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The Truth about Hand Tears
Hey Vic City,
One of the biggest misconceptions about hand tears has to do with chalk. I hear and see it all the time, people start ripping and they head to the bucket for more chalk. We must first think, what does chalk do for us, and why to do apply it to our hands before many gripping exercises? Chalk assists with grip, because it dries out the moisture in our hands. It works great as the sweat starts to build up, and a light dusting of chalk can give us a bit more tack to the bar. On the other hand, no pun intended, the dryer two surfaces are, the greater amount of friction that is produced.
Chalk increases the chances of rips.
Think about starting a fire; rubbing two dry rocks can create a spark. Your calloused, rigid hands, dried out with chalk, and the metal pull-up bar create a similar sensation. Having a smooth or moist surface, can reduce this burning effect. For obvious reasons we don't want external moister on our hands, but during times we aren't at the gym we can moisturize to keep the skin supple. Letting your hands dry out, especially if they are already torn will lead to cracks and continually keep opening up, never letting them fully heal. Filing callouses on a regular basis will help smooth out any rough edges that could catch and tear. Starting the WOD with a smooth and supple surface reduces our likelihood for tears.
Next time we start to feel like our hands might tear, don't rush to the chalk bucket. Proper pre WOD hand care might have been missed, but you are past that point. Try single reps with minimal hand movement, it might be the last resort to avoid hand rips. If you unfortunately do rip, check out a blog post I made back in January, it might help you get back on the bar sooner.
In preparation for this class WOD check out one of CrossFit's movement demo videos. This is on the power clean, which we will see in multiple weights!
Enjoy!
Adam
Training Wednesday - Thursday
Warm-up:
2 sets of 10 russian swings and 6 goblet squats, then:
Reverse Tabata Squat + Pushup
10 sec squats, 20 sec rest, 10 sec pushups, 20 sec rest x 4
Skill: Thruster tech and tips for the wod
WOD: Partner Thr'up
Grab a partner who will be doing the same weight as you. You both can contribute to switching the weights on the bar, and make sure you have it laid out in advance! You will complete 100 burpees as a team throughout the workout. It is your choice when you perform them (after each set, at the beginning, at the end) but choose wisely! Your score is your time to complete the full sequence!
Rx: 2 thrusters each + 2 power cleans each, then 4+4, then 6+6, then 8+8, then 10+10 + 100 burpees during the wod.
Weight changes each time you increase reps:
guys - 165 (2's), 155 (4's), 135 (6's), 115 (8's), 95 (10's)
girls - 115, 105, 95, 75, 65
FG: guys - 115-105-95-75-65
girls - 85-75-65-55-45
+ 80 burpees during the wod
Comp: guys - 115-135-155-175-195, girls 75-95-105-115-125