The One Thing All CrossFit Athletes are Missing

Now that I got your attention, let’s dive into this a bit more.

I have never seen such a bigger push for instant gratification from training than in the sport of CrossFit. Do not take that sentence out of context either. I am not bashing anyone or anything. What I am saying is that people enter the sport of CrossFit and they anticipate to push through to the professional ranking within a year or two years. Oftentimes, doing this is at the expense of proper development.

For instance, take each modality within the sport of CrossFit. To be an elite level weightlifter, you must be training for just that for three to five years of the power lifts then another two to four years perfecting the Olympic lifts. To be an elite level gymnast, well we all know that takes a lifetime, as the movements we do in Crossfit are not even gymnastics moves (they are the actions gymnasts take to start a movement that can actually be scored.) To be an elite level endurance athlete, you need to start training just that modality of endurance for many many years (keep in mind that I am taking out the outliers for each of these areas). My point is, in the sport of CrossFit, while we are not training to be elite at any one modality, you do have to show a very high proficiency in the power lifts, the Olympic lifts, gymnastics capabilities, and endurance.

This all brings me back to the title of this piece: the one thing CrossFit Athletes are missing is patience. Sure, there are always outliers in every sport, people who step in and within a year they are contenders for the top. However, that is not the case for 99% of the people. Yet, many people come in and look to make strides so quickly that they often find themselves overtraining or eventually riddled with injuries due to loading their bodies with too much weight, intensity, or volume - or all three.

So, when you get into this sport, and you want to be able to make a ripple that lasts, take the time to do what’s right now, in order to do what you need to later. How long will this take to unfold? Well that answer can’t be given, yet rather consider it in turns of sections of building a house. Make sure you do what you need to create the right foundation, then take the next step up working on the frames, and then fill in from there. The time needed to spend in each section depends on your ability to adapt to the stimulus being created. If that stimulus is too much, or even not enough, you will be there longer because your body will not progress. Once you reach that certain level, you then move onto the next stage, and so forth.

The key for all people looking to get to the next level revolves around patience and making sure that the proper steps have been taken in order to set you up for success and longevity, otherwise you will never make it - or you’ll be a one-hit-wonder and then fizzle out.

So, you can run towards instant gratification, and then sit there on the sideline wondering why you can’t play anymore, or you can have patience, do what’s right, create your foundation, and instill your habits in order to enjoy your time doing what you love and being able to stop on your own terms.

If you are unsure if you are doing what you need to do, email help@conquerathlete.com and allow us to give you a free consultation to see how we can best serve you and your goals.