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.

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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.

• [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.

• [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.

• [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.

• [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.

• [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.

• [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.

• [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.

• [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.

• [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.

• [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