More pull-ups today. Since I knew that I'd never be able to do them, I immediately grabbed an assistance band.
WOD:
4 RFT
16 KBS @ 53 lbs (Rx: 62 lbs)
8 band-assisted pull-ups (Rx: L pull-ups)
16 Box jumps 24" (Rx: same)
8 Push Press @ 95 lbs (Rx: 115 lbs)
15:30
I'm pretty happy with my workout today. Knowing full well that I'd never be able to do 32 pull-ups (of any kind), I went straight for the band. By the end of the third round I had gotten pretty close to my max heart rate and I was gasping and wheezing for air. My core burned, my lungs hurt, and it was hard to see straight. I actually am not sure how I finished the fourth round.
Sometimes it helps if I play head games with myself while doing the exercises. For instance, I'll split the 16 reps into 4 4-counts. If it's a smaller number, sometimes it seems more attainable. Another good head game is to count up then count down: 1, 2, 3, 4, 4, 3, 2, 1. Of course, these tactics only work up until the reality of exhaustion smacks me upside the head.
All in all, though, it was a great workout and I feel pretty good today.
When you're doing a workout that includes repetitions you just can't get (chins, for example), how long of a break do you give yourself before you try it again?
ReplyDeleteAs little time as you can possibly manage. WODs are always performed for time (either for time or AMRAP). Either way, if you take a breather, you're just wasting time.
ReplyDeleteThat said, I've struggled with pacing myself. Naturally, as your progress through the rounds, you tend to slow down. But without pacing myself properly, I found myself completely gassed at the end of round 3. It felt like I had hit my anaerobic threshold then sustained it for as long as I could until my body just made me drop to one knee and take a breather.
I don't really count seconds when I'm taking a break. Ideally, I'd count 3-4 deep breaths and pick up the weight again. I've been a pretty big wuss though, and I'll find myself taking 4, then 5, then 10, etc. During any given exercise in the round, I would like to limit myself to one break (or none, if I can handle it). As I get close to the end, however, I find myself taking 3, 4, 5, or sometimes after every rep if it's an awful WOD.