B. 14:00 EMOM Min 1- Push Press x1x7 @ 75-80% + DB / KB Split Squats x2/leg x7
Min 2 – Rest *Pick a weight and % do all sets at the same weight in both the movements. C. For Quality 1-2-3-4-5-6 Strict DB / KB Press 40 ft OVHD DB / KB Walk 40 ft Broad Jumps *Goal finish time 5-7 minutes *Appx. Weights 45 lb / 25 lb / 15 lb pick the same weight for the whole workout
Cash Out: 1K Row
“My attitude is that if you push me towards something that you think is a weakness, then I will turn that perceived weakness into a strength.” – Michael Jordan
B. 5 rounds 12 back squats 135 lb / 85 lb / 55 lbs 8 chest-to-bar pull-ups 12 dumbbell hang power snatches @ 40-50 / 20-30 / 15 (total) 12 “Bootlegger Burpees – burpee + 20 foot shuttle run, must face your lane (no laying down sideways) 1 min rest
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” – Benjamin Franklin
A. 18:00 EMOM Min 1 – 1-2 Power Cleans Min 2- 4 Static Dips *build as heavy as possible *Try for 2 reps each set of PCs B. 9:00 AMRAP 10 Clean & Jerk @ 155 lb / 105 lb / 65 lbs Run for Max Meters *Time for CJs & total completed meters recorded
“Never go backward. Attempt, and do it with all your might. Determination is power.” – Charles Simmons
32 OVHD KBS @ 24K / 16K / 12K 24 burpees over partner in an elbow plank hold 16 ring rows while partner hangs on a pull-up bar *One person works at a time *Rounds + Reps recorded
*Ball run times recorded *rest as needed b/t each element of the work out *Focus on perfect squat form on the goblet squats, and perfect “5 step” form on the burpees
Check out Coach Wes’s blog on lifting all the weights!
Many times as we approach a lift we become our own worst enemy. Our minds fill with anxiety, fear of failure, and perhaps frustration as we try to accomplish the task at hand. Our intentions are good, but the inability to control our thoughts many time impedes our physical capabilities. Today, I’m going to go over a couple of “mind tricks” I’ve developed over the years to help in one of the most common scenarios we see in the gym: lifting weights.
My general rule of thumb here is the heavier the lift, the less you can think about what is happening. An example of this would be on a back squat if I’m lifting below 80% I’m going to be focusing on allot of elements of the lift.
Is my breathing sequence correct? Am I tight through my core? Is the weight distributed correctly in my feet? Am I “spreading the floor” with my feet so my glutes are involved? etc. Even in an exercise as simple as the back squat there are several moving parts and conscious effort needs to be directed to the movement to make sure things are on point. However the trick is stripping away that conscious thought as you get heavier and heavier. At 80-90% you can only focus on 2 maybe 3 elements of the lift, and once you get into the 90% to max zone you simply have to trust your training and focus all you mental effort into one thing. In our back squat example your focus should 100% be on being as aggressive as possible. The problem is athletes, and especially novice athletes tend to approach this backwards. They go into “autopilot” and pay little attention to weights that are light and “easy” as they build to the heavier sets. Then once the bar becomes heavy enough to “notice” the athlete begins to over analyze and micro manage the movement. By the time max loads are reached fear, self doubt, and anxiety have taken over. Resulting in the athlete’s thoughts impeding their ability to reach the speeds necessary to perform a maximum load.
While our example above is a back squat this concept becomes more important the more complex a lift is. In simpler slower lifts (squats, deadlifts, etc) you can get away with more conscious thought at heavier loads, than you can in more complex faster lifts (snatch, clean & jerk). That’s why when I coach an Olympic lift my cues to my athlete become simpler the heavier the weight is. I might start with something like “stand longer, and keep you shoulders over the bar” and then move to cues like “tighter”, “more legs”, “more aggressive”, “big throw”, etc. If athletes are trying to think of multiple individual actions of the lift then they are for sure going to be moving to slow to be successful.
In closing, here are a few tips to keep your focus simple during a lift:
Visualize don’t think. Before you step up to the bar visualize what a successful lift will look and feel like.
Focus on single word actions. Fast, close, aggressive are all “thoughts” that can be beneficial at max loads. If you can’t say it in the time it take to do it then it’s most likely to complex a thought to be helpful.
Practice. Conscious thought and effort is very important in mastering lifts just not beneficial at max loads. This is why we program submaximal lifts often, so you can practice doing things correctly and your body reacts appropriately when the weight gets heavy. So don’t blow off the light sets, and don’t try to go heavier when it’s not prescribed. Use that time to practice all the various components of a lift and be disciplined enough to make them picture perfect.
A. 15:00 EMOM Min 1- Power Clean x3x5 @ 90-100% Min 2 – Static Dips or Support Hold x5 /:10 x5 Min 3 – Rest *Goal is same weight at Monday for all sets.
B. 3 rounds 12 deadlifts @ 185lb / 125lb / 85lb 24 wall ball @ 20lb/10ft,14lb/9ft, 10lb/8ft *15:00 Cap *Time recorded
Scaling Guide: *Performance / Athletic / Health *Athletic weights and reps = Women’s Rx *5 – 9 min, about 2 min per round. *Scale Up: 225/155lb barbell, 30 lb Wall Ball
“I learned the value of hard work by working hard.”- Margaret Mead
A.15:00 EMOM Min 1 – 3 Front Squats Min 2 – 3 Strict Pull-ups (add weight as needed) *Build up throughout the sets
B. 15:00 EMOM Min 1- Push Press x3x5 @ 65-75% Min 2 – DB / KB Split Squats x4/leg x5 Min 3 – Rest *Pick a weight and % do all sets at the same weight in both the movements.
C. 5 Rounds 5 GH Raises 5 Hollow Rocks
“Good, better, best. Never let it rest. ‘Til your good is better and your better is best.”- St. Jerome
