A “fun” weightlifting & gymnastics couplet is on deck for this week’s #GutcheckThursday!
Intended Stimulus
Grippy! Scale & modify appropriately this week. Although there is not a particularly high volume or heavy load with any one movement, leg & grip fatigue will quickly build, making the set of 21 back squats & 9 bar muscle-ups feel heavy and slow!
Choose a weight this week on the barbell that allows you to complete each round of squats with no more than 2 breaks (3 total sets). Consider unbroken, 5 & 4, or possibly 3/3/3 on the overhead squats; unbroken, 10 & 5, 8 & 7, or possibly 5/5/5 on the front squats; and unbroken, 12 & 9, 11 & 10, or even 7/7/7 on the back squats.
Choose a pulling variation this week that allows you to tackle big sets. If you are not able to string together chest-to-bar pull-ups or bar muscle-ups, consider performing pull-ups the whole workout to avoid performing long, slow, singles.
Faster times this week will be in the 7-10 minute range
Movement Standards
Squats finish at the bottom, hip crease below knee, and at the top, hips & knees fully extended. For the overhead squat, the barbell must remain above the level of the forehead for reps to count. For the front squat, the bar must be in the front rack position, either with a finger-tip grip or crossed arms set-up.
For all pulling variations, the movement finishes at the bottom with arms in full extension, and at the top with either chin-over-bar, chest-to-bar, or body-above-bar
Adaptations / Modifications / Scales
See intended stimulus section for how to modify & scale appropriately
For individuals unfamiliar with advanced squatting or pulling variations, even a simple couplet of 9/15/21 goblet squats or back squats paired with 21/15/9 pull-ups, ring rows, bent-over rows, etc. can be very potent
