Friday, September 30, 2011
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Ultimate Sandbag Movements
Why is Urban WarFit CrossFit different?
We add depth to our training programs through elite level, fitness knowledge, and experience!
Think of it this way..
Does an NFL football player only play games to get better at his sport?
No, he doesn't. He weight trains for strength, and power. He works plyo-metrics, lateral movements for agility. He works sprinting, sled pushes, sled pulls, parachutes for speed.
On, and on through what we call "The Ten Skills" of CrossFit.
So, if you are set to only train in standardized movement, ask yourself "Is this making me better in this standardized movement, or will I eventually plateau?"
My point is, don't stop doing standard CrossFit WOD's whether if that be met-con, strength biased, etc. CrossFit serves its purpose. I'm just asking you to look at the big picture, and think about functional movement other than just moving heavy load the furthest in the shortest time. Look at functional movements that will compliment the development of that intensity level of being capable of moving that load without having something breaking in the process.
Kelly Starret is a genius in my mind, and probably one of the best things to happen to CrossFit. His Mobility WOD (mobilitywod.com) brings better balance to CrossFit. Our strength is governed by our mobility, or flexibility. As much as I LOVE CrossFit, there are missing components to just CrossFitting alone. As this is true to anything in life. This is what sets apart one CrossFit gym from the next. The knowledge, and experience to identify those missing components, and the capability of implementation with the programming.
Here are some additional movements to think about with using another tool outside of a barbell, kettlebell, or dumbell..
We add depth to our training programs through elite level, fitness knowledge, and experience!
Think of it this way..
Does an NFL football player only play games to get better at his sport?
No, he doesn't. He weight trains for strength, and power. He works plyo-metrics, lateral movements for agility. He works sprinting, sled pushes, sled pulls, parachutes for speed.
On, and on through what we call "The Ten Skills" of CrossFit.
So, if you are set to only train in standardized movement, ask yourself "Is this making me better in this standardized movement, or will I eventually plateau?"
My point is, don't stop doing standard CrossFit WOD's whether if that be met-con, strength biased, etc. CrossFit serves its purpose. I'm just asking you to look at the big picture, and think about functional movement other than just moving heavy load the furthest in the shortest time. Look at functional movements that will compliment the development of that intensity level of being capable of moving that load without having something breaking in the process.
Kelly Starret is a genius in my mind, and probably one of the best things to happen to CrossFit. His Mobility WOD (mobilitywod.com) brings better balance to CrossFit. Our strength is governed by our mobility, or flexibility. As much as I LOVE CrossFit, there are missing components to just CrossFitting alone. As this is true to anything in life. This is what sets apart one CrossFit gym from the next. The knowledge, and experience to identify those missing components, and the capability of implementation with the programming.
Here are some additional movements to think about with using another tool outside of a barbell, kettlebell, or dumbell..
Monday, September 12, 2011
Staying In The Fight
Staying in the Fight
By Mark Divine
In LEO/Mil, Rest Day/Theory
September 12, 2011
Former SEAL Mark Divine shares the secrets of true mental toughness.
What separates survivors from quitters in extreme challenges? When you look at the tactics used by successful SEALs, SEALFIT graduates, ultra-endurance athletes and survivors of natural disasters, they are surprisingly similar.
In the case of BUD/s selection or SEALFIT Kokoro Camp, quitting means you get a blanket and a cup of coffee. However, you must then deal with the long-term pain of regret. In the event of a firefight, accident or natural disaster, the stakes are much higher: life or death. Quitting is simply not an option.
So how can you learn to treat every worthy obstacle with the same hair-on-fire intensity as the life-and-death ones? The answer to this question is the Holy Grail of mental-toughness research. How can we train ourselves to make both minor and serious decisions with clarity and strength during our weakest moments? A single bad decision, made in a moment of weakness, can have disastrous consequences.
What follows are some tactics we teach at SEALFIT to help stay motivated, clear-headed and in control of our decisions so we can stay in the fight when it gets really shitty.
By Mark Divine
In LEO/Mil, Rest Day/Theory
September 12, 2011
Former SEAL Mark Divine shares the secrets of true mental toughness.
What separates survivors from quitters in extreme challenges? When you look at the tactics used by successful SEALs, SEALFIT graduates, ultra-endurance athletes and survivors of natural disasters, they are surprisingly similar.
In the case of BUD/s selection or SEALFIT Kokoro Camp, quitting means you get a blanket and a cup of coffee. However, you must then deal with the long-term pain of regret. In the event of a firefight, accident or natural disaster, the stakes are much higher: life or death. Quitting is simply not an option.
So how can you learn to treat every worthy obstacle with the same hair-on-fire intensity as the life-and-death ones? The answer to this question is the Holy Grail of mental-toughness research. How can we train ourselves to make both minor and serious decisions with clarity and strength during our weakest moments? A single bad decision, made in a moment of weakness, can have disastrous consequences.
What follows are some tactics we teach at SEALFIT to help stay motivated, clear-headed and in control of our decisions so we can stay in the fight when it gets really shitty.
Are You As Fit As a World War II GI?
Are You As Fit As a World War II GI?
by Brett & Kate McKay on September 12, 2011 · 13 comments
in Fitness,Health & Sports
Have men these days “gone soft?” Is our generation less manly than past generations? Are we less tough than our grandfathers?
I see guys debate these kinds of questions all the time. Of course it’s hard to quantify “toughness.” But there is one area where we can definitively say we’ve slipped–the Army fitness test isn’t as hard as it used to be.
The Army first introduced a formal fitness test to the troops in 1942. Millions of men were being called up to fight in World War II, and not all of them were prepared for the rigors of combat. To get the men in fighting shape, the Army implemented a systematic physical development program as part of the Combat Basic Training course. And the Army Ground Forces Test was designed to assess whether the program was having its desired effect. The test included squat jumps, sit-ups, pull-ups, push-ups, and a 300 yard run. The emphasis was on functional fitness and giving American GI’s the strength, mobility, and endurance they would need to tackle real tasks on the battlefield.
In 1946, a Physical Training School was created at Fort Bragg with the mission of exploring how to take the goal of functional fitness farther. The training program developed at the school and the fitness test were codified in the 1946 edition of FM 21-20, the Army’s physical training manual.
Basically, Grandpa was doing Cross-Fit before it was cool.
In 1953, the Physical Training School closed, and its focus on combat readiness was lost; in the ensuing decades, the military began to concentrate more on general fitness, focusing on aerobic over anaerobic exercises. The fitness test was revised several times during the 60s and 70s, and standards began to be assessed on a sliding scale based on age and gender.
In 1984, the Army Physical Readiness Test was introduced, and it continues to be used today. It has only three elements: sit-ups, push-ups, and a two mile run. In 1987, General Schwarzkopf became concerned that only 5% of soldiers were able to achieve the highest score on the test, and so the standards were eased and more provisions were made for age and gender.
Also, whereas soldiers who failed the test used to be discharged, this rule has been greatly relaxed.
For the past couple of decades, many critics have said that the physical fitness standards for the troops are too easy, and more importantly, don’t assess the kind of skills soldiers actually need in our current conflicts. In a time of new equipment like body armor, men are humping large loads for long periods, and are much more likely to be sprinting and crouching than running for miles at a time.
When Dr. Edward Thomas, an instructor at the Army Physical Fitness School, re-discovered the WWII fitness test and administered it to soldiers in the 1990s, he was surprised at the result: soberingly low scores. While the numbers of required repetitions for things like push-ups are higher in the modern test than the WWII version, the standard for the precision with which the repetitions must be completed has been relaxed. Consequently, when Thomas tested the modern soldiers, they could only do a fraction of the repetitions required of WWII GIs.
In the last several years, the Army has been changing its physical training program to concentrate more on functional fitness and is currently developing a new fitness test which will be rolled out in the future and incorporate things like a shuttle run and long jump.
_______________________________
Well all that interesting history aside, I thought AoM readers, civilians and soldiers alike, would enjoy seeing how they stacked up against their grandfathers by taking the WWII fitness test. Why take the test? Well as the introduction to the original test itself says, “Tests motivate the men to improve their physical condition. Frequently men do not realize what poor condition they are in. When the tests reveal their deficiencies, they are much more receptive to an intensive physical training program in order to remedy their shortcomings.”
So maybe taking the test will inspire you to get in shape (or inspire you to feel awesome about how in shape you already are).
If you’re a coach, it might be fun to have your guys take the test–seems like it would be a great team-building exercise for your own little band of brothers.
Before we get to the test, let’s go over a couple of guidelines:
■As mentioned above, the WWII test requires that the exercises be done with strict precision. To get an accurate assessment of how you did, don’t sacrifice quality for quantity!
■In the chart below, you will see two batteries of tests–one for doing outdoors, one for doing indoors. Pick one of the other–not both. The fifth test in the indoor battery includes two variations–choose one or the other.
The WWII Fitness Test
OUTDOOR TESTS
INDOOR TESTS
1. Pullups
1. Pullups
2. Squat Jumps
2. Squat Jumps
3. Pushups
3. Pushups
4. Situps
4. Situps
5. 300-yard Run
5A. Indoor Shuttle Run
5A(1). 60-Second Squat Thrusts
TEST 1: PULLUPS
This event requires a horizontal bar. This may be made of a pipe or gymnasium horizontal bar, or other rigid horizontal support which is not over 1½ inches in diameter. The bar should be high enough to permit the performer to hang at full length without touching the ground. A height of 7 feet, 9 inches to 8 feet is recommended.
Starting Position. Hanging at full length from the bar with arms straight. The forward grasp is used with the palms turned away from the face.
Movement. Pull up until the chin is above the level of the bar. Then lower the body until elbows are completely straight. Continue for as many repetitions as possible.
Instructions. The men should be told that it is permissible to raise the legs and flex the hips when pulling up but not to kick or execute a jerking motion with trunk or legs. The body must be kept from swinging. The chin must be raised above the bar. The arms must be completely straight at the bottom of the movement.
Administration and Scoring. Each time the performer pulls his chin above the bar in correct form, he is given credit for one pullup. He is not credited with a pullup if he fails to raise his chin above the level of the bar or if he stops to rest. If the performer does not straighten his arms at the bottom of a movement, if he kicks or jerks, only half a pullup will be counted. If there are four half-pullups, the performer should be stopped and retested later. If the performer starts to swing, the judge should stop the swinging with his hands. Some such aid as a resin-bag or a cake of magnesium carbonate should be available to prevent the hands from slipping.
TEST 2: SQUAT JUMPS
Starting Position. Squatting on right heel with fingers laced on top of head, palms down. The feet are 4 to 6 inches apart with the heel of the left foot on a line with the toes of the right foot.
Movement. Spring upward until both knees are straight and both feet clear the ground. Jump just enough to permit straightening the knees without touching the ground. Do not jump any higher than necessary to accomplish this purpose. Keep the upper body erect. While off the ground, reverse the position of the feet bringing the right foot in front. Then drop to a squat on the left heel. Keep the knees pointing forward. Spring up again and continue for as many repetitions as possible.
Instructions. The men should be told that the most common errors are: getting the feet too far apart, forward and backward, and failing to squat down on the rear heel. The correct position should be demonstrated clearly, and the men should be given sufficient practice to master it. The action must be continuous throughout. Before beginning the event, the men should be told that it requires courage almost to the same extent as it requires strength and endurance and that they should not give up until they cannot make another movement.
Administration and Scoring. The performer is credited with one squat jump each time he springs up from the squat to the erect position and returns. The movement is not scored if he fails to descend to a complete squat, if he does not straighten his legs completely and reverse his feet while he is in the air, if he removes his hand from his head, or if he discontinues the movement and comes to a stop. If he loses his balance and removes a hand from his head momentarily, or falls but immediately recovers and continues, he shall not be penalized. If the performer gets his feet too far apart but comes to a squat on the rear foot, there is no penalty. Some men cannot squat all the way down on the heel. If they go down as far as possible they should not be penalized.
TEST 3: PUSHUPS
Starting Position. The performer assumes the front leaning rest position with the body straight from head to heels. His palms are directly underneath the shoulders and elbows are straight. Fingers pointed forward. The judge sits on the ground beside the performer, with one palm down on the ground underneath the lowest part of the performer’s chest.
Movement. Lower body until chest touches the ground (in informal practice), or touches the hand of the judge (in formal testing). Elbows must point directly to the rear. Return to the original position by straightening elbows. Keep the entire body in a straight line throughout. Repeat as many times as possible.
Instructions. The performer is told: that the arms must be straight at the start and completion of the movement; that the chest must touch the judge’s hand; and that the stomach, thighs, or legs must not touch the floor. Hands and feet must not move from their positions. He is also told that the whole body must be kept straight as he pushes the shoulders upward; that is, the shoulders should not be raised first, and then the hips or vice versa. The judge uses his free hand to guide the man in case he is raising his hips too much or raising his shoulders first. In the first instance, he taps the man on the top of the hips to straighten them out; in the second case he taps underneath the abdomen to make him raise his abdomen with the same speed as his shoulders.
Administration and Scoring. The performer is credited with one pushup each time his arms are completely straightened and the exercise is performed in acceptable form. There is no penalty for the hips being slightly out of line if the whole body is moving upward at about the same speed. The men may proceed but may not stop to rest. If a man violates any of the instructions given above, he is credited with a half-pushup. If and when the performer is no longer able to hold a correct front leaning rest, the test is terminated.
TEST 4: SITUPS
Starting Position. Performer lies on his back with knees straight, feet approximately 18 inches apart and fingers laced behind head and elbows on the ground. The scorer kneels on the ground at the performer’s feet and presses the performer’s ankles firmly down against the ground.
Movement. Raise upper body rotating it somewhat to the left, and then forward far enough to touch the right elbow to the left knee. The knees may bend slightly when sitting up. Lower the body until the back and elbows again touches the ground. Again sit up, but this time rotate the trunk to the right and touch left elbow to the right knee. Again lower the body until the back touches the ground. Perform as many situps as possible in two minutes. Rest pauses are permitted during the test but count toward the 2-minute period.
Instructions. The performer should be warned that he must keep his knees straight until he starts to sit up; that he must touch his knee with the opposite elbow; and that he may not push up from the ground with his elbow.
Administration and Scoring. Performer is given credit for each situp completed within the 2-minute period. No score is given if he unclasps his hand from his head, if he pushes up from his elbow, or if he keeps his knees bent while lying back on the ground. He is not penalized if the elbow misses the knee slightly. He must, however, sit up far enough so that the elbow almost touches the knee. Time should be announced every 20 seconds. At the end of 2 minutes, the timer calls: STOP and the judge counts the full number of situps completed before the stop command.
TEST 5: 300-YARD RUN
A course 60 yards long is laid out on flat level ground with lanes 4 feet wide for for each runner. Both ends of the course have cross-marks at right angles to the lanes. The cross-mark at one end serves as a starting line; the one at the other end, as a finish line. In the middle of the cross mark at either end of each lane is a stake which is at least 1½ feet high. If possible the lanes should be marked out in lime. If there are no lanes, it is recommended that the stakes be numbered or painted different colors. Each performer must run around his stake without grasping it.
Starting Position. Standing behind the starting mark in the lane with rear foot braced by another man’s foot placed crossways behind it.
Movement. At the starting signal, run to the stake at the farther end of the lane. Run around the stake at the finish line. Then return and run around the stake at the starting line. Continue until five lengths of the course, or 300 yards have been run. Make each turn from right to left. The run will finish at the opposite end of the course from which it started.
Instructions. The men should be told to run about 9/10ths full speed, to run straight down the lane, to turn around the far stake from right to left without touching it, and to return running around the stakes one after another until they have traveled five full lengths. The men should also be instructed to walk around slowly for 3 or 4 minutes after completing the run. Recovery will be much more rapid if they walk than if they lie down.
Administration and Scoring. Each runner has one inspector, or judge, who stands at the finish line. The judge watches his runner to see that he makes the turns properly and observes all the rules. This inspector also holds the man’s card and records his performance. A timekeeper stands on one of the lines in the middle of the course, 20 feet away from the finish line. The men are started by the starter with ordinary signals of: “Get on your mark; get set; go.” Since the timer starts his watch by the “go”, the starter should also use a hand signal.
When the first runner is about 30 yards away from the finish line, the timer begins to count the seconds aloud using “hup” for the half-seconds. For example, he counts “44, hup, 45, hup, 46, hup, 47, hup, 48, hup …… etc.” The judge for each man listens to the count and at the same time watches his runner. He then records the last full second or half-second, which was counted before the man reached the finish line. After the inspector records the time on the man’s scorecard he returns the card to him.
TEST 5A: INDOOR SHUTTLE RUN
A course 25 yards long is laid out on the gymnasium floor with a lane 4 feet wide for each runner. The lanes should be marked on the floor with water-solvent coloring, chalk, paint or adhesive tape. Turning boards are placed at both ends of the course. Each turning board is placed at a 45º angle, facing inside the lane and toward the runner. The turning boards must be firmly braced and made of heavy material. They should be from 12 to 16 inches in width. The lower edges of the turning boards are flush with the end of the lines of the running area. The number of each lane will be painted on the face of its board.
Starting Position. Ready for a sprint start, with one foot braced against a turning board and the other foot and the hands extended into the lane.
Movement. On the starting signal, run to the turning board at the other end of the lane. Touch board with foot or feet. Turn and continue running until completing ten shuttle trips or laps (for a total of 250 yards). Touch the turning board at the end of each lap, except the final one. At the end of the final lap, the runner will continue across the turning board. Any footwork may be used in making the turn provided the foot or feet touch the turning board each time.
Instructions. Each runner must stay in his own lane. Any method may be used in making the turn, although it is recommended that the forward foot touch the block on the turn. In the event a runner falls or is hindered by another participant entering his lane during the progress of the run, he may be permitted to repeat the run later in the same period.
Administration and Scoring. This event is administered and scored as the 300-yard run. The time of the run is taken as the runner’s body passes beyond the turning board on the final lap.
TEST 5A(l): 60 SECOND SQUAT THRUST
When it is not possible to employ the indoor shuttle run as a substitute for the 300-yard run the 60-second squat thrust should be used.
Starting Position. Attention.
Movement. Bend at knees and hips and, squatting down, place hands on ground shoulder width apart. Keep the elbows inside the knees. Thrust feet and legs backward to a front leaning rest position. Keep body straight from head to heels. Support weight on hands and toes. Recover to the squatting position. Then recover to starting position.
Instructions. The men should be told that in executing this movement for speed the shoulders should be well ahead of the hands when the legs are thrust backwards. Extending the legs too far backward, so that the shoulders are behind the hands, makes it difficult to return to the original position with speed. On the preliminary practice, the performer is told he will score better if he does not make a full knee-bend, but bends his knees only to about a right angle; and that he should keep his arms straight. It is not a failure if he bends his arms but the performer will not be able to score as well.
Administration and Scoring. A score is given for the successful performance of each complete squat thrust. No score is given if: the feet start backward before the hands are placed on the ground; the hips are raised above the shoulder-heel line when the feet are back; or the performer does not fully recover to the erect position on the fourth count. The judge should not count aloud as this is apt to confuse other nearby judges. If the man is performing the event incorrectly, the judge should coach him, or stop him and have him repeat the test after more coaching.
by Brett & Kate McKay on September 12, 2011 · 13 comments
in Fitness,Health & Sports
Have men these days “gone soft?” Is our generation less manly than past generations? Are we less tough than our grandfathers?
I see guys debate these kinds of questions all the time. Of course it’s hard to quantify “toughness.” But there is one area where we can definitively say we’ve slipped–the Army fitness test isn’t as hard as it used to be.
The Army first introduced a formal fitness test to the troops in 1942. Millions of men were being called up to fight in World War II, and not all of them were prepared for the rigors of combat. To get the men in fighting shape, the Army implemented a systematic physical development program as part of the Combat Basic Training course. And the Army Ground Forces Test was designed to assess whether the program was having its desired effect. The test included squat jumps, sit-ups, pull-ups, push-ups, and a 300 yard run. The emphasis was on functional fitness and giving American GI’s the strength, mobility, and endurance they would need to tackle real tasks on the battlefield.
In 1946, a Physical Training School was created at Fort Bragg with the mission of exploring how to take the goal of functional fitness farther. The training program developed at the school and the fitness test were codified in the 1946 edition of FM 21-20, the Army’s physical training manual.
Basically, Grandpa was doing Cross-Fit before it was cool.
In 1953, the Physical Training School closed, and its focus on combat readiness was lost; in the ensuing decades, the military began to concentrate more on general fitness, focusing on aerobic over anaerobic exercises. The fitness test was revised several times during the 60s and 70s, and standards began to be assessed on a sliding scale based on age and gender.
In 1984, the Army Physical Readiness Test was introduced, and it continues to be used today. It has only three elements: sit-ups, push-ups, and a two mile run. In 1987, General Schwarzkopf became concerned that only 5% of soldiers were able to achieve the highest score on the test, and so the standards were eased and more provisions were made for age and gender.
Also, whereas soldiers who failed the test used to be discharged, this rule has been greatly relaxed.
For the past couple of decades, many critics have said that the physical fitness standards for the troops are too easy, and more importantly, don’t assess the kind of skills soldiers actually need in our current conflicts. In a time of new equipment like body armor, men are humping large loads for long periods, and are much more likely to be sprinting and crouching than running for miles at a time.
When Dr. Edward Thomas, an instructor at the Army Physical Fitness School, re-discovered the WWII fitness test and administered it to soldiers in the 1990s, he was surprised at the result: soberingly low scores. While the numbers of required repetitions for things like push-ups are higher in the modern test than the WWII version, the standard for the precision with which the repetitions must be completed has been relaxed. Consequently, when Thomas tested the modern soldiers, they could only do a fraction of the repetitions required of WWII GIs.
In the last several years, the Army has been changing its physical training program to concentrate more on functional fitness and is currently developing a new fitness test which will be rolled out in the future and incorporate things like a shuttle run and long jump.
_______________________________
Well all that interesting history aside, I thought AoM readers, civilians and soldiers alike, would enjoy seeing how they stacked up against their grandfathers by taking the WWII fitness test. Why take the test? Well as the introduction to the original test itself says, “Tests motivate the men to improve their physical condition. Frequently men do not realize what poor condition they are in. When the tests reveal their deficiencies, they are much more receptive to an intensive physical training program in order to remedy their shortcomings.”
So maybe taking the test will inspire you to get in shape (or inspire you to feel awesome about how in shape you already are).
If you’re a coach, it might be fun to have your guys take the test–seems like it would be a great team-building exercise for your own little band of brothers.
Before we get to the test, let’s go over a couple of guidelines:
■As mentioned above, the WWII test requires that the exercises be done with strict precision. To get an accurate assessment of how you did, don’t sacrifice quality for quantity!
■In the chart below, you will see two batteries of tests–one for doing outdoors, one for doing indoors. Pick one of the other–not both. The fifth test in the indoor battery includes two variations–choose one or the other.
The WWII Fitness Test
OUTDOOR TESTS
INDOOR TESTS
1. Pullups
1. Pullups
2. Squat Jumps
2. Squat Jumps
3. Pushups
3. Pushups
4. Situps
4. Situps
5. 300-yard Run
5A. Indoor Shuttle Run
5A(1). 60-Second Squat Thrusts
TEST 1: PULLUPS
This event requires a horizontal bar. This may be made of a pipe or gymnasium horizontal bar, or other rigid horizontal support which is not over 1½ inches in diameter. The bar should be high enough to permit the performer to hang at full length without touching the ground. A height of 7 feet, 9 inches to 8 feet is recommended.
Starting Position. Hanging at full length from the bar with arms straight. The forward grasp is used with the palms turned away from the face.
Movement. Pull up until the chin is above the level of the bar. Then lower the body until elbows are completely straight. Continue for as many repetitions as possible.
Instructions. The men should be told that it is permissible to raise the legs and flex the hips when pulling up but not to kick or execute a jerking motion with trunk or legs. The body must be kept from swinging. The chin must be raised above the bar. The arms must be completely straight at the bottom of the movement.
Administration and Scoring. Each time the performer pulls his chin above the bar in correct form, he is given credit for one pullup. He is not credited with a pullup if he fails to raise his chin above the level of the bar or if he stops to rest. If the performer does not straighten his arms at the bottom of a movement, if he kicks or jerks, only half a pullup will be counted. If there are four half-pullups, the performer should be stopped and retested later. If the performer starts to swing, the judge should stop the swinging with his hands. Some such aid as a resin-bag or a cake of magnesium carbonate should be available to prevent the hands from slipping.
TEST 2: SQUAT JUMPS
Starting Position. Squatting on right heel with fingers laced on top of head, palms down. The feet are 4 to 6 inches apart with the heel of the left foot on a line with the toes of the right foot.
Movement. Spring upward until both knees are straight and both feet clear the ground. Jump just enough to permit straightening the knees without touching the ground. Do not jump any higher than necessary to accomplish this purpose. Keep the upper body erect. While off the ground, reverse the position of the feet bringing the right foot in front. Then drop to a squat on the left heel. Keep the knees pointing forward. Spring up again and continue for as many repetitions as possible.
Instructions. The men should be told that the most common errors are: getting the feet too far apart, forward and backward, and failing to squat down on the rear heel. The correct position should be demonstrated clearly, and the men should be given sufficient practice to master it. The action must be continuous throughout. Before beginning the event, the men should be told that it requires courage almost to the same extent as it requires strength and endurance and that they should not give up until they cannot make another movement.
Administration and Scoring. The performer is credited with one squat jump each time he springs up from the squat to the erect position and returns. The movement is not scored if he fails to descend to a complete squat, if he does not straighten his legs completely and reverse his feet while he is in the air, if he removes his hand from his head, or if he discontinues the movement and comes to a stop. If he loses his balance and removes a hand from his head momentarily, or falls but immediately recovers and continues, he shall not be penalized. If the performer gets his feet too far apart but comes to a squat on the rear foot, there is no penalty. Some men cannot squat all the way down on the heel. If they go down as far as possible they should not be penalized.
TEST 3: PUSHUPS
Starting Position. The performer assumes the front leaning rest position with the body straight from head to heels. His palms are directly underneath the shoulders and elbows are straight. Fingers pointed forward. The judge sits on the ground beside the performer, with one palm down on the ground underneath the lowest part of the performer’s chest.
Movement. Lower body until chest touches the ground (in informal practice), or touches the hand of the judge (in formal testing). Elbows must point directly to the rear. Return to the original position by straightening elbows. Keep the entire body in a straight line throughout. Repeat as many times as possible.
Instructions. The performer is told: that the arms must be straight at the start and completion of the movement; that the chest must touch the judge’s hand; and that the stomach, thighs, or legs must not touch the floor. Hands and feet must not move from their positions. He is also told that the whole body must be kept straight as he pushes the shoulders upward; that is, the shoulders should not be raised first, and then the hips or vice versa. The judge uses his free hand to guide the man in case he is raising his hips too much or raising his shoulders first. In the first instance, he taps the man on the top of the hips to straighten them out; in the second case he taps underneath the abdomen to make him raise his abdomen with the same speed as his shoulders.
Administration and Scoring. The performer is credited with one pushup each time his arms are completely straightened and the exercise is performed in acceptable form. There is no penalty for the hips being slightly out of line if the whole body is moving upward at about the same speed. The men may proceed but may not stop to rest. If a man violates any of the instructions given above, he is credited with a half-pushup. If and when the performer is no longer able to hold a correct front leaning rest, the test is terminated.
TEST 4: SITUPS
Starting Position. Performer lies on his back with knees straight, feet approximately 18 inches apart and fingers laced behind head and elbows on the ground. The scorer kneels on the ground at the performer’s feet and presses the performer’s ankles firmly down against the ground.
Movement. Raise upper body rotating it somewhat to the left, and then forward far enough to touch the right elbow to the left knee. The knees may bend slightly when sitting up. Lower the body until the back and elbows again touches the ground. Again sit up, but this time rotate the trunk to the right and touch left elbow to the right knee. Again lower the body until the back touches the ground. Perform as many situps as possible in two minutes. Rest pauses are permitted during the test but count toward the 2-minute period.
Instructions. The performer should be warned that he must keep his knees straight until he starts to sit up; that he must touch his knee with the opposite elbow; and that he may not push up from the ground with his elbow.
Administration and Scoring. Performer is given credit for each situp completed within the 2-minute period. No score is given if he unclasps his hand from his head, if he pushes up from his elbow, or if he keeps his knees bent while lying back on the ground. He is not penalized if the elbow misses the knee slightly. He must, however, sit up far enough so that the elbow almost touches the knee. Time should be announced every 20 seconds. At the end of 2 minutes, the timer calls: STOP and the judge counts the full number of situps completed before the stop command.
TEST 5: 300-YARD RUN
A course 60 yards long is laid out on flat level ground with lanes 4 feet wide for for each runner. Both ends of the course have cross-marks at right angles to the lanes. The cross-mark at one end serves as a starting line; the one at the other end, as a finish line. In the middle of the cross mark at either end of each lane is a stake which is at least 1½ feet high. If possible the lanes should be marked out in lime. If there are no lanes, it is recommended that the stakes be numbered or painted different colors. Each performer must run around his stake without grasping it.
Starting Position. Standing behind the starting mark in the lane with rear foot braced by another man’s foot placed crossways behind it.
Movement. At the starting signal, run to the stake at the farther end of the lane. Run around the stake at the finish line. Then return and run around the stake at the starting line. Continue until five lengths of the course, or 300 yards have been run. Make each turn from right to left. The run will finish at the opposite end of the course from which it started.
Instructions. The men should be told to run about 9/10ths full speed, to run straight down the lane, to turn around the far stake from right to left without touching it, and to return running around the stakes one after another until they have traveled five full lengths. The men should also be instructed to walk around slowly for 3 or 4 minutes after completing the run. Recovery will be much more rapid if they walk than if they lie down.
Administration and Scoring. Each runner has one inspector, or judge, who stands at the finish line. The judge watches his runner to see that he makes the turns properly and observes all the rules. This inspector also holds the man’s card and records his performance. A timekeeper stands on one of the lines in the middle of the course, 20 feet away from the finish line. The men are started by the starter with ordinary signals of: “Get on your mark; get set; go.” Since the timer starts his watch by the “go”, the starter should also use a hand signal.
When the first runner is about 30 yards away from the finish line, the timer begins to count the seconds aloud using “hup” for the half-seconds. For example, he counts “44, hup, 45, hup, 46, hup, 47, hup, 48, hup …… etc.” The judge for each man listens to the count and at the same time watches his runner. He then records the last full second or half-second, which was counted before the man reached the finish line. After the inspector records the time on the man’s scorecard he returns the card to him.
TEST 5A: INDOOR SHUTTLE RUN
A course 25 yards long is laid out on the gymnasium floor with a lane 4 feet wide for each runner. The lanes should be marked on the floor with water-solvent coloring, chalk, paint or adhesive tape. Turning boards are placed at both ends of the course. Each turning board is placed at a 45º angle, facing inside the lane and toward the runner. The turning boards must be firmly braced and made of heavy material. They should be from 12 to 16 inches in width. The lower edges of the turning boards are flush with the end of the lines of the running area. The number of each lane will be painted on the face of its board.
Starting Position. Ready for a sprint start, with one foot braced against a turning board and the other foot and the hands extended into the lane.
Movement. On the starting signal, run to the turning board at the other end of the lane. Touch board with foot or feet. Turn and continue running until completing ten shuttle trips or laps (for a total of 250 yards). Touch the turning board at the end of each lap, except the final one. At the end of the final lap, the runner will continue across the turning board. Any footwork may be used in making the turn provided the foot or feet touch the turning board each time.
Instructions. Each runner must stay in his own lane. Any method may be used in making the turn, although it is recommended that the forward foot touch the block on the turn. In the event a runner falls or is hindered by another participant entering his lane during the progress of the run, he may be permitted to repeat the run later in the same period.
Administration and Scoring. This event is administered and scored as the 300-yard run. The time of the run is taken as the runner’s body passes beyond the turning board on the final lap.
TEST 5A(l): 60 SECOND SQUAT THRUST
When it is not possible to employ the indoor shuttle run as a substitute for the 300-yard run the 60-second squat thrust should be used.
Starting Position. Attention.
Movement. Bend at knees and hips and, squatting down, place hands on ground shoulder width apart. Keep the elbows inside the knees. Thrust feet and legs backward to a front leaning rest position. Keep body straight from head to heels. Support weight on hands and toes. Recover to the squatting position. Then recover to starting position.
Instructions. The men should be told that in executing this movement for speed the shoulders should be well ahead of the hands when the legs are thrust backwards. Extending the legs too far backward, so that the shoulders are behind the hands, makes it difficult to return to the original position with speed. On the preliminary practice, the performer is told he will score better if he does not make a full knee-bend, but bends his knees only to about a right angle; and that he should keep his arms straight. It is not a failure if he bends his arms but the performer will not be able to score as well.
Administration and Scoring. A score is given for the successful performance of each complete squat thrust. No score is given if: the feet start backward before the hands are placed on the ground; the hips are raised above the shoulder-heel line when the feet are back; or the performer does not fully recover to the erect position on the fourth count. The judge should not count aloud as this is apt to confuse other nearby judges. If the man is performing the event incorrectly, the judge should coach him, or stop him and have him repeat the test after more coaching.
Saturday, September 10, 2011
9 Basic Movements of CrossFit Broken Down
9 Basic Movements of CrossFit
Air Squat
Front Squat
Overhead Squat
Deadlift
Sumo-Deadlift High Pull
Shoulder Press
Push Press
Push jerk
Medicine Ball Clean
AIR SQUAT
THE AIR SQAT IS FOUNDATIONAL TO THE FRONT SQUAT AND OVERHEAD SQUAT.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SET UP:
• Stance = Shoulder Width
• Full Extension at hips and knees
EXECUTION:
• Weight on heels
• Lumbar curve maintained
• Chest up
• Butt travels back and down
• Bottom of Squat is below parallel
• Knees track parallel to feet
• Return to full extension at the hips and knees to complete movement
• Head position is neutral
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
FAULT: Lazy Lumbar curve, or Losing It (i.e. “Butt Wink”)
• Fix – Lift the chest while engaging the hip flexors by anteriorly rotating the pelvis strongly
• Fix – Raise the arms as you descend to the bottom of the squat
FAULT: Weight shifts forward to balls of feet
• Fix – Exaggerate weight in the heels by floating the toes slightly throughout the entire movement.
FAULT: Not low enough
• Fix – Squat to a 10’’ box or medicine ball to develop awareness of depth.
FAULT: Knees roll in
• Fix – Push knees out or “Spread the ground with your feet.”
• Fix – Push knees out with elbows at bottom of squat to familiarize yourself with knee position.
FAULT: Immature Squat: Lumbar curve is maintained, depth might be there, and heels are in contact with the ground, but the athlete has to cantilever forward excessively onto the quads to maintain balance
• Fix – Squat Therapy: Set up facing a wall with a 10’’ box under butt. Set up in the proper stance, with heels to the box, chest close to wall. Squat to box while maintaining control and weight in heels.
FRONT SQUAT
The Setup, Execution, Points of Performance, and Corrections carry over exactly from the Air Squat. We now add a load in the FRONT RACK POSITION.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SET UP:
• Stance= Shoulder Width
• Full extension of knees and hips
• Bar “racked” on the shoulders (create a shelf for the bar to sit on with the shoulders), hands outside shoulders, loose fingertip grip
• Elbows high, upper arm parallel to ground
EXECUTION:
• Weight on heels
• Lumbar curve maintained
• Chest up
• Elbows high; arms stay parallel to the ground throughout the whole movement
• Butt travels back and down
• Bottom of squat is below parallel
• Knees track parallel to the feet
• Return to full extension at the hips and knees to complete movement
• Head position in neutral
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
FAULTS: Bar not in contact with the torso or holding bar out in front
• Fix – Get elbows high and allow bar to roll back onto fingertips
FAULTS: Elbows drop and chest comes forward
• Fix – Pull elbows up and aim chest at ceiling. Stress a hard lumbar curve.
• Fix – Have someone place their hand or arm under elbows to help them maintain position
OVERHEAD SQUAT
The Setup, Execution, Points of Performance, and Corrections carry over exactly from the Air Squat. We now add a load in the OVERHEAD POSITION.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SET UP:
• Stance = Feet shoulder width apart
• Full extension at hips and knees
• Bar held overhead, in the frontal plane, with a wide grip
• Active Shoulders (Shoulders pushed up into the ears)
• Elbows locked
EXECUTION:
• Weight on heels
• Lumbar curve maintained
• Chest up
• Maintain constant upward pressure on the bar, and active shoulders to support the load
• Bar remains in the frontal plane or slightly behind
• Butt travels back and down
• Bottom of squat is below parallel
• Knees track parallel to the feet
• Return to full extension at the hips and knees to complete movement
• Head position is neutral
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
All faults and fixes from the Air Squat apply to this movement, plus the following:
FAULT: Lazy elbows and shoulders
• Fix – Actively press the bar up and press shoulders into ears
FAULT: Bar goes forward of the frontal plane
• Fix – Press bar up and pull it back to overhead or slightly behind
SHOULDER PRESS
The key elements of the Shoulder Press, and all the overhead lifts, are the setup position, the overhead position, tight belly, and the bar path. These are foundational to all the overhead lifts.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SETUP (This setup is exactly the same for all 3 overhead lifts):
• Stance = Hip Width
• Hands just outside the shoulders
• Bar in front, resting on the “rack” or “shelf” created by the shoulders
• Elbows down and in front of bar; elbows are lower than in the front squat
• Tight midsection
• Closed grip, with thumbs around the bar
EXECUTION:
• Drive through the heels; keep the whole body rigid; tight belly
• Bar travels straight up to locked out, with active shoulders, directly overhead
• Head accommodates bar (bar path has a straight line)
• To move head out of way of bar path, pull head back – Do not look up
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
FAULT: Bar forward of frontal plane
• Fix – Press up and pull back on the bar as it travels to overhead
FAULT: Leaning back, ribs sticking out
• Fix – Tighten abs/suck ribs cage down
FAULT: Passive shoulders or bent elbows
• Fix – Obtain active shoulders by pressing shoulders into ears
FAULT: Bar arcs out around the face
• Fix – Pull head BACK out of the way of the bar
• Fix – Check that the elbows are not too low in the set up
FAULT: Movement in feet, knees, and/or hips
• Fix – Maintain no motion of feet, knees, and/or hips during entire movement.
PUSH PRESS
The Push Press builds on the same setup and overhead position as the Shoulder Press. We add velocity with the dip and drive of the hip. The focus here is on a dip and drive that is explosive and straight down and up.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SETUP:
• Stance = Hip width
• Hands just outside the shoulders
• Bar in front; resting on the “rack” or “shelf created by the shoulders
• Elbows down and in front of the bar; elbows are lower than in the front squat
• Tight midsection
• Closed grip, with the thumbs around bar
EXECUTION:
• The cue for the action is: Dip – Drive – Press
• Dip: Perform a shallow dip (flexion) of the hips, where the knees push forward slightly, the butt goes back, and the chest stays upright
• Drive: Extend the hip rapidly and fully
• Press: Press the bar to overhead with locked arms
PRIMARY POINTS OF PERFORMANCE:
• Torso drops straight down on the dip. There is no forward inclination of the chest and no muting of the hip.
• Aggressive turnaround from the dip to the drive.
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
All faults and fixes from the Shoulder Press apply to this movement, plus the following:
FAULT: Out of sequence: Press begins before hip opens up
• Fix – Repeat Dip – Drive with a fast tempo
FAULT: Cocking: Pausing at the dip
• Fix – Repeat Dip – Drive and more aggressive turnaround of the hip
FAULT: Forward inclination of the chest
• Fix – Hold in the dip position and make adjustments to the true upright torso
• Fix – If dip is too deep, obtain a shallower dip
• Fix – Dip Therapy: Stand with back against wall, with heels, butt, and shoulder blades all touching the wall; then dip and drive, keeping everything in contact with the wall.
FAULT: Muted hip
• Fix – Turn the pelvis over (anterior rotation) strongly
PUSH JERK
The Push Jerk builds from a good setup, a good overhead position, and a solid dip/drive. Now we focus on coordinating this movement so that the hip comes to full extension before the catch, and the catch occurs with the bar locked out overhead.
1. LEARNING THE MOVMENT
SETUP:
• Stance = Hip width
• Hands just outside the shoulders
• Bar in front; resting on the “rack” or “shelf created by the shoulders
• Elbows down and in front of the bar; elbows are lower than in the front squat
• Tight midsection
• Closed grip, with the thumbs around bar
EXECUTION:
• The cue for the action is “Dip, Drive, Press, and Dip”
• Dip: Perform a shallow dip (flexion) of the hips, where the knees push forward slightly, the butt goes back, and the chest stays upright
• Drive: Extend the hip rapidly and fully
• Press and Dip: Retreat the hip downward and drive the body under the bar, while rapidly pressing the bar overhead.
• “Catch” the bar with arms locked out overhead and in a partial squat position
• Stand to full extension with bar overhead
2 CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
All faults and fixes from the Shoulder Press and Push Press apply to this movement, plus the following:
FAULT: Movement pattern out of sequence
• Fix – Break it down via the progression and build back up to the full movement. It is as simple as a jump and land in the partial squat
FAULT: Hip never gets to full extension
• Fix – Exaggerate fully extending the hip by making your body 1-2 inches taller than your standing height. If you are 5’10’’, Dip and Drive yourself to 5’11’’.
FAULT: Landing too wide with feet
• Fix – Execute the movement without the feet moving from under the hips
• Fix – Therapy: Block the feel with plates or boxes or some object so you can’t jump too wide
• Fix – Punch up and pull back on the bar. Active shoulders
FAULT: Not standing all the way up with the bar before re-racking it on the shoulders
DEADLIFT
The Deadlift is foundational to the Sumo Deadlift High Pull and the Medicine Ball Clean.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SETUP:
• Stance = between hip width and shoulder width
• Weight in heels
• Back arched/lumbar curve locked in
• Shoulders slightly in front of bar
• Bar in contact with shins
• Arms locked out straight
• Symmetrical grip outside the knees, just wide enough not to interfere with the knees.
• The back is slightly slanted up with head and chest up
• The hamstrings are above parallel and stretched
EXECUTION:
• Drive through the heels
• Extend legs while hips and shoulders rise at the same rate
• Once the bar passes the knees, the hip opens all the way up
• Bar maintains contact with the legs the entire time
• Head neutral
• On return to the floor, push the hips back and shoulders forward slightly; delay the knee bend
• Once the bar descends below the knees and the torso angle is set, return the bar down to the setup position by bending the knees slightly
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
FAULT: Loss of lumbar curve
• Fix – Pull hips back and lift chest
• Fix – Abort and decrease the load to where the lumbar arch can be maintained
FAULT: Weight on or shifting on toes
• Fix – Settle into heels and pull hips back, maintaining tension in the hamstrings at start of movements, and focus on driving through the heels
• Fix – Check that the bar stays in contact with the legs throughout the movement
FAULT: Shoulders behind bar on setup
• Fix – Raise hips to move shoulder over or slightly in front of bar
FAULT: Hips rise before the chest (Stiff-Legged Deadlift)
• Fix – Allow the shoulders and chest to rise sooner. Lift the chest and hips at the same rate until the bar passes the knees
DEADLIFT con’t
FAULT: Bar travels around the knees instead of straight up
• Fix – Be sure to set up correctly: Weight in heels and with shoulders in front of the bar. Push knees back as chest and hips rise
• Fix – Stick Trick: Have a partner place 2 PVC pipes on either sides of the bar and execute a lift without hitting either stick
FAULT: Bar collides with knees on descent
• Fix – Initiate the return by pushing the hips back and delay the knee bend
FAULT: Bar loses contact with legs
• Fix – Pull the bar into your legs the whole time
SUMO DEADLIFT HIGH PULL
The Sumo Deadlift High Pull (SDHP) builds on the Deadlift, widening the stance, bringing the grip inside the knees, adding a shrug, an upward pull with the arms, but, most importantly velocity.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SETUP:
• Stance = Wider than shoulder width, but not so wide that the knees roll inside the feet
• Weight in heels
• Back arched/lumbar curve locked in
• Shoulders slightly in front of the bar
• Bar in contact with the shins
• Arms locked straight
• Symmetrical grip inside the knees (about 4-6 inches apart)
EXECUTION:
• Accelerate through the heels from the ground to full extension of the hips and legs
• Shrug, with arms straight
• Arms follow through by pulling bar to the chin with elbows high and outside
• Return the bar back down fluidly in the reverse sequence: arms, then traps, then hips, then knees, back to the setup position
PRIMARY POINTS OF PERFORMANCE:
• Hips open before the shrug and arm bend
• Bar is pulled up just to below the chin
• Fast and aggressive
• Elbow travel and finish high and outside; elbows are higher than the hands at all times during the movement
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
All faults and fixes from the Deadlift apply to this movement, plus the following:
FAULTS: Pulling too early with the arms, hip not completely open before the shrug or arm pull
• Fix – Go to step 3 in the progression. Emphasize that the hip needs to fire first, before the arms. Try 2 Sumo Deadlift Shrugs for every full SDHP; do as many times as needed
FAULT: No shrug
• Fix – Back to progression. Do 2 Sumo Deadlift Shrugs and one High Pull; do as many times as needed
FAULT: Incorrect descent (Hips before arms)
• Fix – Slow down the movement; return the arms then hips, then legs, then speed it up again
SUMO DEADLIFT HIGH PULL con’t
FAULT: Segmenting the movement
• Fix – Accelerate or jump the bar off the ground
FAULT: Losing control and levelness of bar
• Fix – Widen the grip a bit. Make sure the grip is symmetrical to the bar
FAULT: Running the bar into the knees
• Fix – Narrow the grip and make sure the hips aren’t too low in the setup position
MEDICINE BALL CLEAN
The medicine ball cleans builds on the set up and movement pattern of the Sumo Deadlift High Pull adding a pull under the object.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SETUP:
• Stance = Shoulder width apart or slightly wider
• Weight in heels
• Back arched/lumbar curve locked in
• Shoulders are over the ball
• Ball on the floor between the legs with clearance for the arms
• Arms straight, palms on outside of the ball; fingertips pointing down
EXECUTION:
• Accelerate through the heels from the ground to full extension of the hips and legs
• Shrug, with arms straight
• Hip retreats; land in a full front squat with the elbows beneath the ball
• Stand to full extension with the ball in the rack position to complete the movement
• Return to setup
PRIMARY POINTS OF PERFORMANCE
• Hips reach full extension
• Hip is extended and shrug is initiated before arms pull
• The ball is caught in a low (below parallel) and tight (not collapsed) front squat position
• Fast and aggressive throughout
• Athlete stands all the way up with the ball in the rack position to finish
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
All faults and fixes from the Deadlift apply to this movement, plus the following:
FAULT: Hip does not open all the way
• Fix – Go back to step 2 of progression (Deadlift Shrug). Do 2 Deadlift Shrugs for every Med Ball Clean
• Fix – Tactile Cue: Have a partner place their hand 1-2 inches above your head while you are standing up straight. Then do a Med Ball Clean being sure to hit your partners hand with the top of your head before dropping into the front squat position.
FAULT: No shrug
• Fix – Go back to step 2 of progression (Deadlift –Shrug). Do 2 Deadlift Shrugs for every Med Ball Clean.
MEDICINE BALL CLEAN con’t
FAULT: Pulling with the arms
• Fix – Deadlift Shrug, 2 reps for every Med Ball Clean.
• Fix – Two “Shrug and Drop Unders” (step 4 from the progression) for every
Med Ball Clean
FAULT: Tossing the Med Ball
• Fix – Hold the ball without your fingers, using only palms or fists only
FAULT: Curling the ball
• Fix – Back to progression: Deadlift Shrug, 2 reps for every 1 Med Ball Clean
• Fix – Have partner stand in front of you to prevent curling. Can also be done with a wall.
• Fix – Have the laces of the ball remain up for the entire movement.
FAULT: Squat collapses in the catch
• Fix – Go back to Step 4 of the progression (Shrug and Drop Under). Focus on a tight lumbar arch, and keeping the chest up at the bottom of the catch.
FAULT: Unable to drop under the ball fully
• Fix – Do 2 “Shrug and Drop Unders” (step 4 in progression) for every 1 Med Ball Clean
• Fix – Tactile Cue: Have partner hold ball at the peak of the shrug and then drop under the ball as your partner holds it.
PROGRESSIONS FOR MOVEMENTS
PUSH PRESS
1. Dip (check chest and hip)
2. Dip-drive slow
3. Dip-drive fast
4. Dip-drive-press (full Push Press)
PUSH JERK
1. Jump and land with hands at sides. Stick the landing.
2. Jump and land with hands at shoulders throughout the move. Stick the landing.
3. Jump with hands at shoulder and extend them overhead at the same time as the land.
4. With stick in hands, full Push Jerk.
SUMO DEADLIFT HIGH PULL
1. Sumo Deadlift
2. Sumo Deadlift-Shrug slow
3. Sumo Deadlift-Shrug fast
4. Full Sumo Deadlift High Pull
MEDICINE BALL CLEAN
1. Deadlift (focus on good setup)
2. Deadlift-Shrug (focus on fast extensions and shrug with no arm bend)
3. Front Squat (focus on depth of the catch)
4. Shrug and Drop Under (focus on shrug and beating the ball down, catching it low and tight
5. Full Medicine Ball Clean
Air Squat
Front Squat
Overhead Squat
Deadlift
Sumo-Deadlift High Pull
Shoulder Press
Push Press
Push jerk
Medicine Ball Clean
AIR SQUAT
THE AIR SQAT IS FOUNDATIONAL TO THE FRONT SQUAT AND OVERHEAD SQUAT.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SET UP:
• Stance = Shoulder Width
• Full Extension at hips and knees
EXECUTION:
• Weight on heels
• Lumbar curve maintained
• Chest up
• Butt travels back and down
• Bottom of Squat is below parallel
• Knees track parallel to feet
• Return to full extension at the hips and knees to complete movement
• Head position is neutral
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
FAULT: Lazy Lumbar curve, or Losing It (i.e. “Butt Wink”)
• Fix – Lift the chest while engaging the hip flexors by anteriorly rotating the pelvis strongly
• Fix – Raise the arms as you descend to the bottom of the squat
FAULT: Weight shifts forward to balls of feet
• Fix – Exaggerate weight in the heels by floating the toes slightly throughout the entire movement.
FAULT: Not low enough
• Fix – Squat to a 10’’ box or medicine ball to develop awareness of depth.
FAULT: Knees roll in
• Fix – Push knees out or “Spread the ground with your feet.”
• Fix – Push knees out with elbows at bottom of squat to familiarize yourself with knee position.
FAULT: Immature Squat: Lumbar curve is maintained, depth might be there, and heels are in contact with the ground, but the athlete has to cantilever forward excessively onto the quads to maintain balance
• Fix – Squat Therapy: Set up facing a wall with a 10’’ box under butt. Set up in the proper stance, with heels to the box, chest close to wall. Squat to box while maintaining control and weight in heels.
FRONT SQUAT
The Setup, Execution, Points of Performance, and Corrections carry over exactly from the Air Squat. We now add a load in the FRONT RACK POSITION.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SET UP:
• Stance= Shoulder Width
• Full extension of knees and hips
• Bar “racked” on the shoulders (create a shelf for the bar to sit on with the shoulders), hands outside shoulders, loose fingertip grip
• Elbows high, upper arm parallel to ground
EXECUTION:
• Weight on heels
• Lumbar curve maintained
• Chest up
• Elbows high; arms stay parallel to the ground throughout the whole movement
• Butt travels back and down
• Bottom of squat is below parallel
• Knees track parallel to the feet
• Return to full extension at the hips and knees to complete movement
• Head position in neutral
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
FAULTS: Bar not in contact with the torso or holding bar out in front
• Fix – Get elbows high and allow bar to roll back onto fingertips
FAULTS: Elbows drop and chest comes forward
• Fix – Pull elbows up and aim chest at ceiling. Stress a hard lumbar curve.
• Fix – Have someone place their hand or arm under elbows to help them maintain position
OVERHEAD SQUAT
The Setup, Execution, Points of Performance, and Corrections carry over exactly from the Air Squat. We now add a load in the OVERHEAD POSITION.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SET UP:
• Stance = Feet shoulder width apart
• Full extension at hips and knees
• Bar held overhead, in the frontal plane, with a wide grip
• Active Shoulders (Shoulders pushed up into the ears)
• Elbows locked
EXECUTION:
• Weight on heels
• Lumbar curve maintained
• Chest up
• Maintain constant upward pressure on the bar, and active shoulders to support the load
• Bar remains in the frontal plane or slightly behind
• Butt travels back and down
• Bottom of squat is below parallel
• Knees track parallel to the feet
• Return to full extension at the hips and knees to complete movement
• Head position is neutral
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
All faults and fixes from the Air Squat apply to this movement, plus the following:
FAULT: Lazy elbows and shoulders
• Fix – Actively press the bar up and press shoulders into ears
FAULT: Bar goes forward of the frontal plane
• Fix – Press bar up and pull it back to overhead or slightly behind
SHOULDER PRESS
The key elements of the Shoulder Press, and all the overhead lifts, are the setup position, the overhead position, tight belly, and the bar path. These are foundational to all the overhead lifts.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SETUP (This setup is exactly the same for all 3 overhead lifts):
• Stance = Hip Width
• Hands just outside the shoulders
• Bar in front, resting on the “rack” or “shelf” created by the shoulders
• Elbows down and in front of bar; elbows are lower than in the front squat
• Tight midsection
• Closed grip, with thumbs around the bar
EXECUTION:
• Drive through the heels; keep the whole body rigid; tight belly
• Bar travels straight up to locked out, with active shoulders, directly overhead
• Head accommodates bar (bar path has a straight line)
• To move head out of way of bar path, pull head back – Do not look up
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
FAULT: Bar forward of frontal plane
• Fix – Press up and pull back on the bar as it travels to overhead
FAULT: Leaning back, ribs sticking out
• Fix – Tighten abs/suck ribs cage down
FAULT: Passive shoulders or bent elbows
• Fix – Obtain active shoulders by pressing shoulders into ears
FAULT: Bar arcs out around the face
• Fix – Pull head BACK out of the way of the bar
• Fix – Check that the elbows are not too low in the set up
FAULT: Movement in feet, knees, and/or hips
• Fix – Maintain no motion of feet, knees, and/or hips during entire movement.
PUSH PRESS
The Push Press builds on the same setup and overhead position as the Shoulder Press. We add velocity with the dip and drive of the hip. The focus here is on a dip and drive that is explosive and straight down and up.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SETUP:
• Stance = Hip width
• Hands just outside the shoulders
• Bar in front; resting on the “rack” or “shelf created by the shoulders
• Elbows down and in front of the bar; elbows are lower than in the front squat
• Tight midsection
• Closed grip, with the thumbs around bar
EXECUTION:
• The cue for the action is: Dip – Drive – Press
• Dip: Perform a shallow dip (flexion) of the hips, where the knees push forward slightly, the butt goes back, and the chest stays upright
• Drive: Extend the hip rapidly and fully
• Press: Press the bar to overhead with locked arms
PRIMARY POINTS OF PERFORMANCE:
• Torso drops straight down on the dip. There is no forward inclination of the chest and no muting of the hip.
• Aggressive turnaround from the dip to the drive.
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
All faults and fixes from the Shoulder Press apply to this movement, plus the following:
FAULT: Out of sequence: Press begins before hip opens up
• Fix – Repeat Dip – Drive with a fast tempo
FAULT: Cocking: Pausing at the dip
• Fix – Repeat Dip – Drive and more aggressive turnaround of the hip
FAULT: Forward inclination of the chest
• Fix – Hold in the dip position and make adjustments to the true upright torso
• Fix – If dip is too deep, obtain a shallower dip
• Fix – Dip Therapy: Stand with back against wall, with heels, butt, and shoulder blades all touching the wall; then dip and drive, keeping everything in contact with the wall.
FAULT: Muted hip
• Fix – Turn the pelvis over (anterior rotation) strongly
PUSH JERK
The Push Jerk builds from a good setup, a good overhead position, and a solid dip/drive. Now we focus on coordinating this movement so that the hip comes to full extension before the catch, and the catch occurs with the bar locked out overhead.
1. LEARNING THE MOVMENT
SETUP:
• Stance = Hip width
• Hands just outside the shoulders
• Bar in front; resting on the “rack” or “shelf created by the shoulders
• Elbows down and in front of the bar; elbows are lower than in the front squat
• Tight midsection
• Closed grip, with the thumbs around bar
EXECUTION:
• The cue for the action is “Dip, Drive, Press, and Dip”
• Dip: Perform a shallow dip (flexion) of the hips, where the knees push forward slightly, the butt goes back, and the chest stays upright
• Drive: Extend the hip rapidly and fully
• Press and Dip: Retreat the hip downward and drive the body under the bar, while rapidly pressing the bar overhead.
• “Catch” the bar with arms locked out overhead and in a partial squat position
• Stand to full extension with bar overhead
2 CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
All faults and fixes from the Shoulder Press and Push Press apply to this movement, plus the following:
FAULT: Movement pattern out of sequence
• Fix – Break it down via the progression and build back up to the full movement. It is as simple as a jump and land in the partial squat
FAULT: Hip never gets to full extension
• Fix – Exaggerate fully extending the hip by making your body 1-2 inches taller than your standing height. If you are 5’10’’, Dip and Drive yourself to 5’11’’.
FAULT: Landing too wide with feet
• Fix – Execute the movement without the feet moving from under the hips
• Fix – Therapy: Block the feel with plates or boxes or some object so you can’t jump too wide
• Fix – Punch up and pull back on the bar. Active shoulders
FAULT: Not standing all the way up with the bar before re-racking it on the shoulders
DEADLIFT
The Deadlift is foundational to the Sumo Deadlift High Pull and the Medicine Ball Clean.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SETUP:
• Stance = between hip width and shoulder width
• Weight in heels
• Back arched/lumbar curve locked in
• Shoulders slightly in front of bar
• Bar in contact with shins
• Arms locked out straight
• Symmetrical grip outside the knees, just wide enough not to interfere with the knees.
• The back is slightly slanted up with head and chest up
• The hamstrings are above parallel and stretched
EXECUTION:
• Drive through the heels
• Extend legs while hips and shoulders rise at the same rate
• Once the bar passes the knees, the hip opens all the way up
• Bar maintains contact with the legs the entire time
• Head neutral
• On return to the floor, push the hips back and shoulders forward slightly; delay the knee bend
• Once the bar descends below the knees and the torso angle is set, return the bar down to the setup position by bending the knees slightly
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
FAULT: Loss of lumbar curve
• Fix – Pull hips back and lift chest
• Fix – Abort and decrease the load to where the lumbar arch can be maintained
FAULT: Weight on or shifting on toes
• Fix – Settle into heels and pull hips back, maintaining tension in the hamstrings at start of movements, and focus on driving through the heels
• Fix – Check that the bar stays in contact with the legs throughout the movement
FAULT: Shoulders behind bar on setup
• Fix – Raise hips to move shoulder over or slightly in front of bar
FAULT: Hips rise before the chest (Stiff-Legged Deadlift)
• Fix – Allow the shoulders and chest to rise sooner. Lift the chest and hips at the same rate until the bar passes the knees
DEADLIFT con’t
FAULT: Bar travels around the knees instead of straight up
• Fix – Be sure to set up correctly: Weight in heels and with shoulders in front of the bar. Push knees back as chest and hips rise
• Fix – Stick Trick: Have a partner place 2 PVC pipes on either sides of the bar and execute a lift without hitting either stick
FAULT: Bar collides with knees on descent
• Fix – Initiate the return by pushing the hips back and delay the knee bend
FAULT: Bar loses contact with legs
• Fix – Pull the bar into your legs the whole time
SUMO DEADLIFT HIGH PULL
The Sumo Deadlift High Pull (SDHP) builds on the Deadlift, widening the stance, bringing the grip inside the knees, adding a shrug, an upward pull with the arms, but, most importantly velocity.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SETUP:
• Stance = Wider than shoulder width, but not so wide that the knees roll inside the feet
• Weight in heels
• Back arched/lumbar curve locked in
• Shoulders slightly in front of the bar
• Bar in contact with the shins
• Arms locked straight
• Symmetrical grip inside the knees (about 4-6 inches apart)
EXECUTION:
• Accelerate through the heels from the ground to full extension of the hips and legs
• Shrug, with arms straight
• Arms follow through by pulling bar to the chin with elbows high and outside
• Return the bar back down fluidly in the reverse sequence: arms, then traps, then hips, then knees, back to the setup position
PRIMARY POINTS OF PERFORMANCE:
• Hips open before the shrug and arm bend
• Bar is pulled up just to below the chin
• Fast and aggressive
• Elbow travel and finish high and outside; elbows are higher than the hands at all times during the movement
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
All faults and fixes from the Deadlift apply to this movement, plus the following:
FAULTS: Pulling too early with the arms, hip not completely open before the shrug or arm pull
• Fix – Go to step 3 in the progression. Emphasize that the hip needs to fire first, before the arms. Try 2 Sumo Deadlift Shrugs for every full SDHP; do as many times as needed
FAULT: No shrug
• Fix – Back to progression. Do 2 Sumo Deadlift Shrugs and one High Pull; do as many times as needed
FAULT: Incorrect descent (Hips before arms)
• Fix – Slow down the movement; return the arms then hips, then legs, then speed it up again
SUMO DEADLIFT HIGH PULL con’t
FAULT: Segmenting the movement
• Fix – Accelerate or jump the bar off the ground
FAULT: Losing control and levelness of bar
• Fix – Widen the grip a bit. Make sure the grip is symmetrical to the bar
FAULT: Running the bar into the knees
• Fix – Narrow the grip and make sure the hips aren’t too low in the setup position
MEDICINE BALL CLEAN
The medicine ball cleans builds on the set up and movement pattern of the Sumo Deadlift High Pull adding a pull under the object.
1. LEARNING THE MOVEMENT
SETUP:
• Stance = Shoulder width apart or slightly wider
• Weight in heels
• Back arched/lumbar curve locked in
• Shoulders are over the ball
• Ball on the floor between the legs with clearance for the arms
• Arms straight, palms on outside of the ball; fingertips pointing down
EXECUTION:
• Accelerate through the heels from the ground to full extension of the hips and legs
• Shrug, with arms straight
• Hip retreats; land in a full front squat with the elbows beneath the ball
• Stand to full extension with the ball in the rack position to complete the movement
• Return to setup
PRIMARY POINTS OF PERFORMANCE
• Hips reach full extension
• Hip is extended and shrug is initiated before arms pull
• The ball is caught in a low (below parallel) and tight (not collapsed) front squat position
• Fast and aggressive throughout
• Athlete stands all the way up with the ball in the rack position to finish
2. CORRECTING THE MOVEMENT
All faults and fixes from the Deadlift apply to this movement, plus the following:
FAULT: Hip does not open all the way
• Fix – Go back to step 2 of progression (Deadlift Shrug). Do 2 Deadlift Shrugs for every Med Ball Clean
• Fix – Tactile Cue: Have a partner place their hand 1-2 inches above your head while you are standing up straight. Then do a Med Ball Clean being sure to hit your partners hand with the top of your head before dropping into the front squat position.
FAULT: No shrug
• Fix – Go back to step 2 of progression (Deadlift –Shrug). Do 2 Deadlift Shrugs for every Med Ball Clean.
MEDICINE BALL CLEAN con’t
FAULT: Pulling with the arms
• Fix – Deadlift Shrug, 2 reps for every Med Ball Clean.
• Fix – Two “Shrug and Drop Unders” (step 4 from the progression) for every
Med Ball Clean
FAULT: Tossing the Med Ball
• Fix – Hold the ball without your fingers, using only palms or fists only
FAULT: Curling the ball
• Fix – Back to progression: Deadlift Shrug, 2 reps for every 1 Med Ball Clean
• Fix – Have partner stand in front of you to prevent curling. Can also be done with a wall.
• Fix – Have the laces of the ball remain up for the entire movement.
FAULT: Squat collapses in the catch
• Fix – Go back to Step 4 of the progression (Shrug and Drop Under). Focus on a tight lumbar arch, and keeping the chest up at the bottom of the catch.
FAULT: Unable to drop under the ball fully
• Fix – Do 2 “Shrug and Drop Unders” (step 4 in progression) for every 1 Med Ball Clean
• Fix – Tactile Cue: Have partner hold ball at the peak of the shrug and then drop under the ball as your partner holds it.
PROGRESSIONS FOR MOVEMENTS
PUSH PRESS
1. Dip (check chest and hip)
2. Dip-drive slow
3. Dip-drive fast
4. Dip-drive-press (full Push Press)
PUSH JERK
1. Jump and land with hands at sides. Stick the landing.
2. Jump and land with hands at shoulders throughout the move. Stick the landing.
3. Jump with hands at shoulder and extend them overhead at the same time as the land.
4. With stick in hands, full Push Jerk.
SUMO DEADLIFT HIGH PULL
1. Sumo Deadlift
2. Sumo Deadlift-Shrug slow
3. Sumo Deadlift-Shrug fast
4. Full Sumo Deadlift High Pull
MEDICINE BALL CLEAN
1. Deadlift (focus on good setup)
2. Deadlift-Shrug (focus on fast extensions and shrug with no arm bend)
3. Front Squat (focus on depth of the catch)
4. Shrug and Drop Under (focus on shrug and beating the ball down, catching it low and tight
5. Full Medicine Ball Clean
10 Skills to Overall Fitness
There are ten recognized general physical skills. They are cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, coordination, agility, balance, and accuracy. You are as fit as you are competent in each of these ten skills. A regimen develops fitness to the extent that it improves each of these ten skills.
1.Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance – The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.
2.Stamina – The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.
3.Strength – The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.
4.Flexibility – the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.
5.Power – The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6.Speed – The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7.Coordination – The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
8.Agility – The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
9.Balance – The ability to control the placement of the bodies center of gravity in relation to its support base.
10.Accuracy – The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.
1.Cardiovascular/respiratory endurance – The ability of body systems to gather, process, and deliver oxygen.
2.Stamina – The ability of body systems to process, deliver, store, and utilize energy.
3.Strength – The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.
4.Flexibility – the ability to maximize the range of motion at a given joint.
5.Power – The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
6.Speed – The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
7.Coordination – The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
8.Agility – The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
9.Balance – The ability to control the placement of the bodies center of gravity in relation to its support base.
10.Accuracy – The ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
"The Bergener Warm Up"
This warm-up consists of six different sequences that are important for learning to perform the Olympic lifts. The Burgener warm-up is performed with a length of PVC pipe or a dowel and specifically trains the second and third pulls of the snatch. Repetition of these six sequences with little or no weight conditions the body to move properly through the power phases of the snatch and the clean and jerk. In subsequent articles, I’ll cover skill transfer exercises for the snatch, and the positioning pulls (the first pull off the ground and the scoop) for both lifts.
The essence of the Olympic lifts is creating momentum and elevation on the barbell through a range of motion that begins at the floor and finishes with the bar overhead (in the snatch and the jerk) or racked at the shoulders (in the clean). I recommend incorporating the Burgener warm-up into your daily routine regardless of the workout. It is remarkably effective at teaching and reinforcing the basic concepts of performing the Olympic lifts.
The sequence is as follows, always in this order:
1. Down and up
2. Elbows high and outside
3. Muscle snatch
4. Snatch land
5. Snatch drop
6. Hang power snatch
1. Down and up
This is by far the most important aspect of the warm-up. It is also known as the dip-drive, the second pull, or the jump. It’s not a jump like a jump in basketball but a vicious extension of the ankles, knees, and hips. This triple extension creates momentum and elevation on the barbell, allowing it to become momentarily weightless. This weightlessness of the bar is what allows the lifter to pull himself under the bar into the receiving position (the “third pull”).
The movement begins in the high hang position (photo 1). Keeping the chest up (torso vertical), butt back (lumbar curve intact, no muted hip), and bar close to the hips, dip down to roughly quarter-squat depth (photo 2). Immediately spring up into triple extension with a full shrug of the shoulders. There is no hesitation at the bottom of the dip, just as there is no hesitation of a bouncing ball on the ground. This eccentric (downward) contraction is an elastic storing of energy prior to the concentric (upward) action on the barbell. This is the jumping action that I constantly stress when teaching the Olympic lifts.
2. Elbows high and outside
In the snatch and clean, the arms do not bend until after completion of the down and up portion of the lift. The arms are much weaker than the hips, legs, and traps, and bending them early limits the power that can be applied to the bar. This second sequence in the Burgener warm-up mimics the upper-body movement in the beginning of the third pull (which will be covered in fuller detail later). Keeping the elbows high and outside allows the bar to remain close to the body during the third pull.
The irony of this sequence is that the bar is never actually pulled up like this by the arms in any of the Olympic lifts. Instead, the elbow movement (high and outside) contained in this sequence is part of the process of pulling the body under the barbell, which has been made momentarily weightless by the force of the second pull. I include this movement in the warm-up, however, because it trains for a more efficient pull. Problems arise when a lifter does not keep the bar(usually caused by having the elbows down and in rather than high and outside) or swings the bar away from the body (in which case the elbows are typically too straight). Practicing elbows high and outside daily creates a mindset of keeping the bar close to the body while performing the lifts.
The movement begins exactly the same as the previous one, with the down and up. From the high hang position, keeping the chest up (torso vertical), butt back (lumbar curve intact, no muted hip), and bar close to the hips, dip down to roughly quarter-squat depth. Immediately spring up into triple extension with a full shrug of the shoulders and, this time, pull the elbows up high and outside, like a scarecrow. There is no hesitation at the bottom of the dip/down, nor is there any noticeable distinction between the shrug and the elbows rising (though they do occur in that order).
3. Muscle snatch
The end of the third pull of the snatch moves the barbell from in front of the chest to locked overhead. The muscle snatch is an upper-body strengthening exercise that teaches the upper body portion of the third pull, focusing on the pull under and the receiving position. It is an extension of the previous sequence in which the barbell is pulled up into the finishing position over the head (photo 5) after the elbows have come high and outside. There is no rebending of the knees when solidifying the bar overhead. This is an upper-body strengthening exercise to focus on pulling one’s body under the bar.
In the snatch, the bar basically becomes weightless at the end of the second pull (the down and up). The elbows go high and outside during the first phase of the third pull as the hips retreat and the body begins to descend. This is performed with all the gusto possible, as is the final pull-under, which finishes with the bar locked overhead. It is for learning this aggressive pull-under that I teach the muscle snatch.
The bar is taken from the high hang when first learning the muscle snatch and then later from the floor as proficiency is established. The muscle snatch is one of my favorite exercises when strengthening the body for the competition snatch.
4. Snatch land
Snatch lands are used right after the muscle snatch to train the proper receiving position for the snatch. In this warm-up, we land in the quarter-squat position. This movement can also be done landing in the full squat position.
The movement begins with the bar locked overhead in the frontal plane and held with a snatch grip. With a slight dip-drive of the hips and knees, the lifter heaves the bar upward while quickly pulling his body down under the bar into a quarter-squat position (photo 6). Receiving the bar in this quarter-squat position actually familiarizes the lifter with receiving the bar in a power position. Note we are taking each step of the snatch in sequence. Learning how and where to receive the bar is the critical lesson when using snatch lands.
5. Snatch drop
The snatch drop is a variation of the snatch land that omits the initial dip and lands in a full squat position. To begin, the lifter locks the bar overhead in the frontal plane, pushing up on the barbell, arms locked and tight. With a tight core, she drops into a full squat position. No heave, just a drop from the standing position. Footwork here is critical. The feet are in the jumping position at the start, just beneath the hips. On command, the lifter drops directly into the full-squat landing position. Notice that I did not say “the lifter drops into a quarter squat and then rides it down to the bottom.” The lifter should land as low as possible, with the body strong and tight. Speed, explosiveness, and tightness (muscle tension throughout the body) are critical in snatch drops.
6. Hang power snatch
Now it’s time to put it all together and power snatch the barbell. The simple instructions are to jump the barbell up and then land with it overhead. More thoroughly: starting in the high hang position, jump the barbell through the full range of motion and land in the quarter-squat position with the bar locked overhead. This incorporates the down and up with a full shrug and sufficient force to propel the barbell upward. Keep the bar close to the body by pulling the elbows up high and to the outside. The feet move rapidly from the jumping position to the landing position while the body moves from triple extension to the quarter-squat position.
Putting it all together
Typically, three to five repetitions of each of these sequences are performed before moving on to the next one. E.g., three “down and up”s, then three “down and outside”s, then three muscle snatches, and so on. Just about everyone can learn to hang power snatch a dowel regardless of their physical condition, and doing so has immense benefits. In the next few issues, we will cover skill transfer exercises for the snatch and the positioning pulls for the snatch and clean. The end result will be practicing full squat snatches.
Mike Burgener, owner of Mike’s Gym (a CrossFit affiliate and USAW Regional Training Center), is a USAW Senior International Coach, former junior World team (1996-2004) and senior World team coach (2005), and strength and conditioning coach at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, Calif.
The essence of the Olympic lifts is creating momentum and elevation on the barbell through a range of motion that begins at the floor and finishes with the bar overhead (in the snatch and the jerk) or racked at the shoulders (in the clean). I recommend incorporating the Burgener warm-up into your daily routine regardless of the workout. It is remarkably effective at teaching and reinforcing the basic concepts of performing the Olympic lifts.
The sequence is as follows, always in this order:
1. Down and up
2. Elbows high and outside
3. Muscle snatch
4. Snatch land
5. Snatch drop
6. Hang power snatch
1. Down and up
This is by far the most important aspect of the warm-up. It is also known as the dip-drive, the second pull, or the jump. It’s not a jump like a jump in basketball but a vicious extension of the ankles, knees, and hips. This triple extension creates momentum and elevation on the barbell, allowing it to become momentarily weightless. This weightlessness of the bar is what allows the lifter to pull himself under the bar into the receiving position (the “third pull”).
The movement begins in the high hang position (photo 1). Keeping the chest up (torso vertical), butt back (lumbar curve intact, no muted hip), and bar close to the hips, dip down to roughly quarter-squat depth (photo 2). Immediately spring up into triple extension with a full shrug of the shoulders. There is no hesitation at the bottom of the dip, just as there is no hesitation of a bouncing ball on the ground. This eccentric (downward) contraction is an elastic storing of energy prior to the concentric (upward) action on the barbell. This is the jumping action that I constantly stress when teaching the Olympic lifts.
2. Elbows high and outside
In the snatch and clean, the arms do not bend until after completion of the down and up portion of the lift. The arms are much weaker than the hips, legs, and traps, and bending them early limits the power that can be applied to the bar. This second sequence in the Burgener warm-up mimics the upper-body movement in the beginning of the third pull (which will be covered in fuller detail later). Keeping the elbows high and outside allows the bar to remain close to the body during the third pull.
The irony of this sequence is that the bar is never actually pulled up like this by the arms in any of the Olympic lifts. Instead, the elbow movement (high and outside) contained in this sequence is part of the process of pulling the body under the barbell, which has been made momentarily weightless by the force of the second pull. I include this movement in the warm-up, however, because it trains for a more efficient pull. Problems arise when a lifter does not keep the bar(usually caused by having the elbows down and in rather than high and outside) or swings the bar away from the body (in which case the elbows are typically too straight). Practicing elbows high and outside daily creates a mindset of keeping the bar close to the body while performing the lifts.
The movement begins exactly the same as the previous one, with the down and up. From the high hang position, keeping the chest up (torso vertical), butt back (lumbar curve intact, no muted hip), and bar close to the hips, dip down to roughly quarter-squat depth. Immediately spring up into triple extension with a full shrug of the shoulders and, this time, pull the elbows up high and outside, like a scarecrow. There is no hesitation at the bottom of the dip/down, nor is there any noticeable distinction between the shrug and the elbows rising (though they do occur in that order).
3. Muscle snatch
The end of the third pull of the snatch moves the barbell from in front of the chest to locked overhead. The muscle snatch is an upper-body strengthening exercise that teaches the upper body portion of the third pull, focusing on the pull under and the receiving position. It is an extension of the previous sequence in which the barbell is pulled up into the finishing position over the head (photo 5) after the elbows have come high and outside. There is no rebending of the knees when solidifying the bar overhead. This is an upper-body strengthening exercise to focus on pulling one’s body under the bar.
In the snatch, the bar basically becomes weightless at the end of the second pull (the down and up). The elbows go high and outside during the first phase of the third pull as the hips retreat and the body begins to descend. This is performed with all the gusto possible, as is the final pull-under, which finishes with the bar locked overhead. It is for learning this aggressive pull-under that I teach the muscle snatch.
The bar is taken from the high hang when first learning the muscle snatch and then later from the floor as proficiency is established. The muscle snatch is one of my favorite exercises when strengthening the body for the competition snatch.
4. Snatch land
Snatch lands are used right after the muscle snatch to train the proper receiving position for the snatch. In this warm-up, we land in the quarter-squat position. This movement can also be done landing in the full squat position.
The movement begins with the bar locked overhead in the frontal plane and held with a snatch grip. With a slight dip-drive of the hips and knees, the lifter heaves the bar upward while quickly pulling his body down under the bar into a quarter-squat position (photo 6). Receiving the bar in this quarter-squat position actually familiarizes the lifter with receiving the bar in a power position. Note we are taking each step of the snatch in sequence. Learning how and where to receive the bar is the critical lesson when using snatch lands.
5. Snatch drop
The snatch drop is a variation of the snatch land that omits the initial dip and lands in a full squat position. To begin, the lifter locks the bar overhead in the frontal plane, pushing up on the barbell, arms locked and tight. With a tight core, she drops into a full squat position. No heave, just a drop from the standing position. Footwork here is critical. The feet are in the jumping position at the start, just beneath the hips. On command, the lifter drops directly into the full-squat landing position. Notice that I did not say “the lifter drops into a quarter squat and then rides it down to the bottom.” The lifter should land as low as possible, with the body strong and tight. Speed, explosiveness, and tightness (muscle tension throughout the body) are critical in snatch drops.
6. Hang power snatch
Now it’s time to put it all together and power snatch the barbell. The simple instructions are to jump the barbell up and then land with it overhead. More thoroughly: starting in the high hang position, jump the barbell through the full range of motion and land in the quarter-squat position with the bar locked overhead. This incorporates the down and up with a full shrug and sufficient force to propel the barbell upward. Keep the bar close to the body by pulling the elbows up high and to the outside. The feet move rapidly from the jumping position to the landing position while the body moves from triple extension to the quarter-squat position.
Putting it all together
Typically, three to five repetitions of each of these sequences are performed before moving on to the next one. E.g., three “down and up”s, then three “down and outside”s, then three muscle snatches, and so on. Just about everyone can learn to hang power snatch a dowel regardless of their physical condition, and doing so has immense benefits. In the next few issues, we will cover skill transfer exercises for the snatch and the positioning pulls for the snatch and clean. The end result will be practicing full squat snatches.
Mike Burgener, owner of Mike’s Gym (a CrossFit affiliate and USAW Regional Training Center), is a USAW Senior International Coach, former junior World team (1996-2004) and senior World team coach (2005), and strength and conditioning coach at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, Calif.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Gym Rules & Principles
Gym Rules
These (probably obvious) rules will help everyone get the most out of their experience at Urban WarFit CrossFit.
•Arrive early and stay late. Please arrive early and thoroughly warm up before class begins. Cheer, clap, and encourage others. Anything less is to cheat yourself of the experience and to rob others of the support of the CrossFit community. If are not present 5 minutes before the WOD starts, you will have to wait for the next WOD.
•Engage your brain when you walk in the door. Be aware and respectful of your surroundings. If there is teaching going on stay quiet so people can hear and learn. If there is a WOD going on, stay out of the way and off the equipment in use until your class begins.
•Accidents and injuries happen and usually come as a result of impatience. Slow down. Ask questions. Ask for help. Check your ego at the door.
•Empty barbells were not designed to be dropped (neither were kettlebells). If you must bail, guide the weight down. We don’t want our toys, flooring, you or someone else broken. Don’t drop barbells that only have 10lb bumpers – they will break. Use a lighter bar with 15lb+ bumpers.
•Follow directions given by coaches/ trainers / staff, and so you can hear instructions, we ask that you do not wear headphones during those times.
•Chalk is useful, even necessary. It is also messy. Use as much as you need, but keep the excess inside the chalk bucket.
•Clean up and put away all equipment after using it. Clean up sweat, blood, chalk, dirt, vomit, handprints, and whatever else you’ve left behind.
•Grunting, screaming, cussing and otherwise making noise are all welcome and encouraged during a workout. There is such a thing as gentle, quiet strength, although most of us haven’t mastered that yet. Also remember that there can be such a thing as too loud, crass, gross or rude – please be respectful.
Gym Principles
•I promise to do my best. My best will vary from day to day, minute to minute. But in that minute I will do my absolute best.
•If I can run, I run. If I have to walk, I walk. When I am forced to crawl, I crawl. Then I rest and live to fight another day.
•I may struggle, curse, and cry but I will never quit.
•I never cheat. There is no honor in cheating. What joy can there be in a victory I did not earn?
•I will never criticize or beat myself up for what I can’t do today. I will just try again tomorrow.
•I promise to believe in myself, beginning each workout with the thought that “I can do this!”
•I show up to my workouts because I am committed to my health. My commitment to health is an act of self-love.
•I fear no man, but I fear my workout. If I don’t fear my workout, it isn’t hard enough.
•I acknowledge that my diet is the most important part of my program. The cleaner it is, the better I do.
These (probably obvious) rules will help everyone get the most out of their experience at Urban WarFit CrossFit.
•Arrive early and stay late. Please arrive early and thoroughly warm up before class begins. Cheer, clap, and encourage others. Anything less is to cheat yourself of the experience and to rob others of the support of the CrossFit community. If are not present 5 minutes before the WOD starts, you will have to wait for the next WOD.
•Engage your brain when you walk in the door. Be aware and respectful of your surroundings. If there is teaching going on stay quiet so people can hear and learn. If there is a WOD going on, stay out of the way and off the equipment in use until your class begins.
•Accidents and injuries happen and usually come as a result of impatience. Slow down. Ask questions. Ask for help. Check your ego at the door.
•Empty barbells were not designed to be dropped (neither were kettlebells). If you must bail, guide the weight down. We don’t want our toys, flooring, you or someone else broken. Don’t drop barbells that only have 10lb bumpers – they will break. Use a lighter bar with 15lb+ bumpers.
•Follow directions given by coaches/ trainers / staff, and so you can hear instructions, we ask that you do not wear headphones during those times.
•Chalk is useful, even necessary. It is also messy. Use as much as you need, but keep the excess inside the chalk bucket.
•Clean up and put away all equipment after using it. Clean up sweat, blood, chalk, dirt, vomit, handprints, and whatever else you’ve left behind.
•Grunting, screaming, cussing and otherwise making noise are all welcome and encouraged during a workout. There is such a thing as gentle, quiet strength, although most of us haven’t mastered that yet. Also remember that there can be such a thing as too loud, crass, gross or rude – please be respectful.
Gym Principles
•I promise to do my best. My best will vary from day to day, minute to minute. But in that minute I will do my absolute best.
•If I can run, I run. If I have to walk, I walk. When I am forced to crawl, I crawl. Then I rest and live to fight another day.
•I may struggle, curse, and cry but I will never quit.
•I never cheat. There is no honor in cheating. What joy can there be in a victory I did not earn?
•I will never criticize or beat myself up for what I can’t do today. I will just try again tomorrow.
•I promise to believe in myself, beginning each workout with the thought that “I can do this!”
•I show up to my workouts because I am committed to my health. My commitment to health is an act of self-love.
•I fear no man, but I fear my workout. If I don’t fear my workout, it isn’t hard enough.
•I acknowledge that my diet is the most important part of my program. The cleaner it is, the better I do.
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