Workout of the Day
Jenny Captures 18.4 + The Dumbbell Thruster (and Burpee!)
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction on Connecticut Street (click for details).
Jenny Captures Open 18.4
Jenny's images from 18.4 are available for your viewing - so check them out here and be sure to thank her for her continued awesome work in documenting our people and our community. Thank you, Jenny!
DB Thrusters?
Welp, there's a chance you may see the Dumbbell Thruster on Saturday in Open 18.5 (perhaps paired with chest-to-bar pull-ups?) so here's a preview if you're the sort of person who likes to know what may await you. With three days between Wednesday's WOD and your Saturday 18.5 workout (and no programmed squatting during those 3 days) there should be plenty of time for you to recover and feel good for another go at the movement. But if you're concerned about volume then an easy way to modify Wednesday's WOD is for you to start at the round of 9 (taking yourself from 55 reps down to 45 reps), even if your partner wants to start at 10 for the full version (he/she would simply start on the dumbbell movements after the buy-in).
Scale appropriately if needed and, as always, please do not drop the DBs lest you be banished from AR forever and forced to join "Bro Rep CrossFit" or "XFit Mediocrity."
Hugs!
WOD For 03-21-18:
"Rob's Dumbbells From Hell"
With a Partner For Time:
BUY-IN (SPLIT): 100 Calorie Row (FM Pairs = 85 Calories / FF Pairs = 70 Calories)
... then BOTH ATHLETES COMPLETE...
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Dumbbell Thrusters @ 50/35 (each side)
Dumbbell Burpees***
... then...
BUY-OUT (SPLIT): 100 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in (step-ups are allowed)
The buy-in and buy-out are shared with only one athlete working at a time (reps split in any fashion and do NOT have to be split evenly).
BOTH athletes complete ALL 10 rounds of the 10-to-1 DB couplet, with only one working at a time. Athlete A completes 10 & 10, then Athlete B completes 10 & 10, then Athlete A completes 9 & 9, then Athlete B completes 9 & 9, etc... until both complete 1 & 1.
Tagging is not required.
***The movement standard for the DB Burpee is: athlete's chest touches the floor (or the DBs) at the bottom, athlete stands tall with DBs in hands at their sides at the top (no jump is required). Think of it as "a burpee at the bottom and a DB deadlift at the top."
The Hook Grip: It's Like You're Cheating
We came, we saw, and we HSPU'd you in the gut, 18.4!
Several years ago one of our members watched Big Tony Miranda and Coach Sarah do the WOD "Isabel" (30 Power Snatches For Time @ 135/95 lbs) unbroken in a little over one minute... which means to say they didn't let go of the bar once. This person was astonished and asked me, "How the hell did they hold on to the bar for all 30 reps?!"
My answer was two-fold, "Well, they've both spent 15+ years getting really freakin' strong. And, perhaps even more so in this specific case, they both have a solid hook grip on the bar."
Then Tony chimed in, with the most humble tone you could imagine when saying something so jarring, "Yeah man, the hook grip. It's so easy to hold on the bar with a hook grip. It's like you're cheating."
I'm not sure I would go so far as to say it's like you're cheating, but I'm also not as strong as Tony is, so I've never held on to thirty 135-pound snatches in a row. But oh man when you need that hook grip on some heavy and/or high rep cleans or snatches, and you've got the technique of it down, it feels pretty damn close to holding on to the bar with a strap:
The hook grip is a bit uncomfortable at first, and can put some stress on the thumbs, so newcomers often disregard it and go back to just holding the bar without it. The problem with that is once your strength and fitness has progressed to a point where the weights are heavy (and/or high rep) enough to require a hook grip, you will have trained yourself to lift without it - and will then have a really difficult time trying to implement it by changing your old habits. It's like trying to tell a fairly high-level tennis player who has smacked their forehands with an Eastern grip for their entire playing career to switch to a Western grip. Good luck with that. The only difference is that in tennis there are examples of high level athletes having success with both grips (although very few use an Eastern grip anymore), but in both Olympic-style weightlifting and CrossFit the top level people ALL use the hook grip - there is no alternative. Well, other than not being able to hold on to the bar.
Part of the thumb discomfort eventually goes away once your hands adjust to the grip, and the soft tissue around the thumb adapts a bit to accommodate the position. We never want your thumbs to be in actual pain (which is why we have new athletes ease into it), but we do want you to know that the annoyance of the grip does fade over time.
The discomfort can also be mitigated by taping your thumbs. There are many different ways to tape your thumbs for hook gripping, and different athletes have their own preferred tape and wrapping methods, so you may have to find what works best for you. The greatest CrossFitter on earth, who also happens to be a pretty darn good weightlifter as well, tapes his thumbs the way I teach most people to - it's simple, quick, and doesn't require a lot of tape:
And on that note...
WOD For 03-20-18:
1 Power Clean + 2 Hang Power Cleans:
5 Sets of (1+2)
Climbing. If possible add to your top set from 03-09-18.
-then-
"Hook Grip OR Bust"
3 Rounds For Time:
21 KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs
15 Hang Power Cleans @ 155/110 lbs
9 Strict Pull-ups (any grip allowed)
Open 18.4 Scores Due By 5pm Monday
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction (click for details).
Reminder to SUBMIT YOUR 18.4 score to the CrossFit Games website by Monday at 5pm. We cannot submit your score for you so if you're reading this just do it now so you don't forget!
WOD For 03-19-18:
Back Squat (Week 5):
15 Minutes To Establish a Heavy Set of EIGHT, then...
Two Drop Sets:
1x8 @ 85% of your top set
1x8 @ 80% of your top set
-then-
For Time:
600m Run, Row, or Ski
50 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
40 Toes-to-Bar
30 Medicine Ball Walking Lunges
20 Burpees
For the medicine ball walking lunges the ball may be held/supported in any manner EXCEPT on top of your head.
18.4 Thoughts & Strategy
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction on Connecticut Street (click for details).
Open Athletes - if you haven't already, please watch the 18.4 standards video below (which briefly covers only Rx standards), and read the full workout details here on the CrossFit Games website. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page with movement standards and expectations (both Rx and scaled) prior to every athlete and judge starting their workout/heat. In particular, everyone should be familiar with how to accurately measure and uphold the HSPU standard (it is different from previous years). Also, remember to record the "tiebreak time" which is what the clock says every time an athlete finishes a round of deadlifts.
First, some logistics and safety concerns:
This is a great test of capacity, starting with one of the most classic benchmark workouts of all time, "Diane" - and then finishing with a true "separator" for the athletes on the very top end of the spectrum (heavier deadlifts and handstand walking). From a "fan of CrossFit" perspective I love this workout as a competition test, but from a "gym owner and coach of everyday CrossFitters" perspective I also have anxiety around the possibility of precarious reps by athletes who are potentially not yet ready for this loading and/or movement pairing.
So, let me be clear by stating once again: you are not allowed to do shitty deadlifts or sketchy HSPU attempts at Arena Ready. Ever. I don't care if it "feels fine" to you or whether or not you were allowed to do it somewhere else. If it looks bad to us our coaches will stop you, no exceptions. 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 position 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!
That said, if you are capable of attempting either movement with good technique, but have simply never put yourself in that position (or under than load) just yet, you are more than welcome to try - and we are here to help you and to support you with honest feedback as to whether or not we think you're ready for what you're about to attempt. Be smart, try hard, don't be an idiot.
As we've covered previously in this post here, we'll be running the Open Workout ("18.4") during rolling heats in all of our Saturday morning classes. If you haven't already please sign-up for class in advance and plan on doing the workout AND judging another athlete while in the gym (no, you do not have to be a certified judge who has taken the judges course).
For those new to Arena Ready please note that these Saturday morning classes will be very different from our usual protocol. The warm-up will be self-directed and written on the board in AR North for you to follow. Please plan on showing up 10-15 minutes early for class if possible, so that you can sign-up for a heat time when you arrive and get yourself situated for warming-up.
If you're not officially entered in the Open then ask a coach on site to help you decide on a reasonable scaling for the workout if needed -- based on availability & logistics we may assign you to a particular station to give priority to the athletes who are officially registered.
The rest of this post will attempt to break down some strategy based on where your current abilities lie within the parameters of the workout...
I can do "Diane" at Rx (and have before) in under 7 minutes:
Welcome to the fun of this puzzle of a workout. You might be saying "but the time cap is 9 minutes not 7" - true, but the Open standard for the HSPU is much tougher than when you're simply doing "Diane" as the gym's daily WOD (and even tougher than the Open standard in prior years, particularly if you have shorter arms and like a wide hand position). So if your true Diane PR is not under 7 minutes then your goal should be to finish the first 21-15-9 under the 9-minute cap - don't get too worked up about 315/205, and don't even think about handstand walking because sorry to say you won't even be close (I prefer to tell you the truth rather than blow smoke).
If you have a sub-7 minute Diane then it's all about getting to the 315/205 bar with some time remaining and maximizing how many reps you can safely make at 315/205 for that first round of 21. Every single rep is huge from a competitive standpoint since it places you ahead of hundreds, if not thousands, of others in the world (because this is where the bell curve of Rx athletes around the globe will be). Unless your name is Coach Hillary then this will likely be singles at 315/205 for just about everyone (maybe doubles if you gamed "Diane" well enough, are a strong deadlifter, and are feeling relatively fresh). It's likely that you will not sniff the handstand walking either, sorry not sorry for keeping it real.
If you have a sub-4 minute Diane, and are a good deadlifter, then it's all about getting to that first handstand walk and registering reps for that movement. And if you're really good walking on your hands then getting back to the deadlifts is a possibility.
If you have a sub-2 minute Diane then it's all about trying to finish the entire workout under the time cap. You should also be training for the CrossFit Games, just sayin.
Whether you're sub-7, sub-4, or sub-2 minutes on Diane (meaning your end goal for 18.4 is different) the general strategy is, in fact, very much the same: BREAK THE DEADLIFTS EARLY AND OFTEN AND STAY WITH SUB-MAXIMAL SETS ON THE HSPU THAT KEEP YOU NOWHERE CLOSE TO FAILURE/NO REPS.
For deadlifts it's all about managing systemic shutdown and breaking-up the time under tension early on to pay dividends later. When Coach Liz nearly won the 2013 Regional deadlift workout she went 6-5-5-5 on the set of 21 while nearly everyone else went out hot for an early lead. When Liz and Hillary were in the Regional Top 10 in 2014 for the Open deadlift workout they broke early and often while nearly everyone else went out hot for an early lead. Sound like a pattern? Think I'm biased because they're our own athletes/coaches? OK fair enough... on Thursday night Scott Panchik (who is one of the fittest humans alive, can deadlift 500lbs, and do Diane in under 2 minutes) did the first set of 21 deadlifts in 6-5-5-5, the 15 in 5-5-5, and the 9 in 5-4. He watched BKG go out hot and stay ahead of him for a while, and then implode before his eyes while he just kept holding his own methodical, calculated pace.
So should you do deadlifts 6-5-5-5 to start? Maybe. It's one way to go if you're pretty darn good at Diane and/or you're a strong deadlifter. Believe it or not sets of 4s and 3s the whole way may even be better for most. You'll need to know yourself as an athlete and keep your breaks short and strict (e.g. two breaths or 3 seconds on the clock).
HSPU sets should be managed in much the same way, but with a wider variation in how big/small the sets should be based on your ability with the movement. If you're a HSPU ninja and this simply isn't an issue for you then you're basically trying to buy a little time before having to deadlift again, so a break or two may be a good idea. If you're not a HSPU ninja then sub-maximal sets in slightly smaller numbers than you likely think is the way to go.
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.
Nine minutes is not a lot of time, but even still, humor an old coach and SAY IT WITH ME: Smooth IS Fast.
I'm not sure I can deadlift 225/155:
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 "9 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 - many athletes certainly did so the last two years in the Open, including a memorable performance by Kyle, who at the time had never deadlifted anything close to 225 lbs... when he did the WOD he proceeded to complete all 55 reps of deadlifts for 16.4/17.4, making sure to set his back and mid-line every single time. It was awesome to watch. Remember, you don't have to rush - you just want to get as far along as you can with solid position and technique. "Try hard" does not mean "get sloppy."
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.
Deadlifts at 225/155 are fine but I'm not sure handstand push-ups are gonna happen:
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.
If you know you have a good shot at making your first HSPU, or first few in a workout, then find a coach or experienced athlete in the warm-up area and ask them to help you with the standard and with fine-tuning your movement. Just remember to respect the fact that they too have to warm-up and do the workout, as well be available to judge others - so trying to make up for a year of lost skill work within 5-10 minutes is unrealistic. But if you're strong enough, mobile enough, and have been playing around with position drills and skill work recently enough to know you're close, then a little help and encouragement may get you the rest of the way.
This is another opportunity where I'll leave my PSA from last weeK:
"This is the time of year when I usually give my PSA that sounds something like "We have Open Gym Sundays nearly 50 weeks out of the year, and I'm almost always there -- AND some of my favorite movements to teach are ring muscle-ups and handstand push-ups. Just throwing it out there, friends. I can even provide references from current AR members if you need to verify that it works if you work at it with some guidance."
Closing remarks (since I said I would keep re-posting them):
Be smart and move well. You know what that means, I don't have to explain that one to you. The weights will be here tomorrow... will you be?
Cheer for your fellow athletes, and be a good judge. We do things the right way at Arena Ready -- with integrity and to the standards of the competition. Our movement is clean, our technique is admirable, our effort is 100%, and our members know the difference between intent and accomplishment (e.g. giving your fellow athlete a respectful but deserved no-rep when they're working their ass off but simply didn't accomplish a valid rep). The spirit of the Open is amazing - there's nothing like the energy and positive family vibe of these 5 weeks. Many of your buddies will do things they never thought possible, some will fall short of what they wanted and be frustrated for a bit, and others will have experiences on both sides. But in the end this is our community, and our AR family, and we support each other in success and in failure... knowing that we're all just trying to get better every day.
GO TIME!
WOD For 03-17-18:
"Open 18.4"
For Time (9 Minute Cap):
21-15-9 (AKA "Diane")
Deadlifts @ 225/155 lbs
Handstand Push-ups
... followed immediately by...
21-15-9
Deadlifts @ 315/205 lbs
50ft Handstand Walk Between Rounds
Open 18.4 Announced and Jenny Captures 18.3!
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction on Connecticut Street (click for details).
Open workout "18.4" was released on Thursday evening, and the deadlift and handstand push-up predictions were right... but I'm not sure many saw the handstand walking coming! It will be a very small percentage of folks who can get to the handstand walk, but it is a great way to create separation at the top level (along with the heavier deadlift weights). For the rest of us this will be a classic test of pull/push (lower body/upper body), and folks at Arena Ready are fairly familiar with our old friend "Diane." You're also familiar with the fact that we don't allow crappy deadlifts or HSPU attempts that look like you're a dying fish - so I'll preface tomorrow's "strategy & thoughts" post with that sentiment. Your lumbar and cervical spines are important to us (and obviously to you too).
If you're going to be completing the workout this weekend at Arena Ready (either during the fun craziness of our Open Heats during all Saturday classes, or during Sunday Open Gym) then please start by reviewing the workout details here and watching the standards video below (which covers only the Rx workout, and not the scaled version) - thanks!
Jenny's amazing images from 18.3 are also ready for your viewing - so check them out here and be sure to thank her for her continued awesome work in documenting our people and our community. Thank you, Jenny!
WOD For 03-16-18:
For Time:
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
Box Jumps @ 30/24 in
Medicine Ball Cleans @ 20/14 lbs
-then-
Tabata:
Hollow Rocks
Open 18.4: Any Guesses?
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction on Connecticut Street (click for details).
Lots of movements left for Castro to pick from... maybe deadlifts, or wall balls, or HSPUs? We haven't yet had a repeat workout so perhaps week four is when we see a repeat from a previous year?
Come to the gym at 5pm on Thursday evening to watch the live announcement of 18.4. If you're traveling this weekend and you need to do 18.4 on Thursday night our 7pm "The OPEN" class is the time to get it done -- so sign-up in advance if this means you!
WOD For 03-15-18:
3 Rounds For QUALITY (10 Minute Cap):
80ft Single KB Overhead Waiter Carry @ pick load (80ft Right then 80ft Left)
21/15 Calorie Row, Ski, or Bike (easy, medium, then fast)
-then-
FOUR 90-Second Cycles For MAX REPS Burpees:
21 KB Swings @ 53/35 lbs
12 Overhead Squats @ 115/80 lbs
MAX REPS Lateral Bar Burpees
(Rest 90 Seconds)
AR Open 18.3: RPM Jump Rope Winner
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction on Connecticut Street (click for details).
A big thank you to the good folks at RPM Jump Ropes for giving us a brand new rope to be awarded to our "Open 18.3 Double Unders All Star" athlete. The decision was a tough one since there were many impressive and inspiring 18.3 performances, including several folks who were really determined to slay some double unders even if they had eluded them in the past. We had double under PRs galore, and even some OHS and MU PRs, which gave us a fairly big pool of athletes to consider when determining the winner.
In the end, one athlete in particular stood above the rest, particularly when it came to jumping rope and dubs. We've watched this person go from struggling with double unders early on to being quite the ninja at the movement these days, and last weekend in particular we were delighted to see all the hard work along the way come together and make it happen. He quite literally practiced the movement every week and nearly every day he was in the gym (and still does) -- if the workout doesn't include DUs he puts them in his pre-class warm-up and/or cool down, complete with corresponding ankle mobility and calf/Achilles stretching. He's an example of hard work paying off when attacking things that don't come easy to you at first, and he's turned what was once a weakness into a strength.
So congratulations to Jesse, our RPM Jump Rope Winner!
WOD For 03-14-18:
With a Partner, AMRAP 22 Minutes:
60 Calorie Row (FM pairs = 51 Cal / FF Pairs = 42 Cal)
30 Power Cleans @ 135/95 lbs
60 Calorie Row (FM pairs = 51 Cal / FF Pairs = 42 Cal)
30 Power Cleans 155/105 lbs
60 Calorie Row (FM pairs = 51 Cal / FF Pairs = 42 Cal)
30 Power Cleans @ 185/125 lbs
60 Calorie Row (FM pairs = 51 Cal / FF Pairs = 42 Cal)
MAX REP Power Cleans @ 205/145 lbs
One athlete working at a time. All movements may be shared/partitioned in any fashion by the team, and do NOT have to be split evenly.
Athletes MUST TAG each other in/out for every transition and are responsible for changing the weights on the barbell.
(Compare to 04-01-17)
Knees-to-Elbows
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction on Connecticut Street (click for details).
Which movement is harder/easier for you: knees-to-elbows or toes-to-bar?
Believe it or not the answer is different for different people. For me the knees-to-elbows movement is much harder than toes-to-bar... but I know plenty of people for whom the opposite is true. Just remember that before you compare make sure you're actually getting your knees to your elbows (and not to your triceps or armpits)!
We used this same barbell complex format on Friday for cleans, so now it's time for (power) snatches...
WOD For 03-13-18:
Power Snatch + 2 Hang Power Snatches:
5 Sets of (1+2)
-then-
A) AMRAP 5 Minutes:
10 Hang Power Snatches @ 95/65 lbs
10 Knees-to-Elboes
... REST 5 MINUTES, THEN...
B) AMRAP 5 Minutes:
15 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls
15 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
Open 18.3 Scores Due By 5pm Monday
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction (click for details).
Reminder to SUBMIT YOUR 18.3 score to the CrossFit Games website by Monday at 5pm. We cannot submit your score for you so if you're reading this just do it now so you don't forget!
This was supposed to be a "super hero" group pose in honor of those who sacrificed their sanity counting double unders for hours on end. Some heroes don't wear capes, people. They wear jump rope lashings.
If you've been paying attention then you knew back squat eights were on tap for Monday. We'll also use a similar met-con format as the one we used on Friday, but with a very different movement combo. Will Castro announce dumbbell thrusters in two weeks for 18.5??!! It's certainly a possibility...
WOD For 03-12-18:
Back Squat:
15 Minutes To Establish a Heavy Set of Eight, then...
Two Drop Sets:
1x8 @ 85% of your top set
1x8 @ 80% of your top set
-then-
Against a 9-Minute Clock for MAX REPS:
500m Row OR Ski
5 Rounds of "CINDY"
MAX REPS Dumbbell Thrusters @ 50/35 lbs (per side)
1 Round of "CINDY" is:
5 Pull-ups
10 Push-ups
15 Air Squats
(Compare to 03-21-17)
18.3 Thoughts & Strategy
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction (click for details).
Open Athletes - if you haven't already, please watch the 18.3 standards video below (which briefly covers only Rx standards), and read the full workout details here on the CrossFit Games website. This will ensure that everyone is on the same page with movement standards and expectations (both Rx and scaled) prior to every athlete and judge starting their workout/heat. In particular, everyone should be familiar with how to accurately judge/count double unders - here's the gist of it: COUNT EVERY TIME THE ATHLETE'S FEET HIT THE GROUND UNTIL THEY MISS. THEN WRITE DOWN WHERE THEY ARE ON THE PAPER SO YOU DON'T LOSE TRACK. Don't even watch their hands. Easy. Also, record the "tiebreak time" which is what the clock says every time they finish a set of 100 DUs.
As we've covered previously in this post here, we'll be running the Open Workout ("18.3") during rolling heats in all of our Saturday morning classes. If you haven't already please sign-up for class in advance and plan on doing the workout AND judging another athlete while in the gym (no, you do not have to be a certified judge who has taken the judges course).
For those new to Arena Ready please note that these Saturday morning classes will be very different from our usual protocol. The warm-up will be self-directed and written on the board in AR North for you to follow. Please plan on showing up 10-15 minutes early for class if possible, so that you can sign-up for a heat time when you arrive and get yourself situated for warming-up.
If you're not officially entered in the Open then ask a coach on site to help you decide on a reasonable scaling for the workout if needed -- based on availability & logistics we may assign you to a particular station to give priority to the athletes who are officially registered.
Let's break this one down a little and get you thinking about how best to approach the workout given your current capacity...
WOD & Movement Prep
You want to get some aerobic work in so the workout is not a shock to the body, but no need to "do the workout before doing the workout." Make sure your feet/calves/Achilles are primed and ready for the volume of jumping, and warm-up your shoulders thoroughly for the OHS/MU/DBSn.
This is not the time to make up for lost technique or skill work (particularly for double unders), lest you end up adding hundreds of jumps before you even start the workout. Your calves, feet, shins, and Achilles can only take so much in one day, friends! This is obviously a lot of double unders so prepare for the impact as best you can (and for those prone to lower extremity issues you may want to set your own "personal volume cap" as a responsible way to keep yourself out of the zone of "crap, I should've been smarter and stopped before I aggravated my connective tissue issues").
Double Unders
This workout is primarily about DUs for many levels of competitors, from beginner to fairly advanced. For those still tying to master the DU this is 14 minutes of "get as far as you can" -- and assuming you can overhead squat 115/80 lbs safely you'll have an opportunity to possibly try another set of 100 DUs (or as many of that second set as you can before time is called). If you cannot OHS 115/80 then this is "get to 100 DUs as fast as possible in order to have the best possible tiebreak time." For those who will be limited with movement proficiencies (whether it be with DUs or any of the other movements) our coaches can help with recommending how best to proceed in order to both maximize your official score and give you an opportunity to progress through the workout (unofficially, of course) if you're stalled at any point.
If you're good at DUs and can do all of the other movements fairly well (or even most of them) then this is about picking a pace and rep scheme to break up the DUs into sub-maximal pieces. That is key -- do everything in sub-maximal sets for as long as you can (this applies to the DUs especially, but also to the other 4 movements). If you have the ability to do 100 DUs unbroken several times then great, but if that leaves you increasingly gassed each time and unable to progress through the OHS/MU/DBSn in a smooth and steady fashion then the time "saved" going unbroken on the DUs is not saved at all, and actually quite the opposite (unless you're near the end of the time cap and trying to accumulate reps OR aiming to hit a faster tiebreak time before a movement you know for sure you will struggle on and possibly get stalled). Think of it this way: you can accomplish a lot more work after a smooth & steady 1:20 spent doing 40-30-30 DUs (or even 30-30-20-20) than you can after 0:55 spent going 100 unbroken. So while it feels silly early on to break intentionally, you're actually banking time by limiting your rest on all the other movements... and the next several sets of DUs.
Now if you're good at DUs but know you'll hit a stall on one of the other movements then it may be worth it to race through the DU sets to get better tiebreak times, knowing your "built-in" rest will come during your focused attempts to move through the OHS/MU.
Overhead Squat
The big gap between the Rx and Scaled loadings from CrossFit HQ make this movement fairly easy to decide on for those who might otherwise be on the Rx/Scaled fence in this workout. Can you safely OHS 115/80? If yes, then (obviously) go Rx -- if the weight is easy for you then the set should be 20 unbroken, if it's so-so for you then aim for 2-3 sets (I like descending sets like 12-8 or 10-6-4), and if it's heavy for you (but you can do it) then break it up as much as you need to (including doubles or even all singles with a power snatch or clean to overhead each time).
For all levels my main reminder is not to waste any reps -- get all the way below parallel and stand all the way up at the top. You've all squatted so many times at AR that you know what full range-of-motion feels like, and I won't be shy about no-repping folks (and will tell judges the same). We do you no favors if we give you reps that shouldn't count, and intention does not equal accomplishment -- squat all the way down because I know you can, and because that's the standard. No one, including athletes at the very highest level, should be rushing the OHS (it's 20 reps in a hundreds-plus rep workout) -- take your time, stay solid and stable, and move with full range-of-motion.
Ring Muscle-ups
Good at MU and fit enough to get to the rings? Then (shocker) sub-maximal sets that keep you moving is the way to go. Remember that (as an example) a calm 4-3-3-2 is ALWAYS faster than 7 unbroken and then 2-1-1-1 while looking like you're going explode. Remember that fact when you still feel good after the first few reps and you think (incorrectly) that you should "just keep going for a really big unbroken set" to start.
Alternatively if you can do MU but you're not great at them, then set yourself up in the best situation to maximize your reps -- for many this will be 12 singles, or maybe a double or two followed by singles. On Thursday night Brianne did all singles and finished the 12 Ring MUs with enough time to be back on the DUs and racking-up easy reps. It was the most MUs she had ever done in one day by far, but her methodical and intelligent approach allowed her to do that -- she never missed a rep, and by not "over-reaching" and possibly flailing for a double here and there she calmly slayed those 12 reps in calculated fashion.
If you're "close" but haven't yet gotten your first ring muscle-up then this may be the day! Please remember that in order to attempt one at Arena Ready you must have the prerequisite strength, mobility, and stability to do so -- or we may veto your request (for your own safety). If you're not sure if you meet the prerequisites then ask us in the gym and we'll help you out -- here's a preview... can you do strict unassisted ring dips and strict unassisted pull-ups? The answer for both should be "yes."
This is the time of year when I usually give my PSA that sounds something like "We have Open Gym Sundays nearly 50 weeks out of the year, and I'm almost always there -- AND some of my favorite movements to teach are ring muscle-ups (and HSPU). Just throwing it out there, friends. I can even provide references from current AR members if you need to verify that it works if you work at it with some guidance."
DB Snatch
You know how to snatch a DB, we do it all the time. If you get here this will feel like the easiest part of the workout, so enjoy it. Set your back and don't drop the DB. Advanced athletes will be tempted to break the set of 20 because you'll be breathing hard -- don't, unless you can keep your one break strictly under 5 seconds. Catch your breath on the next set of DUs by going smooth and steady, and breaking them into SUB-MAXIMAL SETS WHICH YOU'VE BEEN DOING THE ENTIRE TIME.
Bar Muscle-ups
If you can get here then it's likely that you don't need too much of our help, other than maybe some technical considerations and how to break up the reps (uh, sub-maximal sets anyone?). There may be an outlier or two in the gym that are fit enough to get here but for some reason are not yet proficient with Bar MUs. In an effort to not make this already long post any longer I'll point you to this video here and this snippet here which are two of my favorites when it comes to Bar MUs.
Also, see above PSA in the Ring MU section. I also love Bar MU, and especially enjoy teaching them in an environment where we can break things down and take our time. And in Open Gym we can even get all crazy with props, drills, and different set-ups to give you some tools for progress. 2019 starts now, yo.
Closing Remarks (Since I Said I Would Keep Re-Posting Them)
Be smart and move well. You know what that means, I don't have to explain that one to you. The weights (and jump ropes LOLOLOLOL) will be here tomorrow... will you be?
Cheer for your fellow athletes, and be a good judge. We do things the right way at Arena Ready -- with integrity and to the standards of the competition. Our movement is clean, our technique is admirable, our effort is 100%, and our members know the difference between intent and accomplishment (e.g. giving your fellow athlete a respectful but deserved no-rep when they're working their ass off but simply didn't accomplish a valid rep). The spirit of the Open is amazing - there's nothing like the energy and positive family vibe of these 5 weeks. Many of your buddies will do things they never thought possible, some will fall short of what they wanted and be frustrated for a bit, and others will have experiences on both sides. But in the end this is our community, and our AR family, and we support each other in success and in failure... knowing that we're all just trying to get better every day.
GO TIME!
WOD For 03-10-18:
"Open 18.3"
2 Rounds For Time (14 Minute Cap):
100 Double Unders
20 Overhead Squats @ 115/80 lbs
100 Double Unders
12 Ring Muscle-ups
100 Double Unders
20 Dumbbell Snatches @ 50/35 lbs
100 Double Unders
12 Bar Muscle-ups
Click here for the scaled workout movements and loading.
Open 18.3 Announced!
Open workout "18.3" was released on Thursday evening, and the double under and muscle-up predictions were right... but I'm not sure anyone saw this many DUs coming! If you're going to be completing the workout this weekend at Arena Ready (either during the fun craziness of our Open Heats during all Saturday classes, or during Sunday Open Gym) then please start by reviewing the workout details here and watching the standards video below (which covers only the Rx workout, and not the scaled version) - thanks!
WOD For 03-09-18:
Power Clean + 2 Hang Power Cleans:
5 Sets of (1+2)
-then-
Against a 10-Minute Clock:
BUY-IN: 600m Run, Row, or Ski
... then, in the remaining time AMRAP of...
15 Deadlifts @ 155/105 lbs
12 Hang Power Cleans
9 Lateral Bar Burpees
Open 18.3: Any Guesses?
Some have mentioned wall balls, double unders, and possibly a muscle-up variation? Every year there's been a repeat workout, so will week three be the repeat week in 2018 (and if so, a repeat of which workout)?
Come to the gym at 5pm on Thursday evening to find out! Join us to watch the live announcement of 18.3, and then watch the stream of our old pal Neal Maddox taking on Kyle Kasperbauer immediately thereafter in an 18.3 throwdown live from Houston, TX.
If you're traveling this weekend and you need to do 18.3 on Thursday evening our 7pm "The OPEN" class is the time to get it done -- so sign-up in advance if this means you!
WOD For 03-08-18:
"The Bell Baseline"
On a Running Clock...
A) At 0:00 For Time:
500m Row OR Ski
40 Russian KB Swings @ 70/53 lbs
30 Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
20 Toes-to-Bar
10 KB Sumo Deadlift High Pulls
B) At 12:00 For Time:
REPEAT!