Good words From Coach Casey:
When we consider scaling workouts, both as coaches and as athletes, it is very important to consider three things:
Safety
The most important being the athlete’s safety. Some movements or loads are simply too much for us to handle safely. As athletes, we have all had to deal with previous injuries, or current pain that could limit our ability to perform. If we are chasing after an Rx next to our name we could end up pushing ourselves past our limits and doing further damage.
Movement Mechanics
My second case for scaling is our experience or ability level with specific movements. We all have movements that we dread seeing show up on the whiteboard. One of the great things about CFN is the continued opportunities to improve upon our weaknesses. Scaling the weight or the movement can afford us with the opportunity to get better at skill or movement until we feel more comfortable.
What we want to avoid is sacrificing movement quality just to move heavier weights. This could lead to bad habits concerning our movement quality. The more we ingrain bad movement patterns into our nervous system, the harder it is to break those bad habits and reset good movement patterns.
Intent
We can still keep the intended stimulus of the workout by scaling the weight or the movement. Our goal should be to have ourselves working within the intended time frame under the appropriate intensity. This way we are training the same metabolic pathway as the prescribed workout had intended. For example, the infamous workout “Fran” should be done in five minutes or less. If we don’t scale appropriately and complete the workout in 12 minutes, we’ve missed the point of the workout.
One of the things that I appreciate greatly about CFN is the scaled Fitness option that is offered for every class. Our coaching staff are very skilled and knowledgeable in finding the appropriate scale for anyone who is uncertain of how to scale a prescribed workout. Remember we want you to stay safe keep striving be your happiest healthiest self.
See you in class!