We scale weights, reps, movements and time, and we do so to keep the ‘inclusive’ in CrossFit’s ‘broad, general, inclusive fitness’.
But where do we draw the line? By conforming to scaled options, we are effectively telling ourselves that we are ‘not good enough’ to perform the full weight/movement etc. Now, in the majority of cases this is true – and scaling plays a vital role – but sometimes, just sometimes, we scale out of habit, out of familiarity, and out of comfort. We are placing a ceiling on our performance.
To question scaling, we should address the Pygmalion Effect, and an important study on this effect:
A group of school children are administered a test. Unbeknown to the teachers, the test results are never looked at and are thrown away. The researchers randomly allocate the students into a ‘smart’ group, or a ‘not smart’ group. The teachers are told that the test has indicated that the children in the ‘smart group’ have a greater propensity to learn – but they are not instructed to teach the kids in the ‘smart’ group any different to those in the ‘not smart’ group.
At the end of the school year, the students are re-tested and (you guessed it) the kids in the ‘smart group’ now fit the label they have been assigned. Consciously or not, the teachers have taught these kids more advanced material – based purely on the expectation that they can handle it. Handle it they did.
How does this relate to exercise? If we base our expectations too much on age/appearance/experience or any other preconceived notion – an individual will match our expectations.
Scaling is important. Vitally important. But sometimes it’s overused. Scale out of necessity or safety, not out of habit.
