Monday 01.06.14

Ed, you're supposed to squat the weight...

DAY 6 of our dip challenge!

6 dips are on the docket. Come on, you want great arms, right?

This Saturday, January 11th, are the Garage Games at CrossFit Motown in Moline. 

Several Warriors and Coach Sarah are competing. 

Join us and participate - there are divisions for all skill levels - or come cheer us on!

Where da bands, yo?

So, December was yet another bandless pullup month. That's right, no assistance from those brightly colored rubber bands. Honestly, I don't know when those bands are coming back for anything other than mobility work. January seems to be another month without pullup help. And January is the traditional month for resolutions and goal setting. Consider whether you stagnated in your pullup progress. If so, think about why. And don't blame your age or your weight. That's redonc and it's a cop out.

Is it technique? Have you monkeyed with your grip - wide, narrow, mixed? In not, start messing with it. The wider your grip, the more muscles groups in your back that you engage.

Is it your effort? Think about how hard you work to get your chin over the bar. ARE you getting your chin OVER the bar? Did you achieve some level of proficiency at banded pullups and you stuck with the same band so you were not on the bar FOREVER (it seems) during a WOD? If so, then it's time to stop worrying about the clock and start worrying about getting better at pullups. The speed will come later. Last, perhaps you are using your hips to help you with your ring pulls instead of keeping your body in a tight, straight line from head to toes while you pull only with your arms.

Going full out in order to achieve a strict pullup IS HARD. Pulling your own weight up against gravity is NOT EASY. Therefore, YOU HAVE TO WORK HARD. Nothing without effort, Warriors. Tada gun irracht. Learning the mechanics of a kipping or butterfly pullup is also hard. You have to practice both strict and kipping/butterfly mechanics. So, if dips aren't your thing, maybe this month should be the month you come in early or stay late and work on getting your unassisted pullup. During WODs, start with the most difficult pullup modification until you just can't do it anymore, then scale down to an easier modification. For example, if you're subbing in ring pulls for pullups in a WOD, then start as horizontal as possible (i.e., your torso is as perpendicular as possible to your arms). As the WOD goes on and those pulls get uglier, scoot your feet back to get more upright. As always, you're keeping your body stiff and extending the arms all the way straight at the bottom of the pull each rep.

Getting better, making progress, and maximizing the functionality of your body requires integrity. Perform half-assed pullups and you'll achieve half-assed fitness. Same for the squat. Challenge your body. Challenge your mind. Both will adapt and you'll see results you never imagined. We can't coach you to a pullup unless you WANT it. So get after it, Warriors. We believe in you.

WOD

Strength:

Back Squat : 10 @ 60%, 8 @ 65%, 8 @ 70%, 8 @ 75%

Front Squat : 5 @ 60%, 5 @ 65%, 2 @ 70% 

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Complete as many rounds as possible in 13 mins of: 

1 Overhead Squat, 95/65 lbs 

1 Strict Pull-up 

1 Ring Dip

*At the start of every minute, add a rep to each movement