10.1.18 - 10.5.18

Monday 10.1.18

Double Unders

Bound

The bound or jump is arguably the most important piece of the double under. How we jump either sets us up for success or for some trip ups. Taking the time to properly practice the bound both in class and outside of class will engrain good movement patterns that can be maintained when fatigue sets in. Timing and consistency of the bound is key in stringing quality reps together.

When the feet “pike” forward or “kick” backwards, it is more difficult to maintain timing and requires more work. Preserving a similar jump from the single under to the double under is easier said than done, but can be attained through practice, practice, and more practice. Conveying to athletes that regularly picking a modification that will help them chase the proper stimulus as opposed to checking the “Rx” box, will get them fitter. We will practice the bound today, but if double unders are a weakness, putting the time in outside the hour will get this skill where they would like it to be.

Hands

Hand positioning plays an important role in the mechanics of the bound. For example, if hands are too far in front or too high up on the body, we have to compensate by bringing the knees up to avoid tripping up. Keeping the arms long in front with hands slightly in front of the body throughout the whole jump will help with the mechanics of the jump and minimize the amount of unplanned breaks.

Movement Prep

Breaking between

:15 Seconds Quick Singles

:15 Seconds Higher Jump Singles

:15 Seconds Double Taps*

:15 Seconds Double Unders or Practice

*Practicing timing of the double under. With a straight jump in the air, athletes will double tap low on the thigh to simulate a double under without the rope.

Movement Substitutions

Cut Repetitions

:30 Double Under Practice

60 Single Unders

Hang Squat Cleans

Hook Grip

In a fairly grippy workout, using the hook grip on the barbell will be important today. It is also a great opportunity to practice regaining the hook grip after standing up the squat clean. Depending on mobility, some athletes may be able to hold on to the hook grip when they catch the clean and still maintain high elbows. For athletes who struggle with mobility, they will likely let the bar sit back into the fingertips to find a solid front rack. Establishing the hook grip when bringing the bar back down to the hang position is a skill that can be practiced before the workout weight gets on the bar. No better time to touch on this than with an empty barbell and in the first practice round with lighter weight.

Jump Tall, Get Small

It is common for athletes to use the arms to pull the bar to their shoulders before starting their squat. With double unders also in this workout, the sustainability of this action is very short. A better option that is easier to maintain is jumping to full hip, knee, and ankle extension and then using the arms to pull the body underneath the bar. This gets as much upward momentum into the barbell and takes a lot of strain of the arms.

Stand Up

When cycling hang squat cleans, it is sometimes seen that athletes do not stand to full extension before bringing the bar back down to the hang. We want to emphasize that athletes stand up completely after each repetition before the bar leaves their shoulders.

Movement Prep

Performed with empty barbell

5 Hip Hinges (Pockets to Top of Knee)

5 Jump Shrugs

rest

3 High Hang Power Cleans

3 Hang Power Cleans

rest

3 High Hang Squat Cleans

3 Hang Squat Cleans

Build to lighter weight than being used in workout

Tuesday 10.2.18

Handstand Push-ups / Push-ups

Support

Whether we are performing handstand push-ups or push-ups, want to make sure that athletes are pressing from a solid support base. In the handstand push-ups, this is from the tripod position. The head often starts within the hands or just in front of the hands, which makes for an unstable base and loss of balance. In the tripod position, the top of the head and the hands are resting on the ground, with the head slightly back towards the wall and the hands in front of the face at shoulder width.

In the push-up we want to find a proper hand width in a stacked position. The wrist should be directly under the elbow and the elbow directly under the shoulder. From here, making the action of spreading the floor apart with the hands will place the elbow in a powerful pressing position.

Head Neutral

In both of these movements, it is important that the head stays neutral throughout. If the neck arches, it puts the lower back in a compromised position and athletes are more likely to fall off the wall during the movement. The push-up is a less risky movement to have a the neck and back arched, but it does result in the chest getting to the ground easier. We would rather work the full, proper range of motion.

Muscle-ups / Strict Pull-ups

Press Down

The lats are a major movers in the muscle-up and the pull-up. Often times on both of these movements, the biceps can be used more during the pull. Thinking about pressing down on the bar or the rings before pulling will help utilize the lats to the best of their ability.

Toes

Looking to maintain a hollow body as much as possible today. It is very common for the knees to bend when trying to generate power in the muscle-up or when trying to get the chin over the bar in the strict pull-up. Leading with the toes on the muscle-up and keeping the toes slightly in front of the bar keeps the body in a more ideal position.

Movement Prep

10 Scap Pull-ups

5 Kip Swings

1-3 Strict Pull-ups or 1-2 Muscle-ups

Kettlebell Swings

Straight Arms

Very often when swinging a kettlebell, there can be a small bend in the arms at the bottom of the swing. Over the course of many repetitions, this adds a lot of extra tension onto the biceps. Knowing the next movement athletes will complete is a pull, we want to keep the arms as long as possible when the bell is between the legs. This enables the hips to create the majority of power of the swing overhead and takes stress off the arms, making the muscle-ups and pull-ups an easier task.

Hips and Knees

On the kettlebell swing, the rapid extension of both the hips and the knees is what drives the kettlebell overhead. When athletes hit good extension, it creates the feeling of weightlessness. With the amount of swings in the workout today, we want to avoid using the arms as the primary mover.

Movement Prep

Performed with lighter kettlebell

10 Kettlebell Deadlifts

5 Russian Kettlebell Swings

5 Full Swings

Grab Workout Weight

5 Russian Kettlebell Swings

5 Full Swings

Wednesday 10.3.18

Grouping athletes into groups of 2-3 for the weightlifting portion. During this time, athletes will put the extra barbells away. With the deadlift being on of the heaviest potential lifts, bigger teams could be better based on how many plates are available. Athletes will build to something heavy over the course of the 15 minutes. Great opportunity to makes positive change in the deadlift in each athlete. Make it a goal to give each athlete at least one thing to take away.

Deadlifts

Shins Vertical

A vertical shin on the deadlift keeps that bar as close to the body as possible. The closer the weight is to the center of the body, the better the back position will be while executing the lift. Pressing the butt back and send the shoulders forward as the bar descends towards the ground will create this vertical shin. Often the knees shoot forward first and create a difficult bar bath to the floor and a less than ideal starting position for the next repetition.

Press Through the Floor

Instead of thinking about pulling off the floor, think “press through the floor”. This creates a great deal of power with the legs and keeps from overusing the back muscles.

Movement Prep

With Empty Barbell

5 Hip Hinge Deadlifts (Hip to Top of Knee)

5 Full Deadlifts

Bike

Seat

When athletes are sitting on the bike, the seat should be at a height that the leg is almost fully extended at the bottom. Athletes should not feel like they are reaching for the pedal at the bottom. Similarly, the seat shouldn’t be so far away from the handles that they feel like they are reaching. With a team workout today, the partners should compromise at a position that works for everyone.

Knees In

It is common on the bike for the knees to flare out towards the outer edge of the pedal. If we were to step on a bug on the ground, we get the most power by kicking straight down. Same goes for the bike. Keeping the knees stacked over the pedals allows for maximum power.

Abmat Sit-ups

Range of Motion

Whether athletes put the bottom of their feet together or have the bottom of their feet on the ground, looking to have the shoulders forward of the hips at the top of the sit-up. This looks a lot like a resting position. At the bottom of the repetition, hands should touch behind their head.

Arms

Throwing the arms will create more momentum and take some of the strain out of the midline. This will also athletes cycle repetitions faster and raise the intensity of the movement. The top of the rep is also a great opportunity to breathe out.

Thursday 10.4.18

Breaking athletes into teams of 2-3 for the weightlifting portion. 15 minute today to build to a heavy set of 5 on back squat. Taking 1-2 warmup sets before beginning the working sets. Looking for athletes to move exceptionally well. As coaches, this is our time to make positive change in athlete’s squat mechanics. A good goal to have is to give each athlete one piece of feedback. Although the back squat and thruster are slightly different, it could make a great impact on how well they squat in the metcon when fatigue starts to set in.

Back Squat

Hand Position

While training back squat, we can focus on some skills and positions that will be beneficial for other movements. One of these things is the hand position. Looking for the hand position on the back squat to be consistent with the hand position of the front squat, clean, or the thruster. This works to train uniformity across all three of these lifts and assists with mobility. When the hands are wider than that, we are not training the same hand position that we would use in other movements. We can work on getting in a better position for the thrusters that are coming up later in the hour during our back squat session.

Elbow Position

Having the hands in the clean grip paired with a proper elbow position creates a nice, stable platform for the bar to rest on. In the high bar back squat, the bar is meant to rest on the traps. This positioning is great for those athletes who are newer to back squatting or who tend to have an uncomfortable position on the back. Bringing the elbows back with the hands narrow elevates the trap and leads to a more comfortable and secure shelf for the barbell.

Thruster

Grip

We know that the thruster is a combination of the front squat and the push press in to one big, metabolically challenging movement. In the front squat, we are able to maintain a loose fingertip grip to ensure that the barbell sits as far back onto the shoulders as possible. However, the push press requires all of the fingers to be wrapped around the bar in order to complete a safe and strong press overhead. This hybrid movement also requires a hybrid grip. On the thruster, looking to have all of the fingers wrapped around the bar, but will a slightly loose grip to allow for higher elbows during the squat.

Elbow Position

Just as there was a hybrid grip, there is also a hybrid elbow position. The elbows will slightly change positions during the thruster. While it is more difficult to keep the elbows up during the squat with the hybrid grip, looking for athletes to drive them high out of the bottom of the squat. On the way up, the elbows will have to drop slightly in order to transition from the front squat to the push press. If the elbows remain in the high position, it will cause athletes to complete a press out with the arms, send the bar too far backwards, or result in a push jerk.

Movement Prep

5 Pausing Front Squats

5 Push Press

5 Front Squats (Hybrid Grip)

5 Thrusters