Just Do Fifty

Got to Open Gym just a couple minutes after 8:00am.  After 15 or 20 minutes of stretching and getting situated, I asked the instructors if they could help me improve my pull-ups.

I tried a few sets of dead-hang (aka traditional) pull-ups just to get the blood pumping.  The instructor had me do 12 kipping pull-ups both for conditioning and to inspect my form.  My form was pretty good, but we mutually discovered one of my major issues: my grip strength!!  I can't hold onto the bar because my fingers and forearms get tired of bearing my weight.

The pull-ups bars at my gym are approximately 3" diameter bars, which requires relatively more effort to hang onto than a narrower one.  I noticed that after 8-10 pull-ups, my hands begin to slip off.  With kipping, it actually feels even more difficult to hold on with each subsequent pull-up since the momentum of the negative actually serves to rip me from the bar.

To address this, I practiced four consecutive holds on the bar, 15 seconds apiece.  First, a standard pull-up hold, then left hand reversed, right hand reversed, and finally both hands reversed (chin-up style).  I should continue these holds until I can hold them for at least 30 seconds.

After these strength workouts, I went ahead with the WOD I missed last Wednesday.

WOD

3 RFT

10 Toes to bar
20 Burpees
30 Wall Balls (20 lb med ball)

15:00

The wall balls were insanely difficult.  I realized after a few reps that I'd never attempted them with a 20 lb med ball, and it wasn't long before I found myself having to take breaks after every 6, often after every 3.  I think that each subsequent round took me approximately twice as long as the previous one.

After spending several minutes catching my breath, the instructors had me resume working on pull-ups.  I did another set of 12 kipping pull-ups, unfortunately broken because of my weak grip strength.  Afterward, I needed to do 50 ring rows.  Of course, I was not even close; I did 25 total before calling it quits.

To improve my back strength quickly, I am supposed to do 50 ring rows every day.  Whether I do them unbroken or one at a time, I should keep working at it until I finish all of them, no matter how long it takes.  Bring it!!