August 5, 2009WEDNESDAY 090805
Cara K. of Motor City CrossFit gets intense with her split jerk. Intensity: CrossFit brings it out in so many of us in the workout. But what about your work outside of the training floor? Is there a part of the business side of your affiliate (finance, blogging, marketing, looking for new members, leading your training staff, etc.) that revs your motor? Or is that just nonsense and the only fun part is the training? Coach Jeff Martin (CrossFit Kids/CrossFit Brand X) has some words on intensity that are certain to up your game and lower your times . . . Intensity
by Jeff Martin
This is key: How much pain can you eat? When the misery index rises, what do you do? Having a plan helps. Before getting to specifics, here are a couple of general things to do to up your intensity. 1. Go to an affiliate. I know we are all too expensive and generally not worth it. The workouts are free and we should be too. Sarcasm aside, if you are doing the workouts of the web, the quality of your movement probably is not what it could be. A certified trainer will make sure that you are at least hitting the proper Range of Motion. ROM suffers, right along with you, under duress. 2. Workout with a group. CrossFit turns fitness into sport. 3-2-1 GO! has a different meaning alone in your garage than it does in a park with a friend or at an affiliate. You want intensity? Do Fight Gone Bad at an affiliate. Men will die for points. There is something about the group dynamic that automatically doubles the intensity. 3. Go to a cert. I remember reading a post from a guy who had been doing the WOD for over a year. He wrote about the cert experience that he had knocked three minutes off his Fran time and discovered what intensity meant. 4. Watch affiliate videos. Look at some of the affiliate videos for inspiration, to see regular folks giving it their all. 5. Resolve not to be a big baby. In our box, we have guys who have been blown up working out next to guys who complain when they stub their toe. Folks who have been shot, next to folks complaining about a hangnail. Who do you think works harder? Who do you think brings the most intensity? Don't be a big baby; it doesn't help. We all hurt. Resolve to move forward without complaint. We have a large bottle in our box marked YBF. Spray some on and continue: You'll Be Fine. The Specific: 1. Have a plan for each WOD. Look at each WOD. Try to decide how long each round should last. Shoot for that. 2. Think about breaks. Have a plan for your breaks going into the WOD. Say you are doing Fran and your pull-up max is 10. Plan to break the first round 7-7-7 and rest 15 seconds before getting back on the bar. This will help you avoid muscular failure. If you hit muscular failure, it will take 30-40 seconds before you are able to get back on the bar and do anything meaningful. That's a lot of time spent staring at the clock spinning. 3. Work specifically on a plan to minimize break time. Using Fran as an example again, say that 95# Thrusters are not heavy for you and that the limiting factor is cardio-respiratory endurance. In this case, your heart is hammering when you reach 11 reps, but the bar speed is the same as rep number one. Now you can put the bar down and acknowledge that it's okay to be a pus** today, or you can continue. If you do put the bar down, have a plan: I'll pick the bar up in 15 seconds, I'll take three big breaths and pick the bar up, etc. 4. If you are working with a class, pick someone that is close to you in their fitness level. Before you start the WOD, tell yourself that you will watch them and break only when they do. Resolve when they put the bar down you will do one more rep than they did. When they look like they are going to pick the bar up, grab your bar and do at least one rep before they get started. Be aware that eventually they will realize what you are doing and the game will be on. Who will drop the bar first? Again, "Men will die for points." 5. NEVER walk away from your bar! NEVER, NEVER, NEVER! 6. Understand that every time you put your bar down, you can chalk 20 seconds onto your time. Is breathing really worth that 20 seconds? I don't think so. 7. Just finish it. When most people set the bar down, they wait until they feel better before picking the bar up again. This is a mistake. You will not feel better until the thing is done. Might as well get back on the bar and finish the work required. Little known fact: working helps regulate breathing. The hard part of Fran is the transitions. You're gasping for air staring at the bar. Surprisingly if you clean the bar up and start doing your thrusters, your breathing will regulate. Keep that in mind while the clock spins and you stare. Comments
Awesome post Jeff! So true on so many levels. Comment #1 - Posted by: F@t Boiii at August 4, 2009 8:02 PMThat was absolutely incredible to watch Cara putting up that weight. She's pretty mild mannered, but when she gets determined (read: in this picture), she doesn't fail. Watching this I'm thinking "holy crap, I wish we got this on video", and I didn't know that Vinny got it on the camera, pretty dang good. Comment #2 - Posted by: Matt DeMinico at August 4, 2009 8:05 PMLove the articel great stuff. As a partner in our new box CF West Chester (Holla!) one of the hurdles is the question of what do I get for the fee when its free especially the more switched on. maybe I feel a slight lack of integrity as i was one of those guys in my garage doing it for a year before hitting a cert. Am I better for it? No question but its in the explanation the 2 minute commercial I call it that I didn't have before reading this article. Thx Jeff! Now about what gets me rev'd besides the workouts, its the biz side. Seeing, lurking hunting to gather info on how our surounding box's do it. gleaning the message board for that next kernel of info to better mold how we offer this great experience to the most people possible. In the Emyth Revisited the author speaks of what is your biz's true aim, Revlon (I think) sold hope was the analogy. We are offering a life changing experience and dialing in that in to birng it to as many people as possible touching people in a positive way leads to those peoples positive influence and so on. A lofty vision of a sweaty rubber floored over priced "gym" to live up to...right? :) Comment #3 - Posted by: Steve Wakefoose at August 4, 2009 8:19 PMThanks for this Jeff. I just pasted it to a word doc and will keep on file for future reference/use. I owe you an update email. My buddy George E. will be coming to your CF Kids cert, or maybe already has. Comment #4 - Posted by: Mulcahy at August 4, 2009 8:27 PMDoing the blog every day for CrossFit NYC gets me as excited as training and teaching does. The opportunity to share relevant training, nutrition, and health info with the over 1000 visitors we get per day keeps me motivated. Comment #5 - Posted by: Allison Bojarski, CFNYC at August 4, 2009 9:05 PMGlad it wasn't edited down, good post Jeff Comment #6 - Posted by: Margaret Graham at August 4, 2009 9:33 PMGreat post jeff. Learned some good stuff. Comment #7 - Posted by: Jeremy Stecker - Eugene Crossfit - ecrossfit.com at August 4, 2009 10:23 PMTell me how you really feel Jeff! Love the article. Comment #8 - Posted by: Dan S. at August 4, 2009 10:54 PMWise words Jeff Comment #9 - Posted by: crossfitfife at August 5, 2009 12:51 AMWell written Jeff,thank you. Comment #10 - Posted by: merle at August 5, 2009 2:55 AMAwesome pic Cara!! Comment #11 - Posted by: JD at August 5, 2009 3:03 AMIn CrossFit we try to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Great read Jeff, thanks for all you contribute to our community. Regarding Lisbeth's question I love the creativity that goes into growing a business. There's so much satisfaction in growing something from a dream to reality. Comment #13 - Posted by: Damon Stewart at August 5, 2009 6:05 AMGreat words Jeff. I, not so succinctly, tell a lot of the same to my clients. The biggest - have a plan and stick to it. Next - you're not going to recover and catch your breath. I'm going to get these up at our new box. Nice work Cara. BTW, Matt, what are you using for those metal dowels? I've searched my local Lowes,etc,and can't find anything like that. Comment #14 - Posted by: Amy - CF NRV at August 5, 2009 6:07 AMLove the words from Jeff! So many ways to tackle a WOD, but the key is intensity. There's no real memory of pain, so bask in it. You'll enjoy the pleasure so much more when you're done. When it comes to intensity outside of the box, I'm usually the guy talking all day to strangers about paleo and proper nutrition. I'm completely shy and mostly and a-hole unless you approach me and ask what you should do for abs or nutrition. Then I let loose and ramble on and on and on.... Unfortunately, our box doesn't focus much on the blogging or community side of things the way others do. But if I had my own box, I would love to write as much and with as much heart as Lisbeth does on CF Watertown or Freddie at CF Oneworld. It seems when people ask question on the blog, it increases the responses, discussion, and community involvement. Comment #15 - Posted by: RV-KY @ Underground Fitness, NKY at August 5, 2009 7:14 AMman, even over the internet Coach Martin inspires me to work harder...I was thinking about how to perform the wod today (mainsite). But now I will definitely pick goals and try to stick with it no matter what. It's ON! Comment #16 - Posted by: Aush at August 5, 2009 8:57 AMWhat a great kick in the ass. Thanks, Jeff! Comment #17 - Posted by: Jamie Pardue at August 5, 2009 10:01 AMSoooo impressive Cara!!!!! Comment #18 - Posted by: Joanna MCCF at August 5, 2009 10:19 AMGreat article. Will definitely be linking this to our website! Comment #19 - Posted by: Shana A. CrossFit East Decatur at August 5, 2009 10:46 AMPhotography. I sometimes get more excited about taking pictures of my clients working hard than I am about doing the WOD myself... our daily post is one of the only avenues of artistic expression that I have time for! Comment #20 - Posted by: Russell Berger at August 5, 2009 1:10 PMCara - Awesome picture. I love the intensity you bring to all your workouts. Comment #21 - Posted by: Jim MCCF at August 5, 2009 4:37 PMExcellent words of wisdom and encouragement. Thanks,Jeff! Comment #22 - Posted by: cyndi at August 5, 2009 5:17 PMExcellent Coach, thank you for sharing that. Now everyone else can see what we learn from you daily! Comment #23 - Posted by: andrea at August 5, 2009 5:59 PMLove it Jeff!!!! Comment #24 - Posted by: Jen at August 5, 2009 6:23 PMGreat article, Jeff! So much of these workouts is the mindset you bring to them - you made some excellent points - thank you! Comment #25 - Posted by: Cara K - MCCF at August 5, 2009 6:25 PMThat is an awesome article - super motivating, and at the same time it gives some really great tips on how to cut your time down and ramp your intensity up. I really like point # 6 about putting the bar down adding 20 seconds - thinking of it that way makes putting hte bar down a lot less appealing. Comment #26 - Posted by: Adam - Alchemy CrossFit, Hamilton Ontario at August 5, 2009 7:09 PMGreat article, Jeff. I'll be putting those specifics in play during my wods. Comment #27 - Posted by: BS at August 6, 2009 9:23 AMre: #26 No kidding Adam: Think how many times you might set the bar down in Linda. 3? MUAHAHAHAHA! Or Diane! You could drop MINUTES off times you may have been struggling with. Fran is particularly vicious this way. Comment #28 - Posted by: TexasPatrick at August 6, 2009 9:30 AMPost a comment |
