MAINSITE: 13JAN11

5RFT

ghd sit ups x 20

push jerk x 5

compare to 13JAN11

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Ah, the obligatory January WOD with GHD sit-ups so that we can talk about scaling and Rhabdo. Here we go!

These are pretty cool WOD's, a relatively new phenomenon since I've been around, arriving last year some time. 5 rounds for time (RFT) of the couplet 20 GHD Sit-ups/5 Push Jerks. Wait. What? Where's the load? What's the weight for the Push Jerks? How will I know if I'm doing it "as Rx'd" or not? Hehe, that's the newness, the coolness of this WOD type: you get to choose your poison! Too heavy= too slow=bad choice, Bozo. Too light=too fast=wimp. See article from yesterday. Umm...on second thought...

There's the beauty of this WOD. YOU choose the weight for the Push Press. Are you really strong? Got some experience with Oly lifts? Verrrry cool. Pick a big number. Did you see Kristan Clever? Yah, she did more than MY body weight, and she's 6+ inches shorter and lots of pounds lighter than I. It looks like the target time for this WOD, the time domain we are aiming for is 10:00. Pick a weight that will put you in that range.

Sticking with movement 2, what is a Push Jerk? We have three foundational overhead lifts, the Press, the Push Press, and the Push Jerk. Well now, any guesses where you might find a video or two on the difference? YES! The "Exercises and Demos" section top left on the Main Page. Johnny, tell our contestant what they've just won. The Push Jerk begins with the weight, whatever you have chosen, in the rack position, across your upper chest and anterior delts. The first move is a DIP, a bend in the knees, followed by an explosive DRIVE or your legs, arms, and explosive opening of your hips. In mid-drive there is a second DIP as you complete the overhead move by "catching" the weight above in a 1/4 squat. Stand up with the weight overhead. One. Do five.

20 GHD sit-ups. Glute Ham Developer. A devious device, that. Have you used one before? Do you regularly and routinely do GHD sit-ups as part of your warm-up? Of COURSE you haven't! Of COURSE you don't! You're a Newbie. NOBODY comes to Crossfit having done GHD sit-ups. Silly goose. You're not going to do GHD sit-ups. Heck, anybody who is here who doesn't regularly and routinely practice GHD sit-ups SHOULD NOT DO GHD SIT-UPS in this WOD.

A couple of stories, if I may. I visited CF San Diego a couple of years ago. Lisa Lugo invited me to join her class, and the WOD called for 30 GHD sit-ups total. She only allowed me to do 15 since I had never done one before. 15. Total. The following morning I could not walk. Nope. Moved like some sort of prehistoric crab-like thing. Hurt for days. Not as bad as the knucklehead who didn't listen to me a couple of years ago and did all of the as Rx'd GHD sit-ups despite no experience with then. Yah...localized ab muscle trauma/rhabdomyolysis requiring hospitalization/ $crotum the size of a grapefruit from descending edema.

Don't do it.

Newbies and anyone not experienced with GHD sit-ups should sub either regular SU or Ab-mat SU, same number. If you insist on GHD's do 5 per round. 5. FIVE. Cinco. Cinq. Seriously. You've been warned.

Post your time and the load you chose to the comments. Work hard. Ready? 3-2-1...Go.

Comment #18 - Posted by: bingo at January 12, 2011 5:51 PM