Friends who train together stay together, so grab your gym buddy and try this WOD from Ben Smith.

4 rounds, alternating with a friend

  • 21-cal row
  • 15 muscle snatch 75#
  • 90′ handstand walk
  • 15 muscle snatch 75#
  • 21-cal row
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The Row

Here are a few simple tips for rowing more efficiently.

  1. Relax your elbows. The more you tense up, the more fatiguing the row will be.
  2. Push your feet into the pads. Your legs are so strong! Use them by driving through your feet to generate power.
  3. Move the handle in a straight path. A straight line is the fastest route from Point A to Point B. No scooping needed.

The Muscle Snatch

If you’re not yet familiar with this movement, it’s like a regular snatch, except you don’t rebend your knees. Instead, your body unfolds and your legs stay straight at the top, as opposed to squatting under the bar at the end.

As with the classic Olympic lifts, your best bet is to keep the bar close. The further away it gets, the heavier it’s going to feel.

If you need to scale this, try going down in weight.

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The Handstand Walk

Smith added obstacles into his handstand walk, but for many of us, this will be a portion we need to scale. The first scaling option will be to simply walk in a straight line. If you’re going to attempt this, here are some quick tips for handstand walks.

  • Keep your core engaged. Don’t let your back arch. This will cause unnecessary strain.
  • Look down — not in front of you. Looking in front of you creates strain in your neck and throws off your positioning and balance.
  • Let your heels drift slightly ahead of you. This is what propels you forward.
  • Keep your feet together, toes pointed. Avoid letting your legs flail around. You’ll have to work harder to balance.

If regular handstand walks are out of the question, consider doing:

  • Handstand walks against the wall, letting one foot gently rest against it for support.
  • Wall walks.
  • Handstand holds against the wall.
  • Bear crawls.

As long as you’re staying true to your fitness level, all of these options will help you build strength.

Above all else, remember to breathe. This is a spicy one!

Music can help you train better. Check out TWL’s Spotify playlists for all the best WOD tunes.

Main image: Ben Smith/Instagram, photo by Charlotte Foerschler

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