Monday, November 26th
A.
STAMINA SQUATING: Alternating On the Minute x 12 (6 Rounds): Odd Minutes - 3 Front Squats Even Minutes - 6 Back Squats Both lifts are performed with the same load: 64% of our estimated 1RM Front squat.
This is the 4th iteration, increasing by 3% from last week.
Building stamina in the heart of our athletic capacity - our squat. A tremendous 1RM is something we naturally will track towards. But we recognize, most especially in our sport, the ability to cycle loadings for repetitions is a far larger battle to fight for. One is not complete without the other. And if we had to choose, given the nature of our sport where repetition capacity is seen in 90% of our events (if not more), we recognize the importance of building the Workhorse.
We'll be growing steadily over this cycle each week, building towards a finishing 70%.
B.
METCON:
“Bane” (30 Minute Cap)
For Time:
40 Handstand Push-Ups
20 Ring Muscle-Ups
10 Rounds of Macho Man (185/135)
*Macho Man
3 Power Cleans
3 Front Squats
3 Jerks
*Scale ring MU to the most challenging gymnastics movement you can do.
Stimulus wise, we are looking for a barbell load that we are confident we could complete 9+ unbroken clean and jerks with, when fresh, touch and go style.
Efficiency and patience in the gymnastic portion is a focal point. With 60 gymnastic repetitions to open the workout, it's less about the first half of the reps, and more about the second. When fatigue compounds in gymnastics, our movement can slow significantly, sometimes drastically. Recognizing that handstand pushups into ring muscle-ups can fatigue the shoulders quick, pacing our efforts here into manageable sets is a must. A challenging portion of this gymnastic buy-in is the second half of the ring muscle-up repetitions. If we can war-game our efforts to push through those final repetitions on the rings, chances are likely that we'll clear this 60 repetition buy-in with our ideal time. When the opposite takes place, and we come to to a grinding halt on the rings after coming out too aggressively, seconds (and minutes) can slide by quickly.
Approaching the barbell, expect to be challenged here. There is much to be said about a steady grind on a single barbell. This is truly our focus here. The thoughts upon finishing round 2 or 3 may not be our proudest. This is written so we can expect those thoughts to come, and expect to overcome them. We want this to be a mental challenge - a mental battle that leaves us stronger than before. If, and only if, we embrace it.
Chipping away round by round, methodically and diligently, is our aim. It's not 10 rounds, or 7, or 5 rounds remaining - we're not focused on the end state. Focus on the next round, and stay in the moment. When we're ready to start that next round, we do. Allow our mind to fully stay present in that round, versus focusing allowing us to forecast how tired me may feel in 3 more rounds.
In breaking up this complex, a sound strategy for many is singles on the power cleans, with a brief break after the second clean. Upon the third clean, it is our aim to complete at least the three front squats. If we can move into the jerks that follow, we save ourselves another clean, but if we believe we would need to break them up here given the fatigue from the front squats, recommend dropping the bar here. Rest just enough as needed, followed by a unbroken set of jerks.
Without hesitation, let's the get right back on the bar for two more singles on the power cleans of the next round. Take our breather after the second clean once again - but let's get there first.
