What "Improving Your Engine" for CrossFit Actually Means

[@davidbeery8744]

This really hits right! I'm a VERY strong guy, and was also fairly athletic. But during my first year in CrossFit I couldn't get my heart rate in check and almost always just worked till the time cap and quit. During COVID I was working out with friends, doing lower intensity movements at much higher volumes, with many runs and double-unders. When the Box opened back up, I was finishing workouts faster than anyone. Thanks for the elaborate, detailed explanation!

[@davidgantz9378]

Interesting > appreciate hearing it

[@sunbornvistoso]

Glad to hear someone talk about the value of long, slow distance (zone 2 style) work to supplement CrossFit!

[@Upsidestrength]

100% 🎉

[@monofame]

Your table rounds are high class and super valueable! Thank you for that! Now all I need more is to win that Alexis belt…

[@Upsidestrength]

Nice work guys. I love the pre-post session Z2, it’s something I use a lot especially in the beginning. For longer session, I’d usually recommend biking, maybe running if the athlete tolerates it well. Rowing and skiing are still over-utilized for "conditioning" yet aren’t practiced enough as a skill. I’ve been including 10’ EMOM as warm ups using the SkiErg or rower with 20-40" of work focused on deconstructing the movements for my athletes. WL style. Once you’ve built the base in the bike and you plug those improvements back into a better rowing/skiing technique, good things tend to happen 🫣 Thanks as always for the great content

[@gabinaguayo747]

Great work guys! I’m glad you encourage people to look further than the initial thought of “building the engine”, since like you say most people could improve a lot more by working on efficiency (via technique or mobility) and muscle endurance (assuming they’re already strong ofc). However, the recommendation of 10min warmup/cooldowns at easy pace (or zone 2) might work to accumulate volume for technical work on the ergs, but that wouldn’t impact aerobic endurance like a nice long session that is over 30 min, uninterrupted. I think it’s great advice to start but we should encourage athletes to start dedicating some time or full sessions for actual endurance work, instead of allowing them to “get away with” 10 min chunks of whatever!

[@Upsidestrength]

Well said Gabina 👍 10’ is definitely too short, however I’ve seen great initial progress with 20’ segments throughout the week. As you said, this needs to be the starting point for someone who’s never done this work, not the final goal. I’ve been working up to 2-2.5h sessions with some of my athletes (45’ row session into an easy bike ride) with great success. I think we’re just scratching the surface there!

[@jajack9832]

Where's the full version of the q&a at??

[@williamjames3995]

I also heard that Zone 2 does unfold its magic via Volume (vs Intensity), but I wasn’t aware that accumulated volume in a week also works. Do 5x20minutes Zone 2 really have the same effect as 2x50min? Is there science to back this up?

[@Upsidestrength]

Hey William, I’d say that for someone who lacks work capacity, 5x20’ is a great place to start, and surely a lot better than 5x0’. That being said, longer duration does build fatigue resistance which can’t be "forced" with shorter sessions. So start with 5x20’ in pre or/and post sessions (extended warm up or/and active recovery) and build towards doing longer efforts, even if it’s just once per week 👍

[@senor886]

Great question William & Upside Strength nailed it. The context I had for the running example or another machine was more aimed towards development of a skill. IE - most CF'ers could benefit from higher frequency (not necessarily high volume) of running sessions as a skill development tool for the movement. The goal being more emphasis on improving stride mechanics and running at a pace that promotes good running technique. That was just a suggestion on how to improve running as a skill and not necessarily only looking at is as an energy system training tool. The same way I would aim to improve someones jump rope capabilties. I write it in as warm-ups/grease the groove before every training session vs just throwing in a ton of volume one day a week. Allows them to practice the skill more frequently w/out beating them up.

[@waceybrown]

Top 10 000 in 3 of the workouts and 60 000th in the shuttle run, I’d definitely say I’m endurance limited also

[@dalehall-bowden1083]

Right there with you

[@BEM-vf3kx]

Same. Thicc boys unite lol

[@ramblr5900]

Topic for you guys, if Athlete from another sport started crossfit right alway with one month training to learn the crossfit skill work which one will make pass the Open, Qtr, and finals? My money is on a MMA or football player

[@JTflip90]

I would bet on gymnastics

[@brannendorman6772]

Oooh, this is a good one. Ill Bring it up on the next podcast.

[@samuele.marcora]

What do you mean by "structural strength"?

[@maxel-hag4389]

I don’t remember exactly what was said in this context and didn’t re-watch this to find it, but generally when I use that term it is to describe adaptations that drive changes to tissue. More hypertrophy, more isometrics, more eccentrics, and things that increase time under tension and more heavily drive adaptation at the structure level. In contrast to methods that might be used to drive more neural adaptations. Ie this might be technique work, overspeed, linear progressions on weightlifting, coordination drills, etc. Let me know if this answers the question. Max

[@samuele.marcora]

@@maxel-hag4389 thanks for the clarification.

[@mojo050209]

What do u mean by local endurance?

[@woodshcc5]

I googled it Local endurance is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to perform a given level of work under a state of fatigue, usually for a fixed amount of time.

[@ramblr5900]

First to say first !

[@tenzinlee6393]

The real take-away from this conversation is that CrossFit has become absurdly strength-biased.

[@tjcogger1974]

Why "absurdly"?

[@woodshcc5]

It has not become " absurdly" strength based... Marc Rippetoe talks about this often... If you build your strength up, then many of the CrossFit workouts will be significantly easier. Strength is the base. Don't become like a bodybuilder... Build a good strength base and then utilize that strength and build your sport specific capabilities...

[@tenzinlee6393]

@@woodshcc5 But there has to be a balance and currently, the strength standards required for CrossFit are way harder to achieve compared to the other things and the athletes have become short and chunky. And I'm saying this as someone who prefers strength training.

[@woodshcc5]

@@tenzinlee6393 I've been trying to figure out how to verbalize this so I'm going to fumble with my words here. I may be wrong but my experience has taught me that most crossfit boxes do not prepare people for strength training. Fatigue them with metcons and other workouts that do not facilitate true strength gains in a normal time period. I think we need to focus on strength, for the average person, for a while before adding all of these different workouts.

[@reeceturner8310]

run slow to run fast

[@woodshcc5]

Young me never understood this.