EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING

A few comments floating around on the web about some of the Games athletes finding it tough to deal with the strongman inspired events.  I'm willing to bet that they weren't so unprepared as to not have touched a sandbag or tire over the past year.  Sometimes it's more the combination of movements, or the time domain that gets people, rather than one particular exercise, or piece of equipment.   It doesn't mean their entire year of training has been a failure, and that they need to immediately change everything they do.  To get fitter as per CrossFits definition, we need to practice a lot of different things.  To be fit as per the Sport of Fitness, we need to practice even MORE things.   But the key is to get the amount of practice spent on the basics, versus the time spent on the less frequent things - the odd objects, and the advanced gymnastics.

When you first start doing CrossFit, the sheer volume of learning can be a bit overwhelming.

Then there is that day when the coach says hang power clean, and like a flash of lightning you realise you know what that is!!

And then there is the day when you realise that you can also PERFORM a hang power clean pretty good too…..

But there are also those dang double unders, and wallballs, and push jerks, and toes to bar……… it seems like there is almost too much to get good at sometimes, and surely trying to focus on getting better at a weakness, is just going to allow other weaknesses to form…?

Not the case.

Because CrossFit sticks to very functional movements, we can categorise almost everything we do as a squat, a bend, a push, and a pull. The last 5-10% is covered by carries, rotations, bracing, jumping and throwing.

And as you start to notice the pattern, and recognise it in all the movements, you’ll realise that when you are practicing your front squat, you are also improving wallballs, cleans, pistols and thrusters.  Box jumps will make double unders, running and kettlebell swings better.   And those are just the obvious links, it’s ALL related – kettle bell swings will improve your running and your pullups too.

The greatest thing about this is that you get to PR.  All.  The. Time.

Everything is everything.  It’s all CrossFit, so keep practicing CrossFit.