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How to Find Your Weaknesses as a Fitness Athlete
Every piece of your program serves one of these 3 purposes.
- Get STRONG - Increase the cross sectional area of muscle (hypertrophy/muscular strength) and/or the extent to which motor units can activate muscle --> Increases capacity for producing tension --> Contractions make up a lower percentage of the athlete's capacity to produce tension --> Contractions produce fewer waste products --> Contractions become more repeatable
- Get ENDURING - Increase the energetic-metabolic capacity of already recruitable muscle fibers --> Increases capacity to remove waste products --> Contractions become more repeatable
- Get EFFICIENT - Increase the access, comfort and control of positions --> Each contraction requires less tension --> Contractions produce fewer waste products --> Contractions become more repeatable
The question is how much of each one.
Are you strong enough?
CGBP 200/300+ = PC
WPU 200/300+
BS 295/450
Sn 185/285
Are you enduring enough?
10 Minute AB – BW+
Max RMU into 30 For Time (12+/18+, <5:00/3:30)
Max Strict HSPU into 50 For Time (20/30+ UB, <5:00/3:30)
Are you efficient enough?
Tempo Pistol – full hip, knee and ankle flexion with hip adduction and internal rotation SA DB OHS @70/100# - full shoulder flexion with hip, knee and ankle flexion
This battery of tests is a great starting point – and sufficient for identifying the weaknesses of most fitness athletes.
Once you have your numbers, here’s what to do:
- Prioritize – pick 1 or 2
- Train those priorities as fresh and as frequent as possible.
- Put everything else in maintenance mode. Less frequency if you do it at all.
- Retest after 3 mesocycles. (Meso is 3-6 weeks followed by a deload week).
If it all seems super far away – get strong first.
If you’re already strong enough – get as enduring as you can.
