Barbell Strategy Podcast

#10 - Strength Standards in CrossFit

"CrossFit is a strength sport until you're strong enough — and then it becomes an endurance sport." Trying to classify CrossFit as strength or endurance biased is a debate that keeps coming up in coaching and programming circles. The answer will always depend on who you ask and what their background is. What is certain is that you need to reach a baseline level of strength to compete effectively at any level. Most competitions structure their divisions around the weights used in metcons and the complexity of skills required. As athletes move toward more advanced competitions, the strength demands increase almost without exception. In this week's podcast we get into exactly how strong you need to be to compete at different levels, the Open, top 10%, and Semifinals. We look at how those numbers compare to elite strength sports and where the exceptions are. If you are looking for benchmarks and reference points to direct your own training or your athletes' programming, this is worth a listen. Check out Luke on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/lj.holmes/) Check out Sam on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/tailormadecoaching/) Check out Matt Harvey on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/mattharvvey/) Email Matt Harvey for content production! (mattharvey93@gmail.com) Show Notes: [1:00] How strong do you need to be to compete in CrossFit [2:30] What does strength training look like for elite athletes [6:30] Elite weightlfiting and powerlifting numbers versus elite CrossFit [8:30] How more experienced athletes should do strength cycles [9:50] What CrossFit can learn from weightlifting and powerlifting training [15:00] Are powerlifters athletic? [18:30] Strength numbers for Semi-final athletes [24:00] Exceptions to strength numbers and standards [31:40] Strength numbers for the top 10% [33:00] Different strength and weightlifting trianing methods [40:00] What does training look like for the athlete compared to the coach

#9 - Strength Endurance for CrossFit and How to Develop It

Maximal strength is an important part of CrossFit, it is very obvious in the beginner phases of the sport when you are not strong enough to do some of the things you see in class, at competitions, or what athletes are doing at the Games. However, once you have reached a certain level of strength, the challenge then becomes expressing that strength under more greater fatigue or within an endurance style test. Strength endurance is a large part of the sport and is often how heavy, strength based efforts are tested. In this week's podcast, we cover all aspects of strength endurance, including why it is important, how to develop it, and how to structure training progressions. If you are looking for very clear programming takeaways for you or your athletes, this is the episode. Check out Luke on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/lj.holmes/) Check out Sam on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/tailormadecoaching/) Check out Matt Harvey on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/mattharvvey/) Email Matt Harvey for content production! (mattharvey93@gmail.com) Show Notes: [0:30] Introduction to strength endurance in CrossFit [3:00] The actual strength demands of CrossFit competitions [6:00] Does getting bigger 1RMs help with strength endurance for CrossFit [8:30] The different types of strength endurance testers in CrossFit [13:30] Central governer and strength [16:00] How to manage different types of strength movements and strength workouts [20:00] Trends in competition workouts and loose KPIs for CrossFit athletes [25:00] Experimentation with strength endurance progresisons [26:45] How to create training progressions for strength endurance [30:40] Using variations to help with barbell cycling [38:00] How specific does training need to be in strength endurance progressions [42:00] Getting athletes more confident with repping out heavier workouts [44:30] Don't try to develop regular strength and strength endurance at the same time

#8 - Strength Development in CrossFit: Beginners, Intermediates and Advanced

Everyone comes into CrossFit with different training experience, but what should it look like when someone is strength training as a beginner, progressing through to intermediate and advanced levels? In this episode we discuss the different phases, along with the appropriate training methods and styles of programming to use at each stage. Having a clear path and approach will help you navigate someone's strength development over the long term, ensuring they are not making quick gains that plateau early. This is more than just building the correct foundation. It is about understanding what an athlete needs at different points in their training career. Check out Luke on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/lj.holmes/) Check out Sam on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/tailormadecoaching/) Check out Matt Harvey on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/mattharvvey/) Email Matt Harvey for content production! (mattharvey93@gmail.com) Show Notes: [1:45] Developing strength too quickly [3:00] Strength development for a beginner [7:00] Learning basic movements in strength training [12:00] Learning how to train for strength [15:00] Variation in strength training and CrossFit [19:15] Strength development for an intermediate athlete [27:30] Individual adaptation to strength training [34:00] Variation in strength work and conjugate methods [42:00] Preparing for competitions and long term planning [44:45] Avoiding overconfidence in the programming you write

#7 - Running Strength Cycles Alongside CrossFit (Season 2)

Season two of the Barbell Strategy Podcast is all about strength training. Over the next four episodes we will do a deep dive into all things strength for CrossFit. We'll be covering things like: how strong you need to be for CrossFit, how to develop strength endurance for CrossFit as well as plenty of practical training and programming takeaways. In this first episode of this season we keep it a bit more relaxed and share our experiences with strength training before, during and after training in CrossFit, how we've seen strength training develop over the years, and what are the strength demands in CrossFit. Check out Luke on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/lj.holmes/) [https://www.instagram.com/lj.holmes/)] Check out Sam on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/tailormadecoaching/) [https://www.instagram.com/tailormadecoaching/)] Check out Matt Harvey on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/mattharvvey/) [https://www.instagram.com/mattharvvey/)] Email Matt Harvey for content production! (mattharvey93@gmail.com) Show Notes: [3:00] Sam's first taste of strength training [7:00] Luke's daily leg press max out [14:45] Blending CrossFit, strength training and bodybuilding [18:15] Early days blog programming and remote coaching [24:30] Running a powerlifting cycle alongside CrossFit [32:30] How to apply strength training from other sports to CrossFit [35:45] What are the strength demands of CrossFit [39:00] How to make strength training more specific for CrossFit

#6 - How to Plan, Qualify, Prepare and Compete in CrossFit Competitions

Competing in CrossFit is very challenging. It is something that causes your average everyday athlete to knuckle down and start approaching their training, nutrition and lifestyle in a way similar to a professional athlete. But what kind of preparation goes into this and how do you select the right competitions at the right time? As a beginner it pays to compete often and develop a hunger and love for the sport, but then it can be wise to reduce the frequency of competition in order to put in the time to develop your fitness and skills as an intermediate athlete. You can then return to competing at a higher frequency when you are more advanced, to practice the skill of competing and use it to direct your training focus. In this episode we look into everything about competitions, from planning them out, to qualifiers, the preparation right before a competition and then the competition itself and debrief. We discuss what lessons we have learnt from our own experience competing, as well as from helping countless athletes in competition at all levels from local events to the Games. Check out Luke on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/lj.holmes/) Check out Sam on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/tailormadecoaching/) Check out Matt Harvey on instagram! (https://www.instagram.com/mattharvvey/) Email Matt Harvey for content production! (mattharvey93@gmail.com) Show Notes: [1:30] Creating a plan for competitions and having short term and long term goals [3:30] Focusing on the next competition versus detailed long term plans [6:00] Picking the right competitions when you're a beginner [9:15] Learning how to take competitions less seriously [15:00] How to manage qualifiers and how much should you strategise [20:30] Using a weekly throwdown workout to practice competing [22:15] Practicing the logistics of doing a qualifier and higher stakes workouts [26:50] Having to repeat very difficult workouts [29:45] Preparing for a competition once you're qualified [38:30] How to support different types of athletes during a competition [43:30] Using competitions to direct the next phases of training