After over 16 years in the CrossFit community, we’ve found that returning to the fundamentals is often the most effective way to reignite inspiration and realign our focus. In this series, we’ll delve into the foundational principles that have sustained our journey and continue to drive our progress. Whether you’re a seasoned athlete or just beginning, revisiting these core concepts can provide clarity and motivation. Join us as we explore the essence of CrossFit and uncover how these timeless principles can enhance your fitness journey. Enjoy the journey ahead… Series 1: CrossFit’s Theoretical Hierarchy of Athletic Development When progress stalls in the gym the instinct is often to complicate the approach. However, CrossFit offers a straightforward blueprint that returns to the fundamentals. By focusing on the foundational elements, athletes can unlock new levels of performance. This hierarchy serves as a practical guide, emphasizing the importance of mastering each layer to build a robust and sustainable fitness journey. CrossFit Hierarchy of Development CrossFit’s model frames fitness development as a five-tiered pyramid, progressing from foundational essentials to athletic application. Recognizing the importance of what lies beneath and identifying your own weaknesses enables you to make meaningful improvements and advance in your athletic journey. Progress in one layer fuels improvement in the layers above it. Let’s explore the pyramid: 1. Nutrition – The Foundation The phrase “the foundation of all fitness” aligns with CrossFit’s emphasis that nutrition underpins every other component of athletic development.Nutrition underpins every other layer: it fuels your workouts, aids recovery, and supports muscle, bone, and nerve health.Think of nutrition as the soil in which a garden grows. If the soil (nutrition) is poor, no matter how well you water (train), your plants (performance) won’t flourish. 2. Metabolic Conditioning – The Engine Enhances cardiovascular and respiratory efficiency, forming the “engine” that powers sustained effort. Fatigue will limit strength and skill gains without this foundation Without cardiovascular and respiratory endurance, you’ll tire out before you can effectively build strength or skill. 3. Gymnastics – Body Control Gymnastics develops essential physical skills such as spatial awareness, coordination, flexibility, balance, and body control. Mastery of one’s own body is crucial before progressing to the control of external objects. This foundational level encompasses strict movements such as pull-ups, push-ups, L-sits, and muscle-ups, which establish a base of strength and control. As proficiency in these movements increases, athletes advance to dynamic movements, including kipping variations, which further enhance coordination and body control. 4. Weightlifting & Throwing – Object Mastery This level emphasizes the ability to move external loads—such as barbells, kettlebells, or medicine balls—through powerful, functional movements. Building upon the foundations of metabolic conditioning and gymnastics, it teaches athletes to transfer force efficiently from the core to the extremities, enhancing strength and motor control. Mastery of this stage enables individuals to handle external objects with precision and power, laying the groundwork for athletic performance in various sports. 5. Sport – Putting It All Together Engaging in sport allows us to apply the foundational elements of fitness—nutrition, conditioning, gymnastics, and weightlifting—to real-world scenarios. Whether trained specifically for the sport or not, it provides the opportunity to test our abilities, adapt, and grow. Mastery of these foundational components instills the confidence and capability to perform, demonstrating the effectiveness of our training and preparation. With a solid base, there are no limits to what can be achieved in sport. Final Takeaway: The CrossFit Hierarchy of Athletic Development serves as a structured blueprint for building fitness. By consistently strengthening each foundational layer—from nutrition to sport—you pave the way for continuous improvement. Embrace this approach, and you’ll uncover the full potential of your athletic journey. I recommend you assess where you sit for each of the layers. Working from the base up will provide greatest rewards. Identify your weaknesses and take sustainable steps in the right direction. Remember we are here to help on step at a time…
Coastal CrossFit
Marie.
My Goals were as follows:
6 Months:
Clean & Jerk 65kg- still working towards this one but getting closer.
Snatch 47.5kg (then 50kg)- Achieved this. New goal 52.5kg then 55kg 🙂
15 Strict Pull-ups- Yet to re-do. Have achieved 12 with 3kg so got to be close.
25 Push-ups- Need to work on this.
Consistent Muscle-ups: Achieved. Can hit them consistently, now aiming to be able to link 3 together, and also non-false grip.
I want to continue getting stronger Back Squat/ Press/Deadlift- all still moving along. Hit a PB Deadlift 🙂
Continuous- Short/Med & Long term:
General: Greater consistency and better tracking my training and results- Consistency has been better but my tracking is still lacking. I WILL TRACK MY RESULTS!!
Improve lifting technique (i.e) Speed/aggression for Oly lifts.
Train with others more frequently- I am loving the Open for this and training with you all has been awesome. Thanks everyone for the encouragement 😛
Enter more CrossFit competitions – Completed one team comp and Open since setting goals. Will continue to enter comps. Who is with me??? Lets get a crew together.
Enter AWF competition (Weightlifting)- Yet to do.
Blow the dust off my Surf board and axe myself on a few waves- Steve K what are you up to on Sunday??
Nutrition: Get creative in the kitchen and try new recipes- Thanks Chrissy for some great recipes without you our dining experience would always be the same. Still need to do this more as I am sure Chris would agree. I promise…. NO MORE MUSCLE CHOW (ha ha).
Good luck everyone with your goal review. Hopefully you have made gains in the first quarter. We have a awesome community lets keep supporting one another and see what we can achieve in the next 3 months.
Marie.
For Benita:
Attend 4 times a week
Achieve kipping pullup/T2B
String together more than a couple of doubleunders ( so I don’t get rope burn)
Believe in myself and continue to enjoy training.
Do Tough Mudder!
Natalie
This isn’t a physical goal but I want to change my focus – consciously – to focus on my own goals and training and not compare myself to other people.
Have not yet achieved a muscle up (which was my previous goal) but I’m going to make this lot more extensive so I’m able to measure my progress more easily.
Before June:
1. Be able to perform a muscle up – to do this I will work ring dips and transitions on the rings 3 times a week until I get one. (also increase number of rings dips within this goal – 10 unbroken by june)
2. Hold a handstand for 10 seconds without falling or touching the wall – by practicing each day and ultimately by the end of the year be able to walk on my hands.
3. Increase strength numbers ie. squat to 90kgs by June – to 100kgs this year.
Snatch: aiming for 45kgs (got 42.5kg once, need to do this more regularly)
Clean and Jerk: 62.5kgs (cleanly! – bit punny, ha) but without arching my back or losing my core – I will do this by working on my core stability and awareness each time I lift by consciously thinking and planning my movement before initiating it.
4. be able to run faster! I will do this by focusing when I run and practising 3 times a week with speed not distance in mind.
Before Christmas:
1. Hopefully a 100kg squat!
2. Linked muscle ups (or consistent singles)
3. Handstand walk and more handstand pushups (decrease kip)
4. Increased strength numbers
5. Faster running
Big goals. Lots of work. 🙂
AnnaP
I’m guilty of not posting my goals in January – which may or may not be related to goal 1. Sorry!
My goals over the next few months are:
1. To organise myself so I can attend 3-4 sessions a week
2. Get consistent toes to bar rather than the very messy, one offs that I currently have
3. Get consistent double-unders so I can do more than 15 in a row
🙂 Anna
renee.k
Well my goals at the beginning of the year were quiet general; I have competed in the Open and learnt some new things about myself like going harder and faster than I think I can. So here are some more specific goal for the next 6 months:
* consistent muscle ups, use non-false grip
* consistent hand-stand push ups
* learn to Kip (more than 2-5) my pull ups, chest to bar and toes to bar for speed
* work on a heavier snatch
* get comfortable catching oly lifts in a squat
* get faster (aka htfu)
* more and better push ups at least 20 unbroken
* get my AWF memberships and compete
I will embrace the pain and the elation of working towards these goals. The support of everyone at the box is invaluable when it comes to reaching milestones. I look forward to the next part of the year and smashing goals with you all 🙂
Renee
renee.k
Well my goals at the beginning of the year were quiet general; I have competed in the Open and learnt some new things about myself like going harder and faster than I think I can. So here are some more specific goal for the next 6 months:
* consistent muscle ups, use non-false grip
* consistent hand-stand push ups
* learn to Kip (more than 2-5) my pull ups, chest to bar and toes to bar for speed
* work on a heavier snatch
* get comfortable catching oly lifts in a squat
* get faster (aka htfu)
* more and better push ups at least 20 unbroken
* get my AWF memberships and compete
I will embrace the pain and the elation of working towards these goals. The support of everyone at the box is invaluable when it comes to reaching milestones. I look forward to the next part of the year and smashing goals with you all 🙂
Renee
Coastal CrossFit
Thanks to the people who have posted their goals so far.
Here are my goals:
1. I plan to focus much more heavily on weightlifting for the rest of the year with the short term goal of increasing my current weightlifting total (C&J + Snatch) of 197.5kg to 205kg, which is the national qualifying standard for my weight category.
2. Compete in more weightlifting competitions.
3. Train with fun and enjoyment in mind rather than treating it like a job.
4. Train with others more often.
5. Destroy all competition at Lawn Bowls this weekend.
Chris.
Dan C
So far so good with my goals for the year:
– Training consistency has been good.
– Extra mobility work has been helpful but need to develop further.
– Alchohol free February was achieved and I felt great for it and Los,t a few kg’s as well
– Fran time under 6 mins is not complete but will be attempted before July.
– I’m winning more of my friendly battles in the gym than I’m losing.
New Goals:
– Focus on improving bottom of squat position in my mobility homework.
– Run faster when running is programmed.
Kimberley
I must admit my last post was kind of vague and my goals were very broad. Since then I have developed some more specific goals. Firstly, I am aiming to take a more organised approach to developing my muscle ups. I have been stuck in the same spot with my muscle ups for a while now so feel I need to go back to basics. So I aim to do at least 10 deep rings dips before or after each session from now on and the same with chest to ring pull-ups.
My next goal is to make wall-balls my friend. These are one of the movements that I have always dreaded in the past and now I am ready to change that. So from now on when there are wall-balls in a wod I will be using a 9kg ball. And the same for kettle bells – 20kg.
Also, as a general goal I want to improve my standards on all Oly lifting movements especially squats. Specifically working on keeping my knees out and chest up. Hopefully this will be assisted with a new pair of Oly shoes soon.
And lastly, but probably most importantly, continue to work on better flexibility as this was a previous goal which I regrettably have not paid much attention to.
I am looking forward to being a bit more focused this year and making some improvements.
Kimberley
Oh I also aim to run more! Even at times when I am not in the gym. I am pretty bad at running and find that this only gets easier the more you do.
Wombat
Well my goals were also broad and not so measurable and I didnt acheive them. I am going to set new goals now;
1. not hurt myself ( I may listen to Chris)
2. Get a little more flexible than a house brick (mobility at home)
3. Actually practice double unders so I can do them (20 in a row) without pure hatred eminating from my pores
4. I would like to do olympic lifts without getting growled at by Chris (I may have flexability issues) Next time we do them!!!
5. 15 strict pull ups in a row(June)
6. 50 pushups in a row (June)
7. 100 burpees with good form (Birthday)
8. 100 24kg kettle bell swings unbroken (December)
9. 1 muscle up (August)
10. break 5min barrier on 1.2km loop (August)
11. 60kg overhead squat (December)
12. 100kg back squat (December)
13. Catch olympic lifts in a deep squat (must be Scared!) Anytime!!!
14. Fran Under 10 min cut off ( next time I do it)
15. Get under 90kg (August)
Now that I have written a large list I will need to be motavated to achieve whats on it, but I believe I can do it. Knowing what I should be doing and actualy doing it are my biggest downfalls. So if you see me looking out of whack with bad form let me know or feel free to dobb me in to Chris or Marie. May you always have butter on your spinach.
fleur
My goals are
1. stretch/mobility at home for 15mins 5 times per week to improve flexibility so that I can sit comfortably with cross legs
2. Run 5k in 25 mins and run 10ks in Sunshine Coast marathon
3. Do a strict pull up
4. Do three toes to bar unbroken
fleur
5. Be early for sessions 🙂
Muttsy
Ok, So here are my Goals:
June 2013
• Run 5 km’s (Non-stop)
• Loose 10+kg’s
• 5 strict Pull ups
• Link 10 Kipping Pull ups together
• Set new 1RM for Clean & Jerk, Snatch & Overhead Squat
• Improve Overhead Squat (to help with Oly Lift #’s)
• Train at least 4 times per week
End of Year
• Go in my first Crossfit Comp
Sirkka
My goal for June is:
1) loose at least 5 kilo, I am planning to pay more attention to my food intake.
2) train for at least 4-5 times a week
3) do 3 pullups
4) 5x toes to bar
5) improve my squats
nicole
* to attempt one strict pull up before every session until I have success
* vary my food recipes and not fall into eating the same thing each week
* to participate in ‘Tough Mudder’ and start the event feeling healthy and fit/ ready to give it a red hot go
Dale
Run the 1.2k loop in 7mins.
5 consecutive strict pull ups.
20 consecutive double unders.
Get an RXD Fran time.
I need to start kipping anything!
All by time I compete in – and complete -Tough Mudder in August.
I want to be more mindful of my technique on all lifts with particular attention paid to the positioning of my knees and wrists.
I also want to correct my elbow positioning for push ups because push ups are the bain of Chris’ existence and he says that if we can get them right this will translate to improvement in many other Crossfit movements. See Chris we do listen to your rants – sometimes.
Good luck everyone – hopefully it won’t be as painful to reach your goals as it has been to commit them in writing!
Justin
By End of June:
– 5 Strict overgrasp pullups
By End of Sept:
– 15 Unbroken O/Head Squats @ 65kg
By End of December:
– 10 Strict overgrasp pullups
Jason.C
My 6month goals that I posted were:
-20 strict pull ups (no girlie grip)
-Improved core strength & stability in everything, but particularly Oly lifting
-Reducing my rest periods during timed workouts
-Consistently stretching daily @ home
I haven’t attempted a max effort on my strict pull ups recently to know where I’m @ with them, however my last 5RM weighted effort I increased by 2.5kg.
Core strength is so important to stabilise the body during movement and lifting. I believe that insufficient core stability due to muscle weakness & imbalance’s is the result for my lower back pain & injuries. My research & testing has led ME to believe I have low Glute activation & that my hamstrings have been far too dominant over my glutes in the compound lifts.
I feel that when I’ve applied a more positive outlook before a workout I do run harder, I do pick the bar up sooner, wall balls still suck however, I manage them better. Mental toughness during my workout s for me is getting my mind where it needs to be. If I am mentally OK, i.e. if nothing is bothering me, I do well.
Right now my main aim is not to get injured any more. My stretching @ home is more regular & I’m finding that by doing so my flexibility is improving – which should mean my risk of injuries will decrease.
ADDITIONAL GOALS
-Be More Conscious of Glute Activation
-Reduce Injuries
Chabbit
S.T.G: reduce weights and focus on perfecting form and effeciency with power movements
M.T.G Within 6 months achieving: 100kg back squat
65kg snatch
60kg overhead squat without breaking form
(minimise injuries by not sacrificing form for weight)
L.T.G ( Dec) Improve co odination and endurance on body weight exercises
ie CTB,TTB and Muscle ups
Complete 10 stricted pull ups 20kg weighted vest.
Maintain min 4 sessions in the box and 2 in my own time.
Coastal CrossFit
On behalf of Kim:
My very short-term goals are simple:
1. To do a perfect push-up (narrow)
2. To do a solid 10 sec. flexed arm hang
3. To be above the bottom 25% mark in times for running exercises ( I HATE running).
4. To minimize my “neediness” for special assistance and guidance from Chris and Marie
5. To do some hard work outside of Crossfit (run, cycle, push-ups, etc.) at least 2x week.
Rob
– Double Unders !!!!!
– Weighted Pull Ups
– Snatch and Overhead Squats
– Hand Stand Push Ups.
Most important, Eat better and more regular.
Meghan Ballon
Newbie to the CrossFit phenomenon, so my goals up until June are fairly general, and are as follows:
– attend 3-4 sessions a week, minimum + 2 WO in my own time. looking forward to building my knowledge about all things CrossFit over the coming months, and keen as to try a new type of training.
– improve my mobility, this will help with other aspects of my training if i wish to see improvement
– regain my mental toughness. I’ve turned into a bit of a puss over the past few years, for a number of reasons, i tried to avoid things that would cause me physical pain and I would quit or find an excuse to get out of things. But that stops NOW, I have high expectations of myself, and I want to get back to where I was before and exceed those previous limits.
– improve my eating habits. when i’m good i’m really good, when i’m bad i’m really bad. Finding that discipline and will power to make everyday a good day, or at least better than the one before. Looking forward to the challenge of experimenting with a few new recipes and learning more about ‘zones’ and ‘blocks’ and what constitutes these.
IF IT WASN’T HARD, EVERYONE WOULD DO IT. ITS THE HARD THAT MAKES IT GREAT!
🙂
paulr
Short term:-
1. Become more flexible in upper (shoulder flexibility/bar positioning) and lower body
2. Work on core strength – I notice this gives way first so need to strengthen to keep good form
3. Learn and maintain good form on barbell work squats/deadlifts/snatches etc
Mid/long term:-
1. Perform 10 strick pull ups
2. Push out 30+ ball slams in 1 min consecutive rounds
3. Squat – keep increasing…..
Train at least 4 sessions a week.
amber
So I thought I better write out some goals to keep a certain person happy and to avoid being kicked out of coastal!!! (this was Chris’ threat for not doing this). When I actually think about it there plenty of little things that I would like to achieve but I’m not sure where to actually start and stop but I’ll list a few…
~30 muscles for time
~kip more than 2 C2B in a row
~improve butterfly pull ups
~10 strict unbroken pulls ups with 10kg weight vest (challenge is set Marie) 😛
~improve my stamina – any ideas will be welcomed
~become mentally stronger and not quit so easy
~locate my sweet tooth and have it extracted – is there a dentist at training??
Well that is a good start and should allow my to return to training!!
kaz212
Ok here goes – homework about to be completed.
Goals
1) Toes to bar – nearly got one in the Open – need to actively practice outside of WOD’s
2) Pull ups – Need to actively practice pull ups each afternoon before WOD
3) Increase weight – have managed to be more proactive in increasing weight, examples, now using 20kg kettle bell in workouts, got a 43kg clean and jerk in open, got a 30kg Thruster in open, 40kg Push Press – need to not overthink weight increments
4) Squats – need to work with my knee to build depth of squats
5) Continue to work at eating better consistently, need to stop my sugar cravings
Karen
Coastal CrossFit
FOR Carly Perrett:
These are my goals for both the short and long-term future.
-Would love to get a pull-up in the near future.
-Be able to string together more double-unders.
-Work on my overhead squats as I find it difficult to hold the bar overhead for long periods of time. Would also like to be able to put more weight on the bar as at the moment am stuck at a very low weight.
-Improve my running – would like to be able to run faster over a longer distance.
-Be able to do a push-up, obviously this means I need to improve my core strength. So far I can only lower myself down and then I have to come up on my knees. Would love to get a fully-fledged push-up and work on getting faster at these.
Coastal CrossFit
FOR Tanya Murray
– Consistent muscle ups
– Get a handstand push up, put some effort into achieving this goal
– Continue to work on push ups, have improved
Gozz
– Squat twice a week
– if I can make it early to a session get there and do something
– don’t go thru the motions in workouts, improve focus
Coastal CrossFit
FOR Tanya Murray
– Consistent muscle ups
– Get a handstand push up, put some effort into achieving this goal
– Continue to work on push ups, have improved
FOR Gozz
– Squat twice a week
– if I can make it early to a session get there and do something
– don’t go thru the motions in workouts, improve focus
Coastal CrossFit
FOR Kim Forsythe
My very short-term goals are simple:
1. To do a perfect push-up (narrow)
2. To do a solid 10 sec. flexed arm hang
3. To be above the bottom 25% mark in times for running exercises ( I HATE running).
4. To minimize my “neediness” for special assistance and guidance from Chris and Marie
5. To do some hard work outside of Crossfit (run, cycle, push-ups, etc.) at least 2x week.
I am not sure what a reasonable time frame is for the above. 8 weeks?
Coastal CrossFit
FOR Mark Ferris
By June 30th:
1) 5 x proper, real, dinkum pull-ups (chin over the bar), no jumping assistance.
2) 30 seconds x uninterrupted double unders.
3) To establish sensible goals for the following three month and 6 month period
I’m not sure whether these goals are ambitious enough (or too ambitious?) but given where I started (zero pull ups / zero SINGLE unders), this would represent some progress in a 4 month period. (Just letting you know I did my homework!!)
Casey
Get consistent double unders
Get proper toes to bar not 1 big toe near the bar
Work on perfect pushups both at the gym and at home, also focus on getting a pullup
Focus on technique with oly lifts, get faster under the bar, keep elbows up
Strengthen my core, squat more and be able to run without completely hating it!
Steve E
My 6 months goals previously posted
100kg back squat
Overhead squat 50 kg
Stretch , improve Oly lifts
Lessons from the open, my biggest weakness still remains overhead movements therefore this will be my main goal over the next 6 months , I will attack this in a 2 ways
1. Mobility ( continue current program increase freq)
2. Strength split up into static barbell holds overhead , Oly lifts more push press , push jerk , and split jerk and c&j . ( goal 70 kg push press )
I will continue to work on
1.Squats ,last reset at 85kg my 6 month goal is to push up to 95 kg
2. Skills get double unders (70 without breaking), HSPU get comfortable upside down tended to ignore this movement previously !
3. Increase body weight 80 kg goal currently 78.5 kg
Flynn
Goals for the future:
My general main goal I think at this point since I am still relatively new is to just keep sticking it out. So far cross fit has been one of the best changes to my lifestyle and attitude. More specifically however over the next 6 months I would like to see myself improve in strength components (steady increase in weight for all lifts, back squat increased to 85kg, overhead squat 45 – 50kg), mobility component (increase rep program), increase core strength and improve overall form. Also I would like to see myself try new things instead of just looking at it and thinking, ‘nah I wouldn’t be able to do that’ so I don’t. Pushing myself MAIN GOAL.