One of the most important things that I believe CrossFit INC. did was define fitness:
“work capacity across broad time and modal domains”
Compare this to the definition on google
“the condition of being physically fit and healthy.”
The CrossFit definition gives us a way to measure our fitness. How much work did we do today over what time period? Did we progress?
This could be a heavy squat that lasts 3s but we had more weight on the bar or it could be running a marathon in less time.
The google definition just rewords the question.
When people ask me what CrossFit is, my response is a little different to their definition (“constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity across broad time and modal domains”)
I say – “CrossFit is everything and nothing. You can go for a run and call it CrossFit, you can swim, you can lift weights, you can jump and skip and do pull-ups. It can all be classed as CrossFit”
Back to measuring our fitness.
What makes us different to just doing a circuit training class or punching the pads for 20mins is the fact we like to measure. After every class, I gather all our member’s scores and input them into our computer system so we can reference them next time.
For this to be successful we NEED to have standards. Every movement has a start point, a middle point and an end point (sometimes the start and end are the same).
If we test how many push-ups we can do in 2 minutes and get a score of 70 reps. In 3-6 months we would want to re-test that and see progress. If only 30 of those reps were full range chest to the floor push-ups and 40 were half push ups then technically our score was only 30. So on a re-test, we could score 69 (but perfect reps) and feel like we haven’t progressed.
The better approach is to find a variation of the push up that we can do full range reps of (elevate the hands for instance). Then when we re-test, everything is the same.
CrossFit has a reputation for causing injuries. CrossFit doesn’t cause injuries, allowing people to do things they aren’t ready for causes injuries. Adding weight to a squat that isn’t full range of motion or performing kipping movements when the base strength isn’t built.
Standards are there to keep you honest and enable you to track progression but more importantly, they are there to keep you safe.
1% improvement every week for the next 10 years will yield greater results than 10% progression this week and an injury next week.
Hold the standard, reap the rewards!