Do you ever wonder why other people seem to progress faster than you in the box? If you often find yourself left behind, you need to make sure you haven't picked up any bad habits along the way. Here are five of the most common training mistakes:

 

 

1. Cherry-Picking

Will you avoid the box if you catch a hint of any running? Do you make your excuses and head for the nearest exit if you see heavy snatches on the whiteboard?

Cherry picking: we've all been there. It's natural to favour workouts that play to your strengths, but this won't help you grow as an athlete.

It's important to remember this goes both ways, too. If you've decided you need a rest day, but head to the box anyway when your favourite WOD shows up, you're guilty of this too - and this can be just as damaging to your performance.

Solution: decide when you'll be training in advance, and stick to it no matter what's posted online.

 

2. Complaining 

We get it - you hate press-ups. 

Like, really hate them. 

NEWSFLASH: sitting there complaining about a workout isn't going to make it suck any less. In fact, evidence suggests the opposite is more likely to be true. When you complain about a WOD, your mind is priming the body to find the workout difficult. 

Solution: Work on your mindset. When you believe something is possible, you're more likely to achieve it.

In other words, shut up and get on with it.

 

3. Comparing Yourself to Others

A little competition can be motivating, and encourage you to push that little bit harder but - like everything - this is best in moderation.

If you're constantly comparing yourself to everyone else in the box, you could be restricting yourself without realising.

We all develop at different rates, and we all have unique strengths. Some of us live for the heavy stuff, others kick ass at gassy WODs, and a few just seem to be good at everything.

Just because you have different strengths to your training buddies, doesn't mean you're not a rockstar too.

Solution: Celebrate your achievements, no matter how small and insignificant they may seem to begin with - we all start somewhere.

Commit to working on your weaknesses, but don't let them overshadow everything you've accomplished.

 

4. Making Excuses

It's so easy to find a reason NOT to do something, even when it's something you really want.

Excuses aren't acceptable reasons for not pursuing your dreams. They're your mind's way of justifying why you're not getting any closer, but we're not falling for it - and neither should you.

Solution: Be realistic about your lack of progress, and accept where you need to make some changes. Decide how much you want it, then don't stop until you get there!

Related Post: 9 Fitness Excuses We're All Tired of Hearing

 

5. Ignoring the Whiteboard

The main reason we struggle to make progress is inconsistency. Although the programmed WODs might seem random, they're usually the result of careful planning from your coaches.

If you regularly ignore what's on the whiteboard, and haphazardly do your own thing, don't complain when you're not getting the desired results. You only have yourself to blame.

Solution: Unless you're training for something in particular, and you know what you're doing, it's advisable to leave your programming to someone who knows what they're doing.

If you have a good coach, it will usually be more worthwhile to follow their program instead of your own. Even the world's best athletes have someone else to figure out their training. Just rock up, and get the work done.

 

Have you been making any of these mistakes?

 

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November 10, 2015 — KITBOX [ ]
Tags: Advice

Comments

Caitlyn said:

Great article!

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