FIT Scaling and Movement Standards

NOTE: This is a work in progress. I could not add pictures before release, so expect an update sometime during the next couple of weeks.

Joining FIT but doing a full movement is too strenuous? Here are some options to make the movements easier to maintain. This list is not exhaustive and may not work for your specific situation but should give you an idea of how you can modify a movement to suit your needs.

Push-ups

All basic push-ups use the same setup: place your hands shoulder-width apart with your hands placed roughly under your shoulders. Start with your arms fully extended and your feet together. Try keeping your back flat by engaging your abdominal muscles and have a slight bend in your hips. Lower yourself to your push-up surface smoothly while trying to keep your back with only a slight bend until you’ve made contact with the surface. Pause for a brief moment, then push yourself back up to the starting position. That is one repetition. Do it a bunch of times. Go Team.

Push-up Scaling 1: Wall Push-ups

Place your feet roughly arms-length away from a wall. Place your arms in front of yourself and lean forward into the wall. Lower yourself towards the wall until your forehead connects to the wall.

Don’t slam your head into the wall. That is bad. You will hurt yourself.

Push yourself back to the starting position. If you want to make the movement more difficult, move your feet further away from the wall.

Push-up Scaling 2: Incline Push-ups

Using a table, couch or other solid horizontal surface, get into the starting position as described in the intro paragraph. Lower yourself to the push-up surface and make contact with the center of your chest. Push yourself back to the starting position.

If you want to make the movement more difficult, choose a lower surface to push off of.

Push-up Scaling 3: Knee Push-ups

Using the floor, get into the standard push-up position except place your knees on the floor together. Continue through the standard push-up movement with the center of your chest making contact with the floor. Make sure that your hips do not make contact with the floor.

Push-up Scaling 4: Full Body Push-ups

Using the floor, get into the standard push-up position. Continue through the standard push-up movement with the center of your chest making contact with the floor. Make sure that your hips do not make contact with the floor.

If you wish to make the movement more difficult, you have two main options: elevate your feet(which is not recommended as the movement transitions to a handstand push-up and therefore targets a different muscle group), or work towards a one-arm push-up. There are many tutorials on the internet to choose from that will do a better job explaining the process than I can.

Sit-ups

Crunches suck so we’re not going to do any of those. In lieu of crunches as a scaling for sit-ups, I recommend leg raises; they fully engage your core in a safe, controlled manner similar to a sit-up but without using momentum to lift yourself off of the floor. Many of the movements are similar but have some key differences, so don’t mind the copy/paste.

Sit-up Scaling 1: Bent Knee Raises

Lay with your back on the floor, knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Keep your legs at the same angle and lift your legs until your feet are pointing towards the ceiling. Bring your feet back down to the floor, maintaining the same angle.

Sit-up Scaling 2: Bent Leg Raises

Lay with your back on the floor, knees slightly bent and your heels on the ground. Keep your legs at the same angle and lift your legs until your feet are pointing towards the ceiling. Bring your feet back down to the floor, maintaining the same angle.

Sit-up Scaling 3: Straight Leg Raises

Lay with your back on the floor, legs straight and your heels on the ground. Keep your legs at the same angle and lift your legs until your feet are pointing towards the ceiling. Bring your feet back down to the floor, maintaining the same angle.

Sit-up Scaling 4: Sit-ups

Lay with your back on the floor, knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Keep your back as straight as possible and raise your torso until your chest touches your knees. Bring your torso back down to the floor in a controlled manner.

If you want to make the movement more difficult, you can either incorporate weight into the movement or find a place to hang from and do hanging leg raises. Like push-ups, there are many tutorials on the interwebs to check out.

Squats

All basic squats have the same setup: feet should be about shoulder-width apart with your toes pointed slightly outward. Throughout the movement, you will want to push your knees outward so that they stay above your feet; if your knees buckle inward, you will hurt yourself quickly. Keep your back straight and do not hunch over.

Squat Scaling 1: Assisted Squats

Stand facing a table, a back of a chair or something you can place your hands onto while in a full stand. Grab onto the item and lower yourself into the squat. Try to only squat down as far as you can go while maintaining a straight back. Once you’re down there, get up by pushing your heels into the ground and pulling downward on the item to raise yourself back to a full stand.

Squat Scaling 2: Squat to Sit

Stand in front of a chair that is almost as high as your knees. Stand with your back to the chair, as if you were going to sit in it. Squat down while maintaining a straight back all the way into the chair seat so you are actually sitting . Pause for a moment to recoup your strength. Once ready, push through your heels to a full stand.

Squat Scaling 3: Half Squat

Stand tall as per the initial description. While maintaining a straight back, lower yourself until your knees are bent at a 90° angle to the ground. Push through your heels back to a full stand.

Squat Scaling 4: Full Squat

Stand tall as per the initial description. While maintaining a straight back, lower yourself until can go no further. Push through your heels back to a full stand.

If you want to make the movement more difficult, look up progressions on one-leg squats, also known as pistols. They are a common CrossFit movement and there are a ton of tutorials on how to build up to them.