Limiting loading

1. Jerk: 70% x 3 x 3
2. Push-press: 70% x 3 x 3
3. Overhead squat: 70% x 5 x 3

Piper starting her ACTIVE third pull. The arms bend to
PULL UNDER!

So, I took my USAW Level 1 course and test this past weekend, and I learned a TON. I am really excited to bring my new knowledge to my coaching, and to pass on as much of what I learned to all of you.

One of the things I think I learned the most about there is programming. I am going to immediately implement these new ideas in how I program for us. Of course, what we learned was specifically targeted at programming for weightlifters, but you guys are unique: most of you are CrossFitters with a special interest in weightlifting. This is fantastic, but creates a number of very unique challenges. In particular, program design for weightlifters is intended to manage both workload and recovery to maximize adaptations and prevent over-training resulting from under-recovery. For CrossFitters like yourselves who are doing 3-4 weightlifting workouts a week on top of 4-6 CrossFit workouts, this quickly becomes a nightmare from a program design and coaching perspective! CrossFit is by nature "constantly varied", which means that your state of recovery is also "constantly varied".

I have been thinking a lot about this problem over the past couple of months and trying to come up with solutions. I think the first step towards managing this problem is to better control the loading and volume of our weightlifting workouts. This is important in a weightlifting-specific program, but I think it is even more important in a weightlifting program for CrossFitters, because your recovery will never be ideal. This is part of the rational for the percentage prescriptions for the loading that are appearing in our workouts this week. Again, these are a guideline. For the weightlifting-specific athletes, they will be most appropriate and should be followed precisely. For the CrossFitters, they should be viewed as a maximum percentage prescription or a goal for the day. Depending on what you did in CrossFit class that day or earlier in the week, they may be unreasonable and loading should be adjusted down appropriately. In either case, the percentage prescriptions are not to be exceeded on any given day.