Coaching Heavy Days When Movement Breaks Down

Heavy days are some of the most fun and challenging classes to coach. They offer athletes a chance to push limits, build strength, and celebrate progress. But what happens when a dedicated heavy-lifting session meets limited skill, strength, mobility, general conditioning, etc.?

Every coach has been there: it’s a heavy day, and someone in class can’t perform the foundational aspects of the movement even though you have done your diligence with teaching, seeing, and correcting the movement.

Let’s take a common example:

It’s overhead squat day. The prescribed workout is 7 sets of 3 reps. But a member can’t squat anywhere near parallel without bending their arms, the barbell drifting out of the frontal plane, or showing excessive internal shoulder rotation with a light load. 

So … What Should We Do?

There’s not a single correct answer to this question. The only wrong answer is coaching them to do the same thing all the time. With some creativity, we can make various options available to keep our athletes engaged and progressing. 

Consider the following:

Option 1: Stick to Mechanics — Then Consistency — Then Intensity

This is the purist’s route. We follow the CrossFit charter exactly as written by Greg Glassman in 2002. The athlete uses a PVC pipe for the entire class, working on mobility, stability, and positioning during the general warm-up, specific warm-up, and even the workout. We may use a tempo prescription or increase reps slightly to maximize practice time and reinforce motor patterns. We don’t increase the load because the athlete hasn’t demonstrated sound mechanics yet.

This is valuable, but not always motivating. Spending much of the training session in a frustrating, uncomfortable position without experiencing load or tangible progress can be demoralizing. This strategy can be great for newer athletes or those who lack general conditioning. However, would you enjoy doing that every time this movement appears in the programming? Probably not. Most members wouldn’t either.

Option 2: Modify the Movement Entirely

Here, we acknowledge that the overhead squat isn’t working today and pivot. Instead of fighting poor mechanics, we select another lift with a similar function, like the front squat or back squat, and allow the athlete to have their heavy day experience, building strength and including more intensity.

When opting for a change in the movement, consider looking at the rest of the week and planning accordingly. If you have front or back squats programmed later in the week, maybe opt for an alternative movement like a barbell overhead reverse lunge or split squat, as this movement tends to be more friendly with the overhead position. 

As stated in the CrossFit Level 1 Training Guide, intensity is the independent variable most commonly associated with maximizing the rate of return of favorable adaptation to exercise.

It’s simple and effective, but also incomplete. By skipping the overhead position during a bilateral squat entirely, we avoid addressing the athlete’s weakness. In CrossFit, we don’t avoid weaknesses; we confront them. That’s a core element of developing general physical preparedness (GPP).

Option 3: Blend Mechanics With Strength

This is the middle ground and my personal favorite.

Start the class with intentional work on the overhead squat. Use the general warm-up to include mobility drills and activation work. During the specific warm-up, focus on technique to improve positioning safely. Then, in the heavy portion of the workout, shift to a lift that maintains the intended strength stimulus — like the front squat or back squat — but is more accessible. A bonus would be to perform the front squat or back squat, then complete three PVC overhead squats after each set.

This option gives the athlete the best of both worlds: they address their weakness without being punished by it. They still get the fun, challenge, and stimulus of a heavy day while making real progress on the skill they struggle with.

Coaching Heavy Days: Three Quick Reminders

1. Start with purpose. Don’t skip the whiteboard. Use it to set expectations and explain the intention behind your movement choices.
2. Progress is not linear. Celebrate small wins — better depth, improved stability, and less compensation. This is extremely valuable for frustrated athletes who may not be seeing the numbers progress as they would like.
3. Make it meaningful. Ask yourself: Will this athlete walk away feeling stronger, more capable, more hopeful, or more frustrated?

So, What’s the Best Approach?

It depends on context, the athlete’s goals, and their mindset. As coaches, we need to balance what’s best for development with what’s meaningful and enjoyable in the moment.

We often ask ourselves, “What does this athlete need?” But sometimes, we should ask, “What would I want if I were in their shoes?”

Most of our members aren’t elite athletes. They’re regular people using CrossFit to live better lives. Our job is to guide them through challenges in a way that supports both progress and enjoyment.

Progress matters. So does the experience. Our job is to deliver both.

Have a question for a coach? Please submit that here.

About the Author

Matheus Pereira Rosa is a Certified Level 4 CrossFit Coach, a physical education graduate, and co-owner of Paracatu CrossFit in Brazil. With over eight years of coaching and affiliate leadership experience, he is recognized for developing coaches and leading educational experiences for trainers throughout Latin America. He is the founder of Next Level Education, a platform dedicated to elevating coaching standards through methodology, hands-on practice, and language development.