Competition every week?

The title of this post "Competition every week" is something that defines crossfit as greg glassman defines it.  His claim that men will die for points pushes crossfitters to the limit every single day and achieves the best results.  Itensity to the max, or at least 80% as the level 1 certs say.

However, this is one of the most critiqued aspects of crossfit or it should be if it isnt (by that i mean, people who dislike CF should bring up people who are "Wod Drunk" as defined by Freddy Camacho back in 2010).  Basically, pushing yourself past a limit if you are not able to handle it is probably one of the most destructive things you can do to your body and a way to bring negative light onto exercising crossfit style.  When form breaks, and you cant respond to cues to fix it, you have pushed a limit that should not be pushed.

When is the most common time for this? Well, according to Glassman, it should be every day.  However, you see it most in competitions that include some of the newer crossfitters.  People pushing themselves past a limit.  There are positives and negatives.  Obviously the positive is the realization of what they can really do.  Termed "competition maximums" in the literature.  While the negtives are injury and harm.  

There is a time and a place for competition.  And it is not everyday, it is not every weekend.  There are times to reap the benefits of being pushed beyond your capabilities.  But to do this day in and day out is destructive.  

This isnt black and white.  Example A.  Rich Froning has his training partners that push him on all his wods.  But i can bet you that he pushes himself harder than a normal person, BUT he refraines from becoming wod drunk.  Being able to find that middle ground, the fine line between pushing too hard or not hard enough to reap the most benefits without hurting yourself takes time and understanding, especially of ones own body.  Most Fridays, we have a wod at CF Central London called fire brether fridays where the top exercisers from our gym are invited to participate.  The wods are pretty damn tough.  Competition tough.  And the competition is tough.  With 3-4 people that are potentil regionals competitiors every week.   The most importnt skill to learn though is finding tht level that you can push yourself at the hardest without harm.

 

Firebrether wods:

1) 9-15-21

Sumo Deadlift Hi-Pull 55kg
Toes to bar

2) 6 Amraps, 2 min each, 1 min rest between

7 Thrusters 45kg
7 Box Jumps 24"
7 HR Pushups

3) 150 KBS t 32kg

15 situps every time you drop it

Dell won wod 1.  Absolutley manhandling the toes 2 bar in the final round.  I came in second about 10 seconds behind him followed by Matt and Lamber.  this was a nice twist on the classic wod.  My grip went and caused me to slow but it is something that i m working on in my training.

I won wod 2 with a total of 12rnds even.  I was 15 or so reps ahead of Dell and a round and a half in front of Lamber and Matt.  THis wod messed us up.

I won wod 3.  We were all thinking 10 swings and then drop and do the situps.  When i got to 10 swings, i thought I can do 1 more so i did 11 swings untill 77 and then broke up the remainders in 13s-16s.  

Im sore in the hammies and the quads and the shoulders and chest a little.  But nothing too bad.  Good day.