That feeling. The blood pumping. The mind is racing and then suddenly breaks into perfect clarity. The heart pounding. The split second of doubt before a rush of trust and belief in your body. The harmony of every muscle working together. The push and the summoning of strength. The finish.
… And then the victory.
That’s what a PR feels like.
You. You did something that you weren’t able to before. And it feels amazing. The mind, heart, and body celebrate all together. There’s nothing quite like that feeling.
And so we chase it. We work for it. We push to grasp it again. That’s one of the things that sets CrossFit apart from other types of exercise. It’s not about waking up and doing the same 30 minutes on the treadmill like you’ve done for 3 years. It’s about being better every single day. It’s about showing up and giving 100% and then watching your growth and your achievements follow.
It’s about being the best you can be. That’s why we call it a PR…
A personal record.
But what if it’s been a while since you’ve gotten a PR? What do you do when it feels like you’ve plateaued and you don’t know why? Coach CT has identified 5 reasons why you may not be hitting your next PR:
1. You’re overtraining. Chances are, you’re probably going at it way too hard. You’ve probably been coming to the gym 5- 6 times a week and going at it hard and your body is tired and hasn’t had an adequate amount of time to recover. Sometimes more isn’t always better. Your body may just be crying out for a little rest.
2. You’re over-thinking. Sometimes you just get into your own head. Maybe you’re just going for a 5 lb increase on your bench press. But because your brain tells you it’s a PR, you get all amped up, nervous, and all in your head about it. So instead of moving normally, you start thinking about it differently then you did 5 lbs ago and start moving differently and letting your form go. It’s all in your head. On a PR, it’s important to mentally remind yourself to continue to move like you were 5 lbs ago.
3. You haven’t adjusted your nutrition. So you’ve been training for a while now. You’ve been at this whole CrossFit thing six to seven months and have been enjoying that big flood of PRs that comes at the beginning. You’ve seen your body weight go down, your strength and endurance go up and you’ve had nothing but increase. You’ve cleaned up your diet and are eating better. But you have to remember that now that your body has changed, you are going to have different nutritional needs. If you haven’t adjusted your diet to fit with your new body composition, there’s a chance that you’re not feeding it correctly and giving it what it needs. You may notice you are more fatigued then you were in the beginning. That doesn’t mean that there’s something wrong with you… Maybe you just need to add a little bit more to what you’re eating to meet your body’s needs.
4. You’re not listening to coach. So you’re in class and your coach is telling you, “Maybe you should jump 5 lbs for your PR.” But you had your mind set on a 10 lbs PR. So you go for it. You add 10 lbs onto your bar and go to try and snatch it. And you keep dropping it. Your coach is telling you to calm down and wait just a second longer before you pull. But all you can think is, “I’ve got to get this freaking weight over my head!” This is why it’s so important to listen to your coach and take your cues from him/her. When you are trying to get a PR, this is the most critical time to listen to your coach. Get everything else out of your head. Empty your mind. And let the only thing going on in your head be what he/she is telling you.
5. It just isn’t there. The PR just isn’t there. We all know that CrossFit is a journey. Some of us struggle to get a muscle up or become proficient at double unders for years. Things just take time. Some people take a little longer than others to break through certain barriers. You just have to keep the faith and keep pushing and keep training, and those PRs will come. It’s just that some days aren’t your day. And that’s hard for us to accept sometimes.
But here’s how to PR at something every day… Do something new. Every day. If you’re lacking a PR and you want it bad, just try something new. A PR is simply an example of how your fitness has improved. So maybe you don’t get that back squat PR. How about trying as many unbroken kettle bell swings as you can? Everyone has done push-ups. You probably know about how many push-ups you can usually get in a row… So just drop down and try to get one more push-up then you’ve done before. Even push-ups can be a PR. And every single PR you get only means one thing… You’re only getting better.
So don’t stop.
Keep going.