Friday 150102

6 types of Strength Diary users...

One of the most important aspects of CrossFit is that it is "measurable and repeatable." If you perform the WOD "Cindy" (5 pull ups, 10 push-ups, 15 squats in 20:00) today and get 18 rounds, and do it again in 6 months and get 20 rounds, you can say definitively that you are now more fit. Our workouts have a defined range of motion, a prescribed weight, a specific number of rounds or reps. When you record the rounds, weight or reps you get on a workout you are measuring your fitness. Recording your score, time or weight isn't just for competitive athletes, it's for those of you just looking to improve your fitness too. The feedback those numbers give you will tell you where you are improving, and what areas need some more attention. It's also very motivating to see that you're making progress and that hard work is paying off! It is my hope that more of you will use the (FREE) app Strength Diary which is updated daily with our WOD and provides a very easy way to keep track of your lifts, benchmarks, and WOD times. As coaches, we also look at the numbers to see how the athletes are progressing and where we need to focus to help you get better. With that being said, here are the 6 types of Strength Diary Users...

1. Only Posts When He/She Wins
You didn't even know this person used Strength Diary until a WOD popped up in their wheelhouse, and now their name is at the top of the screen! They don't make another post again for weeks until it happens again. Check your ego at the door! No one likes a poor sport, post when you finish dead last too.

2. Never Posts
"I'm just trying to get a good workout." "I don't want anyone to know how bad I did." "I'm not trying to be competitive." "I forgot." These are all excuses I hear for not posting, and none of them work... Be accountable to the community and you might find out that you get a bit stronger, move a little faster, and become a bit more fit!

3. Posts Scaled WODs under RX
There is a male button, and a female button, these should need no explanation. There are also RX and Scaled buttons. If you do the WOD with NO MODIFICATIONS of weight, reps, time, range of motion, etc, it belongs under RX. If you sub a row for a run, do GHD's instead of Toes to Bar because your hand was torn, or alter the WOD in any way, post under Scaled, even if you're a bad ass who almost always RX's the WOD. Don't be too proud to post under scaled, there is guaranteed to be times when scaling a workout is necessary, and it still makes sense to record what you're doing.

4. Posts an Excuse
As I look through the results I see what seem like excuses quite often. These range from "elbow pain" to "felt like caca" to "working on form." I'm not sure if these notes are for everyone else who sees the score, or for the individual who posted them, but I think they're unnecessary. Do the WOD, make the lift, record the numbers. The numbers speak for themselves. I would like to see more athletes note a PR, however.

5. Strength Diary Police
"Did you see what so-and-so posted?" "Did so-and-so really do that WOD that fast?" This is not productive. I'm sure that after reading this article everyone will be posting regularly, and in the right spot, but if not, don't sweat it, and don't waste your energy worrying about it. Also, if someone is not recording their weight or reps correctly it is that person who will suffer, not you.

6. Perfect Poster
This athlete records their lifts and WOD times as regularly as they show up to the gym. When I ask them what their 5 rep Front Squat is, they know or can look it up quickly. They know how fast they have to go on "Jackie" in order to set a PR. They know how to appropriately scale a WOD that is too heavy because we've done something similar and they have notes about it. When they PR, it's in the notes. When they have to scale a WOD, it's under scaled, when the RX, they're excited to post with the "big dogs." Sometimes they are at the top, sometimes at the bottom, but they're always there.

Be a Perfect Poster in 2015!

Push Jerk 3x10

AMRAP IN 12:00:
10 Deadlift, 275#
20 Chest to Bar Pull ups
40 Double Unders

EC- 3 rounds:
40' Handstand Walk (or practice)
10 Alt. Front Rack Lunges, 155#