Coaches Jon, Luke and Todd break down many of the common questions, errors, and misconceptions that people have about training.
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One of the challenges in a highly varied sport like CrossFit is determining whether we're actually improving. Once an athlete has accumulated a significant amount of training volume, the classic test-retest approach on isolated elements of the sport becomes less effective. We can spend weeks or even months working on a particular movement, only to struggle with it again when the context shifts slightly. Coaches can use tools such as variation, psychological momentum, and developing complementary areas to support progress—but what happens when an athlete hits a ceiling with a specific movement or combination? In this week's episode, we explore strategies for programming that help athletes continue improving their weaknesses. We discuss when it's best to zoom out and focus on general adaptations, and when it's necessary to get tactical and hone in on the specifics. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] Test retest [3:20] Improvement through repetition [6:00] Using variation to help [10:00] Hitting your ceiling for progression [13:00] How do you actually measure physiological improvement [17:00] General versus specific adaptations [21:00] Working on major weaknesses longer term
Have you ever felt the urge to flip the table and completely change your training or someone else's programme? Maybe a few small competition experiences have made you feel like your training is heading in the wrong direction. Perhaps you're getting tired of working on the same things. Or maybe you want to change your training goal entirely. Whether you're making big changes to your training goals and what you train for, or you're shifting the direction and focus of your training while keeping the same goal, some of these changes can be reactionary and driven by frustration—this is where you need to be careful. In this week's episode, we discuss where these changes may come from, whether from an athlete or a coach, and how to manage some of the unhelpful tendencies behind them. Tune in to hear more about general programming strategies that help you stay agile and pivot your programme, when the programme actually doesn't matter that much, and why naming a training cycle is an essential programming skill. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [0:30] Introduction [2:45] Making changes to overall training goals versus training focus [4:45] More options to compete in fitness [7:30] Changes stemming from frustration [10:00] Minimum Viable Programme [13:00] How to communicate programming to athletes [15:30] When coaches make big changes to programming [18:00] Does programming actually make that much difference [24:00] Doing conditioning before strength
Having a formal education in sports science, kinesiology, or a similar field may seem beneficial for a CrossFit coach. However, you might end up learning a lot of technical information without any context or knowledge of how to apply it. Conversely, you may develop extensive coaching experience and navigate situations in the moment with ease but lack the technical knowledge or critical thinking skills to tackle more complex challenges. This week's episode is all about striking a balance between being book-smart and having the coaching experience to handle situations effectively. We discuss Jon's background with a sports science degree, the drawbacks of an overly mechanistic view on training, and the importance of knowing what to communicate to athletes—and how to do so effectively. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] Is book learning helpful in CrossFit [2:30] Jon's background doing a Sports Science degree [4:30] The gap between knowledge and a coaches eye [8:00] Being able to connect knowledge to context [10:00] Overly mechanistic view of biomechanics [12:30] Skepticism about biomechanical explanations [23:30] How to effectively filter your communication to athletes
When learning anything, it can be difficult to step back from the details, and this is especially true for CrossFit programming. Often, you'll find coaches who are highly focused on the means (the exercises, the sets and reps) rather than the methods (the programme, the desired stimulus, the weekly plan, etc.). As much as constructing a programme or workout based on the latest sports science information is considered the best approach, sometimes it doesn't hold up, and you need to rely on your own training or coaching experience to create something more contextual and effective. In this episode, we discuss some of our own self-reflection while programming, as well as other programme methods. We also explore how MGW and the programming information provided by CrossFit have their limitations. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] Being able to abstract workouts into bigger picture programming [2:00] Where CrossFit's programming methodology can lead you [3:30] Focusing on the details too much as an inexperienced coach [5:45] Writing programming in layers [8:45] Not seeing the higher order pattern when starting out programming [10:00] What is this workout going to feel like? [12:30] Programming more variance for experienced athletes [14:30] Using your own experience in training [17:00] Writing programming that is influenced only by the CrossFit world [20:00] Being self reflective in your programming [23:30] Treating all movements as equal through an energy system lens
In the past couple of months, a new type of fitness competition has been generating a lot of anticipation. Headed by multiple-time CrossFit Games athlete Will Moorad, the World Fitness Project is entering the competitive landscape in a year when the CrossFit Games is undergoing its biggest changes yet. The competition consists of two tour events and a finals event at the end of 2025. There are 20 professionally signed male and female athletes, along with 10 challengers at each event. Additionally, team and masters competitions will take place at these events. Overall, this competition appears to create a clear pathway for athletes to compete in the sport and make a living as professional fitness athletes. They have released a movement list for the season, already demonstrating standardisation we haven't seen in CrossFit. The WFP has signed many of the sport's top athletes, with several planning to compete in both the CrossFit Games and the WFP season. In this week's episode, we discuss what this could look like from a training perspective and whether it provides mid-tier competitors with a more structured and potentially rewarding outlet than what CrossFit has offered in the past. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [0:30] What is the WFP? [3:30] CrossFit lending itself to a tour-style sport [4:30] The challenge of making money from events [6:30] Streamlining competition for athletes [8:30] Frustrations with online competition [11:30] Getting structure in training through competition [14:30] Competing in person vs. focusing solely on qualifiers [18:00] Standardisation in competition [22:30] Will the WFP offer more structure than CrossFit? [24:30] The “no man's land” for many competitors [26:00] The importance of having direction from competition
There are a few qualities in CrossFit that can be quite difficult to improve for certain people. It's usually a mix of different problems that manifest in one or two specific styles of workouts in CrossFit. It's not quite this, but not quite that, either. One of those qualities is moderate-weight barbell conditioning pieces—typically something like a 135/95 barbell performed for high reps with a lot of other movements included in the workout. It's not a heavy barbell where strength is going to slow you down, but it's also not a lighter barbell where your breathing is going to be the main limiter. It is an endurance issue, but due to the movements this issue arises on, there is a strength element at play as well. The important thing with training this quality is not to let yourself blow up and reach that point of no return. You want to develop as much capacity and training volume below that point to try and push this further. Check out this episode to hear how we work on this issue, how we structure workouts for endurance limitations, and how this problem relates to other qualities required in the sport. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [0:30] The issue at hand [2:00] Adjusting traditional CrossFit metcons first and then going deeper if needed [5:00] Structuring workouts to target more enduring qualities [9:40] Hard workouts are easy to programme [11:00] Not a clear-cut route to improving this quality [12:30] 80/20 rule with pulling and pushing your training [14:15] Breaking the movement down to keep the athlete moving [16:00] Interval Weight Training [17:30] Is this a movement-specific problem? [20:00] Difference between barbell battery work and moderate-weight conditioning [21:15] Squatters versus hingers
Now that the Open is advancing significantly fewer athletes to the next stage of the CrossFit Games—online semi-finals—will we see athletes shifting their training to become more specialised? Looking at the numbers, only a very small number of athletes will make it into the top 1% of the Open. This means even the best of the best cannot afford a poor performance in any of the three weeks of competition. Given the constraints of needing to complete Open workouts in an affiliate —most likely able to be done in regular classes—we can make some educated guesses about how these workouts will be programmed. With three workouts, and potentially up to four scored events if there's a two-part workout, the variety of movements will be limited. This means the weighting of any single movement could become disproportionately important—especially if one of the events involves a max lift, which would be scored on a single movement. It's likely we'll see workouts designed with progressive skill levels, such as moving from pull-ups to chest-to-bar pull-ups, and then to bar muscle-ups. These factors point towards a particular style of CrossFit workout that athletes may need to focus on in their training. For example, those who struggle with movements like burpees, wall balls, or rowing will likely need to dedicate significant time to improving in these areas. But is it worth making such changes to your training? Considering the Games season is still evolving and will likely continue to undergo smaller changes and iterations in the coming years, it's possible that next season could demand a different skill set. In this week's episode, we continue our discussion about competition and the changes to the season. We take a closer look at how these changes might impact athletes' preparation and the decisions they'll need to make about their training. Listen to find out more about how these changes could impact athletes' preparation, whether the Open now comes down to the luck of the draw, how to allocate training time for different competition styles, and the shift towards local events. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] The structure of the new CrossFit Games season [2:20] Taking the top 1% from the Open [4:20] What does removing the Open do for athletes? [5:45] How many athletes will qualify for semi-finals? [6:30] Mistakes, penalties, and judging live or via video [10:20] Should people specialise just for the Open? [12:30] Will things change again? [13:30] Prioritising and allocating training time for different styles of competition [15:00] Is the Open now all about the luck of the draw? [18:30] The shift to local events [21:00] Archetypes of athletes making it through the Open
With the recent announcements from CrossFit regarding changes to the 2025 season, some athletes are exploring alternative avenues for competition, placing less emphasis—if any at all—on the Open and the CrossFit Games season as a whole. While the top athletes in the sport excel in both in-person and online competitions, at the mid-tier and local level, the profile of athletes who perform well in online competitions often differs from those who thrive in local, in-person events. This disparity largely comes down to the types of workouts, movements, and equipment used in these formats. Online competitions, constrained to the four walls of a gym and a more limited equipment list, generally rely on one key element: volume. Over the years, the volume of movements in online competitions has increased substantially. For example, in the very first Open workout (2011), top scores included 270–300 double-unders in a 10-minute workout. Seven years later, in 18.3, the best scores reached 800 double-unders in a 14-minute workout. In contrast, in-person local events often incorporate challenges that cannot be replicated in an online format. It's not uncommon for up to 20% of the testing body to consist of a single movement, such as a running-only event like a 5k trail run. In this week's episode, we explore the differences between these types of competitions and discuss whether it's worth adjusting your training to prepare for more in-person local competitions. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [2:00] A renewed interest in other competitions following the CrossFit Games 2025 season announcement [3:00] Key differences between online and in-person competitions [8:00] Equipment considerations for online competitions [12:30] How running translates into general aerobic fitness and conditioning [16:00] The importance of volume tolerance versus general fitness [20:30] Using online competitions to build training volume early in your career [23:30] The trade-off of building volume for movements that are less frequently tested
In this episode, we dive into the upcoming 2025 CrossFit Games season, sharing our initial concerns about the increase of online stages. Recorded before the official details were released, this discussion reflects many of the common opinions circulating within the community about the new season. We talk about the logistical challenges faced by affiliates, the high potential for cheating, and how lower scores are impacting athlete qualifications. We also explore how these changes are affecting the overall ecosystem of the sport, particularly in comparison to more accessible events like Hyrox. While we acknowledge the immense difficulty of organising the semi-final events and the Games, we question whether it might be outside of CrossFit's scope to manage these events if their focus remains on affiliates and education. Is it time for an external group to take charge and bring much-needed stability to the sport? If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.
One common issue for athletes with some experience in their sport is struggling with 1–2 specific movements in grunt-style conditioning workouts. Even after extensive effort to develop these movements, they can still be a weak point, especially in competition or qualifier workouts. How can we help athletes improve at these movements? Should we focus on mastery, or reframe progress by mitigating their impact in competition to make them less of a weakness? Adjusting technique can provide quick wins, but the same stumbling blocks often reappear over time. In this episode, we discuss different approaches to structuring training progressions, strategies to keep athletes motivated, and what we can realistically expect when working on these "goat" movements in conditioning. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] Goat movements in conditioning [2:00] Identifying why these movements are difficult and being realistic with progress [4:20] Using variations to give athletes more movement options [6:20] Learning how to recover on these goat movements [8:00] Don't redline with these movements [10:45] How to measure progress with these movements [14:00] Setting expectations for athletes [17:00] Assessing movement or technique [19:00] Polarised exposures of movements [22:00] Delaying the breaking point in the movement
For busy individuals competing in CrossFit, it's rare to complete a training week exactly as planned. Sessions may be missed, accessory work moved, or entire training days shifted around. Athletes often worry that these adjustments will compromise their progress, especially those receiving individualised coaching. However, when asked if it's okay to adjust training, our answer is almost always yes. The added stress of forcing a rigid training schedule usually outweighs any benefits of perfect sequenced programming. One way to manage these adjustments effectively is to build a high-low sequence into training. This approach prioritises certain high-stress, high-priority days while incorporating lower-stress, lower-priority days. Using this and getting athletes to understand how to assess their daily readiness, can help stack up consistent and productive training, even with a demanding schedule. Check out this episode, where we dive into methods that help busy athletes juggle their training alongside other commitments. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] Listening to your body is always more important than following a training progression [3:00] Planning training with priority and non-priority days [5:45] High low sequencing of training [11:00] How to programme easier days [13:00] Managing training stress for talented athletes [15:00] Day to day variation in training readiness [18:00] Scoring daily readiness before training [20:00] Constructing training based of exposures to priority training progressions [26:30] How does repetitive training look in the programme
Ever taken time off from training and found getting back to it feels like an uphill battle? In this episode, we dive into some of these challenges of returning to CrossFit competition and training after a layoff. Luke reflects on jumping back into a team competition after a five-year break, and Todd shares his journey of rebuilding post-Achilles injury. We discuss the hurdles of getting reacquainted with volume and intensity, dealing with unexpected cramping, and how to develop durability and resilience to help with this. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] Luke's return to CrossFit competition [6:15] When general training doesn't transfer over [7:45] Carryover for different populations and beginners [10:30] When specificity in training becomes essential [12:45] Todd's Achilles recovery and return to training [15:00] Managing cramping in competitions and high-volume sessions [23:00] Building your threshold for volume and intensity [27:00] The endurance component of team competitions
In a varied sport like CrossFit, athletes often gravitate toward specific areas of focus, which can be influenced by their height and weight. Since weight is a changeable factor, some athletes set specific bodyweight goals. For example, some aim to lose weight to enhance bodyweight movements like pull-ups and handstand push-ups, while others seek to gain weight to increase strength in heavy lifts, particularly during off-season training. A crucial aspect of CrossFit is determining whether a weight gain or loss plan translates into improved performance. For some athletes, increased weight can boost raw strength numbers, but it doesn't always enhance repeated heavy lifts during a metabolic conditioning (metcon) workout. Conversely, losing bodyweight might make certain gymnastics skills easier, but applying this into the sport can present challenges. We apologize for the audio issues in this podcast. There are moments of overlap, but we do manage to get to the main points each time. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [2:00] Jon's semi finals athlete looking to gain weight for next years season [5:45] Keeping up with the carbs as a competitor [8:30] Managing training volume with non-exercise activity [12:00] Does it translate back into the sport? [19:00] Luke waking up at 2am to take some weight gain shakes
Every athlete has probably experienced it at some point—hitting that wall in the middle of some mixed-modal intervals. One second, you're holding pace, and the next, it feels like everything falls apart. Bonking on mixed modal intervals is more common than when doing cyclical work because you don't have immediate feedback on paces from the machine. There is also a lag effect: You will likely push too hard on one movement but not feel it one or two movements later. In this episode, we take a closer look at why bonking happens and explore different strategies to navigate and adjust a session when it does. We also touch on the mindset athletes often have around numbers, paces, and metrics—how attachment to these can hinder performance when not recognising session to session variance. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [2:20] Jon's aggressive interval programming [4:00] How to avoid this in the workout prescription [7:00] Alternative ways of using RPE [8:00] The benefit of using machines in intervals [11:20] When athletes are stubborn on certain numbers and interval paces [14:00] Understanding the psychology of the athlete with pacing suggestions [17:15] How to respond in the middle of the session when this happens [21:00] Changing the movements on intervals
There comes a stage in training where week-to-week progress grinds to a halt, and it is often met with feeling like you have regressed or are stuck. You can even stretch this timeline out, and it might feel like noticeable progress doesn't happen for months. This can be a difficult realisation to overcome, and it is a constant battle that challenges many athletes and coaches. But progress doesn't have to be measured by adding more weight to the bar or knocking off seconds on your interval split times. A lot of CrossFit is about maintaining your abilities under more duress and fatigue. In this episode, we discuss some other, more discreet ways to measure progress and see if an athlete is improving. We talk about how this applies to different training modalities and how we can harness it to help motivate athletes, along with some other thoughts and ideas about programming. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [2:30] The goal of training is to create adaptation [4:30] Alternative and discreet measures of progress [6:00] Progress happens under the curve [8:45] Athlete confidence or progress? [10:00] Tricking athletes with different styles of programming [11:30] Accumulating work as a form of improvement [13:30] Making your performance more durable [14:45] Durability of gymnastics skills [17:00] Being flexible with gymnastics programming
For someone devoting themselves to the sport of CrossFit, the way they train and approach competition is pretty clear-cut. Similarly, for the person doing classes to be healthy and stay fit, the way you train is clear-cut. But for the person who wants to do local competition, treat CrossFit as a recreational sport, but isn't interested in overstretching themselves, it can be more challenging. It's this messy middle ground that can be hard for athletes and coaches to navigate. The sport of CrossFit is different from the training methodology, and it's a challenge to try to get the best from both. In this episode of the podcast, we discuss our experiences working in gyms where this comes up and remote coaching athletes who try to do this. We also talk about some ways CrossFitters can take themselves a little less seriously in their training but still get something from the competitive side of the sport. We also discuss the recent move towards endurance activities for many CrossFitters as they get older and transition out of the sport. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] Competing but not taking it too seriously [2:20] Competitors at South Loop SC [4:30] Competitors at CrossFit Omnia [6:30] CrossFit as a methodology versus a sport [8:13] Competitive landscape in different countries [9:30] When it might be inappropriate for someone to compete [13:30] Behaviour and competitiveness other recreational sports compared to CrossFit [16:00] Compartmentalising training and competing in CrossFit [17:30] Magical thinking in competitive CrossFit [19:00] CrossFitters transitioning into more endurance style events
Continuing with our very timely podcast release schedule about this year's CrossFit Games season, this week's podcast features a recap of the semi-finals for one of Jon's athletes, Jacob Schmidt. This year, Jacob switched to individual competition after competing at the games for CrossFit Omnia's team in the last few years. Jacob's preparation was by no means a walk in the park. He had to get used to a different competition style, start training for a competition he didn't plan on doing and manage an acute back injury right when he should have been practising the workouts. Check out this episode to hear Jon's reflection on all of this, as well as our usual unsolicited opinions on scoring, competition organisation, and the structure of the games. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:20] Making the jump from team to individual competition [4:20] Switching training focus from the games to semi finals [7:00] Scoring in quarter finals, semi finals and the games [9:30] Managing an acute back injury during prep [12:20] Training for the tests after workouts are released [16:50] The Snatch event
A little late on posting this topical podcast. Here are our thoughts on the quarter-finals penalties that happened this season. Jon experienced firsthand as a coach how these penalties were rolled out this year. Check out this episode where we discuss the events of this season, live versus in person competition as well as how these situations could be resolved in future years and competitions. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] The penalties in this years quarter finals [5:00] Jon's experience with the penalties and his athletes [7:30] Judging online versus in person [10:30] Nitpicking movements in slow motion [15:00] Video review in other sports [17:25] Real time movement versus snapshot movement [18:30] Grouping recreational athletes with the world elite [19:30] Balancing bad calls and nitpick enforcement of the rules [22:00] Logistical burden of running the CF Games season [25:00] Not reviewing everyone
It is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture in the fitness and performance industry. There is a lot of misleading information that coaches and athletes have to sift through, which is difficult when the information is accurate most of the time. But do many of these claims move the needle and improve an athlete on the things that matter? Does doing a lot of zone two work help with CrossFit performance? Do certain mobility protocols help with recovery? In this podcast, we discuss developing skepticism with certain things in training and coaching and share some of the things we have fallen for as younger, more gullible coaches. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:30] Overly scientific claims in the fitness and training industry [3:00] Knees Over Toes [5:15] Structural balance [9:30] Overly mechanistic explanations [11:30] Using studies to support claims [14:00] Making claims about the 'one' missing thing [17:30] Going all in on something [19:20] The appeal of very technical explanations [20:00] Luke's zone two rant [24:30] What slows people down in CrossFit workouts
This year's quarter-finals workouts were well received by the CrossFit community as a whole. Many enjoyed the simplicity of the workouts, which provided a good challenge for athletes of various levels. We saw workouts that were more compartmentalised than in previous years. There was less chaos, simpler skills, and no crushingly high volume of work on things like GHD sit-ups. The workouts this year actually present some useful retests and KPIs for athletes to use in their training. In this episode, we discuss what we liked and didn't like about the workouts, where we see their utility in testing and benchmarks, and how we will change our programming to adjust to these changes. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:30] The ever changing landscape of the CrossFit Games season [3:00] This years quarter finals programming [5:20] Compartmentalising skills in [7:00] Using this years workouts as benchmarks and KPIs [9:00] You don't need to be peaked to do these workouts unlike before [11:00] Balancing the workouts for different levels [13:00] The legibility of the workouts helping make training decisions [18:00] What we're going to change in our programming this year
Qualifiers can be a stressful experience for athletes. The online leaderboard and the doubt created by not seeing other athletes perform all make for potentially neurotic self-comparison. With quarter-finals being much easier to qualify for, the open has less weight than in previous years. And now you're starting to see athletes say they are not interested in peaking for the open, who then get upset when they perform not to where they expected. Managing the psychology and framing expectations for athletes is very important. Because letting emotions spiral out of control and overreacting can be a big disservice to your performance in the later stages of the season. This week, we discuss all things disappointment in qualifiers and specifically the open. We also touch on the importance of enjoyment in training and why in-person competitions are the way to go. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] Why can athletes get too caught up in qualifiers [3:00] Self comparison spiralling out of control [4:15] The variance in the tests have a significant impact [6:30] Doing the open when you're not peaked yet [8:00] Getting carried away with competition when you don't need to [9:30] Training during the open for an athlete focused on quarter finals [11:00] Framing what a good performances are for the athlete [15:30] Being objective with the leaderboard [17:00] Enjoying your training and doing in person competitions
Often, when someone comes through the ranks of class workouts and starts to contemplate competing in CrossFit, they conjure up an image of their training having to dramatically change to "take it to the next level". In reality, they need to get more exposure to the sport and develop experience. Telling someone to do more of the sport can seem like a cop-out answer, but there is so much to work on and develop in CrossFit; it can take a few years to see where you need to focus your training. In this episode, we talk about how an athlete can get more exposure in an intelligent and structured way. We also discuss the timeline of progress that different athletes have in the sport. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:30] Getting more exposure to the sport [3:50] Structuring your training more like a competitor [7:00] Getting experience to help with pacing [8:30] The low hanging fruit when getting started [11:15] Benefits to focusing on training hard and being consistent [14:00] Quickest timeline from beginner to semi-finals [22:00] Patterns of progress with different athletes
After a competition, athletes are usually keen to get to work and train for potential weaknesses highlighted in the competition. But often, this is too hasty, and it's wise to have a process figured out on how to approach the review and planning post-competition period. This week, we discuss some of our processes for reviewing an athlete's performance after a competition, reducing the noise, and clarifying what needs work. Do you follow what the leaderboard says or go off of the subjective experience of the athlete? Do you let the athlete take the lead, and what happens when their intuition is wrong? Often, surprises come up in competition, which might be hard for the athlete to deal with, but it usually creates a more profound learning experience. Check out this episode to learn more on how to approach this period. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [3:00] What Luke does in his coaching [6:10] How to debrief after a competition [7:30] Getting surprised on things in competition [9:15] The effects of competition on your health [15:00] What changes do you make in training [17:30] Keeping training reactive and dynamic [20:00] When athletes have the wrong takeaway [22:00] Letting athletes having their input even if they're not on the right track
Since Adrian Bozman has led the programming for the CrossFit Games, each season has seen more variety in the skills and movements involved. From the max sandbag to shoulder event at the games to learning cross-over single unders in class, everyone in the sport has felt this inclusion of new skills in some way. This shift in the programming pays homage to the roots of CrossFit, and acts as another variable to progressing the sport, as you can only increase weights and volume to a certain extent. In this week's episode, we discuss developing these new skills in training, which skills have been good inclusions (or not), and how to best introduce these skills into competition. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [3:00] Why are we seeing more higher skilled gymnastics movements [6:00] Having to learn new movements on the spot at the CrossFit Games [7:00] What skills are good to learn that shouldn't be tested in competition [9:30] Trying to get ahead on the possible new skills coming up [11:30] What makes some of these skills harder to judge [15:30] Does "just figure it out" make a good event [17:00] Does CrossFit test athleticism [19:30] How can CrossFit include new skills better
In a data-heavy sport like CrossFit, it can be pretty easy for athletes to get overwhelmed when setting goals. You have your placings in the open and other competitions and your training numbers. We don't have much control over leaderboards and tend to overestimate what we can achieve in our training when increasing numbers. In this episode, we talk about goal setting for CrossFit, how it can be easy to get overly invested in the open and why competing can help you enjoy your training and give you the experience you need to improve. Check out this episode to learn when data can be helpful and when it can be less helpful in goal setting and know why athletes who manage chaos and setbacks tend to do better in the sport. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:30] Goal setting in CrossFit [2:30] Over investing in the open [5:30] Enjoying your training [6:30] Glorifying obsessive and driven CrossFit Games Athletes [10:00] When people do well with goal setting [13:00] Keeping people engaged in training [16:00] Using competitions to guide your goals [22:00] When data isn't helpful [27:00] Managing chaos and handling setbacks well [30:00] Jon is mentally tough
Recently, CrossFit announced a price increase for the yearly affiliation fee and that you must also hold a CrossFit Level 2 qualification to open an affiliate. This episode is a topical one, where we talk about the value of the CrossFit name now, whether the price increase is warranted and whether this is acting as a filter to elevate the brand name of CrossFit. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [0:30] What is the CrossFit affiliation fee [3:30] Why is there a price increase? [6:00] Jon's thoughts on the price increase [11:00] Is CrossFit becoming less popular [19:00] Why do you need a level two before opening an affiliate now? [23:00] Is the level two prerequisite overall a positive thing? [30:00] What does Greg Glassman say about all this on Instagram
Since the first CrossFit Games, there have been certain trends that athletes have adopted to excel in the sport. There have always been those athletes who do well under the direction of a coach and others who might be more independent or even train with a group of fellow competitors. But as the sport grows and coaching businesses grow with it, you're starting to see a lot of athletes training under a training camp model. You're even finding that many of the best athletes from years past are heading up these camps. But how many of the top performers at the CrossFit Games train at these camps? Using training camps to facilitate competition in training has its advantages, but does the group aspect of the training get in the way of long-term development for athletes? This week, we talk about the upsides and potential drawbacks of a group training model versus an individualised approach and discuss what the role and impact of a coach might be to higher-level athletes. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [0:30] Training camps in the US and Europe [4:00] When athletes bounce around training camps and programmes [5:00] How much do the interpersonal dynamics effect athletes staying on [7:00] Balancing training environment, competitions and individual training needs [9:30] Athletes getting paid to follow programmes [13:00] What would yield the best results - unstructured group training or structured individualisation? [16:30] Athletes not feeling good enough for a individualised programme [19:40] Does coaching matter at the top level? [22:30] What kind of impact can coach actually have on an athletes overall development
Team competition back in the earlier days of CrossFit consisted of relay-style workouts, where the total score was the sum of individual efforts. This style of workout meant that the training could primarily be individual, and often you would see a broader range of abilities in team, maybe with one athlete always getting bottlenecked by a certain weight or skill. Now we see elements like the worm, synchronised reps and different workout structures that make team competition more about the team. In this episode, we discuss balancing a CrossFit Games team's individual and team training, with Jon providing insight into the preparation for CrossFit Omnia. Here are some of the interesting topics discussed in this episode; We often hear about teammates pushing each other in workouts to go harder, but does it work the other way around? Do athletes subconsciously slow down and go easier when others call for rest? Do those team dynamics work both ways? One of the key things to consider when managing the distribution of team and individual is weighing up the trade-offs between practicing team workouts and not quite getting the right stimulus for everyone versus doing individual workouts where it's easier to get everyone hitting the desired stimulus. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] How does Jon manage the team training at CrossFit Omnia [5:00] The distribution of team workouts vs individual workouts for team athletes [7:00] Why is doing team workouts important? [8:00] Worm work for teams [13:00] Does teamwork detract from an athlete's overall fitness [17:00] Team dynamics slowing performances down [21:45] The right distribution of team and individual training for team athletes during the season
CrossFit recently announced another round of season changes to the CrossFit Games, most notably increasing the field for quarter-finals qualification and decreasing the available games spots at semi-finals in some of the strongest regions. With frequent changes to the season structure in the last five years, who has been the most affected by this, and how does it impact the sport for some competitors? This week, we talk about how the bubble athlete usually gets affected the most and how this can be frustrating when this majority makes up the ecosystem for the sport. We also discuss other ways in which the season could work and how fewer qualifiers and more in-person competitions are more of what every athlete needs in the sport. We'd like to hear from you, the listeners, and see if you have any ideas on how this could work better and how you feel that the season changes will impact your season as a coach or athlete. Drop us a message on Instagram. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] News, entertainment and British tabloids [3:45] Barbell Spin is "of the people" apparently [5:00] Recent season changes announcement [10:00] Does increasing the field for quarter finals impact qualification for semi finals? [15:00] Does the programming matter as much now as the field becomes stronger? [18:00] Bubble athletes getting the rough end of the changes all the time [20:00] Is there a better way to structure the season [25:00] Athletes placing different at in-person competitions compared to qualifiers? [27:30] Can we structure the season like other sports?
This week, we look at Flux Training intervals again and how a coach might programme that for a CrossFit athlete. We also touch on some different, less tangible KPIs to look at when measuring an athlete's performance or improvement, mainly an athlete's ability to recover while doing work and how Flux Training can help build the fitness and pacing skills to do that. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] Luke's recent use of Flux Training with his athletes [4:30] Making work intervals slower to keep the recover intervals more productive [6:10] Using flux training with mixed work [10:30] Alternative ways of measuring improvement in interval training [14:30] Keeping workouts aerobic or being able to recover while doing work [18:00] The difference between endurance sports and CrossFit [21:30] How to programme this for a CrossFit athlete?
Zone two training has done the rounds and is gaining much attention from the competitive scene. CrossFit, being an “endurance sport”, is an idea that is gaining popularity, and big names like Mat Fraser and Chris Hinshaw talking about the importance of low-intensity endurance work has made this training type of training pretty popular recently. But is it effective for improving someone's endurance for metcons and typical CrossFit? It could be what a powerful and fast twitch athlete needs, but it might also be like trying to get a stronger squat by just doing accessory work. Flux training is an approach to interval training that is more flexible, emphasising rolling on and off of higher and lower intensity paces, which captures the sports-specific pacing of CrossFit quite well. The circuit nature of CrossFit usually entails that pacing is more variable and less consistent than your usual endurance event, and this is something that flux training embraces. Check out this episode for why flux training might be a better option than traditional intervals. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [3:30] Easy aerobic work is like doing accessory work for strength training [5:00] Do people have enough time to do all these extra zone two sessions [7:00] Figuring out how to sneak in easier endurance training [10:00] The opportunity cost for regular people versus professional athletes [11:15] Increasing volume tolerance for the sport or junk volume [13:30] The ceiling on someones endurance [15:30] What is flux training? [19:00] Starting with very structured intervals as a beginner athlete/coach [20:00] Athletes trying to turn fartlek or flux style training into structured intervals [21:30] Flux training being a better tool for the average athlete [23:30] Developing intuition as an athlete [26:15] Is running a better training tool than other endurance modalities
In this episode, Jon shares his experience at the CrossFit Games, coaching CrossFit Omnia to another top-ten finish in the team division. We talk a lot about balancing the weight and order of the events with cuts at the games. This year saw the cuts happening after two days of a heavy engine focus in the programming, which would have affected a lot of teams and athletes that might be more suited to typical CrossFit style events. Is this something to be expected at the CrossFit Games, or could it be managed better? Check out this episode to hear about Jon's experience at the games and our thoughts on all things programming, cuts and strategy for the games. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [0:45] Jon's reflection on the 2023 CrossFit Games [2:00] Omnia's performance on the first two days [5:45] Taking risks in competition [8:00] Is there a way to ‘game' the games? [9:30] The engine biased events at the games [11:30] Why are European teams generally better at endurance based events [13:30] The tactics of the bike event [17:30] Heavily strategy based events at the games [20:00] Cuts at the games and the order of the workouts [24:30] Is the games improving and getting better? [26:45] The testing determines the results
Is a testing phase of training a reliable assessment for a new athlete coming on board? It's practical, but it's essentially condensing the things you'll find out in training and competition into 1-2 weeks. Many athletes don't want to do it as well. They are usually more eager to start training and stay productive through that initial stage. One direction all of our coaching styles has moved towards more is creating an initial training phase, where testing might be a part of that, but the emphasis is on the training. Having a common starting point for your athletes is a good way of covering all your bases as a CrossFit coach. From there, the programme can evolve, and the training priorities emerge from the training as time goes on. In this week's episode, we talk about how we onboard athletes and how using common training progressions can help create more predictable and reliable results and give something more familiar to navigate when trying to move an athlete forward on something. Imagine writing different progressions for the problems you often see in multiple athletes. Recycling previous progressions, and making adjustments of course, can help you make more effective decisions as you start to notice patterns in various athletes. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [0:30] Creating a common starting point for athletes with a programme [1:45] Using repeated progressions with athletes to make results more predictable [3:20] Using a Saturday throwdown style workout to build the athletes profile [4:00] What does the first week of training look like [5:00] Distribution of working on specific and general things for the athlete [6:15] How the training programme evolves through iteration [8:10] Do people actually want to do testing weeks? [10:20] Using competitions as more reliable data than testing in training [15:00] Using the first period of training to identify training priorities [18:00] Structuring and organising progressions
What makes training difficult isn't the challenge of getting someone fitter and stronger. It's understanding how to keep athletes improving for a long time What happens when it feels like you stop improving? In a sport where you get punished more for your weaknesses than you do rewarded for your strengths, finding ways to progress long-term is essential. But maybe our framing of improvement needs to evolve with time spent in sport. We might need to look more granularly at our skills and develop them this way. In this episode, we look into some of the ways we can start feeling like we're not improving and ways to combat this and still make training challenging, engaging and ultimately get you closer to your training goals. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [3:00] When do athletes start to feel like they're not improving [4:00] Athletes should reframe their expectations [6:15] Ceilings on performance in CrossFit do exist [9:00] Structuring training priorities for more advanced and experienced athletes [10:50] Good responders to training are not the norm [12:30] Finding a way of making yourself productive on things you're limited on [14:30] Going down the specificity route too hard [16:00] Repetition without repetition with skill acquisition [19:30] Giving people more variation to keep motivation [21:00] Keeping training different and interesting for those that train alone [23:00] Do coaches know if what they programme is going to work? [24:00] Working on your weaknesses and GOAT day! [25:30] Making training progressions more narrowly defined
There are a lot of subtleties in coaching that you can't pick up in textbooks and from theory. We all probably know a coach that doesn't have all the qualifications, but they grasp the craft better than others who might have always had their head in a textbook. Tacit knowledge is what you pick up from doing the activity, and it's something that can be tremendously valuable in a dynamic field where you're working with people, like coaching. You'll often go to a course and start learning models and progressions (explicit and codified knowledge) that organise a lot of the tacit knowledge you already have. In this week's episode, we talk about the differences between tacit and explicit knowledge and share examples we've encountered in our coaching and helping other coaches. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [2:20] Seeing what other coaches notice in situations and stealing those ideas [3:20] How Luke threads tacit knowledge into weightlifting courses [5:00] Watching other coaches coach [6:15] Internalising and mimicking other people's behaviours [9:00] Behaviours of more experienced coaches [11:30] Being less boring explaining the workout before classes [13:15] When inexperienced coaches care about the details more and care about the wrong things [16:00] Should warm-ups be fun, and should you play games? [18:30] Does the explicit knowledge organise and structure a lot of the internal models we develop through tacit knowledge [20:45] Getting further with just tacit knowledge [21:15] Finding a balance between tacit and explicit knowledge and which one in what situation should be emphasised
Have you ever returned after doing a course with your brain frazzled and unsure of what to do on Monday? Well...that is part of the journey in upgrading your knowledge and coaching model, but how can you extract the helpful information to make it workable with the people you coach. If you're working with people in person, maybe you can experiment with things immediately. But if you coach athletes online, you don't have that luxury, and you need to make sure that the things you include in someone's program are the real deal. Experimenting in your training will be the best way of trying out new things and extracting valuable information to help solve the problem set you to tackle in your coaching. We continue this series on coach education and, in this episode, discuss coach education and specifically cover how to use new information in your coaching practice. Listen to find out why breathing drills are the hardest thing to get any online client to do, why the last course you did might have a 30-day challenge and more. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [2:00] How to include material from a course into your practice [3:00] Practicing things in person versus online [4:00] Trying things on yourself in your own training [6:00] Why breathing work is really difficult to coach [8:30] Translating your own personal experience into someone else's training [10:00] Developing the skill of extracting the useful information and passing it on [11:45] The curiosity amongst early adopter coaches in CrossFit [15:45] Similarities between CrossFit and MMA [20:00] What's the goal of taking the next course? [22:30] Engaging in material fully to eventually upgrade your own model [24:30] Getting repeated exposure from challenges after courses
Curiosity is what gets a lot of coaches into training and eventually becoming coaches, and usually, these people continue to digest a lot of information, content and education about training. But being able to apply this information in a practical setting can be challenging. Especially when much of the information out there isn't delivered in a way that makes this transition easy. In this episode, we share our background in continuing education, going into detail about the courses we've done, books we've read and how we came across and discovered a lot of that information. We also discuss the importance of making information workable and how some education is purposely watered down so it speaks to their respective audiences better. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:45] Luke's journey with continuing education [5:40] Making a point to take in some educational content every day [6:00] Making ideas from education workable for coaches [9:00] Luke's new learning and education in biomechanics [15:00] Learning for the fun of it versus learning to solve a problem [18:00] Reviewing old learning material [19:30] Luke's attempts of creating educational content [23:00] Offering a different perspective to help change someones mental model [26:00] Todd's experience doing a masters in computer science [30:00] Learning through rapid trial and error
With the changes in the structure of the CrossFit Games in the past few seasons, the stakes of the open have changed, with many athletes not needing to take it as seriously. But what happens when CrossFitters see a leaderboard...well they approach it like any leaderboard. Misaligning expectations with the open like this is detrimental, especially if their training is not preparing them specifically for the open. Although qualification to quarter-finals might be a lot easier for some folk, we can still get some valuable things out of the open. In this episode, we talk about how to manage expectations during the open and where it can be a great tool in sharpening that competitive edge before quarter-finals. Check out this episode to learn more about how you should structure training around the open and quarter-finals if your goal is quarters, how to practice competing with open workouts, and we share our thoughts on programming new skills at the games. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [2:10] Less emphasis on the open for Jon and his athletes [3:00] How training during the open looks different now [4:30] Is the open a good gauge of your performance and how useful is the leaderboard [5:30] Do you need to manage training volume during the open? [9:10] Using the open to prepare and practice for quarter finals [10:20] Using the open to practice high stakes workouts [12:55] Getting athletes to practice filming workouts [15:00] Learning how to navigate doing qualifiers in busy gyms [16:45] Live competitions versus in-the-gym qualifiers [21:00] High level athletes getting exposed on low skill open workouts and having a wake up call [23:30] Still using the data points of the open even if that's not the goal [26:30] Creating good and varied open tests without just pushing the volume on everything [31:00] Is the programming better with Boz in charge? [33:00] Luke has superior CrossFit Games knowledge than Jon [35:00] Are games athletes athletic? [36:30] Are new skills being introduced at the games good for spectators? [39:30] Trade offs of including new skills at the games
Ever had a very structured training plan that you were almost certain would come together, but when you did the competition or the qualifier, it didn't go as well as you'd hoped? Relying on very structured approaches of preparation for CrossFit is a standard failure mode we find in the sport, coming from athletes and coaches that are pretty analytical. The problem with this approach is that it can mean you lose a connection to the real world and the sport and not be exposed sufficiently to the challenges you'll come across in the sport. In this week's episode of the Legion Strength and Conditioning podcast, Todd tells a story where he was reviewing the training of someone from his university who wanted to do parkour...but there was no parkour in his training. Todd has since helped out this parkour enthusiast, suggesting that you can't Stairmaster your way into doing back flips off of a wall and that he needed to do the actual thing. Listen to hear more of our examples of how people lose their connection to the sport and how we should approach our plans, being more adaptable and learning to fail fast. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:20] Todd's story [4:45] Over analysing and over-planning failure mode [5:30] Similar failure mode with training for CrossFit [6:20] Rigid and structured approaches versus a managing the chaos approach [8:30] Creating false barriers and prerequisites in the plan [9:20] Building the skill of competing [12:15] Losing connection to competition and the sport [13:50] The importance of failing fast [15:00] How to adjust plans quickly [16:20] Everyone learns at different speeds [19:30] Messy skill learning processes [21:45] Learning through iterative trial and error [23:30] Preparing someone for competition with lots of exposure to the sport The book Luke mentioned: How We Learn to Move: A Revolution in the Way We Coach & Practice Sports Skills - Rob Gray
We're a week away from Quarter Finals, and the qualified athletes have already had three workouts to sharpen the competing sword with the open. But as the workouts become more high stakes going into the next round, how do we support athletes? Some athletes need encouragement and a good luck message, and they are good! Others will require a warm-up, a detailed plan and potentially some video review. Although we might set boundaries on communication, and we tried to set our athletes up to be reasonably autonomous during competition, they will need help when they need help. And it's crucial that, as a coach, you're there to support them as best as you can. Check out the latest Legion Strength and Conditioning podcast episode and hear how we manage competition time with our athletes. What types of things are we sending them when workouts get released, and how are good strategies overrated but poor plans can end disastrously? If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] Managing a coaching relationship during online qualifiers, the open and quarter-finals [2:30] Setting boundaries and coaching your athletes on how to communicate with you [3:30] What do you need to send your athletes when workouts are released [5:30] Chunking and batching tasks together [7:35] How are quarter-finals different [9:10] Being proactive and reaching out to athletes during competitions [10:30] What to do when athletes want an individualised strategy for the workout? [11:45] Setting your athletes up to push themselves [13:15] Managing anxiety with clearly structured warm-ups [15:30] Athletes having misguided expectations of strategies [19:20] How to coach athletes to make better plans for workouts [22:10] Getting logistics in order - assigning videographer and judge [24:00] Getting others to help you in quarter-finals [26:30] Having strategies can be overrated {27:45] Repeating workouts is less commonplace
Ever found yourself or one of your athletes having a block in increasing the cycle speed with specific movements? You do 100+ burpees in a long workout, and it's the same 'step down, step up' style you do in a shorter sprint-style workout. Is it that burpees are just hard, is there a particular technique you should use, or is it that you have a strong distaste for burpees regardless of the workout? It's probably going to be a combination of all three. It's not as clear-cut as following a certain linear progression with the movement. You will most likely have to simultaneously develop your fitness, develop the movement and intentionally practice the sport. One way you can get unstuck with a movement could be to polarise the scenarios in which you are training the movement. Just like long-distance runners practice sprinting now and then, and weightlifters have a broad range of percentages they practice their lifting, using burpees as an example, you could regress the movement to something easier, some sprints and then your usual range of metcons with burpees included. Check out episode #112 to find out how we work on getting athletes to move faster on things like burpees, box jumps and dumbbell snatches. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [0:30] Only developing one gear in CrossFit [2:00] Having different movement strategies and different gears [4:30] What stops people from moving as fast [6:30] Why regressing a movement is important to increase cycle speed [9:20] Learning movements correctly for competition [10:45] Internal maps [13:30] Using higher paces as a training tool for slower movement strategies [15:45] Long-distance runners using sprinting to develop their slower-paced running [17:30] Building more movement strategies to develop confidence [19:30] Prescribing specific paces on machines in mixed training [22:00] Being intentional when practising the sport
With a week to go until the open, there are probably a lot of athletes on the bubble of quarter-finals putting in those final touches to their training. But is it too late to work on those training progressions? Many of the athletes on the bubble likely have one thing that prevents them from being more certain about being in the top 10%. They are either not strong enough, don't have the skills or need to work on their engine. It might be heavy deadlifts in a workout or getting multiple muscle-ups at the end of a workout that stops them in their tracks. Or, even though they might have all the skills, they get a pretty average score on the more engine-focused workout. So what can these bubble athletes do to set themselves up for success in the next few weeks? First, having clear expectations is going to be essential. Then, knowing how much improvement is realistic and how you can maximise your current abilities in a competition scenario will put you on the front foot. After that, you've got to do more of the thing you struggle with in open-style workouts. Check out episode #111 and hear what we think might need some slight adjustments in the training before the competitive season starts. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:00] The three things that prevent people from qualifying [4:00] What you should be focusing on in your training before the open [6:00] Having realistic expectations with your skills during a peaking phase [7:00] What to focus on during a peaking phase [9:10] Practicing realistic scenarios in training [12:00] Working on smaller details during workouts [14:00] Practice being judged and film yourself in your workouts [17:00] Being clear on what it is that will move you forward to quarter-finals [19:00] challenge of quick wins not being the thing [20:00] Challenging yourself in [21:10] If you don't have it - set yourself up for that point [24:30] Make sure you're working on the right thing [27:00] Recreating the intensities and the stakes involved in a workout
Do CrossFit athletes need to train more in the transverse plane? It definitely sounds nice to those interested in programming, but if we look at the demands of the sport, we don't see movements challenging the transverse or frontal plane much. It's not always clear what level of variability in movement we should include in a CrossFit athlete's training. Giving someone more options in their movement can offset repetitive training and help with longevity, but it often doesn't directly affect someone's performance, making it hard to get buy-in. Listen to this week's episode to hear how working in the transverse plane might help you look a bit more athletic on those shuttle runs in quarter-finals, how we sneak in movement work into our programming and how playing sport might be the easiest and best movement work for someone's training. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [0:30] Getting CrossFit athletes bought into movement work [3:00] Why we should train to have more movement options [4:50] Benefits of being functionally adapted to your sport [6:45] What are the movement requirements for the sport [10:00] Addressing longevity in someone's training [10:55] Low-hanging fruit in developing someone's movement [11:45] Transverse plane and sports [13:30] People who are athletic in CrossFit [14:30] Going out and playing sports vs movement work [16:15] Sneaking movement/skill work into training [16:45] Importance of low-level skills and easy movements [17:30] CrossFitters are always trying to make something difficult [20:00] Getting optionality in movement [22:15] Having one movement strategy can put you in a difficult position [23:05] Encouraging athletes to try new activities and sports [23:30] Threading in movement work with other elements of training [26:00] CrossFitters going too hard in other sports [28:00] The challenge of letting go of your ego going into a new sport [30:20] Where does prehab fit into someone's training? [32:45] Using prehab work to add volume to someone's training [33:40] Why would you want to add more volume to someone's training?
Is working on your mindset all it's hyped up to be? Is it actually what people need to maximise their potential, or can it misalign expectations and cause a lot of wasted time? In this week's episode, Todd talks about 'Collective Teacher Efficacy', presented to him in his rationality group. We draw on some of the parallels found in fitness. Collective Teacher Efficacy claims that teachers having a belief in making an impact is what helps teachers be effective educators when the evidence points towards a different, much simpler direction, whether home life values and supports education. We see this in fitness a lot, with specific coaches claiming that their methods or less tangible things like mindset make people successful. Listen to learn more about our thoughts on having a helpful outlook on mindset in training. For example, when having an anything is possible mindset can help get someone off the couch, but not so beneficial in unpredictable competitive sports. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [0:50] Fitness knowledge in rationality groups [2:10] Common problems in education [4:20] What is Collective Teacher Efficacy [6:20] Parallels in fitness [7:30] The actual cause of success in a student's education [8:45] Problem with mindset stuff in fitness [9:30] Causation, correlation and speculative YouTube videos [11:45] Mindset and misaligned expectations [13:30] Cultural narratives trickling down into sports [14:40] Can you accomplish whatever you want? [15:30] Messages that sell in the training world [17:20] Helpful messages for the average gym goer, but not for the competitive athlete [21:00] Encouraging a realistic outlook with clients [22:18] Is having a mindset of anything possible the way you achieve your best [24:45] Parallels in the business world [27:10] Coaches should build their athletes up with small wins
In a data-heavy sport like CrossFit, athletes are always working towards ironing out the holes in their game to progress and bring up the bigger picture. But when does focusing on priorities become myopic and make athletes pessimistic about their performance and training. There are many examples in elite sports where dissatisfaction with where you are can lead to great performance. However, when recreational athletes who do their sport for fun start doing this, it can lead to that hobby and fun activity becoming a bit of a drag and them getting burned out. In this episode, we talk about the different motivational tendencies of athletes, particularly those that lead to self-deprecating comments and a negative attitude towards yourself. We discuss when it's time to harness that and when to keep it in check and create some guard rails so you continue to enjoy the process. Along with references to Greek Black Metal and Conan the Barbian quotes! If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:45] When you can be too focused on priority training areas [2:40] The different motivations of athletes that Luke has come across [4:45] Self-comparison and framing of time with skill development [6:00] Aligning training or competition goals with what people want to do in their training [8:00] The selection effect of people who choose to compete in CrossFit and get remote coaching [9:40] How to harness negative motivational tendencies to get to the desired outcome [11:30] Examples of negative motivational tendencies in elite sport [14:30] Can negative motivational tendencies be unhelpful for the recreational athlete [20:30] Creating balance in training to maximise motivation [22:45] Creating opportunities in training to check in with yourself [26:00] Being 'stuck' on the treadmill of always working on something and how to manage that
The CrossFit Games season structure has changed again, and the qualification stage of the semi-finals is set to be more structured moving into next season. Every year since the sport stopped doing regionals, qualifying for the CrossFit Games has always looked a bit different every year. The changes moving forward look to centralise the programming back to CrossFit and some changes to the distribution and the availability of spots to the CrossFit Games. Overall this looks like it will create more standardisation in the sport, which for athletes and coaches is a good thing. This will give more clarity on how to train, prepare and approach competition. Give this week's episode a listen to hear more about the changes from Jon, our very own human Morning Chalk Up feed, and our thoughts and anecdotes over the last several years of consistent changes. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. 1:30] Overview of the new changes in the CrossFit Games [4:00] Positives and drawbacks to the changes [5:00] The benefits of standardised programming across events [6:40] Jon's experience with programming asymmetries [7:40] Will the smaller semi-final events be organised and programmed by CrossFit in the future [11:30] Can this make competitions more entertaining [14:30] Overstretching part-time competition organisers [17:00] Getting better organisation with dedicated competition staff and organisers [19:00] Missed opportunities with the sanctional structure [20:45] Do events make money [22:30] Implications for athletes and their training [25:15] Virtual shovelling and obscure events at the CrossFit games [27:30] Where to fit new skills and movements into someone's training [29:45] Better clarity to organise travel for athletes
In many sports, you can get reasonably frequent exposure to competitions which can take the pressure off these competitive experiences. But in CrossFit, the ratio of training to competition is significantly one-sided. Competitions, even during the 'season', don't happen that often, so when they do the pressure is on. But one part of the sport that might be even more high-pressure and stressful is qualifiers, especially during the off-season. Managing qualifiers in the off-season can be challenging for several reasons. First, you have to start filming your workouts and working to deadlines. The self-comparison and leader-boarding can create doubt in your training direction if you don't perform well. You are usually out of competition shape, and the workouts disrupt the flow and momentum you've built in the off-season. Generally, qualifiers are a very stressful time for a lot of athletes. Check this episode out, where we unpack why they can be very stressful and how to manage that. But we also highlight the importance of qualifiers in the off-season, why they can help in staying sharp, having focus in training and how to navigate them better. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:20] Why qualifiers can be stressful during the off-season [4:00] Understanding when you need to be peaked for competition [6:00] Balancing sports practice with structured training [7:30] What goes into being peaked for competition [9:45] What do you change in a high-level athletes training during qualifiers [12:45] Managing and handling the stress of qualifiers [15:30] Old-school cheats and qualifiers [20:30] It's important to have periods of non-comparison in training [22:30] Having qualifiers and competitions on the calendar have focus and intention in training [25:30] Handling self-comparison from qualifiers [27:40] Todd's DIY medicine ball back in the day
What are the essential parts that make up a programme? Is it the sets and reps, the exercise selection, or the weekly progression scheme? We'd argue that having a clear understanding and picture of what you want the programming to lead to is the most critical element when writing training. Often people can get wrapped up in the minutia and the details of a programme, leading to less focus on the end goal. As a result, they try to do too much, not achieving much in the end. So how do you create training programmes with the end goal in mind? We continue our series on template writing with a more tactical episode focusing on how to reverse engineer in programming. We discuss how knowing what to sacrifice is a big part of pushing the bigger picture forward in someone's training, and choosing the right things to work on and being consistent is more important than fancy rep schemes. Listen to find out more about how we set up a training week and what we consider baseline engine testers for the sport of CrossFit. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcast are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [1:20] Difference between pre-competition and off-season training cycle aims [2:00] Establishing training priorities [3:00] Creating the training template [3:30] Finalising the details of sets and reps [5:00] What matters is having consistency and making it challenging [5:45] Sacrificing areas in a training cycle [7:30] How Jon creates a training week with priorities [8:45] Big chat on engine testers [13:40] Burpee and Row EMOM key performance indicator [15:00] Mental toughness with hard testers [17:45] Learning to move at paces that are required in the sport [20:30] Developing progressions with the Burpee Row tester [23:30] Approaching the goal and outcome while being dynamic
With so many different areas to develop in CrossFit, knowing how and what to prioritise in someone's training can be challenging. Once you've created a training split with all the different elements of the sport, there's not much room for anything else...unless you're a full-time athlete with high bandwidth for training. Balancing priorities while maintaining other qualities found in the sport is more a process of subtraction rather than adding in extra training. The sport, competition and leaderboards can help indicate what needs to be maintained, but it can be tough to let go of all that chest-to-bar pull-up practice for better overall performance, when you've spent a long time developing them. In this podcast, we continue to talk about designing templates going over how we can identify areas that need to be prioritised and maintained and then how to balance both. Listen to learn more about how sports practice can be a good tool to maintain certain qualities, how baseline ability often dictates a lot of this balancing act and why getting caught up in short-term adaptations can detract from the bigger picture. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [2:00] How to identify what needs maintaining in training using competition experience [4:00] Getting too wrapped in short-term training progressions [5:30] The challenge of moving from very general training to more prioritised training [7:15] Success from a blunt force approach for people who have a lot of bandwidth to train [9:30] How progress varies with people of different baseline abilities [13:00] Starting with very broad training and then prioritising with time [18:00] Todd's scepticism with "everything is everything" [20:20] Using sports practice to maintain different areas in training [25:00] Staying dynamic once adaptation has been made [27:00] How regression and progression work once adaptation has been made
Since the semi-finals, there has been much talk about PED use at the CrossFit Games. Many athletes were caught this year after the testing at semi-final events, and it has received a lot of attention from YouTubers, blogs like The Morning Chalk Up and finally, our very own podcast! If you're after hot takes and gossip, this topical episode has all of that, with Todd and I making wild guesses on questions like- "how many people were on PEDs in this year's season". When we look at PED use in CrossFit and those that are getting caught, it is evident that there are areas around the globe where this is happening more and that the culture around PED use in different regions of the world is different. As CrossFit grows and becomes more global, this is something that the sport will have to navigate more so. Check out and listen to this episode to hear our cynical views, hot takes and wild guesses on PED use in CrossFit. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcast are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [2:00] The culture of PED use in different parts of the world [6:00] PED use coming from top down influence or other factors like previous sports history [9:20] PED use leading to people quitting the sport early [11:25] The balance of CrossFit as a sport vs the methodology [17:00] Is everyone on the sauce? [20:30] What percentage are on or have used at the games? [21:40] What percentage were using during this season? [23:30] Todd and Luke's cynicism [26:00] PED using in teams at the CrossFit Games [29:00] Contaminated supplements [30:30] Teams that haven't qualified are not on the drug testing list [32:30] Justifying PED use because someone knows a high level athlete using
Writing progressions to get someone fit and strong can be pretty straightforward. But the challenge with programming is managing all the different training elements, balancing priorities, covering each part of the sport and progressing in the right direction. Template writing can be enjoyable or one of the more difficult parts of writing a programme for someone, but it is an essential skill for coaches. Writing effective templates and managing how to tackle athlete priorities throughout the week becomes necessary when working with intermediate to advanced athletes. Layering strength templates onto conditioning workouts can be effective for beginners and a lucky few advanced athletes, but CrossFit is a sport where many competing areas need to be managed. In this podcast, we discuss some ideas about creating training templates, from how we manage the training stress throughout the week to why progressing conditioning and muscle endurance might be the most crucial element in someone's training. Listen to learn more about how we write templates and our latest Program Design Workshop on 'Writing Template', which we will be doing on Saturday, 17th September. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles. We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops These podcast are posted in video format on YouTube as well. Show Notes: [2:00] Being less rigid in template designs for advanced athletes [2:57] Managing training stress through the week [4:35] Layering metcons and conditioning into a strength template [5:20] How elite athletes can progress from straightforward templates [6:20] Structured conditioning is more important for CrossFit than strength [7:30] Developing muscle endurance for CrossFit [9:00] Why intermediates mistake strength as the main priority for the sport [10:35] How Todd progresses someone's muscle endurance and gymnastics [11:30] Setting athletes up for success moving at speed required in the CrossFit [14:20] Integrating structured conditioning back into chaotic sport practice [16:38] Incorporating grease the groove style skill practice into training
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