Every spring the Red Sox go to Fort Myers for Spring Training. All pro baseball teams do Spring Training. It is time to get back to work. It is a time to get back to the fundamentals.
Those who know me, know that I will never win the World Series. I will never play at a professional level at any sport. But one thing I have in common with these career athletes is the need to get back to basics.
When I began CrossFit I progressed at a reasonable pace. Strength increased, weights rose, flexibility increased and all was right with the world. If you show up every day, it’s easy to make progress from a couch potato to a functioning human being. But, I am at a point where progress is impaired, I built upon a faulty foundation.
From Kettlebell Swings, to Power Cleans, to Snatches, Chuckie’s got no hip in the game. In my head I know I am not supposed to muscle the weight. I know my hips can thrust all their force into that weight and send it into an orbit created by my arms, but I sabotage myself constantly and lift with my arms. At least I do until my arms just refuse to do it any longer.
As I have been trying to increase my weights to compete on December 7th, it is clear that I have hit a wall. A wall of my own creation. I built it out of bad form, and by seeking premature weight gains for PRs, only to set myself in a hole. I now need to dig myself out by undoing bad habits that I have ingrained into my body and mind. I must develop new ones that will take advantage of my human physiology and permit me to gain efficiency and strength in the proper sequence.
After this weekend’s competition, I will be pushing back at anyone who coaxes me to add weight, if I am not exhibiting good form for maximum efficiency. I am willing to take two steps backward, to gain half-step forward. I am turning my back on false progress, in exchange for the real deal. So plan on me scaling WODs or even cherry-picking WODs in the upcoming months. Because my goal is long-term gains, not short-term gratification.
Very wise of you Chuck.. I have done this at times as well, and made more progress by doing less.