CrossFit Athletic Group

In the conversation I had with Jack Trastevere in 2016 before we parted CrossFit ways, he kept repeating the quote, "I just feel like we need more volume." What he meant by that was the daily workouts didn't have enough reps, or enough movements to get him the results he wanted. I disagreed; I valued higher intensity with less volume.

Cap'n Jack was right, I was wrong.

...........

Enough is enough when it's enough. Take a look at this here picture of our fantastic five thirty session:

4 moms, 5 days, 4 OG college kids, and 2 Babies. What a mix!

There are bad habits we can point out all day, but there is one thing for sure that everyone in this picture has gotten enough reps of: standing.

To be able to push with your legs against gravity, then organize your entire body to keep your hips stacked over your feet is an ability that I took for granted until I started coaching Mrs. Leze. To be able to do all that, then hold that position still long enough for someone to take a picture is something I took for granted until I started coaching the Babies. The reason everyone from Mrs. Lanette to Alyssa to Mr. Kuiper can stand for a picture is because they've all got enough reps before. They also have enough reps with me taking the picture, knowing I like to snap some before everyone is all the way set; Johnny J hasn't had enough reps.

Coaching. In nature, something is done enough times until it gets done. In coaching, something is done in a way that can either fit into the allotted time frame or into the coach's attention span.

This but with 100% more wall and about 15% less Mr. Curtis

Yesterday I said our workout was going to last for 20 minutes. Why? Because CrossFit.com says Nate lasts 20 minutes, and we were kind of doing Nate. It's a man-made, artificial standard for reps. The only thing was, Mr. Curtis didn't get his desired handstand result when the 20-minute mark hit. So he kept practicing until the clock said 23:11, when he finally got his first unassisted kick to the wall (like I said, Cap'n Jack was right). It is much better to rely on your body to guide how many reps you need to practice than a coach; it will tell you when to keep going and when it's time to be done for now.

Applied Reps. Everything we are doing is a product of the reps we've done before: you reading these words and sentences, scrolling down the page, the way you're looking at this screen - either standing or seated, the lens you're comprehending this through, and even knowing that there was a post here waiting to be read.

The more experience I get coaching in settings other than our regular group session, the more I am noticing how there is an abundent need for more reps. More reps of what, you ask? Anything you want to get better at. Do you slouch too much? It's because you're spending more reps slouching than not slouching. Not making your free throws? It's because you're getting more reps missing than making. You have the first touch of a donkey on a soccer ball? It's because you aren't getting enough reps against a wall or juggling. That conversation with your boss at work didn't go well? It's because you haven't had enough reps with tough conversations.

Finding the right reps. A role coaching can definitely play is guiding the direction the reps need to go. If I wanted to get a better first touch so I can beat Conamora, Priti, and Jenna in soccer again, and I'm getting 10,000 reps against a wall every day, Mrs. Teri or Cecilia might be helpful in letting me know that I'm kicking it with my toe every time, and only morons do that so stop that right now! Then after a few "No Chris, like this..." episodes, it's on me to care about it enough to keep practicing the right reps on my own.