Pacing is important in just about any workout, but it’s particularly crucial when there’s a heavy barbell looming.

If you don’t have a good understanding of how quickly you can move with different weights in conditioning workouts, and if you don’t understand how long you need to rest between heavier attempts, you can end up getting chewed up pretty badly on these kinds of workouts – even if you’re strong enough to move the weight.

On this episode of the podcast, we go over some key things to think about when pacing yourself on “heavy metcons” (or battery-based workouts), as well as some key things to think about when training to get better at this type of workout.

Check out the full conversation with Jon, Todd and Luke to learn:

  • How to develop the metronome-like pacing that you see elite athletes holding when doing barbell-based conditioning work
  • Why getting stronger works for some athletes to improve their ability to do “heavy metcons” but not others
  • Why being naturally stronger and more powerful can be a detriment to your ability to lift a heavy barbell under fatigue.

Listen below – or on the podcast player of your choice.

Listen Here

Show Notes:

  • [00:15] How to pace for battery workouts or “heavy metcons” – and how to get better at them.
  • [06:53] What do you need to think about to improve your battery? Hint: It’s not just about getting stronger. And, how should people who tend to be more explosive train their battery?
  • [13:15] Why experience is one of the best teachers for pacing in “heavy” workouts – and how to train so that you can learn as much as possible.
  • [20:39] Is there a difference between women and men in ability to do heavy weights in conditioning workouts?
  • [25:16] How do tests of strength usually appear in CrossFit competitions? And – what should people do in their training sessions or in their next “heavy metcon” to get better?