Launched in February 2017, The Athlete Program is taking the world of CrossFit training programs by storm.
Designed by CrossFit Games Athlete, Scott Panchik, the program is designed to improve all aspects of fitness disciplines including strength, weightlifting, gymnastics, skill, and endurance work.
Despite its relatively short shelf life, so far there are already over 150 CrossFitters signed up with more joining each day. These are people who want to progress and excel at high-level competitions such as The CrossFit Open or The European Championships and want a CrossFit Training Program that will get them there.
A Flexible CrossFit Training Program
The Athlete Program offers single and double session options for different abilities, as well as scaling options. This flexibility means that it works for all levels, and with the addition of The Athlete Program – Affiliate, box owners and coaches can use it in classes too.
More than just CrossFit training, The Athlete Program is also a community of people wanting to develop and progress as athletes. There is a private Facebook group for members to share tips and advice, and to compare results, and to indulge in a little friendly competition – the group offers support in both training and in competition – and most of all, it’s FUN!
Key Benefits of The Athlete Program’s Membership
On top of receiving the actual program itself, which is designed by 6x CrossFit Games athlete Scott Panchik, there are a number of Key Program Benefits that come with membership:
1: Video analysis on your sessions and lifts 2: Performance tracking software on your sessions 3: Being part of a community of athletes 4: Weekly training tips and advice 5: See progression videos and demo links in the program
Getting Results
To date, members of The Athlete Program can boast some fantastic results:
Llara Munn & Chris Quinney made 1st place in the Cheltenham Throwdown after delivering a consistent performance throughout, picking up 3x 1st place finishes out of the 4 workouts!
Everyone who starts Crossfit begins with a different types of experience and levels of fitness. A big advantage of Crossfit is that everybody can join and scale their workout individually, so everybody is challenged but never over challenged. You can adjust the training to your level at the beginning and keep changing it as you process.
1. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS
A training log can help give you an overview about the progress you are making. Be proud of the steps you already made and work on them to improve further. When you write down your achievements, you can comprehend your successes and you can make sure to move forward. It’s important to celebrate the small victories.
2. KNOW YOUR LIMITS
As a beginner you will see many athletes in your box lifting heavy weights and doing many more reps than you ever thought possible. But they have also been through the same process as you, everyone is a novice at one stage. Do not compare yourself with others too much, but find out where your limits are, and what is possible for you to lift. Overestimating yourself can heighten the risk of injury.
Train hard, consistently, intelligently and safely and you WILL improve!
3. DON’T UNDERESTIMATE YOURSELF
On the other side of the coin, it is also important not to underestimate yourself. Find a path in-between to keep your training safe and effective. If you keep the weights too low and don’t challenge yourself then you are missing the point of Crossfit, you won’t progress and and you won’t reach your goals. Even if the steps are small, it’s important to keep moving forward.
It terms of overall progress on a time scale, it’s often an intelligent idea not to overestimate what you can achieve in a month, but never to underestimate what you can achieve in a year. Consistency is the key to development.
4. KEEP CHALLENGING YOURSELF
Crossfit is an ongoing progress. Never stop trying to challenge yourself even when you reached one of your goals. You can always increase the scale and make it a new challenge for you. Try not to rest on your success but set new goals and always try to reach higher than before.
“What you get by reaching your goals is not nearly so important as what you become by reaching them.” – Zig Ziglar
5. DON’T BE SCARED TO ASK FOR HELP
As a beginner, Crossfit is not only a new sport but also a new language. There is a lot to learn at the beginning and getting an overview by yourself is challenging. Ask your trainer for help by working through a beginners program that is perfect for you. Your trainer can help you find the right number of repetitions and weights for your level of fitness, they can help you scale every workout in a way that suits you, yet will also challenge you.
A good coach knows how to encourage and support athletes of all levels.
6. COMPETE WITH YOURSELF BEFORE WORRYING ABOUT OTHERS
It’s impressive to see what others in your box are already able to do. Sometimes other beginners with a different sporting background will be able to lift heavier than you. But especially as a beginner it is important to concentrate on yourself and find your own way. Challenge yourself and build up a basis before competing with others.
The team behind The European Championships is proud to launch The Same Sex Pairs Competition right here from our affiliate in Colchester.
An inclusive event that promises to be loads of fun, after qualifier scores are submitted, the top 40 teams (20 male teams, 20 females teams) will go through to the finals to be held at CrossFit Colchester on 6th August – everyone who qualifies will receive an official athlete t-shirt with their finals registration!
Registration for the Same Sex Pairs Comp Is Now Closed
Some people will recognise this workout, which was used in the first Battle Of The Gods event designed by Chris Quinney & Patrick Fearis back in 2014. It’s a brutal couplet that allows everyone to take part.
WOD 2
6min 1RM Clean
3min ME Pull Ups
3min ME T2B
12min running clock
SCORE = Part A (combined 1RM weight for each partner) & Part B (combined total reps for both partners)
The twist: You only have 3 max effort attempts each to perform the Pull Ups, and then 3 max effort attempts each again for the T2B!
WOD 3
100 DUs (or 300 single unders) 50 Over Erg Burpees 1,000m Row 50 Over Erg Burpees 100 DUs (or 300 single unders)
15 minute time cap SCORE = For Time Note: For every rep missed there is a one second penalty
In this workout, we want to reinforce that partnership and feel the love! Only one partner can be working at a time, and every time you switch, or every time you change movement, you must tag one another <3
