Caught a few photos of Rita working a 75# thruster. A pretty decent sized load for such a petite girl. In both photos, Rita gives a great example of completing full range of motion in a movement. A deep squat into a solid overhead lift. When working any movement in a workout, you should strive for full range of motion. It's how you get the best work. Plus, it makes your workout results legit.
So now that I talked Rita up, I have to knock her down a bit. In the top photo, Rita has a technique issue. Rita's knees are not tracking over her feet. Look how far her toes are pointed outward and how her knees are angled in. It may sound like I am nitpicking because at first glance to an untrained eye, the movement appears pretty solid. Her chest is upright and the load is over her heels. The problem is that the outward angle of her feet and inward angle of her knees is causing a lot of stress to her knee joint. You may not tell in the photo but the entire weight of her body and the load is not in her heels, it is on the inner balls of feet, which is what usually happens when the knees are so far inside the outward angle of the feet. Rita is young and pretty strong. She can get away with this, probably for a few years and at more weight, but at some point she is going to have knee issues. Without fixing this (seemingly subtle) issue, Rita will never reach her max weight potential in any of the squat lifts.
Interestingly enough, Rita does the same thing when she does an air squat. Proof positive that small deficiencies in the simple moves transfer big time to the more advanced moves. Since I pointed it out to her, Rita is really working at fixing the technique issue. The good news is Rita is a fast learner, listens to coaching, and the girl is an amazing athlete. As she continues to work on driving her knees out in the squat positions and keeping her heels grounded, her numbers are gonna rocket. Watch for some amazing things from our cute little power pack.
(P.S.-Rita, wear some damn weighlifting shoes! Didn't you ask for some for Xmas???)
Technique has nothing to do with range of motion. Not completing full
range of motion is likely not going to injure you. Not using good
technique has the potential to really jack you up. You may not think you are injuring yourself, but I assure you, your body is taking a beating. A little slop in a huge work load workout...sure, I'll buy into it that it is "acceptable", but I am not buying into throwing out some number like "20% sloppy technique is okay in a workout." That is a horrible message to deliver to athletes. As I am getting older, I am experiencing first hand how 20% slop, even 10% slop, is not going to cut it. You end up injured!!! Since tons of people jumping onboard CrossFit are either older, deconditioned, or both, a 20% slop rate is unacceptable. I hope that all you One Worlders take this advice to heart.
Watch videos of good athletes doing CrossFit workouts. The fast times are not completed with poor technique, though some fast times are completed without full range of motion (thus, not legit). The solid performers maintain decent technique through damn near the entire workout. Learning to move with good technique is learning to move efficiently. You can get faster by slowing down and moving better. You can lift more by lifting with better technique, not sloppy technique.
I want you all to be faster and stronger, but I want you to be smarter even more so. And most of all, I don't want you to get hurt. Getting hurt sucks. You have to learn how to walk before you can run. Maybe you slow down your next workout effort just a bit and think a little more about how you are moving. I think you will be pleasantly surprised by the results both short term and long term.
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Sorry for the short notice. Only one class on New Years Eve at 10am. One class on New Years Day at 10 am (don't drink to much....)
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WOD 12/31/2009Complete as many rounds as possible in 12 minutes of:
- 5 snatch grip deadlifts
- 5 hang power snatches
- 5 overhead squats
- Run 100m
Coach's Corner: A nice variation of a workout from the magical mind of Austin B. at CrossFit Unlimited. The men's weight is 95#. The women's weight is 65#. If you are pressing out the power snatches, you are going too heavy...lower the weight. Here is a video of Sage Burgener hitting some solid hang power snatches. That's Olympic Weightlifting coach extraordinaire Mike Burgener's voice in the background.
sweat pit
Posted by: anynomous | December 30, 2009 at 23:08
Freddy, Awesome post. I have ALWAYS disagreed with the "slop" factor. Moslty because it does invite injury. Yes, we will all get em but why increase the odds? Yes, I realize max intensity will invite some breakdown in form but how much should you let someone get away with? I think it depends on the movement, the loads, and mostly the athlete. I always tell our athletes a fast time is not impressive if your ROM, technique, or both suck! A very wise person presented a thought to me. She said, "CrossFit is certainly getting all kinds of folks to push the limits, but what kind of condition will their bodies be in 10 years? Smart training beats hard training anyday of the week." Happy New Year to you and One World!
Posted by: dan thacker | December 31, 2009 at 02:10
bueno... I needed to hear the validation again (besides the husband telling me this)because at 45 I can't afford the 'slop' factor...getting mechanics and tech first then getting consistent at the movement...my intensity is always with me but not so much at the cost of getting jacked up...thanks Freddie
Posted by: Carolyn Alexander | December 31, 2009 at 08:31
In every situation I have learned that it's all about technique.
For example. You can take all the Viagra you want but if you don't have technique...
Meditate on that
Posted by: Lancaster | December 31, 2009 at 08:47
EEEEWWWW NICE WOD!! SO TEMPTING TO DO INSTEAD OF FOOTBALL......
LANCASTER, YOU SOUND LIKE THIS GUY I USED TO KNOW, BIG WITH TATTOOS.I THINK HIS NAME WAS ERIC TOO!
Posted by: Eric | December 31, 2009 at 08:59
I'd take some exception with the press as well. The bar is too far back on the hands. See how much her wrists are bent back? That will take a toll on the wrists as well as being inefficient to transfer power to the bar.
Also, the head through the window position looks exaggerated to me with a pronounced forward lean. It doesn't look like the bar is over the mid-foot although it is difficult to tell at this angle.
Not picking on you Rita! Just wanted to discuss the technique issues. Your thrusters are legit, just not perfect, but none of us are.
Posted by: Matt L. | December 31, 2009 at 09:41
Very important points to focus on. Intensity doesn't invalidate technical precision, it necessitates it.
Posted by: Tom Brose | December 31, 2009 at 18:52
Freddy,
This is also a contributor to why she has hallux valgus (bunions).
Internal rotation torque on the tibia rotates the talus and puts more stress on the medial arch. The arch collapses (flat feet in many cases), the first metatarsal deviates medially causing hallux valgus/bunions. Add to that the medial pressure on that from movements like in the photo above and you have problems!
In most females it arises because they have wider hips and thus a larger Q-angle at the knees, but it's mostly due to weakened glutes (from sitting) without proper strength training + shoes decreasing proprioceptors/inactivation of plantar muscles as well.
Easily corrected with strength work. Although the bunions probably won't go away unfortunately.
Have a whole article on this:
http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/11/shoes-sitting-and-lower-body-dysfunctions/
Posted by: Steven Low | February 08, 2010 at 15:34