Workout of the Day
Potential
"Toughness knows not gender."
WOD for 03-23-16:
Alternating EMOM for 5 Rounds (30 Minutes):
MINUTE 1: 15 Pull-ups
MINUTE 2: 15 Burpees
MINUTE 3: 15 Kettlebell Swings @ 70/53 lbs
MINUTE 4: 15 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
MINUTE 5: 200m Run
MINIUTE 6: Rest
Goal is to maintain all 15 reps across each of the four movements, and to complete the run within the given minute each round. If you fail to complete 15 reps of a movement within the given minute, immediately move on to the next movement and then attempt to maintain the reduced rep count for the preceding movement for the remainder of the workout. For example, if you can only complete 11 burpees within a given minute, move on to the KB swings, and then attempt to maintain 11 burpees for the remainder of the WOD. Your score is the lowest number maintained for each movement (except the run), with best possible score being 15-15-15-15.
(Compare to 09-19-15)
Jenny Captures "Faces of Pain" in 16.4
The amazing Jenny captured yet another week of the 2016 Open at Arena Ready. Her full gallery of 16.4 can be found here, and one of the cool action shots (read: pain face + people cheering) is included below - thanks so much for your wonderful pictures once again, Jenny!
WOD for 03-22-16:
Hang Power Clean + Thruster:
18 Minutes to Establish a Heavy Top Set
-then-
Using 50% of Your Top Set From Above...
For Time:
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Hang Power Cleans
Thrusters
*Perform 4 Lateral Bar Burpees Every Time You Drop the Bar
16.4 Monday Reminders
A couple of 16.4 reminders for our Open Athletes:
1) Your 16.4 score is due by 5pm (Pacific Time) on Monday. You must submit your score on the CrossFit Games website, as we cannot enter it for you (we can only validate it once it's been entered). DO IT NOW!
2) If you were not able to complete 16.4 during any of the Thursday, Saturday, or Sunday times (and you are officially entered in the Open) your last chance is on Monday during the added 1:00pm OR 2:30pm time slots (please sign-up for "The OPEN" classes on the schedule as you would for any other class, and expect to do the workout and also judge another athlete). Performing 16.4 during Monday's morning (6am, 7am), noon, or 4pm classes is not permitted. Thank you for your attention!
WOD for 03-21-16:
Snatch Balance + 2 Overhead Squats:
5 Sets of (1+2)
-then-
For Time:
80 Double Unders
40 AbMat Sit-ups
20 Ring Dips
60 Double Unders
30 AbMat Sit-ups
15 Ring Dips
40 Double Unders
20 AbMat Sit-ups
10 Ring Dips
16.4 Thoughts & Strategy
16.4 brings us the "Chipper-style" workout of the 2016 Open, a series of four movements which - for most athletes - will be a "get as far as you can through the order" type of WOD. As with every week during the five-week Open we'll be running heats of the Open workout during all of our Saturday morning classes. Please watch the standards video below and read the workout info here before coming in on Saturday to do the WOD - since our Saturdays during the Open are not our usual coached/structured classes, you'll need to know what you're up against (to some degree) before coming in for the self-directed warm-up and heats of the workout. The movement standard for the handstand push-up will be the biggest logistical point you'll need to be prepared for this week (assuming you're fairly fit and good at the first three movements at the Rx weights) so that our heats run on time. Don't worry about wrangling the tape measure for every heat to measure the 3-inch drop from your wrist (watch the video if you're not sure what I'm talking about) - we'll have the judges use Post-It notes which are exactly 3 inches square, and we can stick them to the wall to measure to the distance from your wrists to the tape line for your handstand push-ups.
We will likely run 3 heats of WOD 16.4 per class during all Saturday morning classes, with 5-6 athletes per heat. Plan on showing up 10-15 minutes early for class (sign-up for class as you would normally) so you can get yourself warmed-up/mobilized/primed, and get yourself on the list for a specific heat time. As with previous Open WODs we'll detail a suggested, self-directed warm-up on the board in AR North, and you're welcome to follow that or do your own warm-up to get you ready to go prior to your heat.
A few words of caution regarding deadlifts and handstand push-ups:
Deadlifts for time can present athletes with the challenge of making a smart decision every time when picking up the bar. We all know what it feels like to set the back and pick up a heavy object with proper midline stability, and conversely what it feels like not to do so - we ask that you make a good decision every time, even as you attempt to push yourself in the workout. Knowingly executing a heavy (or even not so heavy) deadlift with poor positioning will eventually lead to back pain and likely to injury - so please don't do it. Your health and safety are more important than a score on a workout, and if you can't come back next week to train then what's the point?
Just like we do in class every time HSPUs are programmed, we're going to be on you about being smart with regard to your head/neck. Just because this is a competition we don't feel any differently. If you cannot do HSPUs without slamming onto your head or losing control of the movement, then DON'T DO THEM. Your head and neck are serious business, so don't try to be a hero when you're inverted - play it smart and protect ya neck!
"Chin down" or "tuck your chin" is something you'll hear us say during the workout. You've heard it a million times before from us - but just in case, we basically mean "don't look down, or don't look at the floor." Keep your head in a neutral position and look at the top of the pull-up rig (or the clock). Don't overdo it and tuck your chin too much either though. Neutral.
If you have any concerns or questions about HSPUs - safety or otherwise - please speak with a coach at the gym so that we can help guide you. That's what we're here for!
Now some strategy for the main categories of athletes who will be doing this workout:
Category 1: Deadlift 225/155 lbs for 55 reps, are you kidding me?!
Is the Rx weight something in the neighborhood (10-20%) of what you've lifted before, even for 1 or 2 reps? If the Rx weight is something you can lift with good technique, but it feels challenging and heavy, you may be in the boat of thinking of this workout as "13 minutes to do as many beautiful heavy deadlift singles (or doubles) as is reasonably possible" (and no, those things are not mutually exclusive). Maybe you could surprise yourself - Kyle certainly did on Thursday night when he did the WOD (he had never lifted 225 before in his life, and then proceeded to complete all 55 reps, making sure to set his back and mid-line every single time). Remember, you don't have to rush - you just want to get as far along as you can with solid positioning and technique.
If 225/155 lbs is simply far too heavy and you just aren't in that neighborhood yet, then consider doing the scaled version of the workout which uses 135/95 lbs for the deadlift. If you have no idea where you fall in the spectrum then find a coach while you're warming up and ask them for their advice - they can help guide you and provide some insight on what is realistic and appropriate.
Category 2: The deadlift weight is doable but holy crap then 55 wall balls and a 55 calorie row?!
This one's easy. You have the remainder of the 13 minutes left after deadlifts to get as far as you can... and wall balls and rowing, while perhaps not your favorite things in the world, will not kill you. Ever. So suck it up and chip away steadily (it is a chipper workout after all). In fact these two movements are mostly a gut check for you, and a test of how efficiently you can move. The prettier your squat is at the bottom of the wall ball, and the less you "suffer" on the rower (read: slump over and pull on it like you're drunk), the more you'll be able to keep moving at a consistent pace. So hold yourself to a reasonable number on the wall balls if they're your nemesis (sets of 3? 5? 7?), keep rest periods short in between, and focus on a controlled tempo down, and fast up, to help catapult the ball with your bigger muscles (legs & hips). On the rower sit up taller so you can breathe more efficiently, and focus on a long drive/pull out of the catch with a slightly slower recovery back in (think about the analogy to runners being faster with long strides as opposed to quick, choppy steps). Move slower & move better to go faster. Don't panic.
Category 3: Handstand push-ups after all that? Yeah right.
How far are you from handstand push-ups (HSPU) being a reality? If you can't kick up to the wall and support yourself safely & reliably and/or lower yourself onto your head under control, then now is likely not the time to try and get that first one... especially considering you'll just have completed 55 deadlifts, wall balls, and calories on the rower, and will be very fatigued. There's probably only a very small number of folks at the gym who are fit enough to get to the HSPUs, but who are far from being able to safely do one (so I'll end this train of thought right now).
If you know you have a good shot at making it to the HSPUs, and you can do HSPU but they're not really your jam (i.e. sometimes you have to scale them with an AbMat, or you can normally only do really small sets in WODs, etc.) then your game plan should be to get through the first three movements as fast as you possibly can without red-lining, and leave yourself with enough time to: a) possibly rest a bit after the row to feel slightly recovered before your first HSPU rep; and b) feel confident about doing the HSPU in very small sets from the start (even singles or doubles). And by "rest after the row" I mean everything from 20-30 seconds for those who are pretty decent under fatigue to quite literally "sit down for a minute and get your shit together" for those who really need to get their wind back and feel 100% sure they can make that first rep. You're trying to limit no-reps because those are exhausting and time consuming - making three successful singles in one minute with no misses is way better/easier than missing five or six times, and maybe making one or two, because you just stubbornly kept kicking back up there before your body was really ready.
Remember to try the HSPU standard in the warm-up area so you're familiar with how it feels and where you need to put your hands in order for the rep to count. It's quite challenging if you've never tried it before, so don't overlook this point (especially if you tend to do your HSPU with very wide hands, very far from the wall, or with a hyperextended/overextended back). Pull your toes toward your shins (i.e. dorsiflex your foot) at the top of each rep so that your heels reach farther up the wall - this should help you mitigate the risk of your feet not being high enough for the rep to count. This paragraph also pertains to the next/last category of athletes...
Category 4: I can do all of that stuff, either very well or decently well. Bring it.
Sometimes this category needs the least amount of advice, and sometimes they need the most haha. So I'll try to keep it simple and we can take it from there (i.e. ask us in more detail at the gym if you so desire)...
Don't rush the deadlifts. If you're a strong deadlifter then the sets should be bigger - i.e. 5 sets of 11, or 10s then 8s then 5s, or something in this ballpark. If you're not the best deadlifter then think more like sets of 5 with quick forced breaks early (we're talking a couple breaths and then go again). Either way don't blow it out on the deads - move steadily and with a purpose, but be smart about breaks and time under tension. You want to avoid strained reps since those are what really tax your system over the rest of the workout.
Wall balls can and should be done in bigger sets than the deads. If you consider yourself in this category then you should be able to do exactly that. This should be aerobic for you and not an issue of muscular fatigue (if it's the latter then you should reconsider yourself being in this category, sorry) - the only caveat being that you need to save the shoulders for the HSPU, so driving the reps with the legs and hips from the start is the way to go (don't space out and forget about that early on). If you like to rest standing with the ball pinned between your chest and the wall then do so - it can save you time and extra movement over the course of multiple breaks, just make sure to let your arms hang by your sides when you do so so they can relax and recover.
Row the first 5-8 calories a little slower than the next 35-40 in order to get your wind a little and allow yourself to settle into a good rhythm. Focus on your breathing and hold the pace you've already calculated to be reasonable for your rowing proficiency (e.g. 1,000 cal/hr = 3:18 total row time). If needed slow down a little during the last 5-8 calories so that you can breathe deeply and then start the first set of HSPU faster.
Stay ahead of failure on the HSPU! In fact stay ahead of moving slowly while upside down, resting on your head, or resting at the top of the rep for as long as possible. For some this will be sets of 3-5 to start. For others a big set to start may be better, but it should be fast (no straining or "resting" while upside down). Muscular fatigue is very different than other types of fatigue in that if you're too far in the hole you simply have no choice but to stare at the wall and wait/hope/dream for your arms and shoulders to come back to you (with other types of fatigue you can sometimes fight through it). Lastly, I'll re-post the final paragraph from the previous category since it's important for this group as well...
Remember to try the HSPU standard in the warm-up area so you're familiar with how it feels and where you need to put your hands in order for the rep to count. It's quite challenging if you've never tried it before, so don't overlook this point (especially if you tend to do your HSPU with very wide hands, very far from the wall, or with a hyperextended/overextended back). Pull your toes toward your shins (i.e. dorsiflex your foot) at the top of each rep so that your heels reach farther up the wall - this should help you mitigate the risk of your feet not being high enough for the rep to count.
WOD for 03-19-16:
"Open 16.4"
AMRAP 13 Minutes:
55 Deadlifts @ 225/155 lbs
55 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
55 Calorie Row
55 Handstand Push-ups
16.4 Is Upon Us
Open workout 16.4 is officially upon us! For the most part we knew these movements were coming in some way or another, and many of you even predicted the chipper-style format. This should be a fun one, and we're looking forward to another awesome "Open Saturday" at Arena Ready.
If you're planning on completing the workout during Saturday classes please make sure to read the workout info here and watch the standards video above so that you're familiar with the details of the WOD. Thanks folks!
WOD for 03-18-16:
ON A RUNNING CLOCK FOR TOTAL MAX REPS...
From 0:00 - 5:00 (5 Minutes):
800m Run, then
Max Reps Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
From 5:00 - 7:00 (2 Minutes):
REST
From 7:00 - 11:00 (4 Minutes):
600m Run, then
Max Reps Box Jump Overs @ 24/20 in
From 11:00 - 13:00 (2 Minutes):
REST
From 13:00 - 16:00 (3 Minutes):
400m Run, then
Max Reps Burpee Box Jump Overs @ 24/20 in
From 16:00 - 18:00 (2 Minutes):
REST
From 18:00 - 20:00 (2 Minutes):
3 Sets of Max Unbroken Strict Pull-ups
16.4: What's It Gonna Be?
We'll find out at 5pm on Thursday, along with the rest of the CrossFit world. The live head-to-head battle immediately after the announcement of 16.4 features the reigning CrossFit Games Champion, Katrin Davidsdottir, and third-place finisher, Sara Sigmundsdottir, so it should be a fun one to watch. Join us at Arena Ready for the live stream, and as with previous weeks, if you're not able to make it in on Saturday for the Open you're first shot at completing the workout will be on Thursday evening at the 7pm Gladiators class.
Wall balls? Box jumps? Deadlifts? Handstand push-ups? Overhead squat? Will they save the thrusters for 16.5?!
I wonder if they got my email suggesting a trivia element or critical thinking AMRAP...
WOD for 03-17-16:
3-Position Power Snatch (Hip, Knee, Floor):
5 Sets of (1+1+1)
Climbing
-then-
3 Rounds For Time:
400m Run
8 Power Snatches @ 135/95 lbs
12 Toes-through-Rings
10 Things That Require Zero Talent
When I was a teenager I had a basketball coach that had some, shall we say, unique methods. I'm sure that anyone who grew up like I did with a few hard-nosed coaches can relate to some degree... kissing the gym floor because we should be grateful we get to practice in such a nice facility, screaming random SAT words to confuse opposing players when trapping on defense, no one goes home until the entire team makes consecutive free throws without missing, throwing you out of practice or punishing the whole team if you wore any color that resembled a rival school's uniform (I once got an earful and "caused the entire team to run suicides" because I wore socks with tiny purple stripes on them along with my red and blue practice jersey).
Back then we all thought it was a little funny and a little scary (not that we would ever admit that second part at the time), but we mostly concluded that he was just a crazy old dude who knew basketball really well and told stories of the old days when he "took Kurt Rambis to the rack and threw it down" (come on Coach, we all know it was probably a back-door cut and a proper lay-up or finger roll... fundamentals, kids!). Now that I'm older I look back and think he was onto something, and I'm grateful that he forced some discipline on me and taught me to value and respect a mastery of the basics. He had a dusty frame on the wall in his office that I never really paid much attention to as a kid - in fact I had forgotten all about it until recently I saw a similar poster hanging in another CrossFit gym. I read it and thought to myself, "Huh, old Coach knew some stuff after all." The poster read:
These Require ZERO Talent:
1) Be on time
2) Work ethic
3) Effort.
4) Body language
5) Energy
6) Attitude
7) Passion
8) Being coachable
9) Doing extra
10) Being prepared
I immediately looked down at my ankles to make sure I wasn't wearing purple on my socks. Let's just say if Coach were there that day then everyone would be doing burpees.
WOD for 03-16-16:
Back Squat:
3-3-3-3-3
Climbing
Sore from Monday? Take it a little easier, a little lighter. Cherry-picked Monday? Then heavier it is.
-then-
For Time:
40 Calorie Row
40 Walking Lunges
40 Pull-ups
40 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
Lessons Learned as a CrossFit Affiliate Owner
Brian Strump, owner of CrossFit Steele Creek, recently wrote a post titled "6 Lessons I've Learned in 6 Years as a CrossFit Affiliate Owner" which I thought was quite spot-on. In general I usually find these types of posts/articles uninteresting since many of them are written by gym owners with whom I cannot empathize, generally because (by the sound of their reflections) their experience has been far different than my own. This one I can actually relate to, and I thought maybe some of you would get a kick out of reading it as well.
Click here to read the entire article (it's a quick 2-minute read) if you're interested... and if not, I'll simply leave you with one of my favorite excerpts (those of you who know me might actually think I wrote this... just swap "dog" for "daughter" haha):
Lesson 5) If You Have OCD, think twice- Many that know me, and those watching from a distance will see that I have many obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Fortunately, between aging and my daughter I’ve gotten better. However, this gym will terrorize you if you’re anything like me. It’s a good thing that it’s so much fun to just go back and talk to members so I don’t spend every waking minute trying to maintain order.
WOD for 03-15-16:
For Time:
800m Run
30 Deficit Handstand Push-ups @ 4/2 in
30 AbMat Sit-ups
60 Double Unders
600m Run
20 Deficit Handstand Push-ups
20 AbMat Sit-ups
40 Double Unders
400m Run
10 Deficit Handstand Push-ups
10 AbMat Sit-ups
20 Double Unders
16.3 Monday Reminders
Thanks to the talented artists of Arena Ready for highlighting another fantastic Open Saturday at the gym. Brian C documents so many of our athletes' badass accomplishments in his film above, pairing PR moments with my favorite AR Open film soundtrack thus far... Maps by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. So awesome. I love this video.
And, of course, Jenny's lens captured dozens of amazing shots from Saturday, showing the full range of emotion from a rainy day of PRs, near-PRs, smiles, cheers, screams, and babies. As always her work is stellar, and her pictures tell such a great story of our community experience. Have fun not working at your desk for the next hour and click here to view her entire gallery (more embedded shots coming to the blog as well). So good. AND CONGRATS TO YOU TOO, JENNY, FOR YOUR FIRST EVER BAR MUSCLE-UP!!!
In fact, I lost count of how many people got their first bar muscle-up this weekend (and/or first time doing multiple reps in an actual workout) - I think it's somewhere in the dozen-plus range. Just as in years past (e.g. 15.3, 14.4, and 13.3) Arena Ready athletes once again show that A) a high percentage of your gym can and actually should participate in the Open; and B) a dedicated group can overcome some of the most challenging obstacles (in this case, movements) when said group supports and and encourages each other passionately. If you consistently worked hard this last year you were likely rewarded (or at least encouraged that you will soon be rewarded), and it was fun to watch that moment happen over and over again for so many people. Props to all of you who busted ass to get it - coming in to the gym, working with the coaches, putting the time in on the drills and positions, trusting the process. Enjoy the PR and welcome to the club... next up, work to make them better while moving on to the next movement you're going to crush!
A couple of reminders:
1) Your 16.3 score is due by 5pm (Pacific Time) on Monday. You must submit your score on the CrossFit Games website, as we cannot enter it for you (we can only validate it once it's been entered). DO IT NOW!
2) If you were not able to complete 16.3 during any of the Thursday, Saturday, or Sunday times (and you are officially entered in the Open) your last chance is on Monday during the added 1:00pm OR 2:30pm time slots (please sign-up for "The OPEN" classes on the schedule as you would for any other class, and expect to do the workout and also judge another athlete). Performing 16.3 during Monday's morning (6am, 7am), noon, or 4pm classes is not permitted. Thank you for your attention!
WOD for 03-14-16:
"Khan"
10 Rounds of 1 Minute for Max Reps Lateral Bar Burpees:
8 Deadlifts @ 135/95 lbs
6 Hang Power Cleans
4 Front Squats
2 Push Jerks
...then, in the remaining time within the minute...
Max Reps Lateral Bar Burpees
(REST 1 Minute)
This workout is 1 minute of work, then 1 minute of rest for 10 rounds (20 total minutes). During each work minute the athlete must complete the reps for the four barbell movements then use any remaining time to complete as many lateral bar burpees as possible. Score is total number of lateral bar burpees.
(Compare to 08-05-15)
16.3 Thoughts & Strategy
16.3 brings us yet another curveball for the 2016, a movement we've been anticipating in the Open for several years has finally arrived for the first time - the bar muscle-up! As with the last two weeks (and for the next three) we'll be running heats of the Open workout during all of our Saturday morning classes. Please watch the standards video above and read the workout info here before coming in on Saturday to do the WOD - since our Saturdays during the Open are not our usual coached/structured classes, you'll need to know what you're up against (to some degree) before coming in for the self-directed warm-up and heats of the workout.
Much like 16.1 and 16.2, this workout creates opportunity for success, PRs, and lots of fun with potential "first ever" accomplishments. As with last week, we'll try to spell out the categories of competitors, and hopefully give you some pointers for how to approach the workout and impress yourself.
For athletes at every level, please be conscious of your grip (just as we mention in class every time a kipping movement comes up in a workout). Accidentally letting go of the bar is no laughing matter. First and foremost, hang on to the bar securely (we suggest wrapping your thumb around the bar) and be conscious of whether your hands are slipping off. If they even might be, take a break, shake it out, and get back up there when you've recovered.
Category 1: Power Snatch 75/55 lbs?! Yeah right.
This category will likely be comprised of newer athletes, who have not yet had a lot of time to work on power snatches. If 75/55 lbs is just not going to happen safely, then scale to the 45/35 lbs listed in the scaled version of 16.3, and, if officially entered in the Open, get a set-up for jumping chest-to-bar pull-ups (as well as a coach to show you how to approach the movement without smashing your face into the bar). If you're not officially entered in the Open then we suggest 5 jumping chin-over-bar pull-ups, which elicit nearly the same metabolic response (read: they will get your heart rate dialed up almost as much) without running the risk of smashing your face into the pull-up bar.
Category 2: Bar Muscle-up?! Yeah right.
If you're in this category, and are still working on un-assisted chest-to-bar pull-ups and/or dips, you're probably fairly certain that your torso's not going to make its way above the bar no matter what Jedi mind tricks you employ. If you're in this category, but can power snatch the 75/55 Rx weight then get your official 10-rep Rx score, and immediately thereafter continue the workout by scaling the Bar MUs so you can keep moving for the full 7 minutes - we suggest 3 chest-to-bar pull-ups OR 5 chin-over bar pull-ups as your Bar MU scaling, and prefer it to the 5 jumping chest-to-bar pull-up standard (that's a great way to increase your chances of breaking your teeth, and since you've already banked an Rx score and won't be submitting a scaled score, we think it more productive to work your pull-ups in whatever version you're able to sustain at this point in your CrossFit career).
Category 3: Power snatch? No problem. C2B and dips? No problem. Bar MU? Houston, we have a problem!
If you were at the gym on Thursday night for the initial Open heats you may have witnessed the multiple first-ever bar MUs that occurred (congrats, Lisa G and Sparkle!). You may be next! If you have the pre-requisite strength and shoulder mobility, then it's just a matter of learning the technical pieces involved in putting your body in the correct positions (yes, easier said than done... but entirely possible for many of you). Watch the video we posted in yesterday's blog ("Mastering the Bar Muscle-up"), read the points that I (Rob) posted in the private Arena Ready Facebook group on Friday (under Brianne's thread which lists the 16.3 workout movements), and then come in to the gym early on Saturday so that you can spend some time with a coach and/or experienced athlete in the warm-up area working on nailing that first successful rep. This is what the Open is all about - clawing your way to those first-ever reps which unlock the door to eventual mastery of the movement.
Category 4: Power snatch? No problem. Bar MU? No problem. Bring it, 16.3!
If this is you then it's likely that you don't need too much of our help, other than some reminders about pacing and technical considerations for maximizing efficiency. For the top-level competitors this will be 2 minutes of a brisk, "fast-ish" start pace (not all out, not slow), 3 minutes of maintaining a "race pace" (a steady level of constant movement that rides under the redline), and then 2 final minutes of a suicide pace (go like hell and try to hold on for dear life). Competitors who are proficient with the movements in this workout, but are not necessarily Regional hopefuls, should breakdown a reasonable goal and map-out the pace required to get there (e.g. 6 rounds = 78 reps, roughly one round every 1:11 - 1:12 including transitions). From there one can build-in slightly faster rounds in the first 2 minutes, moving to slightly slower rounds in the middle 3 minutes, and then plan to fight like a dog for negative splits in the last 2 minutes. Write it down, put some thought into it & be realistic, and then sell-out to stick to it. Keep your rest strict and on the clock, not by feel - doing the latter will have you resting more than you need since your mind tells you lies when things get hard. Lastly, remember a few things:
1) Hook grip the snatches from the start - this is a grip-tastic workout for competitors doing 5/6/7+ rounds. Tape your thumbs and the middle & top sections of your pinkies (trust me on that one). Open your hands for a split second at the top of each snatch rep to relax your grip a bit and take a breath (re-hook on the way back down). Let the barbell come straight down as close as possible to your chest when going touch-and-go, since even a minor swing away from your body taxes your grip with every rep. Internal rotation mobility (with a LAX ball or KB) during the warm-up can help with this. Don't rush the snatches - smooth and steady is key, and for most of you a baby power snatch is the way to go (versus a muscle snatch).
2) Tape your hands or use grips for the bar MUs. If you rip then it's game over, both for continuing the workout with any decent pace or for trying it again. Don't be a dummy or a hero - we provide tape for free for goodness sake, so use it. Don't know how to tape your hands? Oh boy. Go to Arena Ready Archives and search "hand care" for the blog posts that cover it - or if you're lazy just watch this video.
3) Know thyself on the bar MUs. Are you a ninja? Well then 3 unbroken is the way to go. If, instead, you know that 2-1 or three singles will be what you need to do then stick to it, and keep your rest strict (remember, on the clock or count it out). Whatever you do, DON'T MISS. Or at the very least minimize misses. This may mean that you have to leave one or two in the bank on a few sets, but doing so saves you time in the end, since missing reps wastes more time and energy than a successful broken set does... no matter which way you slice it.
4) Don't fall off the pull-up bar. Maybe this should be number 1. Seriously. If you're swinging into another rep and thinking to yourself "I think my grip is going a little" then come down to shake it out for a bit and rest - it's not worth it. We've seen everything from people flinging off the bar and slamming on their back, to people landing on their head, to someone actually breaking their back (none of which happened at AR thankfully, but still those things all happened). You know what it feels like "when it's not quite right" going into a rep, so don't ignore that signal - it will eliminate some missed reps, will leave some successful reps in the bank, and will keep you right-side up.
WOD for 03-12-16:
"Open 16.3"
AMRAP 7 Minutes:
10 Power Snatches @ 75/55 lbs
3 Bar Muscle-ups
Brian Documents 16.2 & 16.3 Is Upon Us
Brian C worked his magic once again and documented 16.2 at Arena Ready this past Saturday. Check out the awesome video below which captures some of the great moments by our athletes. Thank you so much, Brian!
16.3 is officially upon us, so if you are gong to be completing the workout this Saturday at Arena Ready please start by reviewing the workout details here and watching the standards video below - thanks!
For those who are still working on mastering the bar muscle-up here's a good video covering some of the key points when learning the movement:
WOD for 03-11-16:
With a Partner For Time*:
5000m Row. Switch every 250m, exactly.
*For every meter over 250 when the counter stops, there is a 2-rep Wall Ball penalty (e.g. if the counter stops at 256m the team owes 12 Wall Balls).
*For every meter short of 250 the team owes the difference plus 5 AbMat Sit-ups (e.g. if the counter stops at 247m the team owes 8 AbMat Sit-ups).
The penalties accumulate and must be performed at the end of the 5000m row. The team's time includes the time required to complete the penalty reps, which can be divided/shared in any fashion.
The Dumbbell Snatch
Check out this helpful video from the folks at Barbell Shrugged covering the dumbbell snatch (the good stuff starts at around 1:00 in, so I've taken the liberty to start it as such below) - and then come on in to the gym to put that technique to use!
After Wednesday's strength day you knew some conditioning was coming your way...
WOD for 03-10-16:
Alternating EMOM for 5 Rounds (20 Minutes):
MIN 1: 15/12 Calorie Row
MIN 2: 10 Alternating 1-Arm Dumbbell Snatches @ 55/45 lbs
MIN 3: 12 Burpees
MIN 4: 10 Unbroken Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups