CrossFit & Weightlifting: A Delicate Balance
CrossFit and weightlifting are both demanding sports requiring dedication, discipline, and a strategic approach.
Many athletes aim to excel in both, but balancing their demands can be challenging particularly due to the ‘unknown and unknowable’ programming style that accompanies training for competitive CrossFit.
This is how to make progress in both, without just spinning your wheels.
Balancing Act: CrossFit and Weightlifting
Combining CrossFit and weightlifting can yield impressive results and elevate your CrossFit performance. However, it’s essential to avoid burnout or sacrificing hard-earned fitness gains.
Here are some key considerations:
Prioritise: It’s impossible to dedicate 100% to both simultaneously. Choose one to prioritise based on your goals. If you're new to weightlifting, reducing CrossFit volume initially may be necessary. This transition out of your comfort zone can be daunting, but it’s crucial for weightlifting progress.
Start Small: Whether you’re new to one or both sports, begin slowly and gradually increase volume and intensity. Building a strong foundation is vital for long-term success. Many athletes dive into weightlifting with maximum volume while maintaining CrossFit metcons. Prioritisiing weightlifting improvement might mean reducing metcons to 2-3 per week.
Schedule Recovery: As you integrate weightlifting into your CrossFit routine, recovery becomes paramount. Rest days are essential and should not be replaced with "light recovery metcons." Ignoring recovery hinders progress.
Aim for Consistency: Consistency is crucial in any training program. Focus on regular training sessions rather than sporadic intense bursts. If your goal is to improve snatch, clean and jerk technique and overall strength, consistency is key. Prioritise quality reps over grinding out heavy lifts with poor form.
Common Mistakes & How to Avoid Them:
Short-Term Focus: Jumping from one short program to another without mastering fundamentals leads to stagnation. Avoid seeking quick fixes and focus on building a solid foundation.
Reinforcing Bad Habits: Poor form during workouts can cause overuse injuries and plateaus due to suboptimal movement patterns. Prioritise correct technique. In and out of metcons, if you really want to improve your technique you may need to slow yourself down in a workout for a little bit.
Prematurely Increasing Weight: If the goal for you is to improve in the olympic lifts, then start at a weight that you can maintain good quality reps before increasing the weight. Otherwise you may never actually improve. Making the lift and making the lift with technical movement are two different things.
Overextension: Spreading focus too thin prevents mastery of any specific skill. Trying to do everything means you will probably accomplish nothing at all. It can be done with smart programming but not if you’re constantly just jumping between many different programs.
Coaching: More Than Just Technique Tweaks
A qualified coach is invaluable for both CrossFit and weightlifting. They provide expert guidance, correct technique, and can create long term & personalised training plans to set you up to achieve your goals. Don't underestimate the value of coaching – it can be the difference between spinning your wheels and making consistent progress.
Why a coach can help:
They are your extra set of eyes: A coach can spot those subtle technical flaws you might miss, preventing bad habits from forming and injuries from occurring.
They identify your blind spots: We all have them – areas we unconsciously avoid or weaknesses we don't realize we have. A coach can help you address these blind spots and create a well-rounded training program.
They know when to hold you back or push you forward: Sometimes, you need to slow down and focus on technique or recovery. Other times, you need a little extra motivation to push beyond your limits. A coach can provide the right balance of support and challenge.
Remember: Balancing CrossFit and weightlifting is a journey, not a race. Be patient, listen to your body, and enjoy the process. With the right approach, dedication, and the guidance of a qualified coach, you can achieve remarkable results in both sports.
-Coach Sebb
