Changing Things

The last couple of weeks I have been considering changing my workout routine. I currently follow CrossFit Invictus's competition program. That has been good and bad. Good because it has forced me to face my fears in the Olympic lifts and upper body strength. Bad because the program does not target my specific weaknesses. I am getting to the point where I know what my weaknesses are. The problem is their program is not really targeting them as much as I think I should.

My weakness is strength.

I have been intrigued for over a year now of the Westside Barbell method to gain strength. Velocity is more important than mass. Their results clearly prove it. Squatting less than 500lbs there is a joke. I have been kind of stagnant the last 3 months at a 300lb squat. This needs to at least be 400lbs. I think I should be able to reach 500lbs for CrossFit. Any more than that and I am probably doing some serious damage to my spine and joints.

The reason this has been so hard is the CrossFit Open is less than 40 days away. Changing my program now is throwing in the towel in for this year. The Open historically focuses more on cardio than strength. I didn't expect to do well (I can't even Rx the snatch in some exercises). I wanted to see where I was with the best effort. I also know the more I delay changing my training, the more I delay my possibility of excelling next year. Next year is the real goal anyway. This year is to figure out my weaknesses and make them my friend. Also increase strength.

I am going to start doing my own programming and tracking my results. Going to incorporate some Westside Barbell, CrossFit Invictus (they have some great crossfit workouts) and CrossFit Endurance(by far the best for building cardio). Most important I am going to focus on my weaknesses more than the WOD of the day. I know my weaknesses. They are:

1. Strength
2. Flexibility
3. Olympic lifting form (in particular the snatch)
4. Deadlift (just bad form)
5. Muscle Ups

I need to focus my time on those and make friends with them. I will still throw in CrossFit workouts, but make them a priority after those weaknesses. I need to spend more time on those.