Talking about practice!

To the person who views health and wellness as getting fit for summer, or who jumps from one 60-day challenge to another, skill based and lower intensity training will not be of much importance. When this type of person is training they are hitting everything at 100% (at a level unsustainable long term). This person has a deadline, they know that they only need to keep it up for a short period and they want results fast (regardless of what it does to their body).

If, on the other hand, you are exercising for longevity and want to get fit and healthy (and stay that way) for many years to come then skill work, and lower intensity training (practice days) should play a big role in your programming!! Have a read over the following to see just how practice can help you.

What does practice mean to you with regard to your training? Is it;

• focusing on movement quality over speed?
• lifting lighter weights w/ less rest or heavier weights w/ more rest? What is your goal for the session?
• focusing on yourself and not trying to keep up with anybody?
• listening to your body?
• focusing on moving in accordance with your long term goals?

WOW, that’s a lot of questions to start a blog with!!

Now that we’ve got you thinking we can give you some further information on the context of our programming.  Each week we will have workouts with different intent. The focus changes from intensity, to consistent movement (start and finish at same pace), to strength, or skill based workouts. Often you can also decide upon the intent of the workout based upon how you are feeling. In addition, workouts that might be intense for one person can be skill based for another depending upon the complexity of the movements involved.  Practice days are scheduled so we are not always training or working at our maximum capacity.  That approach is not HEALTHY.  If you approach everyday full bore, or let your ego get in the way, you are not giving yourself the best chance of improving.

Professional athletes don’t train at 100% all the time and neither should you!

We should view PRACTICE days as an opportunity to improve the way we move. We are looking to get the work done whilst improving our 10 Physical Skills. Put simply, if you have a crap Clean & Jerk and keep lifting heavy or if you are always trying to hit the big numbers, are you really giving yourself the best opportunity to improve your C&J, or your accuracy, agility, balance or coordination for that matter?

Days off or away from the gym shouldn’t mean you go “full bore” when you get back here.

Let’s take a look at some outcomes based on people’s approach to Practice Days.

As coaches whilst we are at the whiteboard or having a “suggestive chat” with you, we are posing thoughts and recommendations to you to best look after your body, get a workout in, get the best results possible, and improve the way you move.

Take a look at this short video on practice and the neural pathways associated with improvement of tasks, How To Practice Effectively…..For Just About Anything simple in Laymen’s terms yes?

The importance of practice goes to the very foundations of the CrossFit program. CrossFit published this Journal back in 2005 regarding the Fundamentals, Virtuosity & Mastery.  Virtuosity is defined in gymnastics as “performing the common uncommonly well,” the same can be applied to moving your body and/or a bar through space. When you are moving as fast as possible or when the loads are as heavy as possible you will not be performing the common uncommonly well.

So, next time you are in the gym and you are not feeling 100% recovered, or you are stressed, tired, etc. then we encourage you to mention it to the coach and to change your focus for the day. You can’t (and shouldn’t) always be pushing your self to your limit but you can always be focusing on improving the way you move.

Taking another minute to reflect on all of these questions above and some new knowledge;

• How will you approach your next session when the coach is briefing the workout says it’s for quality?
• Will you tell the coach if you’re not feeling the best today, have general soreness and fatigue?
• What will you do if you want to improve a specific movement?

In conclusion, PRACTICE days are beneficial in supporting your, health, wellbeing, performance, and longevity. So, focusing on practice each week provides an opportunity to take your health/fitness/training to the next level.

Cheers

Coach Deka