What do you do while waiting for the round to start? Is it like David finding his zen? Or like Maddie smiling and ready to go?!?
NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE RING ROW!!!
Ring rows are SUCH A GREAT MOVEMENT!! Whether you have been CrossFitting 2 months or 8 years, the ring row can be such a great training tool for helping to build pulling strength. Here are the reasons why:
#1 – It is universally scalable (sp?) – You can make them as easy or as challenging as you need. With your feet underneath you, you can complete ahigh volume of pull-ups that may not have been able to with a banded pull up; with your feet in front of you on a box in a supine position, you are building potent pulling strength.
#2 – Pulling in any plane helps to build pulling strength – If you have an injury, shoulder pain, or just want to mix things up, the ring row is a great option that will help build those “pullers” (lats, bi’s, trap’s).
DO NOT THINK THAT RING ROWS ARE JUST FOR BEGINNERS!! They are great for any athlete so enjoy them today.
The hollow body position in gymnastics is like air to a human.
It is the lifeline for gymnasts, and once mastered at the basic level on the floor, it is revisited in numerous skills at all levels and on any apparatus. If shortcuts are taken and the position is not mastered, weaknesses will quickly be exposed in more advanced movements.
“Athletes who demonstrate proficiency in the hollow tend to find all other core and stabilizing activities exceedingly simple,” said Jeff Tucker, CrossFit Gymnastics subject-matter expert.
In the hollow body position, the athlete’s lumbar spine is in slight flexion (rounding) and the pelvis is tilted to the posterior (tailbone tucked under). As such, the position is great for combating the overextended posture commonly seen in athletes, and it teaches athletes how to maintain a more neutral spine-pelvis relationship. The importance of this relationship has been previously discussed in the CrossFit Journal article “The Hip and Athletic Performance,” which also contains a more detailed review of the anatomy involved.
As with all gymnastics positions and movements, control should be prioritized initially. Each step should be mastered in a static position because the early addition of momentum will only create insufficient movements and positions.
“Gymnastics elements are very technical, and practicing them without regard for correct positions will stunt your overall growth. The need for instant gratification needs to be tempered,” Tucker said.
The following steps will allow for athletes of all abilities to work the position at appropriate levels, and they build upon one another to create strength. As a general guideline, athletes should be able to hold each position for 20 seconds before attempting the next position in the progression, with rest as needed between sets.
The positions:
Hollow tuck—The athlete should tuck the knees toward the chest, extend the toes, and lift the upper shoulders and shoulder blades off the ground as the hands “reach” toward the heels. The lower back is pressed into the ground while the ribs are pulled closer to the belly button. The gaze should be at the knees, not the ceiling, because we don’t want to open up the chest.
Hollow with one leg out—Once the tuck is mastered, the athlete can extend one leg. We want to roll the pelvis under to create a “banana” shape with the body. As the athlete’s leg extends, he or she should “reach” for the heels further so the lower back continues to press into the ground.
Hollow hold with hands by the sides—Once the one-leg-out position is mastered and the athlete shows a strong command of the rib cage with no pike in the hips, he or she can bring the other leg out. The athlete should continue extending through pointed toes and squeezing the glutes. Once again, think of a banana-shaped body.
Final step—To add difficulty, we extend the body/lever to a full stretched-out position in which the hands go overhead. If the athlete breaks the position at any time—i.e., the lower back starts to arch or the hips start to pike—bring the athlete back to the last successful stage of the progression. Master each stage before moving on.
You can see this whole progression in the video above.
While the hollow seems simple, it is a fundamental position that must not be ignored. If the position is not developed and athletes rush to other positions and movements, they can expect progress to stall when working on more advanced skills. In gymnastics, shortcuts do not exist, so master the fundamentals first.
Folks, Christmas is upon us. We will have our annual 12 Days of Christmas WOD this Saturday. Please understand this is a longer workout. We want to give you as much time as possible, so it may feel like we are rushing to get you started. Should you feel so inclined, show up in your best, festive attire.
We will have classes on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. But the schedule will be abbreviated. Please check out MBO to see the class times.
For time: 30′ DB overhead walking lunge, 40#(25#) 30 Toes to bar 30 Ab-mat sit-up 30 Calorie row 30 Ab-mat sit-up 30 Toes to bar 30′ DB overhaed walking lunge, 40#(25#)
Gut check after Tuesday’s rowing and burpee workout.
What’s the Big Deal About Gut Health? By Wholistic Woman
Hippocrates said, “All disease begins in the gut.”
And while this may not be 100% true for every disease in every person, more and more research shows that our gut (digestive system) has a bigger role in many diseases than we used to think. And we’re not just talking about heartburn, constipation, diarrhea, IBS, IBD, etc. We’re talking about all kinds of issues like allergies, pain, mood disorders, and nutrient deficiencies.
There are a lot of reasons for this. Our gut is the portal to the outside world. It’s here where we take in disease-causing bacteria, viruses, and parasites. We also take in nutrients (and toxins) through our gut. The nutrients we ingest and absorb are the building blocks of every single part of our body. We’re just learning the connections between our gut and other areas of our body, like our brain (have you heard of “the gut-brain axis”). Not just our gut per se; but, its friendly resident microbes too. These guys also have newly discovered roles in our gut health and overall health.
So, let’s talk about the roles that our gut and our gut microbes play in our overall health. Then we’ll talk about how to improve your gut health naturally.
OUR GUT’S ROLE IN OUR OVERALL HEALTH
Our gut’s main role is as a barrier. To let things in that should get in, and to keep things out that should stay out. Think of “absorption” of nutrients as things we want to let in; and “elimination” of waste as things we want to pass right through and out.
This seemingly simple role is super-complex! And it can break down in so many places.
For one thing, our guts can “leak.” I have heard so much about leaky gut, but before exploring this rabbit hole I had no idea what that means. Turns out that like a long tube with holes in it, it can allow things to get into our bloodstream/bodies that can wreak havoc (bacteria, undigested food, and toxins). You name it, whatever you put into your mouth can be absorbed by your gut and get into your bloodstream, even if it’s not supposed to. And when your gut wall gets irritated, it can “leak.” When this happens, you get inflammation, which is a starting point for many diseases that don’t seem linked to the gut but have a sneaky connection there.
FUN FACT: About 70% of our immune system lives in and around our gut.
A healthy gut is not a leaky gut. It maintains its barrier and shuttles things through to be eliminated. Maintaining a healthy gut barrier is the first pillar of gut health.
The second main part of your gut are the billions of friendly health-promoting microbes. Gut microbes help us digest and absorb nutrients. They fight off disease-causing microbes, make some vitamins for us, and have all kinds of other health benefits, like mental health benefits, reducing inflammation, and stabilizing blood sugar.
So, keeping your gut microbes happy is the second pillar of gut health!
HOW TO IMPROVE GUT HEALTH
There are a lot of natural ways to improve gut health. Let’s start with what to stop. It’s always best to eliminate the cause, so let’s stop giving our guts junk to deal with. How about eliminating added sugars, processed foods, and alcohol? Try that for a few weeks, and you may be amazed at how much better your body (and gut) feels.
You may also want to eliminate other gut irritants. Dairy and grains contain common compounds known to irritate some people’s guts. Sometimes you only need to eliminate them for a few weeks to see if it makes a difference for your health.
I hate this idea, personally (give me my wine and lattes!). But I might just try it to see what happens. Of course, rather than focus on what to give up, I prefer to focus on what to “crowd in.”
By eating nutrient-dense foods, we allow ample macro- and micro-nutrients into our gut to maximize the chance for absorption. These nutrients help our bodies build and repair our gut, and every other body part as well. Some of the most nutrient-dense foods include dark leafy greens, colorful fruits and veggies, liver, and fish.
The second pillar of gut health is our microbes. By ingesting probiotic-rich foods and drinks, we can help to replenish our gut microbes. These are found in fermented foods like kombucha, kefir, miso, sauerkraut, and kimchi. Make these a part of your daily diet.
Whole foods are full of gut-friendly fiber. Not eating enough fiber increases the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Fiber plays lots of roles in our gut, including whisking away some of those pesky bad bacteria and toxins so they can be eliminated. Fiber also helps to feed our friendly resident microbes that help us absorb and digest our food better. What foods have a lot of fiber? Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and even cacao.
And don’t forget the uber-important lifestyle factors like getting enough sleep, stressing less, and getting the right amount (and intensity) of exercise for you. It’s easy to forget some of the simple, but key links there are between what we do with our bodies and how well they function.
CONCLUSION
The function of your gut is key to your overall health. There are two pillars of gut health: maintaining a good barrier and maintaining healthy gut microbes.
The main ways to improve both of these naturally is by eating nutrient-dense whole foods. Foods filled with nutrition, probiotics, and fiber. And eliminating common gut irritants like added sugar, processed foods, and alcohol.
And the battle between Eric cleaning the gym and Lucas giving zero cares to move out of his way, continues.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars, we have some fun stuff going on this month and next:
Verve Holiday Party
Saturday December 15th at Ophelia’s.
The party will start at 7:30pm. Verve’s own Clark Thomas will DJ the party starting at 9pm.
Christmas Day
We will have an abbreviated schedule Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Please check out MBO for class times.
I’m certain we will see the 12 Days of Christmas WOD show up too!
Functional Yoga For Athletics
Sunday January 6th at Verve
It’s a full day seminar. Verve will be closed except for those attending the seminar.
The Functional Yoga Course is not your average yoga training. The material is designed by Coach Debbie Steingesser specifically for athletes and coaches to enhance your overall experience in the gym. There will be no chanting (unless Debbie gets carried away), vegans, or spirituality – just meat and sweet potatoes yoga for coaches and athletes.
You can read more about the course and get registered by clicking here. The cost for this one day course is $349. There is early bird discount offer, 30% off through December 6th. Just use the code “crossfitverveyoga30” when you register.
