Dear CrossFit, How I’m going to STEP UP and STEP DOWN during 13.2

Dear CrossFit,

I just got back from a couple of hours volunteering at the box.  Got to coach up some people for 13.2, got to do some judging, and got to do some experimenting with the most efficient way to step up and step down.  First, there’s zero chance that I will jump down.  Not just because of information like this (http://sexyasfuck.org/2013/03/14/high-rep-box-jumps-are-stupid/) but also because I have a prosthetic hip, I’m nearly 52, and 24″ is a long way down! 

So, stepping down is a given.  Yes I have a 24″ box jump, and yes I even have a 30″ box jump.  But not after push presses and dead lifts.  And not 45 or 60 or maybe even 75 of them.  Given that I am going to be stepping up, I figured it was a good idea to experiment with stepping up.  Turns out there is an efficient way and a not so efficient way.  The inefficient way is to start from a standing still position, to put one foot up, and then to stand up straight on that one leg.  The efficient way is to step into it, put one foot up and get into a half crouch over that one leg, then bring the other foot up, then use both legs to stand up straight and clear the hips.  It’s way easier because you get momentum on the way up, and you get to use two legs to stand up instead of one.  Also, for efficiency on the way down, bend both knees, get into that same half squat, then lower one leg down.  That way you are “dropping” from about a foot lower than if you step down from standing up straight. 

I heartily encourage you to experiment with different ways to step up and step down.  Do some experiments where you time yourself for ten jumps, rest, then time yourself for ten step ups.  See if it works for you.  Remember, this is only 13.2, and we’ve still got 13.3, 13.4 and 13.5 to go.  If we rupture our Achilles on 13.2, we probably won’t score too well on .3 .4 and .5!

I wonder what tomorrow’s WOD will be…