Session notes #2 – gymnastics

This week, we are testing both your muscle endurance (max unbroken set) and your recovery ability on common, high-rep gymnastics movements.

HANDSTAND HOLD
This is similar to the 2020 CFG handstand hold event. After a good skill warm-up, focus on few great attempts at hitting your max hold with plenty of rest in-between longer attempts.

Here are a few cues to help you hold your handstand longer:

1) Squeeze the legs together
2) Point the toes
3) Squeeze the butt
4) Push through the shoulders
5) Spread the fingers
6) Look at the ground between the thumbs (without cranking your head)
7) Breathe!

RING MUSCLE UP
This test starts with a max unbroken set of (kipping) ring muscle ups. You will then continue straight into finishing 30 reps for time (the max set counts towards this total). This means you’ll set the timer from the start of the 1st set. You can break the remaining reps to sets as wanted to for the best score.

If you don’t yet have ring muscle ups, the alternative test is focused on the strength pre-requisites for the catch/dip portion of the muscle up.

PUSH UP
Use a running 3-minute clock for this one. In the 1st minute, you’ll do a max unbroken set of push ups (arms fully locked out at top, chest AND hips touch the floor at the bottom, the body must stay in a single line from nose to toes through the repetition).

Rest the remaining of the minute. At the 1-minute mark, you’ll start a 2-minute AMRAP of push ups with the same standard. You can break these into sets as wanted for the best score.

SESSION #1 – 1KM ROW TT

PRE-SESSION MOBILITY PREP
A. Lunge Flow (2-minute VIDEO)
B. Thoracic Flow (4-minute VIDEO)
C. Hip – Capsule (VIDEO)

Warm-up

A) Row 10-minutes building frequency @ low damper (1 – 3)
@ 0:00 – 5:00: Start @ stroke rate (S/M) 16, build up your S/M by 1 each minute (18-19-20-21-22)
@ 5:00 – 10:00: Build up your S/M by 1 every 30-seconds (23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31-32)

B) 3 Rounds of:
1-minute @ moderate pace
30-seconds building to your target pace for the 1000m
30-seconds @ easy pace

Note. Set your damper on part B to the setting you want to use for the test. (4 to 6 – or drag factor 125 to 135 – will work the best for most people)

Main set

A) Row – 1000m Time trial (TT)

Cool Down

A) Assault bike @ easy pace for 5 to 10-minutes

SESSION NOTES

Intent. Test your current aerobic capacity on the rower.

Goal. Get a starting point for the next period of training. Get an idea of your current level to better estimate paces in the next training period.

Focus. 1. Have a goal pace in mind but be ready to adjust as you go. 2. This is also a great mental test, and will challenge you and your ability to tolerate discomfort.

Strategy/pacing.
Start by accelerating the rower to 5 to 10-seconds faster than your goal pace. Then cool it down and try to settle into a tough but controlled pace. Focus on strong rhythm, long pulls and breathing. Listen to the flywheel and stick to your pace.

Prepare to work through discomfort from 400m to 750m to keep your pace. When you get to the final 250m, it’s time to empty the tank and push to a hard finish. Keep your pulls long and strong from the legs. You might not see the pace on the screen go down but keep pushing.

It might help to count the number of strokes instead of looking at the time or distance. If your goal is to keep a 1:45 pace and you know that you will be sitting around 35 strokes per minute that means you have about 60 pulls left when you hit the 500m mark (35 strokes x 1.75min).

If you want some inspiration. here’s a solid execution on 1000m Row from Sam Loch)

Analysis/Feedback/Reflection.
– How was my pacing? Did I have an increase or decrease in the last half of the test?
– How was my posture/rate/breathing during the test?
– Was I able to give my all and perform to the best of my ability?

SESSION #2 – COMPETITION WORKOUT (OPTIONAL)

PRE-SESSION MOBILITY PREP
A. Lunge Flow (2-minute VIDEO)
B. Thoracic Flow (4-minute VIDEO)
C. Wrist and Finger Warm-up (4-minute VIDEO)

You can choose to rest this session or finish off the week with a final dose of intensity.

Warm up

Lower body prehab circuit #1 (VIDEO) – 3 to 5 rounds (for quality)
10 Curtsy squats, alternating
5/side Crossbody Romanian deadlifts
10-metre Duck walk
10 Psoas marches, alternating
+
CARDIO WARM-UP
5 Rounds of:
30-second Assault bike @ easy pace
20-second Assault bike @ moderate pace
10-second Assault bike @ hard pace
+
@ increasing pace
3 – 2 – 1
Sandbag over the shoulder @ lighter than workout weight if available
Burpee Box jump + step down, 24/20”
Sandbag bearhug carry (30m – 20m – 10m) @ lighter than workout weight if available
Kick ups to handstand
+
Once through
3 Sandbag over the shoulder @ workout weight
2 Burpee box jump over, 30/24”
10m Sandbag bearhug carry @ workout weight
5m Handstand walk

Main set

A) 4 Rounds for time
9 Sandbag over the shoulder @ 150/100lbs
6 Burpee box jump over, 30/24”
30m Sandbag bearhug carry @ 150/100lbs
10m Handstand walk

SESSION NOTES

Goal. Push to a threshold pace you can sustain across each round with minimal rest and transition time

Key Focus. 1) Steady, consistent singles through the sandbag over the shoulder and burpee box jump overs, 2) Keep breathing through the carries

Strategy. This workout is about picking a steady, but fast pace on the sandbag and the burpee box jump overs from the very beginning, and trying to stick to it. Both these movements are done one rep at a time, so you need to find a cadence that allows you to “just keep working”. Use your breath count or the clock to manage the rest between reps on the sandbag over the shoulder (2 deep breaths then pick the bag back up), and pick a burpee technique that will control your pace but allow you to avoid any excessive breaks (consider stepping up from each rep).

The sandbag bearhug carry is an opportunity to practice breathing well under fatigue and with a heavy bag compressing your chest. Move at a fast, controlled cadence and focus on your breathing while keeping your midline stacked. Aim to do these unbroken on each round. Give yourself a breath or two before you kick up to the handstand walk to finish the round.

Instructions. Set up a 10m lane for the bearhug carry and HSW. Carry the bag down, back and down again for the 30m (10+10+10m), this means that each round starts from the opposite end.

Debrief.
– How was your overall pacing? Were you able to just keep working on the sandbag over the shoulder and bbxjo?
– Were you able to breath through the carries? How did the HSW go?
– Was heart rate a limiter to your pacing or was it fatigue from the sandbag?
– Could you have changed anything about your approach to the workout if you wanted to finish faster?
– What two (2) things can you be proud of in this session? What one (1) thing must you improve?

Movement options.
Sandbag over the shoulder → 150/100lbs to 100/70lbs → Heavy D-ball over the shoulder → Power clean @ 85/60kg (185/135lbs) to 60/42.5kg (135/95lbs)
BBJO → 30/24” to 24/20”, a challenging height you can still execute safely.
Sandbag bearhug carry → 150/100lbs to 100/70lbs → Heavy D-ball bearhug carry → KB front rack carry @ 2 x 32/24kg (70/53lbs) to 2 x 24/16kg (53/35lbs)
Handstand walk → 10m Seal walk VIDEO