The Theory Behind the Whiteboard

Constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity is CrossFit. Can we all agree? Good! With this, we can improve our work capacity across broad time, modal, and age domains. In other words, when your workout times go down, your weight you lift goes up, and your skills improve, while getting older, you are becoming more fit. Still following me? This foundation that CrossFit is based on allows for a clear and precise definition of what is fitness.

Walk into a CrossFit gym... now walk into another CrossFit gym... and visit about 10 more CrossFit gyms and tell me that there isn't a whiteboard in their gym. Ok, with today's advancement in technologies, it may not actually be a whiteboard; though, I guarantee there's something in there that has the WOD and people's results. Why?

2 Reasons:

1. Track Results.

While trying to improve our work capacity across broad time and modal domain, we need to see exactly how we are doing. Is it working? Are we becoming more fit? Everyday, after the workout, write it down, take a picture and remember it for next time. At CrossFit Kazam, we have both the old school whiteboard and the high-tech fancy phone app. Do we need both, probably not. Though, it's nice having the convenience of either.

2. Camaraderie/Friendly Competition It's nice to have someone congratulate you on your hard work every now and then. You come in, work your ass off, and having someone acknowledge it is rewarding. On the flip side, it also nice to have someone to go head-to-head with pushing you to do better every day. Having a friend to trade time and weights with everyday is a fun and allows for growth beyond just yourself.

Here's what we DON'T use the whiteboard for:

1. Comparing Yourself to Others

You're your own person. You're progressing at your own pace. You are in the gym for your own reasons and so are others. Don't cheat yourself by writing something different down because you wanted to beat another person or you saw someone else's score and you think you lost count and should have done as much as they did.

2. Discourage Yourself

You may not have done the same weight as you did last time you back squatted for a 1 rep max. That is ok! There are many factors that can go into scoring worse. Chalk it up and realize that tomorrow is a new day.