Sometimes we have heavy days at the box. You know – those days where you see 3-3-3-3-3 or 5-5-5-5-5 on the board? Heavy days are a very important part of CrossFit. In the last few days I’ve had a few people mention to me that they didn’t necessarily feel ‘spent’ after the workout – I think, just assuming here, they they felt they could’ve probably done a bit more. I get that. People come in and they’re paying good money for a workout and they want to KNOW that they worked out.
Here’s the thing though. These ‘heavy’ days (both oly and powerlifting) probably have more of a real world application to overall fitness, not to mention a direct effect on the improvement of your CrossFit workout times, than any other workouts we do.
When I see the 1-1-1-1-1-1-1 or 5-5-5-5-5 on the board I know that I have to go to a different place mentally. I have to get out of my comfort zone. I know that I’m going to push myself to the absolute limit of my physical capability. I may not be lying on the floor in a pile of my own sweat with my eyes rolling in the back of my head…but I know that it was more intense than any bodyweight exercise I’ve ever done. I also know that I’m not going to feel like doing much anything else the rest of the day.
You must attack heavy days properly. You need to get your mind right. You need to concentrate. You need to go heavy and be aggressive. You need to get STRONGER! A 20 minute filthy 50 time doesn’t matter much in my opinion if you can’t do ‘Elizabeth’. And if you have a good 5K time I hope you’re working equally as hard on a good ‘Linda’ time.
You don’t have to do exactly what I do, or even do what I say (unless I’m saying ‘CHEST UP!’). And you don’t have to do what this guy does either. If you aren’t going heavy though, and giving it everything you have – you aren’t doing CrossFit. CV, FM, HI.
P.S. If you are one of the people that mentioned this to me – this post is not directed towards you. I’ve been meaning to post my thoughts on this for some time now – so thanks!
Later!
JD
Good Post brother….I have also noticed that the warmups are more intense and longer than they have been as well…..I guess if youre not getting enough then do some remedial lifting on your own after or practice an Oly move or something….
Couldln’t agree more J.D. While I don’t look forward to heavy days I know they are integral part of the program and much needed.
Agreed! the heavy days do give us the most benefit as far as how the body responds to heavy lifts. I have one thought though. We get plenty of practice doing pullups,sit ups kettlebell swings ect. because they come up often. heavy lifts might come up once a week and may not come back to that lift for another few weeks…how does one gain proficiency with these movements when it appears less frequent?…..
It may seem that they come up ‘less frequent’ at times, but usually after somebody says that – they hit a 2 week stretch where all it seems they’re doing is squats, deadlifts and cleans. It’s balanced and produces results for a well rounded athlete. there is also a weekly olympic lifting class (that I know you cannot attend) but it’s there.
To answer your question – One gains proficiency with commitment. Most people don’t put the same effort, for whatever reason, into heavy days as they do say with…I dunno…getting a muscle up?? 🙂
You’re doing fine though…just keep it up.
If you want to be strong you have to do heavy days…..and I for one, LOOOVEEE heavy days! I’ll take that any day over fu%#!$ wall balls!
haha Yvette!
Heavy days rock! Thanks for keeping us on the right track, JD.
hey!!!!! don’t hate on my new modality…they are just plain fun to do. the reason I got the MU figured out is from a boat-load of dips and pullups. Much like the Deadlift is key for cleans and snatches, but unlike pullups the Deadlift is less frequent or any heavy lift for that matter…see you @ 6am
hey man…everyday is a Heavy Day for me!
I LOVE HEAVY DAYS!!!!! These are the times to push your self mentally — to give it all you got—I know that after a day of heavy deadlifts I can feel it all over my body and I like it- ALOT!!! And I am with Yvette—I HATE WALLBALLS!
Everybody hates wallballs.
Gonna have to agree with Yvette, I love the heavy days. Yesturday I was dizzy after I did the deadlifts.
lets see.
LOVE heavy days, sorry I missed these this week…. was traveling.
LOVE wall balls….sorry Yvette (and Sherry)
and JD that vid of the “this guy” doing the 360KG deadlifts made me gag….no shit….that dude is “dead from a brain aneurism” waiting to happen.
Coop….I know!! That guy was just gross! I couldn’t even finish watching it – had to turn it off. Made me re-think my love of heavy days.
Heavy guys like heavy days!