In my opinion, if you want to get better as a CrossFit athlete, get stronger! Everything else equal, a stronger athlete is a better athlete - and not just when it comes to lifting weights. Increased endurance, improved coordination, and a decreased risk of injury are just some of the additional benefits of getting stronger.
Rx Strong is a strength-focused program specifically developed for the needs of the CrossFit athlete. This is our most proven program to date - with our 20-athlete test group seeing significant gains in their squat, deadlift, and pressing movements. Oh, and let's not forget to mention their strict pull-ups and handstand push-ups.
Although the focus of this program is to get you stronger, we will still be doing, on average, between two and three high-intensity and aerobic conditioning workouts per week – just enough to maintain your current level of fitness in that realm. Usually, these workouts will have a strength bias and include accessory exercises for whatever was trained that day.
More Details About the Program
Squatting workouts will focus (in this order) on the back squat, front squat, and overhead squat. Pressing workouts will focus (in this order) on the push press, strict press, and bench press. Pulling workouts will have the most variety. However, the most common pulling exercises will include wide and close grip pull-ups, conventional; Romanian and deficit deadlifts; and clean and snatch pulls. The Olympic lifts (snatch and clean & jerk) are programmed sparingly and appear more often in the second half of the program than in the first. However, you should finish this program with a much stronger base that will allow you to set new personal records in those lifts.
The 8-weeks in this program are broken up into two four-week cycles. Volume and intensity will steadily increase during the first three weeks before pulling back on week four. Weeks one and two will be the easiest weeks (but not easy), as the goal is to introduce you to the program gradually. By week three, you'll be fully emerged in the program - with volume and intensity hitting new highs. Week four will be your first deload – this should allow you to recover from the previous three weeks of training while priming your body for the final four weeks. In weeks five through seven, we will once again begin to increase volume and intensity before pulling back for a final deload on week eight.
Aside from these week-to-week fluctuations in volume and intensity, you will also notice the same thing happen day-to-day. Depending on several factors, volume and intensity may be high on Monday, low on Tuesday, and moderate on Wednesday, for example. The goal of these fluctuations is to put your body in the most optimal state possible during each workout session.
