Two summers ago I thrilled along with millions of others as we watched Nik Wallenda cross the Grand Canyon on a tightrope. If you didn't see it, watch an excerpt here. Pay close attention and learn how to cross those pesky balance obstacles like logs and beams. These are the keys:
Stand up straight and lock your core. Many elites are required to cross these obstacles standing up. Open class racers sometimes choose to cross by crawling. This may be due to two or more issues. If it's fear of heights, see my last blog for how to overcome that. If it's because of fatigue and a weak core, well, now you know what to work on. A powerful core is critical for just about every obstacle in OCR. More on core training in another post. Elites who attempt to cross by crawling are often penalized.
Why stand up straight with a locked core? Because it keeps your center of gravity (CG) directly above your feet which should be firmly planted on the log or beam. To get a feel for your CG, stand in place on flat ground, preferably wearing your race sneakers. Feet together now. Tighten your core. That means clench your glutes, tuck your hips, let your shoulders down with your hands naturally at your sides. Now check your straightness by placing your open left hand against your belly with your thumb over your bellybutton. Then place your right open hand over your left hand. Slowly raise your right hand up your belly, past your sternum and ribcage, and finally coming to rest with the backside of your hand against your chin.
Notice how your spine straightened, even if slightly? Now keep your right hand in place and place your closed left hand (not a fist, just closed fingers) at the rear base of your neck. Slowly raise your left hand along to the top of your head. Now your neck is aligned with your spine and you are standing perfectly straight. This probably feels really weird the first few times you do it. Practice. This is your best posture.
Now lean ever so slightly in each direction. When you feel yourself tip, you begin to sense where your CG is located. It's that part of your body that feels like it is pulling you down the most. Learn to sense that body part.
Now Wallenda, to walk across that log or beam, keep that CG constantly over your foot target by walking just like the tightrope wonder. Feet straight ahead in the direction you are moving. Place one foot directly in from of the other, landing gently with the ball, heel ever so slightly raised, and firmly coming down onto its target. Repeat by raising the foot as it peeling it from the target like a postage stamp. Hands out wide like that great big rod he carries.
Many people place their feet perpendicular to the log or beam. This is a bad idea. There is actually less target beneath your feet (less surface contact between the target and your foot). This creates more instability, making you work much harder. The back and forth rocking forces your core to oppose the desired direction of travel.
Practice these moves using a 2X4 on the ground. Perfect them, gradually adding height. And don't forget to breathe. More on that next time. Failure to follow these tips could turn you from a Wallenda to a wallbanger (or worse, a ground smacker).
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