The 1st CrossFit cycle of 2021 will be focused on the Back Squat, working on a Clean Complex and focusing on the following skills: Pull-ups & Toes-to-bar.
The Back Squat!
In order to increase overall strength (and live longer) we must strengthen our Back Squat. Squatting is the most basic form of functional movement we, as humans, perform on a daily basis. Whether it is sitting in a chair or getting in and out of your car, squatting is used for all these tasks. The key points of emphasis are:
Feet shoulder-width apart
Hands just outside shoulders
Back lying on the upper back
Hips move back then down
Distribute weight over the middle of the foot to the heel
Hips go below the knees
Keep chest up on the way down and back up
Stand up with weight
Some common limiting factors for athletes include coming up on toes, knees caving in, leaning over with the chest and not going below parallel (hips below knees). All these factors are tied to limited mobility, which we are constantly working on at Terrain Fitness. The areas of limitations are based around the ankles, hips and torso. Below are some key stretches you should be doing if you are limited in any of these areas:
Ankle Mobility:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/WkdXHQ74khI
Hip Mobility:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/OEsW3S_NAuc
Torso Mobility:
https://www.youtube.com/embed/dBZubZcgPRk
Clean Complex Incoming!
This cycle will focus on working techniques for the Power Clean and Push/Split Jerk. In order to achieve optimal aspects of each movement, the focus will be on pausing in each position, focusing on muscle memory so you can optimize each position. This could be at the knee level, mid-thigh position or in the catch. The same concept can be applied to the Jerk. We will focus on pausing in the dip and the catch in order to get your body comfortable being under load. All this will help tremendously with the cycle complex and overall strength.
The complex this cycle will be:
1 Power Clean + 1 Front Squat + 1 Push/Split Jerk
Set-up:
Bar starts from the ground with a clean grip.
Back flat and weight distributed through the entire foot.
Center the shoulders over the bar with eyes forward.
Execution of Clean:
Deadlift bar off the ground to approximately the mid-thigh position
Then fully extend the hips and knees aggressively.
Receive the bar in the front rack position stand to finish the lift.
Execution of Front Squat:
Bar stays in contact with the shoulders.
Loose Grip on the bar.
Push the elbows up on the descent and keep elbows high throughout.
Push your hips back and down (hips and knees flex at the same time).
Knee track on top of feet.
Keep weight in heels.
Full depth is hip crease below the knee.
Stand to finish the lift
Execution of Jerk:
Adjust feet and rack position from the front squat
Dip:
Push knees forward and out
Torso stays vertical
Heels down
Quickly extend at the hips and knees before pushing under the bar.
Receive bar in a ¼ lunge position with arms locked
Stand to finish by moving the front foot back and then the back foot forward.
Skills are essential!
This cycle’s skills will be featuring Pull-ups and Toes-to-bar. For the programming, there will be stations, each week, focused on getting you that first pull-up or toes-to-bar or getting you stronger with them. The structure will be one week on and one week off meaning the first week will be pull-ups, then the second week will be toes-to-bar and then pull-ups again. So, you will getting 6 weeks of each skill over the next cycle! If you’d like to work on these skills more, remember any of these stations/exercises can be done on your own time as well, during Open Gym hours.
Rinse & Repeat
As always, we will be having a test WOD the first week of the cycle. The Test WOD is as follows:
13 Minute AMRAP
30 DU
20 Deadlifts (rx: 95/65 | rx+ : 135/95)
10 Pullups
straight into
8 minutes to find a 1RM Clean
*Can be power or squat
In 12 weeks, it will be retested so make sure you record your results so you can see how far you’ve come in those 12 weeks! If, for some reason, you are unable to do the workout, you can always make-up the workout during Open Gym hours. If you have any questions about anything pertaining to the new cycle or just general questions, please don’t hesitate to ask one of us!
CrossFit Open Is Coming Up
The 2021 CrossFit Open season kicks off March 11 with just a 3-week Open vs a 5-week Open in the past. The CrossFit Open is a fun & engaging time as the community comes together to throw down on the same workout for each week. Every week, there will be a new workout to complete with completely different movements from the week(s) before. Any and everyone can participate in the Open. As preparation for the Open, we will be incorporating and working on movements you will see in the Open. Let’s have some FUN!
Good luck!
–Terrain Fitness Coaches
