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January 17, 2008
Mechanics + Intensity = Performance
OPT during his Helen performance, taken from CrossFit.com
In case any of you haven't seen it, please check out OPT crushing Helen (3 rounds of 400m run, 21 KB swings @53#, and 12 pull-ups) in 6:59:
Quicktime version of OPT's Helen
Windows Media Player version of OPT's Helen
(I was actually one of those on hand to see it go down.)
Not only is it a great performance, but it's a perfect lead-in to the topic of tonight's post.
There's been a lot of discussion at CFO, online and offline, about performance in the workouts.
The best performances we see, and OPT's Helen is certainly an example, combine solid (though not perfect) mechanics, in which one moves through a full range of motion for a given movement, with peak intensity.
In other words:
Mechanics + Intensity = Performance
We don't want one or the other. We're greedy; we want both. Furthermore, peak intensity levels can't be reached without solid mechanics. Coach Glassman has stated that his best athletes would probably get an A- in the mechanics department when performing at peak intensity levels (i.e., creating a high power output).
Athletes with poor mechanics simply won't develop the capacities required to perform at high levels of output.
This applies as much to the athlete working to develop a full-range squat against the wall as it does to the athlete looking to shave 10 seconds off her Fran time so that she can break the 3-minute mark. In other words, it's all relative and highly individual. Every one of us can work at a higher intensity level AND can do it with really solid mechanics at the same time.
At this point, besides being sick of me discussing the importance of mechanics and intensity, you might be wondering why anyone should care about working at a high level of intensity. In other words, you're asking the very sensible question, "what's this have to do with me?"
Issues of integrity aside, which have been discussed quite a bit in the comments of previous posts, you simply won't get the most out of our program if you don't go hard. The really cool stuff happens when you work out hard: muscle mass increases, bone density increases, insulin sensitivity increases, blood flow increases, and the immune system strengthens (to name just a few of the well-documented results of hard exercise).
In short, you express your genetic potential when you go hard, and you can never go as hard as you're capable of going if you don't have good mechanics. So go hard and do it right!
And just so it's clear, any mention of intensity or power output I'm discussing here is relative. The benefits of performing at a high relative intensity level are not confined to only those few whose name goes up on the "Best Performances of the Day" (BPOD) section of the blog.
And thus I arrive at another point: the purpose of the BPOD is inspirational, not ceremonial. We're not handing out trophies here, we're simply showing what's possible. The entire BPOD concept was thrown up there at the suggestion of a 9am client who was curious about the best times in later classes. We thought it was a great idea and went with it. And we still think it's a great idea.
And finally, we won't be highlighting best technique or best form of the day, because we're looking for best performance, and mechanics is only half of the equation when it comes to performance. Furthermore, a best-form accolade gets highly subjective and it's not our intent to turn this into a gymnastics meet where one person's squat is deemed better than another's because he only has 5 degrees of forward lean in the upper torso vs. the other guy with 7 degrees of forward lean in the upper torso. There's a vast ocean of difference between setting standards for a squat versus judging the prettiest squat.
Post any thoughts you have about this long-ass, rambling blog entry to comments.
Posted by Mike Minium at January 17, 2008 9:56 PM
Comments
Well said Mike!
BRANDON:
OPT smoked your Helen time! Looks like somebody needs to work on their power output???
I heard he did an extra round as a cool down and still beat your time!
Posted by: daniel at January 18, 2008 7:36 AM
I second Daniel. Nicely said, Miguel.
OPT's performance is inspiring. His first 400m run was under 1:20, if I remember. It may have even been 1:12 or something. That is frighteningly fast, especially for Helen, where the real punishment begins when the kettle bell starts swinging. He has an interesting circular pullup technique that seems to maiximize efficiency, although I don't know that I would call it pretty. Whatever the case, that's an amazing display of power.
Posted by: TomC at January 18, 2008 8:47 AM
Two cool things I noticed are that OPT's feet are glued to the ground during the kettlebell swing and that he doesn't move around very much on the pullups.
The most remarkable aspect of the video is that there are fifty people standing around watching an unknown athlete participate in an obscure physical contest for no other reason than the sake of completing a personal challenge.
I wonder if this is what it was like when the Greeks first started throwing and running and jumping for sport.
Posted by: chad at January 18, 2008 10:37 AM
Awesome post mike.
Posted by: Patrick at January 18, 2008 11:05 AM
Chad,
I'm glad you picked up on that heels part. That was some nice camera work and very intentionally put into the video.
Posted by: Mike Minium at January 18, 2008 11:48 AM
Yeah, his time is not bad, but how is his technique on the jazz flute?
Posted by: Brandon B. at January 18, 2008 12:30 PM
His technique on the jazz flute is an A-, but his plays is with some serious intensity!
Posted by: daniel at January 18, 2008 1:09 PM
The picture shown above also demonstrates something that was highlighted by one of the shots in the video. OPT has an unusually well developed tibialis anterior/peroneus longus set. Check out OPT's right outer shin to see what I mean.
Posted by: TomC at January 18, 2008 2:44 PM
If OPT plays the jazz flute it probably weighs like 25 pounds.
To echo Chad, I've noticed watching the elites on video that they move very smoothly. Each rep pretty much looks like all the others, and they don't vary in speed. OPT looked real fresh at the end, even though he collapsed after finishing.
I guess that's mechanical efficiency.
I have no idea what I look like doing Helen, but I feel like a salmon swimming upstream.
Also, big thanks to Chad for holding my son today. He (Chad) looked terrified but performed excellently.
Posted by: Tim at January 18, 2008 4:38 PM
If I had that many people watching, filming and analyzing my every movement during workouts I think I might be able to put up some pretty awesome performances too. I know OPT performs as a result of years of work prior to being in the spotlight, but, alas, I am not OPT; a few fans would surely improve my performance. Imagine, suddenly, all whining disappears into thin air and motivation rises to new levels. "Please god, don't let me look like an ass in front of millions of potential viewers!?!"
Perhaps I'm just conceited but I think I'm on to something here. Rewind a day - I have a suggestion for the box afterall: put us on stage, coach Mini! Reality T.V.'s newest edition, Real Crossfit! On the reruns we can count, who really cheated.
Posted by: Candace Hamilton at January 18, 2008 4:50 PM
I hope I never catch Candace cheating on camera with Helen...
Posted by: daniel at January 18, 2008 4:58 PM
Really, Daniel? I thought that was every man's dream! Even I would not mind seeing Candance on camera with Helen. Sounds quite nice. (I guess this is for a different website.) ;-)
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