A strength and conditioning coach offers his perspective on how CrossFit training helped him get stronger...everything else
Most of the images that come to mind when people think of CrossFit are of athletes lying on the ground in pools of their own sweat, gasping for breath and trying to "do it right". It's a powerful image, to be sure.
Usually, these collapsed athletes have just completed a high-intensity, high-metabolic-demand session. Many people mistakenly think that CrossFit is primarily a cardio-based training program, which only requires the use of light weights and bodyweight-only conditioning exercises.
Although a triplet - a combination of three exercises usually comprising a weightlifting move, a calisthenics move, and a conditioning exercise - doesn't necessarily involve a huge amount of heavy weight, if you're weak on the weight move , you will suffer for the duration of the workout. I learned it the hard way.
If you think you can get away with a moderate strength base when doing CrossFit-type workouts, you're in for a big surprise.
Here are three strength lessons I learned from CrossFit that you can apply to your fitness routine, no matter what your training style.

1. STRENGTH FIRST, CONDITIONING THEN
My first “for real” CrossFit workout was the CrossFit standard, “Fran,” a superset of 95-pound dumbbell thrusters and pull-ups at 21 reps, 15 reps, then nine reps. I thought I would finish under four minutes the first time, no problem. The best in the world come in under three minutes, so I thought four minutes would be easy for me.
After all, I was pretty good at pull-ups, I always did overhead pull-ups and could lift 800 pounds. Hell, I was wrong.
After going over seven minutes on my first attempt at "Fran", I was very humbled. I thought it was due to my conditioning, but really, I just had to get stronger.
After getting better at weighted pull-ups, pressing bigger weights overhead, and doing squats more regularly, I felt stronger. I haven't even worked on my physical condition. The next time I did "Fran", I got a time of 4:33.
I quickly understood that to dominate these WODs, I just had to be stronger and move faster.
>> No matter what you're doing in the gym, greater strength provides a better foundation for performance in every activity. Even when you're trying to lose weight, you should continue to do compound exercises in rep ranges that build strength.
This will allow you to increase the weights you can use for other exercises and will give you better results when doing high-intensity interval cardio.
2. KNOW YOUR WEIGHTS
With my 12 years of bodybuilding experience, I thought I was experienced enough to dominate all the levers in CrossFit. I had been moving tons of weight for years for 90% of my training.
Again, I was humiliated. I was mostly used to doing squats, deadlifts, presses, rows and arm work. After attempting my first overhead squat with the standard weight, I was frustrated with my attempts. It was only 95 kilos and I was struggling. It showed me how many holes I had in my lifting arsenal.
The Olympic lifts were a whole different story. I could try to beef up every clean and jerk or heavy snatch, but I soon realized that wasn't enough (not if I wanted to perform or not get injured). My years of bodybuilding gave me a good base of strength, but then again, I wasn't strong enough.
I spent a lot of time trying to get stronger, and I didn't work on my conditioning. Soon after, my results increased in all types of lifts. If you want to get better at all types of dumbbells, you just have to get stronger, not just better at the movements.
>> If your goal is simply to max out your bench press, then bench press often and well should be your goal.
But if your goal is overall strength—and it should be if you really want to increase your overall size—you need to become proficient in a variety of lifts that hit major muscle groups.
Olympic and competitive weightlifting movements and their components should be added to your routine to eliminate weak spots and increase core strength and stability.
As a bonus, the more you practice these movements, the greater your muscle-building hormonal responses will be.

3. CROSSFIT CAN BUILD CRAZY STRENGTH
Many bodybuilders and powerlifters are under the impression that CrossFitters only do burpees, box jumps, rope climbs and bodyweight exercises. While these exercises play an important role in any CrossFitter's arsenal, they are really the complementary exercises that help round out an athlete's overall performance.
In most CrossFit gyms, the focus is on the barbell. Getting stronger in Olympic lifts is usually the main focus of workouts.
Constantly trying to push and pull more weight is the main goal of any CrossFitter. Usually, at the end of a CrossFit workout, they do a quick metabolic conditioning session to test their overall condition, mental toughness, and mastery of every movement.
>> Don't be afraid to mix up the occasional CrossFit workouts or switch things up and train exclusively in CrossFit for a month or two. Standard bodybuilding-type training programs can become heavy on isolation movements.
The emphasis on barbell work in CrossFit gyms can produce huge gains for anyone who has already established a strong foundation of strength training in traditional gyms over the years.
Training regularly and under supervision in these areas is a surefire way to quickly develop strength that tears through the phone books.
4. IT'S GOOD TO DO CROSSFIT
As physically minded people, we know that moving more weight with greater volume builds muscle and strength. This is what performing CrossFit lifts does.
I was afraid that committing to CrossFit would make me skinny and weak, because I thought it was enough for me to get in better shape. I quickly learned that by focusing on lifting more weight, my strength and muscle gains would not only be maintained, but improved.
If you think CrossFit is only for the weak cardio crowd, you're wrong. When done correctly, CrossFit can build tons of muscle and can help you beat your personal bests on all your lifts.