Why We Add Rest to Our Workouts

Here at Columba CrossFit we perform a lot of workouts that incorporate work to rest ratios. Work to rest allows us to keep our intensity high as we work through the different energy systems of our fitness.

‍

CrossFit is defined as “Constantly Varied, Functional Movement Performed at High Intensity”.

• Constantly Varied = Different Exercises (Running, Deadlifts, Push Ups, ect.)
• Functional Movements = Applicable to Everyday Life (Squat, Press, Pull, ect.) 
• High Intensity = Working Hard and Fast

‍

Intensity changes depending upon the workout and the individual. The intensity we bring to 100m sprints or a 1 RM back squat is different from the intensity we bring to a 5k Row. Your intensity will need to change based upon the workout you are performing. However, we can increase our threshold for intensity by incorporating work to rest ratios into our CrossFit metcons. Let's look at a workout posted to crossfit.com as a example:

Every 4 minutes for 4 rounds, complete:
40 double-unders
20-calorie bike
10 dumbbell snatches  ♀ 50-lb DB ♂ 70-lb DB

In the workout above we are looking for the work being performed to be completed between 2-3 minutes. That provides us with 1-2 minutes of rest before the next round. This allows us to keep the intensity high as we move into the next round of the workout. 

Now, think about if we changed the workout to four rounds for time and removed the rest.

4 Rounds for Time:
40 double-unders
20-calorie bike
10 dumbbell snatches  ♀ 50-lb DB ♂ 70-lb DB

Removing the rest results in lower intensity and a more aerobic approach to the same volume of work. 

Now I am not saying that all workouts should have rest to gain higher levels of fitness. In fact, if we are following a constantly varied program, that should include a variety of duration and intensity into our program: short duration (high intensity), moderate duration (moderate intensity), longer duration (lower intensity) and interval training for higher intensity at longer durations. Training with work to rest ratios in our metcons allows us to increase our capacity to endure more intensity in our fitness over time. 

‍

Coach Patrick Stone

CF-L3