Cross Training Workout: The Importance of Benchmarks and Workout Logs

Many times, in the CrossFit gym, you will be instructed to workout up to a certain percentage of your one rep max for a given exercise. One of the problems people tend to encounter is forgetfulness of their one rep max. If such a problem is coming from a newbie, it is perfectly understandable. However, from an experienced CrossFitter, it is totally inexcusable.

Not putting in your score whenever you go through a WOD can be a major let down to your performance. Tracking your workouts is extremely important because then you will know whether you are improving or you are backpedaling. To put the matter straight, below are some of the reasons why recording every bit of CrossFit Workout workout you do on the box helps you.

Tracking Progress

It is simple, for you to know that you are getting fitter, you must have data to back it up. Maintaining CrossFit Workout logs will help you see the far you have come and your consistency in performance. Knowing where you are, at a specific time helps you to gather up the courage to move forward and see if there is an area of improvement.

Learning Fitness Program Terminology

If you are new to CrossFit, one of the daunting tasks you will reckon with is the new terminology. Terms such as TTB, AMRAP, HSPU, EMOM, hang squat, muscle up, push jerk, and power clean, can be pretty confusing to the individuals who are new to CrossFit. That said, when you have a log of your scores, and you make notes about the movements you do on a day to day basis, you will remember most of these terms.

Good Reference for Future Workouts

While it is true that workout logs are mostly used for recording weights and time, you can take advantage of the space available to slot in some comments about your performance. For instance, you may note “I should have pushed a little bit hard on the runs” or “I could have gone heavier.” These short comments can help you change your approach and attack your CrossFit workout differently next time you do it.

When it comes to benchmarks, there are certain things you should know. The most common benchmarks include:

CrossFit Total – This brings together your max squat, max deadlift, and max press. Knowing your back-squat max can help you estimate your front squat max. At the same time, if you know your press max, you can almost tell your max for the jerk and push press. All this comes with putting good records.

Aerobic Benchmarks, Rowing, and Running –These benchmarks will help you know your progress regarding aerobic capacity. Since the rowing and runs are the least fun to do, they are quite useful for lots of reasons.

Gymnastic Benchmark –This is an excellent benchmark, and it tracks the maximum pull-ups. If you have never done even a single pull-up, you can try out a max set with a band and write down exactly the band you used.

In CrossFit training, it is highly discouraged to compare yourself with others, but if you know your scores, you can put yourself on the map and see how on average you are fairly on relative to other CrossFitters.