OLAD + Crossfit

First of all, let me preface this by saying I am an imposter on this forum, being the sprightly 27 year old that I am. However, as Dan John’s writings continue to be my main source of inspiration I thought I’d post this where I’m most likely to find some kindred spirits…

Anyway, I’ve read a lot on this board lately about combining OLAD and crossfit, and, afer a summer of focusing purely on powerlifting I thought this was something I would give a try. My goals are to maintain my new found strength, while improving my GPP somewhat, leaning out a touch and having some variety and fun again. I thought if anyone else was trying this approach they could share their experiences on this thread…

The template I have arrived at runs thus:

Day 1 - snatch + WOD
Day 2 - WOD
Day 3 - Incline Press + WOD

Day 5 - clean + WOD
Day 6 - WOD
Day 7 - Back squat + WOD

I’ll do 4 week cycles, doing a bunch of 5’s the 1st week, 3’s the next and doubles the third. Week 4 is an easier one, just doing a wod every other day at an easy pace. The next cycle I may switch the exercises around a bit. Who knows though?

Today I started strangely enough on the day 7 workout (don’t ask).

I did sets of 5, about 7 or 8 in total working up to 160kg (about 360lbs) x 5. I then did the following with a 50kg barbell: front squat x 30, push press x 10, front squat x 20, push press x 15, front squat x 10, push press x 20. I was supposed to time this but forgot to. The nausea I felt during this told me that it was along the right lines…

Anyone else doing something similar to this?

Yes, my athletes are doing nearly the same thing. Mike Rutherford is also doing a “little” different variation of having a day of One Lift followed by a WOD…see Robb Wolf’s Performance Menu for more insights.

We do the WOD first…because I am trying to change a lot of “cultural issues.” I think the lift first is better…but that will just have to wait (weight?) a while.

[quote]juninho wrote:
First of all, let me preface this by saying I am an imposter on this forum, being the sprightly 27 year old that I am. However, as Dan John’s writings continue to be my main source of inspiration I thought I’d post this where I’m most likely to find some kindred spirits…

Anyway, I’ve read a lot on this board lately about combining OLAD and crossfit, and, afer a summer of focusing purely on powerlifting I thought this was something I would give a try. My goals are to maintain my new found strength, while improving my GPP somewhat, leaning out a touch and having some variety and fun again. I thought if anyone else was trying this approach they could share their experiences on this thread…

The template I have arrived at runs thus:

Day 1 - snatch + WOD
Day 2 - WOD
Day 3 - Incline Press + WOD

Day 5 - clean + WOD
Day 6 - WOD
Day 7 - Back squat + WOD

I’ll do 4 week cycles, doing a bunch of 5’s the 1st week, 3’s the next and doubles the third. Week 4 is an easier one, just doing a wod every other day at an easy pace. The next cycle I may switch the exercises around a bit. Who knows though?

Today I started strangely enough on the day 7 workout (don’t ask).

I did sets of 5, about 7 or 8 in total working up to 160kg (about 360lbs) x 5. I then did the following with a 50kg barbell: front squat x 30, push press x 10, front squat x 20, push press x 15, front squat x 10, push press x 20. I was supposed to time this but forgot to. The nausea I felt during this told me that it was along the right lines…

Anyone else doing something similar to this?[/quote]

Thank you for replying. It’s reassuring to know that this is on similar lines to what you’re doing, although I shouldn’t really be surprised considering I’ve been flagrantly stealing your ideas for ages now.

Out of interest are you doing WOD’s as prescribed on the crossfit website or picking and chosing? I’m going to opt for the latter, as some of the workouts I either don’t like the look of or really don’t think will assist me in my goals. Increasing your general fitness levels is one thing but I just feel a 10k run for instance is not going to benefit me in any of my pursuits in life.

So far I have looked through their archives, as well as some of the conditioning workouts you have prescribed here and there and noted them down. I’ll then randomly choose one to perform each day depending on what equipment I have to hand and how I feel etc… I’m just hoping this wont lead me to only select the workouts that I can breeze through and ignore the others.

38 years old and former thrower and PL, i am so injured all the time that i have too joined a crossfit facility to help with conditioning and mobility issues. i was closing in on a 700lb squat and deadlift, (690 full gear off a box in the squat, and an easy 665 in the deadlift) but i have resigned myself that i will have to put those goals on hold for at least a little while as my low band or my IT bands are injured on nearly a weekly basis.

it has been interesting so far, and i am looking forward to the anticipated changes in my body composition and level of fitness. week #2 starts monday!

Say hello to pukie! for me heavy.

I’m sure they’ll break you in easy. I think crossfit is amazing and the 3 days on 1 day off is a great way to manage recovery and maintain intensity levels.

Ally

ok, cant leave me hanging like that, who is pukie and what can i say or do to embarass him/her for you? lol!

ok, second day: snatches

Warmed up with some bw stuff and then moved onto some snatch complexes, drop snatches and oh squats. Then did 5’s with 45-65kg (100-145ilb ish). Top sets were more like power snatches. Flexibility is the unsurprising issue, although I got some knee bend with each one and avoided pressing with the arms at the top. May seek some proper coaching over the next few weeks.

Then 3 rounds of:
10 chins
10 sandbag cleans w/115lbs
10 burpees.

Not much, but I was on a serious drinking session yesterday and wasn’t up to much… Will do some ab and hamstring work later on.

I’m sure you’ll meet pukie soon enough once the WOD’s get tougher. If you go to the crossfit main page, crossfit.com you can find a pic of him. hey hey.

I’ve nearly met him twice on these workouts.

7 rounds for time of: 15 pull ups, 25 push ups and 35 squats.

dating sage: 5 rounds for time of:

95lb power snatch x 10
pull ups x 15
75lb thruster x 20

killer workouts my man.

Ally

Not much, but I was on a serious drinking session yesterday and wasn’t up to much… Will do some ab and hamstring work later on.[/quote]

Burpees are the ultimate hangover cure my friends!! Looked like a good workout, I need to get me a sandbag for some fun stuff.

Ally

Pukie

DAN JOHN
Hey coach this is Niklas arrhenius. i am going to have coach robinson get us some kettlebells for training, i was wondering what exersises with them can help with throwing? maybe you’ll have to come down to help us? thanks nik

Nik, good to hear from you. I have three “daily” drills that I think might help:

  1. The Halo Drill
  2. “Hindu” Squats
  3. Windmills…most people know them.

I think you can replace a day of lifting each week with a kbell/throwing workout. You take the bell to the track and mix your throws with various kbell moves. Now, what I have found with my throwers and myself is that these workouts seem to really bridge the lifting and throwing. So, for example:

  1. The Halo Drill

  2. “Hindu” Squats

  3. Windmills

  4. Standing Throws

  5. One arm presses, both arms

  6. Step and Turns (“wheel” throws)

  7. Three swings, one clean, one press, repeat for three cycles. (Each arm)

  8. South African drills

  9. Max snatch with each arm

  10. Full Turns

  11. Combo: Swings (20?) followed by sprints…

Just spitballing here…

[quote]nikboa wrote:
DAN JOHN
Hey coach this is Niklas arrhenius. i am going to have coach robinson get us some kettlebells for training, i was wondering what exersises with them can help with throwing? maybe you’ll have to come down to help us? thanks nik[/quote]

bah, my strength-endurance and general conditioning has deteriorated more than I thought. Yesterday I intersperced some ‘sprints’ on the stationary bike (read: pedaling slowly with a grimace on my face) with some light weight, high rep barbell thrusters, hang squat cleans and oh squats. The result? I feel like I am coming down with flu today.

Today’s workout was decidedly average as a result - did 5’s on the flat bench, waving between 100 and 120kg, (225-270lbs ish) and then spent the rest of the session doing dips and chins in quick succession. Managed 60 but felt extremely out of shape. Do they have an ‘Over 65 lifters’ section? I may be more at home there.

did some cleans today. About 10 sets of 5 or so, with the top weight being around 80kg - 180lbs I think. For some reason though I don’t often feel like I’ve worked all that hard after these. I definitely couldn’t have gone heavier without form deteriorating and I even felt slightly breathless after each set, but somehow I just feel I could do more. With more ‘grinding’ lifts for instance I cannot wait for the end of the session, and normally walk around like a war vet for the rest of the day. Any idea why?

I think its just your body adapting to the many stresses you are placing on it at once. I came down with a cold after my first week of crossfit. I was avoiding high rep stuff and they have yo do very high reps, 100’s and 100’s so just take an extra day of recovery, eat your meals and get lots of sleep would be my advice.

As our dear Dan John always tells us, when you increase the “work” you must also increase pray, play and rest. If you don’t seek recovery it won’t happen.

Ally

I have been in law enforcement for 17 years. 12 as a local cop, 5 as a “G-man”. Crossfit is the best training program for LEOs and spec ops guys. Do not take my word for it. Read some of the posts based on real world experiences on their site. Good luck-train hard and real!!