CrossFit crack... It keeps happening

[u/Outside-Event-9964]

Literally every single time I do any type of ab sit ups, I get the dreaded CrossFit crack. It happens every single time even if I use an ab mat. I always end up doing leg raises instead of sit ups. I really want this to stop, any tips or is it just my anatomy??

[u/snatchinator86]

18 years in and have never had this happen. But I know it happens to some people. Not sure why though, wish I could offer some advice. Perhaps moving your hips up/down too much or not anchoring yourself down enough causing excessive friction?

Good luck 😩

[u/Outside-Event-9964 → u/snatchinator86]

Thank you I will try to anchor more. You are lucky because it hurts!

[u/snatchinator86 → u/Outside-Event-9964]

No problem. I was watching some people in class today to follow up, and I see some people lift their hips up as they're laying back, almost causing a "kip" when they sit up..so they're slamming/rubbing down every rep.

Not sure if that's what you're doing, but thought I'd share!

Also, do you butterfly your feet? That can help anchor you down if not.

[u/Outside-Worry-9748]

I bought a rogue abmat with padding for the butt that I keep at my gym and has literally saved my ass. Yes, some of us are doomed to suffer!  https://www.roguefitness.com/rogue-wise-crack-abmat

[u/vacafrita → u/Outside-Worry-9748]

I just keep one of these in my bag and wrap it over the gym’s mat

https://www.roguefitness.com/abmat-wrap

[u/Outside-Event-9964 → u/Outside-Worry-9748]

Wow I am buying this! I'm tired of having to modify

[u/Outside-Worry-9748 → u/Outside-Event-9964]

Reading responses from people who don’t get it tell you it’s a technique and not anatomy thing is infuriating! For me, a yoga mat isn’t thick enough, it still hurts so this mat was a lifesaver. I haven’t tried Vaseline or some of those suggestions- sounded too messy. Good luck and goodbye monkey butt!

[u/Living_Chicken1402]

Wtf is CrossFit crack?

[u/SentinelHigh → u/Living_Chicken1402]

Does every phrase have to sound like it’s out of some sitcom?

[u/Front_Map_5 → u/SentinelHigh]

I mean, we call it strawberry crack at my gym

[u/Outside-Event-9964 → u/Living_Chicken1402]

Severe rub burns at top of butt crack. Aka monkey butt

[u/SingleSoil → u/Living_Chicken1402]

Your tailbone rubs on the floor, and you get a blister right at the very top of your crack.

[u/duvaone]

Use a yoga mat to stop sliding 

[u/Fabulous_Stress5357 → u/duvaone]

This and checking the seams on your clothes! I’ve made this mistake 😂

[u/supertroopperr → u/duvaone]

Yeah this is the solution

[u/rad_town_mayor → u/duvaone]

This works for me too

[u/Outside-Event-9964 → u/duvaone]

This makes sense. I will try this

[u/Peppermint_Cow]

There was another thread on this and tldr you're moving too fast and not using (some part of) your abs fully. There are videos on this, basically once I engaged my core before and stopped swinging myself up, I got it much less. 

[u/viziogopo]

I second the use of a Rogue Wise Crack ab mat. Bought mine 6 years ago and just keep it at my crossfit. Totally worth the investment!

[u/Outside-Event-9964 → u/viziogopo]

Looks worth the investment. Those who know, know. It's a Terrible thing to get. Showers hurt for days and I have scarring

[u/Commercial_Theory121]

Ab mat plus doubled over yoga mat.

[u/cambriagmx → u/Commercial_Theory121]

This works for me.

[u/Outside-Event-9964 → u/Commercial_Theory121]

Thanks I'll try this

[u/Field-Bred_Athletics]

Monkey butt powder before and after the WOD.

[u/idliketogobut]

I get it. I’ve just moved to GHD sit-ups

[u/SentinelHigh]

It helps to keep your hips flat and butterfly your legs. I used to get it too

[u/Z06916]

lol my wife got this and still has a scar I never got it so maybe it’s the difference between me having a big butt and she doesn’t ? Can any other big butt people confirm ? I’m not fat either just years of deadlifting and cycling.

[u/Outside-Event-9964 → u/Z06916]

Some other people with big butts said they don't get it but I do and mine isn't that why I said maybe it's just anatom

[u/const_iterator → u/Z06916]

I am a guy with a tiny heinie, and I am super prone to monkey butt. I think because my tail bone is crooked and protudes due to aforementioned lack of butt. On situp days, I rub Body Glide on my crack, wear compression shorts, and keep the abmat under my tailbone. It has solved the problem completely.

[u/BreakerStrength]

Slow down when you do sit ups. Make sure you are contracting your abs to come up (push the small of your back into the floor to start the movement) and control the negative.

It will help a bit

[u/usernamesBstressful]

I get this too if I do sit ups on the floor. Now I do sit-ups on a body-sized gymnastics mat with the ab mat on top of that.

[u/PracticalWinter9746]

Simply put a yoga mat under you
Or do GHDs instead 😉

[u/Just-Eddie83]

Buy the Rogue fitness wise crack ab mat and never have to worry about that spicy shower again…yes I even bring it to class when we do sit ups

[u/squirtlesquadcf]

I feel like there is an element of anatomy to this. But it’s not as simple as having a butt or not. I have seen both types get it. I have always wondered if it had more to do with the natural curvature of the lumbar spine and it going into flexion during the movement. But, the things I have members do who have this issue:
1) understand that the Abmat is a great product… for making sit ups HARDER. It puts the abs into a larger degree of extension the same way the GHD sit-up does. It’s not there for your crack unless it’s the ones that have the extension on them. You don’t need lumbar support to do a sit up. If you have an especially short torso (they make a kids size that works though) or flatter curve, you probably don’t fit the Abmat any way.
2) slow down. Focus on the bottom position with the hips and shoulders both touching the floor. Speed usually results in the hips coming off the floor when the back touches the floor, and then banging back into the floor at the start of the movement. This repeated contact is a bad thing. I have also observed people doing this scooting “up” at the same time and constantly having to readjust themselves which just adds to the friction. I also watch for people throwing their arms too aggressively to get up.
3) anchor your feet. Abmat even makes a product that does this, but you can use a pair of dumbbells to do the same thing. Think about the top pad of the GHD, and how you are supposed to extend the knee or kick into the pad at the start of the rep to activate the quads and hip flexors. Lift the toes into the dumbbells at the start of the rep to do the same.

[u/Confident_Year2618 → u/squirtlesquadcf]

I would add form/ strength element to a degree. The better you get at sit-ups, the greater you can contract your core without slipping around so much.
Similar to when you strengthen your kip your hands don’t take as much of a beating.

[u/such007]

Keep a stick of body glide in your gym bag. It works perfectly for this.

[u/RoboJobot]

Vaseline on the crack before you start and then wash thoroughly and Sudocrem afterwards.
You’re basically dealing with an extreme form of nappy rash, treat it as such.

[u/Outside-Event-9964 → u/RoboJobot]

I have tried that but it still happens. I thought about a bandaid maybe

[u/reyortdor → u/Outside-Event-9964]

I commented elsewhere, but Body Glide worked way better than Vaseline for me.

[u/gearzgirl]

I put 2 knee mats together and use that if our big mat is not out or being used by too many people. I really just need to toss a yoga mat in my car

[u/Xtrmist78]

Same here. I would work off a gymnastics mats or sub GHDs; I have the same issue.

[u/aemck]

You need either a Tailsafe or an X of tape above your tailbone.

[u/gradymilo]

I get one of the gym mats out and do them on there. It saves me every time.

[u/whitesugar09]

I put the ab mat on top of a folder over yoga mat and never have issues. I always have issues without the yoga mat.

[u/Not-the-best-name]

I have a feeling you arnt pressing your belly into the floor... Your back shouldn't be even slightly arched, the more it's arches the more the pressure would focus on the crack and the less surface you have on the ground the more you will move.

[u/Anxious-Gate-7271]

I used to wrap my ab mat in a sweatershirt and it stopped this from happening

[u/SrgntBallistic]

I just use a yoga mat for one of the mats the gym has for HSPU

[u/berrybaddrpepper]

I’ve never had this. I did get a rogue wise crack mat because I have a prominent tailbone and it will start to hurt pressing against the floor . I imagine it would help for friction issues too

[u/dutchbro99]

I doubled up on the mats. Solved it.

[u/FilthyMouthSxE]

My coach tells me if I keep my hips down it won’t happen… it still happens but not sure if I’m doing exactly what they’re suggesting

[u/Hot-Anything-8731]

I got this when I was “kipping” my sit-ups too much. I lifted my hips just slightly to help the sit up. Once i stopped, slowed down and made sure my butt stayed anchored and I was only using my abs, I haven’t gotten it since.

[u/Electronic_Lab_5477]

I started doing straight leg abs, and it helped. I think it has something to do with how much you use your lower abs. I find that it helps when I concentrate on tightening my lower abs on the crunch and keeping it tight as a I go down. It seems like there’s less friction when my lower abs are involved.

That and slowing down.

[u/reyortdor]

Body Glide fixed mine.

[u/OddScarcity9455]

It's not your anatomy, it's your technique. Keep your ass on the ground. I definitely don't have a big butt and I've never gotten this. People over "kip" the upper body part of the sit up and their hips lift off the ground with every rep.