During our daily wods at 306, we do all kinds of movements. We do all kinds of time frames, rep schemes, intervals and domains. That is Crossfit at it’s essence. Jason does an amazing job of programming and our coaches do an amazing job adjusting so every single person who comes in to the gym gets the desired stimulus.
Sometimes, like today with our 5 km row, we hit a single modality workout. They seem too simple. “It’s boring”. I get it. Truth be told though, single set single modality work is often over looked. When was the last time you just “went for a run” for twenty minutes or so. How about hopped on a bike and went for a ride for a similar, or longer, time frame? These simple “aerobic” pieces go a long ways in our training. Single modality is probably the easiest way for us to improve our “aerobic base”; very basically, how long we can keep enough oxygen on board to keep working. It might be boring, but it is an important part of our fitness.
Most people who come and enjoy CrossFit, enjoy pushing themselves. They love the intense workouts that leave you tired and keep you pushing. The “constantly varied” aspect of CrossFit is one of the things that keeps people coming back over and over. It doesn’t get boring. Once in a while, we need to change it up and just go long! Run, bike, row, ski, swim. Whatever. Just a nice steady pace for a sustained effort. I had one regular member of one of my classes message me after doing his WOD at home today. Instead of going outside or using a machine, he did the work himself. 200 burpees for time. While it doesn’t sound like a whole lot fun maybe, it is wonderfully effective in its simplicity.
If you are looking for a really simple way to improve those lungs that doesn’t take a lot of time or planning, just get moving. It doesn’t need to be fancy or complicated. Single set, single modality work is worth adding in to your routine. Even if you want something extra to do before or after the regular wods.
Keep it simple, “silly”.