Excerpts taken from an article posted by CrossFit Works.
I love box jumps. I love it when other people love box jumps. I love it more when other people conquer their fear of box jumps. This fear of jumping onto things is wide spread. You are not alone. But box jumps are, like weighted pull ups 😉 , really fun. They are silly, really. You’re just jumping up and down onto a box, like a kid. Box jumps are a game! Sure, you can fall and skin your knee, but that happens in all good games. Lisbeth Darsh, from CrossFit Watertown (and keeper of the CrossFit.com Affiliate page) wrote a list of how to conquer the box jump.
1.) Start small. It doesn’t matter if the WOD is “Fight Gone Bad” and the standard is a 20″ box jump. If you’re not a comfortable, experienced jumper, then use the 12″ box and nail it repeatedly. Then move to the 16″, then the 20″, and beyond. Progress slowly if you have to – but continue to repeatedly challenge yourself and your limits. Practice landing gently with give. Absorb the impact. Don’t forget knees up, like a tuck!
2.) Focus on the top of the box at first. Stare at it and visualize your feet planted firmly in the middle of the top. Do this for every jump. As you progress, you can move your gaze forward until you’re jumping with the box in your peripheral vision, but don’t worry about that at first. Just worry about planting your feet in the middle of the top. Aiming for the middle is solid advice! Then when you get tired, you’ll at least make it to the edge. Less skinned knees!
3.) Get mad at the box. It’s a stupid piece of lumber and, if you’re scared to do it, that means the box is conquering you! It owns you. How pathetic is that? In my house, we have a saying: “Today, I will not be defeated by inanimate objects.” It sounds really stupid but, the next time you’re struggling with a stubborn jar lid, repeat this saying to yourself and you’ll find yourself twisting off that lid like you’re Superman!
4.) When you’re really tired, deep in the WOD, and you still have to box jump, revert to #2, even if you think you’ve licked this box jump fear. Fatigue can do funny things to your mind, as we all know. Focus, and refocus, and you’ll get through it.
5.) If you fear it, add the box jump to your warm-up at least once a week, preferably twice. It doesn’t have to be a lot of jumps: just 10 at a time. Repeated exposure at low levels will help. This idea also works well for pull ups, or double unders, or ring dips, or whatever you want to get better at, really badly.
6.) If you fall, do it again right away! Jump immediately. Really. The more you postpone the activity, or avoid it, the worse the fear will become. It doesn’t matter if your shin has a bruise 3″ wide and you’ve left skin on the floor, jump again right away! Don’t wait. This is the heart of the matter. After all, bruises fade, gashes heal. Don’t be afraid of a little superficial wound. (Plus, that sort of thing looks so damn sexy at the beach or at the Club. CrossFit and short skirts are a match made in heaven! )
7.) If you’re really struggling, get your trainer to stand right next to you so you can put a hand on their shoulder and JUMP!! If you really need to, use that shoulder until you feel happy, warm and secure.
Now off you go to jump higher and HIGHER!
Today’s Workout:
Buy-in – 3 rounds not for time of 5 vertical jumps, 5 snatch balances with pvc or bar, 5 ring rows. Rest between rounds, focus on crisp technique.
WOD – Jordan
This wod is named after Jordan from CrossFit Whistler and is what I did when I visited his gym a couple of weeks ago. The goal of this workout is to work on efficiency, technique, and rate of work. Having a bit of rest in between each of the rounds will allow you to work at a higher rate with less technique breakdown than if we were to go straight through all four rounds. In competition, most people can do the workouts but it’s the ones who have the highest rate of work that win.
The clock will be set for three minutes for each round. The faster you complete the reps below in each of the rounds, the more rest you get.
Score this like Tabata – i.e. the set where you take the longest to complete the repetitions is your score.
Elite: 4 rounds, each for time of:
- 10 hang squat snatch (75/115)
- 15 pullups
Zone 4: scale to 65/95
Zone 3: scale to 45/65, 10 pullups per round
Zone 2: scale to 35/45, 10 assisted pullups
Zone 1: scale as needed
Games Prep – you can up the number of rounds to 6 and go CTB if you like as long as you can maintain speed and go unbroken. Scale appropriately to your ability though as this is not meant to be a slugfest.
Cash-out – Coach-led stretch
