Gymnastic Skill Guidelines…
It is generally agreed throughout CrossFit Land that no one is taught kipping pull ups unless they can perform a minimum of 5 strict pull ups.
This isn’t a bad guideline…
… But I’d like to add to it.
“No one is taught kipping pull ups unless they can perform a minimum of 5 strict *good looking* pull ups, AND possess adequate shoulder flexion under tension…”
My reasoning is fairly straight forward… If you struggle to pull your own weight or if you have compromised shoulder mobility, then you shouldn’t be falling from a pull up bar, swinging through past what your range of motion can handle, bouncing off connective tissue with multiples of bodyweight [you’d be surprised at what velocity can add] and then trying to fling your chin back over the bar... It just isn’t smart…
So to make this a more comprehensive guideline for gymnastics training, then, all we have to do is generalise, then fill in the blanks…
“No one is taught kipping X, Y & Z unless they can perform a minimum of 5 strict *good looking* X, Y & Z, AND possess adequate range of motion under tension…”
I believe this should be the standard for most of the CrossFit gymnastics skills:
- Toe To Bars
- Ring Dips
- Pull Ups
- Ring Muscle Ups
- Handstand Press Ups
- Etc
Something for a lot of you to work towards… But it is worth it... If you can do 5 strict *good looking* Toe To Bars, then kipping Toe To Bars will present no problem whatsoever…
“Sit the f*** down and have a beer...”
~ Coach Collins
Copyright 2017
It is generally agreed throughout CrossFit Land that no one is taught kipping pull ups unless they can perform a minimum of 5 strict pull ups.
This isn’t a bad guideline…
… But I’d like to add to it.
“No one is taught kipping pull ups unless they can perform a minimum of 5 strict *good looking* pull ups, AND possess adequate shoulder flexion under tension…”
My reasoning is fairly straight forward… If you struggle to pull your own weight or if you have compromised shoulder mobility, then you shouldn’t be falling from a pull up bar, swinging through past what your range of motion can handle, bouncing off connective tissue with multiples of bodyweight [you’d be surprised at what velocity can add] and then trying to fling your chin back over the bar... It just isn’t smart…
So to make this a more comprehensive guideline for gymnastics training, then, all we have to do is generalise, then fill in the blanks…
“No one is taught kipping X, Y & Z unless they can perform a minimum of 5 strict *good looking* X, Y & Z, AND possess adequate range of motion under tension…”
I believe this should be the standard for most of the CrossFit gymnastics skills:
- Toe To Bars
- Ring Dips
- Pull Ups
- Ring Muscle Ups
- Handstand Press Ups
- Etc
Something for a lot of you to work towards… But it is worth it... If you can do 5 strict *good looking* Toe To Bars, then kipping Toe To Bars will present no problem whatsoever…
“Sit the f*** down and have a beer...”
~ Coach Collins
Copyright 2017
