Can I Do Crossfit While Doing Smolov?

You may have just discovered one of the hardest power lifting programs in the world, smolov. I cannot blame you for asking if you can do crossfit, nevertheless anything else while on this intense program. So, Can I Do Crossfit While Doing Smolov? The answer is complicated.

Can I do Crossfit While Doing Smolov?
Can I do Crossfit While Doing Smolov?

What is Smolov?

Smolov is arguably the hardest powerlifting squat program out there.

It’s not for a beginner to bodybuilding to attempt or try, and even most intermediate or advanced bodybuilders need to be cautious.

Infact, if you have been lifting less than two years, I would not recommend even trying to attempt Smolov. Smolov is a program for those who have seriously stalled on their squat, and understand that the gym requires hard and precise work.

https://twitter.com/Dillon_Wayne44/status/994170732606377985
User @dillion_wayne44 hitting a 275 lb back squat PR using Smolov.

What Does The Program Look Like?

Smolov looks like for lack of better terms, a headache. You can view the free program online at http://www.smolovjr.com/smolov-squat-routine/.

It starts out giving you a 1-2 week beginner cycle. The beginner cycle allows you to get adjusted to the heavy squats you’re about to do.

It’s recommended you do lots of leg stretching…and by recommended, you won’t survive without it!

After that, you will be squatting 4 days a week with heavy numbers. Typically, you will start off at 75%-85% of your 1RM and doing lots of painful and heavy reps.

After that week has passed, you add 20 pounds on and keep trucking. You can see already that this is a program that requires incredible mental and physical endurance.

User @kdew007 doing squats on the Smolov program using coffee.

Can I Do Crossfit While Doing Smolov? – Program Analysis

Looking at this program, it requires basically all of your energy at the gym. In fact, according to sites like StrongLifts.com they say you will NOT look forward to squatting, period.

Additionally, it’s not recommended you do much else on this program other than focus on the squats.

They say do a light bench press and curl regime to keep your other muscles in shape, but not anything else. This is because mainly, I doubt you’ll find any energy to do much else.

https://twitter.com/EstradaOfficer/status/1184857267532914696
User @estradaofficer working out with crossfit!

Can I Do Crossfit While Doing Smolov? – A look at Crossfit

For us to give a fair analysis of this question, let’s take a look at a standard crossfit exercise regiment.

For example, we will use Wodify’s 15 best crossfit beginning blocks listed here: https://blog.wodify.com/post/the-15-best-crossfit-wod-for-beginners

While I have always been one to criticize most crossfit programs, I have to admire the sheer cardiovascular work they put you through.

If there’s one thing that crossfit does right, is that your heart definitely gets a crazy good workout.

However, tying into this all, crossfit requires a lot of energy. I would argue that crossfit probably uses more energy than standard weight-lifting. And I know that is very controversial as someone who spends 2 hours a day weight-lifting myself. Sure, heavy weights are heavy, but if people do crossfit right they will be sweating non-stop.

Combining Crossfit and Smolov

If you’re combining these crossfit programs and smolov, you’re going to have a bad time.

Truth is, crossfit while hated on does use a ton of energy in the body. However, smolov is going to use that same energy aswell.

Aforementioned I stated that smolov will use every ounce of energy your body has. Trying to combine crossfit with smolov will just almost be impossible.

The fact is, both of these will be using tons of energy. You cannot do both, and I would suspect even if you’re on steroids it would be very tough.

The truth is, CrossFit is a very heavy conditioning program. If you did crossfit before Smolov, it may help you with the heavy load of the program, but combining them will not work.

Kids across the world engage in Crossfit. Maybe wondering, “Can I Do Crossfit While Doing Smolov?”.

Can I Do Crossfit While Doing Smolov? – My Personal Experience

While I tell you that doing both is basically a nightmare, I have experienced it first hand.

I remember going to gym and telling my buddy (who deadlifts 515 for reps, he’s pretty big fella), “10×3 isn’t so bad”, by the 9th set I was shaking. I forgot how hard this program can be.

The next time I went, “5×9 can’t be so bad” and the same old story holds true, by the 5th set I was shaking about to throw up.

After I finished Smolov there wasn’t much else I could do, I tried doing the leg press and hamstring curl but to basically no avail. I could barely contract the machine, even at at a lighter weight.

I had to do a 400m sprint after, and almost tripped twice. It was horrible. All my energy had been used. A simple google search of this phenomenon will warrant you many people proclaiming to just go home after you get your squats done!

https://twitter.com/alicext1/status/1184939160957833216
Crossfit helps unite people and get them in great shape!

Can I Do Crossfit While Doing Smolov? Or, anything?

Smolov is a very intense program.

Infact, as I mentioned earlier. I was unable to do any exercise after doing Smolov and I would consider myself very physically capable considering I am a wrestler and have been lifting for years.

The answer to, “Can I Do Crossfit While Doing Smolov?”, is no. It’s impossible, you will not have enough energy and even if you’re on steroids I doubt you could pull it off.

Many users on crossfit.com forums echo the same opinion. Claiming, “you can’t mess with the WODs and squat numbers at the same time”, “crossfit is conditioning, smolov is strength, don’t combine them”. You can read many of their inputs here: https://board.crossfit.com/showthread.php?t=83455.

The best advice they give, is that stopping your crossfit regime for a few weeks will not destroy your CF progress. They say honestly, just do smolov and come back later, you will probably just be right where you left off.

Conclusion

The simple conclusion is, no. You cannot do Crossfit while doing Smolov. Just stop your crossfit for a while, get your squat up, and come back in a month or two. You’ll probably be just fine.

If you really wanted to, find a lighter version of your program, and do that on your rest days of smolov. Do not overwork yourself, rest builds muscle, remember that!

2 thoughts on “Can I Do Crossfit While Doing Smolov?”

  1. Great article, I’ve never actually heard about Smolov before but I think I might give it a shot. Up until recently I’ve been severely lacking on legs and this might be a good way to get to where I want to be. Now I know just how tough this will be, and I definitely won’t do crossfit at the same time. On another note, I’ve heard crossfit can give you a lot of injuries due to improper form (especially with their “pull-ups”). Can you do an article on this?

    Reply
    • For sure, thank you for recommending the article idea to me. I will get it published within a few weeks here!

      Thank you again for your recommendation, and good luck at the gym!

      Reply

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