Mayhem Gymnastics
On a running clock:
Begin EACH minute with 10 jumping air squats [Hip must be open every jump].
Then complete maximum amount of Hollow Plank Sliders UNTIL you read 300 feet total on the sliders.
Goal of workout: Complete 300 feet of Hollow Plank Sliders in minimum amount of time.
*FORM matters. This is not a saggy slider! Maintain hollow position while sliding.
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Spend 15-20 minutes practicing the following progression:
Headstand
Headstand with knees to chest
From the headstand position, kick upward to a handstand and hold
Kick to a handstand, hold, and lower back to a headstand
Multiple freestanding handstand push-ups
Rest at least 10 minutes, then perform:
As many rounds and reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
35 double-unders
5 freestanding handstand push-ups
Post rounds and reps to comments.
Scaling:
The goal today is to build confidence in a gymnastics movement and develop a better understanding of your body in space. This is an opportunity to practice complex skills in a low-intensity environment.
Setup and execution:
*Perform all stages of the progression about 1 foot off a wall. Consider using an AbMat for your head. Even though the wall is there, the goal is to use it only if you lose balance or control. Remember, we are working on a freestanding handstand and handstand push-up.
Headstand | Start in a frog stand and extend both legs above your body. Your head and hands will still be on the ground in the tripod position.
Headstand with knees to chest | While in a headstand, slowly bring your knees to your chest and then extend them back above your body.
Kick to a handstand | While in a headstand, bring your knees toward your chest in a controlled fashion. While extending your legs, think about driving your heels to the sky — this will build momentum. Then press with your arms to complete the freestanding handstand.
Kick to a handstand, hold, and lower back to headstand | If you cannot yet hold a freestanding handstand, use the wall for assistance. Once you kick up, hold for a second or two, then slowly bring your head back down to a headstand. Achieve this by bringing your head in front of your hands, and allow the feet/legs to have a slight backward lean to counterbalance. This can be completed with one or both legs on the wall for assistance.
Multiple freestanding handstand push-ups | Once you have successfully made it back to the headstand, attempt another rep.
Modifications:
Go as far as you can in the progression and stop when it becomes challenging. Over time, progress to the full movement as you develop the skills.
Intermediate option:
Spend 15-20 minutes practicing the following progression:
Headstand
Headstand with knees to chest
From the headstand position, kick upward to a handstand and hold
Kick to a handstand, hold, and lower back to a headstand
Multiple handstand push-ups
Rest at least 10 minutes, then perform:
As many rounds and reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
35 double-unders
5 handstand push-ups
*Perform all stages of the progression a few inches off a wall. Consider using an AbMat for your head. The goal is to kick up and back to a headstand against the wall. If you are confident with this, try the freestanding variation.
Beginner option:
Spend 15-20 minutes practicing the following progression:
Inchworm
Pike headstand
Pike handstand hold
Pike push-up negative
Multiple pike push-ups
Rest at least 10 minutes, then perform:
As many rounds and reps as possible in 10 minutes of:
35 single-unders
5 pike push-ups
*Perform all stages of the progression in the middle of an open floor. Consider using an AbMat for your head. To make the pike position easier, keep your feet away from your hands. The closer the feet are to the hands, the more difficult the movement will be. The goal is to practice loading as much bodyweight as possible onto the hands, and to build confidence getting upside down. If you are confident with this progression, try the intermediate variation.
Resources:
The Freestanding Handstand Push-up
The Handstand
The Kipping Handstand Push-up
Handstand Push-up Variations
The Double-under
Find a gym near you:
View the CrossFit map
Featured photo:
Taken by Charlotte Foerschler at Destination Defender in Somerville, Texas.
Every 6 minutes for 3 sets complete:
21-15-9 reps
Echo-bike calories
Kettlebell goblet squats
♀ 24 kg
♂ 32 kg
Post your total time of all 3 sets combined to comments.
Goal: Get comfortable with the burn and increase your threshold as a result. Aim for 4-5 minutes to complete each set.
To be successful in this workout, aim for high intensity with some level of consistency in all three intervals. This will be difficult but a little bit of discipline goes a long way.
High intensity is the goal but not maximal intensity. Keep some in the tank and give it everything you’ve got on the last one.
Equipment matters — the effort on the Assault or Echo bike will change the stimulus of this workout when compared to a bike erg.
More experienced athletes can work closer to their thresholds with less rest than beginner athletes. Beginner athletes should finish BEFORE advanced athletes without exceeding their capacities. This means a beginner athlete should have a LOWER RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) than an advanced athlete in the first intervals since beginners will not have their recovery capacities as high and trained as the more advanced athlete.
I tested this workout and found that it was possible to keep the pace up so long as I didn’t push the squats. I was using a bike erg and was faced with the realization that the 21 and 21 took almost half the time, but staying composed allowed me to hit the goal and finish as hard as I could on the last interval.
Scaling:
Intermediate option:
Every 6 minutes for 3 sets complete:
18-15-9 reps
Echo-bike calories
Kettlebell goblet squats
♀ 16 kg
♂ 24 kg
Aim to complete the work around the 4-minute mark to allow for enough rest to repeat the next interval at high intensity.
Beginner option:
Every 6 minutes for 3 sets complete:
12-9-6 reps
Echo-bike calories
Air squats
Beginners will be pushed out of their comfort zone with the level of intensity we want to achieve. Aim to complete the work in 4 minutes to get 2 minutes of rest.
Guest Programmer – Rob Lawson
April 30-May 12, 2024
Every minute on the minute for 20 minutes:
Minutes 1-5, use a light weight to complete:
1 snatch pull
1 hang power snatch
1 overhead squat
Minutes 6-10, use a light weight to complete:
1 snatch pull
1 low-hang snatch
Minutes 11-20, increase the load if movement is sound and complete:
1 snatch pull
1 squat snatch
Post takeaways and loads to comments.
Scaling:
The goal today is to build confidence in the snatch.
Every minute starts with a snatch pull to practice:
- A solid setup position.
- Hips and shoulders rising at the same time.
- Reaching full hip and knee extension before shrugging.
In minutes 1-5, concentrate on full hip extension. We are receiving the barbell high in the power snatch position (as opposed to the squat snatch), and then practicing a deeper receiving position with the overhead squat. The goal is for the skills of this complex to transfer over to the later minutes in this workout.
In minutes 6-10, start from the low hang and try to receive the bar in a squat. We may add a little weight, but stick to the same weight for the full 5 minutes; the opportunity to increase weight will come in the next 10 minutes. Focus on being patient, keeping the chest/shoulders on top of the bar, and jumping before using the arms to pull under.
In minutes 11-20, snatch from the floor. Focus on a sound setup position, and hips and shoulders rising at the same time before accelerating and extending the hips when the bar reaches mid-thigh — patience will be necessary to stay over the bar to reach this position. All the coaching points and practice from the previous work comes together to finish with a full squat snatch.
If you’re moving well, add weight through the last 10 minutes, but the goal is to have no missed lifts. Do not sacrifice form for load.
Intermediate option:
Same as Rx’d
Beginner option:
Same as Rx’d
Resources:
The Snatch
The Hang Power Snatch
The Overhead Squat
Learn More About Guest Programming
Find a gym near you:
View the CrossFit map
Featured photo:
Level 1 Seminar at The Ranch in Aromas, California.
♀ 14-lb ball to 10-ft target
♂ 20-lb ball to 12-ft target
Post time to comments.
Goal: Midline and upper-body endurance. Aim to finish in 10 minutes or less.
This workout will give us a dose of humble pie. The first set of wall walks is a high number and will keep us busy for upward of a minute to 1:30. In contrast, the wall-ball shots will likely take the same amount of time each round, which means the first 2 rounds of wall walks will compound quickly. The higher target for the wall-ball shots adds an element of difficulty that will increase the demand on the core, making the wall walks much more difficult. To make things even more challenging, the arms are overhead for a good portion of the workout.
If you can't throw higher, throw heavier.
Michelle Duke, one of our coaches, is the creator of this workout and has already tested it. She has offered us some words of wisdom:
– Warm up the wall ball to the 10-foot target because that first set can take you by surprise.
– The wall balls were enough to slow down my wall walks.
– The shoulders will fatigue but the demand on the core had my wall walks feeling really sloppy.
This means:
– Get a good warm-up.
– Focus on proper mechanics and positioning for the wall walks: Tight hollow body, neutral spine and short steps.
♀ 14-lb ball to 9-ft target
♂ 20-lb ball to 10-ft target
Intermediate athletes will use the standard loads and target heights for the wall-ball shots. Since athletes will not get fully inverted, they may find their cores to be even more challenged.
♀ 8-lb ball to 8-ft target
♂ 10-lb ball to 9-ft target
This workout will challenge core endurance. For beginners, the inchworm requires flexibility, a tight core, and weight transfer in the shoulders. Athletes can perform the inchworms moving forward or inching out to the plank position and backward to a standing position. The first 12 inchworms should take 1:00-1:30. The wall-ball shots should be done with a comfortable weight and athletes should aim for 10 unbroken reps throughout.