Enthusiastic coaches can be susceptible to focusing on the details or the shiny new coaching idea they come across rather than the basic, simple things that matter the most. This coaching catnip might come from a good place of curiosity and a desire to share information, but it neglects the big rocks.

This week we talk about some examples of the coaching catnip you might see in a CrossFit gym or in remote coaching, and reflect on what is actually important and what truly moves the needle forward in coaching. Check out the episode to hear more about breathing drills, secret weightlifting drills and knowing your basic times tables in coaching.

If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.

We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops

• [1:00] Coaching catnip and focusing on the wrong things

• [3:30] Figuring out the most important thing to address when coaching someone

• [5:20] Secret weightlifting drills

• [7:00] Learning how to simplify complex coaching concepts

• [11:30] Coaching catnip with programming and progressions

• [14:15] Getting the reps in on very basic and simple training

While the goals, training, and purpose of training between a competitor and the general population may differ greatly, there are many skills a coach can develop by working more with the other group. Most would assume that the focus and attention to detail shown by a competitor are what would be transferable, but in fact, the opposite is often true.

Competitors showcase what is important, what is possible, and in some cases simplify how a coach views training. Some of these athletes do everything "wrong" according to certain strength and conditioning textbooks, yet they still improve.

Check out this week's episodes, where we talk about how good competitors help coaches see the bigger picture in training and highlight what really matters for long-term development in general population groups.

If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.

We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops

These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.

Show Notes:

• [2:00] Keeping the goals of the athlete in mind

• [4:00] With competitors the coach dictates the goals more

• [5:30] Many things don't matter as much as we are made to believe

• [7:00] More is better for beginners

• [9:00] Pushing gen pop clients more

• [10:30] Smaller details can matter more for gen pop than competitors

• [13:00] Coaches should coach and programme for athletes better than themselves

• [15:30] Good competitors show you how simple it can be

• [20:00] Why some gyms don't push gen pop as much

• [24:30] Just getting people to pay attention goes a long way

There are always a few class members who, after a while, begin to progress at a very slow rate or become stagnant in their performance. This is often met with frustration and sometimes inaction, which raises the question of whether some people actually want to improve or if they are content simply turning up.

This week, we discuss how class members might be able to improve and progress without necessarily doing additional work. Sometimes, having better intention and pulling the right levers can go a long way.

If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.

We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops

These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.

Show Notes:

• [2:00] Do people need to do extras on top of class

• [4:30] When behaviours are not aligned with goals

• [6:45] You have to care enough to take action

• [9:30] Improving or just always doing new things

• [14:00] Factoring in someone's starting point

• [15:30] Many just need a bit of intention

• [22:30] Pros and cons of competitiveness

Moving into a phase of lower training volume as a competitor taking things less seriously can be a difficult transition. CrossFit demands a great deal, and when you're accustomed to putting in the work to improve and progress, letting go of some of that progress, or even just slowing the rate of improvement, can feel like a big ask.

Is it possible to improve at a lower volume than competitors typically maintain in such a high-volume sport? Keeping intensity and strength doesn't require much, but the ability to tolerate the demanding nature of competition and qualifiers can fade quickly. It really is a use-it-or-lose-it quality.

In this episode, we explore the concept of a minimum effective programme, whether such an approach can actually work, and discuss the changes in goals and pursuits we often see among former CrossFit competitors.

If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.

We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops

These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.

Show Notes:

• [00:00] Former competitors struggling to take it easier

• [03:30] Can you improve if you reduce your training volume

• [05:00] The time and volume required to compete in CrossFit

• [07:00] The general pursuit of improvement in training

• [10:50] Having diverse training goals while doing CrossFit

• [14:15] Does competing in CrossFit allow you to do other things

• [19:00] Focusing on mastering skills after competing

• [22:00] What elements of CrossFit do you keep or omit when not competing

• [25:00] The classic CrossFit Football training template

• [27:00] The health benefits of training at a lower volume after competing

Hang around a CrossFit gym for ten minutes and you'll probably hear some coaching of hip extension going on. It might be "popping the hips" during a kipping movement, "finish the pull" in a snatch or clean, or the old "squeeze your butt" at the top of a squat or deadlift.

All coaching cues have a degree of truth behind them, but some are overused to the point where they are unhelpful or even misleading. An overemphasis on hip extension in movement is definitely one of those cues that are overused.

In this week's episode we discuss the use of coaching cues, rant a little about the ones we find misleading and explore some of the reasons why these cues are overused. Check out the episode to hear what we find are better cues, and ways of thinking about and coaching movement.

If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.

We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops

These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.

Show Notes:

[0:45] 'Popping the hips' on a ring muscle-up is misleading

• [3:00] What we actually need in the ring muscle-up

• [5:00] Overemphasis on hip extension in athleticism and movement

• [7:00] Triple extension in the weightlifting

• [8:30] Overpulling coming from overcueing the pull

• [12:00] Transitional phases in movement and the idea of 'contract and relax'

• [16:00] Cueing body parts versus cueing actions with an external focus

• [18:00] Just repeating coaching cues without understanding them

• [23:00] Overcoaching in coaching certifications

• [25:00] When people have the wrong idea about a movement

With hybrid training and events like Hyrox on the rise, more gyms are adapting—some diversifying their class offerings, others going as far as de-affiliating from CrossFit entirely. In this episode, we explore how the functional fitness landscape is shifting and what that means for gym owners.

Todd draws a brilliant analogy between the spectrum of fitness offerings and doom metal. On one end, you've got the aggressive intensity of CrossFit, on the other, the more polished, accessible experience of a Barry's Bootcamp-style class. We discuss what makes a gym successful, how onboarding (or the lack of it) shapes the experience, and how location can make or break a business model.

From small-town boxes with no local competition to city gyms surrounded by ClassPass options, this episode looks at the changing dynamics of functional fitness, and why doom metal might explain more than you'd think.

If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.

We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops

These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.

Show Notes:

• [0:00] Introduction

• [3:30] Doom metal and the functional fitness

• [7:00] The spectrum of functional fitness classes

• [9:30] Appealing to market trends

• [12:30] The business model of a CrossFit gym in a small town versus a big city

• [15:30] What makes a good business model for a CrossFit gym

• [21:00] CrossFit and maximising the square footage of a gym

• [23:00] The marketing message from CrossFit

As a competitor moves up the ranks, the experience they get from different competitions can vary drastically. At some competitions, the standard of the division matches really well with prior expectations and the qualification process. Whereas in a different competition, divisions are named the same as others, but it's a notch or two up or down when comparing.

This difference can be very frustrating as an athlete and coach. It means that some competitions don't provide useful information to help with training and improving.

It's going to be impossible to make everyone happy–for some it will be too hard and for others it will be too easy. But having some consistency across competitions will make for a much more streamlined process in both competing and training for athletes.

In this week's episode, we explore potential ways of having some level of guidance or standardization, as well as discuss the realities for athletes competing at different divisions and progressing throughout their training and competing.

If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.

We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops

These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.

Show Notes:

• [1:00] Difference amongst divisions in different competitions

• [3:10] Can you keep all participants happy?

• [5:00] The Open is not longer the measure it was

• [7:30] Finding common benchmarking amongst competitions

• [15:20] Should divisions be policed by competition organisers?

• [23:30] Standardization or guidance

• [26:00] Level systems from back in the day

Cheating in CrossFit has been around since the early days of the Open and online qualifiers. From athletes looping videos to some competitors being exposed year after year at Regionals, it's a persistent undercurrent in the sport. But how widespread is cheating and does it always happen intentionally?

At one end of the spectrum, you have blatant rule-breaking, like switching out a medicine ball for a lighter one. At the other, you see more subtle infractions, such as a judge giving a warning for a squat that is just shy of full depth. Both technically count as cheating, but they are worlds apart in intent and impact.

In this episode, we dive into the kinds of cheating we've seen over the years, some being very entertaining, and examine how the current CrossFit Games season, with its heavy reliance on virtual competition, creates even more opportunities for rule-bending.

If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.

We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops

These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.

Show Notes:

• [1:00] Cheating in online qualifiers
• [3:00] How many athletes are cheating in the open?
• [8:00] Cale Layman in this years open
• [10:15] Having to verify scores when athletes judge each other
• [13:00] Qualifying athletes to the games without in person competitions
• [16:10] When an athlete or judge might accidentally cheat
• [19:30] Is the 2025 season going to be a good test?
• [21:00] Team athletes making it to the games without basic skills

One of the classic clichés often repeated by coaches is that the best programme in the world, executed poorly, is far less effective than the worst programme executed well. While it's true that a poorly designed programme can still be ineffective, there is merit in the idea that how you train matters more than what's on paper.

Teaching athletes how to train effectively and execute a programme to the best of their ability is one of the best leverage points for a coach. Much of this comes down to observing and interpreting training outcomes. These results often reveal whether the athlete is approaching training with the right intent, understands what truly matters, and knows which outcomes will most help their progress.

In this week's episode, we explore some of the common areas where athletes tend to need more guidance in their training. We discuss motivation, the athlete's relationship with the training process, and share a few stories of interesting results we've seen over the years.

If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.

We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops

These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.

Show Notes:

• [2:30] Teaching athletes how to train
• [5:00] Picking up helpful ideas from training with others
• [8:00] Navigating feedback with training
• [10:00] When an athlete doesn't care that much
• [14:30] Communicating and processing results
• [17:30] Recording the results for conditioning
• [21:30] Recognising what results are important

One of the challenges in a highly varied sport like CrossFit is determining whether we're actually improving. Once an athlete has accumulated a significant amount of training volume, the classic test-retest approach on isolated elements of the sport becomes less effective. We can spend weeks or even months working on a particular movement, only to struggle with it again when the context shifts slightly. Coaches can use tools such as variation, psychological momentum, and developing complementary areas to support progress—but what happens when an athlete hits a ceiling with a specific movement or combination? In this week's episode, we explore strategies for programming that help athletes continue improving their weaknesses. We discuss when it's best to zoom out and focus on general adaptations, and when it's necessary to get tactical and hone in on the specifics.

If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to www.legionsc.com to get a weekly selection of training tips and our favorite articles.

We run online workshops for coaches as well. Find out when our next workshop is here: https://legionsc.com/program-design-workshops

These podcasts are posted in video format on YouTube as well.

Show Notes:

• [1:00] Test retest
• [3:20] Improvement through repetition
• [6:00] Using variation to help
• [10:00] Hitting your ceiling for progression
• [13:00] How do you actually measure physiological improvement
• [17:00] General versus specific adaptations
• [21:00] Working on major weaknesses longer term