In CrossFit, CrossFit Games, Videos

July 05, 2009

Video Article

Dave Castro answers questions from Sevan Matossian in a casual interview at the Ranch, the location for the 2009 CrossFit Games.

The theme for this year’s Games is Unknown and Unknowable. How do you prepare for such a competition?

The answer, according to Dave, is constantly varied functional movements executed at high intensity. The main site programming is one of the best examples of such an approach, though definitely not the only one. Many of the 1,200 affiliates offer different variations on the same theme.

Dave is concerned, though, that some athletes have been training too much in a limited domain. They’re all doing functional movements at high intensity, but to be fully prepared for the unknown, we need to train regularly in all time and modal domains. He suspects that some athletes have been focusing too much on the heavy and short domains.

6min 42sec

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13 Comments on “CrossFit Games Programming”

1

wrote …

Interesting....

Sounds like we can look forward to a lot of variation and that includes longer WODs. The number of competitors needing to get through WODs in a day tells me the longer WODs will include a lot of running. Has to be something where you can run a lot of people through each heat.

135 DL for 200+ Reps?? Why was he smiling so much after saying this?

2

Andy Petranek wrote …

So starting the games off with a Marathon... back to the days of the Greeks... isn't out of the question?

3

wrote …

Longer wods = major separation. It's about time!!!

4

wrote …

WOD Prediction

3 rounds for time
30 Sandbag Squat Cleans 90lbs
800m hill run with same Sandbag

5

wrote …

The problem with just following the main site for games prep is that YOU are unknown and unknowable to Coach. We all have different strengths and weaknesses and Coach has said many times that your time and effort is best spent working on your weaknesses. That said, the main site is written for a "generic elite" athlete. It should be possible to preserve the principle of constant variation without resorting to complete randomness. The guys running the main site may be the best programmers out there, but they are flying blind when it comes to training one specific athlete.

6

wrote …

Two Words: "Read Plandomization" by Greg Everett, Catalyst Athletics...Performance Menu

Erik
CrossFit San Elijo

7

wrote …

Sevan, what about "Goats". Shouldn't we focus on the WODs that we hate? If my raw strength is a weakness shouldn't I focus on 1-5RM deadlift, squat, press. If my "long-light" is weak shouldn't I focus on that?

The main site is not the best way to train for the games. A combination of main site WODs, your individual weaknesses, and 2-4 WODs per day ever few weeks just might be.

8

wrote …

Either Dave is hella thirsty or he was nervous about his answers. Why else was he trying to squeeze every drop out of that poor plastic bottle??? He was trying to milk a dead cow there.

9

wrote …

When are the competitions going to actually use the increased work capacity that we brag about? I would like to see some activities like moving a chord of wood 100 meters where there is no way to train the technique, a true measure of work capacity. Just a thought.

10

wrote …

Dave seems to have had a pretty good "wod" by the looks of it. Sober up for you're next shoot.

11

replied to comment from EdWard Tracey

Edward,

I caught up with Dave just after he finished doing "RANDY". It easier to interview somebody when they are to tired to walk away from me :)

sevan

12

replied to comment from Andrew Bolliger

The "hammer in the huge stake" event seems to be an answer to this wish.

13

wrote …

Cool interview guys, but where did Dave get that watch? I remeber my grandad had something that size in the hallway...,it must have a gazillion functions, shame it doesn't dispense water.

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