THE SKILLS

Double Unders

Squat Snatch or Squat Clean

Muscle-up (rings or bar) & Pullups (Strict, Kipping, Butterfly, or otherwise)

Pistols

Handstand Pushups

etc

These skills are more difficult because they require more than just one or two physical skills such as strength, endurance, flexibility, coordination, and balance. Don’t have them? Practice, practice, practice. It’s got to be progressive with the exposure so that it becomes old hat.

Got them? Great! Why can’t you do bigger sets and do them more unbroken more often?

Regardless the goal is to improve. Our commitment to you is to get you to these complex and intense movements if you’re willing to be vulnerable and coachable. When you ask questions we help you move forward with more knowledge and you simply put in the work. Simple concept but not so easy to accomplish.

With the 2022 CrossFit Games Open upon us [officially starting 2/24 and registration is open now!] you’re going to see these more often in the programming so might as well improve each one!

THE HACKS*

Double Unders

You need to accumulate more time just jump roping- not doing double unders, but spinning a rope around you more consistently more often. Think of a boxer training (this was some of my first social media inspo)- they don’t train hard to jump rope in a ring, but the carryover of stamina, coordination, and improvisation lead to better movement in the ring.

Play your favorite song for a month trying to move the rope the entire time. Month 2 play it twice and try to keep the rope moving the entire duration of the music. Month Three play it three times. Able to do it without stopping once? Congrats- you’re a badass at jump roping and probably don’t flinch when seeing rounds of 100 double unders in a workout.

Squat Snatch/Squat Clean

You probably don’t squat to the fullest range possible each opportunity you get to squat. Unless you do in which case you’d have squat snatches and squat cleans (and maybe squat jerks). Stop being satisfied with the absolute bare-minimum of breaking parallel and go “ass-to-grass” as often as possible.

Sit in a squat, stretch your ankles, sit in the squat, stretch your quads, rest in the squat, open your hip flexors, sit in the squat, strengthen your glutes, do more full range-of-motion air squats on your own, take the stairs 2-3 steps at a time, get your hamstrings and groin more flexible. Oh and squat more.

Muscle-Ups & Pullups

If not specified assume the muscle-up variation we talk about is the one done on rings, strict or by kipping. Not only does adequate pullup and dip strength matter, but technique is very important to stay safe and be super efficient with your workouts.

Practice literally just hanging and then work your pullup and dip strength. The transition between the two is all technique efficiency and consistency. Could be the EMOM Strength Ladder or something similar.

Pistols (Single Leg Squats)

Same as the squat snatch/squat clean section you have lackluster ankle, knee, and hip flexion/extension skill. This skill is about managing single foot & leg strength while flexing the floating leg’s hip.

Practice squatting and then in the bottom position extend a single leg and become accustomed to this “shoot the duck” position. Watch how I warmup in this video for more ideas.

HANDSTAND PUSHUP (HSPU)

Everyone knows how to handstand one way or another, but not too many people practice solid headstands. That said if you cannot transition easily between the two you’re asking to hurt your neck or back or worse trying some HSPU.

Find a yoga instructor or enthusiast who can talk to you about tripod positioning for solid balance and more. If your handstands and headstands are solid try transitions between the positions respectively over and over. Eccentric training can lead to great strength development so practice.

*I loathe the term but everyone gets it

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That’s that- just like everything else you’ve done in the gym progression happens when you are consistent in your practice. Yes, we have gamified fitness so you want to win (or not lose) which means concessions in some of the many elements of our style of fitness.

Prioritizing technique before intensity is a great way to maintain and develop longevity in fitness.

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As usual if you’d like to discuss your own individual progressions and maybe get a program designed specifically for you contact a coach about it and set up a training session!