Signs you are not in an optimal learning environment

CrossFit is a great training methodology with an ever-changing suite of workouts. It’s also one of the few that consciously employs more technical and advanced movements because they are great for athletic development. These same technical movements are also the ones that people generally want to get better at (like muscle ups and weightlifting). However, while you may be a motivated student, are you in an optimal learning environment?

1: Is there time allocated to teaching a movement?

If the class structure does not have time allocated to teaching a movement, it will be very difficult to acquire a new movement. Let’s take the holy grail of weightlifting, the snatch. Say you come in, and I show you a snatch and my education involves me showing you the movement, and them asking you to do it. What will your success rate look like?

On the other hand, what if I show you, then break it down? What if I teach you step-by-step the positions you need to get into? What if I teach you what to do, when, and how to do it? Would your success rate be higher?

This process takes time. Classes with no time to teach are not classes that allow you to acquire movements in a timely fashion. I say timely, because obviously you could stumble into a movement with a little tenacity, but this would be a haphazard way through skill development.

2: Is there time allocated to practising a movement?

The best teaching in the world doesn’t go very far if practice does not occur afterwards. There needs to be a period following the teaching where repetitions are cumulated in the absence of intensity. This way, we can refine mechanics without the stress of “going fast”. Everybody learns at their own pace, and some people need time to go slow and rehearse, while others enjoy stringing together quality reps. 

3: For complex movements, are there times when only parts of the movement are practiced? 

Let’s think of the muscle up. It essentially has three phases, a pull, a transition, and a dip. Most of us in CrossFit work the pull and the dip regularly, but what about the transition? If drills addressing it are not taught and practised, how can we expect people to acquire the movement? Sure, we can kip wildly and hope to land on top of the rings, but that seems like a great way to potentially injure someone. 

Reinforcing the weakest parts of movements generally benefits everyone. Also, practising a piece of the movement allows you to optimize a particular point of performance, without adding the complexity of the rest of the movement.

In conclusion, some skills take time to learn, and some movements are downright impossible if not taught at all. Make sure you’re in an environment that allows you to acquire the movements you want to learn.