How should FSPs be integrated into WOD warmups?

[Ryan Verma]

Heyo,

I am currently doing the following as a warmup prior to doing a WOD:

PL tuck - 4x10s

BL flat tuck - 4x15s

FL flat tuck - 4x15s

L-sit low - 4x15s (flexibility and core strength are the limiters here)

HS wall runs 3x30s, unless HS skill work will precede the WOD

Is it too much to be doing this before every WOD, ie 4 times a week, and do a "light" version of this FSP warmup with half the sets once per week on a day off before cardio or other skill work? I don't feel muscularly inhibited, but I'm not sure if I may be impacting the regeneration of my connective tissue...

Also, is it possible to maybe do a strength FSP workout, where I would hold the next progression of each position for less time BEFORE a WOD?

If I wanted to try and mix strength/regular/light FSP warmups into the WOD schedule (Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri), what would be the optimal frequency and ratio to do this, considering rest days as potential days to do strength FSP work?

Thanks for any input

[Ryan Verma]

Since I haven't had a reply and I went ahead and decided to test it out myself anyway, I'll post what I've found in case anyone else had the same question.

I was doing 2 light FSP workouts, 2 medium FSP workouts and 1 heavy FSP workout per week. I would do the light and medium FSP workouts before the WODs and I did the heavy FSP workout on a day without a WOD. It looked like this:

Mon - medium

Tue - light

Wed - off

Thu - Medium

Fri - light

Sat - Heavy

Sun - off

(See OP for descriptions of light, medium or heavy)

This volume, combined with the WODs, feels like it's too much. I've been doing this for 2 weeks and I think that I may be overtraining. Usually, holding a full back lever is no problem for me, but I tried it tonight and I just couldn't do it. It might have something to do with the fact that I MAY still be tired from yesterday's workout (I did the WOD from 5 Apr yesterday) but my muscles don't feel tired or sore, they just aren't performing at the level I know they can.

Maybe 2 weeks is too soon to say, but it's pretty disconcerting to be unable to do something you know you're capable of doing. I also realize I might be jumping to conclusions - I'm sure there's a good reason why coach puts a day of rest after the ring series strength workouts.

I'm going to take the rest of the week off and just do cardio, abs and legs to give my shoulders/biceps/elbows a chance to rest up before I test it again next week. I think I'll probably try taking out medium FSP workout and see how that feels.

Any suggestions, comments or tidbits of advice are welcome.

[Joshua Naterman]

Light 3x per week and 1x per week you can do heavy if you like. Heavy meaning 3-4 sets of a 5-10s near-max hold and light meaning regular ssc, which is 50% of a max hold of at least 20s for 40-60 total seconds.

[Blairbob]

Good idea, Sliz.

Personally, I would alter the WODs if they do a bit of FSP work as well.

[Ryan Verma]

Slizzardman, it seems like your version of light is the same as my version of medium. Maybe I was just tired from the previous workout, which was why I couldn't do a full back lever. I'll give your recommendation a shot. Would I be fine to do all 4 of these FSP warmups before the WODs or should I leave the heavy one for a day off?

[Joshua Naterman]

That's a good question. You might want to experiment with that, because depending on how much effort you are putting into the WOD you may be doing a little too much. It's a little tricky to get a handle on that at first, but take it easy and maybe just do two warm ups and maybe only 3 of the 4 sets of the WODs for a week to let yourself recover and then implement the FSP stuff as prescribed.

[Ryan Verma]

I will report back in a few weeks with my findings!