(Specialty warm-up: 2L, 2R Kettlebell halo + 5/1000 extension)
Overhead positioning diagnostic:
Partial pull-up (outside/ at shoulder width)
Partial chin-up (right at/ just inside shoulder width- neither shoulders nor wrists should feel "tweaked")
50/50 grip pull-up (each side- outside/ at shoulder width)
Kettlebell halo + extension/ Mace extension (2/1000 overhead, arms as straight as they'll go, each rep)
Short, positionally aware sets (no more than 3 x 3-5 reps of each), with each pull starting from a true dead hang. Use to identify strong and weak points moving into the mace lifts, and also to "grease the groove" and open up all necessary positions. This should not be a volume drill, in any way. Spend 5-10 minutes, move well, learn something.
Pull-up/ chin-up: Demand hollow body/ braced neutral position- with head neutral- while hanging from the bar, just as we will need to apply on the floor in order to safely swing any progressive weight mace.
Trainers: Identify which of those two someone needs more of, and direct accordingly. Ideal position is when strength, power, and stability are in-line and working together. If you hunt for it, there will be a body position at the bottom of a true dead-hang in which you feel "lighter", and many in which you will feel heavier. It's real, and slightly different for everyone. It's most-similar to the "moment of clarity" in a power movement.
Kettlebell halo + extension/ Mace extension:Extension is in the arms, not in the spine; hips tucked, spine straight, chest broad.
Then:
Mace 360/ 10-2:
1 x 10 @ fact-finding/ diagnostic
1 x 20 @ challenging, violent
5 x 10 @ challenging, sustainable, violent
Change variation and adjust weight as desired by set OR round. Additionally, the ability to switch top-to-bottom, and direct both left and right with each during a round is a very valuable skill. Unless mace 360 does not work safely and cannot be made to do so, all participants apply it.
If it does not: Figure out why, and temporarily apply kettlebell halo in its place.
And then, 5 rounds of:
20 Tire smash @ 6/ 8lbs. W, 10/12lb. M (any variation– switch between them as desired)
10 Squat w/ hammer or mace
10 Push-up
Hustle, focus, and attention to detail; This is either a wiggly, flailing mess, or a short, powerful, valuable conditioning piece.
Tire smash: In order for hitting a tire with a hammer to be more than novelty, it needs to be performed with power and fluidity. Focus on mechanics, execution, and timing, and hit the tire like you mean it. If it is clunky or listless, replace with 10L, 10R 1-arm kettlebell swing and 10 "Tall slam ball" in each round.
Push-up: If mechanics or range of motion fail, scale accordingly to ensure both progress and safety; Leave the ego out of the equation- excellent, scaled push-ups are far better than crappy, broken “unscaled” ones.
And finally, “Time under tension”: 2 x 5L, 5R Mace "Short shovel" @ powerful enough to be useful + 50 1-arm kettlebell swing @ self-scaled (5 x 5L, 5R) + 5 x :20 sec. hollow hold, each interval ending with a rocking chair to standing + 5 x :20 sec. plank hold, each interval ending with a hard, perfect "Floor-to-feet" 15 cat/ cow stretch Kettlebell swing: Weight should be enough to force attention and position, while still serving as an active and valuable cool-down.
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