The Secret to Improving Your Overall Level

The Secret to Improving Your Overall Level

 


 

Each time we finish up our Levels testing, our Athlete Check Ins, and our InBody tests, we find vitally important information in tracking progress and keeping you heading in a good direction.  More specifically, you can head in the direction you want to go!

If you’ve never heard us talking about how to improve your Overall Level where we can show [objectively] how you’ve improved, this next few minutes is for you.

You’re not training at a gym which tracks these?

That’s ok!  The principles are still the same.

 

The Rule of 2’s and Your Overall Level

How does the “Rule of 2’s” work?

  1. Find your two (2) lowest Levels.
  2. Bump your two (2) lowest Levels UP two (2) stripes.
  3. Whatever is your lowest Level after this bump?
      • This is your Overall Level.

In a case where most of your Levels are in one color, but you have a couple of outliers, this “normalizes” where your Overall is.  This also gives you a cut and dry means of improving your Overall fitness Level!

Who doesn’t like to know the exact path to get there?!

However, this is why we use Levels Considerations for your Daily Workouts and not just your Overall.

 

How Does This Help Me Improve My Overall Level?

It’s simple.

Work.  Your.  Weaknesses.

Not only is this going to improve your Overall Level, you will get way more out of your training efforts this way.

Let’s use this thought experiment:  What will burn more calories?  Doing something you’re good at or doing something you’re bad at?

 


NOTE:  Calories is not the main component here but it is taken into account.


 

Getting results out of your workout is putting yourself in a position of inefficiency…

  • Making the weight heavier than you’ve done before
  • Running or rowing faster than you’ve been before
  • Learning new movements so you can utilize them in your workouts to challenge yourself

Being efficient is great when we’re talking about being in a competitive situation of some kind.

Being efficient is less than desirable when we are talking about improving your strength, your speed, your cardiovascular endurance, or changing your weight or body fat.

Here’s the simple part:

You have access to your workouts for the entire week.  Look at them.  Figure out which ones include something you struggle with.  Attend those days.

You will get better at what you don’t like to do.

You will get more out of your training efforts when you’re consistent.

And your Overall Level will thank you!  And hell, you might end up liking what you don’t, at this point.

 

BONUS:  Objective vs Relative vs Conditioning:  Oh My!

If you take a second and look over the Level Method MAP, you’ll see all the categories we test:  all the way from Front Squat at the top to Aerobic Power Intervals at the bottom.

Everyone has what they enjoy.  Everyone also has what they despise.

This is nothing new.

What may be new [for you] is understanding a bit about why…

Tally up the tests you like.  I’ll use myself as an example:

  • Upper Body Pull
  • Upper Body Push
  • Upper/Lower Endurance
  • Weightlifting
  • Flexibility
  • Rings
  • Neurological & Core Endurance

Some common traits from these?

  • They’re not necessary high rep
  • There’s nothing in here which is a grinding strength type of movement
  • There’s movements which get better with practice
  • There are more tests which are gymnastics based than not

What is not in this list?

  • Workouts with an extremely high heart rate and breathing
  • Longer duration workouts
  • High rep work
  • Grinding 1 rep max tests (ex:  Front Squats and Deadlifts)

And this makes sense to me because I love to practice Olympic Weightlifting; I love bodyweight heavy workouts; I love skill heavy workouts;  longer workouts and moderately loaded barbell workouts are my kryptonite.

 

What Does This Mean For Me?

As I look over this list, these tests are not the tests which are holding back my Overall Level.

The tests which are holding back my Overall Level are the ones I don’t like to do.  Consequently, these are also the areas which are the biggest opportunity for my improvement.

If you’re looking to make some serious gains, the answer is right in front of you.

#AttackWeakness.

…and if you want help on how?  This is what your coaches are for.

And if you’re a part of IHCF, this is what our Skills Packs are for.  Designated work attacking your weakness.

You may not want to compete but I’m betting you are not ok with staying the same all the time and after all your effort.

Schedule your free intro

Talk with a coach about your goals, make a plan to achieve them.

Fill out the form below to get started

Take the first step towards getting the results that you want

By providing your phone number, you agree to receive text messages from Iron Hero CrossFit