First This, Then That
First of all, I think the term “low hanging fruit” is silly. However, I think it is a good way to describe what follows. There are certain things out there that are relatively easy to do, and are freaking money in the bank.
The reality is, there are certain nutrition and exercise “stuff” that need to be done before other “stuff”.
This isn’t a comprehensive list…but is a good start. The importance of this list lies entirely in its order.If you aren’t doing the things at the top of the list, don’t ask me about the things at the bottom of the list. I don’t know how to get through to people on this. In reality, I don’t care that much, I just want you to stop wasting your time.
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If you aren’t:
Eating Paleo foods 90% of the time
Under 15 percent body fat
Working out consistently
Sleeping at least 8.5 hours a night in a pitch black room and waking up without an alarm clock
Taking Fish Oil
Severely limiting alcohol consumption
“Proficient” in the Snatch, the Clean, and the Jerk
Getting double unders done in at least sets of 10
Writing down your goals
Then Don’t ask Me About:
Supplements
Post Workout Nutrition
Pre Workout Nutrition
Advanced Programming
Butterfly Kip Pullups
Two workouts in a Day
Muscle Ups
Qualifying for Regional Competitions
Gaming Workouts
—————–
There is nothing wrong with not being able to do something on the first list. I spend 90% of my time working with people on attaining the goals in the first list. You can spend a long time just getting to that point, which is totally alright. I repeat, there is nothing wrong with not being able to do something on the first list. Just don’t ask me about something on the second list
Let’s examine a theoretical client named “Johnny Utah” (Ten points if you know the movie Johnny is from). Johnny has been Crossfitting for around a year, and is anxious to continue to make progress. He sees several of the coaches and more advanced athletes doing butterfly kip pullups and getting sub 4 minute Fran times. He figures that butterfly kips are the key to being an advanced Crossfitter, so he starts working on them everyday. I ask Johnny what he ate for breakfast. He tells me he skipped breakfast. I ask Johnny how many nights he has drank this week. He says 4. I ask Johnny to do a squat snatch. He can only power snatch it then overhead squat it.
Do you see the issue here? Learning to butterfly kip will get Johnny maybe…. MAYBE…. a two percent increase in power output. Cleaning up his diet, sleeping 8 hours a night, learning to Olympic lift will allow Johnny to double, triple, even quadruple his power output.
I am turning into a cranky old man.
Editors Note: The inspiration for this post came from an article written by Dan John, found here.
20 comments
Point Break. And no, I didn’t Google that.
Also, cranky you may be, but old? Nah. You’re still a puppy. Talk to me when you take the training wheels off the bike.
what if my low hanging fruit is tripping up my doubleunders
Zack,
Touche.
Can you define proficient? I’m hoping to get at least one thing checked off the first list!
More importantly, Johnny’s surfing would continue to improve if he learned to squat snatch. Remember though he is an FBI AGENT!
Good post and nice use of Johnny Utah.
Dave-
I think we can give you proficiency in the Oly lifts. Write down a couple goals, and start taking fish oil and you are well on your way.
Katie and I started doing a shot of fish oil with a splash of liquid vitamin D every night! Now all I need to do is stay on Paleo and practice double unders for the next six months, and I should have that list whipped!
15% body fat for the ladies too?
Nope!
Jon – so, body fat for the ladies? If you answer correctly (read: in my favor) then I only have to work on the proficiency in the moevements stuff. Woop!
So, one of the hazards of switching to the paleo diet for the last 2 1/2 months: I’ve lost enough weight/inches that my clothes don’t fit me. Yesterday, this caused me to get my heel caught in the cuff of my pants and fall down, resulting in me twisting my knee. Time for a new wardrobe…
Katie C-
That is awesome
Utah, gimme two!
Dumb question – and I’m obviously on List 1 – but what, exactly, is “the jerk?” I’d thought it was a variation on many of the lifts (clean and jerk, push jerk, etc. vs clean or power clean or hang clean or shoulder press or push press…)…help me figure out what, exactly, is the jerk, and I’ll work on it. I’m working on the rest of List 1. I even have fish oil…haven’t tried it straight yet…but it makes for yummy smoothies. Adds a lemon zip.
Second comment – I’ve asked (or wondered) about some of the things on list #2. I do know that when I’m six months out from Athens, I will be wanting to add the recommended two extra workouts per week from Xfit endurance…and by then I may or may not have mastered list one – but I am working on it. Plus…when I read about or hear people talking about things on list 2, it piques my curiosity. Is wanting to be more educated so wrong? By the way, as a coach, if I ask you a question about something on List 2 and you know I need to master List 1 to get there…then I appreciate and respect that honest answer…I ain’t gonna hate ya for it. I just didn’t know. But thanks for the lists. Gives me some things to improve upon.
BTW the nutrition stuff and the two workouts a day were all I would probably be curious about on list 2…I definitely ain’t heading to no Games.
)
Hey Heather,
A)The jerk one of the ways you get the bar from chest to overhead. I’m sure you would recognize it if you saw it.
B) There is nothing wrong with wanting to be more educated. There is something wrong with actually doing something from list two.
Why? If you do Crossfit Endurance’s recommended 2 a days before mastering most of list 1, you might take your 5k from 28 to 26. If you stick to normal Crossfit, but stop eating a bagel everyday for breakfast, gain proficiency in the snatch clean and jerk, you’ll take your 5K from 28 to 23. Make sense?
Ok, Jon, you had to single me out, “seriously reducing alcohol consumption” that is straight blasphemy. What would Rich S do if I reduced the national intake of Stella?
You are correct, this is an all or nothing program if you want to be successful. Like most things in society today, people always want something for nothing, (I want a second ab and Diane Lane for xmas)
The classes have been awesome lately and the coaching on target, thanks for the updates.
Actually Vegas, I had you more on the hook for “proficiency” in the Olympic Lifts…..
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