Legion Strength & Conditioning Podcast Legion Strength & Conditioning

Qualifiers can be a stressful experience for athletes. The online leaderboard and the doubt created by not seeing other athletes perform all make for potentially neurotic self-comparison. 
 
With quarter-finals being much easier to qualify for, the open has less weight than in previous years. And now you're starting to see athletes say they are not interested in peaking for the open, who then get upset when they perform not to where they expected. 
 
Managing the psychology and framing expectations for athletes is very important. Because letting emotions spiral out of control and overreacting can be a big disservice to your performance in the later stages of the season. 
 
This week, we discuss all things disappointment in qualifiers and specifically the open. We also touch on the importance of enjoyment in training and why in-person competitions are the way to go. 
 
If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.
We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops
These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.
Show Notes: [1:00] Why can athletes get too caught up in qualifiers
[3:00] Self comparison spiralling out of control
[4:15] The variance in the tests have a significant impact
[6:30] Doing the open when you're not peaked yet
[8:00] Getting carried away with competition when you don't need to
[9:30] Training during the open for an athlete focused on quarter finals
[11:00] Framing what a good performances are for the athlete
[15:30] Being objective with the leaderboard
[17:00] Enjoying your training and doing in person competitions

Often, when someone comes through the ranks of class workouts and starts to contemplate competing in CrossFit, they conjure up an image of their training having to dramatically change to "take it to the next level". In reality, they need to get more exposure to the sport and develop experience.
Telling someone to do more of the sport can seem like a cop-out answer, but there is so much to work on and develop in CrossFit; it can take a few years to see where you need to focus your training. In this episode, we talk about how an athlete can get more exposure in an intelligent and structured way. We also discuss the timeline of progress that different athletes have in the sport.
If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.
We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops
These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.
Show Notes: [1:30] Getting more exposure to the sport
[3:50] Structuring your training more like a competitor
[7:00] Getting experience to help with pacing
[8:30] The low hanging fruit when getting started
[11:15] Benefits to focusing on training hard and being consistent
[14:00] Quickest timeline from beginner to semi-finals
[22:00] Patterns of progress with different athletes

After a competition, athletes are usually keen to get to work and train for potential weaknesses highlighted in the competition. But often, this is too hasty, and it's wise to have a process figured out on how to approach the review and planning post-competition period.
This week, we discuss some of our processes for reviewing an athlete's performance after a competition, reducing the noise, and clarifying what needs work. Do you follow what the leaderboard says or go off of the subjective experience of the athlete? Do you let the athlete take the lead, and what happens when their intuition is wrong? Often, surprises come up in competition, which might be hard for the athlete to deal with, but it usually creates a more profound learning experience. Check out this episode to learn more on how to approach this period.
If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.
We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops
These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.
Show Notes: [3:00] What Luke does in his coaching
[6:10] How to debrief after a competition
[7:30] Getting surprised on things in competition
[9:15] The effects of competition on your health
[15:00] What changes do you make in training
[17:30] Keeping training reactive and dynamic
[20:00] When athletes have the wrong takeaway
[22:00] Letting athletes having their input even if they're not on the right track

Since Adrian Bozman has led the programming for the CrossFit Games, each season has seen more variety in the skills and movements involved.
From the max sandbag to shoulder event at the games to learning cross-over single unders in class, everyone in the sport has felt this inclusion of new skills in some way. This shift in the programming pays homage to the roots of CrossFit, and acts as another variable to progressing the sport, as you can only increase weights and volume to a certain extent.
In this week's episode, we discuss developing these new skills in training, which skills have been good inclusions (or not), and how to best introduce these skills into competition.
If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.
We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops
These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.
Show Notes: [3:00] Why are we seeing more higher skilled gymnastics movements
[6:00] Having to learn new movements on the spot at the CrossFit Games
[7:00] What skills are good to learn that shouldn't be tested in competition
[9:30] Trying to get ahead on the possible new skills coming up
[11:30] What makes some of these skills harder to judge
[15:30] Does "just figure it out" make a good event
[17:00] Does CrossFit test athleticism
[19:30] How can CrossFit include new skills better

In a data-heavy sport like CrossFit, it can be pretty easy for athletes to get overwhelmed when setting goals. You have your placings in the open and other competitions and your training numbers. We don't have much control over leaderboards and tend to overestimate what we can achieve in our training when increasing numbers.
In this episode, we talk about goal setting for CrossFit, how it can be easy to get overly invested in the open and why competing can help you enjoy your training and give you the experience you need to improve.
Check out this episode to learn when data can be helpful and when it can be less helpful in goal setting and know why athletes who manage chaos and setbacks tend to do better in the sport.
If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.
We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops
These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.
Show Notes: [1:30] Goal setting in CrossFit
[2:30] Over investing in the open
[5:30] Enjoying your training
[6:30] Glorifying obsessive and driven CrossFit Games Athletes
[10:00] When people do well with goal setting
[13:00] Keeping people engaged in training
[16:00] Using competitions to guide your goals
[22:00] When data isn't helpful
[27:00] Managing chaos and handling setbacks well
[30:00] Jon is mentally tough

Recently, CrossFit announced a price increase for the yearly affiliation fee and that you must also hold a CrossFit Level 2 qualification to open an affiliate. This episode is a topical one, where we talk about the value of the CrossFit name now, whether the price increase is warranted and whether this is acting as a filter to elevate the brand name of CrossFit.
If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.
We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops
These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.
Show Notes: [0:30] What is the CrossFit affiliation fee
[3:30] Why is there a price increase?
[6:00] Jon's thoughts on the price increase
[11:00] Is CrossFit becoming less popular
[19:00] Why do you need a level two before opening an affiliate now?
[23:00] Is the level two prerequisite overall a positive thing?
[30:00] What does Greg Glassman say about all this on Instagram