Are You a Stopwatch Whore?

In the last few weeks, we have done a number of benchmark workouts and seen some great times on the whiteboard. One thing we need to keep in mind however, is that CrossFit is based on form — as Mariessa posted a month ago. As we push for faster times with heavier weights, we all need to ensure our form remains intact. Primarily to prevent injury, but also to earn those blazing times with integrity! Recently I read a post on Maximus Lewin’s blog about this exact topic.

His post was inspired by the following response from Spencer Nix of Dallas CrossFit on Dutch Lowy‘s Blog.

“-THESE GUYS ARE FOCUSED ON THE PROCESS NOT THE OUTCOME. How many of you guys out there are ’stop-watch whores’? You put out a sub 3 minute Fran but half of your thrusters you didn’t push your head all the way through, and 10 of your butterfly pull-ups were technically over the bar but not really? These guys aren’t like that. I get to workout with dutch pretty regularly and ALL his reps count. He is focused on the execution of the rep and not really the stopwatch. OPT – same way; look at all his videos and read the ROM requirements on the blog (borderline obsessed with the process). These guys focus FIRST on doing the movement flawlessly and SECOND on the clock. If your goal is to be the stud of your garage or gym, then this might not pertain to you BUT if your goal is to compete, then this has to be your mindset.”

Maximus continues:

I definitely started out CF as a SW (Stopwatch Whore). My form was abysmal, and I kidded myself into counting every ugly rep and posting some pretty good times, that, in retrospect, were a joke.

I am very strict with form at my affiliate, and we have transitioned to C2B pull-ups for all WODs for men, with women to join them after the games this year.

I feel that true excellence in CrossFit requires excellent form, regardless of speed. In some ways I am more impressed with a middle-of-the-pack athlete with HEART who does everything right, than a Firebreathing animal who cuts corners to make their blazing times even hotter. Of course what I really love to see is blazing intensity with excellent form. We want virtuosity!

A search of what people have posted on YouTube is downright embarrassing. I recently saw a 30+ round Cindy and a 2:30-ish Fran in both of which, in my gym, NOT ONE REP would have counted!

And, as pointed out, if you are going to enter the brand-new sport of Competitive CrossFit, your shitty 1/2 reps are not going to cut it.

I am striving to become mentally stronger all the time these days, and part of that is total honesty with myself about my workouts. In the past if I got confused about reps/rounds, etc. I would probably engage in “wishful counting” some of the time. Lately any time I become confused or don’t know if I got full ROM (I do the WODs by myself most of the time) I just don’t count it and do the extra reps. I have been much more satisfied with my WOD times since doing this. I don’t care about being the fastest or the best, but I do care about doing CrossFit with integrity and what I can approach of virtuosity.

WOD – 5.21.09

Max Overhead Squat

• 1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Cash Out: Push Jerk (@ 75% of 1RM)

• 3×3 Power Stance
• 3×3 Split Stance

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