"Shhh ... max lift rule."
In most affiliates, music blares when athletes attempt a max lift. At CrossFit Winnipeg, the room goes silent.
Mindfulness is defined as being completely aware of the present moment. Tania Tetrault Vrga, owner and coach at CrossFit Winnipeg, is bringing this idea to her coaching. She recently spent some time reflecting on her personal life and the moments that contribute to her purpose of helping people get better, healthier and happier.
“We all train for different reasons and we all have different goals, but beneath the surface, we all train for the same purpose: to be better and live better,” Vrga says in her blog.
Vrga invited her athletes to bring mindfulness in to their training, to focus in on each moment and each movement in the gym. Many people become distracted by outside thoughts, she says.
The concept is relatively new to the affiliate, but Vrga is applying it in a real way. When an athlete is going for a max lift, she shuts off the music and makes sure everyone in the room is silent for the attempt. They call it the “Shhh … max lift” rule.
This is a dramatic concept in an atmosphere more commonly associated with barbells dropping and loud music feeding the intensity of the room. “At first, the athletes didn't get it and would play around with their plates and collars, but now we've made it clear, and it seems to be working, on both sides — for the lifter and the other athletes in the room,” Vrga says.
Vrga says several personal records have been met since the rule has been applied at the gym. She reports it has created a better atmosphere for the lifter.
In addition to the silence rule, Vrga added a yoga class to the regular schedule. In the next few weeks, a yoga instructor will hold a workshop on the importance of breath in workouts.
Vrga, who incorporates yoga twice a week in her own training, has seen a large improvement. “For me, the yoga has been mostly about breath, focus and stress management,” she says. “As a business owner, my mind is all over the place and [I’m] constantly worrying about members, and the box and how I can make it better.”
Executing every movement with intent helps athletes at the affiliate stay focused and improve their scores. Vrga says the goal at CrossFit Winnipeg is to appreciate the purpose of every rep.
