Why Kips???

WOD, 10/15/09:

“Gripler Cripler”

5 Rounds

100m Run

10 one arm KB Swing to Shoulder Height

(5 each side, 1 pood for men)

20 Knees to Elbow

20 Pull Ups

“Those aren’t real PULL-UPS!” Ahhhhhhhhh…the CrossFit kipping pull-up critique. We have been criticized time and time again for the kipping (gymnastic-style/swinging pull up). I’ll start by saying that if you were to ask 90% of the kipping CrossFit community, they could also bang out dead hanging pull-ups. Not as many in a row as kipping, but most likely more than the globo gym-goer. I know I could….WHY is this? Why does CrossFit allow us to Kip in most WODs that call for pull-ups?

Let’s take bone density…if you want to maintain or improve it, intensity is is the way to do it. Let’s think about intensity…if you were to do a WOD with shoulder presses or push jerks, which would you move faster in? The less isolated movement…the push jerk. This would increase bone density. Intensity means that one has to complete more work in a shorter period of time. Now, physics (I know, need to be careful…English teacher talking physics) says that:

Force + Distance

_____________ = Power

time

Basically, if you can complete MORE WORK in a shorter amount of time, you are MORE POWERFUL. When most people kip, they can do 2x as many kipping pull -ups in the amount of time that they would do dead-hang pull-ups: 2x the POWER, 2x the INTENSITY= MORE RESULTS! Results have shown that working on one’s kips actually improve his/her dead hang pull ups. CrossFitters have entered strict pull-up competitions with non-CrossFitting Marines and win. And, they have entered kipping pull competitions with gymnasts and win. I know that when I began CrossFit I could do NO KIND of pull-up. I began kipping and was successful in my WODs utilizing this style of pull-ups. Without practicing my dead-hangs, I was able to master them. CAN WE SAY INTENSITY AND MAXIMUM POWER OUTPUT PAY OFF??!!! So, come to the gym tomorrow and get your KIP on!

Now…let’s get down to business…you were a bunch of BACK SQUATTIN’, SHOULDER PRESSIN’, DEADLIFITIN’, fools today!! Let’s recap:

Lisa killed her first CFT today!

Welcome Monica to the SCF family! Great back squat today!

Go big or go home! Great work, Mike!

Carmela set PR's in ALL THREE lifts today!

Donna E. is a BEAST! She KILLED the deadlift!

Yeahhhhhhhhhhh Peter!

Dylan and Chris put 100% in today.

Fran set a PR in her Deadlift today...Keep up the hard work!

Coach DP takes Peter through the back squat.

Not pictured, pictured but impressive: Noelle McWalters set a PR by 45 POUNDS in her deadlift, Shlee joined the 500 club in her CFT, and Jen set a PR (230) in her Deadlift. DOIN’ us PROUD!