12-06-08: Weighted Pull-ups and Farmers Carries

Elm City CrossFit WoD for Friday, June 8th, 2012

Find me even ONE muscle that isn't working here. Just ONE. (CrossFit 2012 Games Regionals)

Rich Froning Jr (on the right) showing what full extension looks like on a pull-up.  (CrossFit 2011 Games)

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WoD: 5 Rounds

• Max Rep Weighted Pullups [25#]
• 200 meter Kettlebell Farmers Carry [2x 55#]
• 2 minutes rest between rounds.

It's nice to know going into a workout that it's just going to devastate you. No questions about it, so a little less fear. Yup, its gonna suck. 3-2-1 go! I had three options going into the first set of pull-ups: either go with a much reduced band than what I usually use for higher rep workouts, go bodyweight for the pull-ups, or actually use an additional weight. I opted for the weight. Sure, my pull-ups suck, but hopefully doing a few reps at a greatly increased weight (minus band, plus weight) to mix it up will create some extra strength in the movement. We'll see.  My reps were... unimpressive. I tried to work in some kipping to squeak out an extra rep here and there, but being unpracticed and unskilled, it didn't amount to much.

At least that was self-scaling. The farmers carry with two 55# kettlebells was an exercise in torture. We've got the double-whammy of kettlebells that get really dinged up when they get dropped out in the driveway, and a driveway that looks like its been strafed by A10 tank killers with a vengeance, and (apparently) a landlord desperate to hang that on the crazy gym, and not on their lack of upkeep.  Either way, NO DROPS. If you have to stop with the kettlebells, you put them down GENTLY. Not so easy when your fingers are slipping off the damn things. Each round, they felt... well, not quite light, but not awfully heavy, either. About 20 steps in, they had again been hugged tightly by gravity, and were again destroying my forearms and hands.

All in all, a fantastic grip killer, erm, worker. The benefits to pull-ups, deadlifts, olympic lifts, and dang near anything else that involves holding something in a closed fist will be manifest... once I can finally close my hands without my forearms spasming...