Crossfit Armoury - October 15, 2017: Speciality Class: Gymnastics

Sunday; October 15, 2017 @ Crossfit Armoury - West

Coach:  Kyle Samson

Thoughts:
As promised, I decided to work on one of weakest areas for me.  After spending over 3 months focusing on just olympic lifting; I've decided to branch out and work on something else.   Now, don't think I've given up on Olympic lifting.  I'm still going to go to it, twice a week and this class.  Whatever time I have left between recovery, I'll do a crossfit class.  Crossfit has just taken a bit of break from my routine. 

So, for the next 3 months; you'll see posting of gymnastics, and olympic lifting, along with a few crossfit classes sprinkle in.  This is my way of working on weakness.

We started with some dowel shoulder warm-ups, not show on the above picture.   Did about 10 front to back dowel stretches, holding the dowel like a barbell (snatch).   We then switch it so the barbell is behind us, the thumbs facing our body and repeat the same movement but toward the front.  It feels weird at first, just taking it slow.  About 10 reps of this will allow for the shoulders to warm-up.

Coach suggested that we get a rubber mat, and get into a headstand.  Wow, no holding back (as this is my first class).  I haven't tried to do a headstand in so long, the last time I tried; i ended up rolling forward or I tried against the wall.   Everyone was out in the open gym.  The class was busy, there were approximately 10 people in attendance.
The headstand pose is part of a progression to work toward a handstand.  Back to the basics for me.

I entered the typical headstand, with my arms to the front of me (it looks like a triangle, with my head at the top of the triangle).  I attempted to balance my knee on my elbows.   In the past, this would be the furthest I would get.
However, today; I decide to slowly tuck in and lift my knees and eventually raising it up until my toes were pointing upwards.    Half of me was overcome with joy as I was doing a headstand away from a wall, no assistance from anyone!  HOLY SHIT!!   I was able to hold it for about 15 seconds before I got wobble and dropped down.  I was doing my best not to roll forward (tuck head in) and run into others around me.

Overwhelmed and grinning, and in disbelief.  I tried it again.  I repeated this 3 more times, with two times falling over and almost knocking Sari over (to my left).  However, I did knock the guy to my right over as I could avoid him.   I went and repositioned myself further away from anyone.   

I did do some thinking on how this was possible.  I give credit where it's due.  I suspect a lot of my past months of olympic lifting had help strengthen my core.  In the past, I had found that I would not have that kind of control with my mid section.   I try not to view it this way, (always viewing myself as the elephant trying to do a headstand)  I know, it's not a positive image.     Work on it.

Just like crossfit, everything is scalable.   Coach explained to us each of the movements and what we can do for scaling.    

Today's workout consisted of a 24 Minute EMOM.  We had 4 different movements.

Coach asked me to demo to him my strict pull-up.  I can do one to two chin-ups; but pull-up.  No.   I show him how far I can pull myself up before I have to stop.  It's like I'm hitting a wall that preventing me from going beyond that.  He
explained to me the areas that I needed to work on and as well as why I wasn't achieving them.    For now, he suggested that I do 1 to 2 strict chin-ups, for the minute 1 stage.
Minute 2 calls for Ring Dips with a 3 second pause.   Instead of using the rings; we could use the matador.  To which I scaled it with some rubber band wrapped over the bars.  We are to do 5 to 10 reps, I opted to do 5 reps as I know this will catch up to me.
Minute 3 were to do L Hold on the parallettes.  Scaled version is to do them with the knees up and feet not touching the ground.  Eventually you want to have your feet in front of you.   Yah, I don't have that.. will work toward that in the weeks coming.  The goal was to aim for 15 to 20 seconds.  I find that I can do about 5 to 7 seconds and then my arms would eventually give out to my mass and gravity.
Minute 4 call for handstand push-ups.  Scaled version is to use the box.  Coach mention that the knee should be close to the edge of the box.  The further away from the box you are, the easier it is.  Oh yes, it made a big difference.

I had my work cut out for me.  As always, the first two rounds seems easy.  The third and fourth round; you start to feel it in the shoulders.  By the last two rounds, it take either longer time to complete your reps, or your reps drop to less than minimum.    My shoulders were toast by the end of the class.  I have a new found respect for those in gymnastics.   

Pondering on this class, I can see this will enhance not only my core; but my upper body/shoulders.  With that in mind, this will translate to some additional assistance to lifting weights, specifically olympic lifting.  I think these two disciplines will help each other out.   

I'm looking forward to the next 3 months of gymnastics.