2010.02.03

As promised, today’s WoD involved a good amount of jumping rope. We did have things you could substitute if you didn’t have a jump rope, but it’s preferable if you can find a rope. Most of the finish times were in the 15-25 minute range, so it wasn’t too intense. For people who know how to do double-unders, you’re not allowed to do single-unders.

For both the warm up and the WoD, either do the jump rope exercises, or do the substitutions. Don’t mix and match. Also, make sure to stretch out your calves after the warm up, so they don’t tighten up too much

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Warm Up

• Jump rope for 2.5 minutes OR 30 seconds of jumping jacks
• 30 seconds of front-back jumping jacks
• 30 seconds of jumping jacks
• 30 seconds of front-back jumping jacks
• 30 seconds of jumping jacks

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WoD

Round 1

• 100 single-unders OR 20 double-unders OR 50 jump box (1 level/riser)
• 50 push ups
• 100 single-unders OR 20 double-unders OR 50 jump box (1 level/riser)
• 50 sit ups
• 100 single-unders OR 20 double-unders OR 50 jump box (1 level/riser)
• 50 air squats

Round 2

• 100 single-unders OR 20 double-unders OR 50 jump box (1 level/riser)
• 50 push ups
• 100 single-unders OR 20 double-unders OR 50 jump box (1 level/riser)
• 50 elbows-to-knees
• 100 single-unders OR 20 double-unders OR 50 jump box (1 level/riser)
• 50 air squats

Round 3

• 100 single-unders OR 20 double-unders OR 50 jump box (1 level/riser)
• 50 push ups
• 100 single-unders OR 20 double-unders OR 50 jump box (1 level/riser)
• 50 V-ups
• 100 single-unders OR 20 double-unders OR 50 jump box (1 level/riser)
• 50 air squats

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Exercises

• Front-back jumping jacks
  
  Start with one leg in front of the other, then alternate. Jump back and forth between the two positions. As you do so, bring your arms up as if you were doing regular jumping jacks. It really is just like a jumping jack, the only real difference is that your legs move forward & backward instead of side-to-side.
• Single-unders
  
  This basically means jumping rope. The “single” refers to how many times the rope revolves around you each time you jump. Try to keep a steady rhythm, so that you can get all 100 done without stopping.
• Double-unders
  
  Jumping rope, you want the rope to make two full revolutions each time you jump. The important part is actually the flick of your wrists, not so much how high you jump. If you worry too much about jumping higher, you’ll throw your rhythm off. If you need to, alternate between single and double-unders to keep a steady rhythm going. If you do that, though, only the double’s count.
• Jump box
  
  Use those platforms & 1 riser on each side. Since it’s only one level, you’re not allowed to scale down to stepping up/down. The idea is to simulate jumping rope. Make sure to stomp on it hard once before you start jumping on it, to make sure that it’ll hold your weight. You don’t want it to move around too much. Also, as a safety precaution, look down at the platform when you jump onto it. With only 1 level, it shouldn’t buckle under you, but if it does slip somehow, looking down should help prevent injury.
• Push ups
  
  Bring your chest to the ground for as many of these as possible
  Scale down: Do them on your knees
  Scale down more: Use a wall or a ballet bar to push off against. Since you’re doing them at an angle, you’re not pushing your entire body weight that way.
• Sit ups
  
  Keep your feet in butterfly position (heels touching each other) if you can, since that isolates your abs. Also, don’t go past 90 degrees as you sit up (like I used to, as Al made a point of pointing out to everyone). In fact, try to stay at about 45 degrees – it forces your abs to stay contracted, so it works them harder.
• Elbows-to-knees
  
  Lie on your back, and touch your right elbow to your left knee. Then alternate, touching your left elbow to your right knee. As you’re doing that, do bicycle kicks (i.e., kick out with the leg that’s not touching your elbow). That’s one rep.
  Scale down: Leave out the bicycle kicks.
• V-ups
  
  This is everyone’s favorite ab exercise: lie on your back, putting our hands parallel to the ground “above” your head (if you were standing, they’d be directly over your head). Lift your legs off the ground and bring your torso up at the same time to touch your toes. In essence, your body makes a “V” shape. Go back to lying on your back to finish the rep. Be careful about slamming your legs into the ground when you finish the rep, that can hurt your lower back.
  Scale down: Bend your knees as your bring your lower body up. You only have to touch your knees this way

As always, have fun with it.