#147 - Improving Moderate Weight Barbell Conditioning

Legion Strength & Conditioning Podcast

There are a few qualities in CrossFit that can be quite difficult to improve for certain people. It’s usually a mix of different problems that manifest in one or two specific styles of workouts in CrossFit. It’s not quite this, but not quite that, either.

One of those qualities is moderate-weight barbell conditioning pieces—typically something like a 135/95 barbell performed for high reps with a lot of other movements included in the workout. It’s not a heavy barbell where strength is going to slow you down, but it’s also not a lighter barbell where your breathing is going to be the main limiter.

It is an endurance issue, but due to the movements this issue arises on, there is a strength element at play as well. The important thing with training this quality is not to let yourself blow up and reach that point of no return. You want to develop as much capacity and training volume below that point to try and push this further.

Check out this episode to hear how we work on this issue, how we structure workouts for endurance limitations, and how this problem relates to other qualities required in the sport.

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Show Notes:

• [0:30] The issue at hand
• [2:00] Adjusting traditional CrossFit metcons first and then going deeper if needed
• [5:00] Structuring workouts to target more enduring qualities
• [9:40] Hard workouts are easy to programme
• [11:00] Not a clear-cut route to improving this quality
• [12:30] 80/20 rule with pulling and pushing your training
• [14:15] Breaking the movement down to keep the athlete moving
• [16:00] Interval Weight Training
• [17:30] Is this a movement-specific problem?
• [20:00] Difference between barbell battery work and moderate-weight conditioning
• [21:15] Squatters versus hingers