Conditioning your Skills

As some of you start to add more skills (muscle ups, pull ups, chest to bar pull ups, handstand push ups, rope climbs, etc…) to your bag of tricks, the next step would be to use them in workouts! One thing that I try to remind folks is that just because you can do a certain skill in a nice controlled environment (our alternating EMOMS, 10:00 skill sessions, or on your own before/after class) that wont necessarily transfer to when they show up in workouts. I want to remind you that just because you can’t use your newfound skill in workouts, doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world! It just means that you’re ready to elevate your skill to the next level.

So how does “conditioning” and skills come into play? Well, normally when someone hears the term conditioning they think of running or long workouts. The conditioning sense that I’m speaking of is in the way your skills can be utilized in any situation! Being able to perform muscle ups, handstand push ups, pull ups, chest to bars, or rope climbs paired with whatever movement the programming is asking for is when we truly “have” a skill or we have a very well “conditioned” skill. A couple good ways to start conditioning your skills are by starting to use them in your daily workouts and practicing them as part of a couplet/triplet.

Conditioning your skills in workouts.

There is a reason why we program multiple levels at the Sweat Shop. Typically, the more advanced movements and higher volume are saved for the Adv and Beef options. With that being said, that doesn’t mean you can’t start using your newfound skill in workouts! That also doesn’t mean start hopping into the prescribed reps for Adv or Beefy! Let’s approach this in a strategic manner, talk with a coach and see how you can incorporate your skill in an a way that you can still get the intended workout in. That may be scaling the reps down or using lighter weight on other movements so you’re not too taxed going into your new skill. There are plenty of options, so we can always find a way to help you get better!

Conditioning your skills by using couplets.

Another good way to conditoining your skills is by using them as a couplet with other movements. Here are some examples…

4 Rounds

403m Run

3 Muscle Ups

7 Rounds

15 Cal Bike

5 Chest to Bars

8:00 AMRAP

1 Rope Climb

70m Sled Push

10 Rounds

10 Wall Balls

10 Handstand Push Ups

The more variety you can pair with your newfound skill, the more “conditioned” it will become! It’s important to find different ways to train your skills because more often than not, they won’t feel the same from workout to workout. With that being said, maybe start be pairing your new skill with something that you are confident with and then progress from there!

Conditioning skills takes time and patience, so stick with it and stay positive! There are so many ways that one movement will effect another, thus the importance of conditioning them! If you need more ideas, feel free to ask any of the coaches that are around. I hope this sheds some new light into a different aspect of conditioning!

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