Quality Increasing Quantity
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the speed and intensity side of CrossFit. Don’t get me wrong, I myself love that part of it. I am a sucker for the butt-kicking feeling I get from CrossFit and truly think that out of all that is out there, I really can’t see myself gaining the same type of overall fitness doing anything else. That being said, enjoyment and the longevity of doing CrossFit and most any other physical activity is largely determined by how well you move or take the time to move well throughout your journey. While many of you have known this for some time or maybe learned the hard way down the road (I am one of them), I can’t stress enough about “quality first”. This statement comes off pretty monotonous and is often taken as serious as you listening to your parents repeatedly say “be careful out there”. To further drive home the importance of Quality BEFORE quantity, also think of Quality INCREASING Quantity.
From a workout perspective, getting a better score in a given time is really determined by how well you managed your work. The more efficient mover, the less drop off, therefore, more work. The more efficient the mover, the more pounds you lift. Now, in CrossFit, you might see folks BLAST through the workout super fast while moving terribly to get a good score or heavier weight at a given moment in time, but at some point, whether it’s a year down the road or sooner, the poor mechanics will halt and limit work output. You then fall into that category of “limited by technique”. Maybe that limitation is just some pounds on the bar or seconds off time, but those who spend more time to master the movement will surpass the poorer mover in overall capacity down the road. Think of all those opportunities in training!
The last and I think most important INCREASE a quality mover gets in any fitness endeavour, is the amount days, months, and years of being healthy enough to stay physically active. Think of all time dealing with nagging joint pains or problems throughout your year. While this seems obvious for beginners in preparation to dive into any new physical activity, it’s also a good perspective for many seasoned fitness goers that have maybe too quickly chalked up their plateau in gains to, “I just can’t do this stuff anymore”. Be patient. It’s not too late to re-learn!
Had a run in with this kind of situation. My awesome front rack mobility led to some less than pleasurable golfers elbow in both elbows. It made me realize I needed to step back and focus on movement quality as well as mobility instead of always pushing weight or intensity. Even after years of doing CrossFit its not too late to step back and gain a new perspective. Good post JB!