Coach Anna, WZA Team Competitor
WOD – “Uprooted”
50’ 1 arm OH Lunge w KB (53/35)
25 GHDSU
15 HSPU
5 Rounds for time
WOD Brief
Here we work on our vertical pressing and build on our ability to close our hip using our quads, hip flexors, and core muscles. Todays effort is the opposite muscle dynamics of yesterday and will be a challenge if yesterday was ‘comfortable’ or ‘fun’. Take advantage of this training today to build on your base of vertical pressing density. Be sure to work each arm in the OH lunge – switch as you like, but we tend to have a dominant arm and need to be aware that we don’t favor either today.
The HSPU will be worked heavily in the skill session – please go deficit if you have strict HSPU (at least 3) and at least 5 HSPU kipping. This time should be skill focused – don’t go to fatigue, but instead find your 1-2 rep max at deficit today and give it a couple goes.
GHD – How to build abs, the right abs, and maximize the human bodies potential
GHDs are tremendously impactful and potent at developing abdominals. New athletes should work to static isometric positions and work on developing their range of motion. As your density (ability to do more reps per round) increases, you’ll begin to activate expanded muscle groups that are seldom developed, and provide tremendous benefit across all areas of an active life and sports. Yes, it is is true, the GHD sit-up primarily focuses on hip flexors over trunk flexors, or the abs, in this sit-up it recruits the abs powerfully in two ways.
“First, the movement takes the trunk from hyperextension to full flexion, albeit with negligible load. (No crunch can match this range of motion.)
Second, the role of the abs in this sit-up is powerful and largely isometric—i.e., they stabilize the torso from undue extension.
This second point is consistent with our belief that the most powerful, functional, and developmental contractions of the trunk are isometric, not isokinetic. Our favorite ab exercises are predominantly stabilization or isometric exercises. The GHD sit-up, the L sit, and the overhead squat share this stabilization role. The lack of trunk flexion in these moves hides their potency from the uninitiated.
The hip flexors’ purchase and strength suggest their importance to functional movement. One expert calculated that they are capable of generating many times the force that the abs can. Most modern athletes are hip flexion weak and it affects most performance. Weak hip flexors assure weak abs—especially weak lower abs—and no amount of crunches can compensate” (Read more here from CrossFit HQ)
Test your hip flexors – in a standing position, raise one leg off the ground with a high knee, now have a friend press gently down on that raised knee. Strong hip flexors = long resistance to being pressed down, any short duration is an opportunity to improve.
**SAVE THE DATES**
December 3rd – NBK Yoga class at LiveURYoga studio, sign-up online! 50% off savings. Focus is on CrossFit athlete problem areas
December 9th – Gymnastics Clinic by Power Monkey team and CrossFit Games Athlete (register online)
Holiday December Party – Beautiful Dinner and Social Event, Dec 17th