Ok guys the New Year is already rolling and we want to start on the right track with our approach to training. In a couple of months the CrossFit Games Open will be upon us, and we will be running the workouts here and testing the limits of our physical capacity….and counting reps.

And I know y’all get tired of hearing it, but we all need to be on the same page as far as what constitutes a legitimate repetition of any exercise. A couple weeks ago we laid out the points of performance of the air squat, so review 12/26/13 if you need to. Today I want to talk about the pull-up.

The pull-up is executed from a free hanging position, with the elbows fully extended. For our purposes, the hands may be either palms out or palms in (chin-up) or a mixed grip. A strict pull-up requires keeping the body mostly rigid, while pulling the chest up toward the bar using the brute strength of the back and arms. The rep is complete when the chin clears the bar. Performing successive reps requires lowering back to the initial extended position with control.
Common faults include: jumping into the rep, starting the rep with bent elbows, not fully clearing the bar with the chin, or chicken-necking to clear the bar. Any of these faults will constitute a NO REP.

The kipping pull-up is an explosive movement in which momentum generated in the hips allows for an easier pull over the bar. At CFSQ we have a MINIMUM strength standard to perform this exercise. In order to do kips in our workouts, men must be able to execute EIGHT strict pull-ups as described above; women, FIVE. Do not ask any of the coaches to teach you this movement unless you are ready and able to pass that minimal strength test. I do not want to see any members “teaching” other members this movement either.

Several years ago I was awarded my black belt in Krav Maga after a grueling 7+ hour test that is as much about mental toughness as it is about technical proficiency. In the 6 years prior I had trained an average of 16-20 hours a week in the service of this goal. I was invited to test a year earlier, but chose to spend another year developing my skills. That test was one of the most difficult physical experiences of my life, but in the end, I was recognized as a master practitioner of the art because I earned it. I mention this simply because I see all too often people looking for a quick fix, wanting to get from A to Z but skipping B through Y.

We all have to pay our dues. The body can adapt only as quickly as the physical structures in it learn to handle new stresses. The ego will always outpace your muscle and connective tissue. When we see Vanessa deadlift 350 pounds or Eric repping out bar muscle ups, their level of mastery is so great that it looks easy (nevermind the thousands of hours of dedicated training accumulated over a lifetime to earn that virtuosity). But the ego says: that should be me, I want to do that too, I want to do that now! The reality is that strength takes time, practice, and persistence.

Gymnastic skills like the kipping pull-up require specific connective tissue strength and muscle endurance because your shoulder is a highly mobile joint and very susceptible to injury. Earn your kipping pull-ups. Do the pvc pipe shoulder mobility drill with intention. Practice pull-ups whenever you can. No rep yourself.Skip dessert. As your shoulders get stronger and more stable, you’ll be better able to handle the intense force generated during the return portion of the kip, and much less likely to incur a potentially devastating injury.

I want everyone who walks out of the gym door each day to feel a sense of accomplishment. But that doesn’t mean accepting a lower standard of performance. Rx is not something you’re given, it’s something you EARN. Challenge yourselves to meet the highest standard in your day to day training, and when you are surrounded by those who always take shortcuts or look for the easy way out, you can stand tall, head and (healthy) shoulders above the rest.

Warmup
Dynamic Athletic Movement

5 Turkish Getups R/L
20 Down Dog Push-ups

Lift
3 x 3
Deadlift

Sets across @ 80%

Conditioning
12 minutes AMRAP
Pull-up/ 2x Squat Ladders

A round consists of:
1 Pull-up
2 Air Squats
2 Pull-ups
4 Air Squats
3 Pull-ups
6 Air Squats
4 Pull-ups
8 Air Squats
5 Pull-ups
10 Air Squats

Then start back over at 1