This is just a quick one to try to snap some of you out of the clock trance you seem to be in.

If you post a quick time or a high score or Rx that workout and your technique is anything less than perfect, then your score means nothing.

Actually, I am wrong, it doesn’t mean nothing, it means something and that something is the injury you’ll probably suffer due to repeatedly doing something incorrectly.

If you can’t lift that weight correctly, then don’t. Wait until you have built up enough strength and then lift it.

If racing against the clock means you are not putting your knees where they should be or putting your shoulders where you should be or you’re twisting or you’re rounding out your back, then there are no prizes at the end of class that will compensate you for your injuries.

I’ll say it again. If your technique is not perfect, then your score means nothing, because the guy who did it 4 mins slower may have had better form.

It also means something else and that something else is that you’re a cheat. If you don’t squat deep enough, dip deep enough, extend your dip, pull up high enough, jump correctly, keep your back straight, swing high enough or straighten your arms overhead then you are effectively going faster because you are doing less work. Now if it were a competition, then you would be deemed as cheating.

If anyone needs reminding of the correct technique of the basic exercises, then I will be happy to cover how deep you should squat, what it feels like when your chin is over the pull up bar etc etc etc. But remember this, I am not your mother, you all know what to do, it is laziness that stops you from doing it and I shouldn’t need to treat you like babies and remind you of the basics, especially more than once in the same class.

If there is one way to injure yourself, it is this; lift too heavy, too fast with bad technique.

If there is one way to impress me and others around you, it is this; lift heavy but manageable, as fast as you can with perfect technique. Now let that be your motto!

LIFT HEAVY BUT MANAGEABLE, AS FAST AS YOU CAN WITH PERFECT TECHNIQUE

Don’t be worried if you cannot Rx a workout. If you cannot Rx it with good form then you shouldn’t try it. It may only need the smallest scaling to make it work for you.

Happy days!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, October 5th, 2011 at 11:54 am and is filed under CrossFit. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.