MONDAY

I feel like for many of you participating in the Open this year that it’s been an eye opener for some who really thought they were performing movements full range of motion and “as RX.” It hasn’t been the case, and I hope you finally get it as to why your coaches have tried to keep you all moving safely with the right weight at full range of motion. This post is not only for those being judged in the open. Many of you are not performing movements full range of motion have been coached over and over again but ignore us.  Why would you want to “cheat” yourself? Just do it right. The workout is explained before the clock starts. Coaching cues are given during the workout if you’re not performing things properly to insure full range of motion safely and to get the most out of your workout. I find that my coaching cues are sometimes totally ignored. I know for a fact that if I did things half assed that my score would be sooo much better, but why would I do that?? To look good on Sugarwod?? 

Here’s an article from one of my favorite bloggers, Masters CrossFitter and gym owner in CA, Freddy Camacho,( husband of Chyna Cho) who coached me when I got certified many moons ago. Read it. Maybe you can relate. Happy first day of Spring!

Blog post by Freddy Camacho

I don’t want to be the storm that rains on your parade. 

But…..

I have bad news for you:

“As RX’d” means “As RX’d.”

Huh?

I love CrossFit because it has taken my training and turned it into a daily competition with myself and others. For me it was nothing I ever thought of doing in my past training. Sure, I had to run distances for time or did x number of push-ups and sit-ups in a certain amount of time to qualify for my SWAT team, but I never thought about all of my training being based on a clock and moving pre-determined loads in certain rep schemes as fast as possible. CrossFit brought the challenge of trying to do each workout “As Prescribed (As RX’D)” and as fast as possible. I fell for it head over heals (literally in some workouts).

At first, I moved like shit. I just wanted to get things done fast and then post my results on CrossFit.com to compare to others. Luckily, very early in my CrossFit career I hooked up with lots of the right people, and they called me on my range of motion. I learned real quick that “As RX’d” means “As RX’d”. 

Please note…. I am not singling out any one person in the rest of this post. I am directing this post at all CrossFitters because I know this goes on everywhere.

So now the 50 MPH winds at your sunny Saturday BBQ at the park……..

Just because you attempt to do a pull-up, but half your reps don’t go chin over bar or your arms don’t extend all the way at the bottom, it is not a pull-up. If you have to throw a 20# ball at a 10’ target, but the ball is ever so slightly below the 10’ mark, it’s not a wall ball with a 10’ shot. If you load 225# on a bar, but squat to above parallel, it is not a 225# back squat. If you do a push-up in a true plank position, but never touch your chest to the ground, it’s not a push-up.

Do you see where I am going with this?

AN ATTEMPT IS NOT AN ACCOMPLISHMENT. I will always applaud you for attempting and you should be proud of the fact that you are at least trying, but don’t turn it into something it is not. Lot’s of crazy fuckers have attempted to climb Mount Everest. Many turned back and many others died trying. Only the one’s who actually made it to the top can claim that they accomplished reaching the summit. (BTW-Please do not die during any attempt to do a workout “As RX’d”…..that would suck.) When you turn an attempt into an accomplishment, you disrespect the accomplishments of others and lessen the excitement of when you truly do accomplish something.  

Hey, it’s totaly okay to mess up a rep every now and then. But if you are a person who cares about that little “RX’d” being posted next to your name, take your game to the next level. Every now and then, ask your coach to keep an eye on your movement and let you know if it is not legit. Also, if you hear a coach tell you that your movement is not legit, listen to what they are saying! If I see you miss a rep every now and then, I am not gonna trip. But if you hear me call you out on your movement (especially more than once), I am seeing a pattern that I want you to fix. Pay attention!

Another thing you can do to improve your performance is film yourself working out. Back in the days when I was at my best in doing CrossFit (I used to be pretty good!), I filmed probably 75% of all my workouts. As soon as I was done, I would watch the workout again to count my reps and check my range of motion. Nothing worse than thinking you were badass only to find out you weren’t really so great after all. I did this for probably three years straight. It made me much better at CrossFit because after awhile, I learned to make the no rep call during the workout rather than after the workout.

Legit workouts are better workouts. Keep your shit legit. “As RX’d” means “As RX’d.”

STRENGTH:

2 hang power snatch EMOTM for 12 min

Every 4 min increase the weight

CrossFit WOD:

3 rds:

1 min max reps cal row

1 min max reps push jerk 95#/65# RX+ 115#/85#

1 min max reps air squats

1 min rest