This Cycle’s Standardized Warm-Ups
Here are the next two standardized warm-ups for the current cycle. They’re very similar to the previous rotation with some minor tweaks and positional emphasis built in.
Warm-Up 1
3 Rounds NFT of:
12 Overhead Squats 2-2-2 Tempo
10 Push-Ups 2-1-2 Tempo
8 Ring Rows 2-2-2 Tempo
Squats: Focus on creating as much torque and tension in your body, especially at the bottom of the squat. 2-2-2 means two seconds on the way down, two second hold at the bottom and then a two second ascent. If a PVC is easy, scale up to a barbell. If you’re no where near overhead squatting a barbell and even a PVC proves nearly impossible to hold overhead, consider grabbing a barbell (not a PVC) and working your Front Squat rack position instead. That being said, you’ll need to work your overhead position with mobilizations before and after class every day.
Want to learn way too much about the OHS? click here.
Push-Ups: Before every descent, make sure to squeeze your butt, belly and create some torque at your shoulders. The bottom position is only held for one second and should be active as possible. A simply way to organize yourself is to imagine your belly button being the last thing to touch the floor and the first thing to leave the ground on the way up. Don’t rush these and ask a coach to put a plate on your back if you’d like to scale them up.
Ring Rows: Same old ring row, but using the 2-2-2 tempo allows you to develop the finished position with your shoulders back and a hollow body position. When your elbows are extended, keep the squeeze in your upper back, don’t go soft in the shoulders when you’re at the bottom position.
Warm-Up 2
3 Rounds NFT of:
:20 Static Hollow Hold
20 Reverse Lunges
5 Pull-Ups or Chin-Ups with a :02 hold at the top
Hollow Hold: We are starting on the floor with your arms overhead. Start by going through your basic bracing strategy, then picking up the head and shoulders with the arms overhead followed by raising your legs (with straight knees) until your lower back presses against the floor. To see a video of this, click here. If your lower back is not pressed into the ground, you’re blowing it.
Reverse Lunges: Alternate legs until you get to 20 or go 10 on one side then switch. We recommend loading this movement with a bumper plate or dumbbells if the bodyweight version is easy.
Pull-Ups or Chin-Ups: With the emphasis on holding the top and finishing with a neutral head position, you stand to make the most improvements in your overall performance by getting this right. At the top, your elbows should be pulled down and back and you should be looking across the room, not up at the ceiling. Scale your assist so that you can get the bar in line with your clavicle, not your chin reaching over. I can’t emphasize how much getting better at the last few inches will make your pull-ups that much easier in the long run.
If you do nothing else today, watch this video to understand this position.
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What’s the most painful mobilization you’ve experienced in the last month or so?
