CrossFit Competitions: A Path to Progress and Fitness at Any Age

Last weekend I competed in the WA Affiliate Cup, Perth's first licenced CrossFit event! When I saw this comp I was super stoked to have another reputable brand Perth Fit Fam and CrossFit Access run a team comp and I knew I wanted to get involved. This to me, was a great opportunity to get the Sagitta CrossFit community to come together to showcase some fitness, build camaraderie and have fun! I always see competitions as a way to have a goal to direct my training. They keep me motivated to train when I’m not feeling up to it and give me some purpose in my training. 

I’ve beaten myself up over the last few years about my age, turning 40, officially entering “masters” and being a Fifo Worker with 3 kids. My Wife is studying and now pregnant with our third child which has made it super challenging to maintain training consistently especially when trying to forge a future for my family.

I’m not interested in committing the time and training at the level needed to be somewhat competitive in the upper WA CrossFit scene, nor do I think my body is made for the sport at the higher levels due to my height and arm length :-/ and I couldn’t handle the training volume needed with my current stressors. I do know, however, that one of the most important things we can do is keep ourselves fit and healthy and what better way than the most effective training program there is, CrossFit! As we age our muscles will naturally atrophy, our bone density decreases and in general our bodies regress. Our mental health also takes a beating in the current world we live in so we need an outlet. The biggest problem with most fitness programs is that they become stale and stagnant. There are limitations in the types of movements, the training is continuously in a loop of the same stuff and after the first 6-12months there is no further progression which leads people to become bored or not hitting their desired training goals.

This is where CrossFit differs, we don’t sugarcoat or leave out the hard stuff. We teach, practice, train and progress continually to improve no matter what level you’re at. One thing for sure is that month to month you will see small progressions in your training and this is where the excitement and momentum comes from. If this month you were able to squat 5 kg more than last month you know for a fact your body has changed. You have more muscle mass which improves your metabolism, burning fat, whilst tendons and bones have strengthened, your core has gotten stronger and you don’t need to look into a mirror to see these changes. You have the evidence right in front of you, the numbers speak volumes. If you are continually improving inch by inch over all areas of CrossFit your body changes to accommodate your training and for most people you get a desirable look ;)

So where do comps fit in for me? I’ve been doing CrossFit for 10 years and given that I haven’t been feeling the best about my training I wanted something to give myself that push! And there it was the WA Affiliate Cup! This weekend gone, I surprised myself, looking around I didn’t feel out of my depth and I realised I was still capable and still able to compete albeit in the middle of the pack I was still proud of myself and my team. 

Leading up to the comp wasn’t the smoothest run but there were a few small changes I made that were all the difference

1. I trained 5 times a week. Before deciding to compete I was training on average 3-4 times per week. I always have a plan to do 5 x 1-hour sessions per week but with no goal. It was easy to let those days drop when I wasn’t feeling it.

2. I focused on my weaknesses. I’m a big man, 6 foot 4 inches, weighing 105kgs, and did I mention long arms? I put focus on pressing and thrusters. I know there are a lot of areas I excel in but pressing myself or anything strict doesn’t go too well so I included these focuses. I also added some running into my program. I believe that running is one of the most effective ways to build fitness in CrossFit and let’s just say I have been known NOT to be a fire-breathing well of fitness so this was a must.

3. I had backup plans. The lead-up wasn’t smooth. I got sick 8 weeks prior, I tweaked my back 4 weeks prior and there was stress. A lot of it! When I got sick I rested for 3-4 days but then got straight back into it, no excuses. When I twinged my back albeit just minor, I forgave myself and just worked around it. Did I mention my upper body was weak? I was able to press and do plenty of fitness with lighter loads which helped a lot. Lastly, I always trained. On night shift I had days where I woke up and just did not want to do anything but I knew I had a comp and didn’t want to let my team down. I told myself it was ok to go easy and it was enough to get me there. And once I was there most of the time I felt fine to train hard. Some days I didn’t but then I’d just do an easy aerobic session with low heart rate and some accessory work but the main thing was that I turned up.

4. I tried with my diet. Let me tell you it wasn’t perfect, It was more like a roller coaster, but I tried. I ensured my protein intake was sufficient, I added creatine back into my supps and nailed that part. 70% of the time I ate well. It could have been better but hey, when you eat fifo food for 50% of the time and you get back to Perth, let’s just say it’s hard not to enjoy some tasty food 

5. Lastly, I gave myself a break. Beating yourself up on your performance is one of the worst things we can do. It makes you give up. Try your best, have a plan and if it doesn’t work, change, adapt and find another plan. Don’t waste your time on being upset and angry at yourself. Put the effort into improving. My goal was to do the best I could and be proud of my efforts and I was.

The best thing is I feel like I succeeded and it’s left me hungry to keep focus and build on what I had just achieved.

This is the where the power lies in competing. Not in winning but in progressing. Giving you a goal to work for, a reason for your training and if thats not enough, just the accountability to get into the gym leading up to the day because you want to be prepeared and not fall behind. I'm not saying everyone has to compete, it can be stressful and it may not motivate all but it works for me and I plan to use it for years to come even as a master :)

Finally, now its all over I can take what I have learnt, Where I'm fell behing and where I succeeded and have some focuses for the coming months to kepp me progressing and motivated

There was one thing for me that is my absolute kryptonite which is my pressing. I saw some great improvements and was super proud of my efforts but guess what? I only did 5 of the deficit HSPU out of the 50 needed on the weekend so for me the best thing I can do is improve my press strength. So my first goal is to hit a body weight strict press. This to me is the baseline press needed to build a good HSPU game. 

My 2nd goal is to maintain and build on the endurance I build in my legs through running and low-weight squatting. My low-load squat endurance and pressing are so far behind the rest of my CrossFit game that if I did nothing but these 2 things I would improve greatly. However, it’s not fun to just train weaknesses so whilst these will be my focus I will still be ensuring I have fun and do what I love which is thowdown in class!

So next up…….? (Insert comps here)

Coach Clint