It’s been interesting to watch all the guys over the last couple of week hit up the new programming…
Some guys are beating the crap out of themselves, rocking up to back to back ass kickings and then wondering why they’re getting sick or their performances are going downhill…
Take some time to figure out what’s working and what’s not and then work on fixing it.
I was able to coach Johnny M this morning through today’s workout: 12 min AMRAP – front squats, swing and double-unders. His front squats and swings were great but when he got to the double-unders, the most he could string together was 2.
His body position was way too rigid (great for a 1RM deadlift but not so good for 30 double-unders in a row) and if I had of let him do his thing he would have been down to singles before his 15th rep in the first round…
We’ve hassled you guys before on not doing the ‘salmon’ eg. that super tight thrashing /faster is better/seizure thing some people do. We’d prefer to see you in a braced, yet relaxed and open position, smooth flow – ready to do 50 in a row. We ask you to do that. But 3-2-1 go and you revert back to the ‘thrashing salmon’?!
When you train, how many of you actually pause or slowdown mid workout, to workout ‘why’ something isn’t working? I mean, you keep hitting yourself with the rope (so obviously, something’s not working) but then you go on and do it again – why? You tell us how you hate double-unders because you ‘can’t’ do them but have you ever stopped and figured out why you can’t do them? It’s a skill – Perhaps you could learn it?
“Hulk Smash”
It’s an analogy, but a lot of guys come into the gym and throw themselves at a wall every single session. The WODs up on the board and you’ve come to kick arse. You want to get the best time. Move the heaviest load. Get the most reps. You want to do it RX’d and 3-2-1 go: you start thrashing about like a salmon again?! For what? The glory (of being a salmon)?
It’s not just double unders either. We do snatch practice. You’re moving well on an unloaded bar, 30kg, then 40kg. You think you’re the business and go for 50 kegs and everything goes to crap. Everything we ever told you about speed, flow and positioning goes out the window. Something that resembles a dirty, monstered muscle-snatch to OH squat occurs – but you don’t care – that dude over there just snatched 45kg and you pipped him by 5 – you’re the business!
Every day you train provides you with an opportunity to be better then you were yesterday. In order to be better you’re going to have to learn something new. How can you move better? Develop a better mindset? It’s not just about lifting more weight it’s about learning some small tweak or tip that makes you move better and learning means you’ll need to pay attention. Are you listening to your body and your thoughts. If something’s not working are you taking the time to figure out why or are you just forging ahead mindlessly like a bull in a china shop?
If you’re moving efficiently, things will feel effortless. If you’re not, things will feel forced and uncoordinated. Learn to move efficiently by taking some time every now and then to listen to what the coaches are saying. Forget about the clock for a second and start listening to your body. Did the movement feel forced? If it did then you aren’t doing it right. Did it feel easy? Yeah – well then you might be onto something…
Use every session at Adapt to better your technique, better your mindset and learn something new about the movements and/or yourself. Train with the mindset that you’re gonna be a beast (who moves like Chris Spealler or Donny Shankle) in 10 years time – not tomorrow or next week. Leave your ego at the door.
When to “Hulk Smash”
Save your ‘smash sessions’ for the competitions. Save it for Smash Clash. Save it for the Open. Save it for a benchmark WOD. Train today to build your capacity (slowly) and train today to perfect your technique. Slow down little buddy and work out why something works or doesn’t. If you only ever train like a bull at a gate (every session) when will you take the time to learn?
Ask yourself: “What did I learn at the gym today?” or did you just come in, shut your eyes, run head first into a brick wall and get cleaned up again? Be smarter than that. In the great words of Kenny Rogers: “You gotta know when to hold em, Know when to fold em, Know when to run…” Train smart people.
Every day’s a chance to learn from your mistakes. Improve your technique and enjoy the process of training. Listen to the coaches. Listen to your body. Enjoy the opportunity to learn something new. Enjoy the camaraderie of training with your mates and shift out of the mindset that you need to beat them every day and save that for a legit competition.
- Ben
Friday 20.9.12
A: Front squat 3RM
B: 12 min AMRAP:
- 10 front squats 60/40kg
- 20 swings 24/16kg
- 30 double unders
Post loads and rounds to comments.
A: 45kg – messy. I just couldn’t hold my chest up at all today and kept collapsing once I hit the bottom.
B: 2 rounds, up to 12 double unders. Had a few nice welts today! These were the limiter but had the same troubles with my front squats as in A.
A: 3 x 5 @ 105kg – going back through my note my 1RM is 100kg – so pretty happy with that.
B: 2 rounds and a dozen DU’s. Rxd
scale queen with left sided mobility issues as it turns out.
3 rounds with 150 singles instead of double unders. Skipping def getting better, just need to work on squat depth.
Great session though:)
A: 140kg – interesting using the corset to hold me in and to shape and tone
B: Ben counted me for 4 rounds plus 10 swings but I thought I’d only got through 3 rounds plus 10 swings – my brain was a pile of mush by the end though. (Rx’d)
A) 90kg x 3 with good depth. Failed at 95kg.
B) This one was sheer will power. Like Jamie I thought I did 4 but Smon counted 5 rounds Rx’d. Finished the D/U with 10 secs to spare. Thought I was going to autograph spewy when it was over but managed to hold it togethe.
-Thanks for the advice Coach B and the thoughts. (But now I have to change my profile picture.) HEINEX SMASH!
A) 100kg failed 105 kg
B) 4 rounds , 10 squats , 20 swings . Had a great week , worked hard and enjoyed it .happy to have a nice rest tomorrow . Good luck and have fun tough mudders !!!
A: 50kg – did 2 sets of 3RM – because i did not want to go higher and we had a bit of spare time
B: 4 rounds, then 10 squats and 20 swings (30kg bar for squats) (16kg KB)
Getting Double unders makes everything so much easier…. got a bunch of 10-15 in a row. Pretty stoked – has only taken 4 1/2 months! Next goal is to get 20-30 in a row without stopping!
Coach B – by the way – I LOVE double unders………
A: 60kgs Was a bit of a battle after the night before and thinking that the workout also had front squats.
B: Made it through 10 swings into the 4th round. 40kg bar and 20kg kettle. This was a tough one on the heart rate. I maxed out at the beginning of the 4th round and had to have a rest for about a minute before I got going again.
Nice post Ben, and thank you for the heads up. I definitely have been attacking every WOD everyday as though it was my last WOD ever. Learning to build capacity and training strength and mental capacity is the key and focusing on the end result, 10 yrs down the track or the endof the session is a big challenge for me. A new goal is to be smart about training.
Train smart today so tomorrow I can train when others can’t.
A: new PB 100kg x 3
B: worked on DU mid-metcon, which was seriously confronting, with the help of Ben, trying to learn to slow down chilling out and bringing down my heart rate. Remember to keep my hands close to my sides so as not to trip up.