Grunt Work - Friday, January 26, 2018
Hello athletes,
Been a a little while since I have been able to write you guys,Thanks to Jen for bringing you great content and keeping the Blog fresh.But when i'm not writing here, I am reading. I have been spending a lot of time lately educating myself on injury recovery, prevention and how to maintain high intensity work with high level skill work while building a strong midline. I have had the chance to talk to some serious Strength coaches while I was in Miami, I have listened and read a lot of work from Strong Fit and Rob Orlando and I just finished reading "The Gift of Injury" by Dr. Stewart Mcgill & Briam Carroll.( if you want a good read on prevention of back injury this is the best read I think you can find)So after all of this research whats my Conclusion? How do we stay moving intensely, functional and varied, while still increasing power and speed & keeping our joints/ muscles healthy for life?
For me it comes down to 3 main components:
- Mobility & Mind
- Accessory Work and Balance
- Grunt Work ( Midline stability)
Over the Next week I will touch base on all of these but today I am going to address:
Grunt Work
Sometimes in the CrossFit world, we often forget the ‘constantly varied’ aspect.
More and more I see athletes get caught up in the more glamorous exercises, Such as the Snatch or Muscle-Up. The trend of wanting to practice the moves that make good videos to post on social media is getting more and more popular.Unfortunately in todays world everyone wants to be ‘instafamous.’ I have nothing against these high skilled movements, and they are vital within Crossfit and functional movement, but there are some less than glamorous exercises that also yield more benefits, and should be used much, much more. At Indestri we have always been strongman enthusiasts, because of the midline work it builds. i still think a D-ball or stone over the shoulder is the best way to teach hip extension.Most of you know I am a fan of Power athlete movements and a big proponent of programming Grunt work on Sundays. This is because that is the world I came from before CrossFit.For those who don't know my back ground, before Paralympic Basketball and my back injury, I spent my time on field, pushing sleds, running tires, doing fire man carries, back squats, bench press, Deadlifts and doing endless sprints. I played football, one of those sports that has a very small life cycle. The demand on your joints and bone structure is extreme. But that is where I will always relate to when trying to solve problems. Power strength training is raw and nothing creates a posterior chain, stable shoulders and midline stability like Power athlete training. Each coach at Indestri has a different set of roots and they will use that to fix holes they see, but I am positive they all know and will testify the benefit of simple work.
WHAT IS GRUNT WORK?
Grunt work refers to the moves that lack glamour, are possibly boring and repetitive, yet necessary, and provide a lot of bang for your buck. Weighted carries are underutilised in athletic development.
Weighted Carries help to build:
- Midline stability
- Grip strength
- Muscular endurance
- Posterior Chain
- Tenacity
There are several variations of the weighted carry. Here are a few.
FARMER’S CARRY
Probably the most well known and the easiest to execute of the carries. The key to this exercise is to use the heaviest weight possible with proper form.
TECHNIQUE:
Choose two heavy kettlebells or dumbbells. Begin with the weight resting on the ground. Deadlift the weights to your sides, while maintaining a flat back and neutral spine. Once you have picked up the weights, you will walk the specified distance while maintaining good posture.
OVERHEAD CARRY
This is the more challenging version of a weighted carry. The overhead carry is also great for building midline stability, but overhead stability and strength as well. Overhead stability translates into a better lockout in the overhead lifts. This move is much more challenging and will require less weight. Choose a conservative (light) weight.
TECHNIQUE:
Start by pressing the weight overhead in a clean and jerk motion. Once the weights have been secured overhead, lock the elbows, squeeze the glutes and abs, and pull the rib cage down. The key to this exercise is keeping the core tight. Now, begin walking and constantly press the weight to the sky.
LOW BELLY CARRY
This is a great drill for keeping the torso upright during the front squat or clean, as well as learning to breathe properly under load.
TECHNIQUE:
For this move, you will only need one heavy weight. You are going to lift the weight to your belly and basically hug your object for the duration of your carry. It may look silly, but your biceps and abs will be screaming by the end..
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
Today's WOD we are going to use carries, Drags and some other unglamorous movements and continue to build midline stability.The WOD's today are all about slow and steady, but believe me, your lungs will be in a world of hurt. Focus on keeping the core tight. The goal is to set the weight down as few times as possible. This is not a workout I would suggest to sprint, but more likely pace with a buddy. This will keep you honest and add that extra push.
This won’t be pretty, but that’s why it’s called grunt work!
Stouty
.
Friday, January 26, 2018
Focus:
16 min EMOM
Min 1: Backwards Sled Pull 1 Length (Heavy)Min 2: Cal Ski Erg 13/9Min 3: 2 Length Hi-Low Kb carry 24-16 /16-12Min 4: 20 Med ball sit ups 20/14.
WOD:
4 RFT:2 Lengths Awkward Object Low Belly Carry (Keg/Stone/Sandbag/D-Ball)2 Lengths Bear Crawl4 Lengths Farmer's Carry 50/35.
Level 2:
4 RFT:2 Lengths Awkward Object Low Belly Carry (Keg/Stone/Sandbag/D-Ball)2 Lengths Bear Crawl4 Lengths Farmer's Carry 35/20
Level 1:
4 RFT:2 Lengths Awkward Object Low Belly Carry (Keg/Stone/Sandbag/D-Ball)2 Lengths Bear Crawl2 Lengths Farmer's Carry.
Cash Out:
Coaches Choice.Check back each night at 8pm for the next days WOD.
Contact us:
