How many Wall Ball shots does it take to make sitting down impossible for a few days post WOD? I am going to say roughly 150.

So there you are walking into your Box ready to workout, and there it is on the whiteboard, Karen, for time. Cancel all your plans for the next few days because functioning like a normal human being will inevitably be quiet challenging. Most athletes, regardless of fitness, will find 150 repetitions of any movement taxing on the body. Post WOD soreness isn’t immediate, which means the dreaded DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) strikes hard around 24-48 hours. Knowing this, and knowing that this type of movement works almost all of the major muscle groups, it is important to take the necessary steps to keep the muscles limber and mobile before the peak of the soreness hits.

Think of Wall Balls as low weight Thrusters with an added rest. In both movements, there is a low squat, the drive for explosive power and a press, but unlike Thrusters, we have a second or two to rest our arms as the ball leaves our hands and prepare for the catch. Now one thing about High Rep Wall Balls is that at some point when fatigue overrides form, strange things can occur. Maybe you begin looking up, straining the back of your neck or your torso dips down when you catch the ball causing unnecessary load on the low back. In the days following the WOD take note of that for form corrections. For the purpose of this article, we will focus more on the main target muscles when Wall Balls are done correctly.

These 5 WOD Recovery Yoga Poses will focus on stretching the following; low back, quads, glutes, neck, outer hips, hamstrings, inner groin, deltoids and triceps. Run through this sequence 2-3 times in the days following the High Rep Wall Ball WOD. Use the breath to release the tension in the body as you stretch by focusing on slowly breathing in and out through the nose.

**Since intense soreness and limited range of motion can play a huge roll in mobility post WOD, go slow, and only do what you can. It is best to do these poses once you are a little warm. Stay in each pose up to 2 minutes.

1. Eka Pada Rajakapotasana (One-Legged King Pigeon Pose)
Starting in a table top position, hands under the shoulders, knees under the hips, bring your right knee towards your right wrist and begin to extend the left leg back. Then, roll towards the front of your left thigh so your hips are square to the ground. Walk the hands away from the front shin and fold forward. You will feel a targeted stretch in the right glute.
**Pigeon pose can create a lot of tension in the knee if you hip is very tight, so if you are feeling any pain, switch to, Sucirandhrasana “Eye of the Kneedle.” See below.Start by lying on the floor.
Bend your left knee and place the foot on the ground. Right foot will go over and above your left knee and while keeping the right foot flexed, draw your left knee into your chest. You can choose to grab the back of the left thigh or front of the shin. Continue to press the right knee away from your chest as you draw your left knee in.

2. Ardha Malasana (Half One-Legged Squat)
Start by lowering into the bottom of your air squat. Extend the right leg out to the right, flexing the foot and pressing firmly through the right heel. Keeping your left heel down, let the hips sink down to the ground, slowly deepening the stretch in the right hamstring. Fingertips can stay on the ground for balance.

3. Sasangasana (Rabbit Pose)
Begin by kneeling on the ground. Bring the top of the head to the ground near the knees. As you begin to slowly roll towards the back of the head bringing the chin closer to the chest, widen the upper back, the hips will lift and the hands will reach towards the heels for leverage. The back of the neck and upper back is the target of this stretch.

4. Gomukhasana Arms (Cow Facing Pose-Arms)
Start by sitting on the heels feet and shins together. Bend the right elbow and grab it with the left hand. Draw the right elbow in towards the midline, making sure that the right tricep is rolling forward. From here, reach the left arm around the back, palm facing out. Walk the left fingertips towards the right and claps them together if possible. If not, use a strap or band to modify.

5. Extended Baddha Konasana (Extended Butterfly)
Start in a seated position with the soles of the feet together and knees wide. Extend the feet forward so that you make a diamond shape with the legs. On your exhale, bring the hands around the outside of the feet (for leverage), round the back and reach the forehead to the heels.