Table of Contents What is CrossFit? 2 The Bracing Sequence 2 The Building Blocks of CrossFit The Nine Foundational Movements 3 The Nine Foundational Movements Checklist 3 1.1 Air Squat 4 1.2 Front Squat 7 1.3 Overhead Squat 10 2.1 Shoulder Press 13 2.2 Push Press 16 2.3 Push Jerk 19 3.1 Deadlift 22 3.2 Sumo Deadlift High Pull 25 3.3 Medicine Ball Clean 28 Sources and Resources 31 1
CROSSFIT SCHEVENINGEN FUNDAMENTALS What is CrossFit? CrossFit is a core strength and conditioning program, also known as the sport of fitness. At the CrossFit gym, called a box, athletes will learn to perform constantly varied (always different) functional movements (natural multi-joint movements that are useful in everyday life) at high intensity. Intensity is relative and different for each person. During the Workout of the Day (WOD), all athletes attempt the same movements, however they can be scaled to fit their specific level and abilities. We designed this handout to give our athletes an introduction to CrossFit and the Nine Foundational Movements which will help them build their CrossFit skills safely and effectively. We always strive for good technique and virtuosity, which is doing the common uncommonly well. The Bracing Sequence Before performing any movement in CrossFit, the athlete should master the Bracing Sequence. We present this sequence as envisioned by Kelly Starrett. This set up will stabilize the spine and prevent injuries. 1. Squeeze your butt as hard as you can. First, set your pelvis in a neutral position by putting your feet directly under your hips - keeping your feet parallel to each other - screw your feet into the ground and squeeze your butt as hard as you can. Do not think about tilting your pelvis, just squeeze your butt and your body will align itself. 2. Pull your ribcage down. Next, pull your ribcage down, balancing it over your pelvis. Imagine that your pelvis and ribcage are two bowls filled to the brim with liquid. The idea is to keep your pelvis and ribcage neutral so that liquid doesn't spill out either end. If you overextend, water pours out the front of your pelvis and out the back of your ribcage. If you round forward into flexion, water pours out the back of your pelvis and out the front of your ribcage. Although this analogy only applies to standing perfectly upright in a braced-neutral position - you can still be in a braced-neutral position and hinge forward or lean back - the idea is to get your ribcage and pelvis aligned. 2
3. Get your belly tight. Third, lock your pelvis and rib cage in place with your abdominals. Think about it like this: Glutes set position, abs brace position. To correctly execute this step, continue squeezing the glutes, take a big breath of air, and then exhale. As you let the air out, engage your abs and get your belly tight. Now that you are engaged, breathe in forcing air in to your compressed system, as if filling an air tank. 4. Set your head in a neutral position and screw your shoulders into a stable position. Lastly, center your head over your shoulders, and gaze forward. Think about aligning your ears over your shoulders, hips and ankles. As you do this, draw the top of your arms back, spreading your collar bones wide, and release your shoulders down. The Building Blocks of CrossFit The Nine Foundational Movements The athlete can approach the nine foundational movements of CrossFit as three levels. The movements all build upon each other, getting more complex as they progress from Level 1 to Level 3. It is very important to master these movements with good technique and practice them often! You can add a check mark next to each movement after covering it as the Technique part of a WOD and keep track of your progress at CrossFit Scheveningen. All new members must understand the nine foundational movements. Day Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 1 1.1 Air Squat 1.2 Front Squat 1.3 Overhead Squat 2 2.1 Shoulder Press 2.2 Push Press 2.3 Push Jerk 3 3.1 Deadlift 3.2 Sumo Deadlift High Pull 3.3 Medicine Ball Clean 3
1.1 Air Squat SETUP: Stance = Shoulder width apart Toes point out between 5 12 degrees Full extension at hips and knees Perform the bracing sequence Shoulders pulled back and hands up Screw your feet into the ground to create torque Distribute your body weight in the center of your foot throughout the whole movement (keeping your mass just in front of your ankles) Look forward to maintain a neutral head position EXECUTION: Initiate the squat by reaching your hamstrings back first Keep the shins as vertical as possible Drive your knees out and lower yourself into the bottom position Keep your lumbar curve by keeping your core tight and chest up Bottom of squat is below parallel (hip crease is below the top of the knee cap) Return to full extension at the hips and knees, driving your knees out on the way up and screwing your feet into the ground Squeeze your glutes at the top of the squat Bring your hands back down to complete NOTES : Air Squat 1 4
Air Squat 2 Air Squat 3 5
Air Squat 4 Air Squat 5 6
1.2 Front Squat SETUP: Stance = Shoulder width apart Toes point out between 5 12 degrees Full extension at hips and knees Bar in front rack position, resting on your shoulders with loose grip outside of shoulder width Elbows up, back of arms are parallel with the ground Screw your feet into the ground to create torque Distribute your body weight in the center of your foot throughout the whole movement (keeping your mass just in front of your ankles) Look forward to maintain a neutral head position EXECUTION: Initiate the squat by reaching your hamstrings back first Keep the shins as vertical as possible Drive your knees out and lower yourself into the bottom position Keep your lumbar curve by keeping your core tight; Chest and Elbows remain up Bottom of squat is below parallel (hip crease is below the top of the knee cap) Return to full extension at the hips and knees, driving your knees out on the way up and screwing your feet into the ground Squeeze your glutes at the top of the squat NOTES : Front Squat 1 7
Front Squat 2 Front Squat 3 8
Front Squat 4 Front Squat 5 9
1.3 Overhead Squat SETUP: Stance = Shoulder width apart Toes point out between 5 12 degrees Full extension at hips and knees Bar overhead with elbows locked, shoulders active and externally rotate your armpits forward Wrists in line with forearms (not bent or flexed) Screw your feet into the ground to create torque Distribute your body weight in the center of your foot throughout the whole movement (keeping your mass just in front of your ankles) Look forward to maintain a neutral head position EXECUTION: Initiate the squat by reaching your hamstrings back first Keep the shins as vertical as possible, but it is OK for your knees to pass over your toes Drive your knees out and lower yourself into the bottom position Keep your lumbar curve by keeping your core tight; Chest remains up Bottom of squat is below parallel (hip crease is below the top of the knee cap) Bar position remains over the mid-foot Return to full extension at the hips and knees, driving your knees out on the way up and screwing your feet into the ground Squeeze your glutes at the top of the squat NOTES : Overhead Squat 1 10
Overhead Squat 2 Overhead Squat 3 11
Overhead Squat 4 Overhead Squat 5 12
2.1 Shoulder Press SETUP: Stance = Hip width Hands just outside the shoulders Hook grip, with middle and index finger over your thumb on the bar Bar in front, resting on the rack or shelf created by the shoulders Elbows down and in front of bar (lower than in the Front Squat) Perform the bracing sequence, get your core tight Screw your feet into the ground to create torque Look forward to maintain a neutral head position EXECUTION: Pull your head back slightly to allow for a straight bar path; Do not lean back with your torso Press the weight straight overhead Keep your core tight as you press Bar travels straight up to locked out position, with active shoulders, directly overhead (Think about keeping your arms in line with your ears) After lock out, bar travels straight back down Head moves back slightly to allow for straight bar path back down to start position NOTES : Shoulder Press 1 13
Shoulder Press 2 Shoulder Press 3 14
Shoulder Press 4 Shoulder Press 5 15
2.2 Push Press SETUP: Stance = Hip width Hands just outside the shoulders Hook grip, with middle and index finger over your thumb on the bar Bar in front, resting on the rack or shelf created by the shoulders Elbows down and in front of bar (lower than in the Front Squat) Perform the bracing sequence, get your core tight Screw your feet into the ground to create torque Look forward to maintain a neutral head position EXECUTION: Think Dip, drive, press Dip: Perform a shallow dip by lowering your hips between your feet, knees go forward and out slightly, and your chest stays upright Drive: In one explosive movement, extend your knees and hips; Move your head back slightly to accommodate a straight bar path Press: Press the bar directly overhead, locking out your arms with active shoulders; pulling your torso and head underneath the bar Return the bar back down on the same path to the start position by moving your head back slightly and keeping your core tight Receive the weight onto your chest by dipping into a quarter squat, then stand to complete NOTES : Push Press 1 16
Push Press 2 Push Press 3 17
Push Press 4 Push Press 5 18
2.3 Push Jerk SETUP: Stance = Hip width Hands just outside the shoulders Hook grip, with middle and index finger over your thumb on the bar Bar in front, resting on the rack or shelf created by the shoulders Elbows down and in front of bar (lower than in the Front Squat) Perform the bracing sequence, get your core tight Screw your feet into the ground to create torque Look forward to maintain a neutral head position EXECUTION: Think Dip, drive, press and dip Dip: Perform a shallow dip by lowering your hips between your feet, knees go forward and out slightly, and your chest stays upright Drive: In one explosive movement, extend your knees and hips; As the barbell jumps off your shoulders, pull your head back to allow for a straight bar path Press and Dip: Slide your feet out into your landing stance and press yourself under the bar Catch the weight with your elbows straight, shoulders back, and armpits forward Stand to full extension with bar overhead NOTES : Push Jerk 1 19
Push Jerk 2 Push Jerk 3 20
Push Jerk 4 Push Jerk 5 21
3.1 Deadlift SETUP: Step forward until the bar is over your shoes where your laces begin Stance = Feet straight at hip width Perform the bracing sequence Screw your feet into the ground to create torque Hinge at the hips and take a symmetrical hook grip just outside the knees Shoulders slightly in front of the bar; bar is positioned underneath the scapula Bar in contact with the shins Arms locked straight Flat back, lumbar curve locked in Look forward to maintain a neutral head position EXECUTION: Extend legs while hips and shoulders rise together Once the bar passes the knees, the hips can fully open Bar maintains contact with the legs the entire time Head position is neutral On return to the floor, push hips back and shoulders forward slightly, delay the knee bend Once bar descends past the knees, only then, bend your knees and return the bar down to the setup position NOTES : Deadlift 1 22
Deadlift 2 Deadlift 3 23
Deadlift 4 Deadlift 5 24
3.2 Sumo Deadlift High Pull SETUP: Step forward until the bar is over your shoes where your laces begin Stance = Wider than shoulder width, but not so wide that the knees roll inside the feet Perform the bracing sequence Screw your feet into the ground to create torque Hinge at the hips and take a symmetrical two-thumb length narrow grip on the bar Shoulders slightly in front of the bar with chest up Bar in contact with the shins Arms locked straight EXECUTION: Keep a tight core and a stable spine throughout the whole movement Accelerate through the heels from the ground to full extension of the hips and legs Shrug, with straight arms Arms follow through by pulling bar to the chin with elbows high and outside Return the bar down fluidly in the reverse sequence: first arms, then traps, then hips, then knees; Bar travels back down to the setup position Remember to keep a neutral spine on the way back down, do not let your back or shoulders round forward NOTES : Sumo Deadlift High Pull 1 25
Sumo Deadlift High Pull 2 Sumo Deadlift High Pull 3 26
Sumo Deadlift High Pull 4 Sumo Deadlift High Pull 5 27
3.3 Medicine Ball Clean SETUP: Med Ball on the ground with laces forward Take a Squat stance over the Med Ball Perform the bracing sequence Screw your feet into the ground to create torque Squat down over the ball with your chest up and arms straight Palms of your hands on outside of the ball; fingertips pointing down Look forward to maintain a neutral head position EXECUTION: Accelerate through the heels from the ground to full extension of the hips and legs Shrug, with straight arms Send yourself under the med ball; catch the ball in a full Front Squat, with the elbows beneath the ball Stand to full extension with ball up at face level to complete NOTES : Medicine Ball Clean 1 28
Medicine Ball Clean 2 Medicine Ball Clean 3 29
Medicine Ball Clean 4 Medicine Ball Clean 5 30
Sources and Resources Dr. Kelly Starrett and Glen Cordoza, Becoming a Supple Leopard: The Ultimate Guide to Resolving Pain, Preventing Injury, and Optimizing Athletic Performance, (Victory Belt Publishing, April 23, 2013) For more information on the sport of CrossFit, please visit: www.crossfit.com For more information on CrossFit Scheveningen, please visit: www.crossfit-scheveningen.nl 31