Purposeful Practice

No, this isn't the same post I put on our Affiliate's blog. 

Many Affiliates write their own WODs; we usually follow the main site. Many coaches prefer longer-term progression, with planned periods of strength bias or endurance focus, written right into the WOD.  We believe in an open road with lots of off-ramps and on-ramps. 

Our CrossFit groups, by and large, follow the main site.  We do other groups - Barbell Bettys, Frat Barbell, Enduro, the Nutri-Ninjas - with different focuses, but all using a CrossFit model.  In each of those other groups, folks can emphasize something specific, but always with the intent to return to the 'main' group. 

The point of such digression is to provide purposeful practice. General fitness can be greatly enhanced through the short-term specialization of one trait at a time, we think.

The important part here is to be clearly delivering workouts with purpose beyond killing people. As the 'boot camp' rave dies a well-earned death, the notion of kettlebell murder is going to lose its vogue. We need to be ready with science.

Does every participant in your 6am CrossFit group know the training value of 1-1-1-1-1-1? Can the guy who finished last in your noon group tell his friends why he was doing ring dips, and why it was worth those burns on his upper arms?  Does the first-time visitor to your site, curiously checking the workout "just to see what this is all about...." understand WHY a 21-15-9 has metabolic value?

You don't have to write the same paragraph every time. You don't need to quote studies. All you need is a paragraph:

"We do max lifts because we want our progress to be measurable.  Our Central Nervous System needs to learn to be more efficient, and recruit more force in less time."

"Today's an aerobic emphasis. We don't do this often. We believe that low-level "cardio" is boring, unnecessary, and high-risk for your joints.  But we like to measure our progress.  And we like going fast."

"This may look like an ordinary circuit; it's not. There's no chime to change stations, nowhere to jog on the spot, and no hand towels.  We're trying to use the Valsalva manoeuvre repetitively to artificially raise your heart rate, creating a metabolic hole big enough to kill off the dinosaurs."

We're going for it. If it spurs discussion in the 'responses' section, even better. 

Comments

[P.J.]

I've been following your blog for about two weeks now and all I can say is keep it coming. As a trainer now at CrossFit by Overload and an hopeful future affiliate I've found your blog very informative.

Keep up the good work and thanks for what you do.