Can someone who comes from a predominantly met-con background still make sizeable gains on major lifts?
Head coach at Cambridge-based CrossFit RNA Ben Silva-Weatherley thinks so, as long as the right balance is maintained. Ben runs CrossFit RNA (Raw Natural Ability) with business partner Scott Cooke, and wife Ana Silva-Weatherley, who recently placed 3rd in the scaled division of The Athlete Games.
1. How did you get into Crossfit, and what was your first ever WOD?
(Ana:Ben introduced me to Crossfit-style training in 2012, the day before my PhD viva! I did 3 minutes of as many burpees as possible, a short version of a 2012 open WOD (7 minutes of as many burpees as possible.)
Ben: My first ever WOD was a Crossfit lady, Cindy. It’s a 20 minute AMRAP of 5 pull ups, 10 push ups and 15 air squats. I have always been into strength and conditioning and a friend suggested I try this workout. I always considered myself a relatively fit person but I was destroyed by “her” and have been hooked ever since.
Scott: I stumbled across Crossfit in 2008 while looking for new ways to challenge members of my circuits class. First WOD I ever did was Fran (21-15-9, thrusters/pull-ups). It was disgusting!
2. What are your top 3 tips for getting the most out of your athletic performance?
Ben:
- Go to an affiliate (seek good coaching).
- Spend time perfecting movement technique before worrying about strength gains.
- Hard work and dedication.
Scott:
- Consistency – hitting a session 3+ times a week.
- Correct recovery and sleep!
- Correct fuel – paleo(ish), supplements and hydration.
3. What are the qualities of a good Crossfitter?
Ana: A good Crossfitter is someone who’s not afraid of a challenge, who gives 100% to every workout, and constantly wants to be better than yesterday.
Ben: A good Crossfitter in my opinion is someone who’s hard working and always looking to challenge themselves both physically and mentally. They seek to perfect their craft while helping and supporting others around them to do the same. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication, and not just in the gym but outside of it too. A lot of time and effort needs to be spent daily on understanding the movements, the nutrition, perfecting technique, and constantly working to improve mobility in order to help performance. Crossfit is more than just fitness, it’s a lifestyle.
4. Tell us about the experience of training strength and conditioning, and then bringing those same people over to full-on Crossfit…
Ben: A good percentage of our members at CrossFit RNA come from a fitness background based on Crossfit principals called “Strength and Conditioning”. This was a studio based class that was built around light weight Met-Cons.
It was a good building block for people to learn more about the methodology of Crossfit. Having the opportunity to open CrossFit RNA meant that myself and these athletes had access to full-on Crossfit in a full-equipped affiliate. The transition was natural and easy.
5. A lot of your members come from a heavy Met-Con background, what effect has this had on their training?
Ben: A lot of our members have very good “engines” thanks to high volume Met-Cons with lighter loads. However, they lack experience doing proper strength training. This is something we take into account when designing the programming at CrossFit RNA.
A heavy Met-Con background means that their base line fitness is very high and this, over time, combined with a structured strength training style will make them all very well rounded athletes.
6. Is friendly competition between members healthy?
Scott: In the correct circumstance, yes. I personally like some competition but it’s not what makes me do Crossfit. I sometimes see it get the better of people and that’s never a good thing. If you have respect for Crossfit you will know that whiteboard will give you a big dose of humble pie every now and then and I think that is great for building respect for everyone who does Crossfit.
7. How important is a sense of community? Does it have an effect on members’ performance?
Ben: The Community is probably my favourite thing about Crossfit. Being able to share your experiences, the sweat, the pain, the sense of accomplishment, the PBs and the laughter with each other helps to create a bond that will last a life time. I think that surrounding yourself with people who have a similar mindset and who help to push you daily will only help to take your performance to another level.
8. Can you hit heavy met-cons and still make good progress in big lifts?
Ana: Looking at our members’ progress, I’d say definitely. We always hit something heavy, whether its before or during the WOD. The combination of a light Met-Con and a strength piece, or a heavy Met-Con, allows us to build metabolic capacity and build strength. This way we are always prepared for whatever life throw at us – playing with a toddler, carry the shopping, climbing, skiing or just enjoying life.
Ben: I believe you can gain strength through heavy Met-Con training, as you are constantly subjecting yourself to heavy loads whether it be for short or high repetitions. However, in order to maximise your strength gains I would promote a strength training program to run along side your metabolic workouts. This is something that we keep in mind when designing our programming at CrossFit RNA.
9. What advice do you have for structuring programming to get the most from your members?
Ben: My best advice is to get your members to focus on perfecting their technique in the 9 fundamental lifts of Crossfit (air, front and overhead squat, press, push press and push jerk, deadlift, sumo deadlift high-pull and medball clean), before jumping into some of the high complex movements such as musle ups, snatches etc. This will provide a great base for all other movements and lifts.
I think couplet and triplet-style workouts are great, as they give you the most bang for your buck, in terms of intensity and power output.
10. Who’s winning the Games in 2015?
Ana: Difficult question. On the ladies side, I think Sam Briggs could do it again. On the men’s side, maybe Mat Fraser will do it. There are a lot of hungry guys around.
Ben: For the men, I think Mat Fraser. He is the most complete athlete with a good blend of explosive power, speed and strength. As for the ladies, I think Sam Briggs will do it again. She’s hungry and wants to prove that she’s still the fittest.
Scott: Easy, Mat Fraser, but I’d like Steven Fawcett to podium.
Visit CrossFit RNA
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