My fear!
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kathheen
Posts: 108 Member
This is completely irrational I know but I have developed a horrible fear of the box jumps to the point where now I can only step up on them. I have fallen a few times when doing them especially when I moved from the 16’ to the 20’ box. My box trainer advised me to go back to the 16’ box and practice getting over my fear which I did – once – each time they are in the WOD I step up. Weirdly enough im ok if the box is against the wall, not always possible in WODS esp if we are outside training, but if its free standing I just cannot bring myself to jump up!
Any advice?
Any advice?
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Replies
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Maybe go during open gym, put the box against wall do a few to get comfortable. Then start moving the box out a couple of inches and keep practicing. See if that helps.0
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I have a fear of them too. It didn't help when I faceplated & busted my lip a few weeks ago jumping over PVC pipes resting between two boxes. We don't have 16" boxes so I have to use a 20" and jump from 45lbs plates on to it. I swear last week it was no problem jumping from 1 plate to the box but yesterday I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I refuse to step up any longer as it's not helping me get over my fear.
What is it about it resting against the wall that makes it seem better/easier/more stable? If it's stability, maybe put a 45lb plate on the opposite side you're jumping so you know for sure it isn't going to move. If it's because there's something tall there to catch yourself on if you fall, maybe put a 36" box on the opposite side. Just some thoughts.0 -
I got over my box jump phobia by placing plates of different thicknesses all around the box to bring the floor up, and then having the one side that was just the floor. I could start at the thickest plate and work my way up.
Also, if the box is large enough, having someone stand on it to take hold of your hands and support you as you jump up worked for me.
It helped me to pad my shins really well with long socks so that I felt more confident of not doing any damage if I crashed into it. But then my phobia was not so much falling off it as shin-planting into the side of the box if I didn't get high enough.0 -
Thanks everyone, well tonight we were outside and I got someone to hold the 20' box down & I managed! Weirdly though I had to step on the box & do my first jump from the box up not from the ground up and I had a few jittery moments but all in all I did it, still nervous but goofing to work on that. Great advice thanks x0
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Good to hear you've found a way to get over the fear and get back into it!!
I've been using the 24" box for aaaages with no issues. Have fallen a few times but nothing too traumatic and scrapes that only last a week or so. But yesterday I wanted to try jumping the 30" just to see if I could. I feel like I physically can do it, but mentally I couldn't bring myself to try and kept half-assing it. Think I need to try to jump the height of the box without trying to land ON it, and have someone see if I'm actually jumping high enough to clear it first...
Does anyone else here jump the 30"??0 -
Good to hear you've found a way to get over the fear and get back into it!!
I've been using the 24" box for aaaages with no issues. Have fallen a few times but nothing too traumatic and scrapes that only last a week or so. But yesterday I wanted to try jumping the 30" just to see if I could. I feel like I physically can do it, but mentally I couldn't bring myself to try and kept half-assing it. Think I need to try to jump the height of the box without trying to land ON it, and have someone see if I'm actually jumping high enough to clear it first...
Does anyone else here jump the 30"??
When we have high box jump days in workouts RX for men is 36 and women is 32in, not super high rep but usually like sets of 5. What really helped me get over it is only thinking about putting my heels in the middle of the box and this makes me jump more than high enough. Another thing is trying to land almost in the bottom of a squat and then stand up, I feel like I have a lot more power this way. We do max box jumps occasionally and I'm usually around 38 in and nowhere near the best in the gym.
Ironically in my two year of crossfit I've taken 2 really bad box jump diggers, however both occured on 20 in boxes, probably because I was thinking about what I was doing a whole lot less than on the high box jumps.0 -
Good to hear you've found a way to get over the fear and get back into it!!
I've been using the 24" box for aaaages with no issues. Have fallen a few times but nothing too traumatic and scrapes that only last a week or so. But yesterday I wanted to try jumping the 30" just to see if I could. I feel like I physically can do it, but mentally I couldn't bring myself to try and kept half-assing it. Think I need to try to jump the height of the box without trying to land ON it, and have someone see if I'm actually jumping high enough to clear it first...
Does anyone else here jump the 30"??
When we have high box jump days in workouts RX for men is 36 and women is 32in, not super high rep but usually like sets of 5. What really helped me get over it is only thinking about putting my heels in the middle of the box and this makes me jump more than high enough. Another thing is trying to land almost in the bottom of a squat and then stand up, I feel like I have a lot more power this way. We do max box jumps occasionally and I'm usually around 38 in and nowhere near the best in the gym.
Ironically in my two year of crossfit I've taken 2 really bad box jump diggers, however both occured on 20 in boxes, probably because I was thinking about what I was doing a whole lot less than on the high box jumps.
Yep I've noticed that it's a lot easier to do this. I'm really flexible in a squat so I find it quite easy to get my feet really close to my body and then drop into a squat on the box. It compensates really well for having less pushing power in the jump.0 -
Maybe go during open gym, put the box against wall do a few to get comfortable. Then start moving the box out a couple of inches and keep practicing. See if that helps.
Just do them against the wall at 16 until you are crushing them, then add a plate to make it 18 until you crush those, then up to 20.
Look at buying some soccer shinguards too. I'm sure fear of wiping out is a big part of it (and an entirely legitimate part of it too.)
I still jump on 20 inch boxes for WODs. Sometimes our RX is 30 for guys. My max jump EVER was 36, so I'm very hesitant to do those. Not so much the pain, I just hate failing and would rather work myself into better shape on the lower box and then move up.0 -
Yeah I hurt myself twice on them and it's knocked my confidence but like you all say I need to keep trying.
I'm definately going to force myself to jump and not step up, I am just getting too comfortable with stepping up that I gave up trying to jump, plus I'm a lot faster at stepping up probably because I've done it for so long!
Next conquest is the pull-ups but that's a whole other issue :laugh: :laugh:0 -
Another tip is to be sure to use your arms. Sometimes, we get tired and forget about the arms.0
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We've stacked tires before ( or raised one off the ground with plates/bricks) to get over mental blocks. The tire seems to add a bigger/softer target for some folks to get over that initial fear.0
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I understand your fear completely! I started looking up CF workouts last week and saw the box jumps a was very apprehensive. I tried box jumps onto my bed last week. I haven't attended any CF classes yet. I measured it at 21" At this point, I cannot jump any higher than that. Seemed like a safe thing to jump onto. Not sure how safe for the bed.
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Box jumps are my biggest fear and I have no idea why. I've been using the smallest box and just taking my time, focusing on each jump until I get comfortable jumping up. I've only had them in 2 WOD's since starting in January but the plan is once I get comfortable doing them on the small box to gradually work my way up. I guess it's just desensitization?0
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Box jumps are my biggest fear and I have no idea why. I've been using the smallest box and just taking my time, focusing on each jump until I get comfortable jumping up. I've only had them in 2 WOD's since starting in January but the plan is once I get comfortable doing them on the small box to gradually work my way up. I guess it's just desensitization?
It's like anything. The first time you try to do a 50kg clean you'll be totally apprehensive and unsure if you can physically do it, even though you know you can do the movement at a lighter weight, but then once you've done it and know how it feels it's much easier to do the second one. Everyone stacks it on box jumps eventually, and usually more than once. I've had awesome bruises and scrapes but I know it's just part of the game (it goes along with rope burns, hand tears, shin bruises from bar work, etc) so I just make sure I'm concentrating when I do them.
I'm trying to muster the courage to do a 30" jump, but we don't have any boxes between 24" (which I use now with ease) and 30", so I might try a plate on the 24" first...0
