Split Jerk
2-2-2-2-2-2-2
Then, every minute on the minute x 7 minutes:
20 Double unders
1 Behind the neck split jerk @ 75% of 2RM split jerk
Post loads to comments and BTWB
Now that’s my kind of recovery. . . By Courtney Shepherd, with the a-sis-tance of Boxlife Magazine
With special thanks to fellow trainer and WOD partner extraordinaire Miss Anna Mattson, I walked away from my workout yesterday with legs feeling like Jello. There was no doubt in my mind I would need to do some sort of mobility if I had an aspirations of getting out of bed and traversing stairs the next day. I found the nice big, blue mat, plopped myself down and started stretching. While recovering, a fellow Verve athlete sat down beside me and made a similar comment about having to do some recovery herself so she too could have use of her legs tomorrow. While I nodded in agreement I watched this person lay down and put her legs up against the wall, feet towards the ceiling. In my mind I half laughed because I thought, “sure you’re doing recovery”. How could laying down on your back, legs up be anything other than just laying down on your back legs up? Well folks, I have to eat my words and half laugh. Turns out what this athlete was doing was in fact leg recovery.
I got home last night, did my usual Facebook browse to get caught up on life’s current events, and came across an article with the front pictured of a man doing the exact move I saw this other athlete doing earlier in the day. The title of the article is “Improve Recovery: Legs Up The Wall” by Kat Buechel of Boxlife Magazine (click here for full article). Well I’ll be a monkey’s uncle. Turns out this legs up the wall move, or as it is known in yoga as Viparaita Karani, is a great restorative and recovery pose for our legs 24 hours after a WOD.
To begin:
“Find a wall and take a seat next to it sideways. Your shoulder and leg will be touching the wall on one side. Start to come onto the wall by swinging the legs up and laying your torso (back) on the ground. You may need to slide your buttocks closer to the wall to allow your sitting bones to be supported by the wall. Release your belly down by dropping the tailbone, allowing the pelvis to come to a neutral position. Place your arms to the side, allowing the shoulders to draw away from the spine, and rest your hands at your sides. . . . Stay here anywhere from 5-20 minutes to allow the body to feel the benefits of the pose. Focus on breathing and allow the mind to be calm.
Allowing our legs to find the rest they need is important to building long term strength and muscle adaptation. Many athletes complain of feeling like their legs are heavy or their lower backs are hurting, and this pose will help alleviate common soreness experienced by the intensity of WODs.”
The benefits of this pose include:
- Helps regulate blood pressure
- Relieves tired legs, lymph collection in the feet
- Provides an excellent stretch for the hamstrings, the front torso, and back of the neck
- Improves digestion and aides with mild depression, anxiety, arthritis, headaches, and insomnia
- Allows the mind to find a calm, meditative state
There is also listed several ways to vary the pose for more recovery in the lower back, shoulders, head and neck:
- If you suffer from low back pain or just grueling soreness from WODs, consider placing an ab mat, or if you are at home, pillow or blanket, underneath the lower back. This will elevate the hips, but will allow for less pressure to be placed on the back allowing for additional relief.
- If shoulders feel tight, put your hands behind your head into a shoulder opener. Grab your elbows with the opposite hands allowing the arms to rest behind you on the ground.
- To relieve any additional pressure or fatigue in the head and neck, you can place a rolled up sweatshirt or towel underneath the back of the neck.
So there you have it. Lay down, kick up your legs, and let the healing begin. In all seriousness, mobility and recovery should be an important part of our routine as athletes. Mobility and recovery are how we can help prevent soreness and injury. Spend a few moments before and after WODs to stretch, roll out, stick your legs up in the air, and recover, your body will thank you.
