John,

Let me first say, I love the site and the seminar. I was at your CFFB seminar last year and learned more than I could process. I was really excited about the program and have had great results with our high school athletes and people training for the CrossFit Games. My only issue is implementing it on a mass scale with our general population. I find two lifts and a short metcon take more time than most of our general population CrossFitters have.

I should have asked you while I was at the cert but it didn’t dawn on me till I got home. How would you structure the program in a general CrossFit setting?

Dan

crossfitfootball for crossfit #1Dan,

This is a great question and something that I have not been asked. When working with large groups of general CrossFitters you have roughly an hour window to warm them up and get them to their work.

How would one structure CrossFit Football for CrossFit?

We need to establish a few guidelines.

– Squat two times a week.

– Incorporate the 7 CFFB Primal Movements.

  1. Squat
  2. Step
  3. Lunge
  4. Vertical Push
  5. Vertical Pull
  6. Horizontal Push
  7. Horizontal Pull
  8. Change of Direction
  9. Less than or equal to 15 minutes of conditioning Monday-Friday. Reserve Saturday for longer metcons and field work training. This includes sleds, hammers, kbs, battling ropes, tires, stones, yokes or anything that takes physical strength.

– Chose one foundation movement per session and incorporate the other as a secondary movement in the conditioning portion.

– Pair that secondary movement with a body weight or other movement that compliments it.

Two weeks of amateur programming would look like this..

Week 1

Day 1
Strength
Squat 3×5
Conditioning
Complete 5 rounds for time:
3 Push Press 95-135 lbs
5 Pull Ups

Day 2
Strength
Deadlift 5 RM
Conditioning
On the minute for 12 minutes
Sprint 50 yards
7 Ball Slams

Day 3
Day Off

Day 4
Strength
Bench 3×5
Conditioning
Complete 3 rounds for time:
5 Squats @ 205 lbs
25 Supine Ring Rows

Day 5
Strength
Power Clean 5×3
Conditioning
Complete 2 rounds for time of:
12, 9, 6 reps of
Strict Chin Ups
Box Jumps 24”

Day 6
Field Strength/Conditioning
10 x 50 yard prowler suicides
*push the sled 25 yards and sprint back the line
*rest 60 seconds between efforts.

Day 7
Off

Week 2

Day 1
Strength
Press 3×5
Conditioning
21, 15, 9 reps of:
Thrusters 135 lbs
Strict Pull Ups
*Each rep of thruster must start on the ground

Day 2
Strength
Deadlift 5 RM (add 10 lbs to last workout)
Conditioning
Complete 5 rounds for time:
3 Power Snatches 115 lbs
7 Push Ups
9 Toes to Bar

Day 3
Day Off

Day 4
Strength
Squat 3×5 (add 5 lbs to last workout)
Conditioning
21, 15, 9 reps of
Bench Press @ body weight
Chin Ups

Day 5
Strength
Power Clean 5×3 (add 2.5 lbs to last workout)
Conditioning
Complete 5 rounds:
7 Deadlifts 250 lbs
14 Double Unders

Day 6
Field Strength/Conditioning
Complete the following:
Tabata Sledgehammer Strikes
Rest 1 minuted
Tabata Burpees
Rest 1 minute
Tabata Sledgehammer
*Alternate LT/RT after each interval
*Only score your smallest round

Day 7
Off

You can take and adapt it for the collegiate strength level as most days have two primary movements. Focus on one movement for strength work and drop the second movement to the conditioning portion of the training.

We have had great success adapting CFFB and other versions of strength training in my own gym, CrossFit Balboa.

Best of luck and next time don’t wait so long to ask a question.