Why You Should Care About Strict Gymnastics
Everyone is so worried about a kipping pull up or muscle up these days but fails to have a strict pull up or chest to bar pull up. Why? Because the work to get there can be tedious, the gratification is delayed and the movements themselves seem impossible at times.
Here’s the thing, gymnastics is a strength builder just like a back squat. So, when you sit on the rings or pull up bar flailing away for a few minutes a day and end up quitting because you don’t get that Hail Mary touchdown attempt at a muscle up or pull up…Ask yourself this:
“Would I have been able to back squat my current one rep max in the first month or 6 months or even first YEAR of Crossfit?”
The answer is likely to be “no.” Before we make it to that 200 or 300 or 400 back squat club, we are doing reps and reps and reps at 75, 95, 135, 205, etc…
In gymnastics talk that’s where strict pull ups, rings row, negatives, transition drills, etc. come in to get you to the muscle up, kipping pull ups or toes to bar – THAT is what gets you strong. Doing “banded half kipping pull ups” every week is similar to having a spotter help you stand up every single back squat you ever rack on your back.
I hope this comparison is helping you see gymnastics work as less of an annoyance or what I’ve even heard as a “boring time waster.” You my friend, are missing out on serious gains if you ignore or even give less than your best effort on the days it is programmed in class.
You shouldn’t be blowing through those segments of class thinking, “k I’ll get this over with and set up for the metcon” or always just skating by doing the lowest suggested amount of reps to pass the time.
This is your opportunity to get strong, and on top of it, our bodies LOVE gymnastics because there is no external load putting extreme amounts of pressure on our joints – just our own body weight. Gymnastics keeps you healthy and makes you strong, so if you want to see those muscles develop, prove it and take it as serious as you do a heavy lifting day.
*Steps down from soap box.*
Love you long time,
Coach Paige
