CrossFit hooks so many people not only because the gyms build awesome friendships that keep people connected, but because there are so many ways to see tangible progress.
It’s common for newer athletes to PR a lift almost every time they go heavy, reinforcing that their hard work is paying off. Practicing progressions results in unlocking new skills and allowing people to Rx more of their workouts.
However, training variation doesn’t just offer a whole mess of ways to track your progress, it also keeps your workouts fresh and fun.
Repetitious sports like Weightlifting, swimming or running can have an acquired love out of the pursuit of progress or genetic predisposition, but rarely are they as intrinsically rewarding as succeeding in something new.
The other week we had a new movement appear in class: plank to hands on wall. This was something that not a single person in our classes had done before, but the majority of our members were able to do successfully within a few minutes of practice.
Lastly, keep in mind that although variation is a cornerstone of CrossFit training, we must continue to balance variety and structure in the program. Athletes must have mindful, consistent exposures to the same movements and types of training in order to see the greatest adaptation -and learning- to occur.
But that’s my job as your coach.
Your job is to show up consistently and reap the benefits.