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Skills Challenge 2018
Hey Vic City,
I wrote a blog last January about a "skills challenge." I find this a fitting time to touch back on it, as this is the time of year where everyone is interested in improving themselves. This challenge is very simple, and a great method for improving skills, such as HSPU, pull-ups, or ring dips.
HOW IT WORKS:
Pick a skill, and over the course of a set amount of time (Try until the end of January), perform that skill each of those days, starting at 1 and adding 1 rep each day. Example, if you start this Monday, January 8th, do 1 rep of your chosen skill, on Tuesday the 9th, do that same skill for two reps, and 3 times on the 10th etc. all the way to the 31st which you will perform 24 reps. The goal is to go unbroken for as many days as possible. When you can't go unbroken try to finish the reps as fast as possible. Initially, the skill should be something that you can perform around 7 consecutive reps.
WHAT SKILL TO PICK:
Interested in doing well in the CrossFit Open, pick a highly relevant skill, which would include handstand push-ups (strict or kipping), pull-ups (chest to bar, kipping or strict), ring dips, toes to bar, and muscle ups (bar or ring). Again, if you currently don't have a skill don't try it everyday for the month. Pick a skill that you can do for around 7 unbroken reps. The first few days should be easy but after a week or so each day might be a new max. Also, if you don't have access to certain equipment to perform your skill on days you aren't at the gym, just come back the next day and complete the next number. It isn't an exact science, but the gradual increasing exposure to a skill will help you perfect and improve that skill.
Do you hate the Assault Bike or rowing, but also kind of love it at the same time? Maybe try the challenge for calories on that machine. Try a 30 second period and start with 1 cal... easy, by the end of the month, you are at 24 calories in 30 seconds.
Again, the goal is just to increase exposure to movements, similar to the tale of the man who carried the bull from when it was a small calf. He started when the animal was very small (think one rep) and EVERYDAY as the animal grew, he carried it and he adapted to the strength demands as the challenge became greater.
I have set up a whiteboard on the Strength and Health, open gym side, to get people involved. All you need to do is write your name (in dry-erase), write your chosen skill, and update the 'days complete' column each day you progress through the challenge. I'll be working on strict handstand push-ups, join me and enjoy the process.
Cheers,
Adam
Training Friday - Saturday
WARM-UP: Dowel Game 5-7 minutes
SKILL: Power Snatch "Touch and Go" practice
4 reps OTM @ light weight (<55% 1RM) x 10 rounds (40 reps)
WOD: Rep Ladders
This is a unique wod in which you will aim to do more reps of a movement every minute for 8 minutes. If you don't succeed in completing the designated reps inside that minute, drop back down to the rep range you started at and build up again. Your score is your total reps completed in all three movements.
Rx: EMOM for 8 minutes: Kip HSPU ladder (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 reps)
*rest 1 minute*
EMOM for 8 minutes: Strict Pullup ladder (2,4,6,8,10,12,14,16)
* rest 1 minute*
EMOM for 8 minutes: Burpee ladder
(6,8,10,12,14,16,18,20)
FG2: Scaled ROM kip or strict HSPU, Kipping Pullups or Band assisted pullups
FG1: Wall walk sub for hspu, Band assisted pullups
CP: Strict HSPU, add 5/15lb for pullups