3d • Program Design
The Four Primary Purposes of Using Intervals in CrossFit Training
Intervals are one of the most versatile tools we have in CrossFit programming. When used intentionally, they allow us to shape volume, speed, pacing, and intensity in ways that continuous Metcons simply cannot. Below are the four primary reasons I prescribe mixed-modal intervals inside a competitive CrossFit framework, along with examples to illustrate each.
1. Extending Volume Beyond Metcon Limits
Most Open and Quarterfinal workouts fall within predictable volume ranges.For example, 100–120 toes-to-bar is a common upper bound inside a traditional Metcon. Trying to exceed that volume within a continuous workout usually leads to speed deterioration and diminishing returns. Intervals give us a way around this:
- Breaking the work into repeatable sets allows athletes to accumulate 125–150+ reps at high quality.
- This builds tissue tolerance and repeatability beyond what the sport typically asks for.
- The athlete gets exposure to higher total volume without the compounding fatigue that would destroy movement quality in a continuous Metcon.
2. Training at Speeds Faster Than Sport Pace
Intervals allow athletes to train at supra-maximal speeds: faster than what they can sustain in a continuous workout.
Example using toes-to-bar:
- Inside a Metcon, an athlete may operate at 15 reps per minute.
- With structured intervals, you can train them at 20 reps per minute.
Why this matters:
- You develop capacity at a speed that’s above sport demand, training TOWARD the goal cadence.
- You can progress density and intensity without the accumulated fatigue of long continuous efforts.
3. Developing Pacing Skill and Decreasing Density in Longer Workouts
One of the biggest issues in CrossFit is that athletes fundamentally don't know how to pace. Continuous formats make pacing errors hard to identify until a post-session review.
Intervals solve this:
- Each round gives immediate feedback: if Round-1 is 3:30, Round-2 is 3:40, and Round-3 is 4:25, the pacing error is obvious.
- You can intentionally drop density (with built-in rest) to help athletes learn the right effort level.
- This builds long-term pacing skill that directly transfers to longer Metcons and Semifinal-style workouts.
Intervals here act as a controlled learning environment.
4. Increasing Volume of Sprint Work Without Losing Intensity
This is closely related to #2 but worth calling out separately.
For sprint-style workouts (think Fran, Grace, Short time domain Quarters & Semi's style workouts), athletes struggle to accumulate meaningful training volume at true race pace.
Intervals allow:
- Partial versions of sprint workouts at true sport intensity(e.g., multiple rounds of 15 thrusters + 15 pull-ups instead of the full 21-15-9)
- Total volume exceeding the sport requirement without dilution of intensity (in the above example an athlete could conceivably accumulate 90 reps of each movement without speed deterioration)
- Development of specific power, turnover, and recovery adaptations that continuous formats can’t provide
This is how you build athletes who can both hit a ceiling and raise the ceiling.
Summary
Intervals give coaches four powerful levers:
- Extend volume beyond what a continuous Metcon can support
- Train supra-maximal speeds that elevate sport-specific capacity
- Develop pacing skill with instant feedback
- Accumulate sprint-volume without sacrificing intensity
4
6 comments
The Four Primary Purposes of Using Intervals in CrossFit Training
powered by
skool.com/ruth-performance-lab-1681
Ruth Performance Lab: Training principles and systems for athletes and coaches to think clearly, perform better, and develop long-term mastery.
Suggested communities
Powered by