Josh, resetting for another deadlift
Happy Resting
By Shirley Vitrella
I was recently doing some reading for my other job. Without boring you too much it was something about a new drug in trials and the minimum effective dose, blah blah blah. Then I got to thinking about the term minimum effective dose (MED) applied to exercise and it sounds a lot like the methodology behind CrossFit.
In CrossFit, we get a warm up, one hell of a workout and often times a cool down all in one hour. CrossFit promotes maximum work in less time. This is a proven method to increase work capacity. Coach Glassman explains that durations of intense exercise below 20 minutes is ideal for eliciting a response from all 3 of our metabolic energy pathways which is, in short, responsible for determining our metabolic conditioning.
Who remembers spending 2 and a half hours at the Globo Gym just on back, biceps and triceps? If the MED to see improvements in muscle strength or cardio-respiratory capacity is only 8 minutes of 80% exertion or 20 minutes of 60% exertion why would we work longer and harder and risk injury or over training?
CrossFit tends to attract very driven, motivated people who will put in the hard work to see results. Make no mistake; skipping rest days does not equal larger and more expedient gains. Scheduled rest days need just as much thoughtful planning as your workout programing and your dietary needs.
Are you getting this? Rest. Is. Important.
Most of us know that CrossFit works based on our own experience with strength gain and weight loss. But for you new guys, the CrossFit method is backed by scientific principles and it’s legitimacy has been established through the testimony of athletes, soldiers, cops and others whose lives or livelihoods depend on their fitness. Take note that CrossFit Headquarters schedules regular rest days. So should we.
Happy WODding and Happy resting!
Workout
“McGhee”
Complete as many rounds in 30 minutes as you can of:
5 Deadlift, 275/185 lbs
13 Push-ups
9 Box jumps, 24/20”
Fantastic write-up, Shirley! I’m happily scheduling my rest day for tomorrow. I need it after McGhee. Yeesh.
I enjoy hero WOD’s as test pieces, and always try to honor them by using good form and strict standards.
McGhee was named after (credit to crossfit main site): Corporal Ryan C. McGhee, 21, was killed in action on May 13, 2009 by small arms fire during combat in central Iraq. He served with 3rd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment of Fort Benning, Ga. This was his fourth deployment, his first to Iraq. Ryan was engaged to Ashleigh Mitchell of Fredericksburg, VA. He is survived by his father Steven McGhee of Myrtle Beach S.C., his mother Sherrie Battle McGhee, and his brother Zachary.