Games Open WOD: 12.4: Saving Your Shoulders for the Muscle Ups + Prep

Hey MWodies,

Today’s MWod episode is about thriving in a heavy duty, pre-shoulder fatigued Muscle Up environment. As we prepare for complex motor skills and competition of any kind, we need to select moving strategies that are more nuanced and complex than; Pain- yes/no, and Task Completion yes/no. As you think through your game plan, you’ve got to be constantly assessing how you are going to put yourself into a good position to to succeed in the most difficult aspect of the game you are about to face. For example, in 12.4, you will get to the muscle ups, but how you get there is really going to matter. Anyone can buffer bad positioning when they are fresh, but how is your crappy positioning and technique going to serve you when you are tired? Answer: Not well. Even the best powerlifters know that the meet isn’t over until the deadlift has been pulled. Those strength athletes regularly make hard tactical decisions about putting themselves into the best positions to be strong at the end.

Keys: Keep your torso upright during the wall balls and save your shoulders. Make sure your anterior leg chain is good to go and that you are saving it for the hip extension demands of the muscle up. Prep rotation like it’s your business.

Think of this workout like a totally realistic war movie. The wall balls and double-unders are like the two heros that hate each other and are about to fight. The clock is the tough Sergeant Major who yells at the hero’s, “save it for the enemy you two. You gotta kill those dirty rotten muscle-up bastards. That’s the enemy.”

Be sure to watch Carl Paoli’s excellent games prep video here.

kstar