Be Careful with No Reps in CrossFit!

CrossFit and «No Reps» refers to performing an exercise that does not meet the movement standards and therefore does not count as a valid repetition.

CrossFit and No Reps

A repetition of an exercise that does not count as a valid repetition, a result of it being poorly executed or not complying with the rules of the WOD.

If we’re training, it may be unimportant, partly… However, if we’re going to compete, the story changes, and our success in the event will depend on it

Evaluating Wods

In the professional competitions, there’s a judge for each athlete, so that each of the athlete’s movements is evaluated live and with total attention in order to count valid repetitions under the same criteria.

In order for the game to be fair, it’s important that every plays to the same rules, meaning with just one no rep you could lose a competition.

When Is It a No Rep?

Usually the movement standards are very clearly defined so that everyone makes the same effort to complete a repetition.

Depending on the movement, there will be different reasons why you might be performing a no rep, but often the reference is the range of movement.

Weightlifting exercises

• When we do weightlifting exercises, it is mandatory to finish the movement with extended knees, hips and elbows.
• If the movements involve a squat, it’s necessary to break the parallel. This means that the hip must cross the imaginary line of the parallel situated at knee level. Similarly, weightless exercises, like pistols, wall balls, air squats, must fulfil the same requirement.

Gymnastics Movements

• If the movements are of gymnastic-type pull-ups, it’s a requirement that the chin exceeds the bar line.
• If they are chest to bar, it’s mandatory that the chest touches the pull up bar.
• If they are toes to bar, i’s essential that the feet touch the bar we’re hanging from and that when we step back the feet exceed the line perpendicular to the bar where we are suspended.

Reasons to Do No Rep

There are usually two main reasons for a no rep:

Because the athlete does not have a real perception of the movement

Some people have no sense of self-perception at all. Who really believe that they are breaking the parallel when in reality they are not. Who believe they are extending their hips when in reality they’re not.

Because you’re not an honest person with yourself

There may be certain movements that you don’t like, and that when it comes to executing them you’ve decided to do in your way, because you don’t want to demand what you should be demanding. This can happen with certain exercises in particular, or with many in general.

How to Avoid No Reps

For both types of athletes, the tips to improve the rate of valid repetitions are as follows:

Record Yourself

Everyone has a mobile phone and can record themselves in a class. It’s much easier to understand how you really move if you see it with your own eyes. No matter how many times you’ve been warned by the coach that you have to correct this or that, or by all the advice your wod mates give you, there’s nothing like seeing yourself to realise what you’re doing.

CrossFit and No Reps are usually common in gymnastic movements…

Be Honest

To avoid the truth and count repetitions that are not is the same as discounting repetitions, keeping a better time than the real one, or lying about the kilos you’ve used. The more your training resembles a real competition, the fewer surprises you’ll have.

People get into the habit of no reps for one reason or another, and when they arrive at a competition, where a third person is judging, in a proper way, what is a repetition of what is not, that’s when we realise what we’ve been doing.

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