There have been some questions about added flexibility and mobility, specifically when it comes to wrist and shoulder pain.

With the increased handstand work you may have noticed some pain associated with wrist extension. I’ve been wearing Tiger Paws, which are “wrist guards” in the gymnastics world, for some added support. No idea if they’re legal in Crossfit, but they’ll at least protect you during your workouts, even if you don’t use them in competition. They also don’t change anything as far as performing the exercise is concerned, I promise you won’t get dependent.

I also spend some time at the beginning of every session down on all fours with my palms pressed flat to the floor. I rotate my shoulders forward and backwards as well as in circles, gradually working on my ability to over extend past 90 degrees.

If you’ve been following the program from the beginning, hopefully your shoulder flexibility has increased. If the box shoulder stretch is too easy for you, move on to stretching your shoulders against the wall. I start with this everyday, mostly because I’m too lazy to get out a box…

I focus on making sure my legs are perpendicular to the ground, keep my arms shoulder width apart, and press my armpits into the wall until my torso hits parallel.

I try to get upside down as much as possible, even when I’m stretching my legs and hamstrings. I know this looks absolutely ridiculous, but I think it’s the best way to get your hamstrings, calves, and hip flexors all at once. I get that not everybody can do splits, but even if you’re a foot (or two) away from the wall you’ll benefit from this one.

Lock out your shoulders the same way you would if you were doing a 30 degree handstand.