Speed and power training is something that is gaining traction in the training world and trickling into the CrossFit world. Elite athletes are posting videos of the more “out there” training they are doing, some people in the community are calling out the testing body of the CrossFit Games, and GPP purists in CrossFit are getting involved.

Should speed and power be tested at the CrossFit Games, and is it something appropriate to give to general population clients in classes?

In short, yes and yes. In both cases this is a gap in the testing and training we typically see in CrossFit.

Interestingly, this was something tested more often in earlier iterations of the CrossFit Games, and CrossFit originally targeted sports athletes, with the programme said to provide a more well rounded form of GPP than most strength and conditioning programmes out there.

In this week’s episode we discuss how CrossFit should start to use this in the testing of athletes, how it might be tested, and the additional benefits of training these qualities. Check out the episode to find out more, including how you can include this in group class programming at a CrossFit box.

Listen Here:

Show Notes:

[1:00] Is speed and power a big gap in CrossFit’s GPP methodology
[3:20] Speed and power tests that have been at the CrossFit Games

[5:45] Slow strength being at odds with speed and power
[7:30] Is Olympic weightlifting a good expression of speed and power
[9:30] Manipulating strength training to target power
[12:45] How much can an average CrossFitter improve on this
[15:00] Not testing speed and power work properly in CrossFit

[20:00] How can you build this type of work into CrossFit classes

[26:30] The risk factor of programming this for general population