A Word on Scaling

During the CrossFit Level 1 Certification, the instructors mentioned scaling. Scaling is when you modify the weights or movements in a workout to make it more feasible for you to complete. They stressed the importance of maintaining continuous movement, yet keeping the weight challenging enough to really make the WOD effective. A lot of people strive to do every workout prescribed (i.e. Rx'd: as directed with weight, box height, duration, reps, sets, etc.) Each work out is different. One of the goals in CrossFit, is to develop each of the 10 fitness domains:

*Cardiovascular and Respiratory endurance
*Stamina
*Strength
*Flexibility
*Power
*Speed
*Coordination
*Agility
*Balance
*Accuracy

This is why it is so important to vary your workouts. If all you do is run, you'll be great at running. Hey marathoners, try cleaning 135#, and get back to me. If all you do is Olympic Lifting, you'll be amazing at it. Try rowing a 5k and call me. Different WODs give more emphasis on different domains. The weight should correspond with the desired goal. If the focus is Speed and CR Endurance, you may be more apt to lower the weight in order to stay in motion. If the WOD promotes Strength and Power, definitely go heavy. Regardless of your decision, be sure to give it your all.

My point is that when it comes to scaling, it reminds me of a common question we would ask our professors in High School. "Is it better to get an A in regular calculus or a B in Advanced Placement (AP) calculus?" Their response was always the same, "It's best to get an A in AP Calculus." I have the same belief about scaling. It's best to do the workout Rx'd if you can do it. Yes, your time will be slower. Yes, you may not be able to do the movement unbroken (i.e. without stopping). But, you definitely benefit.

The other day I did "Nutts". CrossFit Main always posts the workouts Rx'd for men. Women are often given a variation.

For time:
10 Handstand push-ups
250# Deadlift, 15 reps (I did 185#, though Rx'd for women is 205#)
25 Box jumps, 30" (I did 24" box)
50 Pull-ups
100 Wallball shots, 20#, 10' (I did 20#)
200 Double-unders (jump rope with a double pass of the rope under your feet for each jump)
Run 400 meter with a 45# plate (I carried a 25# plate)

My current max deadlift is 215#, so I figured 185# would be plenty of suck, and I was right. I always use a 20# medicine ball during training although the women's Rx'd wallball is 14#. This WOD took the 1st Place Female at the 2010 CrossFit Games, Kristen Clever 17:06 (with a 205# deadlift and a 30" box jump). It took me over 36 minutes. The deadlifts were very difficult for me. I would do one rep, drop the bar, and sit down, take a breath, one rep, drop the bar, and sit down... you get the picture. At one point, I considered going to 175# to be able to at least do 2 or 3 in a row. But I had decided that I was going to gut this one out. For me, once I start a WOD, I have to finish. I just keep chugging on, regardless of how much it hurts, burns, sucks, or pisses me off. I just keep going. That's the best advice I can give on this one. Step up to the challenge of doing the WOD Rx'd, and JUST KEEP GOING. If you hit muscle failure, stop and have some water. Take three deep breaths, and get back on the bar.

The worst for me were the Double-unders. Since I'm such a klutz, my double-unders are very inconsistent. One day, I can knock out 48 unbroken, the next day, I can hardly get 5 in a row. I was especially pleased when I managed a consistent 30 unbroken for this WOD. The only problem was after I got 30, I'd sit on the bench for a minute to catch my breath. The 200 Double-unders took me about 7 minutes to complete. For me, the achievement was that I didn't scale to 600 singles.

So for all of you out there who are too proud that stack on the weight in fear that you will loose those unbroken sets, bring it on! It will only make you stronger, faster, better, and more of a bad ass! Also, if you ever plan on competing, you need to hold yourself to a standard now. As we say in the Army, train as you fight. The way I see it in CrossFit, train harder than you compete. Of course, always listen to your body. There is a difference between being hurt and being injured. If you feel tendons "twinging" during a movement, or you're recovering from an injury, it's probably a good idea to scale as needed. It's also imperative that you get full range of motion in the movement. If the Rx'd weight is too much for you to be able to complete the exercise properly, it may be a good idea to drop the weight as well. For example, if you can get to rock bottom on a 125# backsquat, but lose form at 135#, I'd recommend going lighter. Please talk to your coach about any concerns you have to your physical well-being. We will do the best to ensure that your form is correct, the weight is effective, and that you want to / can come back for the next WOD.

On a side note, I would like to thank Robin and Bigg Dave Tillman from CrossFit Cedar Park for the thorough training session today. I went from 150 pushups with an 80m sprint at each rest (took me just over 5 minutes and 3 rounds) to 3 minutes of max reps 24# box jumps to snatch progression to some pretty stellar snatch and balance work to back squats that make my arse burn like a mother! After about three hours of continuous training, I have no idea how my mind is functioning enough to actually write a blog. I may have to attest that to the incredible paleo pumpkin soup I made tonight. Nourishing and very tasty! I'm happy to post the recipe, which I just made up, if anyone is interested.