I’ve wrote a few blogs on movement quality for our page. From “moving with purpose” and “pride in your movement”, to “arousal management” and “consistency in movement”. They all follow a common thread as a theme. Quality in movement which ultimately means “quality training”.

It’s nothing new for 306. Our little corner of CrossFit nestled in the north of Saskatoon has produced some incredible athletes. From the onset, the one and only Jason Cain has represented the gym at the highest level of our sport; The CrossFit Games. We have also sent teams to CrossFit Regionals. We have had both Jason and Aaron Parker represent us as individuals at the Regionals and super Regionals several times. We have had athletes represent our gym while competing at the local, national, and world level in weightlifting and powerlifting. Reebok CrossFit 306 churns out some amazing talent.

Who enjoyed today’s workout? After coaching three classes through it, being in the gym for another few and doing it myself, i had a pretty good appreciation for it (haha). We’ll see how my legs feel tomorrow. Keep ya posted on that one. I have to say, i had this blog in mind all day right from the time i wrote it on the whiteboard at 5:30 this morning. “Buy in of 100 double unders and 50 wall ball?! For three rounds?” Don’t worry, I was with you all in thought. Initially at least.

Nutrition. It’s the largest building block of a healthy lifestyle. It’s the base of the pyramid in the hierarchy of fitness pyramid so prominently marketed by CrossFit. As it should be. It is also the most confusing and twisted subject that we deal with in the functional fitness world. 

Aches and pains. We all get them. It’s something I have been helping a few different members in my classes work through recently. As coaches, we definitely want to keep you coming to the gym. Of course a few days off will be beneficial to heal in the acute timeframe but it is so easy to start letting the habit slip away. We don’t want that. We want you to keep your health as a priority. Adjusting movements accordingly will help in this process of keeping you in the gym.

Tomorrow is Wednesday. You don’t have to scroll too far back to figure out what Wednesday’s are (last Tuesday’s blog to be precise).  Like we said in last weeks blog, don’t dodge it!  We need strength days. We need to be stronger. It makes everything else, everything, we do in the gym easier. If you read the blog between last Tuesday’s and this one, it talks about the importance of challenging ourselves with new things. We’re going to mash them together and come up with today’s blog. 

I sat down and started typing out the title to this blog as “How Is CrossFit Different”.  While at first thought, it doesn’t seem that very much removed from “why”, i quickly hit the backspace and changed it just that. I think the “how” is something that we all understand. Even if we have never done a CrossFit class, if we have ever watched something on YouTube or social media, we get the “how”.  No where else incorporates the high skill gymnastics and Olympic lifts to the same extent as CrossFit. Unfortunately, many perceive those movements as a barrier to entry.  What they do not see in those videos - a coach.

Tomorrow is Wednesday. You know what Wednesday has traditionally been at 306?  Strength day. Not always, but in our latest training block it has been. Here’s a little preview for you; tomorrow is going to continue that trend. Wednesday also happens got be a slower day in attendance numbers at the gym.  Maybe it’s just a convenient day for you to take as a rest day and we can’t fault you for that. “Life” has to happen. Maybe you’re dodging Wednesday’s because you know it’s going to be lifting. I have some news for you. 

At the end of each class throughout the day at the gym we record our scores on the whiteboard.  This is done for a couple of reasons. One of them is most certainly not to compare members within the community. Another thing that is definitely is not intended for is breed competition. It is done so that you can track your results and see progress. It is done so others coming in to the gym have an idea of what they’re getting in to. It also helps coaches be able to start thinking about the individualized scaling we provide ahead of time by referencing previous members. It is also meant to bring pride to the person who’s name it wrote beside.  Be proud of the effort you put in that day. Your score does not matter in the least “compared” to anyone else. It is yours. 

I read an interesting article recently entitled “Why Nutrition Science is So Confusing”.  I could not have agreed more with the title of it so it caught my eye right away. Ever flipped through any news stand “fitness” magazine and read about this months new-fad diet?  Ya, actually neither have I but I have seen the covers of them sitting there haha. We are constantly bombarded with the next “great thing” in nutrition. In our ever-on social media age (read the last blog if you have not already!), its all too easy for an “expert” to throw out their amazingly new knowledge-bomb for the world to see. 

CrossFit works. As a training methodology it produces very fit individuals. To whatever that outcome looks like on varying degrees, it works. If the goal is to be a high level athlete, training in CrossFit will definitely help get you there. If the goal is to be able to walk when you are 80, training in CrossFit will also help you get there. One of the biggest keys to success within CrossFit training is the “focus”. 

First, welcome back!  This is my first blog of a whole new year in a whole new decade. My records tell me this is blog #95; approaching that century mark. I certainly do not claim to be an expert in any area and I get as much growth out of researching topics and ideas to pass along to you, as hopefully, you get out of them. I always try to find a balance of topics; be it mental or physical, to try and better ourselves in fitness so that we are able to better ourselves in life. Thanks for sticking with me and here’s to the start of a new year worth of information to help you on your journey. 

First, let me say Merry Christmas to everyone. Thank you for making Reebok Crossfit 306 a part of your life. As a coach, I feel blessed to be able to call the people I get to spend an hour of my day with friends.  I hope you enjoy the hour of your day that you invest in your fitness and health and value it as much as I do. 

Today’s blog topic: Arousal Management. *cough cough* And now that I have your attention... I also have all “those” innuendos out of the way so we’ll be mature from here on out. 

I have the day off work. Once the 7am social media posts get out into the world, it won’t be a surprise to anyone (haha).  I hope you all had a designated driver to get yourselves home at 8 in the morning!  Anyways, having the day away from coaching allowed me to get in to the gym and work out with our FitOverFiftyYXE group. Usually I am at the helm of the group but Rebecca stepped in today. I got to do the entire class with them, which was most excellent. Thanks for allowing to be on the other side of the “PVC”, we shall say, Rebecca and thanks to the group for the amazing workout. 

As a rule for myself, I usually try and stay away from any of the “political” side of Crossfit in these blogs. You may or may not know that Crossfit has a very active “team” of people at Headquarters who spend a ton of time, and money, both challenging and defending ideas around health and fitness. They do not shy away from a fight and will defend their stance with the full corporations might. Last week a close to six year long battle came to an end in a courtroom after literally millions of dollars in legal fees and proceedings. I thought this one was worth sharing as it plays directly in to what we do at 306 and bringing in new members, as well as retaining current ones. 

We have all seen a some “great feat” at sometime in our life. Whether it be athletically, in business, in our personal life, whatever. Something that has “wowed” us. Regardless of what it was, one thing all those amazing feats had in common was a tremendous amount of focus to make them happen. They didn’t happen by accident and they didn’t happen without effort.  

Never be disappointed in your efforts. Having bad technique on clean twenty-three in a twenty-four rep clean cluster is not something to shake your head about. You have found your technical limit and now you know where you have to really start with the “intensity”. The person who has 50 pounds more loaded on the barbell and makes them all look easy and pretty is not working at the same “intensity” and therefore not improving as much as you.