From the moment I hit the “submit” button to finalize my registration for the Level 1 Certification Course, my nerves increased thinking about the class. As the class drew closer, and the morning of my nerves increased. I’m not sure if it was the idea of having to take a test at the end of day two, questioning if a 42-year old mom with two sets of twins with only one-year of CrossFit experience would stick out in a crowd of 20 somethings or perhaps it was the instructors telling us to get changed as we were going to start the class off with doing FRAN. I looked the lady next to me, wait did they just say we are doing FRAN? My mind was racing as I was pretty confident, I had never completed Fran. I quickly opened Wodify and there it was, blank performance. I thought to myself, now I’m really going to stick out! Well thank goodness they were joking with us about completing Fran, and I quickly learned our class was filled with men and women of all ages and experience. Each one of us came into the class with
difference backgrounds, CrossFit experience, and all looking for different takeaways from the class. Looking back, this class was more than just learning how to properly do squats, presses, deadlifts, snatches and pull-ups. As I look back on my two-days of lecture, here are my top takeaways:
- So, what really is CrossFit? It is constantly varied, high-intensity functional movement. CrossFit is simple, a Sport of Fitness. Our individual power defines our intensity in workouts. However, we ALL need to scale at times to get our near limits to reach HIGH intensity. Why…..to reach RESULTS!
- There are 10 General Physical Skills and complete fitness trains in ALL 10. Hence, why we row, bike, run, jump, do burpees, mountain climbers, sled pulls and pushes, and lift using dumbbells, the barbell, and our bodyweight. So, the next time you look at a workout and get frustrated with a movement, if you’re like me, it’s because it’s our weakness looking us in the face. The fittest athletes have a good balance of ALL 10 skills. Our workouts are designed to help us improve on these 10 skills. Four of these skills (strength, stamina, flexibility and endurance) come through training. To improve we must show up to see measurable organic changing in the body. Another four (coordination, accuracy, agility, and balance) come about through practice. A great example, double unders, in order to perform them we need to practice them. The final two (speed and power) both improve with both training and practice. So I encourage you, the next time you see sleds, running or the bike on a workout, don’t hit the cancel button, save it for a day when you REALLY need a rest day.
- We all have those days where we feel like our name is being called out a lot in a work out due to technique. It comes in all forms, squat lower, hook grip, fast elbows, etc. Well imagine being the one picked to be the “squat” example for everyone to watch and learn during the training class. With a bright red face, I squatted away, concentrating hard and praying I didn’t have a hole on the backside of my pants. Technique is so IMPORTANT! It’s the reason we all were required to take the important On Ramp classes. Proper technique not only protects you, but you need it to reach your full potential in fitness. Therefore, when you hear your name called out, remember nobody else really hears it and that technique is an intimate part of Safety, Efficacy, and Efficiency
- This next one I’m sure will make you all sit up and listen. Ok, I hope it doesn’t as it’s the foundation in all of our fitness journey. Nutrition plays such a critical role in our fitness. NO, Kari didn’t ask me to make this into my article, but having worked with her, I can share that everything she shares with us, was covered in our lecture. It’s so important that when you look at the Theoretical Hierarchy of the Development of an Athlete, it’s the first thing on the pyramid. I’m not going to tell you to make huge changes before the holidays, however, consider making small changes now to help feel good throughout the holidays. You aren’t going to get anywhere in terms of optimizing your performance on a bad diet. The right food and amounts will increase your energy, sense of well-being, decrease fat and increase muscle.
Overall this class was so was amazing and I’m excited to attend the Level 2 course down the road. While I didn’t have to get my first time in a group of strangers, I walked out with a better squat, my first kipping pull up, and knowing that we get to learn and be pushed by the best owners. So, the next time you want to complain about a workout, or get frustrated for being yelled at because you aren’t using hook grip, please remember it’s because you have coaches who care about you. In closing, each one of us needs to stop and look back at how far we have come in our fitness journey. While somedays you might feel frustrated for not being able to go faster or hit a PR, what you don’t realized is you are more than likely motivating another athlete in class without even knowing it. So show up on those days that you don’t feel like showing up, as you just might help some else get out of their comfort zone.
-Erica Erickson, CrossFit Coach
