Why Maxing Out All the Time Isn't Ideal

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In the world of CrossFit, it's common to see strength training programmed as work to a 5-rep max. This approach, known as "max effort," is often considered the gold standard. But is it truly the best way to build strength and avoid injuries?

Let's explore some reasons why maxing out all the time might not be ideal for everyone.

Safety

The higher the percentage of your one-rep max you lift, the greater the risk of injury. While rare, injuries can still happen. Programs like Westside Barbell, which heavily emphasizes max effort days, is thought to have a higher incidence of injuries compared to other training methods. If you don’t believe that go watch Westside vs The world. Even they mitigate this by only doing a single lift at max intensity for upper and lower each week. The rest is done around 60% or lower of 1rm. That is because it is hard to recover from a max lift.

In CrossFit, we aim for general physical preparedness, which involves training the body in multiple ways. This means we struggle to t fully recover from max effort days like a dedicated powerlifter can.

Not All Lifts Need to Be Maxed Out

Powerlifters, who excel at lifting the heaviest weight possible in the squat, bench press, and deadlift, also incorporate accessory work. These exercises don't require maxing out and help develop supporting muscle groups.

Similarly, in CrossFit, some movements benefit more from submaximal training. For instance, squats on wedges can improve competition lifts without needing to be maxed out.

Understanding Failure

Getting stronger often involves working close to failure. However, beginners and even many intermediate athletes struggle to accurately gauge their limits. It takes years of experience to develop this skill.

To ensure consistent progress without risking injury, it's often better to focus on multiple sets over multiple weeks rather than constantly pushing for failure in one session where you are very likely to under or over shoot the weight.

Metcon Intensity vs. Strength

CrossFit is known for its high-intensity workouts. You may even think you are going 100%. Once you sign up for a competition your view on that should change, However, Competition scores are difficult near impossible to replicate in the training.

While going hard in the gym is crucial, it's likely that you're only operating at around 90% intensity during regular training sessions. This means that your strength training doesn't need to be maxed out all the time to achieve results.

Faster recovery which means you can do more

Ignoring other factors there probably a net benefit to doing a max effort vs submaximal lift. Assuming you lift the same number of days per week that would give the nod to max effort.  That over simplifies the issue.  The reason West side only does only lower and one upper max effort a week is because it takes so long to recover from.

If you look at a port like Olympic weightlifting they often squat 4-5 days a week but they do it at a submaximal load.

We are neither weight lifters or power lifters but as CrossFitters we want to work on everything. If we can find a way to work in extra lifts we can cover more bases in a week.

Conclusion

While max effort training has its place, it's not necessarily the best approach for everyone, especially every time you lift. By incorporating a variety of training methods, including submaximal lifting and focusing on technique, you can build strength, reduce the risk of injury, and improve overall performance.

Remember, progress takes time and consistency. Be patient, listen to your body, and adapt your training as needed.

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