.png)
In today’s fitness world, growth happens outside of our comfort zones. Whether you're participating in a test week, tackling the CrossFit Open, or signing up for a Hyrox event, there’s an undeniable power in challenging yourself and identifying areas where you’re not as strong.
In the latest episode of the Wicklow Strength and Fitness Podcast, we dive into why finding and embracing your weaknesses is vital for progress and how events and tests can be the perfect opportunity to set new goals.
The Importance of Finding Weaknesses
The concept of finding weaknesses might sound a little counterintuitive. After all, we often go to the gym or train for events because we want to build strengths. But here’s the thing: growth comes when we face our weaknesses head-on. These weaknesses aren’t obstacles—they’re opportunities for improvement.
In the podcast, I shared a story from the CrossFit Open, where athletes like Sophie and Ciara pushed through challenging workouts and hit a wall at a specific movement—the pull-up. What’s incredible about these moments of struggle is that they didn’t discourage them. Instead, they sparked motivation to get better, highlighting exactly where they could focus their training moving forward. The same thing happened for Lauren, who struggled with pull-ups in previous years but celebrated hitting a few during this Open—showing that progress is possible when you work on your weaknesses.
Why We Shouldn’t Avoid Our Weaknesses
It’s easy to avoid things that make us uncomfortable. Whether it’s a specific movement in CrossFit or an exercise you’d rather skip, ignoring weaknesses can hold you back from reaching your full potential. In training, we might stick with what feels familiar and comfortable—maybe you’re doing ring rows instead of working on your pull-ups, or staying at a weight that feels easy rather than pushing to a heavier one. But by doing this, we’re not truly testing what we’re capable of.
Challenge yourself to identify areas where you’re weak and put in the work to improve them. Doing so breaks through plateaus, opens new doors for progress, and ultimately makes you a more well-rounded athlete.
Using Events to Identify Weaknesses
Events like the CrossFit Open and Hyrox are perfect examples of how we can use competition and testing to highlight areas of improvement. These events push us to our limits, forcing us to do things we might not practice regularly.
The real value in these events is that they highlight weaknesses we can then target in our training. Whether it’s a movement we struggle with, a skill we’ve been neglecting, or a particular type of endurance, these tests provide valuable feedback on where we need to focus.
Once we identify those areas, we can set specific goals to work on them, and that focus becomes driving force for our training. It’s not about being perfect or performing at our best all the time—sometimes, it’s about recognizing where we need to improve and taking the steps to get there.
The Power of Progress, Not Perfection
As I mentioned in the podcast, progress is incremental. It’s about working on the areas that are holding you back, even if that means facing discomfort or failure along the way. Sophie, Ciara, Lauren and many more demonstrated that growth comes from consistency. No matter how challenging those moments were, they embraced the struggle, made a plan, and kept working toward their goals.
At the end of the day, the true value lies in the journey. If we only focus on the outcome, we miss the opportunity to learn and grow from the process. So, rather than shying away from your weaknesses, lean into them, and use them as a tool for success.
Key Takeaways:
- Weaknesses are opportunities: Finding your weak points in training helps you focus your efforts and grow as an athlete.
- Embrace discomfort: Pushing past your comfort zone is where the real growth happens.
- Events and tests are tools: Use events like the CrossFit Open or Hyrox to identify areas that need work.
- Focus on progress: Growth is about incremental improvement, not perfection.
- Consistency is key: Keep working at it—no goal is too far if you stick with it!
Final Thoughts:
Embracing our weaknesses isn’t about being perfect; it’s about getting better. Whether it’s a specific skill, movement, or endurance challenge, use these moments of struggle to highlight areas of focus in your training. Growth happens when we step outside our comfort zones and face the things that scare us—that’s where we find our true potential.
Thanks for tuning in to this episode. If you enjoyed this podcast, share it with a friend who needs a little motivation to tackle their weaknesses. And don’t forget to subscribe for more tips, insights, and stories on how to level up your fitness journey.
.png)
