SEAL instructors doing CF on YouTube

[scskowron]

http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=aNKvbQMXh7w
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=X4vacQnspQI
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=kcy6cRsXGvk
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=gqSicsBg6m8
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=MHwxHvf3iy4

New workout videos added by the Navy on YouTube. There's supposed to be 10 but they've only added half of them so far.

Two things of note:

1. All of these are basically identical to the programming done done here on this site by Coach Ord. Everything is based off or compatible with Crossfit. Probably another reason to do Crossfit to prepare for BUD/S.

2. One of the instructors is David Groggins, among the best active ultramarathoners in the world right now, one of the only African-Americans who even compete in the sport, and an all-around amazing guy.

[syl]

in this last video... he is doing pullups, and he does the "SEALs" pullup, and it looks like a pullup... but you dont lockout on the down? sorta confused... is this how they are done?

I was under the impression that they expected lockout when down.

[scskowron]

Yeah....I don't get this either. Looks like he is kipping on the "SEAL" pullups but I'm not sure why he doesn't lock out. Maybe to simulate the rope climb?

[1stud]

Im with both ya... i dont get it lol

[syl]

maybe someone who has some experience could shed some light on this... to clear up the confusion.

[IT3IHateSand]

I can't see the videos on my work computer, but i can safely assume what he is doing by "not locking out" his arms. 90% of the time in BUD/s when doing pull-up workouts or whatever you aren't locking out your arms unless your just waiting for the instructor to count off the next one. If they said "do as many pull-ups as you could" i would pull-up and go down and right before my arms locked i would pull myself back up to the up position and would do this as fast as i could without looking like you don't have control of your lower body, haha. So basically you're not locking your arms out completely because that causes a lot of stress on your elbow joint (in my opinion).

One exception to this might be on your screen test where they'll count off the first 6 for everyone, so you'll have to go all the way down for those 6, then bust out the rest on your own which will most likely be much faster and not locking out your elbows. It comes down to a fine line between cheating and only coming half way down and pulling back up before your elbows lock.Hope that sheds some light on the "SEAL pull-ups".

[deadly nedly]

So basically you're not locking your arms out completely because that causes a lot of stress on your elbow joint

All due respect for going to BUD/S, and thank you for the insightful post, but I don't buy this reasoning. There isn't any stress on the elbow unless you are trying to hurt yourself.

First theory: If this is the complete movement, and it's not being modified for anyone, the only reason not to go to extension is to keep the musculature under tension, and force the athlete to catch his bodyweight, then grind it back up, instead of using elastic response/potential to both catch the momentum and redirect it as with a normal kip. This would elicit a response more on the strength endurance side rather than the metcon/skill side.

Second theory: the kip is kinda hard to teach, and it seems like they are trying to make these workouts err on the side of accessibility, what with the dowel OHS and such, rather than 45-95-135-BW OHS which are the standards, respectively. So maybe "deadhang with a kick" is just more accessible than "kip like an olympian."

Third Theory: This is less of a developed movement - with physiological reasoning and scientific exploration, but more of a "continue to do pullups after your balls are smoked off" situation.

Personally, I both kip and deadhang every day, and I will happily do "SEAL pullups" at BUD/S if that's the rx.

[IT3IHateSand]

I see what you're saying, I need to watch that video i guess then come back to this convo., haha. and deadly, what i meant by "stress on the elbow joint" was mainly for those inexperienced BUD/s candidates who i see when they get really tired and aren't used to doing pull-ups, pull themselves up and then flop down like a dead fish and it looks really hard on their elbows i guess. I've never had elbow joint problems from pull-ups myself, it was just a theory.

[IT3IHateSand]

ok i watched the video and now i get what you guys are saying, my explanation is that the SEAL pull-ups are not locking out but pulling yourself up right before your arms lock, they're faster and more explosive than your regular pull up, where you would go up, bring yourself down and lock out, then repeat. I'm assuming that's what he was getting at by "SEAL pull-up" and "gym pull-up". Who knows, i didn't think there was a real reason to seperate them for this purpose.