Mixed Model Conditioning

Mixed Model Conditioning is just a fancy way of saying WOD or HIIT for those of us who are outside of the Crossfit culture. It means we are using multiple exercise to create a cardiovascular stimulus. In this case we are using goblet squats as one of the exercises in the WOD. CrossFit is a complex sport so I am not going to dive into the details of programming WOD’s but below I provide an example of goblet squats being used in a conditioning circuit.

12’ AMRAP (as many rounds as possible)

1000m Bike Erg

15 Goblet Squats

10 Burpees

*use a weight which allows you to perform the goblet squats with good technique and without a pause throughout the set of 15.

Warm Ups

One of the most effective use cases of a goblet squat in a Crossfit training session is to use a light goblet squat in the warm up. If you are coaching both beginner and advanced individuals, the goblet squat can help both of these populations warm up for the next part of the session be it a strength section, skill section or WOD. Remember to use a light weight when warming up as the goal is just to get the body moving while focusing on technique before the challenging exercises later on.

Back Squat Regression

Another great use case of the goblet squat in the context of a Crossfit session is using it as a regression for the back squat. The back squat is used for both strength work and also in some more advanced mixed model (WOD) sessions. The goblet squat can be perfect for beginners who are learning how to squat and gaining some initial strength in the squat. The goblet squat will help beginner clients gain the strength and technical ability required prior to using a barbell for back squats and front squats.

Wall Ball / Thruster Regression

There are many exercises to learn when performing Crossfit and a great deal of them involve the squat movement. A few examples of this would be the wall ball and the thruster, both of which can be a little challenging for beginners. This is where the goblet squat can be used to replace these two exercises to make the session more approachable for beginners, helping them achieve higher movement quality.

Building Lower Body Endurance

Individuals looking to be successful in Crossfit will need to have high levels of muscular endurance in the lower body. Goblet squats can be a great way to gain muscular endurance in the legs. Performing a high repetition set of goblet squats (20+ repetitions) to the point where you have accumulated high levels of fatigue, will help create muscular endurance adaptations. If you do this with a 24kg kettlebell for example and then find yourself performing sets of 20 wall balls at 9kg in a WOD, the will feel a great deal easier.