Let’s talk about your training for a second and how I’d like each one of you to take a step back and really evaluate your approach to CrossFit on a daily basis. Let’s imagine, if you will, that there are really 3 criteria in which you can judge your performance everyday in the gym. Now there are a lot more than 3, but if we simplify it for the sake of argument, these are the only 3 that truly matter. And for today’s lesson, your score and your time, are secondary. Yes they matter, but only under the successful achievement of all 3 criteria discussed below. The three are listed below in no particular order, even though I saved the most important for last.
1. Intensity – Let’s go back to high school for a second. Most of you know, before I was your head coach, I taught high school science, my favorite subject was biology, but entertain me for a second and take your seats in Mr. Mahan’s physics class. Intensity is a piece of information that can literally be measured. Intensity is exactly equal to average power. And through a series of substitutions, power can be calculated by the equation Power=Work/Time. Ultimately you want to do the most amount of work (work is equal to Force times Distance) in the smallest amount of time possible. But you already knew that part. The quicker you finish your workout, the more intense it is. You’ve done more work in less time. Can you hit the desired level of intensity based on the workout?
2. Good Technique and Proper Mechanics – Technique and mechanics are like really, really close cousins. Technique is the ability to apply procedure or methods so as to effect a desired result. While mechanics are the application of technique. Simplified understanding how to accomplish a movements and then putting that knowledge to use to complete the movements. Think about an olympic lift. Understanding how to clean a barbell is just one half of the battle, you must actually do it. Knowing how hard that can be, we ask you to do very difficult movements at high reps, volume and/or high intensity. So, how well do you move and more importantly how well do you move under extreme fatigue. Technique and mechanics cannot be measured by an equation, but it can be observed by your coaches and felt by you. Ultimately, better form is safe and much more efficient allowing you to move fast and in turn increase your intensity. Can you maintain good mechanics through the majority of your workout with high intensity while really tired?
3. Integrity – This is the trickiest of them all because to me it is the most important. You can make mistakes in workouts that will effect your intensity and you WILL make mistakes in workouts that will effect your form, but you should never allow anything to destroy the integrity of your WOD. By definition, integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. Simplified, it is doing the right thing, even when no one is watching. It’s hitting full range of motion on all your movements; full depth in your wall balls, standing up on every box jump, hitting your toes on every T2B. It’s not cutting corners on the 400m run, it’s not stopping with :10 left in the AMRAP and it is certainly NOT cutting your reps because your lungs burn, or you want to beat the person in front of you. Sometimes taking the easy way out seams like just that, but over the course of 3/6/12 months, you will see very little improvement in your ability. Do you hold your integrity over your final score, or clicking the Rx button on Wodify?
Looking at these 3 criteria, we can build the perfect mindset to approaching each WOD. If we understand each, and prioritize all three we will not only ensure our safety on a daily basis, we will make certain our improvement over time. Through proper training we will continue to get better everyday and therefore be able to increase the difficulty of the movements, or the weights without sacrificing any of the three criteria above. We want to hit the maximal amount of intensity on a daily basis based on the goal or time domain of the WODs. But with that intensity we need to ensure that our mechanics and integrity are never sacrificed. Now, there will be times that our form will break down, at a high intensity, under fatigue, that is certainly expected. But if we hold our integrity to the highest level, it should occur less than 10% of the time. Through truly understanding how these three things play a role everyday, we can reap the benefits of well rounded, progressive training for a long time.
Warm-up
4 rounds of rowling, each round building on the last.
Round 1: sit-ups
Round 2: squats
Round 3: push-ups
Round 4: pull-ups
Mobility
Mini yoga session – coach led
Major focus on breathing and bracing
Strength
CFP core complex 2.0
WOD
“Break Me Off”
3 rounds; with one condition…
*add 10 cals to the row every round
25 cals
10 clean and jerks (135/95#)(115/75#)
15 box jumps (24/20”)
20 pull-ups
25 wall balls (20/14#)
Rest 2:00
Accessory Work
100 banded high pulls
100 tricep push downs
