Things I Hate

There is something you suck at. I don't care how fit you are. There are exercises out there that make you cringe, because you know they're going to kill your WOD time. For me, all of those exercises revolve around hip extension.

The Crossfit modality constantly stresses hip extension. Your hips are the engine that drives your sprinting, your O-lifting, your kettlebell swings, your kipping pullup...almost everything. A fast hip extension, conducted with proper form, generates a tremendous amount of power. Need a demonstration?

Grab a dynamax ball and a partner. Stand about 20' apart. Try and throw the ball to your partner without using your hips. Pretty pitiful, huh? What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you were an athlete.

Now, extend your hips fully with the ball over your head, arms at extension. Drive forward, bending your hips forcefully, simultaneously throwing the ball to your partner. Try not to knock him over (Nah, screw that. Try and knock him over).

The things I suck at (in no particular order):
Kettlebell Swings
Sumo Deadlift Highpulls
Snatch
Clean

This is not a comprehensive list. I can't play the piano, either.

The first thing you should notice, since I've been ramming it down your throat since the beginning of this post, is that all these exercises involve a forceful hip extension. They also tend to involve heavy weights. They also kill my times on otherwise manageable WODs.

I want to be stronger and faster. I want my O-lifts to inspire awe. I need a badass hip extension. Toward that end, I've come up with a little workout called "Things I Hate".

5 rounds for time:
10 KB swings (1.5 pd)
10 squats (jackhammer them out)
10 DB Snatches (40#, ea. hand)
10 SDHPs (75#)

Remember, this is not a hip thrust in the Wayne's World sense. This is hip extension. Your plane of movement is vertical.

Thanks to Will Tagye for the suggestions regarding the rep scheme. This is all about virtuosity. Do the reps correctly, or don't do them at all. You'll see greater skill transfer from these exercises if they're performed correctly. As we all know, form breaks down as fatigue sets in. Spend your time trying to blast your hips open, not beating the stopwatch.