CrossFit Competitions_ How to Prepare to Perform Your Best - Bodybuilding

28/05/2015 CrossFit Competitions: How To Prepare To Perform Your Best - Bodybuilding.com

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MARCUS HENDRENHere's a list of the skills

and strengths I think are

necessary to be

successful at an elite

competitive level:

Fran: Sub 2:20

Clean and Jerk:315 pounds

Snatch: 255pounds

Max Muscle-ups:15 reps

Deadlift: 500pounds

Max Pull-ups: 50reps

Mile Run: 5:45

Strict HSPU: 20reps

Heading to your local box to do the house WOD is one thing, but learning

how to prepare your mind and body for a competition is an entirely

different beast. Here's how to prepare for a CrossFit competition!

Just like any sport, CrossFit competitions are intense and difficult. No matter if you're

doing a physique show, playing in a soccer game, or running a marathon, doing well in

competition takes a huge amount of training and preparation. What makes CrossFit a little

different from these other sports, though, is the sheer number of skills an athlete needs in

order to be competitive.

Since CrossFit can take everything from pulling a heavy-ass deadlift to swimming a half

mile, preparing for a competition takes some big-time strategy. Having to be good at

everything means you'll have to train for everything. And that's difficult to do if you're new

to competition and aren't sure where to start.

If you're doing well in your house WODs and think you're ready to try a competition, here

are some ways to prepare.

ASSESS YOUR STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSESNot every person is going to have the same strengths.

Some of us may be stronger than others, some of us may

be better at gymnastic movements, and others may be

able to run for miles without breaking a sweat.

"The number of weeks necessary for a person to prepare

for a competition will depend on the individual and their

skill level," says Marcus Hendren, regional athlete and

2012 CrossFit Games competitor. "Personally, I always feel

like as long as my strength numbers are up, I can get my

wind back in a month with a metabolic conditioning

(MetCon) workout or two each time I train."

"Sometimes, you get elite-level athletes from other sports

that cross over to CrossFit and can quickly reach a

competitive level because they are already used to

pushing their bodies and mind," explains Bobby Ashhurst,

Pursuit Rx athlete and aspiring CrossFitter. "But for the

average person, training for a competition is going to take

much longer. It's not just about learning the movements,

but also correcting any mobility issues and core

weaknesses that most of us have at the start. It took me

almost a year of mobility work and reprogramming my

nervous system to go from isolating muscles on

exercises to teaching my body to work as a coordinated

unit."

Your skill, strength, and conditioning levels all have to be

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BO BBY A S H H U RS TC ROS S F I T A THLE TE

HOW TO PREPAREFOR A CROSSFITCOMPETITION

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by Cassie Smith

Last updated: Mar 17, 2015

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repsYour skill, strength, and conditioning levels all have to be

high in order to compete well. So take some time to

measure yourself against what some of the best athletes

in your box can do and then increase your training intensity so you can one day surpass

them.

SPEND MORE TIME TRAININGCrossFit competitions will ask you to be good at everything, so you need to find ways to

train your weaknesses without losing your strengths. "If you are looking to compete,

regular classes are not enough," says Ashhurst. "There are so many movements to

practice, as well as unknown factors that are often thrown into competitions. Preparing for

everything takes additional work outside of classes to ensure you improve."

If you're interested in competing, talk to the coaches in your box and ask them to help you

prepare. If you need some strength gains, they can help you come up with a lifting

program to improve your lifting game. If you need help with your endurance, you'll

probably need to add a metabolic conditioning WOD into your daily training regimen.

"Competitive CrossFit athletes are far more efficient in their movements and work capacity

than recreational CrossFitters because they spend so many hours in the gym. It's no

different than an IFBB pro and a typical gym-goer: The time spent, dedication, and

intensity are much higher for a pro than a weekend warrior," says Ashhurst.

TRAIN WITH BETTER ATHLETES

Yoga

STRETCHING

EXERCISES

CARDIO

MUSCLE GROUPS

TIPS AND ADVICE

GYMS

HEALTH CONDITIONS

AGE AND GENDER

PERSONAL TRAINERS

RESEARCH

TRACKING



TRAIN WITH BETTER ATHLETESAlthough normal CrossFit classes are conducted as group exercise, you need to find

people who will challenge you to get better. If you're one of the best in your class and are

consistently beating everyone with prescribed weights, then you should prepare for a

competition with other athletes at your level.

"IT'S HAR D TO CR EATE THE INTENSITY YOU'LL SEE IN A COMPETITIVE ATMOSPHER E BY

YOUR SELF , AND THE MOR E YOU WOR K OUT WITH PEOPLE THAT AR E BETTER THAN YOU, THE

BETTER YOU WILL BECOME."

"In the weeks leading up to [2014] Regionals, I made sure I worked out with other regional-

level athletes," says Hendren. "It's hard to create the intensity you'll see in a competitive

atmosphere by yourself, and the more you work out with people that are better than you,

the better you will become. It's my favorite thing to create workouts that play to others'

strengths and my weaknesses. If I can keep up with them doing movements they excel at,

I should be OK during competitions."

TRAIN YOUR MENTAL GAME"A lot of competition WODs are designed to be much more challenging than a typical

WOD you'd find programmed at a box," says Ashhurst. "It seems that the designers of

competition WODs [build them] with the hopes that many cannot complete them in order

to separate the best from the rest. WODs you see programmed at most CrossFit boxes

have the restriction of getting everythingwarm-up, strength/skill work, MetCon, cool-

downcompleted within the one-hour time limit."

Because the length and difficulty of competitions are much higher than what you normally

do during the week, you need to be mentally prepared for the rigors. You may have three

WODs each day of a two-day competition. That amount of stress is going to take a trained

mind.

"IN ALL SPOR TS I'VE COMPETED IN THR OUG HOUT MY LIF E , MY MENTAL PR EPAR ATION TOOK

PLACE DUR ING PR ACTICE OR PR EP. I TR IED TO VISUALIZE AND R EPLICATE WHAT THE

COMPETITION WOULD BE."

"As important as it is to be physically prepared for competition, having a mental edge is

more important," says Hendren. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to prepare



more important," says Hendren. Here are a few questions you can ask yourself to prepare

for situations that will inevitably occur: How are you going to perform on day two when

you're sore everywhere and have five workouts left? How are you going to react when

you get "no repped" in the middle of a workout?

If you don't know the answers to these questions or you know you won't be able to keep

going with a positive attitude when you're beyond exhausted, then you're going to need

some mental training.

"In all sports I've competed in throughout my life, my mental preparation took place during

practice or prep. I tried to visualize and replicate what the competition would be like. I did

it so much that by the time the game or show came around, it was just another day," says

Ashhurst.

CONTROL WHAT YOU CANIf you have a competitive personality, then you want to win. Because CrossFit

competitions can last for days, the stress of your performance and your placing can be

overwhelming. It's important to remember that you can only control what you can control.

You can't control what the guy next to you is doing and you can't control your judge's

opinion. You have to concentrate on doing what you're capable of doing and then do it to

the absolute best of your ability.

If you've prepared for a competition and you've prepared well, then you've put yourself in

the best possible place to do well. When the countdown to the beginning of the first WOD

begins, you'll know exactly what you have to do.

"I always believe that you put the work in before you hit the field, court, or stage," says

Ashhurst. "Competing is another way to express all of the hard work you've put in.

Competing is the reward."

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CROSSFIT Q&A: YOUR GUIDE TO STARTINGCROSSFITIf you're thinking about starting CrossFit or wondering if

you should try a class, read this. You'll learn the answers

to some basic questions and find out what to expect!

CROSSFIT WORKOUTS: 5 KILLER CROSSFIT WODSLove it or hate it, CrossFit has found its place in the

fitness world. Not sure what you think about it? Before you

decide, try one of these workouts.

CROSSFIT WORKOUT: HEATHER WELSH'S HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL MOUNTAIN WORKOUTLearn how CrossFit Games athlete Heather Welsh uses

hills and trails to burn fat, build stamina, and boost her

speed! Think outside the box.



POOR 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 EXCELLENT

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Showing 1 - 18 of 18 Comments

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cassie SmithCassie Smith is the Senior Editor for Bodybuilding.com

and former professor & college athlete. Find out more

about her right here.

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18 Comments

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 5'8"wt: 174.17 lbsbf: 11.0%

Shifisu

How about no

Jun 26, 2014 2:57am | report

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Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 6'0"wt: 178 lbsbf: 11.0%

skk5076

How to prepare for CrossFit Competition: Don't.

Jun 26, 2014 6:04am | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 5'8"wt: 192 lbs

luadun

I'm always inspired by CrossFit and the athletes. The high

level intensity of their training never ceases to amaze me. I

wish I could have discovered Crossfit a decade ago when my

body was younger and more flexible!!!

Jun 26, 2014 7:59am | report

Rep Power: 0 atokad

So how do you win these cross fit competitions? Is it like first

one to snap city wins?

Jun 26, 2014 8:03am | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 5'11"wt: 185 lbsbf: 14.0%

BeastlyChange

Last time I checked this was a bodybuilding community. Stop

posting this crap.

Jun 27, 2014 6:36am | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 6'6"wt: 202 lbsbf: 12.9%

SugarNation

Bodybuilders are part of the vast array of people who

use our site to achieve their health and fitness goals.

The breadth of our coverage isn't limited by the URL.

Jun 27, 2014 3:18pm | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 3'6"wt: 165 lbs

bf: 15.0%

magie001

Crossfit amaze me every time i see their workoutouts!!!!!!!!!

Jun 27, 2014 8:34am | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 5'6"wt: 154.5 lbsbf: 17.5%

SquatRackShy14

This isn't just for body building. There are some really legit

amazing CF athletes who train their butts off. If you took the

time, we have so much more than just articles on BB and

creatine and protein. Its a FITNESS n HEALTH community.

Stop the hate.

Jun 27, 2014 11:15am | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 5'11"wt: 185 lbsbf: 14.0%

BeastlyChange

"bodybuilding".com

Jun 27, 2014 11:27am | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 6'3"wt: 236 lbsbf: 12.0%

itsJustAROD

those are the only articles we need lol. I come here to

learn about new bodybuilding things and

supplements. Not crossfit.

Go to a crossfit.com or something lmao

Jun 27, 2014 4:49pm | report



Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 6'2"wt: 188 lbsbf: 18.0%

Johnnybetrainin

If you dont want to eat fat, you dont buy butter. If you

dont want to read about crossfit, dont click the link.

Last time I checked, CF athletes "build" their bodies to

compete.

Jul 10, 2014 1:42pm | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 5'8"wt: 188 lbsbf: 9.0%

Carter96

i have a correction for your use of "build" i think you

meant - "destroy their body threw a stupid working

that no one cares about to improve their score on a

stupid workout that no one cares about" i know

autocorrect can be off but man that was WAYYY off

Sep 30, 2014 9:18pm | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 5'6"wt: 154.5 lbsbf: 17.5%

SquatRackShy14

Arent you just so quick?! I work here, but its grown since

then. Much more than just body building. Open your mind.

Jun 27, 2014 12:36pm | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 6'5"wt: 255 lbsbf: 14.7%

IDRollllerpop

For those complaining about a couple crossfit articles In

assume you also complain about all of the power lifting and

calisthenics articles as well since they are not bodybuilding

articles. If someone is getting fit and finds this as a means to

do that why do you want to alienate them?

Jul 2, 2014 8:30am | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 5'8"wt: 188 lbsbf: 9.0%

Carter96

no because powerlifting actually does increase muscle

size where are cross fit causes more dumb***'s in the

gym to become a hazard to themselves and others. if

you want to do cross fit go to a cross fit gym not

commercial gyms.. ive been kicked in the face twice

while squatting from people doing kipping pull ups..

they just came into the cage and started flopping... i

dont want them to be encouraged

Sep 30, 2014 9:20pm | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 6'3"wt: 213 lbsbf: 20.0%

RidleyNoah

Crossfit: the proper way to destroy your joints.

Jul 13, 2014 8:02am | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 5'9"wt: 183 lbsbf: 10.0%

benjianderson32

thanks i've been looking for some good information on this

Jul 30, 2014 8:41am | report

Rep Power: 0

Body Stats

ht: 6'1"wt: 283 lbsbf: 15.0%

melvin2345

"HOW TO PREPARE FOR A CROSSFIT COMPETITION"

Short version: Stop doing random crap. Start following an

actual training plan.

Aug 20, 2014 10:20am | report



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CrossFit Competitions_ How to Prepare to Perform Your Best - Bodybuilding

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