A common cause for lack of progress is prioritizing conditioning at the expense of strength and skill.
This results in a few negative outcomes:
1. Not strong enough because of the Concurrent Training Effect
2. Mobility never gets addressed
3. Too much high intensity conditioning leads to central fatigue and burnout
Instead, prioritize strength and skill first.
Here's how:
1. Train with the Minimum Effective Volume of strength and hypertrophy
~3–6 top sets of 1–5 repetitions each week per lift (squat, bench, deadlift)
Working set = >80% 1RM; RPE 7.5–9.5
2-3-1 squat-bench-deadlift weekly training frequency
6-20 sets per muscle group per week; each set within proximity of failure; 5-30 reps per set
Train with full ranges of motion
This will make sure your strength training will transfer to the skills in CrossFit.
This also will make sure you are training at long muscle lengths which is better for hypertrophy.
Ass to grass squat > legal depth squat
Train with tempo
Use any tempo that gives you 2-8 seconds per rep.
Slowing down allows you to be more sensitive to errors in your movement.
AND it will produce more hypertrophy. Larger muscles = greater strength potential.
2. Train with the Maximum Compatible Volume of conditioning
Maximum Compatible Volume – the maximum volume of a secondary priority that does not attenuate meaningful gains in the top training priority
Here are best practices for how to do that:
The less conditioning you do, the less you attenuate strength gains.
Low Intensity Conditioning = Zone 2
High Intensity Conditioning = intervals, metcons, time trials
If performing low intensity conditioning, keep the sessions to 45 minutes or less.
If performing high intensity conditioning, keep the sessions to 10 minutes or less.
Whether you choose high intensity or low intensity conditioning probably doesn’t matter but I prefer low intensity conditioning.
Frequency of high intensity will be high in-season, prioritize low intensity during off-season.
Do your highest priority more frequently, whether it’s strength or conditioning.
For Low intensity Conditioning, stick to 3-4 times per week.
For High intensity Conditioning, we don’t know the exact max dosage yet. Experiment with 2-6 times per week.
Running attenuates strength gains more than cycling. Use a machine for your conditioning.
Do your highest priority first in the day, whether its strength or conditioning.
Train fed.
Separate sessions by 3-6 hours – or do each priority on its own day.
The Concurrent Training Effect gets stronger as you get more advanced. The more advanced you get, the more you need to get accurate with dosages.
STRENGTH FIRST.
The Concurrent Training Effect only works one way. Work with it not against it.
