Crossfit Cycle?

[MuratT]

Hello,

I'm a 37 yo male, 5'7" and 162Lbs(74KG). I've been doing crossfit for about 3 years. When I first started I was weighing about 70kg but my diet was not so good so I dropped down to 136LBS(62Kg) with a body fat 4.5%. Then I started eating healthier and started using whey protein, BCAA, and vitamins as supplements. And almost for the last 2 years I'm going btw 158lbs and 165lbs (72-75KG). My BF is about 9% and it's really hard to gain lean muscle for me.
My workout is like this usually,Mon-Wed-Fri I usually do a Metcon early in the morning and then in the afternoon another session of Weightlifting and maybe another short Metcon. On Tuesdays and Thursdays I'm only working out for 1 hour so I'm mixing things between strength and metcon on those days. My lifting numbers are just Ok and even though I've seen a lot of improvement since I've started doing Crossfit, I feel like I'm not recovering well enough anymore and my weightlifting numbers are just stuck at certain numbers.



I've read loads of threads about Crossfit but since I'a newbie about Steroids I thought I should just give my stats and wait for the cycle suggestions from the experts.

Thanx.

[Marsoc]

I'm not sure you will get mass gains at all from a high endurance style training such as cross fit. Not to mention they do the same thing over and over and have little to no recovery time to actually grow. (You grow when you sleep and in the kitchen ). If your goals are actual Lean mass I'd suggest Another option. But if you want to just burn calories all day every day with no rest then keep on cross fitting lol. I met a girl that tore her shoulder from doing them stupid ass Kipping pull ups. Lol smh. Try doing real pull-ups and see how many they can do. PS: not talking shit to you man. Just giving my opinion on it. That being said I never done it so I may be totally off.

Can you give an example of what your training day consists of and wha the week routine is....

[MuratT]

For the last 3 months I only weightlifting so I can gain some weight and get my basic lifting numbers up. They've gone up but only just a small percentage and I did not see any huge gains body wise either. Anyway, nowadays my week would be like this
Monday-Wed-Fro
AM session Metcon(depending on the day the workout would be either 10min or 30min.)
PM Session Strength (usually weightlifting, but sometimes gymnastics)
Tuesdays and thursdays
Only AM session I would alternate between strength and metcons because I can't do another session on those days
On weekends I would be resting.

I hear what you're saying about injuries. I don't think it's possible to do the metcons with the perfect form of movements and usually that's why there is an injury but if you look into any sports, injury is the part of the sport. I think most of the crossfit boxes don't pay too much attention to the form or maybe it's hard to deal with it, I dont know. There should be stats about the injuries to be able to understand the injuries.

[ItalianStallion4]

I'm not sure you will get mass gains at all from a high endurance style training such as cross fit. Not to mention they do the same thing over and over and have little to no recovery time to actually grow. (You grow when you sleep and in the kitchen ). If your goals are actual Lean mass I'd suggest Another option. But if you want to just burn calories all day every day with no rest then keep on cross fitting lol. I met a girl that tore her shoulder from doing them stupid ass Kipping pull ups. Lol smh.

yeah slap tears are a real common injury in crossfit. In all reality if you don't have a strong gymnastics background it's only a matter of time. As much as I enjoy the whole crossfit scene and applaud the competitive athletes for their work ethic, it's not a good place to stay injury free. Form is never priority.

OP, what's your diet & sleep like? And could you elaborate a little on your strength sessions? Obviously I don't know your frame and haven't seen your blood work, but I feel like at that height and weight you should have room to grow still

[Marsoc]

Was wondering more of the specific lifts that you do exactly. So I can have an idea. Plus reps and number of sets etc. rest times. Etc etc. it all matter. Like a lot lol

[MuratT]

For Mon-Wed and Fridays it looks like this
AM Session
Metcon
For Time:
10 Rope Climbs
60 Toes To Bar
50 HSPU
200DU

PM Session
Strength:
A)Hang Below the Snatch + Snatch
in 12 min. work up to Heavy
B)25 Squat Snatches for Time
80-85% of Daily 2 RM
C)Snatch Pulls
3 sets 3 Reps
90% of 1 RM Snatch
Rest 15min.
D)Back Squat
Find 3 RM
Then,
3 sets 2 reps Pause BS (3 sec.) 75-80% of daily 3RM

Tuesday and Thursdays
Only AM Session
Either Metcon
A)Rowing Intervals
4X 60" for Max Calories (rest btw 120")
Rest 6'
B)Assault Bike Intervals
4X60" for Max Cal. (rest btw 120")
Rest 6'
C)Ski-Erg Intervals
4X60" for Max Cal. (rest btw 120")

or


Barbell
A)Power Snatch
E2MOM for 20min.
3 reps 85% of 1Rm Power Snatch
Strength
A) 3RM Strict Press

B) 6Push Press + 6 Push Jerk
4 sets work up to heavy

My day usually starts after 7 hours of sleep at 5:30am with some breakfast (oat meal with almonds and some fruit). After the am session I only drink whey protein with glutamine, around 10ish I eat some fruit (usually banana). At 12-12:30 I eat lunch, which is Mixed Salad with Canned Tuna , 2 hard boiled eggs and then I'd drink espresso with a cocoa crisp bread and peanut butter. Around 2 pm I'll go to the gym for the second session. Before I go I usually drink a C4 and during the 2 hour training I'd have BCAA. After the session I'd drink another whey protein and eat dinner around 6:30pm which is usually some type of rice or pasta and meat. I'd have some type fruit again at night around 8:30 or 9pm and go to bed around 10pm.
That happens basically everyday, except tuesdays and thursdays there isn't the second session.
That should do ?

[Marsoc]

For Mon-Wed and Fridays it looks like this
AM Session
Metcon
For Time:
10 Rope Climbs
60 Toes To Bar
50 HSPU
200DU

PM Session
Strength:
A)Hang Below the Snatch + Snatch
in 12 min. work up to Heavy
B)25 Squat Snatches for Time
80-85% of Daily 2 RM
C)Snatch Pulls
3 sets 3 Reps
90% of 1 RM Snatch
Rest 15min.
D)Back Squat
Find 3 RM
Then,
3 sets 2 reps Pause BS (3 sec.) 75-80% of daily 3RM

Tuesday and Thursdays
Only AM Session
Either Metcon
A)Rowing Intervals
4X 60" for Max Calories (rest btw 120")
Rest 6'
B)Assault Bike Intervals
4X60" for Max Cal. (rest btw 120")
Rest 6'
C)Ski-Erg Intervals
4X60" for Max Cal. (rest btw 120")

or


Barbell
A)Power Snatch
E2MOM for 20min.
3 reps 85% of 1Rm Power Snatch
Strength
A) 3RM Strict Press

B) 6Push Press + 6 Push Jerk
4 sets work up to heavy

My day usually starts after 7 hours of sleep at 5:30am with some breakfast (oat meal with almonds and some fruit). After the am session I only drink whey protein with glutamine, around 10ish I eat some fruit (usually banana). At 12-12:30 I eat lunch, which is Mixed Salad with Canned Tuna , 2 hard boiled eggs and then I'd drink espresso with a cocoa crisp bread and peanut butter. Around 2 pm I'll go to the gym for the second session. Before I go I usually drink a C4 and during the 2 hour training I'd have BCAA. After the session I'd drink another whey protein and eat dinner around 6:30pm which is usually some type of rice or pasta and meat. I'd have some type fruit again at night around 8:30 or 9pm and go to bed around 10pm.
That happens basically everyday, except tuesdays and thursdays there isn't the second session.
That should do ?

Yeah I can't see mass getting gained with that. Only if you eat a lot to support all the calories your burning and to preserve muscle mass. I'm sure some of them lifts will increase certain muscles in whatever area they work. A lot of snatch and grabs so that's a little hamstring and some spinal erector. The Kipping pull-ups. I'm not sure what muscle that works because normal pull-ups workout out upper outer lats. Kipping is just body momentum which is minimal muscle recruitment. Hence why you can do 50 of them.
I'd suggest getting a regular hypertrophy routine. Just get started with normal rep ranges between 10-12 rest bout 1 minute between sets. As you progress you can start adding in HIIT training and super set, drop sets , etc. and you wait like 30seconds between sets. And if you want that cross fit aspect you can do that endurance type of stuff on your rest days. Just remember to drink a shake pre and post to preserve muscle mass. There is so much to explain. I can't even mention a fraction by texting. It will take to long lol research. Go to mUscle & fitness .com or research various proven methods and do trial and error on what works

[powerliftmike]

My day usually starts after 7 hours of sleep at 5:30am with some breakfast (oat meal with almonds and some fruit). After the am session I only drink whey protein with glutamine, around 10ish I eat some fruit (usually banana). At 12-12:30 I eat lunch, which is Mixed Salad with Canned Tuna , 2 hard boiled eggs and then I'd drink espresso with a cocoa crisp bread and peanut butter. Around 2 pm I'll go to the gym for the second session. Before I go I usually drink a C4 and during the 2 hour training I'd have BCAA. After the session I'd drink another whey protein and eat dinner around 6:30pm which is usually some type of rice or pasta and meat. I'd have some type fruit again at night around 8:30 or 9pm and go to bed around 10pm.
That happens basically everyday, except tuesdays and thursdays there isn't the second session.
That should do ?

Without even knowing your portions it would be a safe assumption to say you cannot gain mass with that workload and those calories. If it were me, I would drop the supplements (C4, BCAAs, glutamine, and even whey protein powders) and use that money to buy fatter meats: ground beef, fatty fish like salmon, chicken thighs with skin, etc and start drinking a half gallon of whole milk everyday. Add in some good cheese and 4% cottage cheese as well. After your body adjusts to the diet change you should feel better and start putting on some mass.

[Marsoc]

Got a eat and train big to get big. Cross fit is slim training lol slim eating slim knowledge lol

[MuratT]

The problem is I can't eat too much. If I eat too much I would probably puke everything I ate.Unfortunately that's how my body is or works whatever. That's my biggest problem.

[MuratT]

Without even knowing your portions it would be a safe assumption to say you cannot gain mass with that workload and those calories. If it were me, I would drop the supplements (C4, BCAAs, glutamine, and even whey protein powders) and use that money to buy fatter meats: ground beef, fatty fish like salmon, chicken thighs with skin, etc and start drinking a half gallon of whole milk everyday. Add in some good cheese and 4% cottage cheese as well. After your body adjusts to the diet change you should feel better and start putting on some mass.

Portions can not get any bigger otherwise I would vomit or and just lay on the like a dead person lol

[MuratT]

I've never been a big eater or never been an overweighted either. Maybe my tummy has stayed small for too long so it does not want tonget any bigger

[powerliftmike]

The problem is I can't eat too much. If I eat too much I would probably puke everything I ate.Unfortunately that's how my body is or works whatever. That's my biggest problem.

You dont completely change your diet in one day, phase into this. You will likely be eating 8 meals a day (every 2 hours). We are also adding in fats which is 2.25x more calorically dense than proteins or carbs. This is a good way to increase calories without increasing volume of food.

Either change your eating habits or change your goals..