Is Poor Mobility Holding You Back?

Improve Your Snatch & Power Clean
Written by Marcus Smith
Jerome Harimate
Jerome Harimate
Jul 2, 2024
-
5
Mainline Class
Specialty Class
Endurance
Ladies Run Club
Is Poor Mobility Holding You Back?

People often think strength and technique are the limiting factors whenever they hit a wall with Olympic lifts or specific gymnastics exercises. When you have the mobility of a rock, lifts such as the power clean or the snatch can be your worst nightmare!

How Lack of Mobility Hinders Your Workouts

I see people work countless hours trying to perfect the timing and technique of Olympic lifts – and yet they still can’t execute the movements properly. There could be a lot of different reasons for this problem, however one issue in particular occurs time and time again: lack of mobility.

Male athlete doing a kettlebell squat
Without a doubt, mobility is the most neglected part of the average CrossFit training routine.

Most people either don’t know what’s causing their mobility issues or do know but only spend 10 minutes a week trying to fix it. When compared to the 5+ hours per week of training they’re doing, it’s no surprise they’re struggling.

So, what’s the solution?

Olympic Lifting and Mobility: Work Smarter, Not Harder

No, I'm not expecting you to do five hours of mobility a week. This advice is for beginner to intermediate level Crossfitters, as well as anyone that’s hit a fitness plateau with specific movements.

Related: 5 Tips for CrossFit Beginners

I’m going to take a simplistic, relatable approach to improving your mobility using two Olympic lifts: the snatch and the power clean.

Let’s start with what you’re actually trying to achieve: to move a weighted bar up the body and try to keep the bar path as close to your body as possible, finishing in either a full-depth front squat or an overhead squat.

I know that’s a very simplified explanation and, in case any of them are reading this, I mean no offense to the Olympic lifting gods that walk amongst us!

Male athlete performing an Olympic snatch
Spending the time on mobility can result in dramatic improvements to your Olympic weightlifting!

You may be thinking “surely problems with bar path is an issue of technique and not mobility?” It’s true, technique could be the problem. In my experience, I’ve seen countless people struggle with these lifts because they physically cannot get into the correct position.

Some coaches will simply try and put you in the proper position and hope that fixes the problem. You’ll feel uncomfortable as if you’re going to fall over but go along with the lift anyway.

Then what happens? Your body immediately reverts back to where your body has the ability to go and everyone’s time is wasted. The coach suggests you work on your mobility so they can scale the exercise down and make it easier for you to move.

You end the session doing part of the movement and leave feeling unfulfilled. When you show up to the next class, you’re right back where you started with the coach trying to manually get your body into the correct position.

Using the Overhead Squat to Uncover Mobility Issues

The overhead squat is a staple CrossFit exercise that you must be proficient in to do a full snatch. It requires an adequate range of motion joint by joint to do one properly & shows people's lack of mobility when they can't perform one, especially with no weight.

Some people despise this exercise because it causes considerable shoulder or upper back pain. Others simply can't do it at all. While going down to a squat is a big no-no when holding something overhead, those same people can back squat 100kg plus.

If you're different from the above, you could be the below. You have to come up onto your toes & buckle your knees so badly; yes, it's technically an overhead squat, but if I put any weight on the bar, your knees would collapse in on each other.

Overhead Squat Mobility Requirement Breakdown

Stability and activation could be factors, but let's break down what mobility you need to perform an effortless overhead squat. Let's start from the bottom up; I'll keep it simple and go for the top four things. You will need an adequate range of motion to perform an overhead squat.

#1 – Ankle Dorsiflexion
Why do we need this? We need the knee not only to track the middle to outer toes, but we need them to be able to stack the weight above the ankle. Our knees can go past our toes because of Dorsiflexion, which keeps the center mass over the midfoot.

Lacking this often causes a lack of balance & the inability to squat deep. People leave this to last to check, but it could be the first thing limiting your overhead ability.

#2 – Hip Mobility (Internal and External Rotation)

Hip mobility external and internal rotation: We need adequate ranges of motion to sit deep into the squat. A lack of this could cause a knee cave. As mentioned above, the squat stacked over the center of the midfoot keeps everything in alignment.

#3 Thoracic Extension, Flexion and Rotation
This tends to be one of the most significant limiting factors; upper back rounding causes the scapular to travel a longer distance around the upper spine. This, in turn, creates instability when you try holding your shoulders in your pocket, leading to poor shoulder mobility.

If you can't stack the upper spine in line, this will cause some grief with keeping the bar stacked over the mid foot. People tend to fall forward when they lack in this with both the front & overhead squats.

#4 Shoulder Mobility (Internal and External Rotation)

Internal and external rotation are needed to get the bar path tracking upwards and keep it close. Mobility limitations are usually linked with the thoracic and lack of flexibility with the lat and pec muscles, causing the inability to reach overhead.

Usually, lacking here will cause weak rotator cuff muscles and the inability to stack or press a weight properly above the head.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to see how a seemingly insignificant mobility issue can have much larger knock-on effects with your Olympic lifts. Consider your own technique - now that you know what mobility is required, do you lack in any of the areas above?

If so, send me an email  or DM on Instagram, and let's set up an assessment!

Fun  - Honesty - SIMPLICITY - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Specialty Class #25-24

GYMNASTICS

This Tuesday, we’re focusing on handstands and handstand walks! We’ll start with strength work before moving on to balance and control while upside down, beginning from the box and progressing to the wall and beyond.

Thursday, we’re heading back to the bar for another round of Bar Muscle Ups! Whether you're chasing your first rep or fine-tuning your technique for cleaner, stronger sets, we’ve got you covered with progressions, modifications, and strength drills to help you level up. Let's go!

HYBRID FITNESS

This week's HYBRID Fitness session focuses on running intervals and then some compromised running, getting used to pushing into the run after some taxing work.

MOBILITY

Unlock better depth, posture, and comfort in your front squats with this focused mobility class. We’ll target key areas, such as the ankles, hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders, to improve your squat mechanics and front rack position. Whether you’re new to squatting or looking to break through a plateau, this class will help you move more efficiently and squat with confidence. Suitable for all levels.

WEIGHTLIFTING

Weightlifting this week is snatch. Working on the power snatch. Technique work, then a complex of snatch pull + 2 power snatch. Finishing with some heavy back squats.

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Endurance #25-24

The Monday Ride

Our community program is delivered via TrainingPeaks for AED 750 p/month. If you're interested to have a plan to follow, email tw@innerfight.com

Time: 05:59 am

Session Length: 1 hour

Location: The Loop Cafe, Nad al Sheeba

Track Tuesday

Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.

Time: 05:59 am

Session Length: 1 hour

Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park

Entrance fee

Wednesday - Indoor Ride

Our community program is delivered via TrainingPeaks for AED 750 p/month. If you're interested to have a plan to follow, email tw@innerfight.com

Thursday - Endurance Strength

A strength class focused on key movements for endurance athletes to help avoid injury, build speed and develop strength.

Time: 06:30am

Location: This is a paid class session at InnerFight HQ. If you're interested to join, email winning@innerfight.com

Friday - Coffee Run

Our weekly tempo run.  Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.

Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time
: 05:59 am

Start Location: Common Grounds

Saturday - Long Ride

Our weekly endurance ride. This ride always begins with 18 - 20km at 30kph before a longer segment with various formats. Expect the main group to ride around 34kph, slower groups will break off and form. Anyone is welcome to join.

Time: 04:59 am

Location: Bottom of the Stick, Al Qudra.

Sunday - Long Run

A run where we start and finish together. Up to 2hrs long depending on people needs.
If you're interested to join, reach out to Dan Bagley, db@innerfight.com

Time: 05:29 am

Location: Common Grounds

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Ladies Run Club 25-24

Monday

Session: No in-person session

There is no in person LRC session today, Unlimited Clients, there is a session in your TrainingPeaks still. Enjoy!

Tuesday

Time: 5:59am

Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park

Entrance fee

Session: Track Tuesday

This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Come ready to run fast and have fun.

Wednesday

Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm

Location: InnerFight

Session: LRC Intervals

Today we will be running intervals in the park. 100m on/100m recovery.

Friday

Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm

Location: Common Grounds

Session: The Coffee Run + LRC Training Camp

This week re will be cycling through the below seqeunce:
10X
2mins @ 7PRE
1min @ 8RPE
1min @ recovery

The evening session on the LRC Training Camp will be a chilled shake out run from the hotel.

Saturday

Time: 5:29am

Session: LRC Training Camp

We have an action packed day on the LRC Training Camp, all details will be shared in WA.

Sunday

Time: 5:29am

Location: Common Grounds

Session: Long Run + LRC Training Camp

Today we will host a community long run from Common Grounds for those who are still in Dubai.

Those on the training camp in KhorFakkan we will hike at 5:29am.

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Mainline Class
Specialty Class
Endurance
Ladies Run Club
Daily Workout 25-24

Monday:

Strength:

A) 1 min max set strict pull-ups

B) EMOM x 8 Pull ups @ 30% of max set

Conditioning:

Every 5 mins x 6

2 rounds

6 Alt Single Arm Manmaker

300/250m row

Tuesday:

Strength:

A) Every 75 sec x 9

1) 16 Alt goblet cossack squat

2) 40 sec alt single leg V-ups

3) 30 sec side plank E/S

B) Every 2 mins x 6 - 3 front squat @20x1

Conditioning:

30-20-10

Assault Bike

Rest 2 minutes after each set

Wednesday:

Strength:

Deadlift Every 2:00 x 5 - 2 reps

Conditioning:

AMRAP 22

In a team of 4

2000m C2 Bike

40 Power cleans (70/45)

40 TTB

Thursday:

Strength:

A) Every 90 sec x 8 - 10 DB box step up

B) Every 2 mins x 5 - 8 Alternating Barbell Reverse Lunges

C) EMOM x 8 - M1: 20 sec Nordic Hold / M2: 30 sec Ring rows

Conditioning:

500/450 ski

5 burpee pull-ups

400/350 ski

5 burpee pull-ups

300/250 ski

5 burpee pull-ups

200/150 ski

5 burpee pull-ups

100/50 ski

Friday:

Strength:

A) Every 75 sec x 8 1 push press (1 sec pause in dip)

Conditioning:

0-16 mins

2500m/2000m row

Every 2 mins - 6 box jump overs

16-26 mins

1500m/1200m row

Every 2 mins - 6 Dual KB Front squat

26-32 mins

1000m/800m row

Every 2 mins - 6 Dual KB STOH

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Is Poor Mobility Holding You Back?

People often think strength and technique are the limiting factors whenever they hit a wall with Olympic lifts or specific gymnastics exercises. When you have the mobility of a rock, lifts such as the power clean or the snatch can be your worst nightmare!

How Lack of Mobility Hinders Your Workouts

I see people work countless hours trying to perfect the timing and technique of Olympic lifts – and yet they still can’t execute the movements properly. There could be a lot of different reasons for this problem, however one issue in particular occurs time and time again: lack of mobility.

Male athlete doing a kettlebell squat
Without a doubt, mobility is the most neglected part of the average CrossFit training routine.

Most people either don’t know what’s causing their mobility issues or do know but only spend 10 minutes a week trying to fix it. When compared to the 5+ hours per week of training they’re doing, it’s no surprise they’re struggling.

So, what’s the solution?

Olympic Lifting and Mobility: Work Smarter, Not Harder

No, I'm not expecting you to do five hours of mobility a week. This advice is for beginner to intermediate level Crossfitters, as well as anyone that’s hit a fitness plateau with specific movements.

Related: 5 Tips for CrossFit Beginners

I’m going to take a simplistic, relatable approach to improving your mobility using two Olympic lifts: the snatch and the power clean.

Let’s start with what you’re actually trying to achieve: to move a weighted bar up the body and try to keep the bar path as close to your body as possible, finishing in either a full-depth front squat or an overhead squat.

I know that’s a very simplified explanation and, in case any of them are reading this, I mean no offense to the Olympic lifting gods that walk amongst us!

Male athlete performing an Olympic snatch
Spending the time on mobility can result in dramatic improvements to your Olympic weightlifting!

You may be thinking “surely problems with bar path is an issue of technique and not mobility?” It’s true, technique could be the problem. In my experience, I’ve seen countless people struggle with these lifts because they physically cannot get into the correct position.

Some coaches will simply try and put you in the proper position and hope that fixes the problem. You’ll feel uncomfortable as if you’re going to fall over but go along with the lift anyway.

Then what happens? Your body immediately reverts back to where your body has the ability to go and everyone’s time is wasted. The coach suggests you work on your mobility so they can scale the exercise down and make it easier for you to move.

You end the session doing part of the movement and leave feeling unfulfilled. When you show up to the next class, you’re right back where you started with the coach trying to manually get your body into the correct position.

Using the Overhead Squat to Uncover Mobility Issues

The overhead squat is a staple CrossFit exercise that you must be proficient in to do a full snatch. It requires an adequate range of motion joint by joint to do one properly & shows people's lack of mobility when they can't perform one, especially with no weight.

Some people despise this exercise because it causes considerable shoulder or upper back pain. Others simply can't do it at all. While going down to a squat is a big no-no when holding something overhead, those same people can back squat 100kg plus.

If you're different from the above, you could be the below. You have to come up onto your toes & buckle your knees so badly; yes, it's technically an overhead squat, but if I put any weight on the bar, your knees would collapse in on each other.

Overhead Squat Mobility Requirement Breakdown

Stability and activation could be factors, but let's break down what mobility you need to perform an effortless overhead squat. Let's start from the bottom up; I'll keep it simple and go for the top four things. You will need an adequate range of motion to perform an overhead squat.

#1 – Ankle Dorsiflexion
Why do we need this? We need the knee not only to track the middle to outer toes, but we need them to be able to stack the weight above the ankle. Our knees can go past our toes because of Dorsiflexion, which keeps the center mass over the midfoot.

Lacking this often causes a lack of balance & the inability to squat deep. People leave this to last to check, but it could be the first thing limiting your overhead ability.

#2 – Hip Mobility (Internal and External Rotation)

Hip mobility external and internal rotation: We need adequate ranges of motion to sit deep into the squat. A lack of this could cause a knee cave. As mentioned above, the squat stacked over the center of the midfoot keeps everything in alignment.

#3 Thoracic Extension, Flexion and Rotation
This tends to be one of the most significant limiting factors; upper back rounding causes the scapular to travel a longer distance around the upper spine. This, in turn, creates instability when you try holding your shoulders in your pocket, leading to poor shoulder mobility.

If you can't stack the upper spine in line, this will cause some grief with keeping the bar stacked over the mid foot. People tend to fall forward when they lack in this with both the front & overhead squats.

#4 Shoulder Mobility (Internal and External Rotation)

Internal and external rotation are needed to get the bar path tracking upwards and keep it close. Mobility limitations are usually linked with the thoracic and lack of flexibility with the lat and pec muscles, causing the inability to reach overhead.

Usually, lacking here will cause weak rotator cuff muscles and the inability to stack or press a weight properly above the head.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to see how a seemingly insignificant mobility issue can have much larger knock-on effects with your Olympic lifts. Consider your own technique - now that you know what mobility is required, do you lack in any of the areas above?

If so, send me an email  or DM on Instagram, and let's set up an assessment!

Fun  - Honesty - SIMPLICITY - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Endurance #25-24

The Monday Ride

Our community program is delivered via TrainingPeaks for AED 750 p/month. If you're interested to have a plan to follow, email tw@innerfight.com

Time: 05:59 am

Session Length: 1 hour

Location: The Loop Cafe, Nad al Sheeba

Track Tuesday

Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.

Time: 05:59 am

Session Length: 1 hour

Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park

Entrance fee

Wednesday - Indoor Ride

Our community program is delivered via TrainingPeaks for AED 750 p/month. If you're interested to have a plan to follow, email tw@innerfight.com

Thursday - Endurance Strength

A strength class focused on key movements for endurance athletes to help avoid injury, build speed and develop strength.

Time: 06:30am

Location: This is a paid class session at InnerFight HQ. If you're interested to join, email winning@innerfight.com

Friday - Coffee Run

Our weekly tempo run.  Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.

Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time
: 05:59 am

Start Location: Common Grounds

Saturday - Long Ride

Our weekly endurance ride. This ride always begins with 18 - 20km at 30kph before a longer segment with various formats. Expect the main group to ride around 34kph, slower groups will break off and form. Anyone is welcome to join.

Time: 04:59 am

Location: Bottom of the Stick, Al Qudra.

Sunday - Long Run

A run where we start and finish together. Up to 2hrs long depending on people needs.
If you're interested to join, reach out to Dan Bagley, db@innerfight.com

Time: 05:29 am

Location: Common Grounds

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Ladies Run Club 25-24

Monday

Session: No in-person session

There is no in person LRC session today, Unlimited Clients, there is a session in your TrainingPeaks still. Enjoy!

Tuesday

Time: 5:59am

Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park

Entrance fee

Session: Track Tuesday

This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Come ready to run fast and have fun.

Wednesday

Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm

Location: InnerFight

Session: LRC Intervals

Today we will be running intervals in the park. 100m on/100m recovery.

Friday

Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm

Location: Common Grounds

Session: The Coffee Run + LRC Training Camp

This week re will be cycling through the below seqeunce:
10X
2mins @ 7PRE
1min @ 8RPE
1min @ recovery

The evening session on the LRC Training Camp will be a chilled shake out run from the hotel.

Saturday

Time: 5:29am

Session: LRC Training Camp

We have an action packed day on the LRC Training Camp, all details will be shared in WA.

Sunday

Time: 5:29am

Location: Common Grounds

Session: Long Run + LRC Training Camp

Today we will host a community long run from Common Grounds for those who are still in Dubai.

Those on the training camp in KhorFakkan we will hike at 5:29am.

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Mainline Class
Specialty Class
Endurance
Ladies Run Club
Daily Workout 25-24

Monday:

Strength:

A) 1 min max set strict pull-ups

B) EMOM x 8 Pull ups @ 30% of max set

Conditioning:

Every 5 mins x 6

2 rounds

6 Alt Single Arm Manmaker

300/250m row

Tuesday:

Strength:

A) Every 75 sec x 9

1) 16 Alt goblet cossack squat

2) 40 sec alt single leg V-ups

3) 30 sec side plank E/S

B) Every 2 mins x 6 - 3 front squat @20x1

Conditioning:

30-20-10

Assault Bike

Rest 2 minutes after each set

Wednesday:

Strength:

Deadlift Every 2:00 x 5 - 2 reps

Conditioning:

AMRAP 22

In a team of 4

2000m C2 Bike

40 Power cleans (70/45)

40 TTB

Thursday:

Strength:

A) Every 90 sec x 8 - 10 DB box step up

B) Every 2 mins x 5 - 8 Alternating Barbell Reverse Lunges

C) EMOM x 8 - M1: 20 sec Nordic Hold / M2: 30 sec Ring rows

Conditioning:

500/450 ski

5 burpee pull-ups

400/350 ski

5 burpee pull-ups

300/250 ski

5 burpee pull-ups

200/150 ski

5 burpee pull-ups

100/50 ski

Friday:

Strength:

A) Every 75 sec x 8 1 push press (1 sec pause in dip)

Conditioning:

0-16 mins

2500m/2000m row

Every 2 mins - 6 box jump overs

16-26 mins

1500m/1200m row

Every 2 mins - 6 Dual KB Front squat

26-32 mins

1000m/800m row

Every 2 mins - 6 Dual KB STOH

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Specialty Class #25-24

GYMNASTICS

This Tuesday, we’re focusing on handstands and handstand walks! We’ll start with strength work before moving on to balance and control while upside down, beginning from the box and progressing to the wall and beyond.

Thursday, we’re heading back to the bar for another round of Bar Muscle Ups! Whether you're chasing your first rep or fine-tuning your technique for cleaner, stronger sets, we’ve got you covered with progressions, modifications, and strength drills to help you level up. Let's go!

HYBRID FITNESS

This week's HYBRID Fitness session focuses on running intervals and then some compromised running, getting used to pushing into the run after some taxing work.

MOBILITY

Unlock better depth, posture, and comfort in your front squats with this focused mobility class. We’ll target key areas, such as the ankles, hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders, to improve your squat mechanics and front rack position. Whether you’re new to squatting or looking to break through a plateau, this class will help you move more efficiently and squat with confidence. Suitable for all levels.

WEIGHTLIFTING

Weightlifting this week is snatch. Working on the power snatch. Technique work, then a complex of snatch pull + 2 power snatch. Finishing with some heavy back squats.

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Is Poor Mobility Holding You Back?

People often think strength and technique are the limiting factors whenever they hit a wall with Olympic lifts or specific gymnastics exercises. When you have the mobility of a rock, lifts such as the power clean or the snatch can be your worst nightmare!

How Lack of Mobility Hinders Your Workouts

I see people work countless hours trying to perfect the timing and technique of Olympic lifts – and yet they still can’t execute the movements properly. There could be a lot of different reasons for this problem, however one issue in particular occurs time and time again: lack of mobility.

Male athlete doing a kettlebell squat
Without a doubt, mobility is the most neglected part of the average CrossFit training routine.

Most people either don’t know what’s causing their mobility issues or do know but only spend 10 minutes a week trying to fix it. When compared to the 5+ hours per week of training they’re doing, it’s no surprise they’re struggling.

So, what’s the solution?

Olympic Lifting and Mobility: Work Smarter, Not Harder

No, I'm not expecting you to do five hours of mobility a week. This advice is for beginner to intermediate level Crossfitters, as well as anyone that’s hit a fitness plateau with specific movements.

Related: 5 Tips for CrossFit Beginners

I’m going to take a simplistic, relatable approach to improving your mobility using two Olympic lifts: the snatch and the power clean.

Let’s start with what you’re actually trying to achieve: to move a weighted bar up the body and try to keep the bar path as close to your body as possible, finishing in either a full-depth front squat or an overhead squat.

I know that’s a very simplified explanation and, in case any of them are reading this, I mean no offense to the Olympic lifting gods that walk amongst us!

Male athlete performing an Olympic snatch
Spending the time on mobility can result in dramatic improvements to your Olympic weightlifting!

You may be thinking “surely problems with bar path is an issue of technique and not mobility?” It’s true, technique could be the problem. In my experience, I’ve seen countless people struggle with these lifts because they physically cannot get into the correct position.

Some coaches will simply try and put you in the proper position and hope that fixes the problem. You’ll feel uncomfortable as if you’re going to fall over but go along with the lift anyway.

Then what happens? Your body immediately reverts back to where your body has the ability to go and everyone’s time is wasted. The coach suggests you work on your mobility so they can scale the exercise down and make it easier for you to move.

You end the session doing part of the movement and leave feeling unfulfilled. When you show up to the next class, you’re right back where you started with the coach trying to manually get your body into the correct position.

Using the Overhead Squat to Uncover Mobility Issues

The overhead squat is a staple CrossFit exercise that you must be proficient in to do a full snatch. It requires an adequate range of motion joint by joint to do one properly & shows people's lack of mobility when they can't perform one, especially with no weight.

Some people despise this exercise because it causes considerable shoulder or upper back pain. Others simply can't do it at all. While going down to a squat is a big no-no when holding something overhead, those same people can back squat 100kg plus.

If you're different from the above, you could be the below. You have to come up onto your toes & buckle your knees so badly; yes, it's technically an overhead squat, but if I put any weight on the bar, your knees would collapse in on each other.

Overhead Squat Mobility Requirement Breakdown

Stability and activation could be factors, but let's break down what mobility you need to perform an effortless overhead squat. Let's start from the bottom up; I'll keep it simple and go for the top four things. You will need an adequate range of motion to perform an overhead squat.

#1 – Ankle Dorsiflexion
Why do we need this? We need the knee not only to track the middle to outer toes, but we need them to be able to stack the weight above the ankle. Our knees can go past our toes because of Dorsiflexion, which keeps the center mass over the midfoot.

Lacking this often causes a lack of balance & the inability to squat deep. People leave this to last to check, but it could be the first thing limiting your overhead ability.

#2 – Hip Mobility (Internal and External Rotation)

Hip mobility external and internal rotation: We need adequate ranges of motion to sit deep into the squat. A lack of this could cause a knee cave. As mentioned above, the squat stacked over the center of the midfoot keeps everything in alignment.

#3 Thoracic Extension, Flexion and Rotation
This tends to be one of the most significant limiting factors; upper back rounding causes the scapular to travel a longer distance around the upper spine. This, in turn, creates instability when you try holding your shoulders in your pocket, leading to poor shoulder mobility.

If you can't stack the upper spine in line, this will cause some grief with keeping the bar stacked over the mid foot. People tend to fall forward when they lack in this with both the front & overhead squats.

#4 Shoulder Mobility (Internal and External Rotation)

Internal and external rotation are needed to get the bar path tracking upwards and keep it close. Mobility limitations are usually linked with the thoracic and lack of flexibility with the lat and pec muscles, causing the inability to reach overhead.

Usually, lacking here will cause weak rotator cuff muscles and the inability to stack or press a weight properly above the head.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to see how a seemingly insignificant mobility issue can have much larger knock-on effects with your Olympic lifts. Consider your own technique - now that you know what mobility is required, do you lack in any of the areas above?

If so, send me an email  or DM on Instagram, and let's set up an assessment!

Fun  - Honesty - SIMPLICITY - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Ladies Run Club 25-24

Monday

Session: No in-person session

There is no in person LRC session today, Unlimited Clients, there is a session in your TrainingPeaks still. Enjoy!

Tuesday

Time: 5:59am

Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park

Entrance fee

Session: Track Tuesday

This is your chance to run fast with the wider IFE community and coaches. Come ready to run fast and have fun.

Wednesday

Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm

Location: InnerFight

Session: LRC Intervals

Today we will be running intervals in the park. 100m on/100m recovery.

Friday

Time: 5:59am & 5:59pm

Location: Common Grounds

Session: The Coffee Run + LRC Training Camp

This week re will be cycling through the below seqeunce:
10X
2mins @ 7PRE
1min @ 8RPE
1min @ recovery

The evening session on the LRC Training Camp will be a chilled shake out run from the hotel.

Saturday

Time: 5:29am

Session: LRC Training Camp

We have an action packed day on the LRC Training Camp, all details will be shared in WA.

Sunday

Time: 5:29am

Location: Common Grounds

Session: Long Run + LRC Training Camp

Today we will host a community long run from Common Grounds for those who are still in Dubai.

Those on the training camp in KhorFakkan we will hike at 5:29am.

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Mainline Class
Specialty Class
Endurance
Ladies Run Club
Daily Workout 25-24

Monday:

Strength:

A) 1 min max set strict pull-ups

B) EMOM x 8 Pull ups @ 30% of max set

Conditioning:

Every 5 mins x 6

2 rounds

6 Alt Single Arm Manmaker

300/250m row

Tuesday:

Strength:

A) Every 75 sec x 9

1) 16 Alt goblet cossack squat

2) 40 sec alt single leg V-ups

3) 30 sec side plank E/S

B) Every 2 mins x 6 - 3 front squat @20x1

Conditioning:

30-20-10

Assault Bike

Rest 2 minutes after each set

Wednesday:

Strength:

Deadlift Every 2:00 x 5 - 2 reps

Conditioning:

AMRAP 22

In a team of 4

2000m C2 Bike

40 Power cleans (70/45)

40 TTB

Thursday:

Strength:

A) Every 90 sec x 8 - 10 DB box step up

B) Every 2 mins x 5 - 8 Alternating Barbell Reverse Lunges

C) EMOM x 8 - M1: 20 sec Nordic Hold / M2: 30 sec Ring rows

Conditioning:

500/450 ski

5 burpee pull-ups

400/350 ski

5 burpee pull-ups

300/250 ski

5 burpee pull-ups

200/150 ski

5 burpee pull-ups

100/50 ski

Friday:

Strength:

A) Every 75 sec x 8 1 push press (1 sec pause in dip)

Conditioning:

0-16 mins

2500m/2000m row

Every 2 mins - 6 box jump overs

16-26 mins

1500m/1200m row

Every 2 mins - 6 Dual KB Front squat

26-32 mins

1000m/800m row

Every 2 mins - 6 Dual KB STOH

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Specialty Class #25-24

GYMNASTICS

This Tuesday, we’re focusing on handstands and handstand walks! We’ll start with strength work before moving on to balance and control while upside down, beginning from the box and progressing to the wall and beyond.

Thursday, we’re heading back to the bar for another round of Bar Muscle Ups! Whether you're chasing your first rep or fine-tuning your technique for cleaner, stronger sets, we’ve got you covered with progressions, modifications, and strength drills to help you level up. Let's go!

HYBRID FITNESS

This week's HYBRID Fitness session focuses on running intervals and then some compromised running, getting used to pushing into the run after some taxing work.

MOBILITY

Unlock better depth, posture, and comfort in your front squats with this focused mobility class. We’ll target key areas, such as the ankles, hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders, to improve your squat mechanics and front rack position. Whether you’re new to squatting or looking to break through a plateau, this class will help you move more efficiently and squat with confidence. Suitable for all levels.

WEIGHTLIFTING

Weightlifting this week is snatch. Working on the power snatch. Technique work, then a complex of snatch pull + 2 power snatch. Finishing with some heavy back squats.

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Endurance #25-24

The Monday Ride

Our community program is delivered via TrainingPeaks for AED 750 p/month. If you're interested to have a plan to follow, email tw@innerfight.com

Time: 05:59 am

Session Length: 1 hour

Location: The Loop Cafe, Nad al Sheeba

Track Tuesday

Our weekly on track speed session! For any level of runner looking to build their run speed, threshold and Vo2max fitness and run with the best running community in Dubai.

Time: 05:59 am

Session Length: 1 hour

Location: Dubai Sports City Sports Park

Entrance fee

Wednesday - Indoor Ride

Our community program is delivered via TrainingPeaks for AED 750 p/month. If you're interested to have a plan to follow, email tw@innerfight.com

Thursday - Endurance Strength

A strength class focused on key movements for endurance athletes to help avoid injury, build speed and develop strength.

Time: 06:30am

Location: This is a paid class session at InnerFight HQ. If you're interested to join, email winning@innerfight.com

Friday - Coffee Run

Our weekly tempo run.  Sessions are built on an RPE scale and accessible to all levels of runner. We start together, run hard then finish together and chat about it over a coffee and breakfast.

Brief time: 05:54 am
Start time
: 05:59 am

Start Location: Common Grounds

Saturday - Long Ride

Our weekly endurance ride. This ride always begins with 18 - 20km at 30kph before a longer segment with various formats. Expect the main group to ride around 34kph, slower groups will break off and form. Anyone is welcome to join.

Time: 04:59 am

Location: Bottom of the Stick, Al Qudra.

Sunday - Long Run

A run where we start and finish together. Up to 2hrs long depending on people needs.
If you're interested to join, reach out to Dan Bagley, db@innerfight.com

Time: 05:29 am

Location: Common Grounds

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Is Poor Mobility Holding You Back?

People often think strength and technique are the limiting factors whenever they hit a wall with Olympic lifts or specific gymnastics exercises. When you have the mobility of a rock, lifts such as the power clean or the snatch can be your worst nightmare!

How Lack of Mobility Hinders Your Workouts

I see people work countless hours trying to perfect the timing and technique of Olympic lifts – and yet they still can’t execute the movements properly. There could be a lot of different reasons for this problem, however one issue in particular occurs time and time again: lack of mobility.

Male athlete doing a kettlebell squat
Without a doubt, mobility is the most neglected part of the average CrossFit training routine.

Most people either don’t know what’s causing their mobility issues or do know but only spend 10 minutes a week trying to fix it. When compared to the 5+ hours per week of training they’re doing, it’s no surprise they’re struggling.

So, what’s the solution?

Olympic Lifting and Mobility: Work Smarter, Not Harder

No, I'm not expecting you to do five hours of mobility a week. This advice is for beginner to intermediate level Crossfitters, as well as anyone that’s hit a fitness plateau with specific movements.

Related: 5 Tips for CrossFit Beginners

I’m going to take a simplistic, relatable approach to improving your mobility using two Olympic lifts: the snatch and the power clean.

Let’s start with what you’re actually trying to achieve: to move a weighted bar up the body and try to keep the bar path as close to your body as possible, finishing in either a full-depth front squat or an overhead squat.

I know that’s a very simplified explanation and, in case any of them are reading this, I mean no offense to the Olympic lifting gods that walk amongst us!

Male athlete performing an Olympic snatch
Spending the time on mobility can result in dramatic improvements to your Olympic weightlifting!

You may be thinking “surely problems with bar path is an issue of technique and not mobility?” It’s true, technique could be the problem. In my experience, I’ve seen countless people struggle with these lifts because they physically cannot get into the correct position.

Some coaches will simply try and put you in the proper position and hope that fixes the problem. You’ll feel uncomfortable as if you’re going to fall over but go along with the lift anyway.

Then what happens? Your body immediately reverts back to where your body has the ability to go and everyone’s time is wasted. The coach suggests you work on your mobility so they can scale the exercise down and make it easier for you to move.

You end the session doing part of the movement and leave feeling unfulfilled. When you show up to the next class, you’re right back where you started with the coach trying to manually get your body into the correct position.

Using the Overhead Squat to Uncover Mobility Issues

The overhead squat is a staple CrossFit exercise that you must be proficient in to do a full snatch. It requires an adequate range of motion joint by joint to do one properly & shows people's lack of mobility when they can't perform one, especially with no weight.

Some people despise this exercise because it causes considerable shoulder or upper back pain. Others simply can't do it at all. While going down to a squat is a big no-no when holding something overhead, those same people can back squat 100kg plus.

If you're different from the above, you could be the below. You have to come up onto your toes & buckle your knees so badly; yes, it's technically an overhead squat, but if I put any weight on the bar, your knees would collapse in on each other.

Overhead Squat Mobility Requirement Breakdown

Stability and activation could be factors, but let's break down what mobility you need to perform an effortless overhead squat. Let's start from the bottom up; I'll keep it simple and go for the top four things. You will need an adequate range of motion to perform an overhead squat.

#1 – Ankle Dorsiflexion
Why do we need this? We need the knee not only to track the middle to outer toes, but we need them to be able to stack the weight above the ankle. Our knees can go past our toes because of Dorsiflexion, which keeps the center mass over the midfoot.

Lacking this often causes a lack of balance & the inability to squat deep. People leave this to last to check, but it could be the first thing limiting your overhead ability.

#2 – Hip Mobility (Internal and External Rotation)

Hip mobility external and internal rotation: We need adequate ranges of motion to sit deep into the squat. A lack of this could cause a knee cave. As mentioned above, the squat stacked over the center of the midfoot keeps everything in alignment.

#3 Thoracic Extension, Flexion and Rotation
This tends to be one of the most significant limiting factors; upper back rounding causes the scapular to travel a longer distance around the upper spine. This, in turn, creates instability when you try holding your shoulders in your pocket, leading to poor shoulder mobility.

If you can't stack the upper spine in line, this will cause some grief with keeping the bar stacked over the mid foot. People tend to fall forward when they lack in this with both the front & overhead squats.

#4 Shoulder Mobility (Internal and External Rotation)

Internal and external rotation are needed to get the bar path tracking upwards and keep it close. Mobility limitations are usually linked with the thoracic and lack of flexibility with the lat and pec muscles, causing the inability to reach overhead.

Usually, lacking here will cause weak rotator cuff muscles and the inability to stack or press a weight properly above the head.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to see how a seemingly insignificant mobility issue can have much larger knock-on effects with your Olympic lifts. Consider your own technique - now that you know what mobility is required, do you lack in any of the areas above?

If so, send me an email  or DM on Instagram, and let's set up an assessment!

Fun  - Honesty - SIMPLICITY - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work

Introduction

Mi tincidunt elit, id quisque ligula ac diam, amet. Vel etiam suspendisse morbi eleifend faucibus eget vestibulum felis. Dictum quis montes, sit sit. Tellus aliquam enim urna, etiam. Mauris posuere vulputate arcu amet, vitae nisi, tellus tincidunt. At feugiat sapien varius id.

Eget quis mi enim, leo lacinia pharetra, semper. Eget in volutpat mollis at volutpat lectus velit, sed auctor. Porttitor fames arcu quis fusce augue enim. Quis at habitant diam at. Suscipit tristique risus, at donec. In turpis vel et quam imperdiet. Ipsum molestie aliquet sodales id est ac volutpat.

Image caption goes here

Dolor enim eu tortor urna sed duis nulla

Elit nisi in eleifend sed nisi. Pulvinar at orci, proin imperdiet commodo consectetur convallis risus. Sed condimentum enim dignissim adipiscing faucibus consequat, urna. Viverra purus et erat auctor aliquam. Risus, volutpat vulputate posuere purus sit congue convallis aliquet. Arcu id augue ut feugiat donec porttitor neque. Mauris, neque ultricies eu vestibulum, bibendum quam lorem id. Dolor lacus, eget nunc lectus in tellus, pharetra, porttitor.

If you want to swim faster on race day, it’s no secret you’ve got to swim fast in training.

Tristique odio senectus nam posuere ornare leo metus, ultricies. Blandit duis ultricies vulputate morbi feugiat cras placerat elit. Aliquam tellus lorem sed ac. Montes, sed mattis pellentesque suscipit accumsan. Cursus viverra aenean magna risus elementum faucibus molestie pellentesque. Arcu ultricies sed mauris vestibulum.

Conclusion

Morbi sed imperdiet in ipsum, adipiscing elit dui lectus. Tellus id scelerisque est ultricies ultricies. Duis est sit sed leo nisl, blandit elit sagittis. Quisque tristique consequat quam sed. Nisl at scelerisque amet nulla purus habitasse.

Nunc sed faucibus bibendum feugiat sed interdum. Ipsum egestas condimentum mi massa. In tincidunt pharetra consectetur sed duis facilisis metus. Etiam egestas in nec sed et. Quis lobortis at sit dictum eget nibh tortor commodo cursus.

Odio felis sagittis, morbi feugiat tortor vitae feugiat fusce aliquet. Nam elementum urna nisi aliquet erat dolor enim. Ornare id morbi eget ipsum. Aliquam senectus neque ut id eget consectetur dictum. Donec posuere pharetra odio consequat scelerisque et, nunc tortor.
Nulla adipiscing erat a erat. Condimentum lorem posuere gravida enim posuere cursus diam.

Triathlon
Swimming
Race Prep
Is Poor Mobility Holding You Back?

People often think strength and technique are the limiting factors whenever they hit a wall with Olympic lifts or specific gymnastics exercises. When you have the mobility of a rock, lifts such as the power clean or the snatch can be your worst nightmare!

How Lack of Mobility Hinders Your Workouts

I see people work countless hours trying to perfect the timing and technique of Olympic lifts – and yet they still can’t execute the movements properly. There could be a lot of different reasons for this problem, however one issue in particular occurs time and time again: lack of mobility.

Male athlete doing a kettlebell squat
Without a doubt, mobility is the most neglected part of the average CrossFit training routine.

Most people either don’t know what’s causing their mobility issues or do know but only spend 10 minutes a week trying to fix it. When compared to the 5+ hours per week of training they’re doing, it’s no surprise they’re struggling.

So, what’s the solution?

Olympic Lifting and Mobility: Work Smarter, Not Harder

No, I'm not expecting you to do five hours of mobility a week. This advice is for beginner to intermediate level Crossfitters, as well as anyone that’s hit a fitness plateau with specific movements.

Related: 5 Tips for CrossFit Beginners

I’m going to take a simplistic, relatable approach to improving your mobility using two Olympic lifts: the snatch and the power clean.

Let’s start with what you’re actually trying to achieve: to move a weighted bar up the body and try to keep the bar path as close to your body as possible, finishing in either a full-depth front squat or an overhead squat.

I know that’s a very simplified explanation and, in case any of them are reading this, I mean no offense to the Olympic lifting gods that walk amongst us!

Male athlete performing an Olympic snatch
Spending the time on mobility can result in dramatic improvements to your Olympic weightlifting!

You may be thinking “surely problems with bar path is an issue of technique and not mobility?” It’s true, technique could be the problem. In my experience, I’ve seen countless people struggle with these lifts because they physically cannot get into the correct position.

Some coaches will simply try and put you in the proper position and hope that fixes the problem. You’ll feel uncomfortable as if you’re going to fall over but go along with the lift anyway.

Then what happens? Your body immediately reverts back to where your body has the ability to go and everyone’s time is wasted. The coach suggests you work on your mobility so they can scale the exercise down and make it easier for you to move.

You end the session doing part of the movement and leave feeling unfulfilled. When you show up to the next class, you’re right back where you started with the coach trying to manually get your body into the correct position.

Using the Overhead Squat to Uncover Mobility Issues

The overhead squat is a staple CrossFit exercise that you must be proficient in to do a full snatch. It requires an adequate range of motion joint by joint to do one properly & shows people's lack of mobility when they can't perform one, especially with no weight.

Some people despise this exercise because it causes considerable shoulder or upper back pain. Others simply can't do it at all. While going down to a squat is a big no-no when holding something overhead, those same people can back squat 100kg plus.

If you're different from the above, you could be the below. You have to come up onto your toes & buckle your knees so badly; yes, it's technically an overhead squat, but if I put any weight on the bar, your knees would collapse in on each other.

Overhead Squat Mobility Requirement Breakdown

Stability and activation could be factors, but let's break down what mobility you need to perform an effortless overhead squat. Let's start from the bottom up; I'll keep it simple and go for the top four things. You will need an adequate range of motion to perform an overhead squat.

#1 – Ankle Dorsiflexion
Why do we need this? We need the knee not only to track the middle to outer toes, but we need them to be able to stack the weight above the ankle. Our knees can go past our toes because of Dorsiflexion, which keeps the center mass over the midfoot.

Lacking this often causes a lack of balance & the inability to squat deep. People leave this to last to check, but it could be the first thing limiting your overhead ability.

#2 – Hip Mobility (Internal and External Rotation)

Hip mobility external and internal rotation: We need adequate ranges of motion to sit deep into the squat. A lack of this could cause a knee cave. As mentioned above, the squat stacked over the center of the midfoot keeps everything in alignment.

#3 Thoracic Extension, Flexion and Rotation
This tends to be one of the most significant limiting factors; upper back rounding causes the scapular to travel a longer distance around the upper spine. This, in turn, creates instability when you try holding your shoulders in your pocket, leading to poor shoulder mobility.

If you can't stack the upper spine in line, this will cause some grief with keeping the bar stacked over the mid foot. People tend to fall forward when they lack in this with both the front & overhead squats.

#4 Shoulder Mobility (Internal and External Rotation)

Internal and external rotation are needed to get the bar path tracking upwards and keep it close. Mobility limitations are usually linked with the thoracic and lack of flexibility with the lat and pec muscles, causing the inability to reach overhead.

Usually, lacking here will cause weak rotator cuff muscles and the inability to stack or press a weight properly above the head.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to see how a seemingly insignificant mobility issue can have much larger knock-on effects with your Olympic lifts. Consider your own technique - now that you know what mobility is required, do you lack in any of the areas above?

If so, send me an email  or DM on Instagram, and let's set up an assessment!

Fun  - Honesty - SIMPLICITY - Smash Life - Mental Toughness - Hard Work

Introduction

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Conclusion

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