The following content is based on the notion that the local crossfit 'box' has some sort of idea what they are doing in regards to programming as well as having a coaches' 'eye'. Can a coach see movement, dissect movement, communicate faults, and implement new movement to better the individuals' (you) pattern. I fortunately have been apart of the CF community since 2007 and have seen it grow almost too fast. I have seen what works and what doesn't, as well as the different walks of life trying to achieve the same goal (however the prescription is not the same). Crossfit has done many great things for the 'fitness' community but there are a few things that might not be so positive. The old saying of 'you can never have too much of a good thing' does not apply here to our crossfit training. Before CF become popular, predominately (mostly) athletes were the only ones doing high-intensity training and weightlifting (real weightlifting). With the sprouting of CF, people started to grab a barbell more often, run with a little bit less volume and a bit more intensity. They also started to do things they might have never done in a conventional setting (not use machines, gymnastics, and explosive movements). Most understand the value of HIIT, however if one is only used to doing HIIT there comes a point where one drops out because their 'gains' aren't coming anymore, or 'burn out' in which they do not choose to stop but their body (hormonally) forces them to stop. This has a direct correlation with 'competing in exercise'. Too much HIIT, too much 'competing' can lead to a host of psychological issues but also physiological. I too like most, got into CF because of the competitive aspect, however when I got into it there were no CF games, no local bumfuck elite throw downs, just hard and honest work with the attempt to go a bit harder than the other guy. Now everyone is so hell-bent on becoming better at 'crossfit', which didn't you get into this to become healthier? The same thing that you started to do to become healthier might in fact be making you unhealthy (in a multitude of ways). Too much HIIT just like anything can overstress the CNS, leave your adrenals empty and elevate cortisol so much that you develop insomnia. For you, you are on the right side of the spectrum. You need some balance in your training along with some progression. For others who this does not apply, they most likely have never sparked a HIIT muscle fiber in their entire existence in a CF gym. These are the folks who typically refuse to have a different mindset, who make more excuses than attempts, and they are the folks who believe they need to 'carb' up for life and their nutrition is spot on. Nutrition is a highly debated topic and this is not the post for it, however the people that have been a paying member of a CF gym for over a year and have stayed the same body fat % …their (your) nutrition flat out needs work. For someone who follows their basic gym/.com programming plus eating a lower carb diet with whole quality foods without a doubt, lean out and put muscle on; It's a fact. These next pieces of information will help you figure out why CF didn't/isn't working for you and how possibly you might change it.
1. Define - One needs to define their goals. Everybody should have something they are training for, regardless if it is a sport, activity or overall general health. If it is a sport the training needs to be directed so to better develop that individual for his or her sport. If it is an activity like Golf, local 'cf' competitions, or running 5k's with friends, the training/aux training should look a bit different than the 18 year old high school football player. Finally, if it is just for health, health needs to be defined. For me, as I get older I hope to be able to run, jump, squat, and pick up something heavy if need be. I hope to not have syndrome X, and I hope that I can go shoot hoops with my grandchildren without the pain train that follows days after. Defining what you are doing is key as well. Once you can look at your gym time as training vs. working out, you are one more step in the right direction. Training has a goal, a purpose. Working out is moving, its pulsing (pilates), spinning, and zumba-ing. But for the person who wants to change their life, one is going to need to accept that Crossfit is completely different than anything they have ever done and should look at it with the goal of being able to lift more weight, run faster/longer, and jump higher. Those are tangible goals that prove you are 'fitter'.
2. Acceptance -
a. patience - You will not get in shape in 30 days, even 60 days. The journey is never ending, there is always something to improve on in the gym and with your nutrition. Joining a local CF gym, they hopefully expose you to different training ideas as well as different nutrition guidelines. There is a multitude of information bestowed upon incoming members, to most it is a totally different language. In my opinion it takes about 3 months for a new member to get acclimated to the pace, movements, lifestyle, and general approach. 3 months is the bare minimum, anything less the member did not give it a shot. It takes months if not years to get ones nutrition dialed in. Learning the tricks of the trade in grocery shopping, how to best prepare food for that meal and days ahead…living out of tupperware. It takes time for the individual to learn how much to cook and how long it takes them to cook. Once this gets dialed in, most of their time will be thinking "What are we having for dinner and how can I get the most leftovers out of it?". After about 3 months following a solid whole foods nutrition plan + Crossfit training, stomachs start to flatten, shoulders broaden, and butts start to plump up :) Again, patience and dedication are all that is required to change your life.
b. approach - How you approach anything is typically going to have the biggest affect on the outcome. Ray Allen is one of the best free throw shooters in the history of the NBA. He would shoot over 100 extra everyday in practice and stated that he would approach everyone the same as if he was in the game. The same dribble, the same spin, the same look. One cannot get better at something if they just take it for granted and act as if it were a 'chore'. I would be lying to you if there are days that it doesn't feel like a chore, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel, right? This is your life here and you deserve to be happy. With anything in life there needs to be a positive approach, if you are always negative walking into the gym, into a lift, or standing in the back cause you don't want to 'fail' in class then you'll never push the boundaries and grow, physically or spiritually.
c. consistency - 3 days a week doesn't work. I do not like the approach that gyms take of buying 'packages' where they member can pick and choose what they want. If the person programming has a bit of knowledge the hope would that people would come at LEAST 4x/week, if not 5. For those who say they cannot, there are truly only a few that really 'can't'. For most I ask, "how important is it to you"? Understand that there are 168 hours in a week. Let's say you worked 12 hours a day (which you probably don't), slept 9 hours a day (which you probably don't), went to church for two hours on Sunday (which you probably don't), and cooked for 1 hour everyday to ensure healthy eating habits. That is a total of 156 hours a week spent working, sleeping, and cooking. That leaves 12 hours a week for whatever else you choose. Are you telling me out of those 12 hours you can't find 5-7 hours a week to train? Life happens, I get it, but priorities must change if you want your life to change. Training = work+nutrition+rest. Take 1 of those 3 out, your gains come slowly if at all. You need to train, eat well, and sleep (7+hours).
d. intensity - This is one of the biggest downfalls of why people can't see any physical changes in their body. They 'attack' for the lack of better terms, 'Fran' with the same approach/intensity as 'Eva'. Fran is a 3' event where as 'Eva' is a 30+' event. That doesn't mean you don't put out 100% effort; what it means is that it takes an entirely different pacing structure. Surely the intensity level must heighten for something that only has 90 reps of a light weight movement and a fast gymnastic movement vs something that has a long mono-structural exercise, and 300 reps of two other things, but depending on the type of athlete you are, strengths/weaknesses, and level of conditioning, all determine how 'fast' you can do something. Carl Lewis used to talk about how to pace the 100m dash, if he can pace, you can pace. Pacing does not mean lack of effort, it means controlled effort. But when it is time to go hard, you go hard, REALLY hard. Pushing past mental barriers is everyones issue. Little does the individual know that THEY are the only ones holding them back from growing, no one else. If one has a pretty decent nutrition plan yet stays on a bit of the heavier side, most likely they put out the same intensity level on a 2k row that they do for a 5k row, which isn't ok.
3. Have fun - If you aren't having fun than training/eating right is ALWAYS going to feel like a chore. Find people you like, make new friends, introduce yourself to every and all people. Ask your coaches questions, go to all the gym events. Research, learn and grow in the mind first then your body. A group environment will surely push you in a competitive way but also in a nurturing way. You also have a coach/friend in me if you have any question please ask. Lift heavy, run fast, row harder, and have fun!
Fixes - 1st make a goal and tell people. If you put it out in the public or to a group of people you trust it is official. If they are good friends they will hold you to it. Train for it and have fun doing it, who doesn't like to see/feel improvement? For me when I get a heavier lift or run a faster mile, it only makes me want more (improvement). Understand that real change in the body comes through the mind. It comes through the honest dedication and self-awareness that you keep on a daily basis. Give it three months and I promise you'll see a difference. We have to start involving our mind into things. We have to be aware of ourselves with everything we do. How our grip feels, feel the balance in our feet. Do we tense up during double unders, or if we fail to eat within a 4 hour period do we crave sweets? All things experienced by the individual need to have a note on it, mental or on paper. Dissect yourself and figure out ways to improve (ask a coach too) How about positivity/negativity? Are you always making an excuse or finding the negatives in things? You are at the gym, you have the ability to walk and run and jump. Be thankful, there are many that don't have those privileges. Learn how to get better and have fun with it! Like I said earlier, 3x/week doesn't cut it. That is 3 hours of movement a week, we need at least 4 if not 5/6. That could be 4 classes a week, a run with your friend on another day and a pickup game of basketball on another. Intensity. Some people just need a smack in the ass, and others need to be carried. What many think is hard, isn't infact hard. Test the boundaries, test and re test. You'll never know your limitations till you fail. If you fail try again, make note of it and go into it with a positive mindset each and every time. Feel, learn, improve, and heal. It's a long process, enjoy the path taken. It is worth it in the end. Cheers!
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