Why We Post Workouts on Our Site

Every day, for ten years now, we've been posting the workout we're going to do on our site. The reasons? Quite a few.

It's probably the opposite.

So, why do we post the workout daily?

• In all sports, whether individual or team, and especially for those at a higher level, you know if you'll be doing strength training, endurance, sprints, technique, or anything else. This helps the athlete to, to a certain degree, visualize and prepare for the training. Research in sports psychology has shown that by visualizing the workout you're going to do, the signal of neuromuscular pathways in the brain increases, leading to better results in the training that follows. This may be why physical strength increases with mental training too.
• Some movements require extra warm-up for certain athletes. Someone with a shoulder joint restriction in overhead movements needs a specific warm-up protocol before doing a snatch or jerk. Unfortunately, the warm-up within the workouts doesn't include warm-ups for special situations, as that would require another hour to deal with each person individually. So, knowing that today's workout includes snatches, someone can come 20 minutes earlier and work on their mobility and prepare for that movement.
• Quite a few workouts require specific equipment from the athlete. Either to prevent injury, or to protect a muscle group or joint recovering from an injury. A jump rope when the workout requires it, high socks and durable shoes for workouts with climbing ropes, grips or even chalk for workouts with a lot of pull-ups, tape, wristbands, or knee pads if there's knee or wrist sensitivity and the workout stresses them. A weightlifting belt for the lower back if there are heavy lifts and you want extra lower back protection. So, instead of carrying all these things, it's better to know what you need to bring with you. And if some of you consider these excessive, some people do use them.
• Besides the workout, we post some tips and scaling options around the workout, which you might miss or not hear during the briefing for some reason. This gives you a general idea of what we're asking for and what you'll be able to do today.
• You can make small adjustments to your pre and post-workout meals, if you pay attention to such details. For example, you'll need a little more carbohydrates when there's a 30-minute workout or generally something more aerobic. And you'll need to leave a longer time gap or eat something "easier" like an energy gel, when there's something very intense or, for example, burpees or handstands.
• For better or worse, not everyone can train every day. Either due to obligations or a tight schedule, etc. However, seeing the workout can motivate you and make you say, "I want to go and do it, no matter how tired I am."
• Our site is a living organism. With articles and things we want people to see. So, by coming to see the workout, someone might also read something interesting about CrossFit. Also, website traffic helps our site.

Does This Ruin "Prepare for the Unknown"?

If you see the workout and find elements you dislike—an exercise you don't want to do at all, or something you're not good at and consistently avoid, etc.—and yet you tell yourself:

"I'll go, because it's something I'm not good at, and I need to work on it," or

"I'll go because even if I don't like this workout as much as another, it's part of a fitness component I don't want to neglect,"

then the work you've done on the mental aspect of your fitness is far superior to just showing up and hoping for the best. Because you're consciously choosing to challenge yourself with something you're not strong at or don't particularly enjoy, and that will make you better.

Furthermore, "Prepare for the Unknown" refers to the broader philosophy of CrossFit's constantly varied programming, not just keeping individual workouts a secret. It's about developing a level of fitness ready for anything, without specialization, unlike a classic gym program where you know exactly what you'll be doing for a specific period.

On the other hand, anyone who wants the workout to be a surprise can simply avoid checking our site.

We are 100% in favor of the view that you shouldn't pick and choose workouts, as this undermines the development of overall general physical fitness. This is a conversation we have with each of you. However, we also know that no matter how hard we try, we can't change everyone's mind. Exercise should be enjoyable, so there's no reason for pressure or hiding the workouts. Even if we didn't post them, anyone wanting to know what's planned to avoid something could easily find out from those who did the morning session.

Konstantinos Pallikaris -CCFT
Royal CrossFit