One of the biggest differentiators I see between truly competitive CrossFit athletes and athletes stuck in that perpetual intermediate stage is the ability to hold a sustainable long-term program. Genetic gifts aside, what sets people up for success is being able to show up consistently and perform foundational patterns phenomenally well.
Partly due to the insane breadth of skills and challenges in CrossFit, many athletes end up rushing ahead past developing exceptional basics.
This can look like:
Consistently overshooting percentages on barbell work (“75% feels too light, I should add more on”)
Aiming for high-intensity, workouts every day as opposed to being strategic with your intensity weekly and intelligently scaling as needed so you can reach truly high intensity on your most valuable training days.
Rushing through handstand walking practice with a giant banana arch position instead of taking the time to develop a solid freestanding handstand that can be held for an extended time.
Rushing to buy a speed rope because they’re convinced that new gear is what will develop their sense of rhythm and calf strength for solid double under technique.
Opting to fully ignore strict pull-up strength development while chasing bar muscle ups and kipping chest bars, then wondering why they’re stuck at singles for months or years
My personal Pet Peeve: Any form of push-ups where a range of motion is being curtailed in favor of the never-ending addition of extra GHD pads for handstand push-ups
This is where a solid coach, flexible programming, and a larger “fitness-care” team are invaluable to competitors. Athletes who shine year after year understand what it means to make an investment in their sport like CrossFit.
They also understand how invaluable investing professional expertise is. Fitness-forward physical therapists, dietitians who understand the rigors of athletic development, athletic massage therapists, and more are all game changers when it comes to keeping athletes fully prepared for their training and being able to maintain effort despite the unexpected curveballs that life throws.
If you’re serious about your passion for CrossFit, then it can help to do some serious self-reflection and consider two things.
First, that to neglect outsourcing for expert help is self-sabotage. The answers to your frequent pain and mobility issues aren’t going to be satisfactorily solved by generic social media exercises or your buddies’ routines that they were excited to show you.
Secondly, consider that your competitors do recognize the importance of this approach. They are getting frequent checkups on how to manage their shoulder and backache, and they are learning more and more about how to treat their issues with the best and research-supported techniques.
You don’t need to be plateauing on the same stretch routine before every class hoping that the aches or pains will eventually go away! See the difference between a visit to visit and walking out with a set game plan for your rehab like you would with any lifting cycle for the next few months!
Reach out to us if…
You aren’t sure what issues are leading to your pain.
Pain is limiting your daily function or not improving after 2-3 weeks of self-care
You have had multiple episodes of pain and want to find a long-term solution to stop recurring flare-ups.
Your performance is limited and the usual Instagram exercises have plateaued!
Interested in a well-rounded and in-depth approach to addressing your pain and meeting your performance goals? Call or text us at 562-502-1767 to schedule a free phone consultation and come in for an evaluation!