“Once an individual has attained the requisite mobility to perform the lifts, often training itself will be sufficient to maintain that mobility. This is not always the case, particularly for aging athletes or those who are gaining weight. For athletes who do not yet have the flexibility to properly perform the lifts, additional flexibility work should be performed to speed the process and reduce the risk of injury; waiting for the lifts themselves to create the mobility is a bit lazy and certainly risking injury completely unnecessarily, and doesn’t always work (I’ve seen it fail many times, in fact).

This flexibility work has nothing to do with “stretching too much” or at inappropriate times relative to training or competition. Stretching to gain adequate flexibility for your sport is necessary and protective. Beyond that degree of flexibility is where there is then some potential risk. Using that as a reason to never stretch is just an excuse to be lazy. If you’re not flexible enough yet to perform the lifts correctly, you’re not lifting very much weight, and consequently any of the potential problems of stretching too much or being too flexible are not even going to begin to effect you negatively. Not only do many of the world’s best weighlifters perform regular static stretching, they sometimes do it at exactly the times this research says they shouldn’t, i.e. immediately prior to lifting. They remain elastic, explosive, and much better than you.”

From: Greg Everett owner of Catalyst Athletics and author of Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide for Athletes & Coaches

When this discussion takes us to competitive CrossFit, I typically refuse to accept the lack of genetics excuse. The difference in athletes comes down to one moving better than the other. Proper technique with functional movements can be taught and trained safely and effectively to anyone, but they can exponentially benefit those that obtain the necessary mobility. Makes you wonder if 10 minutes of mobility a day is enough for any of us… I’ve heard stories of our athletes sitting on lacrosse balls at 5 star restaurants and the like but where is the most unusual place you have found yourself stretching/mobilizing?

“I am not banned from life.” – Lance Armstrong
Under-Fire Armstrong Wins First Triathlon Race Since Being Given Lifetime Sports Ban

SKILL/STRENGTH
Back Squats
Pullups

WOD
Run to stop sign and back
—–
Deadlifts
Box Jumps
21-15-9

TIMES and SCORES