17.5 is...
17.5 is… THRUSTERS!!!
(You didn’t really think we weren’t going to have them, did you?)
This workout is all about pace, engine, and composure. The sets are small, but there’s a lot of them. You’re going to want to pick a pace that you will be able to maintain in the second half of the workout. 9 Thrusters and 35 dubs is pretty easy for 5 rounds, but that’s when this workout starts. Your arms will start to feel heavy, your heart rate will be through the roof, and that rope will have a vendetta against you.
Strategy… depends on your ability and goals. If you’re shooting for a top score in the region, you’ve got to go unbroken. Be sure to breathe with every thruster, and stay relaxed on your dubs, but don’t stop moving.
If dubs are a weakness, be sure to keep your composure. The surest way to keep tripping on dubs is by getting tense, getting frustrated, and trying too hard. Stay calm, keep your shoulders relaxed, hands close to your hips, and use only your wrists to spin the rope.
This is not as much a physically demanding workout as it is mental. There are a lot of rounds. Don’t try to keep track, that’s why you have a judge. Just keep moving. You’re not going to fail a thruster, and if you trip on a dub, take a couple of seconds to breathe and calm down, then start again.
Bottom line…. Just keep moving.