Crossfit Fundamental Movements & Techniques 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When coaching the pull-up, which of the following describes a strict (non-kipping) pull-up starting position?
- Arms slightly bent, feet on the floor for assistance
- Full dead hang with arms completely extended and shoulders active (Correct answer)
- Chin above the bar with elbows bent at 90°
- Hands in a chin-up (supinated) grip with elbows tucked
Correct answer: Full dead hang with arms completely extended and shoulders active
A strict pull-up begins from a full dead hang with arms fully extended and shoulders actively engaged (not passively hanging), ensuring full range of motion.
Question 2: Which movement pattern is the push press most similar to, and what distinguishes it from a strict press?
- Similar to the jerk; distinguished by a re-bend of the knees to receive the bar
- Similar to the strict press; distinguished by the use of a slight hip dip and leg drive (Correct answer)
- Similar to the thruster; distinguished by starting from a front rack instead of a back squat
- Similar to the push jerk; distinguished by receiving the bar with locked arms overhead
Correct answer: Similar to the strict press; distinguished by the use of a slight hip dip and leg drive
The push press uses a brief knee dip (dip-drive) to generate leg power that assists pressing the bar overhead, unlike the strict press which uses only upper-body strength.
Question 3: An athlete performing box jumps consistently lands with soft, bent knees and immediately collapses at the hips. What is the primary coaching correction?
- Cue the athlete to land with straight legs and lock the knees
- Instruct the athlete to land softly but then stand fully upright to complete the rep (Correct answer)
- Lower the box height to reduce impact forces
- Have the athlete land on their heels to absorb force through the posterior chain
Correct answer: Instruct the athlete to land softly but then stand fully upright to complete the rep
Full hip and knee extension while standing upright on the box is the standard of completion for a box jump; landing and collapsing does not meet the movement standard.
Question 4: In a front squat, what is the correct position of the elbows relative to the bar and the floor?
- Elbows pointed downward to keep the bar close to the body
- Elbows elevated and parallel to the floor, driven forward in the front rack (Correct answer)
- Elbows tucked in toward the ribs to stabilize the load
- Elbows behind the bar to maintain a neutral wrist position
Correct answer: Elbows elevated and parallel to the floor, driven forward in the front rack
In the front rack position for a front squat, the elbows must be driven up and forward (parallel to the floor) to keep the bar on the shoulders and the torso upright.
Question 5: Which of the following is a common fault in the overhead squat that indicates insufficient thoracic mobility?
- The knees track outside the toes during the descent
- The bar drifts forward in front of the body as the athlete descends (Correct answer)
- The heels rise off the floor in the bottom position
- The grip width is too narrow causing internal rotation of the shoulders
Correct answer: The bar drifts forward in front of the body as the athlete descends
Limited thoracic extension causes the torso to fold forward in the overhead squat, which makes the barbell drift forward and out of the athlete's midline.
Question 6: What does 'receiving the bar in the power position' mean during a power clean?
- The athlete catches the bar with the hips below parallel in a full squat
- The athlete catches the bar with the hips above parallel in a partial squat (Correct answer)
- The athlete catches the bar with extended arms in an overhead position
- The athlete catches the bar at the hip crease without any knee bend
Correct answer: The athlete catches the bar with the hips above parallel in a partial squat
In a power clean, the athlete receives the bar in a quarter- to half-squat position (hips above parallel), distinguishing it from a full squat clean.
Question 7: During a handstand push-up, what is the standard CrossFit movement standard for the bottom position?
- The top of the head touches an AbMat placed on the floor (Correct answer)
- The nose touches the floor between the hands
- The shoulders must descend to the level of the wrists
- The chin must touch the floor with the neck fully extended
Correct answer: The top of the head touches an AbMat placed on the floor
In CrossFit, the standard handstand push-up uses an AbMat at the bottom so the head touches the mat, establishing a consistent range of motion standard.
Crossfit Fundamental Movements & Techniques 3
When coaching the pull-up, which of the following describes a strict (non-kipping) pull-up starting position?