CFT Numbers

[Tyler Goerlitz]

Hey guys, I have been trying to gain some strength and and still doing it. I did my first CFT yesterday and scored a 625. I am curious as to how this score is and what a good score is? My goal by August is to get it closer to 800. Is that a reasonable goal? I am not part of a box so I basically train myself. My current weight is 145, and my numbers were 225 squat, 125 press and 275 deadlift. Thanks for the input guys.

[Brian Strump]

Good strength numbers for a novice to shoot for would be 2x BW squats, BW shoulder press, 2.5x deadlift.

FWIW, I'm 5'8 165, and my last CFT # were
Squat= 365#
Press= 165
DL= 375

[David Meverden]

Opinions differ but generally speaking Strong = 1000 CFT. That is about the min you need to have a chance at being a competitive CrossFitter. Of course that does not account for bodyweight. If you want to account for that you could use multiplier thumbrules like Brian talked about or check out the CrossFit.Com FAQ and look at their CFT chart:
http://www.crossfit.com/cf-info/faq.html#WOD8 (WFS)
(please note that some people hate that chart because it's more useful for the terms "novice" "intermediate" and "advanced" to distinguish how people respond to training methods rather than relative strength. i.e. a naturally gifted person could be a novice in the training experience sense but really strong).

If you just want general fitness getting yourself in the "intermediate" category is fine, which you are already in, but because you are so light that still leaves you pretty weak. I think putting on 20 lbs of body weight and getting to 800-900 CFT would be a positive thing for you, unless you are really really short. If you are young, go on a pure strength program, and eat a LOT that could be feasible by August.

[Eric R Cohen]

5 times bodyweight is a pretty good standard. This puts a 200 lb guy at 1,000.
Of course it depends on your goals, but for GPP, this is a good goal to aim for.

[Bob Herald]

It's funny because everyone Says GPP. But you'd be hard pressed to find any amount of the general public (including soldiers firefighters and cops) that could get close to 800 cft. I'm a firefighter and most of the guys I work with have never had a barbell on their backs.

[David Meverden]

Originally Posted by Bob Herald

It's funny because everyone Says GPP. But you'd be hard pressed to find any amount of the general public (including soldiers firefighters and cops) that could get close to 800 cft. I'm a firefighter and most of the guys I work with have never had a barbell on their backs.

Don't you think those firefighters would be more effective at their jobs if they DID spend some time with barbells on their backs?

I think 5 x bodyweight CrossFit total is probably not worth the time and effort if your only goal is GPP for your occupation, but I think the fact that many soldiers/firefighters/cops are weak is not a criticism of our strength measurement, but is a criticism of their training regime.

[Bob Herald]

Originally Posted by David Meverden

Don't you think those firefighters would be more effective at their jobs if they DID spend some time with barbells on their backs?

I think 5 x bodyweight CrossFit total is probably not worth the time and effort if your only goal is GPP for your occupation, but I think the fact that many soldiers/firefighters/cops are weak is not a criticism of our strength measurement, but is a criticism of their training regime.

I absolutely agree. I preach it to the guys all the time. The guys that do lift, work the beach muscles for their calendar shoots. Theres probably a handful of guys on my entire department that have dead lifted or squatted since high school. Shameful actually.

I was remarking about how high those numbers are to be "generally physically prepared". I back squat 315 and bench press 245 for reps, and can climb 55 stories with 70 lbs of gear on. I consider myself above GPP. But according to those numbers, I need to be squatting 420 lbs to be considered fit. I'm not buying that.

[Brian Strump]

I think David's reply was to the original poster's question, not what's best for GPP.

That's not to say that someone that can get to 5x BW will be better....just stronger as a percentage of body weight.

[Stu Christensen]

A 5x body weight CFT is pretty high. I would guess most really fit CF'ers are not at 4x BW. IMO.

[Will Feber]

Originally Posted by Stu Christensen

A 5x body weight CFT is pretty high. I would guess most really fit CF'ers are not at 4x BW. IMO.

I got a CFT of 4x bw and most people here, include myself, seem to think I'm not that strong (yet). 5x doesn't seem crazy to me, unless you are extremely heavy.