OK guys, I know this is long but I really want everyone to give it a read…a thorough read.  Its not funny, its not all that inspiratioanal…in fact its pretty much a verbal smackdown.  Now I know it doesn’t necessarily apply to everyone, but we can ALL take something away from it. 

For those of you it really applies to, take it to heart and stop cheating yourself…and pissing off others around you.  Its not often that it happens but I do get complaints over shorted reps and bullshit form.  You know what I generally say “Who cares?  They’re only cheating themselves”. 

Truth be told, I used to lose sleep over these people…literally.  And as a coach I should.  However, I finally resolved to just stop worrying about it and figured most of these people will just go away and most of them did.  As we grow though, we go through the cycle of the new athletes where some excel and others become Clock Whores.  Let this serve warning that if a coach catches you shorting reps (I’m not talking about the times you are so messed up you miss one here or there) you will be reprimanded.  If it becomes a pattern you may be asked to leave.

Cheating causes others to harbour feelings of animosity, frustration and bitterness.  The best thing about SPARK is our community and I refuse to allow anyone…ANYONE to mess with that.  I would also ask that you be patient with us as we take care of the very few people that may be crossing to the Dark Side of the Clock.  This is more important than you realize because backbiting and rumors will only be bad for everyone.

For the vast majority of you…keep doing what you’re doing.  Of course we realize during workouts form will degrade but when you are cued to get lower, flatten your back or lock-out, try to get back on track and if one was really bad, do it again whether you’re “caught” or not.  Integrity is foundation here so always keep this quote from Freddy Camacho in the back of your head, “It don’t mean shit if it ain’t legit”.

And now, “Clock Whores” an essay written by Doug Chapman - Owner, HyperFit USA (some passages have been edited to apply specifically to SPARK).

The single greatest innovation CrossFit advocated was the time clock.  The clock measures what each specific workout is and creates a unique performance data point.  The concept of a clock for most is new and helps athletes shift their perspective on training.  This paradigm shift is profound and results in shifting the training from not just working hard, but being able to measure specific performance in every workout.

Adding the clock adds a new dimension to training.  I think of it at as a person following a moral code before being introduced to the theory behind it.  The concept of timing all the training shifts the concept to performance measurement as the means for getting results.  The results from changing to actual performance metrics in every workout are fantastic.

The change in view point results in people changing focus from narcissistic superficial appearance based fitness goals to a performance-based “How much can I do” model of training.  The results are a stronger motivation to train and surpass superficial promises in the typical gym brochure.  People begin to focus away from judging people’s fitness on their appearance and replace it with a real measure of fitness - actual physical output.  The focus becomes more centered on how much weight, how far, how fast and the results are astounding.  All of the superficial goals are being achieved by having legitimate performance benchmarks to strive for.

The essence of the time clock as a performance measurement is to have exercises with ranges of motion standards, specific weights and repetitions so the performance can be measured and repeated again to track progress.  The idea is to measure overall work capacity in specific repeatable measurable terms. (The scientific method).  The program itself attracts people who are by their very nature competitive and like to see things done in real terms.  The typical “I feel better” is replaced with “I am performing better” and as a result, “I am happy with my training”.  

A person being able to deadlift more or run faster or do more pull-ups helps people to self-actualize their performance in terms of best effort yesterday versus best effort today.  The idea of personal best and competing specifically with yourself is the essence and core of SPARK’s application of CrossFit philosophy in our training.

The dark side of the clock

Over the years of doing CrossFit style training and scoring the workouts some strange idiosyncrasies have come to light.  The unfortunate aspect of human psychology is that we tend to compare ourselves to others. Sibling rivalries for parental attention, co-worker pay raises and who has the better car are all typical societal measures of one ups man ship. The nature of our classes and the clock ticking off in the background leads to some unfortunate behaviors which run contrary to good health and training.

The basis of our training is group classes. Group classes begin with a structured warm up, equipment set up, skill set with an expectation of ROM and technique expectations and finally the WOD (Workout of the Day). The WOD starts with what has become a staple in the CrossFit training communities a: 3, 2, 1 GO and hell is unleashed.  The workout is where the magic and some of the horror begins.

The upside of doing group classes is a camaraderie, the intensity and general communal feeling that comes from group suffering/successes.  The bond between people because of mutual respect for toughing out a hard workout develops friendships that go far beyond the normal saying “Hi” at the globogym.  People find that they have a lot more in common with the people in the classes than they do with many of their professional peers.  The community of people created as a result of the training goes far beyond the normal gym.

The downside of doing classes and having public performance measurement can cause people to feel pressure to perform in ways that borders on obsession.  It is healthy to be competitive and want to have someone that will push us to bring out our best.  It is unhealthy to derive one’s self image from how we stack up relative to others.  That sounds all well and good and is really symptomatic of “mine is bigger” western society. 

How does this behavior manifest itself in something as simple as a gym?  Our very nature as human beings pushes us to measure score and evaluate our success in terms of other people.  Over the last two years we have had a few members that were so competitive with others that they would skip repetitions, cut range of motion short, or in the worst case I can think of they actually lied about their score.  I am going to use a derogatory term in the hopes that it will catch on and hopefully prevent people from undermining their own training: Clock Whores.

Definition of a Clock Whore: Person who is so obsessed with beating the clock/others that they will prostitute themselves and sacrifice important and vital components of training such as range of motion, repetitions or other performance metrics for a “better” time.

These people actually miss the whole point of the training. The point of physical fitness training, from my perspective, is to improve oneself both physically and mentally, not necessarily in that order.  The people who have taken the time clock or score beyond the extreme and compromised range of motion, number of repetitions, etcetera are doing so at the expense of the utility of the training.  If someone judges their performance solely based on their status relative to others it reflects a distinct lack of self esteem.  The idea of the style training is to develop self-esteem to increase capacities in many, many different modalities. A person who compromises training in order to beat others harms their self esteem.  People know inherently when they are doing something wrong and there is a price to pay when they go against what they know is right.

Spotting Clock Whores: I imagine it is the same a proctoring an exam – The person who is constantly looking for the instructor is suspect.  Another suspect behavior is always partnering with the same person when they score their workout.  If some only does a full range of motion when the instructor is looking, then they are suspect.  These behaviors are not hard and fast.  On more than one occasion I have been called out by my instructors, rightly so, for ROM violation because I was exhausted.  (The call outs are done with much joy and aplomb).  We all have issues when we get tired, it is part of the training.  I have asked others on more than one occasion what rep they are on because I had no idea where I was.

The real difference is the consistent corner cutting.  It takes time to become apparent, but when it is, it is like the giant elephant in the room no one acknowledges.

Why am I bringing this up?

A person’s performance is PERSONAL!  We want all of our members to improve, have perfect form, go faster, get stronger and get the results they want.  The strict adherence to performance standards is the key to your success.  The competitive environment should bring out the best in our natures, not be a showcase for our flaws.  Occasionally, bad behaviors become apparent and harm the entire community.  Members know when someone else is cutting corners or bragging about a performance they really didn’t earn.  If the chin doesn’t get over the bar, then it doesn’t count.  Claiming a score on Fight Gone Bad or a Fran time that cannot be repeated when the camera is on is a clear identifier.  It harms the integrity of the program as a whole.

We want people to keep records of results to help them track their progress, not to compare to others.  Our goal is the improvement over time based on your efforts in terms of mechanical efficiencies (better form), faster times (higher metabolic capacity) or an overall strength gain as well as the rest of the physiological markers and is the basis of training at SPARK.  The culture we have developed is to strive for perfect mechanics as well as fast performances.  We stress perfect mechanics because bad or marginal repetitions contribute to chronic injuries over time.  Part of perfect mechanics is developing full range of motion and correct biomechanical body alignment.  Our clients often hear “and make the repetitions right” rather than going fast.  Forcing a square peg into the round hole to get a faster time is like intentionally hitting your thumb with a hammer; you are tough and stupid, thanks Jeff Martone for that one!  It does someone no good to work to get a fast Fran time at the expense of shoulders back or knee soreness (chronic injury).

Striving for perfection is the journey along the only road you make worth traveling.  There is no end, but the ride is great.

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Workout of the Day:

• 4 TGU  45lbs / 25lbs
• 8 Chest-to-Bar Pull Ups
• 12 F&B Burpees
• 16 Wall Ball  20lbs / 16lbs

4 Rounds

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