arms by switching at the halfway point or by switching every round.

WOD

For time:

Row 1000M

then

3 Rounds of
5 Thrusters 135/95 lb
15 Toe-To-Bar

Workout notes: This workout is formatted a little bit like the classic benchmark workout Jackie in that we have a 1000M “warm-up” row.  The row will most likely take up a significant portion of your workout but sprinting during that part of the workout may not be a good idea! There is a relatively low number of reps after the row so if you are going to sprint that would be the time to do it!  Your grip will most likely be fatigued from the row so you may need to break up the toes to bar early.  Your score will be your total time to get through the chipper. We’ll start this workout in waves if needed.

Strength

Deadlift 1-1-1-1-1

Work up to a heavy single deadlift.  Start with a light weight and make sure to have an appropriate setup as you address the bar. A proper setup includes the bar over your mid foot at the start of each rep, shoulders starting over and slightly in front of the bar, and most importantly a flat back throughout the lift.  Try to lift the bar in a vertical line because this shortens the distance the weight travels from floor to top of the lift and keeps the weight over your feet.  Be sure to maintain these good mechanics as you progress through each single at increasingly heavier weight.

WOD

3 Rounds with 2 Minutes on each station

Wall Ball Shots 20/14 lb 10/9′
Double Unders

Workout notes: This workout will be scored like “Fight Gone Bad” counting all of the reps you accumulate at both of two stations.  The total workout time will be 12 minutes and you will hit each station 3 times.  Note that there is no rest between the two stations so transition quickly.  Remember that even though you might be able to score a lot more reps at the double under station that doesn’t mean you should rest easy during the Wall Ball Shots.  Do your best to make a strong effort at both places.  If you are new to double unders use this opportunity to commit to the movement rather than switching to single unders without giving them a fair shot.

Strength

Squat Clean 1-1-1-1-1

Today we’re working on a moderate to strong effort squat clean.   Start by working through the movement with an empty bar bell and practice catching the bar with your elbows high and chest up.  As you get comfortable with the movement ride the bar down into the bottom of your squat and then stand up.  Increase the load if the movement is going well and you have the mechanics down.

WOD

AMRAP in 10 Minutes
15 Air Squats
10 Goblet Weighted Step ups 32/24 kg
5 Strict Handstand Push-Ups

Workout notes: This workout includes the very difficult handstand push-up in it’s “strict” form.  Keep in mind that kipping is not a good scaling option for the strict handstand push-up.  If you are lacking the strength to peform the strict handstand push-up then scale the movement with one or two abmats or use your box and elevate your hips over your head.  If that is still too difficult perform pike push-ups with your feet on the floor.

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes
Push Jerk + Split Jerk

Working from the floor, perform the Push Jerk+Split Jerk barbell complex every  minute  for 10 rounds.   This complex will require you to first perform a push jerk and then catch the bar with soft knees, reset your stance and perform a split jerk.    Work up to a light to moderate effort weight for the complex.  Target a weight that is higher than what you would use in a metcon but most lower than your 1RM push jerk or split jerk.  The rest between each complex will fairly short so something in the 60-70% range of your 1RM push jerk would be a good starting point. You may also attempt to increase weight every round

WOD

For time

3 Rounds for time
15 Hang Power Cleans 155/105 lbs
400M Run

Workout notes: Spend some time reviewing the hang power clean and work up to the weight you will be using for the workout.  Use a load that isn’t so heavy you will have to do single cleans the whole time but if you scale and go unbroken you may have gone a little too light.

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes
[odd] :30 Seconds of Strict Ring Dips
[even] :30 Seconds Hollow Body

Today’s gymnastics skill work focuses on the ring dip and hollow body holds or rocks. Strict dips can be scaled in order to use a band or on parallel bars. Parallel bars or parallettes are a great substitute for rings as the fixed bars are little easier to hold support if you are new to rings. . Try to hold the hollow position for all of the 30 seconds and scale the movement to a method that allows that.

WOD

for time
21-15-9
Power Snatch 95/65 lb
Sit-Ups with a Medicine Ball 20/14 lbs

Workout notes: Note that the “Rx” weight for this workout is fairly light.  In general we’re looking for a load that you could move that is light with flawless technique.  An appropriate weight would be something lower than 60% of your max. where you could perform the movement in a few sets if you wanted to. For the med ball sit-ups you’ll touch the ball on the ground above your head and then your feet to complete each rep.

Strength

Back Squat 10-10-10-10-10

Today we’re performing 5 sets of 10 Squats working up to a heavy set. This rep range is probably unfamiliar territory so spend some time thinking about how you would perform a large set of heavy squats. The best strategy is to take a moment to take a few slow and deep breaths at the top of every rep to allow some recovery before you start your next rep.  This will help you to avoid hitting failure. A weight that is in the 70% range would be appropriate for more experience lifters.  Start light with an an empty bar and make sure you are performing all of your reps to your full range of motion.  We do this not only to warm each joint through it’s entire range but to reinforce proper mechanics.  Maintain an upright and rigid torso through each rep.   You should NOT be hitting failure on this but just in case be sure to review how to ditch a back squat and use spotters when needed. Please respect other lifters during their sets by waiting rather than walking in front or behind them.

WOD

AMRAP in 12 Minutes
10-15-20-25-30 …
Burpee jumping to a plate (45# or equivalent)

Run 200M after every round

Workout notes: Even the simple movements have technique to work on!  For this workout we have burpees and running.  Focus on being explosive off of the ground by performing a quality press off of the ground and spring up into your jumping position.  The workout starts with 10 burpees and increases by 5 reps every round. After each round run down to the wall and back.  Accumulate as many reps as possible in that time. Your score with be the last round you completed plus any additional burpees and running in the next round.  If you completed the round of 25 and completed 5 burpees in the round of 30, your score would be 25+5.

WOD

for time
25 Strict Pull-Ups
50 Overhead Walking Lunge 45/35 lb plate
75 “Russian” Kettlebell Swings 32/24 kg
100 Air Squats

Workout notes: We’re starting with the always difficult “strict” pull-up. What we’re looking for is a pull-up that starts from dead hang and does not include a kip or momentum transfer from the core. As the reps get more difficult it will be very hard to hold that standard but do your best to try. The intensity of the workout might feel quite low as you get started with the strict pull-ups but that is totally appropriate for a strict movement! Do your best to perform lunges at your full range of motion and keep your shoulders in a safe locked out position with the plate overhead.  Russian style kettlebell swings give you a safe opportunity to attempt swings at a little bit heavier weight than you might normally swing if you are going overhead so if you feel like you are ready, try adding a few pounds for this workout.