How Standards of Movement relate to Rx-ing a WOD
The Standard for a movement is basically doing the movement, i.e. a squat, a push up, a clean, properly.
If we take a basic squat, to do the movement properly, the hip crease dips below the knee, weight is on the heels, the completion of the squat is standing fully upright, body in full extension. Standards for a movement are important when achieved because of the consistent nature of your workout. If you do a shallow squat one week and a deeper squat the next, it becomes challenging to know when you’re improving because one of our ways of recording improvement, your time, will be inaccurate. Being consistent with form also keeps all athletes on the same page. Most importantly, an athlete who does proper form is likely protecting her/himself from possible injury as well as doing the movement in the most efficient way possible. There is a fine line between pushing yourself to reach a new level or goal and pushing yourself towards injury. As coaches we know if you take two athletes who are equal in strength and only one has proper form, does the correct standards for the movement, he/she will always do better and over time experience less incidence of injury than the other.
So, to satisfy the requirement to Rx a WOD you must satisfy all of the standards of movements as well as use the prescribed weight for the barbell, dumbbell, etc. Please be mindful of this when recording your results. If you are uncertain if you are achieving proper form, don’t hesitate to ask one of the coaches.
Let’s back up a moment however and touch on the concept of scaling vs. Rx-ing. Scaling is the term we use for appropriately matching an athlete’s ability to the workout so that the most is gained from it. The purpose for scaling is so that an athlete may maintain proper form throughout the workout. For example, one might use a lower weight than the prescribed weight for barbell work or do pushups on their knees because they aren’t able to maintain proper form at the prescribed level. Scaling a workout may include 6 Rx pushups on their toes, of 15 total and then complete the rest on their knees to maintain proper form, tight core, elbows in. I cannot emphasize enough how important proper form is. Maintaining proper forms trains your muscles to default to that form during intensity. Prescribed weights that are given for each work out reflect the highest weight an athlete should use and once there, instead of increasing weights, you begin focusing on reducing your time for the workout. We all scale most of the time. There are very few athletes at CrossFit gyms that don’t scale workouts in some form or another. Scaling a workout to your ability is absolutely key in being successful in CrossFit. Working toward Rx is a great goal.
I love the following article written by a CrossFit athlete named Erica Saint Clair about scaling:
“Dude, that was awesome, way to fight through”
…“Yeah, but I scaled”
As if scaling is something to be ashamed of, as if scaling is for the weak and the untrained.
As if scaling means you didn’t do the workout – or your workout was less worthy because you scaled.
It isn’t.
“You did SO good!”
…”Yeah, but I used a lighter weight”
As if choosing the right weight for you means you will never get stronger and work up to the Rx’d weights. As if it is somehow the weaker choice.
It isn’t.
“That was amazing, great job today”
…”Yeah, but I used a band”
As if you should feel guilty using a band for a week, a month, a year or a lifetime. As if the band is something to hate and despise.
It isn’t.
“Good job finishing, way to not give up!”
…”Yeah, but I was last”
As if where you finish matters more than THAT you finished. As if finishing last means your WOD was easy.
It doesn’t.
We are all in a constant state of scaling – even the elite of the elite, even the few who make it to the finals at The CrossFit Games
Double unders are scaled triple unders, MU are scaled weighted MU, 15′ rope climbs are scaled 20′ climbs.
Sure, they aren’t called for in the WODs today, but what about tomorrow?
Scaling is how you get from where you are now to your future kickass self.
Scaling is how you stay safe and healthy.
Scaling is how you improve your technique and learn to lift heavier.
Scaling is how you finish the workouts and feel obliterated after, using a band instead of just staring at the bar for 10 min willing yourself to get a pullup.
Scaling, is NOT, however, something to be ashamed of or something that you can use to write off your WOD as a poor performance.
So next time you are crumpled on the floor gasping for air, be proud that you choose the right scale for you.
Be proud that you killed the WOD, and that the WOD killed you
Everyone comes into the gym at different levels of fitness, with different strengths and weaknesses. CrossFit is an awesome tool to find what both of those are. While Rx-ing a WOD is an achievement, it takes a lot of awesome achievements along the way to get there and even once you get there, there’s always another plateau to reach. Please celebrate every completion of a WOD as a success. If you had a goal and didn’t reach it, hold your head up, tall and proud as I always say, and go back at it again soon.
The message I want you to take away from this: Use proper form all the time, learn what the standards are for each movement, and ask a coach for help on how to get there if you’re uncertain. And Rx-ing a WOD means Rx-ing each and every movement within that WOD.
You got this!
