I have been wanting to write a post about this subject for a while, and now, with so many new members joining HG3, I thought it was the ideal time to do so. Hastags: love them or loathe them, they are everywhere. Ours at CrossFit HG3 is #strengthisachoice. I just want to take a little time to share with you what that #hashtag means to me.
I make the following points not to single any individual out, but as a reminder to all what it is we are about at CrossFit HG3 and why.
We all have choices in life. By choosing to train at HG3 we chose to be fitter, stronger, more durable, and overall better than we were before. Although to some on the outside this may imply we are just wanting to make super strong beasts at any costs, the reality is very different.
It is very easy to get caught up in the moment, to go hell for leather in a WoD, sacrificing form for those few precious seconds. To just go those few extra kilos to get that PB before your time, turning that deadlift from a mechanical sight of beauty into something resembling a cat being sick. Just moving a heavy weight isn’t enough: we need to move that weight well.
We do want people to get stronger, to push themselves hard, to strive to reach their potential, but not at the expense of good form.
When I read on the internet all the criticism of CrossFit (especially to do with intensity over form) I remember back to something that was made very clear to me a long time ago. I refer to these as the golden rules of CrossFit. These golden rules are always in the forefront of my mind, and I would encourage you to adopt them too.
Golden Rule 1: Learn the movement: learn how to perform it correctly. Take pride in how you execute that movement.
Golden Rule 2: Become a master at it, be able to repeat it again and again with great form.
Golden Rule 3: Only when Golden Rule 1 & 2 are complete do you add weight.
So, how do I learn the movement and get better form?
- Listen to the coach. If they say take the weight down or to concentrate on a particular aspect of that movement please do so. They are there to help you, to coach you.
- Spend time on mobility and flexibility, warm up and cool down.
- Remember the 3 golden rules.
It is this that sets us apart from a program that just 'chases numbers' and one that is a carefully constructed, progressional, strength and conditioning program.
In the far corner of they gym we have a 'PB and Skills’ board. I like to see this board, not as a place for competition, but as a place for members to record their achievements, be that a PB with good form, gaining their first 5 strict pull ups or performing a skin the cat movement on the rings.
I will leave you with one passing thought. The reason we do all of this, the reasons we take such a pride in good coaching and good movements standards, is so we don’t get injured. So we don't only enjoy coming to train at HG3, but also enjoy, and get the most from our lives outside of the box…because really, that is what it is all about. That, my friends, is what #strengthisachoice means to me.
