Results for “swing”

“It was horribly hard (when) I realized I’ve been a widow longer than I’ve been a wife,” says Ann Schmalstieg, an artist and a coach at Oceanside CrossFit.

Her husband, Marine Staff Sgt. Justin Schmalstieg, was killed Dec. 15, 2010, while serving in Afghanistan. The 28-year-old bomb-disposal technician had previously served three tours of duty in Iraq. On Dec. 15 in Helmand province, he was clearing a path… Continue Reading

More and more seniors are using CrossFit to ensure the golden years are rich with vitality. Marty Cej reports.

First, Lu Quast talks about about the cancer and the knee surgeries. Then she talks about about the back injury, which happened first but so long ago the accident can be told with a smile slipping into her voice.

She fell from a ladder when painting a ceiling. She picked herself up and carried on but… Continue Reading

For the Mericles, there was no better way to celebrate their upcoming wedding than with pull-ups, burpees, hand-release push-ups, kettlebell swings and a 200-meter run—all while attached to another person. Literally.

The Wedding WOD was intended to represent the proverbial ball and chain, says Courtney Mericle, who co-owns CrossFit Surge in Northglenn, Colo., with her now-husband Brandon.

“So we actually had everybody attached to their… Continue Reading

CrossFit-funded collection systems are freeing Kenyan women from the burden of transporting water, allowing them to pursue education and take important steps toward equality. Marty Cej reports.

Their ambitions are the same as those of kids everywhere, but the opportunities in the Kasemeni Division of eastern Kenya are very different.

Across this 250-square-mile region, small villages of mud-walled huts and… Continue Reading

Ben Oliver of CrossFit Football breaks down sprint mechanics by focusing first on the upper body.

He begins with the seated arm swing, in which he has athletes start with the right hand at the front cheek and the left hand punching back behind the butt.

“We have to understand that posture. We can develop that posture in the weight room. We can also develop it by just doing this,” says Oliver, showing that… Continue Reading

John Doole takes a philosophical look at the things that make us who we are.

Changing the timing of when I was pulling the bar in a clean was incredibly difficult.

Cleans, like golf swings, are difficult to perform consistently well. Lats engaged, butt up, load the hamstrings, move the bar past the knees, slight re-bend, explode with the hips, shrug and bend the arms to move your body under the bar, elbows… Continue Reading

The catch position on the rower is where you’re able to load up and prepare for the next stroke, Shane Farmer of CrossFit Rowing says in Part 1 of this series.

“If we’ve missed the catch, we’ve missed the stroke completely,” Farmer says.

With good posture, the chest needs to come to the knees so there is increased tension on the lower back and hamstrings, he adds.

“It’s like loading up a spring,” Farmer… Continue Reading

The one-arm kettlebell swing is really an assistance exercise for the snatch, says kettlebell guru Jeff Martone.

“One of the benefits of the one-arm swing is it works your back in a different way ... and it’s working your grip more because now you’ve got the same weight in one hand,” he explains at this CrossFit Kettlebell Trainer Course.

Among the drills Martone recommends is the half-rotation switch, allowing a change of hands in mid-air. The hands come… Continue Reading

The urge to build forts, jump on things, climb, swing and knock stuff over permeates most childhood play scenarios.

In CrossFit Kids, we have jump, climb and swing pretty well covered.

Now it’s time to knock stuff over!

There are three rotations in a cartwheel, instructor Sean Lind says at this CrossFit Gymnastics Advanced Trainer Course. There’s also a handstand component and a hamstring component.

“We need to master all of them,” he says.

The class begins learning the movement by simply placing their hands on a stack of mats and swinging their legs around the end of the mats.

“When I land I want to stabilize my position,”… Continue Reading

There are many ways to teach the kipping-pull-up progression, and they’re all designed to help athletes understand the gymnastics movement. For Level 1 Seminar Staff member Cherie Chan, the teaching progression starts with the “dead bug.”

“We’re gonna go in what’s called kind of a dead bug,” Chan says to an athlete struggling with the movement. “So your feet are going to go to the sky and point your toes.”

The athlete… Continue Reading

After drilling good mechanics and a strong hip drive, it’s time to go overhead, says kettlebell guru Jeff Martone at this CrossFit Kettlebell Trainer Course at Progressive F.O.R.C.E. CrossFit in Las Vegas.

It’s called the American swing and should be introduced after the Russian swing and the power swing, he says.

“It should float up,” Martone explains. “I’m actually using my lats to stop it overhead.”

If the hips are not generating… Continue Reading

The kettlebell snatch is the summary of all the skills learned in the CrossFit Kettlebell Trainer Course. At this seminar at Progressive F.O.R.C.E. CrossFit in Las Vegas, kettlebell guru Jeff Martone teaches it from the top down.

If you’ve already mastered the swing, the mechanics for the snatch are already in place, he explains. Martone starts with cleaning the bell and pressing it overhead. He notes the importance… Continue Reading

Rarely is physical therapy funny. But with movement and mobility guru Kelly Starrett at the helm, laughs are guaranteed.

During the CrossFit Experience at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games, the doctor of physical therapy talks about good posture and how it translates to athleticism.

“I want you to take a huge breath in your belly—big breath. Hold it. Now get tight. How’s that workin’ for ya?” he asks the crowd… Continue Reading

On Episode 233 of CrossFit Radio, host Justin Judkins interviewed Matt Chan and Julie Foucher, who both placed second at the 2012 Reebok CrossFit Games. This episode was webcast live at 6 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, July 18, 2012.

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit Verve in Denver, Colo.

Start by taking 10 percent off your 1RM back squat, then add 10 lb.

Back squat
75 percent x 5 reps… Continue Reading

On Episode 230 of CrossFit Radio, host Justin Judkins interviewed CrossFit success story Brian Marcoullier and Reebok CrossFit Games Masters qualifier Eric Bartlett. This episode was webcast live at 6 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, June 27, 2012.

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from MBS CrossFit in Broomfield, Colo.

10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 reps for time of:
Deadlifts at 1.5 x body weight
Handstand push-ups
… Continue Reading

On Episode 228 of CrossFit Radio, host Justin Judkins interviewed Jason Graves, who has lost over 100 lb. since starting CrossFit. Justin also interviewed CrossFit’s Jimi Letchford about the CrossFit for Hope fundraiser. This episode was webcast live at 6 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, June 13, 2012.

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit Southie in Boston, Mass.

Every minute on the minute for 14 minutes:

Odd… Continue Reading

On Episode 227 of CrossFit Radio, host Justin Judkins interviewed Artie Kreutzer, who is a Fascial Stretch Therapy practitioner. Justin also interviewed CrossFit Seminar Staff trainer Joe Westerlin, who co-owns CrossFit Omaha. This episode was webcast live at 6 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, June 6, 2012.

The WOW (Workout of the Week) is from CrossFit to the Core in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.

Overhead squat 2-2-2-2-2-2
Then as many rounds as possible… Continue Reading

Now that you’ve done your time with band-assisted muscle-up prep in Part 1, Carl Paoli takes you to the next step.

In Part 2, the gymnastics and movement specialist jumps on the rings and swings. He does so with a pseudo-false grip: the thumb over the index finger. His hands turn out when his feet are behind him.

“If I have that and I can swing and the rings are still still and not… Continue Reading

For kettlebell guru Jeff Martone, the teaching progression goes like this: Russian swing, power swing, American swing.

“Russian swing I like teaching first ’cause it helps people with the mechanics. Once you get your mechanics squared away there, then you can move up,” Martone says at this CrossFit Kettlebell Trainer Course at Progressive F.O.R.C.E. CrossFit in Las Vegas.

He continues: “The power swing is gonna generate a little more… Continue Reading