When I was introduced to CrossFit, I was coached by a man named Chuck Carswell. After watching me in a workout, he started talking about the importance of technique. He said, “One of the ways to get to the grocery store is by doing the worm until we get there…”

After laughing a bit, he explained to me to focus more in the classes when reviewing technique with a PVC. “It doesn’t just protect you against injury, it makes things as smooth as possible so you don’t waste energy.”

I was reminded of this experience from years ago when I saw this video of him giving a lecture to new CrossFitters in Pennsylvania:

Technique, when defined, is nothing more than the type of movements or positions we use in order to accomplish a task. Carswell uses the same analogy that he shared with me from years ago:

“What good technique does …  (is) it helps us minimize the energy expenditure (while) maximizing the task accomplishment,” he says, contrasting walking to the store with worming there. “What poor technique does is it helps us be grossly inefficient and certainly maybe even take more time to be able to make that happen.”

So next time we’re reviewing the deadlift, clean, or push jerk, work diligently with the PVC pipe. Ask questions. Learn from others. Be deliberate with each movement and position.

Doing so will help you get to the store faster, and with less effort.