It’s been a tough couple of months here at GRCF! We’ve done the CrossFit Total. We’ve done the CrossFit Open. And finally, we’ve tested our snatch and clean & jerk. After all that heavy, high intensity work, it’s time to go back to basics and build a solid foundation for future PRs. This programming block is all about working on mechanics, correcting imbalances and instability, and targeting muscle development. We do this periodically, because without revisiting these principles and improving in these areas, it becomes increasingly difficult to continue to progress. It additionally helps reduce the risk of injury and improves the body’s ability to withstand heavier loads.
Over the course of the next few months, you can expect to see higher volume (more reps and sets), tempo work, and movement variations that challenge stability and/or change up the angle of the target muscles. Higher volume work helps not only build muscle, but also helps condition the joints and tendons of the body, increasing their resilience. The tempo work increases time under tension, which helps increase muscle mass, and also forces you to slow down and really focus on the movement quality, and the movement variations help force certain muscles to work more and can help break through sticking points and plateaus.
Although it’s always important to do your accessory work, during this cycle especially, we highly recommend trying to stick around to do at least one set of each movement. The accessory work is designed to complement the main strength work and really add an extra layer of development to the movements and muscles we’re focusing on. Give yourself an extra 5 minutes of work and reap the benefits!
Volume and increased time under tension is always challenging to the muscles, and as a result, you can expect to be more sore and fatigued than usual. For that reason, we are programming Thursdays as a “not for time” style workout. While the movements will still be challenging, there will be a focus on slowing down, improving quality, and working at your own pace. We will be moving in unique ways that will help develop your coordination and stability, as well as using different tools and implements we can’t always use in a scored setting.
Let us know what you think of this cycle, the new Thursday format, and how you’re feeling overall. Hopefully we lay the groundwork for a fitter, stronger, more resilient you!
