CrossFitters have a simple, elegant, and highly taxing WOD in “Diane”: three rounds of 21, 15, and 9 reps of deadlifts (225 pounds) and handstand pushups (HSPUs).
But for the gym guy who wants to gain lean mass, Diane is good, but she lacks some muscle. So we challenged Mike Dewar, C.S.C.S., founder of the Barbell CEO (thebarbellceo.com), to give the WOD a hypertrophy-focused makeover.
His version and the explanations for his changes are below.
“These make the WOD a complete total-body workout with a high emphasis on back and lat strength,” Dewar says. “The deadlifts will pre-exhaust the back, and the wide-grip pullups will build slabs of muscle onto the frame. Most people will need to break up the reps. This turns the workout into a great rest-pause-style session.”
The Move: DEADLIFT
“Using 60% of your max ensures the weight is sufficient to cause a neurological stimulus to increase hormone output. Break up the rounds of 21 and 15 into smaller sets of six to 10 reps.”
The Move: BURPEE
“Take the burpees slow, working methodically,” Dewar says. “They’re there to help you breathe and relax—crazy, right?—rather than speed through and get back to the deadlifts completely annihilated.”
The Move: DB Z PRESS
“The Z press is a great swap to help lifters get a serious shoulder pump while also activating the core and lats.”
