Workout of the Day
The Ring Push-up
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction (click for details).
Please note: the gym will be closed on Easter Sunday (April 1st).
The ring push-up is a great exercise that most of you have performed during your time at Arena Ready. It's a great training tool to teach body position and awareness, and to show how that position can translate into the actual upper-body push. You begin to realize that the position & engagement of your body is just as important to the movement of a push-up (if not more important) than the actual "pushing up" itself.
The two videos above give you a good one-two punch review of the ring push-up - the first is a quick snippet from Matt Chan and the second video features our old buddies Kelly and Carl diving further into the importance of position and external rotation at the shoulder. That last part is key for any of us who have experienced the "hot elbow" sensation described at the end of the video - which is why the ability to externally rotate at the shoulder is so important in so many movements (not just push-ups and ring push-ups!).
It was strength and sprint-y day on Tuesday so here comes the aerobic ninja's jam on Wednesday - a nice long & light AMRAP for some mid-week sweatiness. Enjoy!
WOD For 03-28-18:
AMRAP 22 Minutes:
18/12 Calorie Row, Ski, or Bike
18 KB Swings @ 53/35 lbs
18 Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
18 Ring Push-ups
18 KB Goblet Squats @ 53/35 lbs
What Now?
The CrossFit Games season has come to an end for those of us at Arena Ready - another competitive year in the books, and another opportunity to review what went well, what could have gone better, and potentially to start thinking about goals for next year.
The first thing to keep in mind, as always, but as very easy to forget, is that this is a sport we are fortunate to have the opportunity to play. Getting to go to a gym on a daily or near-daily basis to pursue competitive exercise alongside friends, being cheered for by these peers during competition, and having the opportunity to watch and learn from each other during a world-wide competition, is a really cool opportunity that really is quite a luxury. I'm thankful to have been a part of the 2018 Open at Arena Ready, and I'm thankful so many of you chose to come along for the ride.
Thinking about what went well - we saw lots of really cool performances. We saw first HSPU, first MU, first C2B, first pull-ups, weightlifting PRs, and a whole lot of sweat and high fives. We saw people push themselves harder than they'd previously realized they were capable of. We saw people make the difficult but very wise choice to step back from top intensity in order to avoid injury, We saw a lot of self-awareness build, and we saw some competitive fires get lit. Looking back through the performances, it's clear that a lot of work went into the training our crew did in the past year! I hope that everyone has an opportunity to look back and find at least one moment of which they can be totally proud! I have at least one of those moments for each of you.
Thinking about what could have gone better - sometimes competition has a way of highlighting weaknesses. Not surprisingly, everyone has them, no matter how hard they train, no matter how competitive they want to be, and no matter how much they wish they didn't. It's actually one of the beauties of being a human, and certainly a CrossFitter - if you look at it the right way it really keeps things interesting. Can you imagine how boring life (and CrossFit) would be if you were already perfect at all the movements, and also the strategy? Ugh. I'd choose the opportunity to find weaknesses to improve on any day. Sure, weakness (or even perceived failure) can be an opportunity to beat ourselves up, wish things had gone differently, second guess our choices throughout the year, and generally feel bad about everything, but it doesn't have to be that. It can simply be a source of an objective data point, and one which can help to enlighten the fun part: goals for next year, but first, recovery.
After each track season, every coach I ever had made me take two weeks off. In those two weeks I was supposed to sit on the couch, or do something fun, or whatever I needed to do to not train for hammer (or jumping, or heptathlon) for two straight weeks. It was SO hard not to go from completely fired up about nationals or the Trials to the most intense training sessions I'd ever had with the intention of getting a head start on next year, but in actuality that time let my brain and body get back to normal, and gave me time to subconsciously process in order to come back settled and ready to thoughtfully approach the next season.
How does this apply to us? It's probably not necessary for most of us to take two weeks totally off - our entire lives haven't been revolving around training for the Open for the past year, and we're probably not going to spend the coming year focusing our entire beings on success in next year's Open. That said, for those who have been really really focused on the Open even just for the last five weeks, a few days away to rest, recover, think about things other than CrossFit and the leaderboard may do you some good. No matter what, now is not the time to be fired up and start training for next year (that's likely to be a pretty fast track to injury and/or burnout).
Once your body and mind have recovered is the time to start thinking about goals for next year. This phase is awesome. In my opinion, this is a two step review of how the Open (and prior year's training) went. The first phase is to think about how you feel about each of the workouts - how the tests went, what you wish had gone differently, what you wish had been different about your fitness, and potentially which workouts were your worst (and best) finishes, and why. If you identify things you don't feel great about - lack of a particular skill, overall metabolic capacity, overhead mobility, etc. those are great things to focus on for next year. The second phase is to think about where you'd like to be competitively next year - within the gym, the state, your age group, etc. and within that group identify weaknesses based on which workouts were your worst finishes. To clarify this point, in my case, I'd be stoked each year with my year over year improvement in burpees and hspu, yet despite my pride in my progress it seemed everyone else was still improving faster than me, so those remained weaknesses even though my performances kept improving a lot. Once you have a clear view of your weaknesses (much more powerful than "I just am not fit... wah...") you can go to the goals phase.
CrossFit as a general physical preparedness (GPP) program will help you get better at everything through working out 3-5 times per week, scaling appropriately, and pushing yourself a little harder than you'd like, all while paying close attention to recovery. We watched this be true for most of you at the gym this year. If you're good with that, keep doing what you're doing! If you're disappointed with where that puts you relatively speaking, or you feel like your capacity isn't what you'd like it to be in particular skills or movements, pick the three that you feel make you weakest, and add a little bit of thoughtful extra volume (and appropriate corresponding increased recovery) each week - this could be three sets of strict (or banded) pull-ups. It could be muscle up drills. It could be strict overhead pressing, or a Recon Ron strict hspu program (that one's hard!) It could be going to barbell once that gets started back up, it could be 50 burpees for time on a regular basis. It could be overhead or farmer carry, it could be good mornings or upright rows, a minute for max cals on the bike, or a 1k for time on the rower, a post-workout stretching/cooldown routine, or any number of other things, depending on what you'd like to improve. It needs to be effective, thoughtful, and likely minimal, in order to be something you will actually do once the emotion of the Open wears off, and once the reality of your busy life sets back in. Even 10 extra minutes a week focused on your weakest weakness will have a surprising impact on your proficiency in that movement, and even your competitive fitness overall. If your three weakest workouts had been materially stronger as a result of being stronger in the weakest component of that workout, how much closer would you have been to where you wanted to be? No time like the present to start patiently chipping away to make next year is a little closer to what you want it to be (and feel free to talk about these plans with a coach, especially if you'd like guidance).
Finally, again, congratulations on finishing the Open. Congratulations for the firsts. And for the self-awareness you gained. Congrats on caring enough about your performance to be a little disappointed when you failed to live up to your expectations. Congrats for cheering wholeheartedly for your friends (even when they were beating you). Thank you for judging, for facilitating, for cheering, and for making it another really fun year.
The 2018 Open is in the books!
WOD For 03-27-18:
Back Squat:
6-6-6-6 Climbing to a Heavy Top* Set, then...
Two Drop Sets:
1x6 @ 85% of your top set
1x6 @ 80% of your top set
*Add to your top set of EIGHT from the last five weeks
-then-
FOUR 2-Minute Cycles For MAX REPS:
15/11 Calorie Row
20 Wall Balls @ 20/14 lbs to 10/9 ft
MAX REPS Burpee Box Jumps @ 24/20 in
(Rest 2 Minutes Between Cycles)
Open 18.5 Scores Due By 5pm Monday
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction (click for details).
Reminder to SUBMIT YOUR 18.5 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 03-26-18:
3 Hang Power Cleans + 2 Push Jerks:
5 Sets of (3+2)
Climb to a weight heavier than to be used in "DT"
-then-
5 Rounds For Time:
12 Deadlifts @ 155/105 lbs
9 Hang Power Cleans
6 Push Jerks
(Compare to 03-27-17, 03-16-15, 09-15-14, and 02-08-14)
18.5 Thoughts & Strategy
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction on Connecticut Street (click for details).
Open Athletes - if you haven't already, please watch the 18.5 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, note that men's Rx weight is 100 lbs and not 95 lbs, and make sure to review the jumping pull-up standard if you'll be doing the Scaled workout.
This is about as classic as it gets in CrossFit - a bit of a twist on the most well-known benchmark WOD out there ("Fran"), with an ascending rep scheme on a fixed time domain (or "time-priority" format). The movements are complimentary, meaning that the couplet components don't interfere with each other from a movement pattern standpoint (you squat and upper-body push, then you upper-body pull) - and that combination allows for a ton of intensity AKA power output.
As we've covered previously in this post here, we'll be running the Open Workout ("18.5") 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 on this seemingly simple, but oh so challenging, workout...
Warm-up Well
This is not a shocker to this group. We always warm-up at Arena Ready, you all know that. Like for reals warm-up. None of that "uh, go get warm... you know what to do... and then, um, we'll hit the WOD" crap. Conversely we also don't wear dumb t-shirts that say "Your Workout Is Our Warm-up" (there are actual shirts that say this). No, our warm-up is our warm-up because we are adults and we understand the need to prepare like we care about our bodies.
Anytime we do anything "Fran-like" at Arena Ready we almost always do an increasing intensity, WOD-specific warm-up following a general warm-up. The same will be true on Saturday morning so expect to see a pattern that you've probably already seen before: basic/general warm-up, mobility and movement prep, then WOD specific movements in increasing intensity to get you sweating/breathing/ready to attack what is (for many of us) a very high power-output AMRAP. Don't make the mistake of thinking you can just jump into 18.5 without much moving beforehand, or you may end up feeling like you got hit by a truck.
Do the Math (Ascending Reps Means Your "Feelings" May Betray You)
You're all a bunch of smarties at this gym so do the math and trust what it tells you: THE EARLY ROUNDS ARE A TRAP AND THE LATER ROUNDS CONSTITUTE MOST OF YOUR SCORE. What determines an "early" round and a "later" round? Don't go off of the round number, go off of where the round may occur in time within the 7-minute stretch - i.e. a big part of your score comes between minutes 5 and 7, which means that you cannot blow yourself up between 0:00 - 2:00. You have to do the first few rounds (3/3-6/6-9/9) in such a way that sets you up well for the middle of the WOD and with enough mojo to step on the pedal during the final 1-2 minutes.
Sadly, for most people, we watched three of the fittest women on the planet do 18.5 at the live announcement and it probably gave a lot of folks a false sense of what's possible. HOWEVER, if you go back and watch the Dottirs again you'll notice that even those three super-human CrossFitters did one thing in common: THEY BROKE UP THE MOVEMENTS BEFORE THEY WERE FORCED TO - e.g. they broke the sets before they reached failure... this is otherwise known as, say it with me, doing the workout in SUB-MAXIMAL SETS. It just so happens that their sub-maximal sets occur much farther along in the workout than for the rest of us, but the concept still remains - they're not going to failure until that final sprint in the 7th minute (where they are accumulating a big percentage of their score).
So how do you break the two movements into sub-maximal sets? Read on...
Thrusters
Where you start to break and/or rest depends on how heavy this weight is for you. If it's light then it won't be until the double digit rounds (12s or 15s for most, 18s for the elite folks), but if it's not light then it should be from fairly early on (break in the 9s or even 6s for some). How you should rest is a matter of personal preference and stability/mobility - if you're strong and stable overhead then a quick breath or two with the bar overhead in lock-out can be an efficient way to "gain some short rest"... otherwise dropping the bar and re-setting quickly may be the better way to go (in this case you MUST be disciplined about your rest periods and the manner in which you drop the bar, since chasing a bouncing bar is time and energy consuming).
Moving well will pay dividends here, so: 1) prioritize a vertical torso to save your back and to put most of the squat work in your legs/quads; 2) rack the barbell on the body to save your wrists & grip, and to maximize leg drive into the overhead; and 3) make sure you're driving the bar with your leg/hips rather than strict pressing the overhead.
Should you wear weightlifting shoes? Sure, go for it. Especially if you're used to them and they don't bother you on pull-ups (they shouldn't). Tell the "anti-weightlifting shoe" establishment to pipe down for 7 minutes and go foraging for mushrooms in their barefoot shoes while the rest of us do some fast fitness.
Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
Here's where the Open really shows its magic. We already had some super celebratory chest-to-bar pull-ups on Thursday evening (props to Jeannie, Angela, Ed, Catherine, and Amy D) and I'm sure we'll see more on Saturday morning. Some of you even noticed the movement transfer of Thursday's Bent-Over Barbell Rows to C2Bs, and noted the intentional programming of said barbell rows to help with the "feeling" of an appropriate pull. Good on ya.
Breaking the C2Bs follows the same basic principal as described above for the thrusters: break them up before you have to, or are forced to by failure. Remember that breaking C2Bs is less disruptive than breaking thrusters, since smaller sets (or even singles) on C2Bs requires less energy between reps/sets than thrusters - i.e. jumping back up to the pull-up bar is generally easier than dropping the barbell/settling the barbell bounce/cleaning the barbell. This means that if C2Bs are a challenge for you then have no fear - even singles the entire way on C2Bs can get you a pretty darn good score if you manage the thrusters well, don't give up, and keep your no-reps to a minimum!
Closing Remarks, One Last Time (since I said I would keep re-posting them every week)
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 03-24-18:
"Open 18.5" (AKA "Open 11.6" and "Open 12.5")
AMRAP 7 Minutes (following an ascending rep ladder of 3/3-6/6-9/9-12/12-etc...):
Thrusters @ 100/65 lbs
Chest-to-Bar Pull-ups
The scaled version of 18.5 uses 65/45 lbs for thrusters and modifies to jumping chin-over bar pull-ups. Check the Open standards here to make sure you understand all the official requirements.
(Compare to 01-09-15 and 04-06-13)
Open 18.5 (AKA 11.6 / 12.5) Announced
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction on Connecticut Street (click for details).
Open workout "18.5" was released on Thursday evening, and "by way of vote" we finally have our repeat workout from previous Opens of years past. It's thrusters and chest-to-bar pull-ups as we expected (no dumbbells though!), and is a repeat of Open workouts 11.6 and 12.5. Those of us who have been doing CrossFit, and the Open, long enough to remember 11.6 and 12.5 were basically waiting for this one to come back into play at some point since it's just such a classic combo and format (we last did this workout as a class WOD on 01-19-15 for those of you searching BTWB).
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 03-23-18:
For Time:
BUY-IN: 1000m Run, Row, or Ski
... then...
21-15-9
Deadlifts @ 185/135 lbs
Double Unders (3x Reps AKA 63-45-27)
-then-
Tabata:
Side Planks
Alternate sides every interval for a total of 4 right and 4 left.
Open 18.5: Any Guesses?
EVANS AVENUE PARKING REMINDER During Construction on Connecticut Street (click for details).
The trending prediction for 18.5 seems to be dumbbell thrusters and chest-to-bar pull-ups, either in ascending ladder AMRAP format or repeating-time-segments. What say you?
Dave Castro (Director of the CrossFi Games) announced that the CrossFit public will be able to vote on what 18.5 will be by choosing from three options he'll reveal at 3pm PDT on Thursday. If you're traveling this weekend and you need to do 18.5 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 03-22-18:
Bent Over Barbell Row:
6-6-6-6-6
-then-
AMRAP 10 Minutes:
2 Ring Muscle-ups
10 Medicine Ball Sit-ups @ 20/14 lbs
12 KB Snatches @ 53/35 lbs (6 Right then 6 Left)
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)