Beyond the Whiteboard—Why We “Learn & Play New Sports”

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.” — Plato

Fitness at the Pinnacle: Taking Your Training Outside

Hey team,

Last week we dug into the layers of the Theoretical Hierarchy of the Development of an Athlete (aka the CrossFit pyramid)—Nutrition, Met-Con, Gymnastics, Weightlifting, Sport. At the very top sits one simple mandate:

“Regularly learn and play new sports.” — Fitness in 100 Words

This past Saturday we put that prescription to the test with Ultimate KanJam—a mash-up of Ultimate Frisbee flow and KanJam precision. The result? Laughter, unexpected sprints, and some highlight-reel catches from athletes who maybe didn’t know they had a “layout” in them. For some amazing photos of our play captured by TK Kittiko click here - https://photos.app.goo.gl/vzQahT7VZuTqjwF87

Sport showcases your fitness and develops it further:

• Coordination & agility – cutting off a pass, changing direction on grass

• Spatial awareness & accuracy – reading a disc’s flight in the wind, interpreting the speed of your receiver

• Power & endurance – burst sprints + jog recoveries you can’t program on a clock

• Camaraderie & competition – cheering and chasing in real time

  
  

What We Learned From Ultimate KanJam

1. Frisbee mechanics requires shoulder health and core to extremity coordination Proper flicks and backhands reinforce rotation and follow-through—great transfer to and from snatches and presses.

2. Jumping & landing under fatigue Skies for the disc demand triple extension, mid-air coordination, and soft landings—plyometrics in disguise.

3. Heart-rate roulette Continuous play toggled athletes between aerobic pacing and anaerobic bursts—exactly the engine blend we train for.

4. Instant community glue Mixed teams, quick rules adjustments, high-five culture. Nothing bonds like play.

   
   

How to “Play” More Often

Start small - Grab a ball from the kids room before class and toss it around for ten minutes before the whiteboard brief.

Join us for some Sand Volleyball - Every Thursday we play in a fun (i.e. NOT competitive Sand Volleyball league at Northwest Lanes)

Say yes when you kids ask - One of the primary reasons I've committed myself to being fit is so I can jump into any game with my kids and give them a run for their money. I'm never going to be the parent who says, "I can't."

Log it - Record sport days in Pushpress with an RPE - If you play a hour of backyard soccer with your kids or spike ball on the beach while on vacation, chances are you're getting more of a workout than you think. Your body is counting your reps even if it's not showing up on the whiteboard. Give yourself credit.