So I just got back from Boulder, Colorado visiting my brother. It's really fun. I get to go to CrossFit Roots... I Love That Gym.
The workout we did when I was there was a 15 minute on the minute Hang Power Clean.
What's interesting about this is that it was meant to be technique work. They made an emphasis that the weight you're going to record at the end of the workout is the heaviest weight you performed the movement PROPERLY.
When I was doing this workout, I did a couple sets and starting getting heavier with the weights, but I started getting 'messy' with my technique, especially the last couple of minutes.
So at the end of the class when we were reviewing the class and putting our weights up on the board, I didn't give them the heaviest weight I lifted, I put up the weight I lifted when I felt the best and most proficient, focusing on technique.
Why am I telling you this?
Many times, people will lift these heavy weights and their form completely crumbles. So does that really count as a max rep if your form is not correct? Probably not because you're probably not going to be able to perform that lift at that max again with poor technique.
If you're talking more about 2 or 3 rep maxes, then you know you can probably lift that weight again, versus a 1 rep max with form that's completely falling apart and you can't repeat that lift again. PLUS, you're putting yourself at risk for injury when you focus on lift output versus technique.
Coach Mike talks more in depth about this issue...
"You have this line between practice and competition.
An example of practice would be doing about 50% of your max weight, every minute or two minutes, and you're focusing on nothing but technique. This will get you results in the sense that you'll get better at the little pieces.
But, at the same time, if you never really lift any weight, you're not going to create any physical adaptation. You're just kind of creating what we call neurological adaptations, where you're training your body what to do but it's not getting any stronger or it's not learning how to move a little bit of heavier weight.
That's where competition comes in as a factor.
You see these Olympic lifters on the world stage at Olympics, and sometimes their technique falls apart just a little bit because now their going for weights they've never touched before.
In the gym, we pretty much want to ride that line right in between practice and competition.
Unless we crank the music up and tell you to absolutely go for a max PRs, most of the time we're not looking for that.
We're looking for what can you hit consistently with great technique.
Some gyms will promote going for max lifts and not worry about technique.
We believe our athletes need to follow that line of good practice of technique combined with pushing yourselves to lift a little heavier. That's where you get the most bang for your buck."
We believe a 2 or 3 rep max is more indicative of your abilities compared to a 1 rep max where your form falls apart.
What can you do today under good technique?
We program our training at Strong Together Chester CrossFit to make you the most capable athletes out there.
Some tips from Coach Mike to help walk the line of good technique while performing at a heavier load:
1. Did your technique get better even though you might not have PR'd?
2. Did you get faster?
3. Did you perform a lift without a belt and without having you're core sink in?
4. Don't focus on the number.
Just remember you don't always have to hit your PR.
Technique is the most important thing. That's when the magic starts happening. When you can stay with perfect form and get better every time.
