Block 1: April 6 – May 18
Block 2: May 18 – June 28
Test Week: June 29 – July 5
The big change for 2026 is that our blocks look different. Before we did 16 weeks of Building Block into 8 weeks of CF Specific Block. Now we are doing six-week blocks where the first is a Building Block and the second is a CF Specific Block, followed by a Test Week where we test the things we wanted to improve from the first two blocks.
Focus on hypertrophy, weak points, volume accumulation, and building a strong aerobic base. We end this block with a VO2 Max Shock Week.
Focus shifts toward maximal strength, higher intensity, and more sport-specific training. The progressions get heavier, the rep ranges drop.
We test across all capacities: Front Squat, Strict Press, Push Press, Weighted Pull Up, Deadlift, Olympic Lifts, Gymnastics, 5000m Run, and CF Specific benchmarks.
By having more blocks during the year, we can be more specific within each block. And by being more specific, we are able to improve more. It is very easy to maintain a capacity. Maintaining something requires very little. But improving a capacity requires more quality training, more focus, and more volume. By doing less volume on the things we choose not to focus on right now, we free up that quality for the things that matter most in this block.
When blocks are six weeks, it is way easier to go all in. We keep the motivation high, and almost when we feel that the motivation is starting to go down, we have a new block. Across the year we rotate the focus block by block, so everything gets better, and it gets better faster because we are doing fewer things at a higher quality in each block.
In this guide you get all the information you need for both Block 1 and Block 2. They are built together. Block 1 builds the base and prepares you for Block 2. Block 2 is a CF Specific Block where we focus more on sport-specific training and target the Test Week more directly. The two blocks are then followed by a Test Week to see if the training has actually worked (and to make your Athlete Profile).
This difference between Building and CF Specific Blocks is something we have done since 2018 when we started to do a lot of changes in Kristin's training. We wanted clear periods where we moved her limiters forward and other periods where we put it all together to make sure the training had worked. When we did this it was all of the sudden a lot easier to both make progress and also see that we made progress. The reason for this is that when you have a block where the main goal is to build a specific capacity, you can test that capacity directly. And if you follow it up with a CF Specific Block you can see how the improvement affects your competition performance. Did the front squat go up? Good! But how does that translate into Thrusters in workouts?
The blocks are of course not completely separate. You will always do sport-specific training in a Building Block and always maintain your capacity work in a CF Specific Block. But the emphasis shifts. And that shift is what creates both the progress and the structure that keeps motivation high across the whole year.
When we set up the training week, our main goal is to get as much training quality out of each week as possible. Especially in the Building Block where we use a lot of linear progressions this is important since we want to make sure that you get into each of these sessions with about the same readiness. This way the progressions actually work and you are able to improve from week to week.
During the year we will do a total of four VO2 Blocks. A VO2 Block is a period of a few days where we do more high intensity training than usual. For Block 1 this will be at the end of Week 6 where we have 5 high intensity sessions where the goal is to collect high heart rate (88–95% of max). The thinking behind this is much like the approach we have to the training blocks in general: give enough stimuli in a short period to actually create change.
The research supports this. Rønnestad et al. (2012) compared two groups of trained cyclists over 4 weeks. Both groups did the same total volume and intensity of high intensity training. The only difference was how the sessions were organized. One group concentrated 5 HIT sessions into a single week and then did 1 session per week for the remaining 3 weeks. The other group spread it out with 2 sessions per week for all 4 weeks. The result: the group that concentrated their high intensity work improved VO2max by 4.6% and power output at lactate threshold by 10%. The group that spread it out saw no significant improvement at all.
Rønnestad et al. (2012), Scand J Med Sci Sports. Trained cyclists, 4-week intervention.
This is why we build in these concentrated blocks instead of just adding one extra interval session per week. The same amount of work, organized differently, gives a much bigger response. In order to get the most out of the VO2 Blocks (and your training in general) we will have clearer deloads this year. Block 1 has a deload from Wednesday to Wednesday in Week 5–6 before the VO2 Shock Week. Block 2 has a deload in Week 6 before the Test Week.
Below you can see how the structure of the training weeks will look in the Building Block. We use a combination of weekly and bi-weekly progressions. By having some progressions only occur every other week we achieve a few things:
1, We are able to get in more variation. Even though we are more specific in our approach there is still a lot of training to get in, and having two weeks to use instead of one helps us here.
2, Some progressions can be really hard to do every week. By only having to improve every other week it helps motivation stay high and also gives enough time between sessions to actually improve.
Note: our most important progressions still happen every week.
Going into Block 1+2 we start by looking at what we want to improve. Because with the new training structure it will be a lot easier to show what the goal is for each block.
These are the different tests we will do in the Test Week, and because of this also our goals for the block. Note that we go through each category later on to also show you how we will set up the training:
In addition to these tests, you should choose one to three movements or a capacity that you personally need to improve on. Send us a message on what this is and we are ready to help make a plan.
With the new block structure we also get a new Athlete Profile. We are going from tests that we just spread across the year to targeted Test Weeks where you get all the tests done. Each Test Week has its own Athlete Profile. After testing, you fill in the form and you get your individual profile for that block. When you have done all four Test Weeks, we put all four profiles together and you get a complete picture with all the tests across the eight different categories.
We are currently in the process of setting up Test Week Camps at CrossFit Oslo where you, in addition to doing the standard tests with the group, are also able to do other tests like getting a speed profile, grip strength, lactate threshold on different movements, and other tests that we are doing on our elite athletes. More info regarding this soon.
The complete Athlete Profile will answer many questions you might have had through the years. Why am I not improving this movement? Why is my capacity on that so much lower than I expected? Usually when we do this, we find limiters that we did not know about before. And by targeting these limiters, the progress is usually a lot faster.
If you already know that you are not able to go through a particular Test Week, send us a message and we can help rearrange your training so you still get the most out of the block.
In a Building Block there is a lot of focus on strength. There are very few competition workouts where we do not lift a weight. And until the weight you are working with is less than 40% of your 1RM, it is not conditioning anymore, it is strength. Above 40%, for most people in most workouts, it mostly comes down to how strong you are. Our first focus is always to get the common competition weights below 40%: the 43/30 kg barbells, the 61/43 kg barbells, and the 22.5/15 kg dumbbells.
Strength is also the foundation for gymnastics. We have tested more than a thousand athletes through our Athlete Profile and the data is very clear: the stronger you are in the pull, the more reps you do in every hanging movement. All the way up to 61%+ of bodyweight in the Weighted Pull Up, athletes keep getting more Toes to Bar, Ring Muscle Ups, and Rope Climbs. For the press, the same pattern holds up to 111%+ bodyweight in the Strict Press.
| Weighted Pull Up | TTB | CTB | RMU | BMU | LLRC (2 min) | RC (2 min) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0% of BW | 4.8 | 0.8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 |
| 1-10% of BW | 11.2 | 4.6 | 0 | 0.5 | 0 | 4.5 |
| 11-20% of BW | 22.2 | 12.9 | 1.2 | 4.8 | 1.4 | 5.6 |
| 21-30% of BW | 31.2 | 23.6 | 4.1 | 13.2 | 3.4 | 7.4 |
| 31-40% of BW | 36.4 | 32.3 | 9.6 | 18.1 | 4.8 | 8.6 |
| 41-50% of BW | 38.2 | 33.6 | 11.5 | 20.6 | 6.1 | 10.2 |
| 51-60% of BW | 41.4 | 38.3 | 16.4 | 23.5 | 5.7 | 8.9 |
| 61%+ of BW | 43.2 | 47 | 19.2 | 25 | 6.5 | 8.5 |
| Strict Press | Strict HSPU | RMU |
|---|---|---|
| -50% of BW | 0 | 0 |
| 51-60% of BW | 4.2 | 0.3 |
| 61-70% of BW | 7.4 | 1.2 |
| 71-80% of BW | 15 | 5.3 |
| 81-90% of BW | 21.3 | 9 |
| 91-100% of BW | 28.6 | 14 |
| 101-110% of BW | 31.1 | 16.6 |
| 111%+ of BW | 35.5 | 22.3 |
In the Building Block we will go through a high rep Front Squat Cycle where you do 3-4 high rep sets with focus on perfect positions followed by a max rep set. For Front Squats we have seen a lot of progress from high rep cycles since this is one of the best ways to get a stronger upper back for the lift (which is often a limiter). In the Building Block the Front Squats will be done without sleeves. From experience this is something that has really worked for our athletes and we have seen improvements in both strength and knee health by doing this during periods of the year. And do not worry, your beloved sleeves will make a comeback in the CF Specific Block where we will start to build the Front Squat heavier.
Since our Front Squat is our main goal to improve it will be placed on Mondays when we are the most fresh. During the week we will also do a Back Squat variation and accessory lifts. For Back Squat we will do Tempo Back Squat every other week and Speed Back Squat every other week. This combination will build both good positions, strength and explosiveness.
We attack the pull from the floor in different ways during the week:
1, OLY Pulls from the floor with a perfectly arched position.
2, Deadlift where every week varies between Speed Deadlift and High Rep Deadlift.
3, Lighter accessory work where we practice a perfectly arched back.
By attacking our pull strength the goal is to get better at all pulls that we do from the floor. Often we see that one might be really strong in for example the Deadlift where the back can be rounded but lack the strength when we need a perfectly arched back in the Power version of the OLY lifts. By doing the mix of both Deadlift and OLY pulls the goal is to improve both of these. Put your most focus on the lifts you know are most important for you.
Pull and Push Strength is a big focus for us as always. The main focus is to improve our Strict Press, Push Press, Strict Pull Up and Rope Climbs. This will be reflected in both the Building Block and CF Specific Block, but in the Building Block we also make sure to build a solid foundation with Bench Presses and Row variations.
In addition we do a lot of important accessory work where we isolate muscles that are often the limiting factor in lifts.
Upper Body Strength is very important if you want to be good in CrossFit so make sure you prioritize these sessions. Our biggest days for the Upper Body will be Tuesdays and Fridays, and you will see that we often have an easier day for the Upper Body on Mondays to make sure we can actually perform on Tuesdays. Feel free to do even more adjustments if you feel like you could have had more quality in the session.
Usually CrossFitters are really good at putting in the work. But one area where we have often seen that it is possible to improve is when we do accessory work. In order to get the effect needed here we want to follow the set RIR (reps in reserve). What worked really well for us in the last Building Block was the Myo Rep set which in a way forces you to work hard enough while it is also really time efficient. This is what we will use in the start of this Building Block as well. Here is how it works:
Do a big set to RIR 2-3 (your activation set). Take 3 deep breaths. Do a new set to RIR 2. Take 3 deep breaths. Do 1 more set to RIR 1-2. That is 3 Myo Rep sets. The short rest between the mini-sets makes the next set closer to failure already from the start, which helps you collect more effective reps.
Olympic Lifting in CrossFit is different from Olympic Lifting in weightlifting. In weightlifting, the goal is to lift as heavy as possible in one clean attempt. In CrossFit, we get challenged in many more ways than just a 1RM. We mainly need to get good at light, medium, and heavy barbell cycling for workouts. A high 1RM absolutely helps for this, but it is not the only thing that helps us.
With our new training structure it is easier for us to work more specifically with the different things we need to be good at. In this block our goal is to improve the 1RM for our Snatch, which we will test in a 1RM Hang Squat Snatch. For Clean & Jerk our goal will be to improve our Power Clean & Jerk and our barbell cycling.
The reason why we start the year trying to improve the Hang Squat Snatch is that in order to improve this we also need to work a lot on our bottom position and overhead position. That improved overhead position will then carry over to the rest of the year with other Snatch variations, and a good overhead position does not only help us improve the 1RM Snatch. It also makes reps more cost efficient at lighter weights. In order to improve the Hang Squat Snatch you will see a lot of different complexes, mainly from the hang, with the focus on overhead position in Block 1. Then in Block 2 we go heavier and do more Hang Squat Snatches only.
For our Power Clean & Jerk and the barbell cycling for Clean & Jerk, a big thing will again be to work on the overhead position since a good Jerk is very helpful when we want to get better at cycling the bar faster in Clean & Jerk. This is why the two lifts work really well to focus on together. For the Clean & Jerk you will see mainly Power versions. In Block 1 we will do Cleans from Blocks, Clean & Jerk complexes, and battery lifting where we also include the Sandbag more. Then in Block 2 the lifting will be more specific to the tests we are going to do: the 1RM Power Clean & Jerk and Quarterfinal Workout 24.4.
The training for our Olympic Lifts will start with relatively light weights, and since we have two blocks to build up you should take your time in the beginning. Instead of chasing a heavier weight all the time, there are other ways to improve from the last set: 1, Better positions. 2, Faster speed on the bar. By holding back on the weights in the start of the block you also get more energy for your strength training, which in turn will give you better results in the Snatch and Clean & Jerk.
In addition to the training for the lifts themselves we will focus a lot on your overhead mobility and stability. You will see this in the warm ups, accessory work, and the Mobility Program.
One of the most important aspects when following the endurance training in a Building Block is to follow the prescribed intensity. We cannot stress this enough. If you are in doubt whether you should push harder or not, hold back. And this year with the inclusion of the targeted VO2 Blocks in Week 6 this is even more important. We need to have enough punch when we get into this week to get all the benefits from it.
For our endurance training the goal in Block 1+2 is to improve our 5k Run and our 1000m Row plus our max speed on the rower.
To improve our running we will do the following: 1, Collect volume on Tuesdays in Zone 1-2 and in short intervals and CF Specific workouts. 2, We will have one high quality running session a week where every other week is a run just under threshold pace where we collect 6-8 sets of 1000m with short rest periods, and then the other week we do shorter intervals (90/30, 60/20, 45/15). The goal with this is to use the longer intervals to push up our threshold pace and then the shorter intervals to really pull up the pace from over the threshold. This is a plan we have tested out during the winter with really good results.
If running is really important for you, you can consider adding more meters during the week by using warm ups, cooldowns and similar for more low intensity meters. Running responds really well to volume which is why this often yields great results.
In Block 1 we include rowing in most of our short intervals and Micro Intervals where the speed will be high. You will also see pure speed training with very little fatigue like 1-2 sets of 8 second sprints in our Zone 1 sessions.
In Block 1 you see less CF Specific workouts. We also put the sessions in places where they interfere with the other training as little as possible, especially the ones with high RPE. Because you see these sessions less often it is important that you really focus on them. Use the warm up to practice the most efficient way to move on each movement and decide a focus point for each movement. One of the easiest ways to get better quick is to get better at moving efficiently. Think about where you waste energy: do you jump too high on double unders? Do you muscle the bar on snatches instead of using your hips? These small adjustments compound over time and can make a bigger difference than any extra conditioning session.
After Block 1+2 we will test both Quarterfinals 24.2 (Wall Balls + Burpees) and 24.4 (Clean & Jerk Ladder). This works really well for us since both high rep squat and barbell cycling is a goal for us. You will also see more and more burpees in Block 2 to prepare for 24.2.
On Mondays we use Micro Intervals as a way to push the top end of your aerobic capacity without creating too much fatigue for the rest of the week. The key here is that the rest between the efforts is long enough to maintain quality across all sets. Combined with the VO2 Shock Week that comes at the end of Block 1, this builds a better VO2max that we will get use of in the CF Specific Block.
A very big part of getting better at gymnastics is getting strong and balanced in our upper body, which we covered in the Strength chapter. The data from our Athlete Profile makes this very clear: the stronger you are in the pull and the press, the more reps you get in every gymnastic movement. Because of this our gymnastic sessions in the Building Block focus on movement quality. That means fewer fatigue-heavy workouts and more interval-style sessions with early breaks and lower reps. You still accumulate a lot of volume, but with small sets we keep higher movement quality on every rep. If you practice Toes to Bar in sets of 30 where the last 15 reps are ugly, you are practicing bad movement patterns. If you do 6 sets of 5 with perfect form, you are teaching your body the right pattern and it will hold up much better in competition when fatigue is high.
The tests in gymnastics we will do at the end of the block are the following: Wall Walk Capacity Test, Rope Climb Battery, and the Handstand Push Up Test. In addition to this we will in this block also focus on the following:
Handstand Walk Skill Development. This is something we work on in almost every block. In this block the focus is different for each level: Level 3 works on HSW Pirouettes, Level 2 works on walking longer segments and learning how to turn, and Level 1 focuses on learning to walk.
Toes to Bar. This works well with the other training we are doing right now, and the reason we do a lot of Toes to Bar in this block is to make sure we have an effective kip for the more advanced gymnastics in the rig later this year.
Ring Muscle Up Technique Refinement. For Level 1 this means basic progression while for Level 2 and 3 it means low number of reps with a specific technique focus. The video below is really good to pick out a focus point for your Ring Muscle Up work:
The training we have designed for these blocks is really good, but the truth is that it will only give you results if you are able to recover from it. Time and time again I always come back to this when we see athletes all of a sudden getting much better results than previously. It is almost always a product of an increased focus on limiting stressors and improving recovery more than it has been a new form of training.
Here are the biggest things to think about when it comes to recovery:
This is the biggest thing. And before changing anything else in your training, if you want better results, try to consistently go to bed 30 minutes before normal bedtime to see what an increased 30 minutes of sleep can give you. This is the biggest recovery tool and something you should always prioritize over all others.
Your main focus should be to get enough calories in. Your second focus should be nutrition timing, both in terms of setting you up for success for your sessions and primarily what to take in after the session. This is extra important when we do double sessions.
We have built a Nutrition App that takes the guesswork out of this. The app adjusts your macros for every single session based on what is on the program that day, your bodyweight, your goals, and your daily activity level. This means your carb and protein intake is automatically higher on heavy training days and lower on rest days. This is an easy way to make sure that your nutrition supports your training without you having to think about it.
The optimal volume is different for everyone and the hard thing is that when we go past our optimal volume we often still get better, only not as good as we would have been at the optimal volume. When progress stalls it is so easy to go the "easy" route to just increase volume and do more work. But especially for athletes wanting to be stronger or wanting to move faster through workouts, more often than not the answer is to take away volume.
Signs you have exceeded optimal volume: 1, Quality drops in later sets. If you keep high quality in sets 1-3 but on the 4th set you did significantly worse: you went over the optimal volume. 2, Intervals degrade sharply. If you got better for 3 sets but on the 4th set you got way worse: you went over your optimal volume for that intensity. 3, Last part of session falls apart. If you had good quality for the first 2 parts but the last part you did not: decrease the total sets next time. 4, Certain days always feel heavy. If your quality is good Monday and Tuesday but Wednesdays are always really heavy: your optimal volume is probably lower than what you are doing right now.
We are always ready to help you with these adjustments. Send us a message if you feel like you often lose training quality in a session or during a week and we are ready to help you.
New this year is that we have more tracks than before. We now have both time-based tracks and tracks specific to your weakness. In addition we do separate tracks to prepare for the main competitions that many of you will attend.
A condensed version for athletes with limited time. All the key progressions are included, with adjusted volume to fit a shorter session.
The full session with slightly adjusted volume. Good option if you have the time but want a bit less than the Main Track.
Training is intended to improve all capacities. This is the track with most gymnastics. Be ready to adjust down volume on your strongest areas for more recovery.
Training is intended to improve your strength while maintaining your Engine. Slightly more accessory work and adjusted endurance sessions to not interfere with strength development.
Training is intended to improve your Endurance. More frequency of conditioning and strength training for maintenance rather than to increase it.
Our recommendation is usually to start by following the Main Track or 90 min Track based on how much time you have available. But there are exceptions: if you have done our Athlete Profile Test and are 10 Level Points below in either Strength or Endurance, you should follow that specific track.
However, if you have been on the Main Track for a few blocks and feel like you are not improving as fast as you want, you have another option: choose one of either Strength Track or Engine Track for this block, and then switch for the next one. We all tolerate the interference effect differently and by working on one capacity at a time you might get faster improvement if you have felt stuck for a while.
You are never better than your weakest movement. In order for your fitness to show up, you can not get stopped by a movement. If you have a weakness in form of a gymnastic movement we have you covered. Choose from one of our add on programs that will take you 10–20 min 3 times a week. Recommended days to do these programs is as the first part Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
If you have another weakness movement than any of these, send us a message and we will help you make a plan.
We really look forward to attacking the next training year with you.
Remember when going into this block to prioritize the quality of your most important sessions. The sport is generally very appealing for people who want to work hard. Because of this, hard work will never be enough. But deliberately focusing on the most important parts of your training and being really strict in keeping the quality high is what will help you make the fastest progress forward. Depending on what you feel you need to improve the most, feel free to move around the pieces on each training day and during the week to where you are able to get better training quality.
If you are unsure what your focus points should be for this block, or if you feel like you should adjust something but do not know how, send us a message and we are happy to help.
Kriger Training