Swing for the Fence

By Carla DiGirolamo MD, CFL1

This is a great workout taken from the CrossFit archives that focuses on hip extension and shoulder strength using a modified version of the push-up called the “pike” push-up. 

Hip extension is a foundational functional movement that is involved in many of our activities of daily living and in a wide range of competitive sports. In simple terms, the “hip joint” is the ball and socket joint where the head of the femur meets the pelvis. Flexion at the hip occurs, for example, when you do a sit-up. As your torso approaches your knees, the hip joint is “flexed” or closed. Hip extension occurs when you are rising from the bottom of a squat to the standing position. In this case the hip joint “opens” as you rise to a standing position.

The primary muscles involved in hip extension are the gluteal muscles and the hamstrings. This movement is important for walking, climbing stairs, and hiking on uneven surfaces. If you are an athlete, hip extension capacity is helpful for explosive movements such as jumping and running, for weightlifting movements such as squats and deadlifts, as well as the Olympic lifts such as cleans and snatches.

Many of us do a lot of sitting during our daily lives - especially since the COVID pandemic where so much work is being done on our computers remotely. Spending a lot of time in the sitting position where the hips are flexed, can weaken the hip extensors. For this reason, it is important to focus on increasing strength and capacity for hip extension for longevity in performing our activities of daily living and to optimize performance in our athletic endeavors. Today’s workout uses the kettlebell swing to achieve strength and power for hip extension and adds a shoulder-focused “pike” push-up for upper body strength.

Warm Up

TABATA 20 seconds of work / 10 seconds of rest for 4 minutes. Perform each movement in sequence for 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds until you have performed 4 rounds of each movement.

• Jumping air squats
•  Easy push-up option

Movement Practice

Take 5-10 minutes to select your options for the workout. Given the volume of repetitions, choose lighter weights/easier options that you can do confidently. The goal is to complete the sets of 25 repetitions in no more than 2 sets.

•  If no kettlebell, perform a single dumbbell swing (keeping right and left sides even) or a double dumbbell swing.
•  If pike push-ups are not accessible to you, substitute the dumbbell push-press
•  For less volume, reduce the repetitions to 15 per movement.

Workout

3 rounds for time

•  25 kettlebell swings (swing the bell overhead as an advanced option, or swing the bell to eye level)
•  25 pike push-ups

Cool Down

This workout is a bit spicy, so be kind to your muscles with this 15-minute hip-opening yoga sequence. #dontskiptheyoga

15-minute hip-opening yoga sequence from Five Parks