WOD Overview 6/28/21

It’s been a little over one year since I’ve programmed an entire week for the Sweat Shop, but I recently used some extra time I had on a plane to do just that.  While it’s a challenging and very time consuming process to develop workouts for a large group of people with wide ranging goals, experience, and ability levels, it can also be fun and rewarding to see if your creations play out the way you have intended them to.

While those newer to CrossFit Sweat Shop may not know this, but prior to the pandemic we had a limited number of rowers and bikes, and therefore, were limited in how we programmed workouts with those pieces of equipment.  When the pandemic began it was clear that we needed to invest in additional equipment so that members would not need to share equipment such as the rower or bike.  In my opinion this is just one of the great things that has come from the pandemic!  Programming workouts with only a “buy-in, or “cash-out” with a machine is better than nothing, but it simply doesn’t compare to hopping on a machine for each and every round during a workout.

I tested this workout at a gym we dropped into, to see if elicited the response I thought it would.  While my plan was to do the first 11 minutes with the assault bike, and then the final 11 minutes with the rower, my plans got derailed and was forced to use the ski erg for the final 11 minutes.  I was actually surprised how well the ski erg paired with the ground to overhead (I opted for clean & jerks).  My recommendation for this workout is to either choose a weight that you can perform very quick singles with, or, if it’s a weight that you want to link 5 reps in a row, it should be a challenge to do so.  Also be sure and setup your barbell and box close to your machine to minimize transition time since the rep scheme is short and therefore will mean lots of transitions.  As a reminder, “ground to overhead” means that you have a choice, whether you go with a clean & jerk or if you’d like to snatch the barbell.  If you’ve been working on snatches on the EMOM (every minute on the minute) days, and are eager to test your skills in a conditioning workout, this is a good one to give it a try as the reps on the barbell are pretty low.  As always, it’s fine to scale the weights down, especially if you’re still new to doing snatches in a conditioning workout.  Lastly, be sure and identify exactly which machine you’ll use for the 2nd portion of the workout so that you don’t have to scramble during that 2 minute rest.

As for part B, many of you may already know I’m a big proponent of strict pullups.  When members ask how they can improve their kipping pullups, get chest to bar pullups, learn butterfly pullups, bar muscle ups, or ring muscle ups, my first response is strict pullups.  In my opinion, the best way to implement strict pullups to improve the above mentioned skills, is doing them unfatigued, and without any additional exercises.  However, you can still reap benefits from strict pullups (even for those folks that already have higher skill movements such as muscle ups) by doing them in conditioning workouts.  Keep in mind, even those doing the ADV. or Beef may want to consider breaking their pullups early on, to prolong their pullup stamina in the latter rounds.  As for hand placement, with strict pullups I recommend trying not only the traditional overhand grip, but also an underhand as well as a mixed grip, and perhaps even mixing it up throughout the course of the workout.

Conditioning Option:
10 minute alternating EMOM:
Even minute: 30 seconds max calorie
Odd minute:  2 Squats

The buy-in for today’s workout will take between 7-13 minutes depending on which movement you choose, and whether you decide to go Rx’d or ADV.  Keep in mixing-and-matching is perfectly fine, especially in a workout like this with so many variables.  If the movements in the AMRAP portion look like something you want to spend more time on, going Rx’d for the buy-in will allow you several more minutes to on the AMRAP.  Likewise, if the movements in the AMRAP don’t look too exciting for you, it’s fine to go with the longer (ADV.) buy-in, even if you will be going Rx’d for the AMRAP.  On a similar note, even within just one movement of the AMRAP (the pushup) there are SO MANY progressions to choose from.  Pick one that is challenging, but you can get through in 30-45 seconds.

This is a low skill, high output workout.  You’ll have 1 minute at each exercise, which comes out to 5 Rounds total, and a continous running clock.  The pullups or rope climbs, as well as the sled push shouldn’t take the full minute, so there will be a little built in rest there.  However, utilize your transistions appropriately to get a full 60-seconds on the max calorie machine, and the max rep d-ball or sandbag over the shoulder.  Your total combined reps for these two movements will be your score for the workout.

8:00am, 9:00am & 10:00am Class

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11:00am Class

“Fran”
21-15-9
Thrusters 95/65
Pullups

For today’s workout, keep in mind that “working up to a heavy 3 rep” is not the same as going for a 3 rep max!  With so many different exercises in CrossFit it’s difficult to make progress on all of the exercises, in addition to the various time domains, when most people are only able to workout 3-5 times per week for and hour each time.  And while 12 minutes is certainly not enough time to work up to your 3-rep max, it should allow enough time to work up to a heavy enough load to provide some benefit in improving or at the very least, maintaining your deadlift strength, depending on where you are in the life cycle of your training.