From Wednesday to Saturday, Jan. 18-21, 2023, I participated in an athlete camp hosted at CrossFit Mayhem in Cookeville, Tennessee. About two dozen athletes who have competed at the Semifinal level or higher in the past couple of seasons were in attendance. My purpose was twofold: survive the week and learn about the athletes and coaches at CrossFit Mayhem.

Below is a recap of my experience and the workouts I performed while in Cookeville under the tutelage of Mayhem coaches Jake Lockert and Facundo Etchecolatz, who said the following (paraphrased):

“If you need to modify or scale, please do so. This is a training camp; by nature, we’ll push each other, but we’re not competing. Each session has a specific purpose which we will explain. We encourage each of you to do your best to adhere to those intentions and not get caught up in a race. If you’re unsure or need affirmation on how to scale or what we’re looking for, do not hesitate to talk to one of the coaches; we are here for you.”

Needless to say, that message is important. It set the tone for the week and put some responsibility on each athlete to make the right decisions session by session and workout by workout.  With little else on my mind, I got a good night’s sleep and headed out for day one.

[Related: Reebok Nano X3 Training Shoes Available Worldwide on Feb. 10, 2023]

Editor’s Note: This article is an op-ed. The views expressed herein and in the video are the author’s and don’t necessarily reflect the views of BarBend. Claims, assertions, opinions, and quotes have been sourced exclusively by the author.

Day One — Morning Session

Takeaway: the coaches were complimentary of and impressed by my ability to choose and hold an appropriate pace for each directive given. All the years of writing, performing, and tinkering with aerobic-specific conditioning pieces seem to have paid off in this regard. A good start to the camp.

Takeaway: I received my first real coaching cue. What I noticed, and what I’d continue to notice, is amongst one of the most critical components of coaching, and one I am inspired to improve upon after this week) is finding the critical cue and communicating it to the athlete clearly and succinctly. Also, I PRed my hang squat snatch. 

Day One — Afternoon Session:

• Three sets — Toes-to-Bar and Deadlift; work:rest with a partner (lots of volume)
• Shoulder and Posterior Chain Accessory Work

Takeaway: The age-old saying of…