With CrossFit and functional fitness, Class is KING for MOST of us…
Why Class?
THE PROGRAM - KEEP IT SIMPLE!
You can achieve incredible fitness if you are attending a gym that serves a high quality, well rounded, GPP program. You should be getting a balanced mix of strength, conditioning, energy systems, movement patterns and intentions. Attend a 1 hour class 3-5x weekly. Move with quality. Scale when needed. HAVE FUN! That’s it.
It is such a common and costly mistake to think more is needed.
If you have very time sensitive or sport specific goals, then you may benefit from some extra training, BUT for most they simply DO MORE without intention, trade volume for intensity, and would be better off squeezing every drop out class WOD’s and then enjoying their life rather than completing part B,C,D and E for the day.
THE COMMUNITY
This is the secret sauce my friends. There is incredible power in the daily shared experience of fitness with others. The power of reaching towards common goals and suffering together cannot be overstated. The energy of the atmosphere in a class is nearly impossible to create alone. You simply go harder and the connection you make with others is a POTENT source of fuel for making progress. I love that I can train in a class and see a 65 year old grandma busting her ass doing the same workout as me! The same workout crushes us both (in a good way) and we share a bond now that is rare and powerful.
There are athletes who can train effectively, ALONE. Some athletes have extremely high intrinsic motivation and mental toughness. They can suffer on a bike or rower, alone in silence, for insane amounts of time. MOST OF US ARE NOT BUILT THIS WAY. We need people, connection, community, and FUN to push us and keep us coming back for more. THE HEART OF CROSSFIT WILL ALWAYS BE THE CLASS EXPERIENCE.
Also, I GET IT. There are times you do not want to be in a class with a coach correcting you or pushing you. You may be burnt out socially and you don't feel like connecting with others. I struggle with these same things!
The simple fact is that sometimes class is UNCOMFORTABLE and puts you in a space you may not "feel" like being in, BUT pushing through that initial discomfort and jumping into class usually always equates to HUGE benefits. Open gym and individual programs may seem like a nice alternative, but they often lead to isolation and disengagement. Our gym is designed to thrive as a community, supporting each other and celebrating together. The fact is data over 15 years has shown that MOST who train outside of the main group classes see less consisteny, less long term training resutls and higher burnout rates.
Side note: If you are a leader in your gym and have the desire to impact others in a positive way. There is nothing more powerful than doing classes with those you wish to impact.
THE COACHING
Let’s keep this one simple. There is no substitute for highly engaged, in person coaching. When you train alone, you are far more likely to hold on to your bad habits, justify poor effort, and train with less intention. In a good CrossFit gym, THIS IS THE HEART OF THE SERVICE WE ARE SELLING. It is not the programming, but the DELIVERY and EXECUTION from a good coach that elevates athletes within a class setting.
WARM-UP and PROGRESSION
Let’s face it, no one enjoys warming up and it is not sexy to revisit the basics on a daily basis, but let’s be real, these components are VITAL to the long term success of your fitness and to your continuous progress. If you are attending a gym that serves a high quality, well rounded, GPP program, you should be getting a thorough warm-up that is specific to that day’s movements and workload AND visiting the basics of movement and technique on a consistent basis. We revisit that same scenario…are there athletes that accomplish these things in detail with effort and intention? Yes, but MOST OF US will half ass the warm-up, float through the fundamental drills, and then go all out in the WOD and wonder why we feel like shit after training
RECOVERY
For most, in order to recover from multiple pieces daily and high training volume, your lifestyle needs to be 100% ON POINT. Your life must allow the ability to support this type of training with lots of sleep, exact nutrition, low external stress, and targeted recovery strategies. Basically, your life needs to revolve around supporting your training. This simply isn’t realistic for most of us due to schedule, responsibilities, and probably more than anything discipline/sacrifice. Yeah, it’s cool to follow the same style program as a GAMES ATHLETE but it is highly unlikely/unrealistic that you are going to spend the hours they spend daily ensuring nutrition, mobility, sleep quality, and stress management are nailed down.
Most of us have the habits and lifestyle that make us capable of recovering and making great progress with class 4-5x weekly!
CLASS is KING for most.
If you are a member of a gym and feel that you need something different…Ask yourself :
Is it worth missing out on the heart of CrossFit? The COACHING and COMMUNITY that happens in classes?
Who am I as an athlete? (What is my current fitness level/foundation) Do I truly have a foundation built to the point I need specialized/individual training?
Who do I want to be? (What are my REALISTIC goals) What are MY goals? (not what I see others doing, what do I want out of my fitness) Are they realistic based on my current fitness?
Does my lifestyle support these goals?
Am I truly maximizing my training time spent alone?
For most, you will likely return to this conclusion
Attend a 1 hour class 3-5x weekly. Move with quality. Scale when needed. HAVE FUN!
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