

People sometimes need to be reminded why CrossFit works. Why is it you were working out for over an hour a day at 24 Hour Fitness but you see better results with CrossFit? You were doing circuit training and running on the treadmill, but now you lift weights and do a 12 minute workout with way better results. How does that happen? The answer is simple. CrossFit has added intensity. Simply put, we put a score and a clock on the workout and expect you to move loads quickly. Likely, working out like this is not something you did before you were doing CrossFit.

People need to be reminded about intensity because often they get hung up on “as prescribed” being the goal of training. Let’s use the workout “Fran” as an example. Everyone wants to do Fran “as prescribed” (RX’d). It’s 21/15/9 reps for time of thrusters and pull-ups. Fran is a meant to be a barn burner. Fast! I’ve always preached that Fran in less than 5 minutes is good. Fran less than 4 minutes is great, and Fran under 3 minutes is awesome. Often I see people try and do Fran RX’d with times well over 8, 9, or 10 minutes. I know that doing it as RX’d is a great accomplishment, but in reality, after 8 minutes, the intensity factor is completely missing. Basically, you’ve spent just as much time resting as you have spent working. You have taken the CrossFit out of CrossFit.

I am adding time caps to most workouts we post on CrossFit One World. Rather than worrying about doing a workout with the prescribed load or reps, I challenge you to try and finish it within the time cap, especially since I am instructing all trainers to CUT OFF THE WORKOUT ONCE THE TIME CAP HAS EXPIRED. Training is more than just trying to get fit. It’s a journey about learning what you personally are physically and mentally capable of doing. When you are new, you likely have no idea how to scale Fran so you finish in under 5 minutes. Keep meticulous records of your training! Did you go too light or too heavy? How did you feel afterward? Eventually, you will be able to look at any workout and know exactly how long it will take you to finish, or how you need to scale it in order to finish AND keep the intensity in the workout. Discovering your capabilities is a long journey, but one well worth it.

One last thing about intensity….. We do not program workouts over 30 minutes at One World. They are just silly. There is no intensity in a 30+ minute workout. Again, too much rest! Lots of folks like the long workouts because they think they are great for their “cardio.” They think that if you sweat a lot then you are “burning calories.” I recently visited another gym and the partner workout was 1 mile run with a med ball, 200 squats with a medball, 200 burpees with a medball, 200 sit-ups with a medball, and another 1 mile run with a medball. The workout took Chyna and I about 44 minutes. I sweat a lot. I burned calories. I accomplished a long workout. In the end I wasn’t tired or wiped out. I was just irritated that the workout took so long! The workout had no intensity. I will argue that doing a 200m run with 25 of each medball movement in 5 rounds with rest in between rounds would have been WAY more beneficial to my overall fitness. LONG WORKOUTS DO NOTHING FOR YOU! All they do is train you to be slow. Rather than some 60 minute kitchen sink workout, try doing Fran under 5 minutes 2 or 3 times within 30 minutes. That will knock your socks off AND make you better at CrossFit.

Random final thought.... Most people do some 45 minute workout then post about it on Facebook. The post usually has a picture of some crazy, delicious, unhealthy food they reward themselves with afterward. Mission accomplished and defeated at the same time. What’s wrong with you people?!?!? Haha.

Keep the CrossFit in CrossFit folks.

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The Bros and Bettys competition brought to you by Diablo CrossFit is happening on June 28th from 8am to 5pm. Atsushi, Chris Robertson, and I are all on a team together. The comp is asking that each team bring a volunteer. Does anyone want to come with us? We will drive there from One World. Email me if you are interested: freddy@crossfitoneworld.com.

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WORKOUT 7/18/2014

Deadift:

4 on the minute for 3 minutes @ 65% of 1 rep max

2 on the minute for 3 minutes @ 70% of 1 rep max

1 on the minute for 3 minutes @ 75% of 1 rep max

Then....

Complete as many rounds as possible in 10 minutes of:

10 box jump overs (M:24"/W:20")

15 pull-ups

200m run

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