Deadlift 5-5-5-5-5
5 Rounds:
10 Deadlift @ 50% of 5RM
10 Air Squats
First thing first, I want to give new member Sharyn B. props for showing up consistently with a great attitude and strong work ethic. Keep your eye on this one, she has serious potential to improve.
Now about the head position. I walked out last week and witnessed Sharyn struggling a bit with the pull up. I knew she could express more strenght instantly when I saw her head position. She was throwing her head back and reaching up with her chin. I stood back quietly and got a picture of her at the peak of her pull.
Next I stood right in front of Sharyn, told her to look directly at me and try again. You can see the result. She was able to express much more strength and explosiveness driving her higher above the bar and into a much better position.
Remember, the head and neck are part of the spine. When we talk about midline stability, this includes stabilizing your head. When the spine is not held tight, the nervous system will be down regulated and muscles will not produce as much force. Also with a changing head position, you lose your point of reference which negatively effects coordination.
So next time your doing pull ups, try keeping your eyes straight forward. Pick a spot on the wall that is about level with the pull up bar and fix your gaze on it. Do not throw your head for momentum and do not reach with your chin to get over the bar. See what happens. My guess is more pull ups faster.
Heck, you could even try keeping your head in line with the rest of your spine as you deadlift today.
