Hey MWoders,

Today we are going to show you some modifications of some of the hip openers we’ve been doing. Mobilizing on a box is an easy way to protect the back, limit the flexibility effects of the “other leg”, and to unload the knee–which sometimes gets tweaked as a function of down stream torque imposed on it by the hip.

Todays’ menu is a “generalist,” post wod, lower extremity “routine”.
If you mixed the Buddha with Nietsche, you’d get something that approximates torturing yourself in a group setting.

So let’s run a little thought experiment

So, today’s goal is to just stretch a bunch of crap out after your workout. Don’t get caught up in changing a movement or understanding how it is going to help out your performance. This in my opinion is stretching at it’s worst, routinized and dogmatic. See how it feels to mobilize without purpose and understand why we’ve got to tie mobility to performance.
You can’t just do a bunch of stretches thrown together, you’ve got to have a reason to program. How can we test re-test?
How do we know it’s working? I believe that stretching has generally failed. But, mobilization with intent, that’s the thing.
So enjoy your meat stretching. It will not be presented this way again.

Do whatever you will, but first be such as are able to will.
–Friedrich Nietzsche

Hey Flexible Studmuffins,

Thanks for your requests. I’ll try and bang through them in upcoming episodes.
Today I want to see how you score on a little anterior chain assessment. This test is Ely’s (who?), or known as the heel to butt test.
Your heel should EASILY touch your butt without your hip or leg doing a bunch of compensating.
I’m not a big fan of correlates for actual human movement, like this test, but they are useful in illuminating athletes and coaches, and your mom about how short their front wheel drive really is. Can you imagine how a short anterior chain would affect your running? How about achieving full triple extension? Or, how might being short in the front actually lead to a hole in your knee cap? Or a torn meniscus? Or overextended back? Crap!!! It turns out that if you are an athlete, you need ALL of your available range of motion. So? What was your score? Two, or zero?

The MWod today is all about getting the shoulders loose for say, some kettlebell schnatches and pull ups?

Test: Pull up
Mwod: 1 min each direction. 1 min x 5
Both arms for a total of 10 min of upper extremity suppleness.

Happy motoring.

Kstar

Hey MWod Cool Kids,
Today we’ve got a special treat in store. Your mission: To find some amazing athlete (nice guy, good dancer, drives a nice car….) with whom to partner stretch. Seriously, this is a really great way to get into a fight with your wife when she forgets the safe word. (Brisket, not Biscuit btw.)

The key is to tinker. Apply your PNF jedi arts and get cracking. Wine helps.

Mwod: Solo or with a friend: Straight let hip extension (hammies)
Split hip extension
Floor Internal Rotation
2 min each leg/position– 3 min on the Floor IR

Be sure to check out the Crossfit Journal today for another shoulder IR video.

Kstar

Hey Mwod beasts,
Keep the PR’s coming. If you get a chance today, take a look at the picture of Mat Chan on Crossfit.com. He’s cleaning well into the 300′s and check out how awesome his shoulder positioning is. He is exhibiting a ton of shoulder external rotation while maintaining a rock solid rack (NO DB shoulder). Full marks.

Today we are going to go after the three way hip.
A mob for the hip capsule, a stretch for the hip musculature, and a finisher for the hip soft tissue/sliding surfaces.

Test: Any hip extension movement, heck it could even be rowing, or Pilates.
Mwod: Spend 2 min each: Capsule/muscle/sliding surface (6 min total each leg )
Retest: How you feel now? More awesome? Did you test in between? Could you tell which mob had the biggest pay off?
Does order matter?

Homework: What is the equation for cardiac output? How does being dehydrated affect VO2?

Kstar

Greeting Mwoders,
Today we are going to take a little dehydration test. Did you fail as I did? You’ve got to get on it.
That crappy tissue is horrible on your performance.
Sometimes your Mwod should be about getting the ship turned around for tomorrow.
So, focus your energy on getting your tissues sorted.

Mwod: Test: shin compression pitting edema test.

Then:
2 min each side air plane crash victim
2 min triceps stretch
2 min internal rotation against the wall

Mess about for a couple of minutes driving the ball into our pecs.

Record your fluid intake for the day. Post to comments.

kstar