Posts From: Tip of the Week

TIP OF THE WEEK: 04.09.12

STRENGTHEN YOUR SQUAT RIGHT FROM YOUR HOUSE
A common problem among athletes is an inactive glute which can be effecting your squat. If you don’t know if you have an inactive glute, an easy way to test your glute is do a glute bridge and if your hamstrings activate more then your glute there is a good chance your glute is not working to its full capacity.

Here are some at home exercises that can help get your butt working to its full capacity.
• Clam
• Glute Bridge
• Single Leg Glute Bridge
• Fire Hydrant
• Quadruped Hip Extension

 

TIP OF THE WEEK: 04.02.12

In this post we will be addressing a couple basic reasons why the bar might be swinging forward during the second pull – the point of acceleration of the hips after the bar passes the knees.

• Elbows locked during pull: Often athletes will lock their elbows in an attempt to keep the arms straight so they don’t have premature arm bending. This can cause a delay in the transition from extension (straight) to flexion (bending) and if the bar has a upward momentum, it must travel upward somehow and it’s only option is forward.

• Premature arm bending: Likewise arm bending prior to full extension in attempts to muscle up the weight can also cause the weight to travel forward. This is usually coupled with shoulders rounding forward and remaining over the bar rather then behind the bar at the top of the extension. Relax the arms, gravity and momentum will take care of the rest.

• Excessive forward hip motion: If you pop your hips forward you can hit the bar causing it to move away from your body. Going back to the basics such as a clean pull (see prior tip of the week) can solve this problem. In addition, practicing jumping vertically in the pull position can build proper mechanics.

TIP OF THE WEEK: 03.19.12

MAKE A HOME VIDEO!
The best way to see small errors in complex movements like Cleans and Snatches is to videotape the movement and then slow down the video frame-by-frame to see the slightest errors. If you are looking to fine-tune your technique feel free to ask a coach to video you from start to finish to find out where you can make improvements.

 

Tip of the week part two:
Since it has been awhile since we have posted we will include the first part in a series of simple posts breaking down common errors in the clean.

PULLING TOO EARLY:

A common error when doing the Clean is pulling with the arms before you get triple extension (extension of hip, knee, and ankle). This occurs for several reasons;  firstly because the athlete is strong in their upper body therefore wants to muscle the movement,  secondly as the weight gets heavier the athlete is not confident with the legs’ and hips’ having far better ability to accelerate the bar, lastly because the bar gets in front of the athlete who tries to pull the bar back in.

Fixing the problem:
Doing the Clean Pull before a clean can help build muscle memory. This movement is also a great exercise to do even if you do not plan on doing the full clean. The video demonstrates the movement from the ground but if you are still having difficulty with arms bending try from the second pull position (aka hang position).

Start movement in deadlift position, once the bar passes the knee and starts the second pull aggressively accelerate the hips’ and legs’. The arms should remain close and stiff throughout the movement.

 

TIP OF THE WEEK: 02.20.12

YOUR COACHES CAN’T READ MINDS.
Please yell “done” when you have finished the workout.

TIP OF THE WEEK: 02.13.12

To puke or not to puke.
Every day you walk in and you see the board with everyone’s times, weights and rounds peering over at you as some constant reminder to move faster. So what is more important, form or intensity? The answer is both!

Dave Castro used a good scenario to illustrate form vs. intensity. Three people shoot at a target, all three shoot five rounds in 3 minutes. Shooter 1 hits all five rounds in the bullseye. Shooter 2 hits two in the bullseye, two close to the bullseye and one almost missing the target. Shooter 3 only hits the target once and all other bullets miss. So what do we know about the shooters?

Shooter 1: Focuses on perfect form.

Shooter 2: Good form, allowing some deviation from form in order to push intensity.

Shooter 3: Bad form, just unloading his pistol as fast as possible.

Which shooter would be the ideal CrossFitter? Shooter 2 in most cases. Why? Shooter 1 although finishing at the same time, and moving with precision, could pick up the intensity and lose just a little form. Shooter 3 moves as quick as possible but lacks form and should slow down the pace and focus more on form. Shooter 2 moves with good form but will deviate from form on occasion in order to push intensity.  Losing form (especially at the end of the workout) isn’t always your worst enemy — if controlled it can still be a very healthy way to lift. In anything we do in life, we need to take risks to get better, we just need to take those risks wisely.

How intense should you be? This has been a debate amongst CrossFitter’s for awhile now. In my opinion going 110% on every workout is not necessary. Keeping intensity at 80-90% is good in most cases. Hold off on that 110% for trying to set a new PR or in a competition setting. In most cases this will allow you to adhere to good form, get a good workout and come back the next day to fight again.

Form vs Intensity:

TIP OF THE WEEK: 01.30.12

Pregnancy and CrossFit
When I started this CrossFit journey four years ago I would have never thought I would own a CrossFit gym, especially not one where my client base is the suburban mom. The CrossFit gyms I went to in NYC and Jersey were filled with mostly men with the occasional woman (such as Pam who wrote the below experience). That is not the case here — it is my belief the suburban mom is going to be stronger, faster and more fit than their counter parts.

CrossFit is a great tool, but it is only beneficial if you listen to your body when working out –  whether you are pregnant or not. If you’re tired, rest before continuing with the workout, if you are sore take a rest day and if you are doing a movement that hurts, stop doing it and notify your coach. Stay tuned for next weeks article diving into this subject.

Below we are going to have an article written by Pam who details here CrossFit experience from the day she started to two weeks before her due date. We will also talk about several positions that should be eliminated during pregnancy. Lastly I have attached an article written for the CrossFit Journal (which you should subscribe to) that details information on pregnancy as well.

Pregnancy Considerations:
• After 12 weeks of pregnancy it is recommended that prone (on stomach) and supine (on back) should be avoided.
• Self myofascial release (foam rolling) should be done with caution. Avoid foam rolling on varicose veins or areas of swelling. Foam rolling on inside of the lower leg has been linked to premature urination.
• Jumping, running or jarring movements should be done with caution after 12 weeks. Listen to your body!
• Limit your Intensity. Forget about the damn clock, just get the work done at a manageable intensity.
• Limit your frequency. If you feel great coming 5-6 times a week then keep doing it, but if it is dragging you into the ground, take more rest days.

Want more information?
CrossFit Mom has more information detailed for each trimester
CrossFit Journal Article about two mothers doing CrossFit during pregnancy CFJ_Pregnant_Perkins

Story of a pregnant CrossFitter
When I started doing CrossFit Pam and I workedout together, and on occasion we drank together as well! Below is here story from the start of her CrossFit journey, and now four years later doing CrossFit as a pregnant woman two weeks away from giving birth.

I never really put much thought into this journey that is quickly coming to an end until a friend of mine, Jake Wandersee, owner of CrossFit Whitebear, asked me to share with him my experience of crossfitting while pregnant. I immediately thought, hey, no problem I will write a short description of what my challenges were and how I felt throughout this past nine months. But as I sat down and began writing, I realized this journey/experience goes way beyond the past nine months. It goes back to the first day I stepped foot into CrossFit Hoboken and how my life has never been the same! Let me start by saying that I can’t even remember exactly where or how I found out about this CrossFit thing but what I do remember is due to my new time consuming job in NYC, there was no way I could find the energy or time for my normal two hour cardio/strength training workouts I was used to doing.

Jake was one of the first people I met at CrossFit or should I say “wodded” with on a random day about 4 years ago. I can recall the day very clearly; darted out of my office in Rock Center, literally ran to the bus at port authority, hopped in my car in front of my apartment in Weehawken, and no joke, changed into my gym clothes in my front seat before speeding across Hoboken to make it to the 6:00pm class. I surprisingly found a parking spot outside of this huge warehouse looking building on Jackson St and walked around to the other side to look for the entrance. I had no idea what I was even looking for or what I was walking into but I was thankful for a stranger who pulled up on his Vespa and directed me into what was known as “The Box.” I must admit that up until that point where I couldn’t even find the entrance to this scary place, I had no shame or fears of busting right in as if I was a fitness professional! Heck, I used to teach kickboxing, boot camp, step, and train with a trainer all the time. What could be any different at this so-called “crossfit” gym???? Well I was surely mistaken! I thought I knew it all and I thought I knew what working out, fitness and nutrition was all about! Ok, I was WRONG!

So this is what leads me to write about my experience as a CrossFitter both pre-pregnancy and during pregnancy! That random day was my first time in a Crossfit Facility and my first WOD (workout of the day) ever! Jake happened to be in the 6pm class that day when I arrived therefore I had the privilege of working out with him for my very first experience. He was one of the 8 or so people in the class and I remember him taking his shirt off and me thinking to myself, ugh, look at this pretty boy with his 12 pack! I don’t think we said two words to each other but I can say that wodding with him for the first time was NOT intimating but more motivating then anything! I still briefly remember the workout that included push ups, sledge hammers and burpees! Not exactly sure what the rep scheme was but all I know is after that one workout I was completely hooked! Although I was gasping for air within 2 minutes and could barely swing the dam sledge-hammer, I wasn’t giving up for anything. I remember my wrists hurting so bad the next day but I went back for more. I couldn’t put my finger on what I loved about it; was it the competitiveness, the team work, the atmosphere…hhmmm, I still don’t have an exact reason but I do know that from that day on, I had a total different outlook on life as a whole!

Well I am assuming you can guess, I immediately signed up and committed to a year of CrossFit! Why not, for a small price of about $150.00 a month how could I hesitate to sign that contract and start my fundamentals class! I quickly began telling my friends about it and they thought I was completely out of my mind that I would pay that much money to work out and some people still think I am insane but so be it! I spent my first month learning from Craig and Eddie who were the owners at the time of CrossFit Hoboken. I had all of the basics down, the squat, the press, the clean, and the dead lift. I even learned how to row the correct way and I was improving with each class I took. I was so grateful and looked up to these two young men that taught me all of this stuff I thought I had already known. And then they began talking about this Paleo Diet and I thought they were totally insane! No dairy and no whole grains….NO WAY!! They even had a freezer of grass-fed meat in the gym and I was so confused as to what their reasoning was behind this and I truthfully thought they were “weird.” Although I loved CrossFit and I loved being a part of their community, they weren’t going to convince me to eat all this high fat food and no more diet food as I was used to eating…..No more splenda, no more spray butter….NO WAY. I wasn’t getting rid of my nightly snack of sugar-free hot chocolate and Greek yogurt that I waited all day long for!

I continued to live and breathe CrossFit for the next two years at the Hoboken box. Many a nights I would rush out of work like a complete crazy person and stomp my feet on the bus if it should get stuck in traffic and then I found my way to 6:30am classes which had an entire different devil to them. I’d force myself into my bed at 9:00pm, wake at midnight to check out the wod and then pray I’d go back to sleep before my alarm would go off at 5:30am. Some nights I’d sleep in my gym clothes so that I could get that extra 15 minutes in of sleep. The things I did and still do for the satisfying feeling I get from CrossFit! I learned so much in those 2 and half years and had come such a long way. I went from not even squatting with proper form to being able to overhead squat, front squat, and squat clean with what I was told was pretty damn good form! Got my kipping pullups which might have been one of my most memorable days at CF; I even was able to do a few weighted pull-ups which were not even an option a year prior. Through this all I continued to eat my – diet regime. I may have tried that Paleo diet briefly but definitely didn’t last more than a week because I was so scared to veer away from my – diet meals of soy burgers for dinner with frozen broccoli and spray butter. YUCK, just thinking about that now makes me gag!

In November 2010 my life shifted in course and I was no longer working in NYC or living in Weehawken…My first concern was, where the hell am I going to do CrossFit???? So I joined NYSC in Clifton NJ and not to my surprise was absolutely nothing like I was used to and I was so unhappy. I tried for a few months to do my own thing and implement a CrossFit workout in their facility but it wasn’t the same…not even close. So about a year ago, February 2011, I decided to go check out Guerrilla Fitness in Montclair, a CrossFit box in my area. I thought about doing this for a while but for some strange reason, I was intimidated and kept putting it off…I was so comfortable in Hoboken and had come such a long way and now felt that because I hadn’t been in a box for 3 months, I was totally out of the loop! I even contacted Guerrilla a few times about coming in for a free class and then wouldn’t show up until one day I realized how much I missed it.!

My first time walking through the doors was definitely more intimidating for me than anything..I recall the 9am class going on and they were in the middle of “Cindy.” There were some serious athletes in this class including a pregnant chick doing kipping pullups at 6 months pregnant. Most of them covered in tattoos and looked as if they had been CrossFittting since they were in high school. Needless to say I definitely felt a bit uncomfortable but it wasn’t long before that feeling went away! I immediately joined Guerrilla Fitness and before long felt the same way I did in Hoboken just a few months prior. Workouts were motivating, coaches were extremely knowledgeable and I was totally loving my new CrossFit home and was looking forward to making even bigger strides in all of my lifts, runs, and wods as a whole!

Then there was a roadblock….Well let’s see, how shall I put this???? At the end of May 2011, I discovered I was pregnant! Completely in shock of this unexpected news, I had such mixed emotions. My significant other was thrilled and I was more scared than anything being that this was totallyl unplanned but it wasn’t long before I digested this miracle that god had blessed me with and the excitement began to set in! At the same time all I could keep thinking about was, will I be able to continue exercising? SPECIFICALLY CROSSFITTING?? I knew other women had done it but based on the exhaustion that was setting in, I was weary about how I would find the energy or drive to get to the box every day and get the wod done!

Well almost ten months later and I DID IT! I am presently approaching my 39th week of pregnancy and have been at Guerrilla 4 times this week. Don’t get me wrong, it hasn’t been easy and there are days I just want to lie around and do nothing BUT who said CrossFit was easy and if it was, why would we all love it so much?? Being pregnant just makes it even more rewarding when you finish a tough workout and you have that awesome feeling of accomplishment!

OK, so let’s start with the first trimester. I was very fortunate to not have the infamous “morning sickness” or should I say “all day sickness” and for this, I consider myself extremely lucky! There were many other battles I was fighting on a daily basis during this time. The hormonal changes brought on may unpleasant side effects such as extreme exhaustion, crankiness, mood swings and depression but I truly believe CrossFit helped me deal with all of these. During this first three months, I didn’t need to change or modify any of my CrossFit exercises but what I can say is I was so physically exhausted that I did lower the weight for some of my lifts due to just not having it in me. Pushing myself to drive to the gym everyday was probably the most difficult part but well worth it! It was a great start to all of my summer days and it definitely helped with all the changes my body was going through.

As the summer ended and my second trimester began, I started to notice my body changing and I was totally freaked out! All I could think of was how hard I worked over the past three months to show up at 10:00am at least 5x’s a week and fight through these wods therefore how could I have gained weight? Why did I feel like every part of my body was changing and I had no control over it? I didn’t think I was eating any differently..as a matter of fact, I wasn’t eating any differently! I was still eating my so-called healthy diet foods and this has always worked for me so what was the difference now?? I’ll come back to how I drastically changed my diet shortly! Being that my weight was increasing and my center of gravity was shifting, I began finding certain exercises and wods were more difficult than I was used to. Here is where the modifications came into play. For example, kipping pull ups became too exhausting and I needed to use a band; box jumps just didn’t feel right so I reverted to step ups; running became more of a jog. As far as my lifts, I definitely modified the weight but not drastically and not on all exercises! I always had my strong lifts such as the push press, clean and jerk, push jerk, squat and over head squat and I basically kept those weights the same with little modifications. As for my dead lifts, squat cleans, and snatches I took those down a notch depending on how I felt that day! The one adjustment that was hard to get used to was NOT squatting below parallel. For the past three years I worked on my squat form to be sure I was squatting low enough and now I have to reverse that mentality…huh??? I was confused but due the hormone relaxin that sets into your body in the second trimester, you’re better to be safe then sorry. Relaxin causes your joints and ligaments to relax allowing your body to become much more flexible and limber than used to therefore you need to be extra careful not to pull any muscles or ligaments and squatting low can do just that! I wouldn’t say I modified any of these wods during this trimester but what I do remember is trying to get over the clock! I needed to set my mind to recognize that finishing the wod was my goal now, not finishing as quick as possible! I had to stop for water breaks and make sure I was able to breathe so that the baby was getting enough oxygen! That was a huge modification for me. I was used to fighting through that and feeling like I could puke after the wod! Well when you’re 6 months pregnant, that is surely not what your goal should be!

OK, I promised I would go back to the diet topic or should I say ” my new lifestyle.” I don’t exactly remember what day it was but I’m going to assume it was one day at the very beginning of my second trimester when I not only noticed my body changing but my appetite as well. I was ravenous. I am sure you have heard many pregnant women say they are always hungry! Well it’s true especially if you’re diet consists of low-fat foods, whole grains and refined complex carbohydrates! I was determined to not be one of those girls that gains 35-50 pounds during her pregnancy and besides, how the hell would I be able to CrossFit with that extra weight on me??? NO way was I letting that happen! So what did I do??? I began researching and reading a lot of information on that “Paleo Diet.” Yes, the one I tried numerous times but just couldn’t find it in me to stick with it. I eased my way into it with just eliminating artificial sweeteners, dairy and grains and now almost 5 months later, I am truly convinced this is a better way of life for me. Not only have I been able to rid my unborn daughter of the chemicals and hormones that are in so many of the foods we get in the grocery stores and restaurants, but I have managed to only gain a total of 12 1/2 pounds from my first doctors visit back in July! I can actually eat a meal and feel satisfied and am not always looking for something sweet five minutes after I am finished. Oh wait and let me add that I did this buy eating bacon, beef, eggs, coconut..YES., all high fat foods! These are the same foods I was so scared to eat prior to being pregnant! I am less than two weeks from my due date and I am asked on a daily basis, “so how far along are you in your pregnancy?” When I respond no one believes me. I get no way, you look 5 months pregnant or I looked like that at 6 months pregnant. My immediate response is, “what were you eating?” And every single response I can remember is, “Everything and anything that crossed my path.” hhhmmmmm and you wonder why you gained so much weight!

My third trimester arrived sometime in November and I continued to show up every morning for my 10:00am workout at Guerrilla Fitness and kept at my new-found love for the Paleo Diet! As the weeks went on, it definitely became more and more difficult and this is where the drastic scaling came into place for me and so did the mental part of it. There was nothing more I hated than not being able to even jog anymore or do double-unders….well I must admit I was still doing double-unders up until about 34 weeks….! I now had to row instead or run and do singles or step ups whenever double-unders appeared! I absolutely hated having to scale my workouts but I knew it was necessary. I feel like everyone is different and your body will tell you what feels right and what doesn’t. I also noticed the need for a rest day….I used to go four or five days in a row even in the first two trimesters but not in the third. Your body definitely begins to tell you to to take a rest and you must listen! I am hoping to make it in for another 4 wods this week and then I think it’s time to rest up before my little girl arrives..unless she decides to come a week early which I would love! I am definitely looking forward to returning to CrossFit stronger than ever in late March! Good Luck and remember to listen to your body but don’t give up on CrossFit or continuing a healthy lifestyle. Being pregnant shouldn’t be an excuse to let your health take a back seat; consider this even more of a reason to stick with your CrossFit regime and develop new eating habits for yourself and the other living being you are now responsible for!

 

TIP OF THE WEEK: 01.23.12

Push Jerk
Many people at the gym struggle with the “dip, drive and dip of the Jerk. It is scary to most to drive the weight up and swiftly drop underneath the weight. Below are some basic steps and form cues to think of when doing the Push Jerk.

The Grip:
If your wrists get sore during this workout make sure you stretch your wrist, forearm and elbows and in some cases tape your wrist to add additional support.

Stretch out your elbows to take some of the stress off your wrists. You can do this alone, but having someone assist you is more efficient. Fix a bar inside a power rack, grip it firmly, then have a training mate elevate your elbows, one at a time. Once it hits a sticking point, continue to exert tension on the elbow for another six or eight seconds. Switch to the other arm, then do them together. While the training mate is pushing up against the elbows in a gentle but firm manner, the athlete must keep the torso erect. The procedure doesn’t work when the athlete leans back andaway from the discomfort—and, yes, there is discomfort, particularly at first.
• Grip the bar slightly outside your shoulders.
• Elbows should be in front of the bar slightly higher then a press or push press.
• The bar should be resting on your front deltoid, It should not be set against your clavicles (collarbones) because it’s painful, and doing so repeatedly can damage those bones.

The Dip and Drive:
• Your feet should be shoulder width apart, with toes straight ahead.
• Before making a move, tighten your entire body from your feet to your traps. You must have a rock-solid base when you jerk.
• Dip low enough to allow you to put a mighty thrust into the bar, but not so low that you cannot do so effectively. As a rule of thumb, the shorter the dip the better. You don’t want it to resemble a quarter squat.
• Remember that your upper body must stay rigidly straight, so contract your back muscles and pull your shoulder blades together.
• Drive the bar upward to lockout. Don’t bother re-bending your knees at this point. Just concentrate on a powerful start coming out of the dip and a strong lockout. When this goes smoothly, add weight and continue jerking the weight to arm’s length without re-bending your knees or moving your feet.

Pulling Under and Pushing Back
• After dip and drive, the bar should soar up over your head. At the moment the bar hits its apex, dip down again and lock the bar out, then straighten your knees and finish the lift.
• As you re-dip, don’t let the bar float free. Rather, push up against it forcefully. This helps keep the bar in motion and allows you to maintain control of the line of flight.
• You should be high on your toes at the end of the thrust and your entire body erect. If you aren’t in that position, you’re giving away power, and being on your toes lets you move back to a solid base much faster.
• When the bar is locked out overhead, continue to push up against it. Merely holding a heavy weight overhead is passive, exerting pressure up into it is assertive andbuilds another level of strength. The bar should be directly over the back of your head. That places it over your spine and strengthens all the muscles that support the spine, along with the hips, glutes and legs.

Information taken from the CrossFit Journal and Written by Kelly Starrett.

CrossFit Journal is only $25 annually and has a wealth of information and is a recommended purchase for all members.

Here is a video on CrossFit.com that shows the Push Jerk

If you want to learn the Jerk please email to sign up for the Saturday February 4th class via email. If you participate in the technique class we ask that you do not join the 9am Saturday class.

TIP OF THE WEEK: 01.16.12

Row, Row, Row your boat.
This week we are going to talk about rowing since there is a lack of technique in the gym. Stop jamming on the rower and start using a efficient stroke and you will see major improvements in your time. Below are some common errors we see

Arm & Hands
• Grip the handle lightly, keep wrists straight.
• Don’t pull too soon. Let the legs fully extend before using the arms.
• Chicken wing arms don’t help you fly in the row. Make sure you drive the elbows back rather then to the side

Back
• Avoid lunging forward. Shoulders should be in front of hip before moving into full compression

• Over reaching at the catch. If you over reach at the catch it puts you in a less effective position for the pull. Aim, for 1 o’clock with shoulder in front of the hips. This is common error at the gym.

• Lifting at the catch. Don’t use your shoulders or back to drive back the handle at the catch. Allow the legs to do the work until they are fully extended. This is common error at the gym.

• Excessive lay back. Excessive lean at the end of the row stroke is not necessary. Pivoting back to 11′o’clock is the recommended lean at the end of the stroke.

Legs
• Bending the knees too early. Common mistake on the return is bending the knees before the arms are extended. This is a common error at the gym.

• Rushing the slide. Moving too quickly towards the catch will cause inefficient row. Give yourself time in the recovery to breath and set up the work of the drive. This is common error at the gym.

• Over compressing. Don’t try to slide too far forward on the catch. Your shins should be vertical and knees above the ankles. This is common error at the gym.

• Shooting the slide. Don’t let the legs shoot back without the body and the handle. The work and the back should overlap, as the legs are used up add the body to maintain the speed of the handle. This is common error at the gym.

Review this video to see common errors.
• At 1:35 drills to fix the arms tutorial starts
• At 4:02 drills to fix the back tutorial starts
• At 6:15 drills to fix the legs tutorial starts

Proper Rowing Technique video

Good CrossFit Journal videos done with an olympic rowing athlete. Video one and two

Why indoor rowing article?

CrossFit Journal is $25 a month and well worth the investment. Sign up here

TIP OF THE WEEK: 12.19.11

Small goals help you achieve large goals.
So you are probably saying “duh” right now…or feeling like you are sitting in a year end review with your boss. Being fit is no different then business when it comes to achieving your goals. You need to have your eye on the big picture but don’t forget about setting small goals to help benchmark your progress to the big goal.

Large Goal:
• Three Pull-ups by end of year

Small Goals:
• Small band by end of February
• 1 Pull-up by April
• 2 by July
• 3 by December 31st

Tasks to accomplish my goal:
• lose 8lbs by April, 16lbs by July, 20lbs by end of year.
– Eat 80% of my meals Paleo
• Work on strength
– Ring Rows twice a week
– Lightest possible resistance band once a week for 5 pullups, three sets (can change as you get better)
– Not missing workouts that have upper body strength as primary muscle groups

Last week we sent out a general 2012 goals form and will be reaching out to the members who filled it out to help you work on your Macro and Micro goal setting. As always we are here for you so feel free to ask for additional help to reach your yearly goals.

TIP OF THE WEEK: 12.12.11

Use the hook grip. Using the hook grip feels unnatural at first but once you get use to it you will be able to hold onto the weight for significant more time.

“Simply, the hook grip ensures the bar doesn’t slip in your hands, even at maximal weight. Olympic weightlifting is a game of centimeters, and even a little slip can move the bar out of its optimal line of travel. Further, when the barbell slips, you’re losing power, and you’ll need ever bit of power to get a PR overhead.”

– Mike Burgener

How to hook grip:
1. Press the hand against the bar
2. Make sure the skin is tight
3. Do not let the skin in the hand fold in
4. Wrap the thumb around the bar
5. Fingers around the top of the thumb
6. Relax grip