I’ve always been intrigued by different training methodologies and how they impact performance, especially for combat athletes. CrossFit is built around the idea of constantly varied functional movements performed at high intensity. The goal? General physical preparedness—being ready for anything. It combines weightlifting, cardio, gymnastics, and other modalities into a high-intensity fitness regimen.
And while CrossFit does have some benefits for overall fitness, here’s the hard truth: it’s not going to make you a better fighter. If your goal is to dominate on the mats, in the cage, or in any combat scenario, you need to train with specificity. Strength and conditioning should support your fighting skills, not just make you sweat.
1. CrossFit Prioritizes Fatigue Over Skill Development
One of the biggest issues with CrossFit is the emphasis on high-rep, high-fatigue workouts. You’re performing complex lifts like Olympic weightlifting movements under extreme fatigue, which completely contradicts proper strength training principles.
Neurological fatigue = bad technique = higher injury risk.
This is something Charles Poliquin always emphasized: train the most neurologically demanding exercises first, when you’re fresh. In contrast, CrossFit often has people doing high-rep snatches or kipping pull-ups at the end of a workout when form is breaking down. That’s a disaster for combat athletes.
There’s research backing this up. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (2018) found that performing Olympic lifts under fatigue significantly increased movement inefficiency and injury risk—exactly what you don’t want as a combat athlete.
2. CrossFit’s Strength Endurance Model Doesn’t Transfer to Fighting
CrossFit builds general fitness, but that doesn’t mean it will carry over to your sport. Transferability is everything.
Here’s a simple analogy:
- You can be the best badminton player in the world, but that doesn’t mean you’ll be good at tennis.
- You can run a sub-5-minute mile on a treadmill, but put you on a track and you’ll struggle.
- You can do 50 split jerks and burpees in a WOD, but that won’t help you escape a choke or out-wrestle a Division 1 NCAA athlete.
I’ve had CrossFitters walk into my gym thinking they were in peak shape, only to get wrecked in 10 minutes by something as simple as log clean & presses combined with prowler sprints. CrossFit will make you fitter than the average person, sure. But fitter doesn’t mean better at fighting.
3. CrossFit Has No Periodization—And That’s a Huge Problem
Another major issue? CrossFit’s lack of structured periodization.
Fighters need periodization. There’s a time for volume, a time for intensity, and a time to taper. Leading up to a fight, you don’t want to be doing random workouts that leave you wrecked. You need to focus on strength, power, and speed while reducing unnecessary fatigue.
CrossFit thrives on unpredictability. But in combat sports, predictability in your training is key. The best strength programs for fighters are built around progressive overload, planned recovery, and peaking at the right time—not just seeing how hard you can push yourself every day.
A study from Sports Medicine (2019) compared randomized high-intensity training vs. structured strength training for athletes and found that structured strength programs led to better improvements in power output, endurance, and injury prevention. Translation? Periodization wins.
Final Thoughts
Look, I get it. CrossFit is intense, it builds camaraderie, and it can make you sweat like crazy. But if your goal is to be a better fighter, not just a fitter human, you need a smarter approach.
- Your strength work should make you stronger for fighting.
- Your conditioning should make you harder to break in a fight.
- Your training should be structured for peak performance, not just fatigue.
Use CrossFit if you enjoy it. But don’t fool yourself into thinking it’s the best tool for combat sports. Train with purpose, not just for the sake of suffering.
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