Archive for the ‘Advice’ Category
04/01/12 by Derek | Advice, Blog, Prehab | 4 Comments »
Franco Columbo - notice the "open" chest.
Make sure you’ve read Part 1 of Pullup Virtuosity and understand all the pieces to the pullup puzzle.
Before we start I’ll give you a little story. Being on the taller side, I wasn’t always great at pullups. During my first fitness test in the Marines I was only able to get 15. I know 15 may sound like a lot, but considering the company I was in it was seen as subpar; any Recon Marine is expected to knock out a minimum of 20. I did pullups at every chance I got, but I just couldn’t seem to break though. I was using a narrow, palms in grip, pulling with my arms. Finally, one of the senior Marines pulled me aside and said, “Hey boot, why don’t you try doing them like a Marine?” He was talking about palms out. Unfortunately, I could only do 12 that way. I started to notice all the guys that could get 25+ deadhang pullups were using a very wide, palms out grip. So I stuck with the new style, and 6 months later on my next fitness test I cranked out 25! Whoa! Moral of the story here, pulling yourself up haphazardly will not work; you need to train the proper muscles.
Proper form is vital for developing the stronger pulling muscles. In the last post we touched on the difference between squeezing the shoulder blades down before the pull begins and just yanking the arms with no shoulder action. To help prime the body for this, each session will start with 10 hanging scap slides (aka active/passive lat pulls). This movement is the first part of a god pullup. Body position is important as well. Many people reach with the chin and bring the toes forward; this causes rounding at the back and moves the emphasis to the biceps and abs. We don’t want this. Imagine bringing an “open” chest to the bar (see pic of Franco), while keeping the back extended. This allows full recruitment of the stronger pulling muscles, primarily the lats. An easy way to check is, if your toes are in front of the bar at the top, you’re probably pulling with the arms, and if they’re behind the bar you should be good to go (this only applies to deadhang pullups). If you find yourself struggling and reaching with the chin in a bad position, stop, take a break, and reset.
Another thing to think about is grip. I am a firm believer in mixing up the grip, but when someone is trying to get their first deadhang I like to see them use a palms out, wider than shoulders grip. This may feel akward at first, but doing this will minimize arm pull and target the lats more. Also, don’t have a death-grip on the bar; pretend the bar is a twinkie and you don’t want the filling to come out of the ends.
This program consists of 3 workouts that will take 10 minutes or less and can be done before or after your typical crossfit workout. You’ll do 2 workouts a week; week 1 will be A & B, week 2; C & A, week 3; B & C, week 4 off. Make sure you have 2 days or more rest between each workout. When you come back for week 5, add a few reps to the program but don’t get greedy. The number of reps below is just a suggestion; you can start lower if you need to, and if it’s too easy (meaning you can complete all reps), add more reps, use a smaller (or no) band, and do longer static holds. Make sure you’re recording everything in your workout log so you can continually progress. The key to this program is consistency, so stick with it for several months, slowly increasing the volume each workout, and you’ll get those deadhangs for sure!
A:
Hanging Scap Slides x 10
Negatives 4 x 4-6
1 Arm DB Row 3 x 12 (Click for demo)
*For the negatives, get a box that allows you to easily jump your chest to the bar. Once your chest hits the bar, squeeze your shoulder blades together and slowly lower your body with a 4 Mississippi count. On the DB Row, pull your wrist to your hip.
B:
Hanging Scap Slides x 10
EMOTM for 10 Minutes – static hang for 6-10 seconds.
The first 5 minutes should be chin over the bar, the last 5 minutes should be arms at 90 degrees.
*For the static holds, focus on relaxing your grip while squeezing your shoulder blades together. You should feel this more in the lats and between your shoulder blades, not so much in your biceps.
C:
Hanging Scap Slides x 10
Band Pullups 4 x 6-8
Low Ring Row 4 x 8-10 (Knees Straight)
*If you haven’t used a band for pullups, ask your coach for help.
03/22/12 by Derek | Advice, Blog, Prehab | 17 Comments »
The definition of virtuosity is; mastering the basics. If you haven’t read the CrossFit Journal Article by Greg Glassman titled Virtuosity, read it now. Apply it to your training and you’ll make lasting gains in fitness.
Knowing what we know about virtuosity, lets talk about pullups. If I were only able to do one upper body exercise, it would be the pullup. Not only is it a functional movement, it’s also compound and multi joint, making it arguably the best way to build usable upper body strength. Us CrossFitter’s love the kipping pullup because it allows us to do more work in less time, whitch translates to more intensity. The problem with jumping into the kipping pullup before you have a deadhang pullup is you are skipping a fundamental step.
At CrossFit Coeur d’Alene, our general requirement is the ability to do at least one deadhang pullup before we get into kipping. The simple reason for this is; if the shoulder girdle doesn’t have the requisite strength to pull your body in a controlled manner, we don’t want it loaded in a dynamic manner. Sure, you can probably generate enough momentum to swing your body up and over the bar, but the tissues need to be able to withstand the dynamic forces at the bottom. There aren’t many things that freak me out as a coach more than some chick that has 20 kipping pullups and 0 deadhangs. This usually looks like some sort of violent scorpian strike with the legs cocked back at the bottom. A good gymnastics kip should not need this much momentum and should maintain a hollow body position.
Her arms actually ripped off in the next photo
Don’t misinterpret this as me saying kipping is bad. Kipping is great for healthy shoulders, and can even increase shoulder range of motion. However, kipping can cause damage if you don’t have a certain amount of strength, or you have a previous shoulder injury.
So, get those deadhang pullups! Easy, right? Some of you that have been stuck on the rings for months are probably cursing my name right now. Well, there are a few things that affect the ability to perform a deadhang. One that many don’t think about is body composition (notice I didn’t say body weight). If I have less fat to pull up and more muscle to do it with, it’s going to be easier. Keep coming to CrossFit and focus on your nutrition (I hear there is a Whole 30 group starting soon) and this will happen.
Another factor is scapular function. A lot of people jump up on the bar and pull with their biceps. This is easily spotted by a good coach when the elbow bends violently but the shoulder does nothing (in fact, check out the pic of our two bad @$$ coaches above; can you tell which one is pulling a little more with the arms? It’s not bad but there is still some room to improve). The ability to engage the scapular muscles first is crucial. We practice this a lot- we call them active/passive lat pulls. The problem is, many people lack normal scapular function so this may be difficult for them. If you haven’t checked out the posts on Healthy Shoulders, do it.
The obvious factor is strength. We typically program a session of deadhang pullups of some sort at least once a week. But for some that may not be enough. Negatives are a great way to build strength and are easy to do after a workout (you don’t need to do a ton, these are very intense). Stay tuned for the next post, I’ll be writing a pullup progression that can be done a few times a week and won’t take more than 10 minutes.
Click here for Part 2, The Program
01/10/12 by Camille | Advice, Announcements, Blog, Nutrition | 23 Comments »
Over two weeks down!!! How is everyone feeling???? I have heard of some pretty amazing changes and I have SEEN a lot too! I can see it some of your faces, some of your energy levels, and the numbers you all are pulling are looking better and better! Stein got his first muscle up last week, Lianna got a PR on her deadlift yesterday, most everyone PR’d on Fran including Jon and me! Just imagine what is to come in the next 4 weeks!
What are some side effects you are experiencing? DON’T BE SHY! Have any more lingering questions/concerns/issues? Please vent below and have your coaches and peers help.
GOOD LUCK!!! Remember,money isn’t everything, but it will sure help buying a new wardrobe 
12/11/11 by Derek | Advice, Blog, Prehab | 9 Comments »
The Handstand Pee Up. You'll see it at the Games next year. Better start your prehab! Photo courtesy of www.fitbomb.com
If you haven’t already, check out Healthy Shoulders, Part I.
Now that we’ve got you thinking about your posture in regards to having healthy, strong shoulders, we’re going to delve a little deeper. I’ll try not to nerd out too much.
Everyone knows what your shoulder blade is, but how many people actually know what it does? Your shoulder blade, called the scapula, is a pretty cool bone. You can tell a lot about shoulder health just by how it sits against your ribcage and how it moves (or doesn’t move).
The scapula moves up and down, protracts and retracts, tilts forward and back, and rotates. If the controlling muscles are balanced and healthy, all these movements shouldn’t be an issue and you’ll have a healthy, strong shoulder. But if these muscles get weak, tight, or imbalanced (from, say, sitting at a desk), problems occur.
Go ahead and put your hand on one shoulder. Right on top there should be a little hard spot of bone. That’s part of your scapula, called the acromium process (circled in picture 3c below). Here’s the deal with the acromium; when you move your arm overhead, that thing needs to get out of the way. If it doesn’t, you’ll feel what’s called impingement syndrome (pic 3d). This is basically muscle tissue getting pinched between your acromium and humerus (arm bone).
Photo courtesy of the CrossFit Journal
So how the heck do I get it out of the way? By packing the shoulder – a combo of scapular retraction, protraction, and upward rotation, duh. I know, sounds complicated, bear with me. Just look at the picture and imagine this; that scapula needs to rotate out of the way of the arm bone. In picture 3d, this “shoulder pack” is not happening. That person is just lazily lifting their arm overhead. In picture 3e, there is no impingement, because he’s actively packing the shoulder to create room between the acromium and humerus.
The "ribs" you see are actually his serratus anterior muscles. They are contracting and rotating the scapula down and forward, making room for the humerus and helping stabilize the bar overhead. Photo courtesy of www.crossfit.com
Several things can cause an impingement. In addition to not actively packing the shoulder, many people have underdeveloped serratus anterior muscles (see pic of Spealer’s “ribs” to the left). If the serratus is underdeveloped, your ability to rotate the scapulae out of the way is compromised. To make matters worse, poor posture leads to tight pec minors; this can pull the scapula forward, worsening the impingement.
So, how do we avoid this situation? Prehab.
- Top: pinching the egg for retraction. Bottom: Pushing the arms forward for protraction.
To strengthen the serratus anterior, perform scap pushups. Start in a pushup plank and pinch the egg (retract). Without bending your elbows, push the floor away (protract). You’ll get maybe 2 inches of elevation. What you’re doing is sliding the scap around your rib cage. 3 sets of 20 reps is ideal. I like to do these standing with small bands (see pic to the right).
To lengthen the pec minor, you should stretch it and perform plenty of SMR (self myfascial release). My favorite SMR for the pec minor is placing a lacrosse ball about 2 inches below your collar bone, on the outer portion of the pec. Pin the ball against the wall while holding that same hand behind your back. The advanced version (more painful) involves placing the ball on top of a book or bumper plate to give it some elevation and lay on that sucker. Same spot, hand behind your back and head facing away from the ball. Move the ball around until you find the spot that causes pirate face, and focus there for 2-3 minutes.
A good stretch for the pec minor is the door stretch. You should be actively retracting the scap during this stretch.
These are just a few things you can do to prevent injury or rehab an existing one. If you are a desk jockey, this stuff is important. Since you’re already in a poor position all day, you need to reverse it. These prehab techniques can easily be added in to a typical workout. For example, in between each set of squats you could knock out 20 scap pushups with a band while you’re resting. And when you fall off the airdyne in post wod exhaustion, throw a lacrosse ball under your pec minor (you’re on the ground anyways, might as well be productive). Don’t wait for your coaches to make you do this stuff, take initiative. And whatever you do, don’t wait until you get hurt.
Keep in mind, even with all this prehab you still need to check your ego during the wod and put yourself in a good position. I said it in Part 1 and I’ll say it again; learn to “feel” when you get lazy. Stop, reset, and pack the shoulder! This goes for nearly any movement involving your shoulders.
Hopefully you now have a better understanding of how the shoulder functions, and what you need to do to keep it healthy. This is just a slice of prehab techniques you can use, integrate them and watch your overhead position improve. And as always, ask a coach if you need more help.
For more shoulder prehab, check out these awesome posts from CrossFit Invictus for instructions on how to perform Y’s, T’s and W’s.
Y’s
T’s
W’s
12/04/11 by Derek | Advice, Blog, Prehab | 6 Comments »
Freeze! Right now. How is your posture? Are you hunched forward, with your shoulders slouching toward the computer screen? If you are, keep reading…
Hunching forward like that is termed Kyphosis, from the Greek word kyphos, meaning hump. More commonly known at CF CDA as FBBS (Facebook Back Syndrome) those confined to desks for 8+ hours a day are especially susceptible.
I know this post is titled “shoulder health,” so why are we talking about your posture? Because posture is where a good shoulder position starts.
There are several reasons why FBBS is bad. First of all, we are CrossFitters, and we carry ourselves with pride. Lions are the king of the savannah, you don’t see them slouched over, do you? No way- chest out, shoulders back, mane blowing in the breeze…that’s how a CrossFitter should carry themselves!
More importantly, you are setting yourself up for failure in the gym, both from a performance and injury prevention standpoint. Check out that x-ray picture, and put that dude in an overhead squat position- it just doesn’t happen, does it? His degree of thoracic flexion won’t allow him to get his shoulders in a stable overhead position. And if he somehow manages to get full depth with that 45 pound bar overhead, he is in a dangerous, shoulder impinged position. Think about this for a minute- those firebreather athletes that can OHS well over their body weight, what is their posture like? Probably not like x-ray guy. Look at how Coach Camille carries herself, and take into account her OHS at upwards of 125% of her body weight… this is not a coincidence. I don’t think I’ve ever seen her slouch- she is already in a good position before she’s even picked up the bar.
Good posture = healthy shoulders. Courtesy of www.crossfit.com
This phenomenon isn’t restricted to the overhead squat. If someone lacks the ability to fully open the shoulders they tend to compensate with other joints, usually the lumbar spine. The classic example is a strict press lockout with the ‘dirty stripper butt.” This is obviously not good.
Bottom line, if you’re slouched and doing CrossFit, you are putting your shoulders in a dangerous, compromised position. The good news is, with a little bit of body awareness you can fix it!
How do I fix this you ask? Most would say to “sit up straight.” While this sounds like it should work, it usually doesn’t. It’s hard to retrain something your body has learned over the years. I am a firm believer that the best way to retrain your body is through good movement. Here’s what you need to do:
When the WOD calls for movements that require a neutral spine position under load- KB swings, deadlifts and such- consciously pack your shoulders back and down. Think about pinching an egg between you shoulder blades (scapular retraction, see photo below) throughout the entire movement. When you feel the slouch creep in with fatigue, stop, take a few breaths, and reset. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of training yourself to “feel” when you’re in a good position. Think of “pinch the egg” or “shoulder pack” to upper body movements as “weight on your heels” is to the squat. This applies to presses and overhead squats as well.
Shoulder Pack - do it!
Know the difference between scapular retraction (shoulder pack), and scapular elevation (shrugging). There are few cases when shrugging is helpful in CrossFit (the pull under in the snatch and clean is one). The picture to the left is a good example of scapular retraction.
Here are a few passive things you can do to improve your posture:
Foam roll. Start on your thoracic spine with your arms straight over head. Breathe deeply and get about 10 slow passes while opening your shoulders as much as you can. Now, give yourself a bear hug and do 10 more passes. This is the first thing I do in the gym, every day.
Place a rolled up towel under your T-spine and lay on it, relaxed, for 5 minutes, twice a day. This is also a good way to de-stress.
Make a conscious effort to ALWAYS be in a good position. If you catch yourself slouching at work, fix it. Sit up straight and pull your shoulders back and down (pinch the egg!) If you catch yourself slouching again get up and walk around/stretch for a bit. This applies not just to sitting, but driving/walking, etc. Remember, you’re a Lion!
As always, if you have questions or need help with any of this stuff, ask a coach! This is only one aspect of what is required for a healthy shoulder position. Click here for part II.
11/14/11 by Derek | Advice, Blog | 2 Comments »
Anybody check the weather lately? Not a whole lotta’ sun ’round these parts this time of year.
Vitamin D deficiencies are very common in northern climates during the darker months. Low blood levels of vitamin D can lead to:
SAD (seasonal affective disorder and moodiness)
Heaviness in the legs
Chronic musculoskeletal pain
Fatigue
Hypersensitivity of the skin
Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
Cognitive impairment in older adults
Severe asthma in children
Cancer
The list goes on, just Google it…
So how can you get your dose o’ D? Well it’s pretty easy in CdA during the summer; our bodies produce the stuff when the sun’s UV rays hit our skin. Winter is the tough one. Time to supplement.
Research shows you can safely supplement 4000 I.U. of vitamin D per day. Costco has a good brand packing 2000 I.U. per pill at a reasonable price, be sure to check it out.
Check out vitamin Vitamin D3 World for more info, and as always, ask the trainers!
06/23/11 by Jonathan | Advice, Announcements, Blog, Featured, Nutrition | 5 Comments »
Here is a great post from Sarah Fragoso’s site, Everyday Paleo. Some athletes are easily discouraged in the first six weeks of a paleo/CrossFit lifestyle change because they are seeing pounds dropping off the scale like the contestants on The Biggest Loser. What they are failing to understand is that:
- Muscle weighs more than fat
- If you don’t have much muscle to begin with, you will build it quickly
- It is entirely possible to completely shift your body composition, clothing size, and appearance, AND NOT LOSE A POUND.
Number 3 seems to be the issue that most folks have difficulty with; and Sarah’s post on the subject has a great example of how it is possible. Check it out here:
Attention Scale Addicts
05/04/11 by Derek | Advice, Blog, Nutrition | No Comments »
One of the most comment comments about the paleo diet when someone first starts it, is “but it’s soooo expensive to eat healthy!” I hear some of you are starting a PALEO CHALLENGE… so here are some tips from the Peleo gods that might come in handy:
1. Buy in Bulk
2. Choose cheap cuts and buy bone-in
3. Eat organs regularly
4. Render your own tallow or lard
5. Buy whole or canned wild fish
6. Buy in season from your farmer’s market
7. Buy frozen fruits or vegetables
8. Participate in farmshares and CSA programs
9. Grow and pick your own produce
10. Preserve, ferment and freeze
11. Make your own dressings
12. Bacon ‘n eggs for breakies
13. Hunting and Fishing
If you want more details and specifics go to http://paleodietlifestyle.com/paleo-on-a-budget/. This is also a great site for other paleo advice!
03/08/11 by Derek | Advice, Blog, Featured | No Comments »
You’ve heard me say that before, right? The picture from today’s CrossFit.com post is the perfect explanation of this phenomenon: on the left she is overextended in lumbar spine, or what we call “soft abs.” This can lead to low back pain and is an overall weaker position. On the right she has maintained a neutral spine position, aka “nailing the ribs down.” This is a better position to press, swing, or lift.
All those hollow rocks pay off, right?
02/06/11 by Jonathan | Advice, Blog, Nutrition | 9 Comments »
The usual suspects- courtesy Paul Chek
GI health is a great indicator of overall wellness. Aside from the immediate feedback you get when eat some disagreeable food (Beano or Lactaid, anyone?), the best way to be sure your diet is dialed in is to take a look in the toilet bowl (before you flush).
Take a look at the line up of the usual suspects above. What your poo looks like can give you a clue as to how well (or poorly) the food you are actually eating meshes with what you show ideally be eating.
From left to right:
Sinker n’ Stinker – This guy is named as he behaves. He is like a smelly piece of black coal that sinks to the bottom of the bowl after an arduous attempt to squeeze him out with tremendous force. His appearance is due to an over exposure to toxins such as processed foods, environmental toxins and medical drugs.
The Swimmer – This guy is light in color and floats. He is a pain to flush. His appearance is due to a high content of undigested fat.
Bodybuilder – This dude is JACKED! He is typically big and round. He makes you strain to get him out of ya. If you pop a blood vessel in your eye ball when you poop, you’ve probably met this guy. His appearance is due to eating too many protein bars and shakes.
Pellet Man – Looks like rabbit poop. His appearance is due to altered states between peristalsis (the involuntary constriction and relaxation of the muscles of the intestine or another canal, creating wavelike movements that push the contents of the canal forward) and dehydration.
Diarrhea – “If you’re sliding into first, and you feel something burst… “, this guy needs no introduction. His appearance is due to your crappy (ha!) diet and your body’s attempt to purge you of it.
The Flasher – If you can identify what you’ve eaten by looking at your poop, you are being flashed! Undigested food particles making an appearance in your bowl is a sure sign that this guy has crashed your party. His appearance is due to food intolerance and an inflamed gut wall.
The Sheriff – This guy is what all of our poo strive to look like. He is well shaped (with a consistent contour), passes easily, light brown In color, smells earthy – not foul, yet he floats… but not too much. Mmmm.
So, keep an eye on your poo! Not only will it give you insight as to the efficacy of your diet, it will give you something to talk about at the dinner table.
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