CrossFit Level 1 section 2 Questions and Answers, Graded A+

CrossFit Level 1 section 2 Questions and Answers, Graded A+ Success in each movement depends on having sound ________ in the preceding movements in the series. mechanics KEY POINTS: AIR SQUAT 1 No movement is more foundational than the air squat. 2 Difficulty performing this movement reflects a need to perform it. 3 Correct performance promotes orthopedic safety, functionality, and mechanical advantage. KEY POINTS: FRONT SQUAT 1 The front squat builds on the mechanics of the air squat. 2 It introduces the front-rack position with external load. 3 It also introduces the importance of moving in the frontal plane under load. Frontal plane 1) keeping the load as close as possible to the midline of the body will allow for the best efficiency of movement with load 2) the further the load deviates from the frontal place, the greater the demand on the midline. The risk of losing balance or collapsing under the load also increases Front Squat Common Faults 1) improper rack position 2) elbows dropping 3) immature torse angle The PRIMARY reason the elbows should remain high in the front squat is to: allow the bar to rest on the torso instead of the weaker structures of the wrists and hands KEY POINTS: OVERHEAD SQUAT The overhead squat builds on the mechanics of the air squat and front squat. 2 Maintaining midline stabilization during the overhead squat creates a tremendous demand on the core musculature. 3 Its proper execution demands and develops functional flexibility. The overhead squat is the ultimate ___________ exercise, the heart of the snatch, and peerless in developing athletic movement. core strenghthing The ___________ places tremendous demand on the core to maintain midline stabilization and develops functional flexibility. overhead squat The _____________ builds on the air squat and adds an external load to the front-rack position front squat Each squat requires maintaining a _____ spine, keeping weight in the ____, moving to a depth _______ parallel, using a correct ___________, and tracking the knees in line with the ______. neutral, heels, below, line of action, toes What's the difference between a "butt wink" and loss of the lumbar curve? A loss of lumbar curve happens when the lumbar spine (L1-L5) flexes during a movement. The loss of lumbar curve should not be confused with the butt wink. When an athlete with a butt wink squats, the lumbar curve is maintained, but there is a tuck of the pelvis, usually at end range. This could be from a lack of flexibility or posterior chain awareness. A butt wink is safe, although not ideal; an athlete with a butt wink may perform the movement but should continue to develop a more mature squat during skill work. Isn't going past parallel bad for the knees? No, this has been comprehensively refuted. When performed correctly, glute and hamstring involvement is greatest once below parallel, better stabilizing the forces at the knee. The patella actually experiences the most stress during the squat just above parallel. What if the grip on an overhead squat hurts my wrists? It can be uncomfortable in the beginning, especially if you are new to this movement and using a very wide grip (perhaps due to flexibility issues). It will take some time for the wrists to develop the strength to bear loads in this position. If you are experiencing numbness, you probably need to work on your overhead position and/or shoulder flexibility. Make sure your armpits are facing forward (retract the scapulae and press up) and progress slowly. Do not try to do it all in one session, especially if you are newer to this movement. Do not push through numbness, however, as it can be a sign of a more serious issue that needs medical attention (e.g., nerve compression in the cervical spine). KEY POINTS: A BELIEF IN FITNESS Fitness can be described as an adaptive capacity that lends itself well to any physical activity. 2 There are four models used to support our definition of fitness. 3 Our definition of fitness is empirical. This means it came from measured observation (t/F) CrossFit's definition of FITNESS came from measured observation. True (t/f) Fitness is the intersection of all physical tasks, and in many respects, it's also a compromise. True KEY POINTS: 10 GENERAL PHYSICAL SKILLS Those who are fittest are best developed across all 10 general physical skills. 2 A deficiency in any one skill can lead to the loss of game, mission, or life. 3 A program develops your fitness to the extent that it improves each of the 10 general physical skills. cardiorespiratory endurance ability to gather, process, and deliver oxygen power ability to apply maximum force in minimal time coordination ability to combine movement patterns into a singular, distinct movement pattern speed ability to minimize the cycle time of repeated movement accuracy ability to control movement tin a given direction or given intensity agility ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another strength The ability of a motor unit or combination of motor units to apply force Stamina The ability to gather, process, deliver, store, and utilize energy Balance The ability to control the body's center of gravity in relation to its support base KEY POINTS: THE HOPPER MODEL 1 The fittest are those who perform statistically best across all tasks pulled from the hopper. 2 A fitness program should develop capacity across a broad range of skills and drills. 3 There is greater benefit to your fitness in pursuing your deficiencies than in spending additional time on your strengths The hopper model is based on an understanding of fitness as the ability to perform any task well. It also offers ______________. a measurable way to test fitness. KEY POINTS: METABOLIC PATHWAYS 1 Our bodies use three pathways to create ATP for energy: the phosphagen, glycolytic, and oxidative pathways. 2 Those who are fittest have the best capacity across all three pathways. 3 A fitness program should improve capacity across all three pathways. phosphagen pathway Also called the phosphocreatine pathway Can produce 100% of maximum power Lasts about 10 seconds — e.g., 100-meter sprint glycolytic Also called the lactate pathway Can produce approximately 70% of maximum power Lasts about 2 minutes, peaking at approximately 60 seconds — e.g., 400-meter sprint oxidative pathway Also called the aerobic pathway Can produce approximately 40% of maximum power Sustainable until the anaerobic threshold is crossed — e.g., a 10,000-meter run KEY POINTS: DEFINING FITNESS 1 Fitness is defined as work capacity across broad time and modal domains. 2 Health is defined as your fitness measured across your lifetime. 3 Our goal by doing CrossFit (constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity) is to increase our area under the curve; to increase our work capacity. HEALTH IS Work capacity across broad time and modal domains, measured throughout one's life (age). FITNESS IS Work capacity across broad time and modal domains. Ultimately, the results of your program need to be MEASURABLE, OBSERVABLE, and __________. repeatable What is the difference between "training" and "practice"? We define "training" as the organic change within the muscular system: Your muscles and connective tissue get denser, stronger, etc. These are observable changes in body tissue. We define "practice" as learning or refining a movement/motor pattern to allow for greater efficiencies. There is a natural overlap between the two such that advancing one is not completely exclusive of the other. Why do some exercises use more of the 10 general physical skills? This is not by choice. Certain exercises are more technical than others and will require a greater number of the 10 general physical skills. We use the list for descriptive and illustrative purposes, and the list is not a reason to omit useful exercises; it does not make sense to exclude an exercise because it does not meet a required X out of 10 physical skills. More often than not, useful exercises will have a good number of the 10 skills, but a known, proven, useful exercise should not be omitted just because it does not fit the model. When measuring power output, how is the area under the curve determined? The area under your average power output of tasks is its integral. In a practical sense, keeping a log book of loads and times will reflect whether the area is increasing or decreasing. The correct setup position for the press has the elbows: slightly in front of the bar. KEY POINTS: PUSH PRESS 1 The setup and finish position are the same as the press. 2 The hips and legs extend before the arms press. 3 The power of the hips creates velocity and momentum on the barbell. 4 The push press has the potential to lift ~30% more weight than the shoulder press. PUSH PRESS: UNIQUE POINTS OF PERFORMANCE - Timing Core to extremity movement is highlighted here as the hips and legs extend before the arms begin the press. Most efficient sequence to transfer power form the lower body into the bar. PUSH PRESS: UNIQUE POINTS OF PERFORMANCE - FAST TURN AROUND The athlete should not hold the dip position. The quick turnaround and rapid hip extenision generates the greatest upward momentum on the bar. Push press progression 1) dip and hold 2) dip and drive 3) drip and drive fast 4) push press PUSH PRESS: COMMON FAULTS 1) forward inclination of the torso 2) muted hip 3) pressing early The correct sequence for the push press is dip, _____ , then press drive Compared to the press, the push press has MORE potential to express power because: the athlete is not limited by only the strength of their upper body.