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It’s not too often that you come to class and the coach tells you to simply “send it.” More often than not, our coaches are trying to prepare you for finding the correct stimulus by thinking about pacing, breaking up reps strategically, choosing the correct weight on the bar or movements that will allow for you to achieve the goal of the workout of that day. Our coaches know that the definition of CrossFit and its proven prescription for helping all sizes, shapes, and types of people and athletes live healthier lives, is by creating an environment where people are doing constantly varied, functional movements, executed at a high intensity. For us, our definition also includes: in a community setting that pushes you to be better than yesterday.
The reason we are often worried about protecting and finding the correct stimulus is that we also know that the goal is for our athletes to produce the most “power,” so let’s quickly refer to our definition of Health and Fitness.
“Health is defined as increased work capacity across broad time, modal, and age domains. Work capacity is the ability to perform real physical work as measured by force X distance/time. Fitness is this ability in as many domains as possible. Physical output can be measured in terms of foot-pounds/minute. We move our own bodies and we move external objects. We can measure how heavy those bodies and objects are, how fast they travel, and in what time period. Your ability to move large loads, long distances, quickly, in the broadest variety of domains, is fitness. And the ability to sustain that fitness throughout your life is a defining measure of health.”
In order to produce the most power, the time has to be a factor in that equation. It’s why we tell our athletes, “If 15 Deadlifts at 225 is going to be done in singles, choose a lighter weight that will allow you to do sets of 5 at least.” To increase the power output, or the force (weight) x distance (reps) / time. It’s why we may have said one day that “if 15 Cals on the Bike is going to take you longer than 1 minute, scale those reps down to something that will be achievable for you in working hard for 1 minute on the bike instead.” To keep the intensity there.
So, what does this all have to do with today’s workout?
Bike sprints are arguably one of the best expressions of power if you are able to find the correct intensity. Not to mention, it’s great for extended calorie and fat burn, can increase overall fitness and capacity for longer aerobic pieces, can help you get stronger due to the recruitment of fast-twitch muscle fibers, requires your body to use different energy stores than our more aerobic workouts, and more. It’s not something we ask of you often, but it is a part of the health and fitness picture that simply can’t be ignored, especially because of all of its benefits!
Today’s workout is surely going to be about finding intensity, especially if you are someone who doesn’t often get to the point of feeling like you’ve pushed to that point where going for 1 more second or 1 more rep might literally be impossible. But this, friends, is where the magic happens. Today I simply want you to find the line, but not necessarily push past it because these should be repeatable efforts with 2:30 rest in between. The goal here is to find that 90-95% gear for all of :30 seconds, rest, and repeat that for 6 rounds. Circle those bikes up, go head to head with your buddy, turn the music up, and let’s get after it.
Check out the Wodify Client app to see the workout and register for class!
Akin
