Scaling Blog Series: Skill

At some point almost everyone has walked into the gym to find a movement prescribed in the workout that they simply cannot do.  This isn't the "Wow, that's just too heavy". NOPE.  You can't even do the movement.  Some obvious examples of this are muscle ups, double unders and pistols, but it can be just about anything depending on where you're coming from.

So how do you do a workout with a movement that you cannot do?  You substitute in a different movement.  Substitution is a great way of scaling a workout and gives a lot of options when you feel stuck.

Picking the right movement to use can be a bit confusing for people though and this is where a coach can certainly help.   Typically who ever is programming will have purpose behind the chosen movement and there are a couple of directions that this can go.

Intensity:  When you substitute a different movement but keep intensity as the focus, the new movement needs to be something that you can do pretty well.  The goal of this type of scaling is to pick a movement that will give you the same effect as the programmed movement.  For example, if the workout calls for muscle ups, a good substitution to keep the intensity is 3 pullups and 3 ring dips.

Skill progression: Another method of substitution can be skill work on the desired movement. Usually this involves a scaled down version of the movement.  NOTE: this usually also decreases the intensity.  Using our muscle up example, you would fall to a phase in the progression to achieving a muscle up by using something to help get you up.  Maybe you practice muscle ups from your knees as the substitution.

Either of the above substitution methods are useful when there is a movement that you can't do. There is certainly a time and place for both and it can be dependent on the programming and your personal goals.

BIG NOTE:  This same approach can be used if you have an injury and cannot perform a movement.

So here's an example:
WOD:
5 Rounds
3 Muscle Ups
6 Snatch 95/65
9 Burpees

And you can't do Muscle Ups.   If the coach says that the goal is to keep the intensity up then I would modify this way:
5 Rounds
9 Pullups/9 Ring Dips
6 Snatch
9 Burpees

Now let's say the goal (yours or your trainers) is to practice the skill behind the muscle up or work on the transition.  I would modify this way:
3 Muscle Ups from my knees
6 Snatch
9 Burpees
My focus on the knee muscle ups would be on the transition from below the rings to above and to make it as clean as possible.

I'd love to get comments or question on this.  I'm sure there are specific movements that you struggle with and would like to know how to sub.