Wednesday
Accuracy
Finally, accuracy: the condition or quality of being true, correct, or exact; freedom from error or defect; precision or exactness; correctness. Dictionary.com This definition might not mean a whole lot to us as athletes until we consider it in relation to sport and fitness. Think of many ball sports where the object of the game is to put the ball in a certain area, sometimes very small. Then we could consider the course of the ball towards this target or area in relation to the course or trajectory that would actually get the ball there. Thus, the accuracy of the movement in propelling the ball can be measured, wider than that we may refer to moving any object. Dynamax explains this as “the ability to control movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.”
So being able to control objects or our own bodies in specific movement is a measure of accuracy. “Karen” (150 Wall Ball shots for time) is an example of a WOD (Workout of the Day) requiring accuracy. To continually maintain throwing the ball to the required target height of 3m at speed to maintain the intensity requires accuracy. To sloppily throw the ball around at different heights and perhaps at different areas would not require accuracy. Without this accuracy we may be required to do more work to compensate, in this case chasing the ball and adjusting our bodies to receive the ball and throw again. It can also apply to our lifting.
Accuracy in moving weights while not the conventional or immediate example thought of is another example of how accuracy is required in CrossFit. Imagine the most efficient deadlift with the most perfect body position allowing the shortest and straightest travel of the bar from the ground. Now imagine your deadlift in comaprison to this ideal. The more closely our movement pattern fits this ideal and the more closely the trajectory of our bar moves as compared to this ideal the better our lift is. The more accurately we have mimicked this efficiency and therefore the more efficient we have become.
So accuracy is a matter of technique and the more we practice the more accurate me become. Think how many shots the basketball player will practice each week and how many repetitions a professional basketball player will execute throughout their career. Accuracy is about repetition and practice regardless of whether you are moving an external object or your own body. We as CrossFitters need accuracy to execute moves and move objects more efficiently and to learn new moves. The more accurately we copy a new movement pattern when taught the quicker we will learn the proper way to do it. So remember good enough’s not good enough but perfect is perfect.
