Seals, Bullets, and Proof
If you’ve dropped in to Parable for a class, been coached 1 on 1, or have been a part of our fit family here for some time, then the use of the term “Bulletproofing” is no foreign term. It’s an integral part of our programming, for the purposes of (1) creating integrity about the joints, (2) working on muscle endurance in multiple planes of movement in a controlled setting, and (3) developing progressions of strength for higher difficulty skills.
Here’s an example from this past week’s programming:
Seal Walk x 100’-75’-50’-25’
Kipping Toes to Rings x 5- 15- 25- 35
This takes people about 8-12 minutes, with the Tier 3 option of doing a second cycle of the above. This Bulletproofing piece was done at the end of the workout, and suffice it to say that our meat corsets got a good beating. If you want a strong core, try doing seal walks without rotating the hips.
Let’s break down how the above “Bulletproofing” piece fits into its designed purposes:
- Creating Integrity About the Joints
- Seal Walks produce amazing engagement of straight arm integrity, which strengthens the connective tissue about the shoulder, shoulder blade, elbow, and wrist.
- Kipping Toes to Rings requires an enormous amount of control from the shoulder blades and their supporting muscles, in order to keep the rings from swinging. “Hanging” in general is a great way to create a dose response for tendon growth. “Kipping,” when done in a progressive fashion can accelerate this.
- Working on Muscle Endurance in Multiple Planes of Movement in a Controlled Setting
- Seal Walk + Kipping Toes to Rings allows for athletes to build a greater base of contractions which can transfer in time to one’s ability to sustain output on mixed modal activities, which is the crux of CrossFit programming, just done at higher intensity (for time, rounds, reps, or distance).
- Developing Progressions of Strength for Higher Difficulty Skills
- Skills start with refinement of movement via controlled tempo, non-dynamic exercises, and low demand on the nervous system. Athletes have to remove intensity to create motor pattern changes that can stick once we build back intensity and speed of contraction. Bulletproofing creates the dose response needed in order to help build the base of support needed for CrossFit intensity.
- Seal Walks are great progressions or accessory for: Ring Support, Handstand Hold, Push Jerk/Split Jerk, etc
- Kipping Toes to Rings serves the following skills well as progressions, or as accessory to the skill: Kipping Pull Up, Kipping Toes to Bar, Kipping Ring Muscle Up, Kipping Bar Muscle up (if legs are kept long and tight), etc.
So, if you want to be influenced by programming that aims to provide you with the injury prevention methods that create a virtuously functional human mover, CrossFit Parable & Parable Training is where you will be.
Parabolically,
Ye ‘Ol Coach