Write “Why do we have to cross our T’s?”
“Becuase That’s the standard.”
It wasn’t my best response, but the question caught me off guard.
I went on to explain that it’s not a T without the horizontal line. It’s something else, and it’s confusing. And it doesn’t count as a T.
She nodded, satisfied for now, and moved on to poking holes in our alphabet as a curious 4 year old does.
This moment stuck with me because the best I could come up was.. “That’s the standard.”
It’s probably because I’ve spent a lot of time talking about “the standard” across all CrossFit movements and this was the best way to describe something with a deeper explanation.
In CrossFit we have standards across all movements. It seems obvious now, but this was a radical idea 20 years ago, and people will die on the hill of upholding these standards.
Take the squat. Previous to CrossFit defining the standard (feet planted, hips crease below the knee crease and full extension at the top), the squat was performed in any which way.
This led to bros talking squatting “ten reps for a hundred and something kilos in my prime.”
And the standard isn’t something we just made up…..
For the squat, we want this standard because:
- Glute activation is better applied when we achieve full depth.
- Joint health is enhanced when we train full range of motion.
- Force production is increased when we load more muscles fibres.
Also, it allows us to accurately compare our strength across periods… if you were squatting 100s for half reps, then we’re comparing apples and oranges.
To put it simply, we squat to depth because it’s part of our standard. It’s what we do here – for the above reasons. And, because it’s the right thing to do.
Just like crossing your T’s — it’s not negotiable, not because we’re inflexible, but because clarity matters. Consistency matters. It helps you, your training partners, and your coaches speak the same language. When you hit depth, we all know what’s going on. It’s clean. It’s clear. It counts.
Yes, we’ll meet you where you’re at — mobility restrictions, injuries, and limitations are real. You might need to work toward depth gradually. That’s cool. That’s coaching.
We’ll be testing our 3RM lifts next week, and we look forward to seeing full range of motion squats that you’re proud of!
Coach Steve.