Back again

     Good morning folks! Sorry about the last two days. Two days ago I just got bogged down here, and yesterday, for some reason, blogger failed to work right... so it was my fault I didn't ramble only once. So to make up for it, let us get to it!

     Ok, I know that in CrossFit we recruit the power of the hips like no ones business. And why not, nearly everything we do involves the hips... and if it doesn't, we find a way to them anyway (kipping pullups anyone?). However, there is plenty of things we need strong throughout the body, and today I would like to talk about the importance of a strong backside.

     So, why to we use those back and lat muscles for anyway? Well, think about stuff like: KB Swings, Deadlift, Snatch, Back Squats etc. Yes, a lot of the times we'll talkabout hip power for these movements (like the KB and Snatch), but if you're back is like a wet noodle, then you got nothing. Let's talk about the Snatch for a minute (head out of the gutter people).

     When performing a Snatch, especially at heavy weight, imagine that your body only has two hinges. By that I mean, everything besides your knees and your hips are locked down. Arms are straight, core and back are like a 2 x 4, and our feet (inititally) are nailed to the ground. Once we begin the first pull of the Snatch (ground to knees) our core must stay super tight and our back rigid, the only thing moving is our knees come from flexion to extention. If you don't have the proper strength in your back to hold that weight without buckling, then you're going to have a bad day. The second pull (knees to extention), now we're begining to open our hips, and everything else should locked in (just like the first pull). Finally the third pull (pull our body under the bar), we have to have the appropriate strength to "catch" the load in a very low overhead squat and be able to support the weight till we are finally standing. Don't believe me? Check out the picture below of a legit Olympic Weightlifter.

     So there you have it... a strong back... just another tool required to achieve that elite fitness. Now, I don't want you to think you must look like the picture above. Stength is all relative. If you are able to move more weight that previously, then you're on the right track. So get strong, get fit... and do burpees!


"CrossFit has the potential to change the popular cultural perception of what exercise actually means over the next decade, and I will watch with delight as selectorized leg machines are melted down into more useful items like re-bar and manhole covers."
     - Coach Rip

3,2,1 GO!
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Yesteday's WOD:

Warm-up: 28 Burpees

Core:
3 x 10 Hollow Rocks
5 TGU each side 45 lbs
2 x 20 Back Extentions

Dynamic Barbell WU:
Burgener Warm-Up
every 30 sec for 5 min 1 Hang Snatch + 2 Overhead Squats 45 lbs


WOD:
Alternating Movements
1 -----> 12
Hand-Release Pushups
12 ----> 1
95 lb Thrusters
Time - 19:09
This was a bucket of pain! I figured I would do something for Friday the 13th... and that did the trick.



The Day Before's WOD:

Warm-up: 27 Burpees

Core: 2 rounds
10 Hollow Rocks - 15 Hip Extentions - 20 Flutter Kicks

Dynamic Barbell WU: 1 Power Clean + 2 Front Squat + 1 Push Jerk
3 x 65 lbs
3 x 95 lbs
1 x 135 lbs

Strength:
Deadlift
3 x 5
245 lbs (65%)
280 lbs (75%)
320 lbs (85%)

Sumo Deadlift 185 lbs (50%) x 5 x 10

WOD:
3 RFT
10 50 lb Right Arm Power Snatch
10 T2B
10 50 lb Left Arm Power Snatch
10 Situps
Time - 5:03


Day 29 Burpee Challenge / 435 Burpees Total

*3511*