What’s Next?
As we wrap up the 2020 CF Open, I’d like to mix things up from a programming standpoint. I understand that these changes and new style of programming may be different, outside of our comfort zone, or seemingly random. I’ve been coaching full time now for 5+ years, and I’ve coaches hundreds of clients for thousands of hours. I’ve programmed more workouts for group classes, private training and team sports than I can count. I’ve had some great successes and some pretty epic failures. I’ve been part of sports and weightlifting consistently for over 2 decades. I’ve studied and performed many different types of training and I’ve seen some very effective methods as well as some pretty ineffective ones. Along the way, I’ve continued to learn, earning my B.S. in Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, becoming a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS - NSCA), and earning many certificates from CrossFit, including CF-L1, CF-L2, CF Mobility, CF Scaling, and most recently CCFT (CF-L3). And I’m still learning every day. I don’t say all of that to toot my own horn or brag or anything of that nature. Just to tell you that I’m human and I want to do everything I can to help every one of you live more healthy lives. I want to be able to try new things, test what we’re capable of, track our progress, and have fun while doing it!
So as we move into this new programming, I want to provide some insight into what I’ve noticed is needed in training and what I’ve got planned. Before I dive into the nuts and bolts of everything, I want to talk a little about the methodology of CrossFit. Many of you are quite familiar with the definition of CrossFit; Constantly Varied Functional Movements performed at relatively High Intensity (CVFMHI). Part of what I’ve noticed (and what I’ve been responsible for) is that we have been missing the mark sometimes on the first part of that definition; CONSTANTLY VARIED.
Yes, workouts change each week, we see new metcons, measures, loads, etc. However, the format for training has become consistent; warm-up > lift > metcon, or warm-up > metcon > lift. If you look at many gyms doing their own programming, you’ll see this template almost without fail. However, if you look at the daily CrossFit main site WOD, you don’t see that template. What you’ll see is that each day is dedicated to a specific task. Some days are metcons, some are lifting, some are skill work, some are benchmark tests, and some are rest days. Why don’t they put more than one task in each day?
Based on my experiences and observations, it’s because in order to effectively achieve a desired stimulus, trying to put too much into one hour inevitably means that we’ll cut corners somewhere. We won’t effectively warm-up and load up for the lift session. Or we won’t review all the movements for a metcon and prime joints and muscles properly. We won’t dedicate the necessary time to a skill to affect change and progress. Instead, we will rush the warm-up, briefly discuss the strength portion and pieces of the metcon, get to the same part of our skill progressions, and barely finish in time. If you’ll allow me, I’d like to change that.
THE PROGRAM
Moving forward, I’d like to test the following format:
2 days/week: HEAVY Strength Days
During these sessions, we’ll test a 1-3 RM on a series of lifts. We’ll have one day each week dedicated to Upper Body Lifts (Primary lifts: Strict Press, Bench Press, Push Press, Floor Press), and one day each week dedicated to Lower Body Lifts (Primary lifts: Front Squat, Deadlift, Back Squat, Box Squat). We’ll also include some assistance exercises to work on identifying weaknesses, improving imbalances, isolating muscle groups and strengthening rarely used muscles. Equally as important as the primary lifts and assistance exercises is core strength, so we’ll be incorporating this into the strength days as well. The intent behind these days are to push your muscles to an absolute max on the primary lift (you SHOULD reach failure), work on sub-maximal loads and speed for the assistance exercises (you SHOULD NOT reach failure, and rest between exercises should be kept to a minimum), and build strength throughout your ENTIRE core through the core exercises (this will improve ALL your other lifts).
4 days/week: Metcon Days
On these days, we’ll get into our CrossFit style metcons. We’ll test different time domains, measures, loads, volume, etc. Expect to see higher volume and moderate loads on these days. Intensity should be kept at a high level throughout these days. In these days, I want to incorporate the following:
1 day/week: Benchmark Test
Some of these will be typical named CrossFit benchmarks, some will be aerobic tests, some are our own creations, but all of them will test you. We’ll be cycling through them so we can retest them periodically throughout the year.
1-2 days/week: Skill work
Skill work will include time to practice technique and train movement patterns on many different fronts. We’ll focus some days on gymnastic work, some days on olympic lifts, and some days on technique for greater efficiency in things such as running, rowing, DU, etc.
2 days/week: Team WODs
One of these days will continue to be Saturday, but I also want to include a team workout during the week. Because it’s always more fun to suffer along with someone.
1 day/week: Games/Play
Don’t take yourself too seriously. Have some FUN! You spend all day being serious at work. When was the last time you learned and played a new game?
REASONING
Moving past the Open, many of us are familiar with the transition into a strength training focus. This isn’t necessarily new to our expectations, and I think we can all agree that to do many things in life, a certain level of strength is required. The stronger you are, the easier it will be to perform many tasks, both inside and outside of the gym. When I look at effective methods for strength training, many different things jump out; the Wendler Program, Linear Progression, Power Lifting, Body Building, Calisthenics, etc. However, one of the most effective methods at building absolute strength has been the Conjugate Method, pioneered by Louie Simmons at Westside Barbell. If you don’t believe me, look up how many world records have come from Westside Barbell (it’s over 140). Now I don’t claim to speak on any behalf of Louie, nor do I claim that what we’re doing is the Conjugate Method. Rather it’s a blend of the Conjugate system and CrossFit.
I want to use part of this method and incorporate it into the CrossFit Methodology. In order to do this, I’m using the Max Effort Days (ME) from the conjugate system and using our regular CrossFit metcons as a substitute for the Dynamic Effort Days (DE). Westside will change their primary lift each week for their ME days. However, since most of us don’t have the experience of an elite power lifter, we don’t need to change as frequently to still see an adaptation from training. So we will be changing the primary lifts every 4th week. Between the ME days, we need at least 72 hours to allow for our central nervous system (CNS) to “recharge”. After the demand on the CNS required for a ME Day, it takes some time for our body to be ready for that neural load; hence the 72 hours. The other days of the week will be lower weight and higher volume. Now this doesn’t necessarily require the same amount of demand from the CNS as a MAX day, but our muscles will still be quite sore and fatigued from the effort put forth.
Remember, training is supposed to be different, challenging, effective and fun. We’re moving out of a competition season for now, so we can focus on training our weaknesses and test some new programming. If it’s not effective, we can always change it. Trust the process, trust that we as coaches only want to help you, and remember what CrossFit is meant to be. It’s meant to be Constantly Varied Functional Movements performed at relatively High Intensity. It’s meant to be a strength and conditioning program. It’s meant to be an opportunity to try new things, continually learn, develop relationships and camaraderie and make fitness FUN.
I’ll finish this up with a message to each of you. I know that there are many of us that don’t get to workout for 4/5/6 days each week (sometimes I’m on that list too), so each workout counts and none are taken for granted. I want each workout to be a time for you to get fit, de-stress, have fun, reach new milestones and grow. If you feel that any workout has failed to meet expectations or needs, please come to me about it and I will do whatever I can to fix it.
Thank you,
Jason
