Let's start a discussion...
How many of you guys consistently track ALL your maxes for every lift? How about for gymnastic movements? (1RM weighted pull ups, dip, etc). How many of you spend AT LEAST 5 minutes on mobility post-WOD? How many of you spend AT LEAST 10 Minutes on stretching and mobility EVERY NIGHT??
If you truly want to succeed in the Crossfit program (whether your goal is to compete or not) your answer to all these questions need to be an emphatic, YES!
Here's why...
First... Strength... The most obvious is that this will track the progress you are making within the program and be a great source of motivation... It's also a great help to us as coaches in tailoring a WOD with a lifting movement in it to your abilities... BUT the biggest reason is this... The stronger you are the more injury proof your are! If you let yourself slip on the strength end your injury risk steadily increases as time goes by... Think of it this way... How many runners (I'm talking people that run only), triathletes, etc do you know that are constantly complaining about injuries or have stress fractures/overuse injuries? The answer usually is A LOT! Ask several of the running enthusiasts we have at the gym... Before they joined us they were chronically injured or feeling awful because of how straight "cardio" training (this includes multiple Crossfit WODs) can start taking a toll on your body... Higher strength levels protect against this and will actually your endurance and stamina improve WITHOUT all the extra volume...
Next, mobility... The so often neglected part of fitness since its not the "sexy" thing to do... No one ever asks "How far can you do the splits, bro?"... Those of you I hear suffering from aches and pains beyond normal soreness try these steps in order... 1. Add 5-10 minutes of post-WOD mobility after EVERY WOD (no cherry-picking... EVER ONE!), 2. Every OTHER night do just 10 minutes of mobility focusing on Hamstrings, Hip Flexors, Lats, External Rotators and Chest... Just 2 minutes a piece... 3. Make sure youre aligned right... I'm a big believer in chiropractic medicine because just like a lift, if you start out of position there is NO WAY you're going to spontaneously fix it halfway through... Same thing applies to your bones... Find a way to get adjusted a few times a month and you'll see the difference...
Trust me when I say I speak from experience... I let me strength go for so long when I first started competitive Crossfit training that I now have a "dislocated" lumbar vertebra and two low back fractures from overuse (2-3 WODs a day for almost 2 years) & just plain being stupid about my strength and mobility...
Heed my warning!
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