For time:
50 box jumps, 24-inch box
25 handstand push-ups
40 box jumps, 24-inch box
20 handstand push-ups
30 box jumps, 24-inch box
15 handstand push-ups
20 box jumps, 24-inch box
10 handstand push-ups
10 box jumps, 24-inch box
5 handstand push-ups
At first site, one can look at CrossFit programming and think that there’s not much rhyme or reason to the movements selected. Oh if only it were that simple. Many CrossFit workouts are movement masterpieces and you know this to be true by the potency of the simple movement combinations.
A little peek under the hood and we start to uncover the why behind some of the elegant pairings and groupings of movements in workouts.
In the old days of the big box gym, lifting and cardio were split into two different rooms. From there, we further separated out the movements with a major focus on avoiding use of the same muscle groups on the same day. As an example, folks trained back and biceps one day and the chest and triceps the next.
In CrossFit, we look at movement functions to design workouts, rather than the specific muscle groups used.
For example, today’s workout is a couplet, pairing two movements together. Both movements are a gymnastics movement as they require body movement with no external load. Both movements are hip dominant movements – utilizing hip extension. The box jump utilizes hip extension that is passed off to the legs, while the handstand push-up utilizes hip extension that is passed off to the arms.
The beauty of this workout is that it demands an explosive hip for every rep of the workout, even though the movements change.
A red mat? Hummmm. Takes away from the glory, Khem.