DOWN FOR THE COUNT
Workout details
Bench Press
On the 2:00 x 5 Sets:
2 Bench Press
* Same Weight Across
"Down For The Count"
For Time:
21-15-9 Thrusters (95/65)
4-3-2 Rope Climbs (15')
Time Cap: 8 Minutes
For the Coach
- Workout brief: https://youtu.be/mL6hk8CciVA
- Resource links: Strength Cycles in Class
- In part 1 we are building on our prior two weeks of bench press and looking for a challenging load to complete 2 reps across all 5 sets. This should start getting difficult for us but still shouldn’t be something we’re afraid we’re going to fail.
- In part 2, we have a full body workout for us with a squat and press along with a pull. Fast and spicy one. This won’t feel quite like fran since we can’t cycle rope climbs as quickly as pull ups, but this should still have a fran feeling to it. We want to be aggressive on the thrusters and composed on the rope climbs. We should be flirting with the top end of our threshold here but not going to failure on either the thrusters or the rope climbs.
- Thruster: "Fran" weight (unbroken reps)
- Rope climbs: Under 1:20-1:00-0:40 respectively (adjust numbers or variation as needed)
- Use your teaching time today to teach varying foot hooks and tactics for rope climbs. If you’ve had athletes “stuck” on pull to stands for a long time, provide them with a fresh and potentially more challenging progression.
- In the bench press we want to drive the heels into the ground as we press the barbell.
- In the thruster we want to keep the weight shifted primarily in the heel throughout the rep
- In the rope climb we want to tuck the heels up to the level of our hips in order to use our legs and midline to ascend the rope and not rely solely on the pull from our arms.
- Reduce load
- Reduce volume
- Thruster to target
- Front squat
- Goblet squat
- Reduce height
- Reduce volume
- Rope pull up and knee tuck
- Rope jumping pull ups
- 6x single ring rows
- In part 1 we want to target no more than 3 athletes per station and control their lift time. With the loads getting heavier in the cycle we want to be considerate of athletes who need to be spotted during their reps.
- In part 2, if you’re limited on ropes you can have part of your athletes start on the rope and part start on the thrusters.
Lesson Plan
- Whiteboard Brief (00-03)
- General Warm Up (03-09)
- Get barbells out in 2 lines
- :20 Pronated ring row
- :40 Cat/cow
- :20 Single arm ring row each arm
- :20 Push up to shoulder tap
- :20 Rope row
- :20 Barbell floor press
- Thruster | tell, show, do, check
- Focus on keeping the weight in the heels.
- Focus on keeping the elbows away from the knees in the squat.
- Focus on timing. Full extension of the knees and hips and then pressing overhead.
- Focus on bar path. Keep the bar over the middle of the foot throughout the squat and press.
- Rope climbs | tell, show, do, check
- Provide insights on scaling and progressions
- Have athletes try one rep or one rep equivalent
- 10 empty barbell bench press | tell, show, do, check
- Focusing on scap retraction in set up.
- 3 points of contact with shoulders, butt, and heels.
- 10:00 to build to working weight
- Every 2:00 x 5 sets
- Transition to part 2
- 5 Thrusters
- 1 Rope Climb
- 4 Thrusters
- 1 Rope Climb
- Goal finish time, sub 2:00
- Break
- Workout adjustments if needed
- Thrusters: straight bar path. Keeping the bar over the middle of the foot throughout the squat
- Rope climb: sequence of movement. The legs should tuck, hook the rope, stand tall, and then you extend the arms overhead. This makes the rope climb a leg and midline dominant movement rather than an upper body pull.
- Post Workout Clean Up & Chat (55-60)
Additional Elements
- Home Workout [DBs & jump rope]
For Time:
21-15-9 DB Thrusters
12-9-6 Alternating DB plank row
Time Cap: 8 Minutes
*Plank rows are total, not each arm.
“Everyone makes mistakes. Not everyone owns them.” It can be tempting to blame a failure on an external factor. But when we do, we gain nothing. When we shirk responsibility, we also shirk a learning opportunity. Learning starts with ownership. Recognizing that we can do this better. No one is infallible. We will all make mistakes. Sometimes we will be part of larger mistakes that involve a host of other people. But, even when it’s easy to allow ourselves to blame the situation, look inward. Ask yourself a simple question: “What could I have done better?”
3 Rounds
:30 Hollow hang
:30 Ring support hold (top)
:30 Elbow plank
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