Is crossfit enough for strength?

Deuce241

I do crossfit 2-3 times a week. The exercises focus mainly on legs, chest, and shoulders, and of course are very intense. After each workout my legs are burning. Since we don't do as much arms, I run 2 miles and lift weights for my biceps, triceps, and my back on my days off from crossfit for arm muscle and strength.

My concern is if the crossfit is enough to count as leg days. I don't want to lift for my arms and back on my off days if I'm not gonna build leg muscle and leg strength. So should I add leg lifting along with my arms, or do you think the crossfit will do the job for my legs and let me gain strength and muscle so that I don't turn out with a "lollipop" body?

My diet and all that is set. Just want to know if I should also lift weights for my legs.

DavePFJ

You will get stronger, to a point though.

There isn't enough consistency and frequency at heavy weight to use crossfit as a dedicated strength program. The top level crossfitters usually do a strength program outside of the crossfit workouts.

Your best bet is to get a strength program down, and then throw in crossfit for conditioning and skill work.

DavPul

It sorta depends on what your goals are

MrGonzo05

Crossfit is far from an optimal strength program.

Mr_Knight

Just want to know if I should also lift weights for my legs.

What are you trying to accomplish?

3dogsrunning

Just want to know if I should also lift weights for my legs.

What are you trying to accomplish?

This.


We do an awful lot of lower body work where I crossfit. I don't worry about not getting enough leg work to the point of being unbalanced. But as others have pointed out it depends on your goals and , perhaps, your box.

Deuce241

Just want to know if I should also lift weights for my legs.

What are you trying to accomplish?

This.


We do an awful lot of lower body work where I crossfit. I don't worry about not getting enough leg work to the point of being unbalanced. But as others have pointed out it depends on your goals and , perhaps, your box.

I'm not trying to get much bigger yet. My main focus right now is to lose my belly. I have a belly sticking out a little bit that I want to make flat and have some abs showing in the next few months. Around 6 months. But at the same time, I want to build some muscle in both my upper body and lower body. I want to be noticeably muscular, a little bigger, but not huge. That's why I'm afraid of coming out with a small leg portion.
Basically, will the crossfit develop my calves, help them grow just a little, and strengthen my entire lower half to look a little bigger and allow me to deadlift and squat some heavier weight? And will it even out with upper body lifting on my days off?

Sorry if this is still a broad/general answer.

astronomicals

Not enough information.

Pick your poison and stick with it. Dont go adding a ton of work on top of your existing program.. Thats my two cents...

If you arent advancing at all than something is wrong.

rovernio

crosfitt sux just do stronglifts or mark rippetoe starting strenght

3dogsrunning

Just want to know if I should also lift weights for my legs.

What are you trying to accomplish?

This.


We do an awful lot of lower body work where I crossfit. I don't worry about not getting enough leg work to the point of being unbalanced. But as others have pointed out it depends on your goals and , perhaps, your box.

I'm not trying to get much bigger yet. My main focus right now is to lose my belly. I have a belly sticking out a little bit that I want to make flat and have some abs showing in the next few months. Around 6 months. But at the same time, I want to build some muscle in both my upper body and lower body. I want to be noticeably muscular, a little bigger, but not huge. That's why I'm afraid of coming out with a small leg portion.
Basically, will the crossfit develop my calves, help them grow just a little, and strengthen my entire lower half to look a little bigger and allow me to deadlift and squat some heavier weight? And will it even out with upper body lifting on my days off?

Sorry if this is still a broad/general answer.

That's really going to depend on your box, not all are equal. Like I said, where I go, our skills/pre-WOD workout regularly includes deadlifting and squatting heavy. I have personally PR'd in both since joining CrossFit. But, if yours doesn't, that's a whole different story.
Why not talk to one of the coaches about your goals?

Adding muscle is going to depend on diet as well. As for looking more muscular, a lower bodyfat will make you more look more defined.

Huffdogg

You are trying to do training for a specific sport (Crossfit is best treated that way at this point) in order to achieve two different types of goals (bodybuilding-style muscle mass and powerlifting strength increases), neither of which is related to sport you are training.

I'd call that arrangement less than optimal, personally.

jimmmer

You are trying to do training for a specific sport (Crossfit is best treated that way at this point) in order to achieve two different types of goals (bodybuilding-style muscle mass and powerlifting strength increases), neither of which is related to sport you are training.

I'd call that arrangement less than optimal, personally.

^This

Also, you can chuck a whole ****-tonne of different stuff at calves and they may still fail to react. They are a bit of a ****er.

If you want to squat and deadlift more. Then squat and deadlift more.

You need a clear goal. Then you can put into action steps necessary to achieve it. If you try to achieve 4 different things at the same time, it's likely you'll do all of them sub-optimally at best. At worst, you can actually go backwards on some metrics. It should go something like the following:

Ask yourself what you want.

Ask yourself why you are doing crossfit.

Ask yourself if crossfit can get you what you want.

If crossfit cannot give you what you want, what can? Add it.

If crossfit + the added training = nightmare (in terms of recovery problems or slipping backwards on your desired metric), then you'll have to drop something. I'm guessing it'll have to be the crossfit.