Are you working at your training threshold?

 

Well, let’s define it first. Your training threshold is the line between your moving mechanics and crossing into a new level of intensity (weight/speed/etc).

 

As athletes, the goal is to always be better (at least I hope it is). As a coach, I love seeing people showing up for themselves and WANTING to be better.

 

What I hate to see is when the desire for the process gets lost. Going from A and getting to Z is exciting but there are 24 other letters that need to be built upon before we can say “let’s go for Z!”.

 

And I am sorry but not sorry,

just because you can throw the weight overhead or do a few, what kind of look like kipping/butterfly pull ups, doesn’t mean you should be.

 

There are progressions for a reason. They are to make sure your body has the level of, not just strength, but also the mobility, stability, flexibility that is truly necessary to move in more intense ways, be efficient, and avoid injury.

 

So how do you stay focused on the path and staying on and around that line of YOUR training threshold?

 

RULE NUMBER ONE: Break it off with your ego. He/She is bad company.

 

RULE NUMBER TWO: Listen to your coach. Ask your coach questions. Have a one on one about your goals with your coach. We are here for that and YOU.

 

RULE NUMBER THREE: Mechanics > Consistency > Relative FOCUSED Intensity.

 

Every movement has a series of points of performance or POP. These POP are the mechanics of the movement. You should always strive to master these mechanics and ensure you are hitting the POP of said movement. Once this is achieved you begin working to consistently move through these mechanics at a given weight, at given progression, for X Number of reps in a row etc.

 

Then, and only then, do you begin to increase the intensity that is relative to you- weight, speed, volume, capacity, and/or the next progression. Continue this pattern over and over. Master mechanics consistently, increase intensity, master mechanics consistently, increase intensity.

 

Every day is NOT game day.

Competitions, The CrossFit Open, Baseline WODs and test days; those are game days. That’s when you go all out, that’s when you hit that redline, that’s when it’s ok to go well beyond your training threshold.

 

But every other day, that’s when you put in the work. That’s when you humble yourself. That’s when you master. So when it is time to take the stage, the consistency you have put into moving through each position and POP, will carry you, and you will see how well it all shows up on game day.

 

Note: I am not saying the goal is to move perfectly all the time, not even in your everyday class, otherwise you will never progress. What I am saying is when you focus on perfection or begin to master a skill and you are performing reps consistently well and easily, that’s when you know it’s time to take it up a notch or two and take it past your T-line. YOUR COACH will know the signs to either encourage you to keep going or take it back a bit. But be ready and willing to go in whatever direction they say to go. Remember we (your coaches) are here FOR you.

 

So, with all that said, I ask again, are you training at your threshold?