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?
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.
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.