A message about scaling. I’m sharing this with my clients tomorrow, and I figured I’d post it here first

[ht77091]

@expressforsuccess I always find it surprising that people don't think this way automatically. I guess I underestimate the ego of most people

When I started I had to scale everything because I couldn't even do pull-ups and could only snatch 75lb. So I never started with an ego, I guess.

I mostly Rx these days except for really heavy weights. And sometimes I ignore the stimulus and Rx anyway for the challenge and fun of trying to compete with a friend, but that's a choice I make consciously.

 

[theshining]

@expressforsuccess I appreciate this and totally agree. I wish all coaches would tell you what the intended stimulus is for every workout. I think sometimes the coaches themselves don’t know. I was a member of a great gym in Michigan where the coaches would tell you -this workout is a sprint so you should pick a weight to be able to do these sets of XYZ unbroken or at most broken in two sets or something like that for every workout, which is helpful in figuring out how to scale. I recently moved to Puerto Rico and have trouble finding a gym where the coaches are able to answer the question, much less telling the class up front. I asked one coach “is this a set I should have to break up or do unbroken?” And he responded “wow that’s a good question. Normally I just explain the workout and say 3-2-1-go and people don’t ask questions like that”....

 

[berta]

@expressforsuccess I have had this for several years and don't know who wrote it but I did not. It is a great view of scaling and one I share with lots of my Crossfit friends, especially when they are beginning:

By Unknown

"Yeah, but I scaled."

I hate hearing this - its usually at the end of a WOD, when someone just crumpled to the floor, dead last by minutes, breathing hard while classmates go up to congratulate.

"Dude, that was awesome, way to fight through", "You did SO good!", "That was amazing, great job today", "Good job finishing, way to not give up!"

"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.

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 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 how you improve your technique and learn to lift heavier.

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.

 

[expressforsuccess]

@berta Oh man. THAT was good. Wow.

 

[inaweoftruth]

@expressforsuccess agree with this - but also a note...perhaps this also comes down to appropriate programming.

when my coach has something thats meant to be done for a sprint there its usually percentage work - so rx for everyone is a different weight. if he wants you hustling at 50% of your 1RM that will be a unique number for all of us, but should be equally difficult. there are plenty of workouts we do that have an RX weight, but often it comes down to our own abilities and what he expects of us. it puts everyone on a more even playing field and i think it makes people feel more confident when they go into these workouts.

 

[expressforsuccess]

@inaweoftruth I also agree with this.

 

[raulsen]

@expressforsuccess I've always wondered why CF doesn't tell people to lift whatever percentage of they're max their supposed to lift instead of having weights listed.

Couldn't we avoid this conversation all together if they put percentages up? It's never bothered me, I've never done RX and probably never will, but I've seen people hurt themselves at worst and miss the point of the workout at best buy trying to RX when they wouldn't be.

 

[dawn16]

@raulsen We did this at Atlas Crossfit: the "why behind the Wod" was explained, "today's wod is for speed. keep going. use 35-50% of your weight" versus, "today is a grind, challenge yourself with heavier. Use 70-75% of your weight" (they also provided "absolute" weights, e.g., thrusters with 95/65 or 50% of your weight)

we also were given ideas how to scale or customize things to help our own progression goals while hitting the general point of the workout ("do 50% of your max strict pullups per round", is an example of a suggestion they'd provide)

sometimes we did WoDs like Fran where it was "take as long as you need (85%+ of your weight), strict pullups", for fun. those were really fun! But this required the coaches to be aware of the individual's goals and help them get there. which they did. ZS, BZ, EO, TJ, JG all knew our goals and helped us customize the experience to help us get there within the larger picture of the WoD. was fantastic!

 

[raulsen]

@dawn16 That sounds like an awesome approach!

 

[soldoutbeliever]

@expressforsuccess Wow, thank you for this!!

 

[dawn16]

@expressforsuccess If you are consistently going to the box, the coach that teaches your specific class should know what you're capable of and what you aren't. Or at the least, should ask how many strict movements you can do when fresh.

This should give them enough information to know that if the client can only do say 1-3 MUs, perhaps they should just perform chest-to-bars for the prescribed 6 reps to keep up the intensity.

More coaches need to pay attention to the regular attendees at the box and remember where they are in their fitness journey. Great write-up though!

 

[zspa]

@expressforsuccess Our box uses the Level Method, and we scale our workouts to our levels as appropriate. It’s been very helpful as a fairly new (18 month) crossfitter for me to find the right loads!