11-07-13: Snatch-grip deadlifts and double-unders

Elm City CrossFit WoD for July 13th, 2011

Snatch-grip deadlift set-up. Chest up! (t-nation.com)

You can't tell, because the rope is invisible at this speed, but Josh Bridges is doing these double-unders BACKWARDS! Show-off bastage! (CrossFit Ares)

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WoD:7x3

• Snatch Grip Deadlift @ 75% (250#)
• After every set: 1 min of max DU
• 1 minute recovery

Requiring a wider grip, snatch grip deadlifts bring your torso closer to the ground by a bit, resulting in a different set-up, and an overall different experience. Given that the start of an actual snatch requires a deadlift with an even wider grip (ours was just wide, not full snatch-width), its definitely a skill worth working on. Overall, the lifting was well within my comfort level, other than trying to keep the grip with my hands that far out. A little chalk served to combat the ever-increasing sweat build-up caused by the double-unders.

The double-unders were an ah-ha moment, one of the first big ones since starting to workout with other people around and doing the same thing as me. In other words, with other knowledgeable people seeing what I was doing with a keen eye. Stage fright!! I opted to bring my own jump-rope for this WoD, as I've been totally unsuccessful with any of the ropes at ECC. Not knowing if that was me or the ropes, I figured I'd try to bring in a rope I *know* I can do double-unders with, at least when things are going well.

The first 4 rounds were NOT very good proofs of concept. 11, 13, 11, and 11 double-unders were all done pretty much as singles, followed instantly by whipping my own shoes. However, on the 5th round, it all clicked. 38 double-unders later, I was feeling a bit vindicated. Of course, that utterly smoked my little endurance, making the 6th round of lifting REALLY heavy. I managed to string together another good set of double-unders for that round, but was so gassed going into it that it was hard to recover from any issues, so I only got 20. The final round of lifting, my grip was really starting to fail, but I managed to keep it together, then nailed 30 double-unders before time ran out. That made me feel REALLY freaking good. All in all, a great workout. I wish I could have been cranking out the double-unders like that the whole way through, but I'll take a mid-workout revelation over NOT getting them any day of the week!