10 Reasons You Need to Start Doing Individual Design Programming

CrossFit EventsCrossFit AthletesOnline Crossfit Training

Jan 26

Below are my ten reasons that you should look into doing a good individual design program to reach your goals (in no particular order).

You have specific goals.
Templates are great for those who want to be involved in something, have a community, and just work out. However, if you want to train, and you have specific goals, a template is too generalized will not get you over the proverbial “hump.”
Your needs are not being met.
If you feel like you are not doing what you need to do, or you are not getting the feedback you need to understand more, then you need to make the switch.
You always feel tired.
We often see people in templates doing too much work as they are following a general plan that their CrossFit idol does (or came out with) with no real rhyme or reason, and certainly not appropriate for them and their goals. This will lead people down the road of fatigue, over-fatigue, and then eventually overtraining.
You always feel beat down.
If you are always feeling hurt, or like your joints are hanging on by a thread, then you need to make the switch ASAP. Often, with no real plan or progression, it’s the wild wild west for formulating workouts. This will create too much stress on your joints and beat down your body.
You need accountability and feedback.
As you continue to grow, your need for specific feedback around your goals grows. If you do not have someone holding you accountable and providing feedback, you will soon slip into training purgatory.
You have too much variance in your current program.
The business model around templates is numbers. In order to continually get numbers, the program needs to be varied so people have fun. True programming is not exciting and it is not glamorous. However, this doesn’t get the numbers and it also prohibits gains for the experienced athlete.
Your current program is not specific enough for you and your goals/needs.
With every goal comes specific focus to drive adaptation. You cannot get this following a general plan for the masses.
Your progress has slowed down.
I know you cannot make progress non-stop. However, there should always be direction and focus. If you don’t have this, you need to switch.
You're losing your fitness.
Oftentimes too much volume or unfocused work can create a decline in fitness. If this is occurring, you need to switch.
You're not doing enough with your training.
As you develop as an athlete and your training age increases, so will your volume and intensity. Sometimes, certain athletes are not doing enough work based on who they are and where they are. By not doing enough, or not applying a stimulus often enough, you can also blunt your progress.