Is anyone else out there addicted to writing that little "RX" on the white board?  I know I am.  Today I had to talk myself down from a weight I had no business lifting, and after my poor little ego was done whining about it, I wrote some thoughts down about it as a reminder to me, and (hopefully) you.

Many times we ask ourselves..."Is it possible for me to do the RX'd weight today?"

When we should really be asking..."Which weight should I use for this CrossFit like workout to achieve high intensity, AND maintain great mechanics?"

I may be paraphrasing a bit here, but this quote was relayed to me, and attributed to CrossFit's founder Greg Glassman...

"Which is more important?  Great mechanics, or high intensity?  Well, I don't know...If we were going to have lunch would you rather me show up on time?...Or in the right place?"

The moral of the story is this:  Whatever the CrossFit like workout is, you should pick a weight, and/or movement that will allow for great mechanics AND high intensity to show up at the same time.

For some that weight may be 300lbs...For others it may be a PVC pipe, but it's up to you and your trainer to find the sweet spot.

Using poor form to push weights you have no business lifting will eventually lead to stagnant results, and possibly injury.

Conversely, scaling the workout so massively that you don't even break a sweat will eventually render the programming of your box useless in terms of increasing your fitness.

It's a balance...and it's hard!

The goal of doing a CrossFit like workout is to gain the BIGGEST chunk of fitness possible, AND to keep that chunk of fitness for as LONG as possible.

Endangering yourself for the much coveted "RX," or sandbagging the WOD until it's laughable will not achieve this goal.

If you struggle with this issue, it's time for a slice of humble pie...

FREQUENTLY ask your coaches for feedback on scaling, form, and intensity.

These conversations will help you understand where you're at, and which weights to choose in your quest to gain more fitness and stay healthy. 

If you feel like you're bugging your coach about this stuff...you're not.  They have the same sick urge to talk about CrossFit for hours upon end as you do, so ask for feedback constantly.

With a little humility, a lot of conversations, and even more hard work, we'll all stay super-fit and healthy for years to come.

Have a balanced day!

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