WRITTEN BY ROB, HEAD COACH AND OWNER OF RAW STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING.
Crossfit these days is a legitimate sport. There are qualifications, finals and then the Games.There is an off season (different for everyone depending on what stage of the competition you progress to) and smaller competitions in the off season.
By now you should have already completed a recovery period of lower intensity and volume, to ensure that your body recovered from the rigors of Open season.
I have huge problems with people finishing their season and banging straight into hard training. I completely understand that people are full of motivation!
“I have to work on my strength, the open was heavy this year, I have to get stronger.” “I have to work on my skills. I have to get better”
Yes, I agree, but you need an off season!
Some words of wisdom from a seasoned athlete, a stubborn man but what I would like to think a wise and knowledgeable coach.
This is what I encourage ALL athletes to do.
FIVE TIPS FOR THE REST OF 2018
REFLECT
Take time to analyse your performance. Not only what you did wrong but just as importantly what you did right.
Everyone wants to work on their weaknesses. If you put too much focus on these aspects however, you risk your strengths becoming new weaknesses.
SET GOALS
Have a look at upcoming event calendars and set out to train for some competitions.
Putting all your eggs into a 5 week basket for the Open isn’t the way to go.
Ask your coach about local Crossfit competitions and events you can be a part of.
NUTRITION
You have to get your nutrition sorted!
Source an expert with actual qualifications and someone that will help you as an individual.
Do not go for the prototype one size fits all programs. At RAW we have a great diet guru, Libby, who creates a full on meal plan, recipes, meal timings and everything that will be based around your training volume and lifestyle.
If you are interested in her services, please shoot me an email here.
PREHAB/REHAB
Always ensure that you are taking the necessary breaks from high volume, high workload, high intensity workouts.
Take the time you need to get over injuries and niggles. If you fail to do this you won’t be able to prepare for your body for the coming training and it will be a vicious cycle.
Don’t carry niggles!
LIFE BALANCE
Don’t put all your energy into Crossfit.
Doing 3 sessions a day, 6-7 days a week is not a sustainable strategy.
A well targeted, structured and balanced approached looking at the whole picture of health, balance and performance is better than just training for hours and hours on end doing the same thing.
The time you do spend training should be intense, dedicated and focused.
It isn’t about the time spent in the gym, it’s about how you spend that time. Get in there. Get it done. Go home.
Make sure you enjoy life too, do things that you are interested in that aren’t related to Crossfit. That goes for training too. Mix it up.
Sprint. Carry. Use different equipment. Go for a swim to New Zealand.
Take your time to set some goals, do some personal reflection, do some different stuff, find a coach and set out a competition calendar. If you’d like any help regarding goal setting, competitions or training just shoot me an email.
