CrossFit Koncepts

Do you know what the secret weapon to making massive changes in your strength and conditioning is? Are you ready? Because this is going to go contrary to everyone on Instagram and YouTube...

Here it is: Do More With Less!

What? What does that even mean?

Stop and think a second. In today's world, with the threat of COVID-19 looming around every corner, you need to make the most of what you can. And this restriction, the thing that you are railing against, can actually be your saving grace.

Being unable to go out every night, eating and drinking whatever suits your fancy, makes your choices much simpler and easier to make.

Not being able to go to the "globo gym" and complain about not being able to get onto your favorite elliptical trainer. gets you outside in the fresh air putting in miles the way nature intended.

Not being able to go to the office, with the associated commute and parking issues, has freed up a lot of time and cash. No longer are you putting a couple hours in the car and eight hours in the office. Now your office can be anywhere you want it to be and your commute is from the bedroom to the kitchen table.

So what's the "secret weapon" I'm referring to in the title of this blog post? Well, it's learning that, while you have had to change gears (and lanes possibly) you can and will make the best of this situation. With more time and less resources we have all found ways to make things happen that we wouldn't have thought of just a handful of months ago. So, instead of needing more to get things done, we have all adapted to a situation where you have to make the best of having less, and in all honesty - many have found a way to thrive.

Can you?

I heard from a client recently who changed gyms because we became "geographically undesirable"... which means that the commute was too long to make when they bought a new house.  He was extolling the virtues of his new gym and how they "worked out" for 60 minutes. He explained how they were doing agility ladders, triceps kickbacks and lots of other "fun" stuff. He was sore, tired and sweaty after every "workout" and just loves it...

So, before I totally go off on a rant, let me explain what I consider a workout. A workout is a structured series of techniques, done in a limited amount of time, that hit all the big muscles and joints in a manner that elicits adaptation in strength, mobility and conditioning. These workouts are for the most part very intense, short in duration,  relatively low reps with moderately high weights and, here's the important part, extremely high quality movement.

What most people and trainers consider a "workout" is a bunch of unrelated skills or activities, that have no relation to each other, that create heavy breathing and sweating. That's it. If they are sweating and breathing hard it's considered a "good workout". If they are left prostate on the ground in a puddle of sweat and snot then it's a "great workout".

In my opinion, that type of "workout" is not a workout but an effort to keep people busy and distracted for a certain period of time. Kind of like day care for adults...

If you are interested in getting in some actual training, and getting out of the day care cycle, just let us know!

Being "in control" is something we all struggle with at the moment. There seems to be very little that we actually have control of with COVID-19 knocking at the door and the economy and job market being in shambles. But, and this is important, you are in control of more than you realize.

First and foremost, you are in control of your thoughts. What you focus on is going to greatly influence how you react. If you are constantly focusing on what you have no control over then you are going to be stressed and anxious all of the time. Second, you have control over how you use your time. I know, you have to work, but the rest of the day is yours to use as you see fit. We all have responsibilities to family, but you have to diligently devote time to yourself. Finally, you have to take responsibility for your sleep and recovery. If you are staying up late at night watching TV (Netflix, Disney+, etc.) or wandering the Internet on your phone, then you are wasting valuable time that you could be devoting to sleep!

The amount of control you have over your life is dependent upon how much control you exercise over your life. Start today but taking small steps towards taking back some control that you've given up to the TV and your phone... that seems like as good a place as any to start!

One of the foundational principles behind every thing we do at Crossfit Koncepts is based on Quality Movement. That means the relentless pursuit of technique to its highest form in an effort to not only move more weight but to protect the body from injury. I can tell emphatically that that is not the case at 99% of the gyms you walk into. The pursuit of higher weights and higher reps are what drive their programming. Instead, our programming is centered around quality movement and embracing mobility and longevity. Think about this: your Olympic Snatch PR (Personal Record) today will do you little good in five years when you can't raise your arms above your head. The cost of that PR may not be immediately evident but it's there...

A question I get on a regular basis is "how do you start training?" Well, the best way to start training is to find someone who wants to train and have them start training with you. Having someone start training with you will help keep you accountable and motivated to show up and get the work done. Finding someone, or a group of someones, to keep you training is probably one of the most important things you can do... find a "tribe" of people who are on the same path as you are.

Another question I get on a regular basis is "how do keep training?" Well, the best way to keep training, is to find someone who wants to train and keep training with them. I know, life gets in the way, but nothing should get in the way of your training. In other words, the time you are putting into yourself is the most important part of your day and should take priority over most everything else. Not to mention, if you are training with someone or with a group, then your commitment to them should be rock solid and not something you forgo for minor schedule issues.

Consistency. Just showing up and putting in the work is a big part of the answer. Having someone that makes you stay consistent is important as well. So, find someone who you can count on to keep you going, and get your butt in the gym. You won't regret it!

Do a YouTube search on "crossfit workouts" and you will find millions of examples of "quantity is more important than quality." You'll see people executing high repetition sets of movements that are unrecognizable and bordering on dangerous. Why? To get a better score than the person beside them.

The concept of doing bad reps is even an integral part of the CrossFit ethos... but not at CrossFit Koncepts.

The baseline principle behind everything that we do is Quality is more important than Quantity. Period. End of story.

If you are training somewhere that emphasizes Quantity over Quality, ask them why. I'm confident that you will not get an answer that you like...