Tuesday 4.11.17

Processed with VSCO with a7 preset

Max Strict Handstand Pushups
Single attempt.

Building strict gymnastic strength will be a focus point on Tuesday’s. Let’s set a baselines today to work with, giving us trackable data to use for percentage work in the coming weeks. If we don’t yet have handstand pushups, based on your current level:
1) Pike Pushups with toes on box
2) Pike Pushups with knees on box
3) Pike Pushups on floor
4) Pushups

What is truly more important than the specific movement we choose is the fact that we are going to train an upperbody gymnastic push. That alone will develop the capacity we can use to shape into the movements we want to use competition. In whichever modified movement we choose, let’s aim for a difficulty that allows for at least 5+ repetitions unbroken, and use this same movement in the progressions to come.

Max Strict Pull-Ups
Single attempt. Allowed to rest at the bottom from the hang position.

Much like in our gymnastic pushing for the day, let’s set a baseline. If we do not yet have 2+ strict pull-ups, use a band tension that allows what you believe to be somewhere around 5-8 repetitions, and complete a max effort set there. Let’s use this band in the progression to follow in the weeks to come.

“DOWN UNDER”

40 DU, 12 Burpees
40 DU, 12 Burpees
40 DU, 12 Burpees
50/35 Cal Row or Run 800m
40 DU, 12 Burpees
40 DU, 12 Burpees
35/25 Cal Row or Run 400m
40 DU, 12 Burpees
20/15 Cal Row or Run 200m

On the sets of double-unders and burpees, our first focus point will be on the jump rope. We want to focus first on the double-unders as it wouldn’t make much sense to push the burpees only to find ourselves tripping more often on the rope. Use the burpees as a chance to recovery our double-under capacity. Moving through these DU sets smoothly comes first – second is our pace on the burpees.

Practice setting the rope down in an organized fashion. Transitions do matter today, and we’d rather slow our burpee cadence just a touch to ensure we can move directly into our DU repetitions.

On these burpees, recall the “breathing burpee”. At the finish of each burpee, allow yourself a micro-pause. Slowly bring your arms down, say a silent word in your mind… take a very small moment to get a big breath in. Imagine a pace we can hold for 100 burpees straight, never speeding or slowing down. This composure breath allows us to finish the 12th burpees and immediately transition back to the rope.