Rest Day 8/4/11
The Importance of (Not) Going RX’d
I’ve been noticing a trend of people trying to do WODs Rx’d when they really shouldn’t be. I know that there’s something appealing and romantic about hitting a WOD with the same weight that Kristen Clever or Rob Orlando would use. But there’s a reason that the Rx’d weights are what they are. The most efficient way to train movements, especially during metcons, is to use a weight that is somewhere in the 60% of 1RM range. That means if you don’t have a 155lb thruster, you probably shouldn’t be doing Fran at 95lbs. You may get through it, and it may take you 15 minutes, but then you’re missing the point of the workout. If it can be done in less than 2 minutes, and you’re doing it in 20, there’s something wrong.
What I’m trying to say here, is that THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH SCALING A WORKOUT. There is no negative stigma attached with doing a workout at less than Rx’d. Obviously we all want to get to the place where we can do the workouts with the same weights as the pros. But this is the best way to get to that point. When you see deadlift 1-1-1-1-1 on the board, you don’t try and do the same weight as Chris Spealler. So why are you attempting a metcon at the same weight? Strength WODs are for strength, and metcons are for building your engine. If you can’t string together two reps at a time with a heavy weight, you’re missing the point of the metcon.
So relax. Check your ego at the door and work within your limits. You’ll progress faster, and be happier with your times and scores. Trust me, I’ve been there. And I’m all the better for it.
– Coach Dan
Next week: The Importance of RX’d Movements!
Coach Dan,
Great point, I totally agree with you.
I would like to share my experience with a particular workout with the team as an example.
When I started Crossfit 2+ years ago I was in what I considered to be great shape. I had just graduated the Fire Academy and was working out regularly 5-6 times a week. Most of my training consisted of traditional weightlifting movements done in interval fashion with Cardio coming in the form of running. I stumbled upon Crossfit by reading an article in Muscle & Fitness about America’s toughest gyms, I was intrigued. I felt like I could easily come into the Crossfit world and be a “firebreather”, how wrong I was. I did Cindy RXD as one of my first workouts scored somewhere in the high teens and felt damn good about myself. The pain that would accompany me for the next week was unlike anything I had ever experienced. I could not believe the pain I was in from the most simple of bodyweight movements.
This experience taught me the importance of scaling.
EX : When Fran came up on mainsite for the first time since I started the program, I decided to use only 65lbs. My time was in the double digit range but most importantly I was not disabled for a week. My training continued uninterrupted because I used my head and scaled down.
By following this approach of progression it took me a full year before I did Fran RXD.
Now the goal is sub 3:00
Set small attainable goals, be smart, don’t get injured and learn from my mistake.
Tom
Totally agree. I didn’t do Fran Rx’d until three months ago. I just wasn’t ready with my thrusters. Now with my shoulder the way it is, I don’t think it’ll be Rx’d the next time I do it, either. I’ll get more from it doing it at 75 or 85.
Pride takes a back seat to humility. I love the desire to hit the big numbers… to get the official score for Fran or Diane, but if our back is rounded or it takes 30 minutes to complete, we are setting ourselves back. It is important to understand what is helpful and what is not. It is important to understand what we want to get out of a particular work out, and what is simply a matter of a pissing contest.
It is also important to understand our shortfalls – what we need to work on – and what is currently beyond our reach. Tom mentioned his list of short comings, double unders being on the top of that list (; push ups are on the top of mine. It is important to understand our weaknesses, but also the progression to make them our strengths. Ask Coach Iz, Coach Dan, Coach Jacinto, Coach Tom, what it will take to master the kipping pull up, the snatch, the hand stand push up, the whatever, and make that goat your favorite movement. Dial in your form and the weight/reps will come.
The voices made me do it.
Okay, okay. I’ll admit. I’m greedy and not ready to Rx. It felt good though. Even if it took me 30 minutes. 😛
Well put. is 60% a general rule of thumb for prescribing the weight used for WOD’s ? I know my times aren’t great and I think they are sometimes in the bell curve. I usually do things as RXed, except Muscle ups and HSPU so i will work on those. I guess what I am saying is how do we know if we should be doing the WOD’s as RXed.
Take each WOD on an individual basis. Talk to Iz or Tom or myself and see what we think. Sometimes you probably should go Rx’d, but sometimes you’ll get more from the workout if you scale it. Think about the point/goal of the workout, and figure out how you can best accomplish this goal.
Like I said before, Fran is not a strength workout, it’s a gasser. So if you can’t string together 10-15 thrusters at 95#, scale it down. If you are moving fast enough to the point where you can’t breathe anymore, then you’re probably doing it right.
Breathe when you’re dead. That’s what I always say. 😉
Can you do this? 🙂
http://vimeo.com/2161232
maybe you didn’t recognize me in that video because of the long sleeved shirt. I’d say the guy stopped the clock a half of a second early. so my real time should have been 1:54 … I actually don’t dream of doing this stuff. sub 2 is pretty insane. I certainly can’t do this in fact I have no idea what my time for fran is. I will try it as a sidecar when I come on friday. BTW i took my new five fingers out for a spin this morning and my calves are screaming bloody murder today, just a 3.4 miler and man oh man is it ever an adjustment.
That kid looks like Harry Potter. I think he’s using magic.
Coming from another box where they did not let you put ANY weight at all until you got the movements correctly, even if it took a month or two for you to master it. You used a #45 bar and worked on your technique and let your body get used to the movement, once you mastered that, you were allowed to go a little heavier and how heavy was according to the coach who watched you progress during those weeks/months.
Cahill – you will know when to do the wod RX’d is when you know 100% that you got your movements and technique correct and you will not injure yourself. I would rather use common sense and go with lower weight with a great technique, rather than RX’d and have my back go out. This is why we have time before our WOD to play with the weight to see what’s right for us and is also challenging without going RX. By challenging I mean you have the technique mastered and don’t go over the cap time.
Coaches may correct me if I’m wrong….
You’re right on with that. The whole point of CrossFit is to get healthy and fit and NOT to injure yourself. Excellent point, Marina, well said.
well I have n’t injured myself yet, and the weight doesn’t kill me as much as the METCON aspect. The market is cratering today and i am thinking about Crossfit. Possessed.
It turns out my squats suck, my cleans suck and I am pretty much immobile. Time to start taking this seriously or just give up and get fat again. Let’s get at it!
Do not give up Matt, your doing just fine.
Get a little better everyday and soon you’ll be crushing these workouts.
Naw… you just need to build a solid base to launch your rocket ship… or something like that (;
Enjoyed the 5:00 Class tonight with Coach Jacinto
Really worked on technique which seems to become even more important when you start using heavy weight and hit a plateau. Focused on our hanging powerclean form.
Squats X 2
185
205
215
225
235
245
255
265
275
285
HPC all done at 145 x 5 x 5
Did a cashout with Kurt and Cory 100 Games pushups with the rest being the time it takes the other two to do their reps.
Had Charles and Lillian in the 7:00 Strength Class, we worked on technique in the press, push press and push jerk. Cleaned up a few bad habits and got some good weight on the bars. Nice Job guys.
Also had them cashout with 100 games style pushups each.
Good form day! Worked on squats ranging from 165# to 230# for two reps each with small increments. Concentrated on where my sticking points in my squat were, and keeping my chest up when I came up out of the hole.
HPC were all at 135#, except for two sets at 145#. Grip failed me on the 145# on the fourth and fifth reps respectively.
PC were at 135# and a lot of fun.
Cash out with the 100 game style pushups… not my strength, but happy to get it in. Good day.