In Rest Day/Theory, Reference, Videos
March 03, 2010
Finding a balance between technique and intensity is one of the things that separates good trainers from great trainers, and it’s one of the keys to getting optimal results from the CrossFit program.
According to Greg Glassman, “control” is just another thing that can be stressed to produce favorable adaptations, just like your cardiorespiratory system must be stressed to produce greater endurance. The ability to maintain greater control at higher speeds must be trained, and CrossFit will help you do that. As you develop better technique and control at high speeds, your power output will increase.
As an analogy, consider a typing test: an outstanding score is a combination of great speed and precise accuracy, and the goal is to improve the output both through practice and training. Working with weights is very similar.
“No one has ever suggested in any endeavor that the best accuracy came about, the highest overall proficiency ever came about, by never testing the speed of the movement.”
5min 08 sec
Additional video: Technique Part 1 by Greg Glassman, published Feb. 1, 2008.
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4 Comments on “At the Chalkboard: Threshold Training”
1
Dane Thomas wrote …
There are many different thresholds to be aware of: Speed, load, number of reps, duration, rest interval and adherence to "proper" technique, just to start with. Being aware of the variety of these thresholds and how they interact with each other is one of the keys to progress.
Coach mentions the progress than occurs on a mechanical level, that is to say the force-generating capacity of the tissues involved, but it is also crucial to recognize the emotional impacts of threshold training. Every time we push the threshold in any direction we expand upon our experience and modify our future expectations. This can work either positively or negatively, which makes it important to program workouts in a way that are most likely to result in a succession of positive outcomes.
Sometimes that demands a bit of creativity when determining parameters for measurement, but when faced with an obviously fatigued client it can for example make sense to drop down on the weights and/or speed and just concentrate on perfect technique. Give them a new challenge that they have a chance of succeeding with. When they come back more rested next time, expect the same technique, but with a higher demand in one or more other parameters.
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2
Steven Caddy wrote …
Excellent post Dane. Nice to cross paths again here :)
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3
wrote …
Is there a reason why no iPhone version of this video is available?
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4
Dane Thomas replied to comment from Steven Caddy…
You helped bring me here Steven. That and seeing a mainsite video of an old patient of mine (Eva T) doing muscle-ups!
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