Last week I had the privilege of witnessing how high level CrossFit athletes warm up before their workouts. I also was able to witness how they interacted with their coaches.
What I noticed about their warm ups:
- They moved with intention. They are not mindlessly just moving. They are moving with quality and a purpose. They are consciously thinking about what they are doing.
- They improved their movement mechanics during the warm ups. If something felt off, they did it again until it felt right. They were consistently asking for feedback from their coaches or team athletes. If something can be done better, they wanted to know how and implemented it.
- They moved with high intensity for their “teasers”. They ramped up their heart rate, core temperature and got mentally prepared. They would perform 2-3 rounds of a workout at high intensity when the workout is only 3 rounds. They wanted to know what to expect and what it is going to feel like in real time.
- They stretched and did the non-sexy things. Every single athlete stretched, used bands, did crossover symmetry and foam rolled. Before and after their workouts. They took care of their bodies. They spent between 5-10 minutes on both ends as a minimum.
As I said earlier, they asked for feedback. All of them had their coach next to them and would consistently ask for feedback. There was this extremely high level of trust between coach and athlete. You could tell that the athletes knew the coaches had their best intention for them. As I eavesdropped in some conversations, the feedback and recommendations the coaches gave to their athletes are no different from the feedback that Coach Tony, Coach Luis, Coach David or myself give the CrossFit Be Someone athletes.
Absolutely no different. It’s the non-sexy things that if done consistently, helps 100%. Your level as a CrossFit athlete does not matter. If you warm up with intention, do the non-sexy things and listen to your coaches, results will occur.
Respectfully Sent,
Josh Melendez
