We’re down to the tail end of the Open and over the next two weeks we’ll be testing fitness levels in class. They are both an opportunity to measure changes in fitness, observe the sorts of change, and for those of you who have gone through testing before, look into whether or not previous test results are being repeated. Testing and competing are not just essential parts of CrossFit, they are important cogs in the CrossFit Jozi chain.
Whenever you test or compete we want you to give the level best you have on the day, but safety comes first. What is often observed has been observed is observed is insufficient care for how you’re completing the tests. Results in testing should be a reflection of what’s been happening in training. So test and compete as you train!
Testing as you train simply means that aside from all your pre-workout habits and rituals, you should move exactly like you would in class on any other training day.
In testing, compared to training, there is a lot more emphasis on the clock and scores. That often results in focusing more on that as opposed to how you should be moving to get the best score. It’s fairly common in less experienced athletes, and very common in a competition environment where there is a “You just need to get it overhead,” kind of mindset.
To avoid being caught up on the clock and competition environment, forget about what everyone else is saying and doing. Think about what the coaches would have said in class with regards to that particular movement. And always remember, its just you versus you and the best way to judge yourself is by virtuosity. What you accomplish relative to others means jack shit.
There is also no “just get the rep done” mindset in the CFJ facilities. Take a look at any of the world’s best athletes in any of the hundreds of sports out there, including CrossFit. One of the things they all have in common is that they are the best movers in their sport. Their near perfect technique is unequivocally central to why they are so good. In CrossFit, that means when it says ‘clean and jerk,’ the athletes cleans it before jerking it. They don’t roll the bar up to their shoulders before doing a thruster-jerk. It means that you clean & jerk that bar exactly as you did in training!
What happens if you are unable to complete the rep? You don’t complete the rep. It doesn’t make you less of an athlete. In my opinion, the athlete who knows when to back off, even in the test environment, is far greater than any athlete who does whatever they can to do the work. Accept that is where you’re at, learn from it, and put a plan in place to overcome it.
So the next time you’re in the test or competition environment, keep reminding yourself that the score doesn’t matter. What matters is how you got to the score.
