An Effective, Yet Simple Strength and Conditioning Program
I devised a program in 2009 for my CrossFit class that placed an emphasis on getting stronger. I created a .pdf of the outline and sent it around the internet, and it has been floating around since. I’ve wanted to update that file to clarify some concepts as well as improve the writing style. I’ve also made a small amendment to the program. What used to be known as the CFWF program is something I just call the Strength and Conditioning Program (SC&P) — my friends at Amarillo Strength and Conditioning/CF Amarillo started the name, so I’m just going to keep it.
I blatantly point out that this program is for a strength novice who has neglected strength training. It may not be optimal for certain athletic specialties, yet I see it as a preparatory program for sports in general. I’ve had lots of people get pretty strong using this — one friend took his 400x1RM deadlift to 450×5 while gaining 20 pounds of muscle, and maintained or improved benchmark CrossFit workouts.
The conditioning workouts can be tailored to fit a personal style or goal. Someone needing to prepare for a PT test would condition for the test using the principles I lay out in the outline. If someone wanted to prepare for specific sports, events, or military obligations, shifting the ratio of strength:conditioning would be necessary. I’ll update it soon with workouts I and others have created and used while doing it.
Basically, if you’re someone that needs to increase strength while keeping conditioning in a program, this is for you.
50 thoughts on “Simple Strength and Conditioning Program v2.0”
You must log in to post a comment.
let me be the first to say AWESOME. I look forward to reading the update.
Justin, this is fantastic! Thanks for posting it.
For the conditioning workouts, it says to keep them short – I’m assuming that means to ratchet up the intensity as well, yeah?
Also, if I’m doing the standard LP A/B day workouts from Starting Strength, should I move directly into this or keep going with LP until I max out, then switch to this program?
I’m not going to airborne school until next spring or summer, but my sergeant is making us take diagnostic PT tests once a month. This seriously messes with my workout schedule since I want to excel on the PT tests, but I can’t give 100% on those and also work out at 100% consistently. Anyway, point being, I do have to run before jump school.
To they run at jump school? Or does your sergeant not want his guys to look like a bunch of poons when they get there? Can’t blame him if that’s the case.
1. Intensity needs to be high, yes. That is imperative.
2. Your LP question depends on your goals. If you’re in the military I’d say go on an easy run every week, even if you’re doing the LP so your joints stay adapted to it. Basically if you think you need more conditioning or running time, then make a switch. You’ll still get stronger.
–Justin
Finished reading and saw that this program includes linear progression on the lifts, so at risk of being one of those guys who switches his workout plan every time something new comes along, I think I’ll just go with this.
Just saw this. Rightio.
And for you other people, I have ways to implement an intermediate shift to it. That was one of the biggest issues I heard about it before.
–Justin
Justin, you originally seperated strength and conditioning to different days. What made you go back to doing both on the same day?
Originally my class that met at 5 PM would kind of dick around and not ever get to power cleans or deadlifts. In order to ensure they did them in the week I bumped them to the next day. I like the set up because if all you do is a conditioning workout, you are only training for like twenty minutes, so doing a lift and then conditioning gives people a better sense of accomplishment.
If it fit someone’s schedule better they could always put it back a day, but then the workout becomes a long one, especially since I’ve added dips.
–Justin
The program looks fantastic. Thank you for posting this!
I would expect to see dips Monday and pull-ups/chin-ups Tuesday. What’s the reason for flipping them? I might be concerned that having presses Monday, dips Tuesday, and bench and dips Thursday could cause problems… Thanks again!
I don’t think dips are very stressful unless A) you’re doing them for the first day or B) you’re weighting them. Wednesday is an off day, so whatever stress caused by dips on Tuesday should be irrelevant come Thursday. If you think they are hampering you, then switch them, but I worry more about pull-ups/chin-ups affecting Thursday’s workout more. If a lot of people say dips are messing it all up, then I’ll amend what I’ve written. Push-ups could also replaced the dips if someone were in the military.
I wrote that assuming they’d be body weight dips, because I wouldn’t expect anybody that needs to get stronger dipping 100 pounds for reps.
–Justin
Thanks for the info.
Ive been doing this program (well your old version with my own tweaks, which involved dips oddly enough).
I’m seeing some good gains and really enjoy being able to do some conditioning with out fucking up my lifts.
I’m recovering from a torn pec, so I’m pressing twice a week. My press numbers have increased 5lbs per workout for the past 3 weeks. Ive also added some more auxiliary lifts ie: power shrugs, push jerks, bent over rows, etc…Simply because I enjoy doing them and they haven’t negatively impacted my big 4.
Again, I really appreciate you publishing this. Its really helped me hone in on a consistent programming approach.
You could push-press on the second press workout while your pec recovers. Side note: If it’s not a serious pec injury you should rehab it instead of letting it rest (don’t know if you are or not, just saying).
–Justin
Thanks for publishing this. I’m going to stick to my 3×5 major lifts linear progression program for as long as I possibly can (I did 5×5 for over a year before recently switching to 3×5). Once I stall two more times on squats I think I’ll try this out for a while to mix things up before going to a 5/3/1 program.
Newsflash: Rich Chocolate Ovaltine is so fucking good. Get some. If you can’t find it in your grocery store, check the tea section.
Amarillo! Justin’s program has worked out great for us. It allows for trainees to take advantage of their novice gains, while also satisfying their sometimes unreasonable desire to “condition” without disrupting their strength gains. In short, it has allowed trainees who needed some conditioning to also get significantly stronger, and those who think they “need” to condition got their fix while getting what they really needed, which was to get stronger.
Would barbell complexes be suitable for conditioning? Or would that be too much?
That’d be suitable. It’d be more on the “preferable” end.
–Justin
Justin, at the risk of ending “sweaty” rather than actually “training”: would a workable conditioning WO be, say, a 7-minute continuous run on a treadmill @ max incline?
Umm, depends on why you’re doing it. Without the “why” I’d say that it’s too long to maintain any effective intensity. Now if you split that up to anywhere from one to three minute intervals (the best being between 1:30 and 2:00 for an average person), I’d like it better.
–Justin
Will this program get my traps swole?
Fuck. We should add shrugs.
I posted that, and then the analytical side of me couldn’t help but rev up: If a person is skinny/weak and needing to get stronger, they should just get stronger and gain some lean body mass before worrying about getting swole. THEN we’d add the shrugs.
–Justin
Justin: I guess the why is just so I can sorta check off the “aerobic pathway” box to the maximum extent possible within your “keep conditioning short” constraints. No specific need other than that.
Re your suggested intervals: is that 2:00 run/2:00 rest kinda thing (ie run & rest intervals are equal)?
If you are sprinting or going above 80%, you will probably want/need more than that. In my workshops I talk about a weekly process where you start with 3 to 4 minutes of rest on a 400m run (which might be close to 2 minutes for an average person) and work the rest period down by 30 seconds every week. I’d fully recover the first time doing it.
I did some 400m repeats on gravel the other day and 3 minutes was sufficient recovery for me, but I adapt and recover pretty quickly.
–Justin
Justin-
I just emailed you a list of conditioning workouts I used when I did CFWF last winter–feel free to pass them around.
I think if I was to do it again I would do the pullups as a 3×5 linear progression. I was only doing them on Mondays as 3 max sets at a given weight, and my gains were pretty minimal and basically stopped after the first month or so. Would you say a linear progression is the way to go, or would there be a chance of that messing up recovery once the weights get too high?
Got the e-mail and responded. I thought they were excellent. And did you mean 3×5 weighted LP on pull-ups?
If you gained bodyweight during the time you were doing this (which I’m pretty sure you did, if I recall correctly) and your pull-up numbers stayed the same, then you got stronger in them. However, since you’re in the USMC, your absolute pull-up numbers are what is relevant for the PFT. In v2.0 it has them doing chins and pull-ups each once a week for a total of two related workouts a week — do you think that would make a difference? Do you think your PFT pull-ups would have increased if you LP’d the pull-ups?
And if you were asking me if LP-ing the pull-ups would work, I think it would. I’d just make five pound jumps. If they are done on Monday of this v2.0, then they shouldn’t interfere with Thursday.
–Justin
Awesome. It is time to lean my fat ass out some, so the timing on this is great. I’m going to have a go at using this with a couple of conditioning workouts I have used in the past with success. I’ll have to change it a bit to fit my schedule and to see if I can adjust it to my age and my sporting needs.
It is my duty (doody?) to point out that the body comp part is largely a factor of your diet. You’ll probably get some use out of added conditioning, but just keep that in mind.
–Justin
Justin, is there a reason you program POWER cleans vs. full squat cleans? Additionally, would you program snatches into this template?
1. I would add power snatches before the power cleans.
2. In a general strength program the explosive nature in power cleans helps more motor units fire (the same stuff discussed in the power clean chapter in “Starting Strength”). I want a person in this situation to move weight as fast as possible as high as they can. Power cleans have to be jumped higher for success. I’m not interested in having the lifter squat each rep up since squatting is done on Monday and Thursday.
3. Typically someone in this position isn’t going to be proficient with the Olympic lifts, even though they think they are. Most people dump a high percentage of their full snatches, so the full movements aren’t something I’m concerned with in this situation.
4. If someone were proficient, I’d still keep it at power snatch or clean because of the squatting going on. If they wanted better Oly practice, then they’d go on a more Oly-focused program. You have to specify your goals; you can’t have it all and be effective.
–Justin
My trouble is finding conditioning workouts that didn’t overtrain the same parts or parts I’m going to use the next day. Or am I being a pussy?
I’m interested in seeing Eric’s list. Please post pronto.
You aren’t a pussy, but you may need help in placing workouts effectively. That’ll go in v2.1. I trust that you know which body parts you are using in a given movement. In essence, don’t kill the body parts you just trained and avoid training the body parts that you will need to train in the next few days.
Example: Don’t do a shit-ton of kettlebell swings on Tuesday when you have to still have to squat/deadlift later in the week. You can still do KB swings, but it would be prudent to cap the reps. This ‘cap’ is relative, but as of right now I’d say keep stressful movements (these are done with an implement) under 40 or 50 reps.
–Justin
Thanks Justin,. I’ve been eating to gain strength for a while, and changing my calorie intake is a huge part of my approach. Thanks for keeping me honest.
Well, quality improvement may be in order for you, not calorie reduction.
–Justin
Thanks Justin. Your response was spot on. Gracias
@Justin, you’re right, I didn’t consider the extra weight I had to pull up as the program went on–that was about 35lbs total in 3 months before I cut back about 5 or so lbs. My PFT numbers stayed at 20 pullups before and after doing CFWF–I never did a max set of unweighted pullups so I can’t give specifics, but I do know that even at 185lbs I usually had to take a quick breather around #17 before doing the last 3 reps, but as of June at 205ish lbs I got 20 without slowing them down.
So maybe if someone is short of 20 and wants to increase their max numbers for a single set, they should stick with the 3 max sets of unweighted pullups on Monday and Thursday. But for someone who’s already got 20 (or whatever their goal number is) without any problems and wants to get bigger or stronger, I would go with 3×5 LP on weighted pullups. Doing 30-25-22 or something on my three unweighted sets wouldn’t have done much for my size and strength.
My PFT pullups would have increased on a 3×5 LP but probably less so than if I’d done max unweighted sets, since 20 is more of a muscular endurance thing that it is a pure strength thing. But I could be wrong.
Thanks Justin. And for us intermediates that want to focus on conditioning while continuing to get stronger?
Justin, how do you feel about some of the complexes and other movements at: http://mtnathlete.com/page.php?page_ID=14
Also, do you have an opinion on Rob Shaul’s Mountainathlete.com and militaryathlete.com in general?
I thought I had been on mountainathlete.com before, but it looks different. I’ve never been on militaryathlete.com. I didn’t see examples of programming, so I’m not in a position to have an opinion (there are programs available for purchase, but no synopsis). I only skimmed through to answer your comment, so if I missed something let me know.
And there’s a lot of stuff on the first link you posted. If you want me to look at something specifically, let me know.
–Justin
it’s completely unrelated to this post, but Tom Thumb has chicken for 1.50 a pound….I loaded up with 40 pounds.
What’s he talking about here?
–Justin
Y’all didn’t have Tom Thumb grocery stores in Wichita Falls? I’m in the Metroplex and $1.50 a pound chicken certainly seems 70’s big to me.
Ohhhhh. When I lived in WF I never saw any. They don’t have them in the south east either.
–Justin
I’m specifically thinking about using his complexes for the conditioning.
Kettlebell Complex:
http://mountainathlete.com/subpage_details.php?subpage_ID=424&page_ID=14
Barbell Complex (usually programmed as 4 rounds with increasing weight):
http://mountainathlete.com/subpage_details.php?subpage_ID=112&page_ID=14
Dumbell Complex:
http://mountainathlete.com/subpage_details.php?subpage_ID=589&page_ID=14
Jingle Jangles:
http://mountainathlete.com/subpage_details.php?subpage_ID=168&page_ID=14
Med Ball Complex:
http://mountainathlete.com/subpage_details.php?subpage_ID=277&page_ID=14
Mobility Complex:
http://mountainathlete.com/subpage_details.php?subpage_ID=528&page_ID=14
Snatch Complex:
http://mountainathlete.com/subpage_details.php?subpage_ID=296&page_ID=14
Also on military athlete there’s 2 weeks of free sessions under one of the tabs on the left (‘FREE OPERATOR SESSIONS’) Plus Squad PT sessions as well.
I saw the squad PT but group PT is going to be different than an individual program. If I programmed PT for a team, I would have slightly different goals.
–Justin
Chickens? Their neck’s the size of a pencil. Haha
Some really great posts lately Justin. Much appreciated.
Working on 5-3-1 looking to get bigger and stronger but would love to keep up with conditioning. Outside of hill sprints, sprints, some rowing, would love to get the CF-type WODs going without impacting next day’s workouts.
Also a bigger guy at 255 and averse to doing 100 pullups as part of a conditioning workout (can’t/don’t want to–kip)…
Complexes on press days? And then sprinting on leg/pull days?
That’s one way to do it. There are probably some good 531 conditioning examples out there. Gant will have suggestions as well. I would want to know more about goals/schedule before I commented on yours specifically.
–Justin
Justin, do you no longer live in Wichita Falls? I thought you worked at WFAC…
I moved in June. I live in Florida now.
–Justin
Thanks Justin.
Four day
Day 1: Press
Day 2: Deadlift
Day 3: rest
Day 4: Bench
Day 5: Squat
Day 6: conditioning
Day 7: rest
Sometimes work/home schedule forces me to go three days and do bench/squat same day.
If that’s what you meant by schedule.
Squat and DL are going great with +30 and +65lb increases to PR in first mesocycle. Press and bench are flat.
Before Xmas: Looking to DL 550 (at 490 now), Squat 500 (430 now), Bench 330 (310 now), Press 235 (215 now).
Conditioning goals: GPP…nothing specific.
I forget what we’re talking about, but if I were to add conditioning to what you have (in the event you wanted/needed it), I would add it to day 2 and 5.
–Justin
Justin –
Few quick questions:
1) Are the pull-ups/chin-ups meant to be done on the same day, or would I do pull-ups on Fridays if I did chin-ups on Mondays?
2) If you did substitute push-ups for dips, like you mentioned above, would you still just do 3 sets of as many as possible? Would there be a point where you’d want to consider weighting them with a vest for example?
3) I know it’s not ideal, but is there an acceptable substitute for the power clean? I’m still in a commercial gym that lacks both floor space and bumper plates, so I’m not sure that I’d be able to do them.
Thanks for your help!
1. I just meant do one of them.
2. I haven’t ever played around with weighted vest push-ups. Seems like the goal would be to be better at push-ups, and I always approached it from a “take your strength and apply it into push-ups” kind of thing. You could do max push-ups, x sets of push-ups, y amount of push-ups for time, etc. If you think weighted push-ups will be effective, try it and let me know how it goes.
3. The hang power clean could be done without bumpers. You could also do speed deadlifts, but I have only had more experienced people doing them (i.e. people who have maxed out their potential improvement on power clean and who have strong deadlifts).
–Justin
Justin,I was unaware that you moved. Sorry to hear that as I hoped to meet you at WF. Are you no longer associated with Rippetoe or are you working remotely?
No, I don’t work with Rip anymore. If you’re going for the seminar it will be a good time.
–Justin
I was a total metcon chick. The minute I decided to get strong, I had to have knee surgery. I’ve had a LOT of time to watch people doing strength programs. This is exactly what I’m looking for. I can do it in my garage and then go WOD if it all works out.
very cool.
Interesting article. I haven’t read all the comments yet, but the only thing in it that surprised me were that you had the novice pressing and dipping on consecutive days (also chinning and cleaning). Also, I like hearing about only 10 minutes max of conditioning…god do I fucking hate long runs.
The dips are an amendment to the original. I’m not concerned with press fatiguing dips since dips are accessory, and I don’t think the dips will have an effect on the bench day (if the person doing them is a novice and they aren’t weighted). If they are weighted it might be a good idea to do them after pressing on Monday, but the person would have to see for themselves.
Oh, and the chins won’t affect the p. cleans. It’s more of a jump than a pull anyway.
–Justin
Jump school is all about running. They have several ways of washing people out – first is the opening PT test, which you have to pass according to the 17-21 age standards regardless of how old you are. After that it’s the runs. You run everywhere you go, in formation, and if you fall out of too many runs they kick you out. I think they have a few other things they do to get people to wash out, but the running is what gets most people.
I remember hearing/reading this, but I guess I forgot. I can’t remember what the issue was in your original post, but I would get ready for the runs when convenient. At least run every week, even if the date isn’t close. That way your structures won’t have to readapt.
–Justin
Justin,
Love the look of the program, almost definitely going to start implementing it straight away. Was going to try CFFB as a program with strength and conditioning elements, but I think yours looks a bit better while I’m still building a strength base – would you agree with that?
Just been wondering about some of the b/bell complexes which have upright rows in them. Is there a similar shoulder impingement risk like sdhp’s, or are they ok?
Looking forward to seeing some of the conditioning workouts you recommend in the next instalment.
I haven’t looked at CF Football in a while, but they are very similar (compared to the novice/high school part of CF Football). CF Football may have more conditioning — I don’t know, I’ll look eventually.
Oh, and I don’t like Sumo DL high pulls because of the propensity to make people arm-pull the Oly lifts. I also don’t have anyone do upright rows. I think there are more useful conditioning exercises, even if you didn’t consider potential shoulder or Oly issues.
–Justin
You could push-press on the second press workout while your pec recovers. Side note: If it’s not a serious pec injury you should rehab it instead of letting it rest (don’t know if you are or not, just saying).
–Justin
…………
Thanks for the push press idea. I had been doing those after my regular OHP 3×5, but may dedicate a day to them. Ive been viewing dips as rehab, and Ive been doing bench press everyday slowly adding weight for my pec. It was a serious tear that is apparently inoperable.
Again, thanks for comments.
Dang, how did you originally injure it? Can you even do push-ups? That would kinda suck.
–Justin
Justin, this program is pretty legit. It will even get those bodybalders to get into getting bigger by getting stronger.
@dcrookston-
Unless they’ve completed revamped (and un-gayed) jump school in the last 8 years, the running isn’t anything to worry about. Make sure you’re good on the PFT, but the morning PFT runs are done for 3-4 miles at roughly a 9 minute mile pace. They’re absurdly slow, especially since they’re in running shoes. The jogs to and from the training areas are just as slow, maybe even worse since they’re in boots and cammies. As long as you’re used to doing some running in boots you’ll be fine, but expect your lower legs to take a pounding from all that slow running and about a million PLFs.
Parachute Landing Falls (PFL). I had to look it up. I would do a quick ‘peak’ for this school if it were me.
–Justin
Hey Justin I just got two questions.
1.Do the squats and then doing the power cleans the next day interfere with leg recovery?
2.For the conditioning part is possible to do sprints/plyometrics?
I ask these questions because I have had trouble recovering from the starting strength routine. Also I play football and basketball and I am just curious if I could involve that type of training or if it would be too much. Thanks
All the best,
1. Nah, plus there is a complete day off on Wednesday. When Chris was still doing TM, he would volume squat Monday and do power cleans on Tuesday (had to with his work schedule). He was good to go for intensity day.
2. Absolutely. That would be preferable.
–Justin
@alec32:
Based on my experience with the program…
1. No. Probably something to do with the fact that squats are hip drive and hamstring-centric, while power cleans are hip/knee extension-centric with lower weight, but Justin can probably explain better.
2. Yes. I did 50/100m sprint repeats, hill sprints, row sprints, sled drags, box jumps, etc. pretty regularly for my conditioning. Can’t speak for real advanced plyometric stuff (if that’s what you’re talking about) because I’ve never done it, but I would say just pay attention to how your recovery goes and cut back if you need to.
1. Another thing to add is that power cleans aren’t eccentric. Eccentric is where the majority of the damage occurs when lifting (when the muscle is lengthening under a load as opposed to shortening under a load).
2. Interval work is my favorite to program because it’s so useful for a variety of reasons. You can “sprint” many different things, especially all ‘single modality’ stuff: run, row, swim, bike, etc.
Good stuff, Eric.
–Justin
Alright, thanks guys for responding
Justin, I’m a big fella who can’t do hardly any dips (ie 240 lbs with long apelike arms). Can I sub push-ups (or even ring push-ups) instead?
Do you look like this?
Yeah, you can do push-ups.
–Justin
Well, upon reflection I guess I’m more like an orangutan.
But thanks for the thumbs-up on push-ups!
First off, just wanted to say the program looks awesome and I love the simplicity. I’m looking to somehow integrate this program with my company’s Mon/Wed/Fri PT and it’s rather awkward to do as is. Would it make any sense to combine deadlift/powerclean days and workout on Tues/Thurs/Sat? Thanks!
I’m going to e-mail you.
–Justin
Hey Justin,
saw this posted on the CF main on the boards there….thought I’d give it a try. I used to be pretty lame at training, I really sucked! I never deadlifted, always skipped squat day, and did way too muchh upper body!
So when I did my first CF total, it came as no surprise that it was a puny 655!!!!! I have been on this for about a month and am making HUGE gains!
In a few weeks I am shooting at the CF total again, and figure I can hit 800!
Thanks for the S&CP! It is awesome!
Cool program, must ask as a noob (anyone here can answer this I think) what the non-benefits are with combining sprint-type conditioning and starting strength stuff in the same session?
I usually warm-up with 1000 m row or sprint, after that two starting strength stuff (squats/press/bench press/ deadlift) and in the end some CF kettlebell/elbow-to-knee/sprinting with weight or something similar. In this program it seems as you are supposed to do it on different days, why? Are there any benefits at all in training as I do?
I was tipped off about this thread from a friend because I’m trying to combine Starting Strength and CF. I have previously had good gain from Starting Strength but found that CF fixed some of my old injuries very well, for some reason it took away the pain in my hips and lower legs associated with running and walking far. No CF club close anymore so…
Trying to achieve strength to carry heavy backpacks very far fast in difficult terrain, combined with weight gain and general well-being, and I generally can train three times a week.
Thanks for answers!
I don’t have a bench or a dip station but I do have rings. Should I do ring dips and ring pushups instead of the bench presses?
I’d love to hear some example conditioning workouts, too. I have a monster hill 1/4 mile away from my house that I use for sprints occassionally.
I used to be a CF koolaid drinker but messed my back up real good last August doing deadlifts “for time” and swore that I’d never do that again. I couldn’t tie my shoes for a few days!! I started doing a 5×5 LP program at the end of December and have kind of peaked with it but I still feel weak so I’m going to give your program a go.
Thanks for the info!
Pingback: 1 – Selection and Maintenance of the Aim – Fitness « Optimistic Trajectory
Pingback: Your Health | Combating Violence
The old program is still my favorite 70’s big article for inexperienced weekend warriors trying to get in decent shape: I find is great for clients that have otherwise been decent in the gym years ago, but been off training for too long, gone incredible fat, and need to get back in shape!
For that it works relatively well with an extreme diet, high in protein low in kcals (like a version of Lyles RFL), and some walking (20 minutes a day + will do) …
I think this article needs a bump; and I think the program deserves another review based on Justins new experiences since he first wrote the two programs!
For those of you looking for the PDF –
The link up above is broken, try this one instead.
http://70sbig.com/wp-content/uploads/files/Articles/Lascek_S&CP_v2.0.pdf