enhancing HUMAN mechanics℠

Preparing for the CrossFit Open

As CrossFitters around the globe eagerly await Dave Castro’s 18.1 announcement today, most of us are going about this week’s WODs in anticipation. What will the workout be and are we prepared?! At this stage of the game, it’s too late to give any tips for Open training, BUT, you CAN prep yourself with GIG’s before you work out to maximize your muscle firing and joint mobility.

Perhaps the biggest and best way to prepare is to make sure you are addressing any nagging “injuries” and performing the right mobility and stability exercises to avoid further injury. Get as pain-free as you can when you put your body to the test this Friday (or weekend). Here, I list some GIG exercises (or Get In Gear TM) to perform PRIOR to your normal warm-ups. Additionally, I added some mobility work for oft-neglected muscle groups.

As always, none of these exercises replace the expertise of a Licensed Physical Therapist. Most states allow direct access to physical therapy, so if you are experiencing an injury, it is best to seek evaluation so that you can properly prepare based off of your specific needs.

Abdominal Series and Level 2 Marching
Weight-lifting challenges our core stability and strength. Performing these stability exercises BEFORE your warm-up can help to facilitate the Transversus Abdominis and Lumbar Multifidus as part of the core muscles to help avoid unnecessary rotation or shear in the lumbar spine. It will also help to facilitate “core to extremity” strength for improved lifts! This little trick is called facilitation and it is a GIG designed to “switch on” the dormant muscle fibers.

Abdominal Series

  • “Push, Cross, Pull, Push” is the order for hand placement and direction of movement for this isometric exercise. 
  • Activate your core and lift your tailbone without rounding your back into the floor.
  • With the resistance through the hands/legs making your core activate with more muscle fibers, keep breathing and feel the abdominals pulling together. 

Level 2 Marching

  • Dynamically stabilize the lumbosacral spine. 
  • Practice weight acceptance through the leg which has the foot on the floor. 
  • Practice the dissociation of the hip from the pelvis for specific muscle recruitment.

Serratus Wall Slides

The serratus anterior is one of the most under-utilized yet most important muscles at the shoulder girdle. It helps the scapula be strong against the ribcage even while it is moving and assist with connecting the upper extremity (scapula, humerus, clavicle through to the hand) to the core. Warming up your serratus anterior will help with all overhead motions as well as front squats and cleans.

  • Set the scapula and place the forearms on the foam roll without increasing the thoracic spine flexion.
  • Using the serratus anterior, slide the elbows to the wall within the range of motion available.
  • Keep the pectoralis muscles soft.

 

Psoas Release

If you’re like most and sit for the majority of your day, performing a psoas release prior to your workout is a good idea! My favorite release is with the handle of a kettlebell, but you can also use the end of a foam roll or a lacrosse ball.

  • Find your psoas by finding the middle point between your hip and your belly button.
  • Lay on the handle of the kettlebell at that point and relax into release.
  • To get more of a release, you can bend your knee and internally/externally rotate your hip or simply straighten and bend your knee.

Lat and Serratus Anterior Release

For overhead mobility, take a lacrosse ball to just below your shoulder blade lying on your side. Try to move your shoulder overhead and into various positions to assist with the full release of your lats and serratus.

  • Lay on your side and place the lacrosse ball on your ribcage just under or around the bottom of your shoulder blade.
  • Relax into the release.
  • To get more of a release, you can bend your elbow and internally/externally rotate your shoulder or simply straighten and bend your elbow.

As always, none of these exercises replace the expertise of a Licensed Physical Therapist. Most states allow direct access to physical therapy, so if you are experiencing an injury, it is best to seek evaluation so that you can properly prepare based off of your specific needs.

Don’t forget we have Self-Pay options so you can come in and get a quick tune-up during and after the CrossFit games to keep you at your best. Give us a call at (877) 709-1090 for more information or fill out the contact us form and we will contact you.

Authored by Dr. Elizabeth J. Racioppi PT, DPT, WOMEN’S HEALTH SPECIALIST, CROSSFIT LEVEL 1 TRAINER & April Oury FOUNDER, PT MS, IOC, CFMT, FAAOMPT, WOMEN’S HEALTH SPECIALIST

Don’t forget to check out our Instagram, Facebook, and Podcasts for more great information and be on the lookout for our Exercise of the Week: Olympics Editon coming at you this Friday for opening day.