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MyFitnessPal Community

cherry picking

kelly_e_montana

Okay, so we've all heard it: no cherry-picking your WODs.

But, if you're running other programs outside of CF, and CF is just part of your overall training program, isn't cherry-picking a must?

For example, I am a running a Wendler 5/3/1 progression on several lifts. I also do Olympic lifting training on Saturdays for a couple extra hours with a coach. I feel like I need to cherry pick my WODs so I don't completely ruin my body through overuse and undermine my weightlifting program.

On Monday we did 12 min AMRAP of 5 cleans, 5 push press and 100 m sprint. I rx'd it at 95#. I then did the the WOD again at 65#. So I have already done a ton of shoulder work this week. On Friday, we are doing Fight Gone Bad, which is also shoulder intensive with Push Presses and SDHPs. Today is Mary with handstand pushups. All fine and good on its own, but I am doing a Wendler progression outside of CF on my overhead press and I am on my de-load week. I still have to do OHP's outside of CF. It's going to undermine my month of work to blow out my shoulders on my de-load week. So I skipped Mary today because I really want to do FGB.

What are your thoughts on cherry-picking? I feel like if CF is your cardio and your weight training comes outside of CF for a substantial part of it, you almost have to cherry pick in order not to undermine your progress. I feel guilty about skipping Mary today but I feel it was the right decision for my de-load week.

Thoughts on cherry picking?

Replies

bostonwolf

I wouldn't call it cherry picking in your case because you are doing so much other work.

I think of it more like when people only workout four times a week and avoid anything with squats, etc.

Usually if I look at a WOD and feel that way I go, because clearly it's highlighting a physical and mental weakness that I need to overcome.

milileitner

I absolutely do this. If I'm squatting tomorrow, there's no way I'm going to compromise that by doing a leg-intensive wod. Since my training is powerlifting, I go for wods which are more cardio style, or which incorporate technical bodyweight movements. Alternatively I'll pick one which uses my main lift for that day in a different context, so if I've been deadlifting and training back, I might go for Diane (21-15-9 DL/HSPU) - treating the wod as a finisher.

Tobi1013

I'm with boston...I would never consider the way you are managing your workouts to be cherry picking. My definition of cherry picking falls in line with his, as well. To me, cherry picking is about avoiding WODs that you would just rather not do for no other reason than you suck at 'X' (where X usually equals one of your goats).

Howbouto

I don't consider it cherry picking eitther. But have you talked to your coaches about it? I know all boxes are different, but at ours, we often will have one person doing a different skill or WOD. Sometimes it is do to injury but most of the time it is to coordinate with their other training.

Flab2Fab27

I've found that partaking in all the Crossfit WOD's can definitely limit what else I'm able to do outside the box. I just started Stronglifts and I'm trying to figure out the best way to do both without destroying my body or burning out.

I think if you're doing things outside of the box, do what you can in the WOD without sacrificing your other programs.

kelly_e_montana

I don't consider it cherry picking eitther. But have you talked to your coaches about it? I know all boxes are different, but at ours, we often will have one person doing a different skill or WOD. Sometimes it is do to injury but most of the time it is to coordinate with their other training.

I have but I prefer to do my lifting at my regular gym and since I'm already training a lot, I don't want to use up more time by driving across town to CrossFit and back to my regular gym after. They are usually accommodating though.

I just was trying to alleviate some weird guilt. LOL. :laugh:

bostonwolf

I'm fortunate in that my CF gym is inside a normal "globo" gym so i can pretty much do any workout I want in there.

I'm actually going to start adding at least one strength/lifting day to my routine. Might just pick a stronglifts like routine and do workout one on one week, workout two the next, etc.

Inkratlet

CF is my main training. Anything else is 'on the side', so I go to all WODs. Besides... My box does not publish WODs beforehand. The head coach creates an awesome programme which is intended to be followed every day. I pay him substantial membership fees for it, so I prioritise CF over everything else

Not that I know what it's going to be before I turn up.

I might practice some Oly or powerlifting technique in my work gym at lunch time, but I usually keep it low load (the temptation to show off and whack on more weight being the only girl in the gym who seriously lifts is strong, but training is more important than appearance). Most of the time though I do some interval cardio, which I hate. I was lifting heavy outside of CF but yeah, it breaks you, it's not sustainable.

I'd call it prioritisation, not cherry picking

For me, CF is the priority, for you it's something else. All fair!

PS. I guess if you want to stick to that CF ethos of becoming an elite all-rounder, then you need to go to all WODs. But there's nothing to say that we all have to have the same motivation when we take part in CF

kelly_e_montana

CF is my main training. Anything else is 'on the side', so I go to all WODs. Besides... My box does not publish WODs beforehand. The head coach creates an awesome programme which is intended to be followed every day. I pay him substantial membership fees for it, so I prioritise CF over everything else Not that I know what it's going to be before I turn up.

I might practice some Oly or powerlifting technique in my work gym at lunch time, but I usually keep it low load (the temptation to show off and whack on more weight being the only girl in the gym who seriously lifts is strong, but training is more important than appearance). Most of the time though I do some interval cardio, which I hate. I was lifting heavy outside of CF but yeah, it breaks you, it's not sustainable.

I'd call it prioritisation, not cherry picking For me, CF is the priority, for you it's something else. All fair!

PS. I guess if you want to stick to that CF ethos of becoming an elite all-rounder, then you need to go to all WODs. But there's nothing to say that we all have to have the same motivation when we take part in CF

I actually feel that the people who are best at CF in my box, with the exception of one person, are the people who don't do all the WODs. They are the people who are working on strength outside the regular WOD programming. They might go to CF 5x per week but only 3x per week are they doing the WODs. The rest of the time, they are are doing their own programming at CF. I just choose to do mine outside of CF because the hours and location work better for me.