PAX: LightsOut, Optimus, PacRat (Q)
Weather was awesome. High 40’s. Cool the entire time but not cold. Daylight Saving Time ended yesterday, and we got a peep of daylight about 1/2 way through the bootcamp. It’ll be gone soon enough, so best not get used to it.
A continuation on AG’s 30-day pull/chin challenge. We got a manageable 30 reps in, but in small enough sets to make them count.
0530
Warm Up
Bean Pickers x12 IC
Arm Circles Complex x10/10/10/10 IC
Island Lap
Windmill x12 IC
Hillbillies x12 IC
IST x12 IC
Island Lap
Perfect Squat (from the hole) x12 IC
Perfect Derken (feet on the curb) x12 IC
Island Lap
Grab Coupons, head to the park
About Blown Out
We went with a pull-up/chin-up circuit with 3 rounds of PT and a lap. Only thing that mattered was pull/chin depth and form, thus relegating rep count to a lower priority. The goal this morning was to focus on “throwing” your chest to the bar. I explained to the guys that there’s 0% chance that I’m really stronger than they are, yet I can bang out a decent set of pull-ups. Why? The secret I learned is how to recruit the back muscles. We all know that pull-ups primarily work the back (and biceps and shoulders contribute secondarily), but how does the back actually play that primary role?
Once you learn how to start a pull from your back and connect all the way through your forearms, the reps just pile on. You can add 1-2 a session for a while before your actual strength becomes a factor. For this morning, 5 reps was max regardless of what you had in the tank. 1-3 was totally acceptable if you could launch your chest to the bar. Not actually letting go to the bar, but focusing on that explosive momentum does wonders.
However, since LightsOut just came back from vacation and no doubt needed to work through some vacation energy, this beatdown couldn’t be just an instructional video. Here’s how it went:
The Thang
1-5 Clean pull/chin-ups
12 Perfect squats with coupon on right shoulder
Mike Tysons x12 IC
12 Perfect squats with coupon on left shoulder
Mosey Park lap for recovery
1-5 clean pull/chin-ups
Coupon Complex x12 IC
Merkins x10 IC
Mosey Park lap for recovery
1-5 clean pull/chin-ups
Curls x12 IC
12 Burpees OYO
Mosey Park lap for recovery
1-5 clean pull/chin-ups
One-arm rows (L) x12 IC
One-arm rows (R) x12 IC
Mosey Park lap for recovery
1-5 clean pull/chin-ups
One-arm rows (R) x12 IC
One-arm rows (L) x12 IC
In-n-Outs (jump squats with narrow stance followed by wide stance) x10 4-count OYO
Mosey Park lap for recovery
1-5 clean pull/chin-ups
Mosey to the Flag
Mary
None
0615
Moleskin
We nailed up to 30 pull/chin-ups and snuck in 5 park laps and 3 island laps. Probably a mile if I had to guess. Not too shabby. I ditched Lone Tree Hill sprints in favor of mosey park recovery laps. As I’ve previously stated, the “how” to recruit the back holds the key for success. I told Optimus that I when I first started on my quest to do pull-ups, I used the worst form ever by performing the all the pulling with my shoulders and forearms. I can almost guarantee that is where I developed shoulder and elbow pain. If I’m not careful to this day, I will slide right back into that bad habit.
Men – be strong and brave without compromise. As each day progresses, the need for courageous leaders will be apparent more than it already is – If you can even believe that.
God Bless.
73’s
PacRat
KD9GNS
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