16.2 Thoughts and Strategy
This is another awesome workout - please watch the standards video above and read the workout info here before coming in on Saturday to do the WOD during our Open Saturday Heats. Much like 16.1, it creates a wide variety of opportunities for success, PRs, and fun. As with last week, we'll try to spell out the categories of competitors, and hopefully give you some pointers for how to approach the workout and impress yourself.
For athletes at every level, be conscious of your grip - as we mention in class every time this movement (toes-to-bar) comes up. Accidentally letting go of the bar is no laughing matter. First and foremost, hang on to the bar and be conscious of whether your hands are slipping off. If they even might be, take a break, shake it out, and get back up there when you've recovered.
Category 1: Toes go Where?!?
If you're in this category, you're certain that your toes are not going to make their way to the bar no matter what you do to coerce them. If you're in this category, get yourself a scaled setup, and go for it! Find yourself in the categories below as your abilities relate on the scaled level, and strategize accordingly.
Category 2: Ok, I have t2b but 25 in four minutes?!?
If you're in this category, you're anticipating getting something less than 25 toes to bar in this workout, including perhaps getting your first ever (shout out to Amy D. for this awesome feat on Thursday night!). For this group, get a trusted coach or experienced athlete to hang out with you and offer useful tips for this four minute toes-to-bar AMRAP... and get those toes to touch the bar!
Category 3: Whoa, 50 Double Unders?
If you're in this group, be conscious of your pace on the toes-to-bar to ensure that you don't go out so hot that you're unnecessarily taxed for the double unders. Leave yourself as much time to get as many as you can, but within reason to keep your breathing relaxed. Once you get there, stay calm and relaxed, and plan to break the double unders up into manageable sets. If you can consistently do five or ten without missing, that's your number. If you can only do them alternating with singles, that's ok for today. Try not to focus on the accumulated number, or how far you have to go, just get your number, shake it out, and get it again.
Category 4: I made it to the cleans! But crap, they're so heavy!
If you're in this group, welcome to the meat of this workout. The cleans will feel heavy when you get there, so warm up to the bar you expect to hit in the workout, and possibly to the one after. If this is at or around your 1RM, you may need to take a quick break before you pick up the bar to make sure you can hold strong positions and make each attempt count. Pretty much everyone should do singles, unless the weight is light for you and you get to the bar with not enough time to spare. In that case, sprint, do touch-and-go reps if possible, and have faith that if you finish the cleans the toes to bar will feel better than you expect when you get back to them.
Category 5: How many rounds will I get?
In this category - think through the accumulated toes-to-bar reps associated with the round you intend to complete, and break the sets up as though you were doing that total number of reps for time to stave off failure. Heart rate management will become increasingly important as the reps and rounds increase, and strategizing will be necessary to maintain stamina for the toes-to-bar. The cleans will feel heavy, and will spike your heart rate, so singles will likely be a good call unless you're sprinting against the clock to finish the round.
If you're in categories 2-4, you may find yourself wishing for more of a "workout" when your four minutes are up. We want you to get a good workout too, but are conscious of everyone wanting an opportunity to attempt the 16.2 during a time convenient for them, so we've created the following suggestion. It may seem confusing, but we assure you, we think it's going to be great. The cap for all modified workouts will be 12 minutes in total - think of the modification as adding 8 minutes to the first round and proceeding as a normal AMRAP:
Category 2: When the clock hits four minutes, bank your score, and move on to double unders and proceed through the workout as Rx'ed - make it as far as you can within the next four minutes, and if you complete the cleans, scale the t2b when you get back to the bar, and also follow the scaling instructions for Categories 3 or 4 if needed.
Category 3: When the clock hits four minutes, bank your score, move on to cleans and proceed through the workout as Rx'ed. When you complete the cleans go back through the toes to bar, and if/when you complete the second round of t2b choose between 25 attempts or 50 singles with the jumprope. Go to the next bar weight if you can, otherwise, follow instructions for Category 4.
Category 4: In this category, if you're making progress on the cleans, once the clock hits 4 minutes, bank your score, and continue as a normal AMRAP through 12 minutes. You can keep working on the cleans, and then make your way back to the toes-to-bar and double unders. If you aren't making progress on the cleans, or if you feel they're too heavy to repeat for a second round, drop the weight and continue through the workout.
As with all of our Open Saturdays, please make sure to sign-up for class as you normally would, and then see a coach when you arrive at the gym to get yourself a heat time. The self-guided warm-up will be written on the board in AR North, and that entire side of the gym will be open for warm-up activities and stashing your stuff. Have fun and we'll see you for 16.2!
WOD for 03-05-16:
"Open 16.2"
Beginning on a 4-minute clock, complete as many reps as possible of:
25 Toes-to-Bars
50 Double Unders
15 Squat Cleans @ 135/85 lbs
If completed before 4 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock and proceed to:
25 Toes-to-Bars
50 Double Unders
13 Squat Cleans @ 185/115 lbs
If completed before 8 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock and proceed to:
25 Toes-to-Bars
50 Double Unders
11 Squat Cleans @ 225/145 lbs
If completed before 12 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock and proceed to:
25 Toes-to-Bars
50 Double Unders
9 Squat Cleans @ 275/175 lbs
If completed before 16 minutes, add 4 minutes to the clock and proceed to:
25 Toes-to-Bars
50 Double Unders
7 Squat Cleans @ 315/205 lbs
Stop at 20 minutes.