Legion Strength & Conditioning Podcast

Coaches Jon, Luke and Todd have decades of combined coaching experience, and they've each worked with multiple CrossFit Games athletes. They’ve seen every coaching method, programming trick, and mindset hack under the sun, and, in the Legion Strength & Conditioning podcast, they deconstruct what works best to get CrossFit athletes results -- better and faster.

#154 - Who's Cheating? 06/11/2025

#153 - How to Train? 05/18/2025

#152 - Are You Actually Getting Better? 05/07/2025

#151 - Big Changes to Training 04/02/2025

#150 - Arguing About Book Learning 03/10/2025

#149 - Beyond MGW 03/02/2025

#148 - World Fitness Project 02/19/2025

#148 - World Fitness Project In the past couple of months, a new type of fitness competition has been generating a lot of anticipation. Headed by multiple-time CrossFit Games athlete Will Moorad, the World Fitness Project is entering the competitive landscape in a year when the CrossFit Games is undergoing its biggest changes yet. The competition consists of two tour events and a finals event at the end of 2025. There are 20 professionally signed male and female athletes, along with 10 challengers at each event. Additionally, team and masters competitions will take place at these events. Overall, this competition appears to create a clear pathway for athletes to compete in the sport and make a living as professional fitness athletes. They have released a movement list for the season, already demonstrating standardisation we haven't seen in CrossFit. The WFP has signed many of the sport's top athletes, with several planning to compete in both the CrossFit Games and the WFP season. In this week’s episode, we discuss what this could look like from a training perspective and whether it provides mid-tier competitors with a more structured and potentially rewarding outlet than what CrossFit has offered in the past. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to 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: These podcasts are posted in video format on as well. Show Notes: [0:30] What is the WFP? [3:30] CrossFit lending itself to a tour-style sport [4:30] The challenge of making money from events [6:30] Streamlining competition for athletes [8:30] Frustrations with online competition [11:30] Getting structure in training through competition [14:30] Competing in person vs. focusing solely on qualifiers [18:00] Standardisation in competition [22:30] Will the WFP offer more structure than CrossFit? [24:30] The “no man’s land” for many competitors [26:00] The importance of having direction from competition /episode/index/show/legionsc/id/35348040

#147 - Improving Moderate Weight Barbell Conditioning 01/20/2025

#147 - Improving Moderate Weight Barbell Conditioning There are a few qualities in CrossFit that can be quite difficult to improve for certain people. It’s usually a mix of different problems that manifest in one or two specific styles of workouts in CrossFit. It’s not quite this, but not quite that, either. One of those qualities is moderate-weight barbell conditioning pieces—typically something like a 135/95 barbell performed for high reps with a lot of other movements included in the workout. It’s not a heavy barbell where strength is going to slow you down, but it’s also not a lighter barbell where your breathing is going to be the main limiter. It is an endurance issue, but due to the movements this issue arises on, there is a strength element at play as well. The important thing with training this quality is not to let yourself blow up and reach that point of no return. You want to develop as much capacity and training volume below that point to try and push this further. Check out this episode to hear how we work on this issue, how we structure workouts for endurance limitations, and how this problem relates to other qualities required in the sport. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to 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: These podcasts are posted in video format on as well. Show Notes: [0:30] The issue at hand [2:00] Adjusting traditional CrossFit metcons first and then going deeper if needed [5:00] Structuring workouts to target more enduring qualities [9:40] Hard workouts are easy to programme [11:00] Not a clear-cut route to improving this quality [12:30] 80/20 rule with pulling and pushing your training [14:15] Breaking the movement down to keep the athlete moving [16:00] Interval Weight Training [17:30] Is this a movement-specific problem? [20:00] Difference between barbell battery work and moderate-weight conditioning [21:15] Squatters versus hingers /episode/index/show/legionsc/id/34923155

#146 - How to Train for the New Open 01/13/2025

#146 - How to Train for the New Open Now that the Open is advancing significantly fewer athletes to the next stage of the CrossFit Games—online semi-finals—will we see athletes shifting their training to become more specialised? Looking at the numbers, only a very small number of athletes will make it into the top 1% of the Open. This means even the best of the best cannot afford a poor performance in any of the three weeks of competition. Given the constraints of needing to complete Open workouts in an affiliate —most likely able to be done in regular classes—we can make some educated guesses about how these workouts will be programmed. With three workouts, and potentially up to four scored events if there’s a two-part workout, the variety of movements will be limited. This means the weighting of any single movement could become disproportionately important—especially if one of the events involves a max lift, which would be scored on a single movement. It's likely we’ll see workouts designed with progressive skill levels, such as moving from pull-ups to chest-to-bar pull-ups, and then to bar muscle-ups. These factors point towards a particular style of CrossFit workout that athletes may need to focus on in their training. For example, those who struggle with movements like burpees, wall balls, or rowing will likely need to dedicate significant time to improving in these areas. But is it worth making such changes to your training? Considering the Games season is still evolving and will likely continue to undergo smaller changes and iterations in the coming years, it’s possible that next season could demand a different skill set. In this week’s episode, we continue our discussion about competition and the changes to the season. We take a closer look at how these changes might impact athletes’ preparation and the decisions they’ll need to make about their training. Listen to find out more about how these changes could impact athletes’ preparation, whether the Open now comes down to the luck of the draw, how to allocate training time for different competition styles, and the shift towards local events. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to 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: These podcasts are posted in video format on as well. Show Notes: [1:00] The structure of the new CrossFit Games season [2:20] Taking the top 1% from the Open [4:20] What does removing the Open do for athletes? [5:45] How many athletes will qualify for semi-finals? [6:30] Mistakes, penalties, and judging live or via video [10:20] Should people specialise just for the Open? [12:30] Will things change again? [13:30] Prioritising and allocating training time for different styles of competition [15:00] Is the Open now all about the luck of the draw? [18:30] The shift to local events [21:00] Archetypes of athletes making it through the Open /episode/index/show/legionsc/id/34837855

#145 - Local vs Online Competitions 12/19/2024

#145 - Local vs Online Competitions With the recent announcements from CrossFit regarding changes to the 2025 season, some athletes are exploring alternative avenues for competition, placing less emphasis—if any at all—on the Open and the CrossFit Games season as a whole. While the top athletes in the sport excel in both in-person and online competitions, at the mid-tier and local level, the profile of athletes who perform well in online competitions often differs from those who thrive in local, in-person events. This disparity largely comes down to the types of workouts, movements, and equipment used in these formats. Online competitions, constrained to the four walls of a gym and a more limited equipment list, generally rely on one key element: volume. Over the years, the volume of movements in online competitions has increased substantially. For example, in the very first Open workout (2011), top scores included 270–300 double-unders in a 10-minute workout. Seven years later, in 18.3, the best scores reached 800 double-unders in a 14-minute workout. In contrast, in-person local events often incorporate challenges that cannot be replicated in an online format. It’s not uncommon for up to 20% of the testing body to consist of a single movement, such as a running-only event like a 5k trail run. In this week’s episode, we explore the differences between these types of competitions and discuss whether it’s worth adjusting your training to prepare for more in-person local competitions. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to 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: These podcasts are posted in video format on as well. Show Notes: [2:00] A renewed interest in other competitions following the CrossFit Games 2025 season announcement [3:00] Key differences between online and in-person competitions [8:00] Equipment considerations for online competitions [12:30] How running translates into general aerobic fitness and conditioning [16:00] The importance of volume tolerance versus general fitness [20:30] Using online competitions to build training volume early in your career [23:30] The trade-off of building volume for movements that are less frequently tested /episode/index/show/legionsc/id/34534675

#144 - Online Semis 12/03/2024

#143 - Goat Movements in Conditioning 11/20/2024

#142 - Switching Training Days 11/13/2024

#141 - Volume Tolerance after Time Off 11/05/2024

#140 - Changing Bodyweight for Athletes 10/27/2024

#139 - What to Do on Bonked Intervals 10/08/2024

#138 - Progression Isn't Needed to Progress 09/12/2024

#137 - Competing without Going Crazy 08/21/2024

#137 - Competing without Going Crazy For someone devoting themselves to the sport of CrossFit, the way they train and approach competition is pretty clear-cut. Similarly, for the person doing classes to be healthy and stay fit, the way you train is clear-cut. But for the person who wants to do local competition, treat CrossFit as a recreational sport, but isn't interested in overstretching themselves, it can be more challenging. It's this messy middle ground that can be hard for athletes and coaches to navigate. The sport of CrossFit is different from the training methodology, and it's a challenge to try to get the best from both. In this episode of the podcast, we discuss our experiences working in gyms where this comes up and remote coaching athletes who try to do this. We also talk about some ways CrossFitters can take themselves a little less seriously in their training but still get something from the competitive side of the sport. We also discuss the recent move towards endurance activities for many CrossFitters as they get older and transition out of the sport. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to 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: These podcasts are posted in video format on as well. Show Notes: [1:00] Competing but not taking it too seriously [2:20] Competitors at South Loop SC [4:30] Competitors at CrossFit Omnia [6:30] CrossFit as a methodology versus a sport [8:13] Competitive landscape in different countries [9:30] When it might be inappropriate for someone to compete [13:30] Behaviour and competitiveness other recreational sports compared to CrossFit [16:00] Compartmentalising training and competing in CrossFit [17:30] Magical thinking in competitive CrossFit [19:00] CrossFitters transitioning into more endurance style events /episode/index/show/legionsc/id/32672882

#136 - Semis Recap 07/31/2024

#135 - Quarterfinals Penalties 07/11/2024

#134 - Skepticism of Scientism 06/26/2024

#133 - Next Season 06/09/2024

#132 - Disappointment with Online Qualifiers 04/24/2024

#131 - Getting More Exposure to the Sport 04/11/2024

#130 - What to Do After a Competition 03/14/2024

#129 - Skill Work on Non-competition Movements 02/08/2024

#128 - DUMB Goals 01/24/2024

#127 - CrossFit Affiliate Fee Increase 01/10/2024

#126 - Training Camps 12/31/2023

#126 - Training Camps Since the first CrossFit Games, there have been certain trends that athletes have adopted to excel in the sport. There have always been those athletes who do well under the direction of a coach and others who might be more independent or even train with a group of fellow competitors. But as the sport grows and coaching businesses grow with it, you're starting to see a lot of athletes training under a training camp model. You're even finding that many of the best athletes from years past are heading up these camps. But how many of the top performers at the CrossFit Games train at these camps? Using training camps to facilitate competition in training has its advantages, but does the group aspect of the training get in the way of long-term development for athletes? This week, we talk about the upsides and potential drawbacks of a group training model versus an individualised approach and discuss what the role and impact of a coach might be to higher-level athletes. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to 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: These podcasts are posted in video format on as well. Show Notes: [0:30] Training camps in the US and Europe [4:00] When athletes bounce around training camps and programmes [5:00] How much do the interpersonal dynamics effect athletes staying on [7:00] Balancing training environment, competitions and individual training needs [9:30] Athletes getting paid to follow programmes [13:00] What would yield the best results - unstructured group training or structured individualisation? [16:30] Athletes not feeling good enough for a individualised programme [19:40] Does coaching matter at the top level? [22:30] What kind of impact can coach actually have on an athletes overall development /episode/index/show/legionsc/id/29286323

#125 - Team Training vs Individual Training 12/13/2023

#125 - Team Training vs Individual Training Team competition back in the earlier days of CrossFit consisted of relay-style workouts, where the total score was the sum of individual efforts. This style of workout meant that the training could primarily be individual, and often you would see a broader range of abilities in team, maybe with one athlete always getting bottlenecked by a certain weight or skill. Now we see elements like the worm, synchronised reps and different workout structures that make team competition more about the team. In this episode, we discuss balancing a CrossFit Games team's individual and team training, with Jon providing insight into the preparation for CrossFit Omnia. Here are some of the interesting topics discussed in this episode; We often hear about teammates pushing each other in workouts to go harder, but does it work the other way around? Do athletes subconsciously slow down and go easier when others call for rest? Do those team dynamics work both ways? One of the key things to consider when managing the distribution of team and individual is weighing up the trade-offs between practicing team workouts and not quite getting the right stimulus for everyone versus doing individual workouts where it's easier to get everyone hitting the desired stimulus. If you're not already subscribed to our newsletter, head over to 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: These podcasts are posted in video format on as well. Show Notes: [1:00] How does Jon manage the team training at CrossFit Omnia [5:00] The distribution of team workouts vs individual workouts for team athletes [7:00] Why is doing team workouts important? [8:00] Worm work for teams [13:00] Does teamwork detract from an athlete's overall fitness [17:00] Team dynamics slowing performances down [21:45] The right distribution of team and individual training for team athletes during the season /episode/index/show/legionsc/id/29054498

Legion Strength & Conditioning Podcast

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