Our charter of mechanics, consistency, and intensity, along with threshold training, provides foundational principles that guide how we introduce athletes to our program and coach them daily. Though explained at the CrossFit Level 1 Certificate Course, these principles can get lost or forgotten, making periodic review valuable. I frequently receive questions from athletes that relate directly to these concepts: “I need to go faster,” “My technique doesn’t feel good on every rep, so I need less weight,” “Why are you telling me to go faster?” and “Why did you slow me down during the workout?” These moments offer opportunities to explain foundational concepts and spark meaningful discussions.
This principle establishes a hierarchy for introducing athletes to our program. We begin by focusing on movement mechanics, then strive for consistency in these mechanics and regular gym attendance. Only after developing these two stages do we emphasize pushing intensity relative to the athlete’s ability to maintain consistent mechanics at new speeds and loads.
Mechanics
During this developmental phase, we focus primarily on establishing sound movement execution through slower tempos, minimal loading, and reduced workout volume. While it’s tempting to push athletes toward intensity immediately, we want to provide that enticing aspect in small doses. An initial focus on mechanics builds a broad foundation that sustains future progress. Explain this process during initial athlete meetings. In introductory sessions, you’ll notice that more than 80% of the time is spent teaching and refining movement patterns at light loads and slow tempos, with only a small segment devoted to working out. During this stage, I prefer athletes think they might have done “too little” rather than being trashed by excessive volume and unfamiliar stimuli.
Nearly all session elements revolve around teaching technique and introducing athletes to common movements they’ll encounter in classes. While this is a template with implementation variance, the focus remains on rep quality. Each progression step typically involves 3-5 reps, with total volume, loading, and workout structure tailored to the individual athlete.
Consistency
Consistency encompasses two primary elements:
1. Consistently Repeat Sound Mechanics: Athletes must maintain sound mechanics across multiple reps and recognize deviations when they occur or respond to coaching cues. We don’t expect perfect reps — occasional deviations are natural in development. Once achieved, athletes can gradually increase speed and loading in small increments.
2. Consistent Attendance: Regular gym attendance demonstrates developing tolerance to training stressors. This ensures that increasing load, volume, and movement speed won’t leave athletes overwhelmed for days.
Consider a new athlete with excellent movement quality. While it’s tempting to push them due to sound technique, provide small challenges and monitor their soreness, mindset, and recovery in the following days. Our methodology’s potency often surprises these athletes.
Conversely, consider long-term athletes attending only once or twice a month, or returning from vacation. These athletes benefit from reduced volume and loading, especially in high-volume workouts. Though they may resist initially, explaining the rationale typically gains their appreciation.
Intensity
Once athletes demonstrate mechanics and consistency, we can increase intensity. This doesn’t mean simply demanding more effort; we focus on objective measures: increased loading, faster times, more difficult scaling options, challenging skills, and potentially prescribed workout volume. Athletes have earned the right to be challenged with increased demands. Without challenges, regardless of capacity level, athletes plateau and cease progressing.
Individual Progression Timelines: The timeframe from mechanics to intensity varies significantly. Deconditioned athletes may spend years focusing on movement quality with reduced volume, prioritizing consistent attendance over high intensity. Experienced athletes with maintained fitness can progress to an intensity focus more quickly, though starting conservatively with an emphasis on mechanics is always our go-to.
Progression timelines also vary by movement complexity. Simple movements (front squats) can be challenged faster through increased loading, speed, or volume. Complex movements (overhead squats) require significantly more time with light loads, low speeds, and scaling variations.
Daily Implementation
Apply these principles in daily coaching. During warm-ups, assess and coach proper movement execution under low stress while noting who excels and who struggles. During build-up and final prep phases, help athletes determine appropriate loading, movement variations, and daily goals based on their capacity for consistent sound mechanics. Some athletes benefit from doing less than anticipated; others need additional loading or skill challenges.
Threshold Training Revisited
Adequate preparation and mechanics assessment before workouts sets athletes and coaches up for success. Once the clock starts, we manage each athlete’s threshold — the balance between technique and intensity discussed at the CrossFit Level 1 Course.
Threshold training involves pushing capacity boundaries in both areas as ability increases, enabling you to move faster while improving movement quality. With constant focus on mechanics and consistency, we strive for speeds or loads that allow “A-” quality movement in conditioning workouts and heavy days. However, technique degradations while pursuing speed or load shouldn’t compromise range of motion or safety. For example, losing the lumbar curve in deadlifts is unacceptable, while incomplete hip extension in push jerks is inefficient but manageable through coaching.
This concept isn’t unique to CrossFit — it exists across disciplines (typing, race car driving, music, surgery, language learning). Pushing technique limits with intensity inevitably produces mistakes. Mistakes don’t make us better, but they’re inevitable in development. Correcting these mistakes at progressively higher speeds and loads creates greatness. Without this progression, adaptation ceases. We must incrementally develop technique under intensity’s duress. Faster, but pretty.
Conditioning Workout Scenarios
Athlete A: Every rep looks great
Management: Likely working below threshold. Challenge them to increase speed.
Athlete B: Occasional subtle movement errors
Management: Likely at threshold, exactly where we want them if achieving the intended stimulus. Continue coaching and refining movement during the workout.
Athlete C: Consistent errors or gross movement faults
Management: Exceeding threshold regarding speed/loading. Slow them down, provide detailed cues, and consider additional scaling.
Heavy Training Scenarios
These principles also apply to determining loads during heavy sessions (e.g., 5 sets of 5 back squats for maximum weight):
Athlete A: Good mechanics, consistent bar speed
Management: Likely below threshold. Add loading on the next set.
Athlete B: Slight mechanical deviation during one rep of a 5-rep set
Management: Likely at threshold. Cue during the set, check between sets, continue with the same loading.
Athlete C: Major movement fault (e.g., lumbar flexion at squat bottom)
Management: Exceeding threshold. Reduce loading, especially if faults occur repeatedly.
Continuous Development Across All Levels
Remember that we continuously refine mechanics regardless of the athlete’s level. Advanced athletes may refine nuanced efficiency aspects (barbell cycling) while beginners work to understand and execute basic air squat performance points.
Similarly, threshold training occurs with all athletes, not just experienced ones. When coaching new athletes, we still find their threshold to drive progress, though dose, speed, and loading differ significantly from experienced athletes.
Keep these principles in mind during every coaching session to set athletes up for daily success and long-term results.
