A good overhead position is important to many of the CrossFit movements, and getting weight overhead the right way will ensure both optimal performance and safety.
At a Coaches Prep Seminar at CrossFit Santa Cruz, HQ trainers Austin Begiebing, Adrian (Boz) Bozman and E.C. Synkowski break down the overhead position, emphasizing scapular retraction and elevation. By putting the scapulae is this position, athletes create stability and lessen the chances of impingement.
While most of the movement in a press takes place from the shoulders up, a solid foundation is extremely important. After a movement analysis, the trainers identify loose abdominals in several participants and suggest form corrections that will stack all the skeleton’s bones to support a barbell overhead.
The Coaches Prep Seminar builds upon the Level 1 Certification and is designed for coaches looking to take their training to the next level. To register for the course, visit CrossFit.com.
15min 52sec
Additional reading: Overhead Is Rising by Bill Starr, published Nov. 7, 2008.