How to Optimize your hour of CrossFit

More isn’t better. Better is better.

3%.

That is how much time you spend training CrossFit on average (if you already attend 5x per week!).

It’s not much, but those 3% are likely to yield much more health benefits than any other activities in your life. In exchange for 3% of your lifetime, you get to:

So, you are already making the right choice. You are getting (at least some of) these benefits.

However, there are ways you can make your hour of training more efficient. Time is money, right? So how can you “invest” those 3% in the best possible way?

The answer may surprise you (or not).

Listen. To. The. Coach.

She/He knows better. End of story.

Be intentional.

That might not always be possible. After all, you’re also coming to relax, have fun and de-stress. You may not want to overthink your workout and strategize every single detail of it. That’s fine, and we coaches can do that for you.

But if you really want to get the best out of your hour, have a plan. Move with intention and focus. Reinforce your mind to body connection in the warm-up. Be aware of your body in the strength and skill part. Create a game plan for the METCON; pick one movement to focus on, or one objective to achieve in that specific session.

Design your hour so it best fits your needs, fills your gaps and works on your weakness(es).

Be Coachable. Always.

You’re already attentive and disciplined when the coach is talking? Great. Step one: done! But that is the easy part.

When the clock starts and you begin your long-awaited METCON (for Metabolic Conditioning, aka the “intense” part of the session), it all gets blurry, and your ears and brain just shut down. It’s only you, that barbell and those goddamn thrusters and pull-ups (F** you, Fran!).

But it is during these moments that you should be the most “coachable”. Essentially, intensity does not always prevail - if the coach asks you to slow down, slow down. It is for your own benefit. Listen to what she/he has to say and do your best to apply the cues that were given to you.

I can guarantee that NO COACH EVER is trying to sabotage you (at least, not at White Bull CrossFit). We want what’s best for you. So, next time your coach is telling you to stop, remove 5kgs from the bar, or focus on engaging your kip with your shoulders, well… do it 🙂

Respect yourself (and others).

Flash news: you’re not going to the games. You’re not competing. You are here to have some fun and get fitter, stronger and better. However, that process is hindered if you’re not doing the work.

You owe it to yourself to count and do all the reps. Whether you’re missing reps intentionally or unintentionally, you have a responsibility to complete the entire workout. After all, why are you coming? To be on top of the leaderboard and satisfy your ego, or to get progressively a little better?

Nobody cares that you finish 10 minutes before everyone else - and you won’t get a medal for it. But no one likes a cheater. Because, yes, everybody knows you are (if you’re cheating). So you’re not only losing/jeopardizing the favors and respect of other members, you’re also building yourself quite a negative reputation in your box.

If you’re amongst the people who genuinely struggle to count correctly, I would still urge you to make a conscious effort to count properly. Maybe record yourself once in a while, or ask your coach to count your reps. Every workout is designed to achieve a specific stimulus, and by not following it you are missing out on the benefits of said workout.

Magic happens outside the gym.

If I can leave you with a final thought, it would be this one:

When you leave the gym, you are actually less fit than before. You’ve just created damage to your muscle, and huge stress to your central nervous system. Good stress, surely, but stress, nonetheless. Your body will adapt so it can better deal with that stress next time - but this can only happen with sufficient recovery. Recovery includes proper nutrition, good sleep, and hydration. To be continued…

Yours Truly,

Boris C.