CFSB

CrossFit Strength Bias program

Program intent and goal:
Increase strength for mid and long time Crossfitters within the CrossFit protocol.

On CrossFit.com’s message board we often see posters recommending leaving CrossFit to do strength cycles. Over time we have watched this approach and seen that while people do get stronger they are not generally able to bring that strength back into CrossFit in a usable manner. We believe that strength developed in a vacuum is usable in a vacuum. In other words if you do not develop strength in the context of metabolic work you will not be able to use it in metcons (or war, the fight, sport etc….). The statement “Segmented training leads to segmented capacity” has been proven over and over again in our gyms, the ring and in life.

We believe CrossFit is a Strength and Conditioning program, and there is a way to emphasize the acquisition of strength within the CrossFit protocol. One thing we are adamant about, this is CrossFit. It is CrossFit with a strength bias, in the same way that CrossFit Endurance is CrossFit with an endurance bias.

Program goals:
Long term linear increase in strength as well as linear increases in the other 9 general fitness parameters. The goal is to see a strength increase every week as measured by:
a. an increase in a 3 rep set from the previous week or a 3 rep PR
b. an increase in a 5 rep set from the previous week or a 5 rep PR
c. an increase in a single set of 12, 15, 20 or 21
d. a decrease in time of CrossFit named WODs
e. an increase in power produced from Crossfit named WODs

Recoverability
The proper focus of CrossFit should be on getting better for life – more fit, more strong, etc. The workout is just the tool. The focus should be not on how much we can do, but how much we should do to achieve the training effect. If one set at your max achieves the training effects, then that’s all that’s needed. Move on. Proving that one can do more sets will not necessarily get more return from the training effect and may push you into overtraining, or worse, towards retrograde performance. The program is built with an eye on recoverability and the training effect. On this program, you reach a PR and then shut it down. That is enough for the week.

As tempting as it is when you feel good to continue piling on the weight, a 5# PR is where I stop. Once I hit the PR, I’m done for that day even if I feel great. I’ve asked my body to do something it hasn’t done before and then backed off and allowed it to recover, get stronger and then do it again next week. If you wear it out be continuing to add weight or do more sets at your new PR you will harm your recoverability.

So, If the protocol calls for 5 sets of 3 and you hit your pr on the third set, walk away. Again the magic is in the stimulus not the number of rounds. The intent of the program is to gently induce the training effect, and maximize recovery. Jeff Martin Co Author of the CFSB (along with Darell White, aka Bingo)

So we're taking the strength bias from Brand X and applying it to a regular 6 day a week CrossFit training facility. So every time a client trains they can be guaranteed a lift. Therefore the client will either on non set days make up a lift they have missed or will be missing.

The protocol of the strength bias normally operates on a two days on-one off-three on one off cycle. We've adapted this so that the normal rest day (wednesday) would again constitute a lift, either one you've missed or another lift relative to athletic performance and a metcon. The same would be the case for a thursday which would on the bias be just a 20 minute or less metcon, a lift would be available if desired or if necessary to make up as a day has been missed.

Why?

In CrossFit, we aim to produce a fitness that is broad, general and inclusive, application of power to this definition of fitness is vital. To read more of our aims and our definition of Fitness click on the free CrossFit Journal link.

If you've read all this and it:

a) Scares the willies out of you, don't let it-our workouts are scalable but all are designed to improve your fitness.

b) Think that by doing the CFSB you're gonna be HUGE!!!-that is not what CrossFit or the CrossFit Strength Bias is for. We're looking to produce a greater power output from our clients.CFSB is designed to increase strength, the rep ranges are small, we aren't aiming for size (hypertrophy) but power (useful in general life and as CrossFitters).

Back squat
3 sets of 5

"Jackie"
Row 1000m
50 thrusters
30 pullups