New Training Schedule

First of all I need to point out I am not Level 1 certified or train at a box with certified instructors. I mainly workout at LA Fitness without any instructor viewing me and analyzing my performance. I am a YouTuber. I try to watch YouTube videos and get better. I have gone to some personal training sessions at Graham CrossFit and their assistance has been amazing. You have to consider that their is probably a large error in my results by not having a certified trainer constantly watching me.

I have been religiously following CrossFit Invictus's Competition  (http://www.crossfitinvictus.com) workout program for five months now. While I saw gains, I have noticed some strengths and weaknesses that pertain to me:

Strengths

• Compared to the CrossFit Endurance program (http://www.crossfitendurance.com) I was following for about six months, this program called for more olympic lifts. I was terribly uncomfortable with those. It forced me to really focus on them and get better form.
• My strength endurance is better. For example I can do more bar dips than I could before I started. 
• My Handstand Push-Ups( HSPU) were non-existent before. Now I can do about 4-5 strict in a row.
• I couldn't do a chest to bar pull when I started. Now I can do about five in a row during a WOD.
• The CrossFit WODs are harder than a typical CrossFit Endurance in regards to strength. I can go back and do the male CrossFit Endurance Rx now. Before I was doing the CrossFit Endurance female Rx.

Weaknesses

• My running endurance has dropped off dramatically. I used to be able to run a 6min mile. I struggle with a 8min mile right now.
• My maxes in squat and shoulder press have not increased very well. When I started I could do a max 270lb back squat. I just re-tested two days ago and I did a 285lb back squat. I was fully rested. My shoulder press was 140lbs. Now it is 155lbs
• My explosiveness has decreased. I can't say with any numbers because I did not measure my vertical jump, but I have gained more muscle mass than explosive power.
• My WOD intensity has decreased.

Part of this is because I believe CrossFit Invictus tends to build its explosiveness using the olympic movements. I am not not very good at those so I tended to work on form more than exploding. 

I also probably used heavier weights than I should have in the Invictus WODs. My level of effort was there, but my bar speed was low. I was training my muscles to move slower. I also had to rest not because my body was tired, but because a particular muscle group needed to recover for the rep. Sometimes I needed to rest 30sec to 1min to complete the movement.

It is also not fair to assume that just because I did Invictus's programs is the reason my HSPU got better. I had bad shoulder form that was corrected in Nov. 2012 by Graham CrossFit.  was losing mobility and strength in my shoulder by extending my shoulders too far back while in the catch of the snatch. After I aligned my shoulders in the snatch better, my mobility increased and so did my shoulder strength.

These are just some of the things I noticed. Being what things are I am going to experiment with a cross between CrossFit Endurance, Westside Barbell and CrossFit Invictus. Both have their merits for certain things. I think if I can combine the two I might see better results. 

For example I will use Westside Barbell's method (www.westside-barbell.com) to increase strength. CrossFit Endurance tends to follow the Westside method, but I would like to tailor it a little more towards my weaknesses and schedule. Also going to add more accessory work in (hamstring curls, triceps, etc).

For Endurance I am going to do some CrossFit Endurance WODs. In particular the running/rows/swim workouts. Breaking the endurance into intervals really helps me increase my intensity and performance. 

For WODs I am going to mix in CrossFit Endurance and CrossFit Invictus. Whatever WOD I think is challenging or works on my weaknesses best.

For rest days I am going to try and follow CrossFit Invictus more. It is really important to do at least two good days of mobility during the week. I also follow Restwise to determine rest days.

I am not saying that CrossFit Invictus is bad or CrossFit Endurance is bad. I think they are both really good. I think for me and where I am at it is better to blend the the two then to strictly follow one or the other.