Crossfit Training Guide FAULTs

Question 1

Squat Fault #!: LAZY LUMBAR CURVE, OR LOSING IT (I.E., “BUTT

WINK”)

Answer 1

Fix – Lift the chest while engaging the hip flexors by
anteriorly rotating the pelvis strongly.
• Fix – Raise the arms as you descend to the bottom of the squat.

Question 2

Squat Fault #2: WEIGHT SHIFTS FORWARD TO BALLS OF FEET

Answer 2

Fix – Exaggerate weight in the heels by floating the toes slightly throughout the entire movement.

Question 3

Squat FAULT #3 – NOT LOW ENOUGH

Answer 3

Fix – Cue “Lower!” and do not relent.

• Fix – Squat to a 10” box or medicine ball to develop awareness of depth.

Question 4

Squat FAULT #4 – KNEES ROLL IN.

Answer 4

Fix – Cue “Push your knees out” or “Spread the ground apart with your feet.”
• Fix – Touch the outside of the knee and have the athlete press into your hand.

Question 5

Squat FAULT #5 – IMMATURE SQUAT: LUMBAR CURVE IS
MAINTAINED, DEPTH MIGHT BE THERE, AND HEELS ARE
IN CONTACT WITH THE GROUND, BUT THE ATHLETE
HAS TO CANTILEVER FORWARD EXCESSIVELY ONTO
THE QUADS TO MAINTAIN BALANCE

Answer 5

Fix – Squat Therapy: Set up the athlete facing a wall or pole with a 10” box under their butt. Set them up in the proper stance, with heels to the box, chest close to wall. Have them squat to the box slowly, maintaining control and weight in the heels

Question 6

Front Squat FAULT 1 – BAR NOT IN CONTACT WITH THE TORSO OR

HOLDING BAR OUT IN FRONT

Answer 6

Fix – Cue “Elbows high and allow bar to roll back

onto fingertips.”

Question 7

Front Squat FAULT 2 – ELBOWS DROP AND CHEST COMES FORWARD.

Answer 7

Fix – Cue “Elbows UP UP UP! And big chest.”
• Fix – Tactile Cue – Place a hand or arm under the
athlete’s elbows to help keep them lifted.

Question 8

Overhead FAULT Squat 1– LAZY ELBOWS AND SHOULDERS

Answer 8

Fix – Cue athlete to actively press the bar up; use your hands to pus

Question 9

Overhead Squat FAULT 2 – BAR GOES FORWARD OF THE FRONTAL PLANE

Answer 9

• Fix – Cue the athlete to press the bar up and pull it back to overhead or slightly behind.

Question 10

Shoulder Press FAULT 1 – BAR FORWARD OF FRONTAL PLANE

Answer 10

Fix – Press up and pull back on the bar as it travels

to overhead.

Question 11

Shoulder Press FAULT 2 – LEANING BACK, RIBS STICKING OUT

Answer 11

Fix – Tighten abs / suck rib cage down (be sure to

check the overhead position again after this fix).

Question 12

Shoulder Press FAULT 3 – PASSIVE SHOULDERS OR BENT ELBOWS.

Answer 12

Fix – Cue “Press up!” “Shoulders into ears.”

Question 13

Shoulder Press FAULT 4 – BAR ARCS OUT AROUND THE FACE.

Answer 13

Fix – Pull head back out of the way of the bar.

Fix – Check that elbows are not too low in the setup.

Question 14

Push Press FAULT 1 – OUT OF SEQUENCE: PRESS BEGINS BEFORE HIP
OPENS UP

Answer 14

Fix – Take back to step 3 in progression—dip-drive fast

Question 15

Push Press FAULT 2 – COCKING: PAUSING IN THE DIP

Answer 15

Fix – Cue for dip-drive and more aggressive turnaround of the hip

Question 16

Push Press FAULT 3 – FORWARD INCLINATION OF THE CHEST

Answer 16

Fix – Have athlete hold in the dip position and then
manually adjust them to true upright torso
• Fix – Cue a shallower dip
• Fix – Cue knees forward more
• Fix – Stand in front of athlete to prevent the chest from coming forward
• Fix – Dip therapy: Stand with back against a wall, with heels, butt, and shoulder blades all touching the wall; then dip and drive, keeping everything in contact with wall

Question 17

Push Press FAULT 4 – MUTED HIP

Answer 17

Fix – Turn the pelvis over (anterior rotation) strongly

Question 18

Push Jerk FAULT 1 – MOVEMENT PATTERN OUT OF SEQUENCE.

Answer 18

• Fix – Break it down via the progression and build back up to the full movement. Reiterate that it is just a simple jump and land in a partial squat.

Question 19

Push Jerk FAULT 2 – HIP NEVER GETS TO FULL EXTENSION

Answer 19

• Fix – Cue: “More extension.”
• Fix – Place your hand at the top of the athlete’s head when fully standing; keep it at that height and then ask the athlete to hit your hand during the drive. Be sure they continue to hit extension even when your hand is not there.
• Fix – Take the athlete back to the jump-and-land steps (1-3) of the progression. You may have to slow it down a bit and then speed it back up once the basic movement pattern is solid.

Question 20

Push Jerk FAULT 3 – LANDING TOO WIDE

Answer 20

he movement without the feet moving from under the hips.

• Fix – Therapy: Block the feet with plates or boxes or some object so they can’t go too wide.

Question 21

Push Jerk FAULT 4 – LAZY LANDING: NOT LOCKED OUT OVERHEAD

Answer 21

Fix – Cue to punch up and pull back on the bar.

Cue active shoulders.

Question 22

Push Jerk FAULT 5 – NOT STANDING ALL THE WAY UP WITH THE BAR BEFORE RE-RACKING IT ON THE SHOULDERS.

Answer 22

Fix – Cue to stand up with the bar overhead

Question 23

Deadlift FAULT 1 – LOSS OF LUMBAR CURVE

Answer 23

Fix – Cue to pull hips back and lift the chest
• Fix – Touch person at lumbar curve and say, “Arch!” Do not relent.
• Fix – Abort and decrease the load to where the lumbar arch can be maintained.

Question 24

Deadlift FAULT 2 – WEIGHT ON OR SHIFTING TO TOES.

Answer 24

Fix – Have athlete settle into the heels and pull hips
back, maintaining tension in the hamstrings at start of movement, and focus on driving through heels.
• Fix – Check that the bar stays in contact with legs throughout the movement.

Question 25

Deadlift FAULT 3 – SHOULDERS BEHIND BAR ON SETUP

Answer 25

• Fix – Raise hips to move shoulder over or slightly in front of the bar.

Question 26

Deadlift FAULT 4 – HIPS RISE BEFORE THE CHEST (STIFF-LEGGED DEADLIFT).

Answer 26

Fix – Allow the shoulders and chest to rise sooner. Cue “Lift your chest more aggressively” or “Lift the chest and hips at the same rate until the bar passes your knees.”

Question 27

Deadlift FAULT 5 – SHOULDERS RISE WITHOUT THE HIPS. BAR TRAVELS AROUND THE KNEES INSTEAD OF STRAIGHT UP.

Answer 27

Fix – Be sure athlete is set up correctly: weight in heels and with shoulders in front of the bar. Cue “Push knees back as your chest rises.”
• Fix – Block the knees’ travel with your hand.
• Fix – Stick trick: Lock the person in between two sticks on either side of the bar and have them execute the move without hitting the sticks.

Question 28

Deadlift FAULT 6 – BAR COLLIDES WITH KNEES ON THE DESCENT.

Answer 28

Fix – Initiate the return by pushing the hips back and delay the knee bend

Question 29

Deadlift FAULT 7 – BAR LOSES CONTACT WITH LEGS.

Answer 29

• Fix – Cue “Pull the bar in to your legs the whole time.”
• Fix – Tactile cue: Touch the athlete’s leg where the bar
should touch from thigh to shin.

Question 30

Medicine Ball Clean FAULT 1 – HIP DOES NOT OPEN ALL THE WAY

Answer 30

Fix – Take athlete back to step 2 of progression
(Deadlift Shrug). Have him/her do two Deadlift Shrugs for every Med Ball Clean.
• Fix – Tactile Cue: Place your hand at the top of the athlete’s head while he/she is standing tall. Have athlete do a Med Ball Clean being sure to hits your hand with top of the head before dropping into the front squat position.

Question 31

Medicine Ball Clean FAULT 2 – NO SHRUG

Answer 31

Fix – Take athlete back to step 2 of progression (Deadlift Shrug). Have him/her do two Deadlift Shrugs for every Med Ball Clean.
• Fix – Cue “Shrug!”

Question 32

Medicine Ball Clean FAULT 3 – PULLING EARLY WITH THE ARMS

Answer 32

• Fix – Deadlift Shrug, two reps for every Med Ball Clean.

* Fix –!Two “Shrug and Drop Unders” (step 4 from progression) for every Med Ball Clean

Question 33

Medicine Ball Clean FAULT 4 – TOSSING THE MED BALL

Answer 33

Fix – Have them hold the ball without their fingers, using palms or fists only.

Question 34

Medicine Ball Clean FAULT 5 – CURLING THE BALL

Answer 34

• Fix – Back to Progression: Deadlift Shrug, 2 reps for every 1 Med Ball Clean.
• Fix – Stand close in front of the athlete too prevent curling. Can also be done with a wall.
• Fix – Require athlete to have the laces of the ball remain up for the entire movement.

Question 35

Medicine BAll Clean FAULT 6 – COLLAPSING IN THE CATCH

Answer 35

• Fix – Take athlete back to step 4 of the progression (Shrug and Drop Under). Focus on a tight lumbar arch, and keeping the chest up, at the bottom of the catch.

Question 36

Medicine BAll Clean FAULT 7 – UNABLE TO DROP UNDER THE BALL FULLY.

Answer 36

Fix – Have the athlete do two “Shrug and Drop Unders” (step 4 in the progression) for every Med Ball Clean
• Fix – Tactile Cue: Hold ball at the peak of the shrug and let athlete drop under while you hold ball.