Posts tagged energy systems
Developing an Aerobic Engine - Part 1

I had this observation for a while now but never wrote it down. This observation has really shaped my views on programming for I would say the last three or four years. It must be stated that when I started CrossFit eight years ago things were very different. From the beginning I spent practically all of my free time learning, studying, and expanding my training knowledge. One of the very first programs I was introduced to was Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength Novice program. It was a very simple linear progression program for increasing the main power lifts. I loved it. I continued down this rabbit hole so to speak learning more and more about strength training and how to adapt it to CrossFit programs. I saw a lot of other CrossFit gyms, coaches, and athletes implement these principles into their training to better develop their strength. I remember visiting other gyms and being asked questions about which squat cycle I liked most or which olympic program I followed. 

I wish I could say this was all it took for a light bulb to go off in my head, but it wasn't. Instead it sort of crept up on me slowly through dealing with clients and talking to other CrossFit athletes and coaches and attending various seminars. Whenever we discussed programming, every coach and athlete in the world completely accepted the long standing training protocols developed by other countries, namely the Russians and Bulgarians. The research was there and so were a lot of gold medals. For instance, most coaches use Prilepin's Chart as a model for intensity and volume, whether they realize it or not, and the training manual Managing The Training of Weightlifters is basically the bible for many weightlifting coaches.

So, when I write 5x5 Back Squat at 80%, most athletes cringe but know that "yep, this is going to suck but I need to do it to get stronger." Conversely, when I write 36x 30/30 split intervals at varying intensity on an Assault Bike, people aren't really sure what to think. Ok, getting closer to that light bulb now.

See, I didn't just stop with learning about weightlifting from weightlifters and weightlifting coaches. When I looked at the sport of CrossFit I thought, maybe I should look at how to develop a big ol set of lungs too. If strength training has super old Russian training manuals, surely endurance athletes have similar "bibles."

Turns out they do.

 

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