We all have a different routine in the morning. Many of us are early risers, those who get their workouts done before the rest of us even open our eyes. Some of us spend our mornings getting kids, spouses, and ourselves ready in a scurry of activities. However we get ready in the morning, most of us at one point in time wander to our phones and check the workout for today. We scan the movements, the rep sets, the strength work, and then we either celebrate with excitement or groan with dread.

You see, we all have our very own list of movements that we just love to do. We see them posted and we are thrilled, even more so when they are paired with more of our favorites. We know that while the workout is going to be hard, we will be able to tackle it with grace and strength, and really enjoy doing it. But, what happens when it’s a list of all of your weaknesses? What happens when the workout is comprised of high reps of all the things you despise? Hopefully, you groan and dread, but lace up your shoes and head begrudgingly out the door.

Weaknesses: we all have them. No one in CrossFit is immune to weaknesses. There is not one athlete in the world that is good at every movement. Not even the Games athletes. So, how is it that they can look so efficient at everything? How do they tackle each workout we see with power and intensity? It’s easy. They work their weaknesses.

It’s really easy at times to see a movement you do not like and ask to modify. We can find all sorts of excuses. We can blame our hands on not doing toes to bars.; we can blame our legs for not doing wall balls; and, if we continue to make excuses we will never improve at the movements. We have learned through tough life situations that the only way to improve on anything is to face it head on. The same rule applies to CrossFit. The only way you are going to get kipping toes to bars is to practice. The only way you are going to be able to lift heavier is to lift. The only way you are going to stop hating wall balls with everything you have is to do them, a lot.

I wish there was a formula, or a magic pill, or an answer other than work, but there isn’t. We cannot avoid our weakness, we can only tackle them head on. You are not going to lose all the weight until you tackle nutrition. You are not going to get your butterfly pull ups until you spend countless hours on the bar looking like a dead fish. It’s just not going to happen. The only way to improve is to do the work. Spend ten minutes before or after class working on the thing you hate.

I hate running. Hate. It. No matter the distance, I hate it. So, before class, I run. After class, I run. It may be short runs, or intervals, but I lace up my shoes, and I run. I’m still not in love with it, but when it’s up on the whiteboard, I know I can do it, and I am not filled with dread.

It’s really easy to complain, and it’s really easy to cherry pick your workouts, but you must decide what your goal is in CrossFit. If you want to get better, you have to do with work. No amount of modifications and changing movements will improve your abilities. Face your weakness head on, and some point down the road you will find it’s not a weakness anymore.

By: Amanda Stewart, CFL1 trainer, contributing writer