By Gommaar D'Hulst and Klaus Salmesvirta
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COMPETE – Year-Round Training for Competitive Athletes
COMPETE is a year-round training plan built for athletes who want to train with purpose, compete with confidence, and see measurable progress across the season.
Whether you are aiming for a major CrossFit® competition, a local throwdown, or just want to train like a serious athlete, COMPETE delivers the structure, intensity, and progression you need to level up... week after week, month after month.
This isn’t just another program. It’s a full-season system based on science and proven to the detail.
✅ 6 Purpose-Driven Training Days per Week – Every session has a clearly defined training stimulus: strength, force production, power output, mixed modal conditioning, or energy system development
✅ 12-Week Block Periodization (4+4+4) – Each training block progresses through three distinct 4-week mesocycles
✅ Two Peak Phases Per Year – One post-summer peak for fall competition season, and one leading into the CrossFit Open
✅ 40–45% Higher Training Load Than Traditional Hybrid Program – More volume, more structure, and more intent — every day has a clear purpose and stimulus target
✅ Coach Access via Discord – Ask questions, get support, and connect with other serious athletes
✅ Montly live Q&A with founder Gommaar D'Hulst on YouTube
COMPETE follows a dual-peak annual plan built around the competitive CrossFit calendar. The year is divided into two 12-week training blocks, each progressing through three 4-week mesocycles:
🟦 Weeks 1–4: LIFT & Hypertrophy – Build the foundation. High-volume resistance training focused on muscular hypertrophy, structural balance, and work capacity. Functional fitness elements are maintained, but the primary stimulus is tissue-level adaptation and training tolerance.
🟩 Weeks 5–8: MIFT & Force – Develop maximal force output. Loads increase, volume decreases, and the focus shifts to neuromuscular strength and heavy barbell work. Mixed modal sessions shift toward heavier loading patterns and strength-endurance under fatigue.
🟧 Weeks 9–12: HIFT & Power – Express what you've built. High-intensity functional training at peak power output — Olympic lifting speed, barbell cycling, fast mixed modal work, and sport-specific competition simulation. This phase sharpens your ability to perform under intensity and fatigue.
This 12-week cycle repeats twice per year (×2), aligned with two competition peaks:
🏆 Peak 1 — Post-Summer (September/October): Target local and regional fall competitions and throwdowns
🏆 Peak 2 — The Open (February/March): Arrive at the CrossFit Open in peak condition, ready to compete
Between peaks, structured deloads and transitional phases keep you progressing without burnout. You can jump in at any point — the system is designed to continuously build regardless of where you start.
You can jump in at any point in the year. The program cycles continuously, keeping your progress moving regardless of when your next event is.
To get the most out of COMPETE, you should have access to a fully equipped functional fitness facility. Here's what you'll need:
Training in a limited setting? No problem. We provide smart substitution options so you can still follow the program with intensity and intent. The coaches available via discord can support you in this.
At WOD-Science, we have spent years studying training load and adaptation in the unique context of high-intensity functional fitness. We test our concepts in the field through real-world research projects such as the Zone 2 Study, HYBRID 1.0, HYROX Blueprint, HYBRID 2.0, and MASTERS 1.0 projects. Over time, we have built a strong foundation of data and knowledge, which we implement meticulously in our programs.
Our approach combines the science of training with the art of programming.
Athletes initially choose our programs out of curiosity -- wanting to see what a more data-driven approach can do for their training. They stay because they see real progress and break through performance plateaus.
🏋️ Klaus Salmesvirta – M.Sc., CF-L2, Strength & Conditioning Coach for competitive CrossFit® athletes
🔬 Gommaar D’Hulst – PhD in Movement Sciences, Founder of WOD-Science, expert in training load and competition prep
👉 This is COMPETE — year-round, structured training for serious athletes.
Join now!