The 3 Most Neglected Strength Methods in CrossFit
Walk into most CrossFit gyms and you'll see the same strength template: warm up, 15–20 minutes of Olympic lifting, then a metcon.
Even advanced programs barely expand this. Maybe some front squats. Maybe a press. But the approach is always the same: Olympic lifting as the primary strength tool.
Training Think Tank coaches say this is a problem. Not because Olympic lifting is bad — it's not — but because most athletes are ignoring three methods that could transform their performance.
This article is inspired by a great podcast from Training Think Tank which I highly encourage you to check out!
Why the Standard Approach Falls Short
Four problems with how most CrossFitters train strength:
Most people aren't technically sound enough to get a true strength stimulus from Olympic lifts. If you can't stabilize a weight overhead, the load is too low to drive real adaptation.
Olympic lifting is one of the worst tools for hypertrophy. Time under tension is fractions of a second — terrible for building muscle.
Speed training is almost entirely absent. CrossFit has swung toward strength and away from speed, but maximal velocity is a critical quality.
There's no method for training peak strength during high-volume competition phases without crushing your nervous system.
The fix? Three methods that most CrossFit athletes never touch.
Method 1: Plyometrics for Speed Training
Plyometrics are explosive, short-duration movements that train your ability to produce maximal velocity with minimal or no load. Box jumps for height. Broad jumps. Depth jumps. Not high-rep box jump overs — true plyometric work.
Why It's Missing
Most CrossFitters think they train speed with sprint intervals. But 10 × 100m with 45 seconds rest isn't speed training — it's speed endurance. By rep 5, you're already slowing down.
True speed training means maximal velocity with full recovery. Less than 5 seconds of effort. Complete rest between attempts.
How to Use It
Box jumps for height: Set the box at a challenging height. Reset completely between jumps. 3–5 sets of 3–5 jumps with 2–3 minutes rest.
Broad jumps: Max distance, full recovery between attempts.
Depth jumps: Step off a box, land, immediately jump vertically. Trains the stretch-shortening cycle.
Frequency: 1–2 times per week, early in the session when you're fresh.
This isn't just for competitors. Speed training raises your performance ceiling for everything — from the Open to playing sports with your kids. For a deeper dive into the science and programming of plyometric work, see our article on plyometric training for CrossFit.
Method 2: Overcoming Isometrics
Overcoming isometrics involve maximally contracting against an immovable object. Not holding a handstand (that's a yielding isometric). You're trying to move something that won't move — like pushing against a bar locked in J-hooks at your sticking point.
Why Nobody Does Them
Isometrics are unsexy. Hard to measure. Hard to set up. No satisfying "I lifted X pounds" moment. But they're incredibly effective for:
Training peak strength with less mechanical damage than heavy lifting
Rehabbing chronic tendon issues (patellar tendinopathy from squatting, for example)
Breaking through sticking points in major lifts
Maintaining strength during high-volume competition phases
How to Use It
Pin presses at your sticking point: Set the bar at your weakest position (forehead level for shoulder press). Push maximally against the pins for 7 seconds. 3–5 sets at different positions.
Mid-thigh clean pulls: Pull against a fixed bar at the second pull position. 7-second max effort contractions.
Front squat isometrics: Set the bar at parallel, get underneath, push maximally for 7 seconds.
Frequency: 2–3 times per week, even during high-volume phases. The mechanical stress is low.
This is the secret weapon for athletes in competition phases who need to maintain strength without adding volume. And for anyone stuck at a plateau.
Method 3: Chains and Bands (Accommodating Resistance)
Chains and bands change the resistance profile of a lift. Chains add weight as you stand up (more resistance at the top). Bands can add or reduce resistance depending on setup.
Why They're Rare in CrossFit Gyms
Equipment and setup time. Most CrossFit gyms don't prioritize them. But they solve a specific problem: getting stuck at certain ranges of motion.
How They Help
Accelerating through sticking points: Increasing resistance forces you to accelerate through the entire range of motion instead of slowing down at your weak point.
Speed under load: Bands can offload the bottom of a movement (helping you past the hardest part) while maintaining resistance at the top.
Novel stimulus: After months of the same linear progressions, chains and bands provide a new stimulus that reignites progress.
How to Use Them
Chain squats: Add chains to your back squat so the load increases as you stand. Forces acceleration through the top.
Band-assisted movements: Use bands to reduce load at the bottom of pull-ups or dips, allowing full range of motion with heavier effective loads at the top.
Frequency: 4–12 week training cycles, typically during off-season or strength-focused phases.
Putting It All Together
These three methods address three different needs.
Plyometrics raises your performance ceiling and is best for everyone, since speed training is rarely included in standard CrossFit programming.
Overcoming isometrics offer sustainability and rehabilitation benefits, making them ideal for athletes in competition phases who need to maintain strength without adding volume, as well as injured athletes who can't tolerate heavy mechanical loading.
Chains and bands are best for breaking through plateaus, particularly for intermediate and advanced athletes who've stalled on linear progressions and need a novel stimulus to keep progressing.
The key insight: having more methods in your toolbox makes you a more resilient athlete. When one approach stops working — or your body can't handle it anymore — you have alternatives.
These methods are "unsexy" and inconvenient. That's exactly why they're underutilized. And that's exactly why they work.
Key Takeaways
Most CrossFit strength training is too narrow — relying primarily on Olympic lifting while missing speed, isometric, and accommodating resistance methods.
Plyometrics train true speed (maximal velocity, full recovery) — a quality almost entirely absent from CrossFit programming.
Overcoming isometrics let you train peak strength with less mechanical damage, making them ideal for competition phases and injury rehab.
Chains and bands change the resistance profile to help you accelerate through sticking points and break through plateaus.
Having more training methods keeps athletes engaged, progressing, and healthy over the long term.
These methods are unsexy and inconvenient — which is exactly why they work.
This article is based on insights from the Training Think Tank (TTT) podcast.
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