In CrossFit there are 2 basic workout formula used. These are task priority and time priority. You may not think you know what these mean however with a brief explanation you will probably realise that you knew this all along.

Task Priority

These workouts basically state "for time". A task priority workout is a workout where the task is the priority. The athlete must give everything they have got to make sure the set task is completed as fast as possible. This is a task priority as the goal of the session is to complete the task as fast as possible. An example of this workout might be Elizabeth. 21, 15, 9 squat cleans and ring dips. Performed for time.

Time Priority

These workouts are the workouts you often see when a workout of the day states "complete as many rounds as possible in 'x' amount of minutes" This is when there is a session laid out infront of the athlete and the athlete must perform this session as many times as possible in the given time frame. An example of this type of workout structure may be Cindy. In this workout 5 pull ups, 10 push ups and 15 squats are performed as many times as possible in 20 mins.

Both of these style of workouts are prescribed to replicate tasks that may be present in life. You may be expecting visitors and have to clean up the house as fast as possible putting blankets away in the linen press, mopping floors, vacuuming or sweep this needs to be done for time! Another example might be renovating and you have poured the concrete only to realise you have not constructed the correct frame work for the garden edge. You need to cut the plywood and measure and then bang it up in 15mins or under.

task vs time priority

Recovery

Yesterday we talked about training attitude and the WOD or workout of the day. The WOD should be attempted with maximal effort and intensity. It is for this reason that when training in CrossFit you will ultimatley train 3 days on and 1 day off. If all WODS are trained with maximal intensity your body will be crying for a day off.

Do not make the same mistake as I did in my early sporting career or even my early CrossFit experiences. I know that their are people out there that train every day. Those people may think that they are training correctly, achieving results and getting fitter, stronger and quicker.

You will get fitter, stronger and quicker but only for a short while. You will think you are getting results until you come across some CrossFit Bench mark workouts some months down the track. Suddenly you are not going aswell as you thought you were. You will hit reality just as I did! You need a rest!!!!

The rest period is needed to ensure full physiological recovery. During the training your muscles are damaged and your nervous system fatigued. It is not during the training session that you get stronger or fitter. The training will give the body the stimulus it needs to get stronger and fitter but rest is needed for the body to adapt to that stimulus. It is hard to stop training when you think you can go harder, or those days when you want to train but you just don't feel like you can give 100%. It has been a long hard road that I travelled before I became wise enough to listen to my body. The old saying it is quality not quantity could not be closer to the truth.

CrossFit prescribes a 3 : 1 work rest ratio in terms of a training week structure. When you come to the gym don't feel like you have to train to visit pukie everyday. Try prescribing to the 3:1 ratio and watch your performance improve. It is still hard for me to pull back, but I know in the long run I will have less injuries, I will be a better athlete and my performance will always improve.

Rob 

How CrossFit changed my training perspective

Having spent years training, and I mean years I believe I am some what of a subject matter expert  on rest and recovery. This knowledge does not come from a degree in physiology, exercise science or biochemisrty (however my tertiary eductaion certainly covered these adequately). My knowledge comes from years of training, listening, reading and watching my performance and other athletes across a broad range of sports.

Talking from personal experience I can say that perhaps I did not achieve as much as I wanted when I was younger and full of energy because I thought I was invincible. I thought I could train all day, everyday, get bigger, stronger, faster and fitter. I was wrong! I was always performing well but looking back at it, I probably never performed at my best. WHY, because I was always training. I was addicted! I always wanted to out do my last performance. For around 10 years I trained like this. From the age of 18 starting my weight training and footballing career I was on a constant quest to be bigger, stronger and faster than all my competitors I might come up against on the paddock. I went through phases of triathlon, ultramarathons, back to football, forgive me I even had a stint in bodybuilding (one show wonder)! I finally came across CrossFit.

At first CrossFit looked intense but achievable as I considered myself to be a fairly fit athlete. I noticed that most of the workouts only went for 15-25mins. I was used to running for 4-5hrs at a time, upto 150-200km a week. I decided that these short CrossFit workouts were easy and I could manage 2-3 WODS a day. Say 1 morning, sometimes 1 lunch then another in the afternoon, just at the local globo gym. I would follow workouts from different CrossFit sites thinking I was killing it as I was still posting reasonable times in comparision. I did this for 3 months. On one occasion I did the filthy 50 twice on the same day. I trained and trained then a CrossFit Total came around. I thought because I had been training so hard I would smash my last effort. WOW I was wrong 10kg less squat, 7.5kg less strict press and 15 kg less deadlift! Why? I had been training so hard.

The CrossFit certification came around where I was exposed to the CrossFit principles for the first time properly. I Learned about programming and I learned about the intensity that is needed to achieve results. My training changed dramatically. All of a sudden my lungs were on fire, my muscles burning and feeling light headed!

The workout of the day WOD should be the most intense portion of the day. You should treat every WOD like it will be your last, leave no petrol in the tank and do not come away from a session thinking I probably could have gone a bit quicker. Have that determination to hold to that bar for those last 2 pull ups, the last 5 wall balls. A CrossFit slogan I have read is work now- REST LATER. A WOD should make you nervous before you start and amazing when you finish (maybe 5min-10min after you finish).

At the completition of a workout you should not want to do any more training for that day! That is why you need to rest, recover and recoperate. More on this recovery tomorrow

Rob