There seems to be a reoccurring theme here.
A1 Front Squat 3-3-3-3-3
A2 Floor Press 3-3-3-3-3
This time last year… we featured GinaP as our Member of the Month!
Muscle ups vs. No False Grip Muscle ups
-Zack Otte
Muscle ups in gymnastics are nothing more than a means to get from hanging position with your body below the rings to a support position with your body above the rings. From a skill level according to gymnsaticsbodies.com, they barely register. Since most of us are not gymnasts, we would disagree with this thought and in fact it place it as one of the most advanced gymnastics skills we use in our training, right up there with pistol squats and freestanding handstands. A true muscle up, has no kip, it is as its name implies a m-u-s-c-l-e up not a kip up. For body weight strength development, achievement of a kipping muscle up should not be viewed that as the end goal, but a progression toward L-seated muscle ups, strict muscle ups, and weighted muscle ups.
That’s not to take away from all the 1st time muscle ups we’ve been seeing lately, I think it’s great. Getting a kipping muscle up requires a great deal more strength than a dead hang pull up or chest to bar pull up and should be viewed as a great achievement. But if you’ve gotten there, know that there’s more on the body weight strength side of things.
In addition, if you’re viewing CrossFit as a sport and not just a training method, there is a better technique for performing high reps of muscle ups than using a false grip, kipping or strict. We teach the false grip because it is the gymnastics method and puts your hands in the proper position for the bottom of the dip. In other words, this is what you should be doing if you’re working toward a strict muscle up. The other option is a kipping muscle up without a false grip, and if you’re a Games athlete you should have these in your tool box. These should be viewed as two distinctly different movements for different purposes just like the dead hang pull up and kipping pull up.
Why should a Games athlete learn a no false grip muscle up?
1. Multiple false grip muscles are slow because you have to reset the grip either at the top or the bottom, whereas with a no false grip there is no grip reset allowing you to quickly transition to the next rep.
2. Kipping as we know from Drywall is another word for cheating, and if you’re going to cheat you may as well not half a$$ it. Holding the rings in your fingers is a stronger more secure grip and also lengthens your levers allowing you to create more momentum in your kip. You will not be able to hold onto a false grip and kip as aggressively as is being suggested in the video below.
3. The skin on the pads of your hands (no false grip) can take a lot more abuse than the skin on your wrists (false grip).
4. It makes the dip far easier because you’ll be reducing the ROM.
The progression I used to teach myself the no false grip muscle up is based on Carl Paoli’s series on gymnastics wod. He goes through a 4 part progression that I highly encourage you to watch. This is link to the 1st progression: http://gymnasticswod.com/content/no-false-grip-muscle-progression-pt1
Carl does a great job walking through this, so I won’t regurgitate entire tutorial, but will give some color to the discussion. The key to the no false grip kipping muscle up is the pull and where you pull to. Think about which is the easiest option, a dip where the bottom is your arm pit, rib cage, or hips? Of course hips would be the winner and rib cage isn’t all that bad. Unfortunately, the rite of passage most of us have gone through on our first muscle up is only pulling toward our chest, which if you’re able to achieve the muscle up at all, results in the deepest dip you’ve ever had to do. This is not ideal and puts a ton of stress on your elbows and shoulders and failing half way through that turnover hurts even worse. On the hand, if you can pull toward your belly button you have the opportunity to transition into a much more comfortable dip that is not near as taxing on your body, making high volume far easier. Some of this is mindset of where you’re pulling to, but make no mistake, there’s a strength competent to pulling this deep that may need to be developed. Whatever your deepest pull up is, bottom of rib cage, belly button, hips, this should be your target when on the rings. If your target is lower than what your strength can get you to, you will not get your chest through on the transition. If these are in line and you can at least pull to the bottom of your rib cage you should be able to pull these off with a little work.
From a strength development point of view the kip will take away the initial pull, but it only gets you so high, finishing the pull toward your hips will require some pretty decent strength development. The carry over to the false grip muscle up is that you will have developed the ability to pull higher, with the goal being to pull to the bottom of your chest / middle of your rib cage area before your transition. Getting this high puts you in a more normal bottom of the dip versus that super low and deep turnover dip position that puts so much stress on the elbow.
I’m not in a ton these days, but I’d be happy to work with folks before my 6 a.m. class on Mondays or on the weekends on both strict muscle ups or these no false grip versions.
If you ain’t cheat’in, you ain’t CrossFitt’in.
A1 front squat: 65-70-75-80-90-95-108-113 (was able to get 1 rep in, then failed
A2 Floor press: 53-58-lost track of the numbers, I think I was able to do 63, failed at 73.
Happy I was able to do my body weight in front squats, need to work more on upper body strength.
Three rep max:
Front squat: 175
Floor press: 185
Group shirtless post
Three rounds:
300m row
20 wall balls @ #20
10 pull ups
Front Squat 3 RM: 145
85 (5)- 105(3)-125(3)-135(3)-145(3)-155 (Fx2 1.5 reps)
Floor Press 3RM: 95
35(3)-55(3)-65(3)-75(3)-85(3)-90(3)-95 (3)- 100(F, 2 reps)
Post:
core
working the knot in my calf out
predicting what 12.2 will be
Front Squat 3 Rep: 275
Floor Press 3 Rep: 275
3RM
FS: 205-225-245-255-265(1)
FP: 165-185-205
#255 felt solid, lost intensity and tension at #265. Didn’t push the FP–back of elbow/tricep has been tender since 12.1.
Post: Mainsite Workout w/ Miles, JoshA, & the New Guy w/ neon green shoes
3 rounds: 300 m row, 20 WB, 10 pullups
Time: 7:02
Fun burner. Unbroken. Focus was on good WB reps and breathing. Was going to do this one solo but always more fun with a crew.
12.1 + Monday + today = sore tri’s
Missed Monday’s workout so I made that up this morning…
5 Rounds:
5 HSPU
10 CTB
30 DU
Time — 6:18
HSPU and DU unbroken. Pretty pumped for my first legit metcon with unbroken DU. 30 is a number I know I can get pretty consistently, but in the past I haven’t been able to really keep my focus over the entire workout. Next “goal” is to consistently be able to hit 40 DU.
CTB were kind of slow and ugly, per usual. First three rounds unbroken, then 6-5, then 5-3-2. Mostly butterflies except for the small sets. I am considering going back to fast kipping CTB instead of butterfly CTB after talking with Anthony this morning. Just a bit too much energy, and my version of them is slower than kipping. We’ll see.
Post: only had times for 2×10 Good Mornings, and 2×5 cannonball pullups. Lizzie was giving me “we need to go home so we’re not late for work” looks so I had to cut it short.
Made up Monday’s metcon: 10:30
This is probably the my first metcon where I never thought about scaling the HSPUs, though they got hard by the end. DUs unbroken. CTBs for the first round only (6-2-1-1), then I eased up to regular kipping pullups to stay under the cap. I guess CTBs are the next thing I need to work on. The pullup-phobia is getting better, but it’s still slowing me down a lot.
Did this while Tim and the New Guy were working up to heavy squats, so I hopped in and did front squats 3-3-3 @ 185-205-225.
The floor press was not feasible after the HSPUs, so I worked on my handstand walk, and got maybe 2/3 of the way across the room.
Made up Monday’s WOD:
5 rounds
5 HSPUs (45#, metal 10# plate, abmat)
10 Pull-ups (orange)
30 DUs
10:25
Post: 1k Row
For the Games fanatics out there – am i missing something or did Josh Bridges & Mikko Salo not do 12.1? I can’t seem to find their scores. I could’ve missed them though as I can only mine through so many pages of names before I lose concentration and move on to something more entertaining. I just figured they would put up high scores and be on the first few pages of the worldwide or their region’s leaderboards
@Alex — Per the CrossFit Games’ Facebook status update:
“News about Josh Bridges and Mikko Salo in tomorrow’s CrossFit Games Update show!”
@Alex
I’ve heard the rumor is that Josh Bridges is currently deployed (active duty Navy SEAL) while Mikko hurt his knee in training. Definitely a bummer as it would be awesome to see them do the Open workouts. While the rules this year state that everyone must compete in the Open and Regionals, there’s language in the rulebook that HQ reserves the right to invite anyone to the Games, so we can hope Josh is back and Mikko is healthy when July comes around.
There you have it – Facebook of course has all the answers to life’s questions – maybe I’ll visit that website more than once every 2 weeks so i can be up to speed. Thanks guys..
Front Squat: 185 – continued to work on form, getting my elbows up on heels down.
Floor Press – 195 (f 205 x’s 1)
Post: Shirtless metcon
3 rounds
300 row
20 WB
10 pull ups
7:45
Forgot to post shirtless metcon time: 7:54
Front Squat – worked up to 155. Got 2reps @ 165 but got stuck on the third.
Floor Press – 115. Failed on it once then went up very easy on the second attempt. Got cocky and went for 135 and failed. Probably should have tried 125.
Front squat: 135# 3RM
Failed first attempt at 145, went down to 140 but missed depth on reps 2&3 by 1″-1 1/2″. Jonny has eagle eyes because he called out my shit from across the room. He was very impressed with himself for doing that, too. The Judge has to keep it legit and I would never expect less :o) I didn’t have time to try it again.
Floor press – 80# 3RM
Failed the second rep at 85.
Lots of great mobility in the warm-up. I love that we’re doing more of that before metcons and lifting. Thanks!
Front Squat- 3RM: 135,175, 195, 215, 225. Randy gave me some corrections on my starting position that helped me drive through my heels more. 225 felt better than 215 because of these corrections. I definitely had some more weight in me, probably should have done another set but was running out of time.
Floor Press-3RM: 135, 185, 225, 245, 275. Got 275 pretty easily but started to feel a little pain in my formerly separated shoulder so I called it a day.
Some of you may be thinking- “Wow your floor press is 50 pounds higher than your front squat?” A logical question. In my pre-Crossfit life I used to bench press all the time. Thanks to Bryce I now know that was foolish as my posture stinks. I can’t imagine going back to working out that way after (finally) doing crossfit.
@Randy- Yea, i’m drinking the kool-aid…and it tastes sooo good.
FS: Worked up to 215#. Got 2 reps at 225# before failing the third.
Floor Press: Up to 225#. Failed at 235#.
@Honey Badger – I’ve been in a different state before and still had the ability to no rep folks. Nothing slides by The Judge.
Jonny – That’s hilarious. I think we all know The Force is with you.
Nice to see Matthew K and Patrick at 9 today! All men, no boys!
Front Squat x 3: 110#. ideally I think I could have pushed another 10-15# outta me.
floor press x 3: 80# struggled on #3 but got it up.
Front Squat: 3RM #110
Front Press: 3RM #85
FP was hard because of the lack of range. I know my regular bench is higher.
Nice work Teresa, you are certainly not weak!!!
@Allison, Jonny yells out at me too. He never catches the good front squats, he always catches me when my depth is short. Your right, he’s got the eagle eyes, but you have to love him!!
Front Press up to 3RM 165#
Lunges with 45# plate instead of front squats.
Great work with partners Cameron, Lou Mike and Alfredo
Welcome back Cameron good to have u back. Great job Kelly on a busy Noon class.
Good working with Joel, Woody, and D
FS: 185-205-220-230-240(3RM PR)-255(F)
FP: warmed up with 33-65 and my shoulder wasn’t feeling it so skipped this portion of the strength work
Did yesterday’s mainsite WOD with Joel, Derek, Bob, Melisa, BigCam, and others
3 rounds
300m row
20 wall balls (20#)
10 pull-ups
8:43
First time doing 20# wall balls in 6 weeks. They felt incredibly heavy and broke them up too much. Pull-ups were butterfly and kips. Those felt good.
FS: 3RM 120 (up 5# from last time) woo hoo!
FP: 3RM 85, tried 90 twice and lost it on the 3rd attempt both times.
Got talked into doing yesterday’s mainsite wod…glad I did it
3 Rounds:
300m row
20 WB, 14#
10 pullups
11:10
front squat: got up to #225 (3RM pr)
floor press: #165 kept it light to focus on keeping my wrists straight. I have the same problem with the overhead presses
extra WOD:
8:08
I liked this one. My legs were feeling it on the last set of wallballs and broke it up 10-10. Pullups could be quicker too.
A1: 3RM 170. Was able to do 175 once and knew there was no way I’d do two more.
A2: 3RM 175. Thank you Lou for spotting me and yelling at me. And thank you Kelly for making me up the weight on the last set.
Post (I hate Lou for making me do it) workout:
5 rounds
5 Pushups
10 Pullups
15 Burpies
10 minutes and something seconds.
Great noon class. Nervous about 12.2…
A1: 3RM front squat @ 125#
A2: 3RM floor press @ 85#, failed on the 3rd @ 90#
post: DU work
Got to work with Joe-L, D-Rock and the Judge today.
Pre- Belly button to bar pull-up work – Thanks for the info and link Zack.
A1 Front Squat 3-3-3-3-3
205-215-225-240-255(F)*
A2 Floor Press 3-3-3-3-3
165-185-225-225-230(F)
255 is my 1RM on FS so I tied it with one at the end of the workout but would have loved to get at least 2 if not the 3rd. Had to try it, Gina P’s words still ringing in my ears from the article last week. I know that my ROM was good because I was working with the Judge himself and would have heard those dreadful words “No Rep!” if I did not make depth.
Reason of the Day I CF at CFC: The articles each day. It is like the Reader’s Digest version of the CF Journal. Everyday I learn something new, gain another arrow for the quiver or am motivated to eat better, try harder or fix a short fall. If your not reading what is up there everyday you’re short changing yourself and are not going to reach your potential. And some of the Recipes cause quite a stir ;)
Manic Metcon Tuesday. This week’s menu:
Wall Balls – 20#: 21-18-15-12-9-6-3
Double Unders – 50-50-50-50-50-50-50
TIME – 7:36. Missed 2 du’s otherwise unbroken. Just stayed steady and in control with them and felt good and fresh for this one
5 min rest
2 miles on airdyne @ 80%
TIME – 5:11 (77-80rpm and 135 cals burned)
5 min rest
21-18-15-12-9-6-3
Kb Swings (24kg)
Box Jumps (20″)
TIME – 5:15. All unbroken, just kept moving
5 min rest
Airdyne for 2 miles @ 80%
TIME – 5:14 (76-78rpm and 131 cals burned)
5 mins rest
5 rounds:
200m row
5 sdhp – 95#
10 pushups
TIME – 5:45. Not as fun as it looks but was able to keep my row pace in the 1:37-1:39 range for the most part, a little faster on round 5 and sdhp and pushups unbroken
Good day at the office. May come in later for some bamboo bar squats to expose myself, otherwise will be back in for some accessory work and active rest tomorrow….
Front Squat 3RM: 100#
Floor Press 3RM: 65#
Thanks Megan for the push today. Thanks Amy A. for the spot, LOL!!
Front Squat 3RM: 225
Floor Press 3RM : 230
Pretty sad that I can floor press more than I can front squat. Jonny and Woody were killing it today with the front squats (Bob “the copper” is not included because he isn’t human) and D-Rock waited till the post WOD to bring it and kill the WOD.
Post Wod: 8:24, pretty sure I’m burnt out for the week, but I’ll be back again tomorrow.
Cant shake this awful cold! Going to come in on Thursday and make this up!
@Emi, any time! ;)
Front Squat 3RM 85#
Floor Press 3RM 65#
@Joel – Agreed, if you are even attempting a 315 front squat you are not human….and you had more on the front squat, you talked yourself out of it.
Weird one for me- one of my strengths combined with one of my greatest weaknesses (well, aside from my lack of charm and tact)
FS- #175-#185-#205-#215 (PR)- #225 (3rm PR). Felt like I had more in me, but ran out of time. Next time up I’m starting higher on the FS.
FP- #135-#165 (x1, then f)-#165 (f), #165(f), #155.
I like to think I’m out of balance, Bryce summed it up by calling me weak. Growing up in Canada meant a lot of skating (lots of leg strength), and no bench pressing (don’t want your hands to get frozen to the bar).
First time to post WOD results…could not do front squat due to mobility, did back squat instead, put up 365 x 3 and floor pressed 345 x 3. More mobility work is required on my shoulders and wrists.
Post workout was working on double unders and muscle ups. Followed by dumbbell complex with JK.
Is the theme from the pic that Scott is a puss? I see that reoccurring over and over…. :)
@ Smack – OUCH!!!!!
Lack of sleep and a long day of work compounded my usual strength workout issues tonight. I just felt weak overall.
Front Squat: 135-155-165-175(f)-175 (1x f)
Floor Press: 135-155-165(ugly)-165(f)
Blah, I really need to work on everything that involves a barbell.
Post: Good morning type movement pulling a band in between my legs to work on keeping my back engaged and squeezing my butt on the way up. One of these days the muscle memory will kick in.
Post post: Muscle up fails. Sigh.
Back at it tomorrow.
Front Squat: 245 3RM (PR)
Floor Press: 265 3RM
Front Squat: Got up to 235… my form is freaking awful.
Floor Press: 225 (worse form)
Bleh.
FS: 225 – Failed one at 225,then cleaned up my form and got it. Knees not feeling so great. I went without oly shoes today,as I don’t want to always have to rely on wearing them for heavy lifts. Liked the stability I had with the Nanos.
FP: 225 – could use some work on pulling the shoulders back and staying tight.
Post: did some MU work then decided to make a little wod out of it.
5 rounds:
3 Muscle ups
6 ring dips (direct transition from the last mu rep)
30 double unders
Went untimed due to class going on, but this was a fun one for anyone who likes being on the rings. No missed MU’s. had to break up the dips I. The last two rounds 3-3, which meant extra MU’s to get back into the dip. 2 trip ups on double unders.
Front Squat 3 Rep: 165
Floor Press 3 Rep: 135
4pm class today…..
Front Squats @ 175 3RM
Floor Press @ 185 3RM
I am also sad, like Joel, with my floor press numbers exceeding my squat total. I’ll chalk that up to being just average and not super human like the NooNer’s.
Time for some vacation……
FS @ 185#. 10# better than a few months ago.
Floor Press @ 165#. The first few times I did this my form was incorrect (not stopping at bottom), but Randy pointed this out.
5×5 front squats @ 45#
Front Squat: worked up to 125#, need to remember to keep my head neutral and elbows up
Floor press: got up to 85#, think I have more in me, but ran out of time.
post: some double under work and fiddling with the rings with Anj. I’m thinking du are in store for 12.2.
Got up to 85# on floor press and 95# on front squat. I have not done RM/heavy front squats for a long time. Kelly observed that I was actually going down too low, making it even more difficult for me to stand it up than it should be. Maybe I’ll sit on a medicine ball next time or at least check it out in the mirrors at the globo gym.
BS: 3RM @ 215, got 205, went up 20# and failed 225 on the last rep, back down and 215 felt light, should’ve tried 220 or maybe 225 again, but was kinda over it.
Then I told Lou that 225 was my 1RM so he made me try 230 for a new 1RM PR. Boom. Thx Lou.
Floor Press: 3RM @ 175, same story did 185 first and failed on the last rep, so back down got it and was over it.
Post: worked on my no false grip muscle ups, really had to kip the horsef*ck out of these to get them, but got ‘em I guess. Pretty sure I made the Zack face as above every time too. Elite.
Almost forgot: Post post: DU practice, got 87 in 1 min. By far PR. Sticking with my shit form, not touching it until after the Open, if ever. Then did the weird dumbell complex, but didn’t do a heavy enough dumbell to make it fatigue my grip, which I think was the point. Meh, got a metcon out of it anyway.
Front Squat @ 265(3)
Floor Press @ 255(3), 275(1, f)
Post: more handstand walk practice with Val and JoshB.
Front Squat: 55-85-105-115-125-135 (3RM)
Floor Press: 33-55-75-85-95 (3RM)
Front Squat 3RM: 205
Floor Press 3RM: 235
Had a little more in me on the the FS, but 205 was giving me a little pain in my wrists and I didn’t want to push it too much with Open WOD 12.2 coming up tonight. Right calf started cramping each rep during my set of 235. Had to literally shake my foot/calf out in between reps. I don’t think that really messed with anything, but was really weird.
Worked with Mo, which was fun.
Front Squat 3RM: 140
Floor Press 3RM: 105
Playing with handstands again with Adam and Josh B. Always fun!
A1 Front Squat 45-70-85-105-120-130 (2reps, failed rep 3)
A2 Floor Press 35-55-65-85(F)-75-80-85
Need to concentrate more on my depth on the front squats. Kelly said I’m dropping too low and therefore losing the strength in my legs. 3rd rep on 130#, started fatigued and just sunk into the squat.
Think I could’ve gone heavier than 85# on the floor press but ran out of time. Should’ve avoided the 20# jump between 65# & 85#. Perhaps I would’ve had time to go beyond 85#.
Front Squat: 135-155-175-185-195 (2xF)
Floor Press: 135-185-205(F)-195-200
Short little arms always kill my FS–fingers just pop off the bar after a rep or two with anything near bodyweight. While it’s partially a flexibility issue in the wrists, triceps and lats, I am also convinced I may just have to consider drastic surgical measures. Or live with my limitations.
First time doing floor press. Good advice from Adam to “bend the bar.” Might have got 205 with time for another attempt.
Are the red-theraphy beds the same price as the regular tanning beds?