How's your form??

I know that for the most part, I tend to go on about mobility and how important it is to achieving good performance and longevity in Crossfit. But something I heard yesterday made me realize that no matter how much mobility you do, if you aren't performing the movements with correct form and technique, you will probably end up injuring yourself.

Imagine yourself turning up at the box and seeing your WOD for the day:

It has a weight for a movement that you KNOW you can just smash out. You want to get a killer time and beat every other person at your box. This is YOUR workout and has your name just written ALL over it. So you hit the workout with all your energy and gusto and leave everyone in the dust. But your form is crap. You don't care, you just want to go as fast as possible. You are a lion ripping the head off a zebra and NO ONE can stop you. Until you feel a "pop" in your lower back and next thing you know, you're on the ground, looking at the ceiling wondering WTF just happened. Getting up off the floor is a struggle and you can't stand up straight. Shit.

Your technique/form should not change regardless of the weight on the bar or how fast you want to go. No time on the whiteboard is worth sacrificing your form for. Especially considering you now have to spend a couple weeks at the physio getting your back sorted out.

I know most people have watched the Crossfit Games and have admired Rich Froning's physical abilities. But have you noticed that regardless of how many workouts he has done, how tired he may be, his form DOES NOT CHANGE. Have a look at him doing the Cinco WOD with the weighted pistols. His form is flawless. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXGybheNPMU (Have a look at how Jason Khalipa's knee drops in while he does pistols).

There are really not many people out there who have the strength and stability to be able to perform single leg squats without losing pelvic/hip control, let alone with weight, at the end of FOUR days of gruelling competition. The single leg squat is actually a test that physios use to assess a person's ability to control the pelvis. The majority of people I see struggle to maintain control dropping into a 1/4 single leg squat.

If you are struggling with injuries, you probably need to get someone to really have a look at your technique, especially under load/fatigue with varying speed of movments. Videoing your movements is a great way of seeing what really happens as you get tired. You may have to push the old ego aside and scale all your weights right back, in order to get your movments perfected before you conquer the Crossfit world. It will take time and effort, but it will be worth it.