BE A CLOCK WATCHER

In a perfect training setting, you would have a training partner who was just slightly better than you at everything. Your partner would be your rabbit. You’d constantly chase your partner. Maybe one day you catch your partner or surpass your partner, but the next day, your partner is just a bit better than you again.

Unfortunately, the perfect training partner doesn’t exist in the CrossFit One World group setting. Sure, you probably have someone who you compare yourself to regularly and that one person you are totally stoked about when you finally pass them in a workout, but it’s just not the same as the “perfect training partner.”

You may not have "the perfect training partner" at One World, but there is one partner you can always count on:

The clock is your perfect partner. The clock is always consistent. It’s always looming over you....challenging you. Everything that you do can be gauged by the ticking away of time. 

Understand that to get the best results from CrossFit style workouts, you have to ratchet up your intensity. Intensity, as a CrossFit term, means do as much work as possible in the shortest amount of time or as much work as possible done in a given timeframe. Smart CrossFitters know how to work the clock. The dumb CrossFitters are the ones who say “3,2,1....Go!” and then they go pedal to the metal right from the get go. Inevitably, they crash and burn. "It's the CrossFit way!!!" No, you are just a dumbass. 

Let’s elaborate on this. The first thing that you should be doing when you see the workout posted is breaking the workout down in a way that best fits your abilities, then pushing those parameters. Let’s use today's workout as an example. 

The workout has 400m runs, a 200m run, handstand push-ups, and kettlebell sumo deadlift high pulls. Break down each part of the workout into blocks of time. I know that I can run the first 400m in 1:35-1:40 without being too gassed. I know the last 400m is probably gonna be closer to 1:50-2:00. I know that I can do 15 handstand push-ups straight through, but if I do, the second set will be horrible, so I am going to break the HSPU into sets of 5. I figure 8-10 seconds for 5 reps with 5-10 seconds rest every time I come off the wall. I know I can do the 20 high pulls straight through. I figure just over one second per rep so 25-35 seconds per 20 reps. The 200m comes when I am still pretty fresh, so I figure I can run it in 40-45 seconds.

So lets break this down for me:

• 400m run- 1:35-1:40
• 5 seconds to get into my handstand
• 15 handstand push-ups with two breaks- :35-:50
• 10 second transition to sdlhp
• 20 kb sdlhp- :25-:35
• 200m run- :40-:45
• 20 kb sdlhp- :25-:35
• 10 seconds to transition to hspu
• 15 hspu with two breaks- :35-:50
• 400m run- 1:50/2:00

Now add it all up fast end and not fast end. If I am humming, and really want to push myself, then I add up best scenario performance and figure I should finish in about 6:30'ish. On the slower end (but still doing pretty good), I should finish in 7:40'ish. 

I just created the perfect workout partner. Can I beat myself at my best? Will I finish with an okay performance? Will I fall below what I know I am capable of? I think of every workout in this manner.

Of course all of this theory goes out the window if you aren’t monitoring yourself constantly. If you just want to come in and get the workout done and to bullocks with the time it takes you to finish, that's totally cool with me. But......If you want more out of your workouts and want to get positive results, you should always be looking at the clock. You should know how long it takes you to run or row certain distances when you are fresh and when you are tired. In any movement, you should know how long it takes you to do reps and how long it takes you to recover when you break the reps down into smaller sets. When you learn to monitor all of this stuff, you really learn about yourself and what limits you can push yourself toward and past. It really makes training much more satisfying, and it makes a really hard workout a lot less intimidating.

Watch the clock. Study yourself. Train smarter.     

*****************************************************

WORKOUT   12/21/2011

Complete the following for time:

• 400m run
• 15 handstand push-ups
• 20 kettlebell sumo deadlift high pulls (pick weight)
• 200m run
• 20 kettlbell sumo deadlift high pulls
• 15 handstand push-ups
• 400m run

POWER HOUR   12/21/2011

• Find 3 rep max shoulder press

Then.....

• Max reps @ 90% of 3 RM
• Max reps at 80% of 3RM

Then....

As many rounds as possible in 5 minutes of:

• 3 handstand push-ups
• 6 kettlebell sumo deadlift high pulls (heavy!)

***************************************************** 

Comments

[CHYNA CHO]

AWESOME POST. <3

[Jor]

Agreed..great post..love that stuff. Chyna and Freddy...for P.H. what should be the target for the 5 min. AMRAP? (for the last one Chyna said 10-12 rds., for instance). Factoring in all the reps of shoulder reps.

[Eric]

I think we here at One World should create a new trend in crossfit. Instead of the same old shaved head, gleaming white, skinny bastards, we should all grow our hair long like Atsushi and get jacked and tan ?

Oh man! I am not sure where this came from. It was the first thought that came to mind while watching another .com video full of bald, albino skinny bastards.

Back to our normal programming, folks...

[Angela]

We are o-lifting on Thursday at 6 pm instead of Saturday this week. Who's in?

[Christopher Robertson]

I'll be there Angela, I got the message....

[alex]

ERic you craSy........

love this post, while people think they need to go out and do local comps or throw(blow)downs to gauge the competition, the clock tics away and stares down at you every day in our gym.... all the benchmark metcons have time frames. 200,300,400,500 exists in the strength world and in the metcon side time frames have been set by the best in crossfit so if you want to compete, quantify your progress.

one of my favorite things before a work out is talking to freddy chyna and chris and getting a time frame before the work out starts, we all gauge it differently and we all know what limits us, but it comes in time, knowing your limits is important knowing when to push and when to cruise has been my biggest lesson this year. I really love this post

GBO

[CHYNA CHO]

VERY VERY WELL SAID ALEX. YOURE AWESOME.

[@sushi]

AH FUCKIN' MEN!!!! ONE OF THE BEST POSTS... EVER!!!!

[Alvin Blaker]

This is another reason I follow your post sir! Once again, a great post! Thank you, Freddy, and Merry Christmas and Happy you New Year to you and Chyna!

[Lyn C]

Hi Freddy,

What are the rules for our White Elephant Gift Exchange tomorrow?

Thanks

[Lyn C]

Sorry NOT RULES but the DETAILS!

[Tyler Durden]

The first rule of CFOW Holiday White Elephant Gift Exchange is you do not talk about CFOW Holiday White Elephant Gift Exchange.

The second rule of CFOW Holiday White Elephant Gift Exchange is you DO NOT talk about CFOW Holiday White Elephant Gift Exchange.

[GBO]

The third rule of CFOW Holiday White Elephant Gift Exchange is STFU GFY if you are not Freddy & didn't read yesterday's blog.

[Anna]

Alex, don't hate on throw-downs. Many I have attended have been awesome while others aren't always well organized, well ran or well judged, but I think it's good to get out of our normal gym and get some good 'ole face-to-face competition going. I love the CrossFit community and have made great friends from other boxes, so it's always fun to get together at comps.

I'm a big fan of the competition element of CrossFit and I think that's why it's such a huge part of my life now. Whether competing with gym-mates or at a competition, I'm ALWAYS competing with the clock and myself. That f'n clock kicks my A$$!!! ;0)

Good stuff Freddy!