Lots of our members have been doing or are becoming interested in competitions lately so I thought I’d write a bit about my experiences and how to make sure you are prepared.
First of all, we should address the “why” behind competing in CF. I feel like most everyone would benefit from going to one of these competitions in one way or another. Be that as a spectator or a competitor. There is just something about surrounding yourself with likeminded individuals. Getting out of your comfort zone and being part of all the people pushing their limits. I highly recommend the experience. The closer you can get to the action the better!
Let’s talk about being a competitor specifically. There are typically three reasons I feel you should compete. Reason one is to find your limits. Some people just don’t know how to push it and how deep into the pain cave they can go. A comp can be a good way of making you go there striving for that one last rep in every workout. It gets you out of your comfort zone and can be really eye opening to what you are capable of. Think of a comp as your grand performance (I’ve written past blog posts along these lines). You are able to really showcase what you are capable of and get instantaneous feedback. A reality check is good for us all at times.
A very similar reason is for the athlete that just does not get the push at their gym. I am a big fan of the saying “surround yourself with the people that you want to be like”. These people will enter comps more regularly just for that push. It can become too easy to put yourself on cruise control when out in front. Putting yourself on autopilot in a workout does not push your limits of fitness upwards. Keep in mind this is also the reason why you will see so many Games athletes move halfway around the world to train with other games athletes. They need that push day in and day out. For most of us mere mortals this is not an option, so entering comps on the weekends more frequently may be a good substitute for some. Luckly, I do not think that anyone at our gym falls into this category.
The last reason is my favorite of all! We do it for fun! It’s great to hang out with friends and forge memories that will last a lifetime. Some of my best stories are from comps that I have participated in with my friends. Even more of those are from the training that leads up to the day of the comp. This is the good stuff people!
Do not enter comps as your main means of training. They should be learning event you can look back on and grow from in one way or another. They should not be pressure packed stress ridden days that leave you dreading the next one. We train at the gym every day. We enter comps to take a test, to learn and grow. Please keep this in mind.
Now let’s talk briefly about how to prepare. You are not going to learn something in a flip of a switch. Give up on striving for that right now. You can more improve your technique and efficiency for a specific set of movement patterns that you will be using in a handful of workouts that show up on comp day. What do I mean by this? If you only practice butterfly pullups because pullups are coming up in a comp you entered 4 weeks from now, you will not see much improvement between now and then. The odds of you magically becoming a ninja on the day of the comp are very low. Will you improve… yes, and that is what we want. However, the point that I’m trying to make is that you should be practicing these skills all along. Your clean will not magically go from 200lbs to 300lbs because you are in a comp. What you should work on however is efficiency and solid movement patterns so that you can fully tap into all that extra energy on comp day and reach new heights. Maybe, luckily, hit a new PR.
Here is what I recommend. Do as many movements as possible with PERFECT technique at the maximum effort that allows that PERFECT technique leading up to the comp. I’m not saying burn yourself up. I’m saying move very well with a renewed effort so that on comp day you don’t even need to think about it. A no-rep in a comp can be devastating! If you are on a team, make sure to work with your team members so that on game day the transitions and movements are second nature. Not a forced effort. As you read the last paragraph (go back and reread if needed) you should see that my advice is really to always move like you do in a comp. You should train when you’re training and compete when you are competing. Do not mix the two.
Oh, one last thing. Make sure to talk to your coaches. We are here to help and want to see you all succeed.
Regarding this programming. It’s yet another great week of training. ?
See you at the Box CFD!!!
PS – Murph is only 31 days away… ? (That’s one month all)
Announcements:
CFD Gear Order
The order closes on May 2nd. We will not be able to add on so get your order in before it closes.
Four-tified
Block off your calendar for May 22nd. CFD will be hosting its first external competition! You don’t want to miss this one! ?
We are looking for volunteers to help out the day of the competition. A Facebook pose was made with a signup sheet. If you don’t want to complete this is a great way to have a front row seat to all of the action and see some amazing athletes in action. We need people to be judges, help with equipment setup, and a variety of other tasks. If you’re interested and willing to help, please let Chris or Kelly know and/or sign up via the FB link. Thanks!
Sign up NOW if you are interested in competing. We’re getting close to the deadline!
Here are the lifts of the week:
- Monday – Deadlift
- Tuesday – WOD
- Wednesday – “The NCFit Cinco”
- Thursday – METCON
- Friday – METCON
- Saturday – Bear Complex then “CLOUDKICKER”
- Sunday – Open Gym
