Jan-Feb Focus: Kipping

Starting this week and continuing through February, we will be spending extra time focusing on a gymnastics movement known as “kipping”.  Kipping is most often seen in conjunction with a pull-up, in which the body violently opens and closes to generate momentum and power to create more speed in the pull-ups.
To the CrossFit critic, “kipping” is synonymous with “cheating”.  Greg Glassman, the founder of CrossFit, has refuted that here.  (If you would like to remain a purist and believe that the only correct pull-up is a strict pull-up, that’s fine because we are going to continue to work on those as well.)
Kipping is more than just pull-ups.  It requires coordination, agility and good mobility in the shoulders.  It is a skill that transfers to rings, parallel bars and even the floor.
Correct kipping is not done with the legs.  It originates in the upper body and core and develops momentum.
I have said before that gymnastics movements are far more difficult than weight lifting and the kip is no different.  Start small (for some that may mean just hanging from the bar is a challenge) and try to develop tiny “beat swings” with the chest moving through and back.
Over time and as your shoulder mobility increases, the beat swing can get larger and more dynamic…then we’ll add the pull!
 
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