Muscle ups, it's a process, are you still processing? I am.

Details at GymnasticsWOD

Figuring out how to do something that:
1. doesn't come naturally
2. has a lot of elements composing it, and
3. is also just kind of hard,
is, well, hard.

The muscle up has become THE elusive movement of CrossFit, the separator of wheat from chaff, more intimidating than the handstand push up, double under and heavy squat snatch combined.

So how to tackle it?  And oops, well, now it's in the Open, so a good number of us (me) are scratching our heads, thinking, cripes, I still can't really do one.   You never know, under the duress of competition, you may have some surprising results, but let's take this as an opportunity to try to face up to that muscle up.

1.  The only way to get better at something is to practice, which I am as guilty as any of avoiding, who wants to train a weakness when it's so much more fun to revel in your strengths?

2.  Once you get your head in the right spot and are willing to get the practice sessions going, what do you practice?  It's all incremental, right?  Particularly if you're working with strength and mobility deficiencies -in addition to simply grasping a new collection of movements.  So it's no good just flailing under a pair of dangling rings, trying to do the whole movement.  We need to break it down.  These 3 videos are a good explanation of what you need to be able to do before you can get to that next step. 

Details at GymnasticsWOD

3. The various elements to work on include: Ring dips, which are crucial for the press out at the top of the muscle up, or the ring dip kip which can wiggle you right up when you're stuck.  Transitions are important for starting to understand the dynamism necessary to move through the rings.  And grip strength drills and wrist mobility exercises will help with that tricky false grip.  But maybe more importantly, just as we work our barbell lifts slowly, starting with a PVC pipe to master the proper form before we flirt with heavier weights, we need to establish certain strength standards and joint stability before we can flirt with the muscle up.

4. There are many different ways to skin a cat, and to reach the muscle up.  Some of us are going to have the strength but not the confidence, some of us will have the opposite.  So breaking down the elements that are holding you back is an individual prescription that we, as your coaches, are here to help you establish.  Nonetheless, I bet you have an idea what your weakness is, so use this series of videos, a little self scrutiny and some consultation with us, to get to work building that safe pull up, building that stable shoulder girdle, finding that grip and feeling comfortable in the speed and explosivity of the full motion on the rings.

Details at GymnasticsWOD

5.  We will get there, oh yes we will.

WOD FOR APRIL 14:

Come in to do the competition WOD or

7rds:
10 Toes To Bar without dropping off the bar OR
1 minute hanging from the bar without coming off the bar.
AND
5 Hand Stand Push Ups without coming off the wall OR
1 minute handstand hold without coming off the wall.

5 Burpee penalty for incomplete sets or holds.

Use your discretion, change strategies each round if you feel like it, find out what your weak link is.

ALSO, please remember there is no, 6:30am, 9:30am 10:30am or noon class on Thursday -I've got lab.

Bonne nuit, mes amis.

Camilla