**STARTING TODAY, CLASSES WILL BE AVAILABLE MON-FRI 6PM, SATURDAY 9AM. MORE CLASSES TO COME!**

Gymnastics is one of the fundamentals elements of the CrossFit Pyramid, yet it’s often dismissed as a sport for little midgets with ridiculous strength to weight ratios.  While that is not an uncommon stereotype, gymnastics is simply defined as:  Physical exercises designed to develop and display strength, balance, and agility

Learning basic gymnastic movements are essential to balancing a fitness program.  In CrossFit, we have numerous gymnastic movements including push ups, pull ups, handstand push ups, ring rows, ring dips, and muscle ups.

A popular goat for many of us has been the dreaded Handstand Push Up.  To achieve this goal, you have to have mastered the handstand (duh).  Here’s a brief breakdown of how to kick up to (and hold) a handstand:

First step is to kick-up into the handstand. To get a great handstand a good kick-up is a must, especially when you move away from the wall. We will start in the easiest manner possible.

1.  Get in a sprinter’s stance with your hands on the floor shoulder width apart approximately 6-10 inches from the wall.  Kick up with your back leg to the wall.   Practice this until you kick up with just enough force to get your body vertical but not so much that you’re slamming your feet into the wall.

2.  Spread your fingers and dig your fingertips into the floor.

3.  Keep your elbows locked.  Any bend will force your body to rely on muscle rather than skeleton and you’ll fatigue quickly.

4.  Push your arms into the ground.  Just like we engage active shoulders in a press, we’ll do the same in a handstand.  You want to shrug your shoulder toward your ears.

5.  Keep your butt and legs tight.  Point your toes toward the ceiling.  Since your legs are farthest away from you base of support any movement in them will throw your balance off most.

6.  Keep your belly tight in a ‘hollow’ position.  To find this hollow, lay on the ground on your back, and try to prevent someone from sliding their hand between your back and the floor.  Mimic this while in a handstand.

Gymnastics require skills that have to be practiced.  Use your warm up time or come in before class and work on these skills, one at a time, and you’ll be doing ‘Roving Diane’ in no time!!

WOD 10.05.09

4 rounds of:
30 Double Unders
20 Push Presses
15 Squats
10 Thrusters

c/o Handstand work: accumulate 2:00 total in a handstand, 1:00 if not using a wall
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