Have you been dissappointed in your results from Crossfit?
I have seen it in peoples faces after a workout, seen it on the whiteboard, and heard it through discussion and email.
Yes Crossfit is the best fitness program around but you will only continue to progress if you continue to evolve your training. Too many times i have heard that people have done Crossfit for 2-3 years and they just can’t get that 3 minute fran or improve their deadlift, snatch, squat… In fact some have regressed.
If this is you, you have to take a look at your training program honestly and be able to asses your weaknesses and then put together a program that assess them. To know your weaknesses is only half the battle and the easy part at that. How do you address them and start making progress again?
Its highly likely that strength is an issue for most people. I don’t want to go on a tirade about strength training nor was that the intent when i started writing this post. I just wanted t point out to those of you that are stuck, that it may be time to take a deeper look at your successes and failures as a crossfitter. If you are still only snatching 95lbs we have a serious issue! Assess yourself honestly and make a change!
I have to mention Greg and Aimee over at Catalyst for their contribution and solid programming. There has been tons of discussion of MEBB and CFSB lately but what about the program that is already there for you, free and very well thought out. It seems silly to me but i get emails from people saying they did a catalyst cycle and got alot stronger then went back to main site and have lost their strength, what should they do? Really!!?!
If you are struggling with putting together a strength program. Go to the free resource at Catalyst and follow it for a couple months then if you feel there is something missing let me know or try your hand at your own program.
Dutch,
As always thanks for the post. Your thoughts, feedback and knowledge are so constant with where, I believe, most CrossFitters are in there programming that it is invaluable information and motivation.
At the beginning of the summer I took some time to evaluate my greatest weaknesses, of which strength & power were at the top. I have started following Catalyst Athletics programming, and am hopeful that I will begin to see some impressive strength gains. Personally, I believe that my technique is severally hindering my making much gains. I bought Greg Everett’s book, and am making my way through that…hopefully I can correct my form, mechanics and technique thoroughly enough from it.
I’m just sort of rambling now, but my point was to say that I fully understand disappointment and frustration with my results, but I agree that it is vital that we be aware of the areas we need to improve and not ignore them. I know the technique and strength will come, and when it does I can move forward to other areas that need attention.
Thanks again for the good words.
Haha, you are writing about me or what
? I started pure strength program two months ago. Yes, I would exchange part of my GPP for strength, for me it looks like a only way, I could not regenerate if I do more. I would wait couple of months, I have all time in the World 
and let’s see.
As for Oly lifting and Catalyst WOD’s – I was fortunate enough that I was on Oly lifting cert this weekend in Scotland and it was awesome ! My forst snatch ever took place here
So now I would slowly start to work on my technique and add snatch to my program as well.
spot on Dutch, like Petr said “you writing about me or what…” i personally have been following Catalyst and Coach B’s sit for the last 4 weeks while throwing in some gymnastic practice on weaknesses that I have. Huge improvements seen already.
100% dead on…
Fitness without Strength makes you an aerobics instructor.
Fitness with Strength makes you a CrossFitter.
Dutch,
Quick question…I was following a different strength program to address my weakness there but am going to switch over to Catalyst.
In your opinion should I just jump into the current cycle (on week 4), wait for the next one, or go back and start the current one from the beginning?
Preciate the help. See you in a few weeks.
Keir
Kier.
If you have no problem with it, I would just start from the beginnig. Thanks for checking the blog and see ya soon!
What about Coach Rut’s MEBB blog, http://www.coachrut.blogspot.com ?
that’s the training template i most closely follow. i started out using the strength program Rip advocates in SS this past January (after almost a year of Crossfit), and saw phenomenal gains in a few months. taking away two extra movements a day and adding back in a metcon has made the difference in my fitness level.
i’m not trying to knock Catalyst, but you’re a big believer in MEBB so i figured you already liked this site a lot.
Drew.
I was simply trying to give people the answer they are constantly looking for. Catalyst is better than all the other programs because you can’t mess it up. Its all there all you have to do is do it.
thanks. i think i understand better. do you think a Catalyst-style program is what gave Josh Everett his freakish power/bodyweight ratio? as i recall, he put 330# over his head at a BW of 185#. and you were about 155 when you OHS’d 250+ in the CF movie. is a Catalyst/MEBB program what gives some CF games athletes the edge? main site seems to be all about randomized efforts–is a more systematic approach regarding strength/power gain the way to better Crossfitting, or does it come down to the goals of the individual?
Drew,
Let me dig into that in a separate post.
Drew – while you’re waiting for Dutch’s post on that, go over to Catalyst and read Greg’s post called “Plandomization.”
Very enlightening, and exactly what you’re asking about.