How "understanding the stimulus" makes me a better CrossFitter, Mom, and PM

What is the problem we're trying to solve here?

When I first started conceptualizing this blog post, I had many doubts about whether it was worth writing. As with most ideas, the longer I pondered it, the more I realized its relevance—not just to my personal life but also to my work. I've come to believe that before we rush to find solutions, we need to deeply understand the problem, and that this concept applies to both our personal and professional lives.

But before diving into the details, I feel the need to caveat this post, so let's get a few disclaimers out, knowing that even as I try to add these, I will miss something and risk the internet coming after me. First, I am aware of my privilege to have a happy and healthy third pregnancy in under four years. Many people struggle with fertility or face different medical challenges for whom my situation isn’t possible and I do not take it for granted. Second, CrossFit, a big part of my life, is controversial, especially given recent events. It's also an expensive hobby I've indulged in for nearly a decade. Finally, there are potential medical liabilities when sharing workout advice, and I worried about how my experiences might impact others. This is not advice. I’m writing this anyway.

Understanding the Stimulus in Workouts

At 37 weeks pregnant with my third child in four years, I've remained much more active than my previous pregnancies. In the lead up to my first pregnancy (2020), I was what some would affectionately describe as a gym rat, regularly spending anywhere between 7 and 10 hours a week at the gym, until the pandemic hit and then, like many others, I stopped. It took me over two years after having my first child (a period during which I also had my second child) to figure out how to fit regular physical activity back into my life. Fast forward to now, with two kids and another on the way, I have a year+ of pre-pregnancy regular activity and I’ve managed to stay active throughout this pregnancy.

The key to my ability to stay active this time around has been understanding the "stimulus" of each workout. As Stuart Wood writes about the understanding a workout’s stimulus:

• The workout stimulus is essentially the intended goal of the workout.

• We scale workouts so that less advanced athletes can still hit that goal.

• Advanced athletes should also be aware of the stimulus to make sure they preserve it. Understanding the intended goal can make them reconsider tackling the workout RX.

• Preserving the stimulus is the best way towards physiological adaptations, e.g progress in strength and skill. Neglecting it means robbing yourself of real results.

Given that each workout has a different goal, as an athlete, I have to look at the workout and ask myself: what am I supposed to feel at the end of this workout? Am I building strength, speed, or endurance? Am I supposed to go hard and fast or slow and heavy? How long should I expect to work? With that clarity, I can decide how to adapt the workout to suit my current abilities (and interests), focusing on the intention behind the exercise rather than blindly following what's written on the white board.

For example, if the workout calls for a two-minute all-out row, I might swap the rower for a bike or SkiErg, ensuring I get the same high-intensity effort without the need to basically do abdominal crunches.¹ It's not just about finding an equivalent movement but understanding the broader purpose behind the workout and tailoring it to what my body can handle.

My Fittest Pregnancy Yet

This approach has made me feel stronger and more capable than ever during pregnancy. At 36 weeks, I could split jerk over 130 pounds—not my lifetime best, but certainly my best while pregnant! What's remarkable is that by focusing on the intended outcome of each workout and adapting to my body's changing needs, I've maintained my fitness throughout this pregnancy in a way I didn’t with my first two.

This experience has shown me that when you understand the "why" behind a workout, you can make the proper adjustments and achieve the same goals, even with limitations.

With nearly a decade of CrossFit under my belt, I’ve seen my ability to 1. read a workout, 2. understand the stimulus, 3. adjust the workout to my needs, and 4. perform to the stimulus, drastically change over the last couple of years (even more so after getting my L1). In the early days, I would regularly go to the Coach and confirm “here is what I’m thinking” for any given workout. In a lot of ways I was creating a feedback loop where: 1. I deduced the stimulus, 2. planned any adjustments, and then 3. got validation on my understanding of the stimulus and the adjustments I plan on making before jumping into the workout to get validation. It was a pre-validation of sorts.

Problem-Solving in Product Development: The Same Principles Apply

As my belly has grown more and more swollen, my back hurts more and more constantly, and my rib cage feels more and more stretched out, I’ve spent the last month reflecting over what about this realization is useful. I’ll continue to use this skill not just in transitioning into activity again in the postpartum period, but also as I continue as an athlete in functional movement for the rest of my life. But that’s not it...

Reflecting on this over the last month, I’ve realized this is the same thing I do as a product manager at Settle day-in and day-out. In the same way, I must understand the stimulus of a workout, I need to understand the actual problem my customers face before offering a solution. When a customer comes to me saying they are having trouble calculating costs, that statement doesn't mean much on its own. I have to dig deeper: Are they struggling with creating purchase orders? Is there an issue with tracking their expenses? Do they understand what does and does not go into COGS?

Before providing a solution, I must fully grasp the problem, just like when I adapt a workout. It's not about giving a blanket solution but tailoring the response, the feature, the activity to the underlying need.

Getting this right unlocks everything; getting it wrong puts you on the wrong track.

Part of the reason I’m still lifting weights at what feels like a million weeks pregnant is because I have been successfully adjusting the workouts every step of the way to make it this far. By focusing on the underlying purpose of each workout, I’ve been able to maintain challenging, effective exercise routines all the way through this stage of pregnancy. It's not just about showing up and doing a modified version of what everyone else is doing—it's about grasping the essence of what the workout is trying to achieve, and adjusting accordingly. This approach has kept me strong, fit, and feeling great as I approach the end of my pregnancy. (Please let the end be near.)

This concept applies just as well at work. A product manager who truly understands the customer’s problem—rather than just responding to their immediate request—can build a product that solves the right issue and delivers greater value. It’s about recognizing that the feature someone asks for may not address their deeper need. By uncovering the real problem, we can create better solutions that meet both immediate and long-term goals. Conversely, if we miss this step and jump straight to building what was asked for without deeper investigation, we risk creating a product that’s off the mark.

This mindset is also essential in parenting. When my toddler asks for fruit snacks right before bed, I could give in- or I could recognize the underlying need. Maybe he’s just hungry and needs something more filling, or perhaps he’s stalling to avoid bedtime. By understanding the root cause of his request, I can make a decision that’s better for him and for the situation. The key is identifying the real issue rather than simply reacting to surface-level requests. Whether it's workouts, product management, or parenting, understanding the core problem unlocks the path to better outcomes.

Now, before you give me flack and say “Emilie, no toddler parent desperate to make it through bedtime is asking themselves if the root cause of the fruit snack request is hunger or a delay tactic”, I’d say you’re wrong. We might not be using this specific language (stimulus, root cause, intended goal) when we talk about applying these principles to our personal lives, but that is exactly what we’re doing when we reply to the fruit snack request with “Is your belly full?”

If we can zoom out and see that these skills apply in a myriad of situations, we can recognize that there are a number of ways in which we can apply them, and the more we apply them them, the better at them we can be.

But, it goes without saying, this isn’t anything new

I’m not the first person to say this, and it’s certainly not a groundbreaking idea. In fact, this isn’t even the first time I’ve talked about it. The whole thesis of Run Your Data Team Like a Product Team, which I published with Taylor Murphy in 2021, was that data teams need to understand their user’s problems before trying to solve them. The core idea is exactly what I’ve shared here—whether it's fitness, product management, data, or parenting, understanding the problem is key to success.

There are countless frameworks designed to make this process easier. But here’s the thing: no framework can truly solve the problem if you don’t fundamentally understand the stimulus or the issue you’re addressing. The tools and frameworks are just that—tools to help—but they won't replace the need for deep understanding and critical thinking about what you're really trying to achieve.

In exercise, in work, in parenting, or in any domain, the key to success lies in understanding the problem before jumping into activities. This particular pregnancy has been different for me in a lot of ways, but being able to show up for myself in this particular way has been a unique rewarding experience for me. By focusing on the intended outcome, I have been able to adapt and thrive—even as my waistline has gotten wider and wider.

Similarly, when working with customers (or toddlers²), deeply understanding their needs allows us to offer solutions that truly fit rather than just applying a one-size-fits-all approach.

1. Have you ever seriously watched a pregnant woman on the erg? Where is all that belly supposed to go?

2. Toddlers are the ultimate customer training ground.