Tuesday 11.3.15// Understanding Intensity
MetCon//
24 Minute AMRAP
20 Deadlifts (105/65)
Run 100m
12 Hang Cleans (105/65)
Run 100m
6 Overhead Squats (front squats to scale) (105/65)
Run 100m
CrossFit is Constantly Varied, High Intensity, Functional Movements.
What the heck does High Intensity mean? I think that when we say high intensity, most people have a moving image of what it might look like-- someone going as hard as possible, risking life and limb for a better score, grunting, snarling, barfing, fainting. That image may be right in a lot of cases, BUT we can very precisely define and even measure intensity!
We believe that intensity is by far the most important variable in creating positive physical adaptations for increasing work capacity. (yes even more important than nutrition, our nutrition and recovery prescriptions are even intended to support intensity.)
In CrossFit, we define intensity as Power. Power=(Force x Distance) / Time.
Lets plug our workout from yesterday into the equation.
3 RFT- 50 Double Unders, 21 KB Swings, 12 Pullups
Force would be measured by your bodyweight for the double unders and pullups and the weight of the KB. Distance is just that, how far you move your body for the unweighted elements and how far you move the KB. Since the force is a fixed number, you've got to exert x amount of force to complete the workout, and the movement standards fix the distance variable, the variable we can change to increase the power output is Time. Going faster or slower is how we want to affect the intensity of most our workouts. If you can go faster and maintain safe positions and movement patterns, push it. If not, slow down.
As for Tuesday's workout, the Force (weight) and Time are fixed. 105/65 on the bar and your bodyweight won't change. Which of the remaining two variables (time or distance) can be changed by your effort to increase intensity? Post your answer on FB!
There are plenty of other ways to achieve intensity and we'll be discussing them all week as they pop up in the workouts!