CFSF Rules to Live By at the Box…Journaling Your WOD is MANDATORY!
Now that everyone is back in there ‘normal’ fall routine. Its time we discuss something very simple, sometimes overlooked, but MANDATORY to get you to your goals and beyond…JOURNAL every WOD every time!
I have to admit I am guilty to not journaling every WOD I do…but that all changes TODAY!
We all do CrossFit because we desire to take our fitness to the next level and in order to “Take it to the Next Level” you must have YOUR journaling habits in place.
A lot you are guilty to “NOT JOURNALING”. When you forget, get lazy, not “FEEL” like it, or don’t want to; then you are GUILTY as charged.
If and when you feel like you any of those characteristic next time look at the people who are journaling, most every single person that is, is probably BETTER than you at CrossFit currently. So if you copy the habits they do, then you will get their type of results.
Why do this? There are a ton of reasons. The main benefits include:
– Accurate tracking of progress through logging work out variables
– Effective and precise planning of future work outs (knowing how you performed previously will eliminate guesswork). It is 100% objective, no excuses, nothing wishy washy, just accurate data you can’t argue.
– Heightened motivation and intensity through striving to beat previous bests. (boy do we know about that…)
– Increased focus and efficiency through having a clear, written plan.
Your goals and results are at your fingertips…LITERALLY!
To get an idea of what your journal MUST look like…
Confess now if you are guilty and make it up by declaring your will start the journaling habit today!
If you are an avid journal’er help everyone out and tell us why you journal and the importance it has had for you and your success at CF.
cfsiouxfalls.com 
September 9, 2010 at 12:53 am
I am GUILTY as charged!!! It is very motivating to look back at my journal and see how far I’ve come physically and mentally. I promise to jump back on the journaling bandwagon.
September 9, 2010 at 2:38 am
Guilty. No journal. Not changing yet.
I did not journal when I started Crossfit as I planned to quit after 12 weeks, so figured why bother. When 12 weeks finally hit, I decided there was still no need to chronicle my last place finishes as they really were not motivating me to a higher level. Now week 19 – still no journal. BUT the first glimmer of actually talking about it…I think it is a Paleo Challenge deal that made me wonder if the time was right.
It does make me wonder though…”what would the perfect journal be in its easiest form” – the photoJournal. Oh wow, lets dig in to why.
1. Pictures do not lie (at least without Photoshop).
2. It would track the visual results of your body changing.
3. It would be timely. Fast to take and based on a preset date sequence.
4. And you could have an amazing scrapbook.
IN fact, the absolute best photoJournal would just be a shot of the whiteboard at the end of the day. It captures a sweet snapshot of the day. Then you could just red marker circle your time and draw a smiley face 😉
THEN…include this little side note 1x a month….
To accompany #4…the whiteboard daily shots… the perfect journal would be comprised of 5 pictures, each taken every 4 weeks from the start. Nothing else. 1st class, 13th class, 25th class, 37th class. This format would have given me a new photo each time 4 weeks passes to see what changes my body made and was I actually working to attain goals. Every 4 weeks also corresponds with every payment I make – and therefore I immediately could view the visual impact of my investment.
I know the day will come where I wish I could “look back” at the progress in a Journal. BUT the cool thing about wanting to look back and know where I have been should in and of itself solidify that progress has been made.
But the photoJournal…someone get on it Daily! In fact…it would make a GREAT daily blog post!
September 9, 2010 at 9:59 am
I have journaled EVERY wod since the day I started & am SO glad that I have. It shows how far I’ve come, I am able to look up past workouts & push myself to be better, faster, stronger than the last time around & one of my greatest accomplishments this year was repeating a WOD but cutting 7minutes off my time w/ double the weight!! Wouldn’t have known that w/out my journal. 🙂 if you haven’t started journaling, start today!!
September 9, 2010 at 4:37 pm
I was really good at journaling when I first started at CF and for some reason I stopped when we moved to the new box. My laziness blames the location of the journals in correlation with the white board and the door, but this is pure laziness speaking because I walk to get water every day and pass by my journal (and now that they are in the lobby which I pass through at least 2 times each wod I really have no excuse).
I will say though that when it comes to tracking the “key/primary” workouts I do that. Something like Fran, Nancy, Total those are journaled so that when I complete them again I know exactly where I stand. I also track my max weight on my lifting so I know where I stand from wod to wod.
So overall, my journaling is sporadic and needs som serious work!
Again, poor excuses and I need to get back in the habit.
September 9, 2010 at 4:59 pm
I heve tried journal everyday since I started. I did notice yesterday that I did not write down my last two WODS. I didn’t write them down because I have an injury and I know that those workouts were not my best due to it.
I like to keep the journal because it is nice to be able to go back and see where I was, where I am, and think about where I am going. If you are not keeping a journal I would have to ask why not, and if you just don’t feel like writing it down ask me I will fill it out for you.
October 5, 2010 at 12:43 pm
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