2011.5.31

Today's WoD was fun, and a little different. It is really designed to let you do the WoD how you want to do it. You can break up the reps anyway you want, just as long as you do all the reps listed below. The catch is, you have to START and FINISH with the step ups, and you can't break those up.

Be sure to stretch before and after the WoD.

Have fun, be safe.

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Warm Up

• 30 seconds of running in place (scale up: quick feet)
• 30 seconds of high knees (scale up: double time)
• 30 seconds of jumping jacks

WoD
1 Round of:

• 200 Step Ups (cannot be broken up)
• 100 Dumbbell swings (right 50 and then left 50)
• 200 Pushups
• 300 Squats
• 200 Step Ups (cannot be broken up)

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Exercises

• Step Ups
  Set up a platform with 1 riser on each side. Step up onto the platform, one leg at a time, and then come back down one leg at a time. Stepping up with both legs & stepping down with both legs counts as a single rep.
  
  Even though it's only 1 riser, make sure you look down as you're doing this. After a while, your legs can feel tired enough where you'll slip if you're not careful.
• Single Dummbell Swings
  Just use one dumbbell - and go heavy (most guys used 15lbs, most women were using 8-10lbs). Grab it with your strong hand, wrap your off-hand around your strong hand. You want a curve in your lower back (your lumbar), as if you were sticking out your chest and bending your lower back inward towards your spine.
  
  Do a quarter squat and put the dumbbell between your legs, right around mid-thigh. Stand up, and as you do so, swing the dumbbell in front of you, keeping your arms locked. Because it's a light weight, you want to swing the dumbbell until it is perpendicular to the ground, directly above your head. Bring it back to starting position to complete the rep.
  
  You want to maintain a good lumbar curve the whole time, and you should bend your legs as you finish a rep. If you’re bending at the waist, you’re doing it wrong, and you might hurt your back.
• Pushups
  Bring your chest to the ground for every single rep, and when you come up, make sure your arms are fully extended.
  
  Scale down: Do the push ups on your knees. You lift less weight this way, so it's easier.
• Squats
  Make sure that when you go down, your bottom ends up closer to the ground than your knees (this is called "breaking parallel"). If you have to do your squats slower to accomplish this, that's fine.
  
  Regardless of how far you squat, you want to keep your weight on your heels the whole time. That will help ensure you keep a good lumbar curve & will help with any potential balance issues. For some people, it helps to look up at about 45 degrees to ensure you're not leaning forward & straining your lower back. To ensure this happens, you can throw your hands up to 45 degrees and focus your eyes on your hands on each rep.
  
  Scale down: If you can't squat that far, you should aim to end up with your thighs parallel to the ground at the bottom of your squat.

As always, have fun with it.