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CrossFit for the Intermediate Athlete

Katie Hogan Coaching

Many of the athletes I train on a regular basis are somewhere between beginner level CrossFitters and competitive athletes.

These intermediate level CrossFitters are at a pivotal point in their training. They have most of the movements down and can perform a majority of the workouts as prescribed without having to scale exercises or weights; however, they are lacking in strength or ability in a number of areas which is stunting their overall progress as an athlete. They are unable to reach to that next level because of these deficiencies and so they feel they are no longer improving.

For these athletes, creating a realistic but challenging indicator list will be critical. Setting new PRs or failing to PR will prove where the athlete has been focusing his/her attention and where they need to spend more time.

Here is a list of exercises for the Intermediate level CrossFitter to monitor:

1. C2B pull-ups
2. Handstand push-ups
3. Rope climbs
4. Ring dips
5. Squat cleans

When I hear athletes tell me they want to take their training to the next level, these are some of the basics that I want to make sure they have mastered. By checking in regularly with the following indicators, the athlete sees their progress and I can adjust skillwork and strength focus accordingly.

1. C2B kipping pull-ups

-MAX reps unbroken
-For time: 15-12-9; rest 2min between sets, track breakdown of reps each set

2. Handstand push-ups

-EMOTM for 20min (progress through levels of difficulty with 2reps every min one time, 3 reps until min 12 then 2reps, all 3s the next time, etc)
-1min handstand hold, rest 1min, AMAP hspus

3. Rope climbs

-10 climbs for time
-5rds for time: 100m sprint (out 50m, back 50m), 1 rope climb, rest :30

4. Ring dips

-45 dips in as few sets as possible
-Tabata ring dips

5. Squat cleans

-2reps EMOTM for 15min for total weight lifted
-unbroken complex for max load: 1 clean pull, 1 squat clean, 1 front squat

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