For the 2018 Open season, Invictus Athletes’ Camp coach Heidi Fearon will be creating a unique guided visualization for each week of the Open. Each visualization will be specifically tailored to the Open event and available for download by Friday morning. Please click here for your 18.4 visualization.
Friday AM session
Dynamic Mobility, Activation and Warm-up
Banded Perfect Stretch x 45 seconds per side
Psoas Pulse x 45 seconds per side
and then …
Banded Clam Shell Iso Hold x 45 seconds per side
Forward Cross Crawl x 10 reps per side
Banded Air Squats x 10 reps
A.
Three sets of:
Low Bar or Safety Bar Pause Back Squat x 2-3 reps @ 4211
Rest 3 minutes
**No shoes, wide stance, butt back, pause at parallel and focus on getting your shins as vertical as possible.
B.
Three sets of:
L-Seated Dumbbell Press x 4-6 reps @ 2111
Rest 60 seconds
Reverse Hyper x 15 reps
Rest 60 seconds
Keep all of this light and understand that the purpose is activation, not to be an additional training session.
C.
35-54:
Four sets of:
20 second Assault Bike (90% Effort)
2-4 Handstand Push-Ups
Rest 15 seconds
20 second Assault Bike (90% Effort)
10-25-Foot Handstand Walk
Rest 2 minutes
55+:
35-54:
Four sets of:
20 second Assault Bike (90% Effort)
2-4 Push-Press (95/65 lbs)
Rest 15 seconds
20 second Assault Bike (90% Effort)
1-2 Handstand Push-Ups
Rest 2 minutes
The sole intention of this session is for you to practice your handstand push-ups to the new movement standard. Dorsiflex like your life depends on it. The difference between making your handstand push-ups count and doing extra work is going to be in your discipline to dorsiflex and bring your feet together at the top of your rep. You also need to practice kicking up into your handstand walk behind the line – we don’t want you to kick up, then get called back by your judge.
D.
Take 5-10 minutes to cool down by getting on an assault bike and pedaling for 5-10 minutes at a very easy pace.
Utilize a portion of your morning to do some light, focused mobility and practice good breathing. Use this time to visualize either on your own or use Heidi’s visualization.
Friday PM Session
Warm-Up and Pre-Event Preparation
Assault Bike or Row 10 minutes @ 70-75%
Then. . .
Banded Pec Stretch
T-Spine Opener
Banded Lat Stretch x 45 seconds per side
Band Assisted Anterior Pec Stretch x 45 seconds per side
Single-Arm Hang from Bar x 30 seconds each arm
Assault Bike or Row 5 minutes @ 80-85%
Then. . .
2 Minutes of Couch Stretch (right leg)
Rest 60 seconds
2 Minutes of Couch Stretch (left leg)
A.
Two sets of:
Banded Good Morning x 15-20 reps
Rest 60 seconds
30 seconds of Assault Bike @ 80-85%
Rest 60 seconds
2-4 Rocking Box Bridges
(slow and controlled)
55+: Go from a low box
Rest 60 seconds
B.
35-54:
Two sets at game pace of:
4 Deadlifts (225/155 lbs)
4 Handstand Push-Ups
Rest 15 seconds
4 Deadlifts (315/205 lbs)
25-Foot Handstand Walk
Rest as needed
55+:
Two sets at game pace of:
4 Deadlifts (185/125 lbs)
4 Push-Press (95/65 lbs)
Rest 15 seconds
4 Deadlifts (225/165 lbs)
2 Handstand Push-Ups
C.
18.4
35-54:
For time:
21 Deadlifts (225/155 lbs)
21 Handstand Push-Ups
15 Deadlifts (225/155 lbs)
15 Handstand Push-Ups
9 Deadlifts (225/155 lbs)
9 Handstand Push-Ups
21 Deadlifts (315/205 lbs)
50-Ft. Handstand Walk
15 Deadlifts (315/205 lbs)
50-Ft. Handstand Walk
9 Deadlifts (315/205 lbs)
50-Ft. Handstand Walk
55+:
21 Deadlifts (185/125 lbs)
21 Push Presses (95/65 lbs)
15 Deadlifts (185/125 lbs)
15 Push Presses (95/65 lbs)
9 Deadlifts (185/125 lbs)
9 Push Presses (95/65 lbs)
21 Deadlifts (255/165 lbs)
10 Handstand Push-Ups
15 Deadlifts (255/165 lbs)
10 Handstand Push-Ups
9 Deadlifts (255/165 lbs)
10 Handstand Push-Ups
**Push-Press:
Utilize your leg drive for the push-press. Ensure every rep counts as you punch the barbell overhead. Ideally, pull the bar down and as the bar lands on your collarbone, you are in the dip phase and ready to drive the barbell off your shoulders. Check out this article to review effeciency of barbelly cycling the push-press.
D.
Cervical Decompression and 10 minutes of easy Assault Bike @ 60-65%
Strategy Considerations and Preparation Notes
Please click the link below for our full list of preparation notes to help you all perform to the best of your ability. For years we reserved these notes only for our personal clients, but we’ve been blessed with the growth of this Invictus Athlete community, and we want to see you all succeed this season. Please click here for our 18.4 Preparation Tools.
Did it on Saturday. Got through Diane in 3:20 but I was too gassed for the heavier deadlifts. Score 127.
Just went for it. Since deadlifting isn’t my favorite, I had a mindset that I would struggle with the 21 at 205#. Surprised that they weren’t as bad as I expected. Should have walked on my hands a little before starting. Haha. Got 20’! 115.
Best part, I actually feel it in my hammies and not my back. Big Win for me right there. ??
Gone through PM as dress rehearsal. Activations and warm ups all done.
A.
Done.
B. Modified to focus on deadlifts,
Two sets at game pace of:
4 Deadlifts (225lb)
Handstand Kick Up Hold 30 seconds
Rest 15 seconds
4 Deadlifts (225lb)
Handstand Kick Up Hold 30 seconds
Rest 15 seconds
40s/35s/38s/43s on the 4×4 deadlifts. Quickish singles. The last rep was a struggle at lockout, but I feel good about this situation now.
Handstand hold barely made the rep line today.
Going through AM work and some more HSPU practice tomorrow. Getting after 18.4 RX on Monday!
18.4 today,114 reps, 8:14 tie break. Super happy, I paced just right for myself today. When you have back issues and you see high volume dead’s, you automatically think the worst. I prepared myself to stop if my back wasn’t having it, but I made it through those 21 at 205# pulling singles. Into only 15 ft hand stand walk before time cap, although my hope was to finish all the 50ft, I’ll take small victories!! And save my back from more dead’s! Surprisingly really enjoyed this one…as I sit here with my Marc pro on my lower back??. Have… Read more »
Wonderful Christine – this is awesome to hear! Missed you today !
Ugh! It’s kiling me not being able to have your inspiration first hand! It’ll happen soon, I can’t wait! Thank you for all your amazing support! I love your programming, always have! Sorry I forget to post lots of days, owning a gym is a whole new ball game. Happy st Patty’s! Portland is fun for that!
Didn’t do 18.4 today. Lots of logistics to figure out on garage gym and timing since I can’t drop weight during my kids naptime (when I would normally train)
Lots of accessory work today
Got 95 reps. My back blew up in the second rd of DLs which made everything difficult. Especially when I got to the 315. I was concerned id do more damage then good on the 315 DLs which really isn’t that heavy but with a destroyed lower back made it difficult. i got 5 reps in about 1:30 unfortunately. really wanted to do HS Walks. Didnt really notice the difference in measurement. if your someone who likes to ride that line of the standard then you’ll have trouble. Keep narrow and your feet together at the top. I had about… Read more »
Made it through Diane ok, especially with the new standards on hspu, had to move slower on them. I got through 21 deadlift@ 315 with 90sec left and only got 15’ of handstand walks. Was not prepared for the usually do good with them but just didn’t have any core left. Will redo and hopefully do better on the walks
Haven’t worked out since last open wod (7 days) and hadn’t trained much in the 6 days before that. Had a stomach issue and big time fatigue that lasted 13 days. All blood work good. Awaiting results of an X-ray. Today was the first day that I was feeling better so I decided to take a practice run at lower intensity to get some deads and shoulder reps under my belt and was planning on doing this Monday. Got 12 deads into the 315 with 2:30 to go and decided that was enough and just did handstand walking the rest… Read more »
So happy everyone came up okay with your blood work!!
Most Frustrating open event yet. I did enough HSPU to finish if you count the no reps. I had to have arms right next to ears and just stretch as far as I can to even get a rep.
So sorry Doug – the new standard is interesting and can be more difficult for some. Is the standard something you can practice over the weekend and tackle again on Monday?
I will tackle it again Monday if I have time very busy Monday. I must of done 40+ HSPU in the round of 21.
Wasn’t sure how the day was going to go. I have not deadlifted or for that matter, even lifted anything over 100lbs in about 2 months. (Excluding that 115lbs clean in 18.2) I went into it this with the attitude that either I can do it or I can’t. No stress. I got 4 of the 9 HSPU in “Diane”. I missed 5 HSPU on that last set. That’s okay because what makes me happy is that the deadlifts didn’t hurt!! Deadlifts were in sets of 18/1/1/1, 5/5/5 and 9UB. Today felt like a success and I saw what all… Read more »
Wonderful to see the deadlifts not hurt you!!!!!
That’s awesome Dawn!
I Set up for HSPU is it about 3 inches higher than it was last year? just curious. unless I measured it wrong when I am upside down in top position I am just barely past that mark. I have to be at full extension and I may break the top of the tape.
Hand stand walks if I get there don’t seem like they will happen. not sure at our age falling for 50 ft is a good choice. if we had some mats it would be a bit easier to fall good luck to everyone this weekend
Yeah, the girls I judged today had about 1/2 an inch to play with beyond the line!
A. 120kg. 130kg. 135kg.
B. Done.
C. All sub 1.20. 4 Hspu. 25′ Hsw.
Hoping to do 18.4 tomorrow.
Good luck everyone ??
141 reps Rx (25ft HSW on second set of HSW).
HOW WAS THE NEW STANDARD FOR HSPU?
Honestly? I didn’t notice much difference. Sure, there’s about an inch difference in line height. However, I like to go strict. This means I’m closer to the wall than for kipping. I’m hearing that those people kipping are finding it tougher. Diane was done comfortably in 3:11 (normally 3:30-2:45). I held back the speed, broke the DL 7,7,7 and 5,5,5, and 5,4, which I would go UB on normally. 21 and 15 HSPU were UB, but I felt like I needed to save my shoulders a little for HSW and un-ecessarily broke the 9 (5,4). The heavy DL was done… Read more »
Great job on your HSW!!
Ok thanks .
Hey guys! If my 1RM DL is 245#, from a while ago, do I grind the RX?
And if I do, I should switch the AM B. and PM B. to save up?
I might have 21-15 HSPUs in me.
Standing is not cared, instensity is. Would taking a scaled here a wiser choice than not finishing Diane?
Any suggestion is always appreciated!
21 DL at 90% is possible, but you would need to be careful of your back and hammies. Have you done all other workouts Rx?
Yes, all managed to Rx so far. And I just looked back on BYWB, the last time I deadlifted 225# was every 2 minutes for 8 minutes for 3 reps in December before I joined Invictus Masters.
Oh yeah, if I could finish 21 deadlifts and 21 HSPU, that would also be pretty intense. Lol.
Great, so you’d need to reduce the rest a little to make the HSPU on Rx. Sounds like you can do Rx though. I assume you are good with HSPU?
If you wanted a more interesting workout, you could always rest and go scaled later. Depends on your goal I guess…
I should have 21 HSPU if time is allowed. Let me dress rehearse this. Thanks, Rob. Appreciate the help.
Just take the intensity down and make sure your form does not deviate to a position that will harm you!
Got it. Thanks!