Is the WoD Enough?
There are so many skills to learn in CrossFit. The clean & jerk, snatch, squat, deadlift, push-press, and kettlebell lifts. Jumping, medicine ball throws and catches, pull-ups, dips, push-ups, handstands, presses to handstand, pirouettes, kips, cartwheels, muscle-ups, sit-ups, scales, and holds. That’s to name just a few, and some of those have yet to be programmed here!
Not only is there so much to learn, but it takes a long time to perfect all the skills under varying metabolic demands. Given the amount of stuff to learn and the time it takes to learn it, is the workout of the day (WoD) enough?
Yes…..and no…..
Yes because the emphasis of the WoD is heavily weighted towards the basics. We practise and train the major lifts: Deadlift, clean, squat, presses, C&J, and snatch. Similarly, we focus on mastering the basics of gymnastics: pull-ups, dips, rope climb, push-ups, sit-ups, presses to handstand, rolls, and holds. When you have the basics locked down, learning more advanced skills becomes so much easier.
In almost every workout you do you’ll come across a goat. It’s either a goat that you’re familiar with, or one that just hoofed you in the gut. And then the feeling is typically “Well that’s just another weakness added to the list, when am I going to get the time to work on that?” And because that list can get so long, sometimes, the WoD isn’t enough.
That is also why we encourage you to come a bit early or stay a bit later. Because sometimes, you need to devote a little extra time to your goats.
However, that doesn’t mean drilling a weakness every day. Too much work on one type of movement seizes up the joints and muscles being used. Work on a particular skill once to twice a week, and alternate it with antagonistic movements. For example, handstand push-ups (pressing) on one day followed by pull-ups (pulling) the next day. And if for example you just got crushed by dips in a workout, working on them after that workout is not smart. Take a couple of days off before working on them again.
There are some important points to consider when spending time on skills before or after class:
- Work on the basics, the progressions. For example, if you haven’t developed the strength to press up on a handstand push-up yet, hanging out on your head trying to press is not going to get you there. Work on the eccentric phase of the movement, handstand holds and strict presses. Add volume to those progressions and in time the full movement will come. Similarly for the Olympic lifts, drill your squat and deadlift, practise jumping hard, and then only lift under a coach’s eye.
- Keep the reps and sets low. While practising a skill is working out, it should not be a workout. Work in sets of 3-5 reps and only increase the amount of sets you do once you have mastered the movement at a particular amount of reps.
- If you planned on working on a particular skill and then it ended up being programmed in the WoD, do something else.
- If what you’re doing is not working, don’t keep doing it! Ask a coach for guidance.
- Be patient.
It can be challenging figuring out how to implement useful extra work. If you’re not sure, ask one of the coaches. Put 100% of your effort in to the WoD and the results will come. If you want the results to come sooner, spend a little less time sitting at your round tables when you get to the gym and a little more time striving for what you want to achieve 
HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO GARRETH GROTTIS!
LEVEL 1
A.
Barbell good morning
5-5-5-5-5 (across, heavy as form permits)
B.
8 sets of:
7-10 ring rows or chin-ups
*Rest 1 minute between rounds
LEVEL 2 & 3
A.
Barbell good morning
10-10-10-10 (across, heavy as form permits)
B.
8 rounds of the following complex:
3 deadhang C2B chin-ups + 3 deadhang chin-ups + 3 kipping chin-ups
*Rest 1 minute between rounds and you must use a supine grip
No dropping off the bar during a set. If you do, immediately perform 10 burpee pull-ups, rest a minute and then continue