Casual Crossfit “programming”

[butter]

Hi Doctors,

I’m currently doing Crossfit classes, as this aligns well with my goals and constraints atm.
Goals: GPP, abs, stress management, basic strength standards.
I currently like crossfit because of the group settings, offloaded programming (just show up), short classes, and variety. this would be my 4th lockdown related reset in barbell training, and I just don’t feel it atm.

That said, I don’t plan to compete and want to keep fatigue in check while losing weight (something I have struggled with in the past while doing crossfit). And would love to see/feel some progress.

My gameplan:

• Take strength focused exercises (eg 4 sets 3 RM squats) seriously, keep it at RPE 8-9 but maybe get more sets in if possible.
• Go hard on the short workouts. If there is a strength-focused exercise involved with low reps, go higher in weight (at the expense of speed).
• Go easy on the long chippers: low weight, pace myself wrt speed. Avoid hero workouts.

is this a reasonable approach? can this work given my goals, or is crossfit (as in classes) just unsalvageable as a fitness regime?

[Jordan Feigenbaum]

Our take on CF programming and approach to managing fatigue are reflected in the Titan and free CF Open templates. As far as your plan goes, I don't think I'd necessarily do any rep max, or RPE 9 work on the barbell lifts without regular exposure to them. In other words, I wouldn't do a 5RM front squat if you hadn't front squatted heavy consistently for the last month or so.

I also don't see unique benefits to going harder on short MetCons or going heavier on the lift-portion of them. It's just not going to make much of a difference. A far better strategy (probably) would be to keep MetCon, chipper, and similar efforts to RPE 7-8, tops. That's hard enough.

For abs, that's 100% kitchen-related

[butter]

Our take on CF programming and approach to managing fatigue are reflected in the Titan and free CF Open templates. As far as your plan goes, I don't think I'd necessarily do any rep max, or RPE 9 work on the barbell lifts without regular exposure to them. In other words, I wouldn't do a 5RM front squat if you hadn't front squatted heavy consistently for the last month or so.

I also don't see unique benefits to going harder on short MetCons or going heavier on the lift-portion of them. It's just not going to make much of a difference. A far better strategy (probably) would be to keep MetCon, chipper, and similar efforts to RPE 7-8, tops. That's hard enough.

For abs, that's 100% kitchen-related

Got it, thanks. Will keep everything RPE 7-8 (have been doing this for the past weeks as I was easing into things and enjoyed it).
Big fan of the Titan (and beginner and hypertrophy) template, but starting over for the fourth time in 2 years is currently too demotivating, so will do some group workouts for now even if suboptimal.

Thank you for taking the time to respond!