Eliminate the Blue Button (ft. Coach Kyle)
September 25, 2017When I first started CrossFit about 6 years ago, I started out of my mother’s garage. Every morning I would go to crossfit.com and look at the workout of the day. I was so new to CrossFit that when I would look at the workouts I knew that there was no way I could do the workout as written. So modifying/scaling a workout wasn’t an issue for me back then. However…that all would change when I started at a real CrossFit box (gym).
It was the very first day at the CrossFit gym, I was nervous and excited all at the same time. We all gathered at the white board to go over the plan for the day. The coach started going over the workout and said, “In order to Rx the workout, you need to do it like this…” While he was still talking, I couldn’t stop thinking to myself what in the world does Rx even mean? Well come to find out, Rx means to perform the workout as prescribed (i.e. you did it at the Rx weight or with Rx movements, you didn’t scale anything).
Now being a 3 sport athlete in High School and a collegiate athlete, I had a very competitive nature. As I got more and more into CrossFit, the more I was concerned about “Rxing” every workout…whether if it took me 10-15 minutes longer than everyone. I became obsessed with the Blue “Rx” Button and where I was at on the leaderboard!!!
To be able to Rx a workout at expected pace is an amazing accomplishment and one that we should be proud to achieve! But guess what…we all need to stop worrying about whether or not you click that blue button on every workout. Yep I said it! I have said time and time again that if I could eliminate the Rx Button I would! But one might ask isn’t that the reason why I push myself everyday…to Rx every workout?! The answer is yes and no.
The answer is yes because you should continue to push yourself to your max every day! We as coaches want to see you improve and become the best athlete you can possible be. But the answer is No because if you are doing the Rx weight or movement to simply to light up the blue button, you are only hurting yourself.
A workout that is intended to be completed in 5 minutes or less shouldn’t take you 20 minutes. If it does take you that long, then we (coaches) need to adjust the weight or the volume of work. The reasoning behind it is because you are no longer receiving the intended outcome of what the workout was meant to be. A workout that short should tax everything you have. It is meant to be done fast, stupid fast!!! Think of yourself working beside Rich Froning, Mat Fraser, Tia Toomey, or even one of the top athletes in our gyms. You see how fast they are moving, that is the goal we are shooting for whether if you are “Rxing” or “Scaling” the workout. Intensity is KEY!!!
It is OK to not push the RX button as long as you are maxing out the level you are at! Your workout effort should always be based on what is best for you, not on whether or not you lift heavier than the person standing next to you. No one will think any differently of you. What they will be impressed by is your ability to crush a workout at it was intended to be!
So to wrap this up…ask a coach whether or not to go scaled or Rx! They know what is best for you!
Committed To Your Success,
-Coach Kyle
