Best Way To Program for CrossFit Competitions
Weekend workouts, CrossFit competitions, Throwdowns, and the like have always been popular with functional fitness fans - because that is how the CrossFit Games started. The CrossFit Games originated from the online CrossFit community that wanted to get together the throw down. So, Dave Castro put together the first “Games” at his ranch, and the rest is history.
Since then, there have been a plethora of competitions put on by gym owners and coaches alike around the world. Now, everyone has their own methods and progressions for competitions, but I have a system that I believe leads to the greatest success when programming workouts.
My rule is simple: start with the highest neurologically demanding workout/test and work your way down the systems to the most aerobic. This formula will present the athletes with a way to fully express their fitness around that system.
So, in a written form, start with the heaviest workout first. Then, go into the sprint and the lactate system, and end with the longer aerobic pieces. Is this a pure CrossFit prescription? No. CrossFit is the unknown and unknowable and they will often flip flop metabolic and neurological demanding aspects to see how fit or strong you are post-fatigue. Yet, for the “average Joe”, you want to put them in a position of success and a position to show what they can do. So with that, the formula that I presented above will create a sound, successful CrossFit Competition.
Some programming examples are below:
Competition Programming
Example B:
Workout 1
Clean and jerk ladder
For time:
10 @ 185/125
8 @ 205/135
6 @ 225/155
4 @ 245/165
2 @ 265/175
Workout 2
15 ring MU
15/12 cal echo bike
30 PS @ 115/80
Workout 3
400m run
21 T2B
400m run
21 C&J, 95/65
400m run
21 T2B
400m run
Competition Programming
Example A:
Workout 1
Heavy clean and jerk
Workout 2
21-15-9
Thruster, 95/65
Pull ups
Workout 3
1mile run
2K row
50 burpees over erg
As always, reach out to us at help@conquerathlete.com for any questions or information you need. Click here to learn more about our online CrossFit programming. Good luck with the competition!
