As you step into the CrossFit gym, one of the people you are likely to see more of is your coach. This is the professional who will take you through the basics of CrossFit including the movements, lingo, and how to use the equipment. Unfortunately, the flow of communication between you and your coach is likely to be interrupted by class size, concurrent workouts, distractions, and time-related issues. This notwithstanding, you have a duty as an athlete to get the highest rate of return possible from your coaching. Below are some of the ways to ensure your athlete-coach link is always activated. Arrive Early Athletes who are conscious of time and particularly those who arrive between 10 and 15 minutes early at the CrossFit Gym have the advantage of checking out the WOD of the previous class by watching them finish. This will give you a glimpse of the different scaling options, goals, and targeting times for the workout. You will also give yourself adequate transition time to ramp up mentally and get to the right mindset. Converse with Your Coach The best time to raise any special needs or consideration with your coach is before the workout of the day. You could be having an injury or facing a unique challenge in your exercises. Before the class begins, you can have a one-on-one with your coach as you address these and many other things you may have. Listen Carefully When Your Coach is Talking The discipline of listening is invaluable in CrossFit. Just like when it is cold and you huddle around the fire, listen to your coach as he gives directives on the WOD or simply going through the routines on how to attack workouts and briefing on certain performance and standard issues.Repeating stuff takes away time from you and as such, it is important to get it right the first time. Focus on the Details of Movement Progression The goal in CrossFit Gym is not quantity, but rather quality. Learning movements is all about discipline because when you are in a rush, you cannot quiet your mind and your concentration is not at its best. Watch the coach closely as they give cues on the movement. Focus on improving the little, but often ignored details and retain the little improvements so that over time they can accumulate. Write Down Your Cues If there is a verbal or tactile cue that worked out really well with you, put it down in a log. As an athlete, your way of internalizing things is different from others. For instance, you may find squatting against the wall effective in giving you a better lumbar curve. Keep this inventory of fixes. In addition to the above, stay behind after your day’s CrossFit programme so as to pick the brains of your coach. If there are any recommendations or fixes they made for you, allow them to go into more details as they address the why of the actionable cues you put down in a log.

In many training programs, the volume is often overlooked. In case you are wondering what volume is all about, simply defined, it refers to the total weight lifted during the training session. It is the weight x reps at that particular weight x sets at that respective rep scheme for each of the weights lifted during the training session of CrossFit workout. It is a total of all weights. Studies have revealed that volume is a primary concern when training for hypertrophy and strength. As the volume increases, there is a tendency to get bigger and stronger unless there is a hindrance. The more work you do, the more jacked you get. Top Three Ways You Can Jack Up Volume Because the volume equation comprises three different variables, you can enhance your volume in three different ways in your CrossFit training routine. The first way is to lift more weight at the same set and rep. For instance, in one workout, you can do biceps curls with 50 pounds at 4 x 12. In the next workout, you can top up the weight to 55 pounds at the same 4 x 12. The second way is to lift the same level of weight, but this time increasing the number of reps per set. For instance, you can do 50 pounds at 4 x 12 and 4 x 15. The third way is for you to increase the number of sets for every workout. In this instance, you can do 4 x 12 and 5 x 12 with the same 50 pounds weight. Tracking Your Volume As a general expectation, your volume should increase over time. You don’t necessarily have to lift more volume in every successive CrossFit workout, but in the long run, the expectation is to see an upward trend. If your graph is instead flattening out despite you lifting more weight, chances are you have reached your ultimate limits or something could be something wrong with your training. Because of this, it is important to track your volume on a regular basis. You can use pen and paper, a computer spreadsheet, or tap into online services that are customized to make it easier for you to do the tracking. Volume of Strength Training for strength is different from training for size. Strength training brings onboard high-intensity lifts within the range of 1 to 6 reps and over 75% of your 1RM. This is the range that gives you the muscle fiber recruitment and neurological adaptations needed to handle bulky weights. When strength training, the only way to calculate volume is to count the reps you do which are greater than 75% of 1RM. This is more accurate because any warm-up sets are eliminated as they do not contribute anything towards strength training. When you are volume training for size, you should be careful because it can get confusing. Training for size uses more than one part of the body and tracking this may not be easy. For instance, triceps pushdowns and dips are both exercises targeting the triceps. However, since they vary in terms of mechanical advantages the chances are slim that you will be able to lift the same level of weight in both. The solution here is to focus on one lift per CrossFit workout.

Simply defined, a pull-ups exercise is a compound CrossFit workout which engages a wide range of muscles from the shoulders to your back and arms simultaneously. It is also easier to perform in terms of instructions because all you have to do is to grasp a bar with a firm grip and your hands kept apart by a distance equivalent to the width of your shoulders. The initial position is to allow the body to hang freely from the bar. The next movement involves pulling yourself upward to attain the final position where the chest touches the bar while your chin rests on the bar. When pulling, it is essential to concentrate on keeping your body aligned and straight, avoiding any instance of swinging or arching. While performing pull-ups, you have the option to cross your fit, bend your knees, or keep your legs straightened. What you should avoid is your feet touching the floor. Pull-Ups Variations As you have may have rightly guessed, there are a lot of different ways you can do pull-ups while doing the CrossFit workout. The section below explains some of the common ones you are likely to encounter in a gym. Wide Grip Pull-Ups This variation is mainly used to work your lats in addition to your biceps. Performing wide grip pull-ups comprises grasping a sturdy bar with a firm grip while your hands are separated from each other by a distance of approximately two times the width of your shoulders. When you separate your hands with such a distance, the emphasis on working your lats is stronger. As you perform this variation, it will do you a lot of good to focus on utilizing your lats in pulling your elbows towards your rib cage. Close Grip Pull-Ups This is one of the best CrossFit exercises for working your lower lats. Instead of a wide distance separating your hands, the distance is narrowed, and this is critical as you focus on emphasizing your lower lats. When ascending, you should concentrate on contracting your lats while at the same time being careful not to lean too far backward or swing your body. Underhand-Grip Pull-Ups As mentioned by some experts from CrossFit workout, this is for emphasizing your biceps. It is achieved by varying the degree of grip separation between wide grip and close grip. This exercise is done with an underhand reverse grip. The palms of your hands should be facing you during the workout. While in the initial position, try as much as you can not to overly relax your muscles because this can stress your shoulder joints. As always, your legs should be straight, crossed, or bent, but don’t swing back and forth. Gorilla Chin This variation targets your abdominals and biceps. The difference between this and a regular chin is that your knees are bent at an angle of 90 degrees while the distance separating your hands is about 12 inches. To perform this exercise, begin by pulling yourself using your arms as you gradually bring your knees closer to your chest. As you attain the final position, your knees will be up to your chest while your nose will be closer to the bar. Thereafter, lower yourself to the initial position. During pull-ups, your body weight provides the resistance, but as you proceed, you may have to suspend weight plates as additional CrossFit gear for more resistance.