Our Time to Change

Another reason why I love our gym

Here is a write-up posted on our website about some changes over the next few days. When you read CrossFit bashing sites, they usually complain about injuries and how trainers don’t care what the members do or pay attention. You read about swollen ego and people trying to go too heavy. I love that our gym is an exception to all of that.

We want to take a few steps back and really focus on our form and technique during the next several days. As the “I am CrossFit 3 Challenge” and the CrossFit Games draw near, we need to hone in on perfection on all of the movements that we do here at CrossFit Pulse.

We want our gym to rank way up there with the best of the best in regard to adhering to strict standards of movement, and we all need to help each other accomplish this.

I think we have been focused too much on the “time” of a WOD and not so much on perfect execution of the movements. Starting today, and for the next 5 days we will NOT use the clock to time our WOD’s. We will do our WOD’s just like always, but we will not worry so much about the duration of the workout, but more on doing every movement with perfect form. Please be open to coaching and constructive criticism, as we are trying to help everyone get better. We can all get better! I know there are several areas where I need to get better. None of us has arrived.

Also, I want to make a note regarding “RX” in a workout. To do a workout as “RX”, you are expected to ALL the reps in the WOD, and do them with the correct standards. Some people might work for months or even years and never do a workout “RX”, and some might be able to do their first WOD as “RX”, as every person is different. As trainers in our CrossFit community, we need to take “RX” seriously, and of course we do. I would love for everyone at our gym to do the workouts as “RX”, but we are not there yet. In the meantime, please help us maintain the integrity of “RX”. If your push ups were wormy, or if your chin doesn’t get over the bar on every pull up, or your squat is not quite deep enough, then please don’t ask for an “RX” by your name. “RX” is a goal to shoot for, and an awesome accomplishment.

One more goal that we have here at CrossFit Pulse is for you to get the most from your workout. We focus on intensity, because it is part of what make CrossFit so awesome. As we program our workouts and we select the “RX” weight, we do so with intensity in mind. So, please keep this in mind when your setting up for the workouts. For example: If the workout calls for a 95 lb thruster and you would normally struggle doing the specific number of reps with 95 lbs, then you should probably do the WOD with 75 lbs so that the intensity of the WOD is maintained. Sometimes, I would actually rather do a WOD with a super heavy weight instead of a lighter weight, because it is not so intense……….it is actually easier to do it with the heavy weight because you don’t have to go so fast………You have that excuse……”it is heavy”, so you go slow. The intensity of the WOD is not there, and the WOD is easier, and we did NOT reach our goal of giving you an intense workout.

Our trainers are dedicated to helping you and part of what we do is to make recommendations to you as we scale a workout. Please ask a trainer if you need help selecting a weight or how to scale a workout. NOT doing the workout as “RX” is ok. Remember “RX” is a goal, and not an absolute must. It is never worth an injury or even blistering your hands on the pull up bar just to get an “RX”. It only hurts your performance in the long run.

We are here for you guys! Please let us know what we can do to help you.

Go Hard!
Bryan