WORKOUT OF THE WEEK # 013

12 Days of Christmas Wod!!

Friday 24th December 2021

For Time: Rep Scheme- 1,1-2,1-2-3,1-2-3-4,1-2-3-4-5 etc…

1 Squat Clean (70/50kg)

2 Thruster

3 BMU

4 C2B Pull Up

5 Hang Power Clean

6 Push Press

7 Box Jump (24/20")

8 T2B

9 Burpee Over Bar

10 Deadlift

11 H.R Press Up

12 Power Cluster

Time CAP: TBC

• Intent: This is a big session that is in celebration towards Christmas, the workout takes on the famous 12 days of Christmas which makes it a challenging rep scheme to work through. Ultimately this session is all about throwing down with your gym crew and having some fun before eating lots of food!!

  Approach:

• All Athletes- This workout is predominately barbell/gymnastic based. For the bar pick a weight that you can move well and often, we don’t want to be standing around and looking at the bar for long periods of time especially in the early rounds where there will be short and fast transitions. This will be a similar approach to the gymnastics, the workout has been designed to be as well flowing as possible and with least compromise as possible. This should help when it comes to scaling movements and when moving around in the gym.

  Movement/Scaling:

• Squat Clean- For this, even though it is only 1 rep, remember we are going straight into the thrusters. This may feel easy for the first few rounds but it will get much harder as you get further into the workout. Therefore, pick a weight that you would be capable of doing the squat clean straight into the thrusters unbroken every round. In terms of scaling, obviously weight is key here. However, you could opt for a power clean if you struggle to get into a full front squat position, or if you're the opposite and struggle with the pick up position go for a hang squat clean. A final option could be to replace the bar with a set of DB’s instead as this may help with any mobility issues.

• Thruster- This will be very similar for what has been explained above. Pick an appropriate weight, if you need to scale this go for a DB thruster instead.

• BMU- For this, go with a tough gymnastic movement for yourself that you can continue to hit the desired reps each round. If this is a BMU then go for it, if it needs to be changed go for a strict pull up. This will mean that when you complete this station you go straight into kipping pull ups. If you can’t do a strict pull up go for jumping, meaning that when you complete this station you will effectively continue on jumping pull-up as it is a perfect scale for kipping pull ups if you don’t have them either.

• C2B Pull Up- Again, this will be similar to what has been explained above. If you have C2B then choose to opt for regular kipping or Butterfly if you have them in your locker (Its not a huge amount of reps so could be good practice). As stated above, if you don’t have kipping pull ups, continue with jumping pull ups.

Demo Video: Chest to Bar (C2B)

• Hang Power Clean- We are now back to the barbell, the reps are starting to creep up so be strategic in how you break these up if required. As the next movement (push press) links in well with this movement, it means that you could opt to do 5 hang power cleans straight into 6 push press. Or a strategic way to break this up would be to do 4 HPC, then do your 5th and go straight into the push press. In terms of scaling for this, look at weight on the bar, bearing in mind we stick with the same barbell weight throughout the whole workout.

• Push Press- Follow the same advice as explained above if you are going to break the movements up strategically. In terms of the movement the push press is relatively simple so again look at weight on the bar, if you need you could potentiality look at DB’s as a good replacement if you struggle with the bar/front rack position.

• Box Jump- For the box jump it is not a huge amount of reps compared to what you would usually expect, see if you can go for the RX standard. For this ensure a 2 footed jump with full hip/knee extension at the top of the rep, you can opt to jump down or step down whatever you prefer. Personally I find rebounding reps more risky and it definitely spikes the heart rate more, therefore I would step down but still keep good pace. For scaling the movement we could look at jumping to a lower height box/ stack of plates or you could even opt to step up if you struggle with 2 footed jumping.

• T2B- With this we are looking for some sort of kipping variation. If you have full t2b then definitely use them, ensure a nice and tight but relaxed kip. A common error is people often try too hard with their upper body and bias a straight arm pull down on the bar rather than use their hip compression strength and momentum generated from the beat swing. If you fatigue quickly with the full t2b then you can very easily revert to a scaling option in the form of a kipping leg raise or even just a a beat swing. If grip/hands become an issue then we want to replicate the t2b as much as possible and go for a v-up/tuck-up on the floor.

Demo Video: Toes To Bar (T2B)

• Burpee Over Bar- These will be done as lateral burpees, just to save on space and ensure people are safe. For this we are looking at usual standards of chest and thighs touch the floor with a TWO footed jump over the bar. On these you can stay as low as you like over the bar as in you don’t have to stand tall before you jump.

• Deadlift- The reps are now slightly higher, hence the less skilful movement. Saying that, be sure to move well on these, don’t fall into the trap where you start smashing the bar on the ground or missing full extension at the top of the rep to move quicker. If you’re that worried on moving super fast at this point then make up your time elsewhere, ie burpees. To scale these, you could opt for a kb deadlift which will put you into a less challenging pick up position vs what a barbell would.

• H.R Press Up- At this point the end is going to feel in sight, don’t start moving badly now. This movement is easily butchered, make sure when performing the H.R press-up we are not worming out of the bottom like we would a burpee, this is still a strict pressing movement! Scale this by going from a knee supported position or an elevated press-up on your box (of course you don’t need to release your hands at the bottom ;).

• Power Cluster- This is your last movement of the workout and is most likely going to feel the hardest/slowest. At this point you will be tired and out of breath. Potentially look at drop and go singles on this, if you feel you can hold on for the last few then go for it. Remember this movement is a power clean into a push press, not a push jerk! To scale this, you could go from a hang position if you struggle with the pick up or again you could opt to use a DB option instead.

Demo Video: TNG Power Cluster