In the fitness world, and especially in CrossFit®, there's a widespread and dangerous idea: "More is better". The more WODs you do, the more you'll improve. The more volume you accumulate, the stronger you'll become. The more you train, the faster you'll reach your goals. Wrong. Completely wrong.
The truth is that Quality over Quantity isn't just a motivational slogan, it's a fundamental physiological principle. In this article, you'll discover why training less but better is the most effective strategy for achieving real and lasting results.
Table of Contents
The "More is better" myth
Where does this idea come from?
The idea that more training = more results comes from a superficial interpretation of how athletic adaptation works. It's true that stimulus is needed to improve. But there's a limit beyond which more stimulus doesn't bring more adaptation, it only brings more fatigue, more stress, and ultimately... regression.
Signs you're doing too much
- Stalled or declining performance - Your PRs have been stuck for months, or worse, you're regressing
- Chronic fatigue - You always feel tired, even after rest days
- Persistent pain - Small aches that never fully heal
- Declining motivation - The idea of going to the gym no longer excites you
- Sleep difficulties - Hyperactive nervous system, disturbed sleep
- Irritability - Unstable mood, little patience
- Frequent illness - Compromised immune system
- Loss of appetite - Or constant, irregular hunger
If you recognize 3 or more of these signs, you're probably overtraining.
How adaptation really works
The cycle: Stress - Recovery - Adaptation
Training doesn't make you stronger. Training is the STRESS that triggers the process. It's RECOVERY that makes you stronger. Here's how it works:
- STRESS: Training creates micro-damage at the muscular level, fatigues the nervous system, depletes energy reserves
- RECOVERY: The body repairs damage, restores energy, adapts
- SUPERCOMPENSATION: The body prepares for similar future stress by becoming stronger/faster/more resilient
If you skip phase 2 (insufficient recovery), you never reach phase 3 (adaptation). You simply accumulate stress on stress until burnout.
The concept of "minimum effective dose"
There exists a "minimum effective dose" of training: the minimum amount of stimulus needed to produce the desired adaptation. Going beyond this dose doesn't accelerate results, it only increases costs (fatigue, injury risk, recovery time needed).
Quality vs Quantity: what it really means
Training more (quantity)
- 5-6 high-intensity WODs every week
- 90+ minute sessions every day
- Zero rest days ("rest days are for the weak")
- Random WODs without programming
- Focus on "how much" you do, not "how" you do it
Training better (quality)
- 3-4 intense sessions + 1-2 accessory/mobility sessions
- Targeted 60-75 minute sessions
- 1-2 days of active or complete rest
- Structured programming with clear goals
- Obsessive focus on technique and execution
- Warm-up and cool-down never skipped
- Recovery tools: sleep, nutrition, mobility
The benefits of training better (not more)
1. Faster and more consistent progress
When the body recovers adequately, adaptation occurs. Your PRs won't be the result of a lucky day, but of real and measurable improvement in your physical capacity.
2. Drastic reduction in injuries
Most CrossFit® injuries come from:
- Overuse (wear from excessive volume)
- Technique deteriorating under chronic fatigue
- Tissues that don't have time to repair between sessions
Less volume, more recovery = healthy and strong tissues.
3. Technique improvement
When you're fresh, you can focus on execution quality. When you're chronically fatigued, technique worsens and you consolidate incorrect movement patterns.
4. Long-term sustainability
Do you want to train for the next 6 months or the next 20 years? The "smash yourself every day" approach has an expiration date. The "train smart" approach can last a lifetime.
5. More energy in daily life
Training should give you energy for life, not drain it. If you're always exhausted, destroyed, aching... something is wrong.
How to apply the "less but better" principle
1. Define your "enough"
For most non-professional athletes:
- 3-4 high-intensity sessions/week are sufficient for significant progress
- 1-2 accessory sessions (mobility, skill work, aerobic base)
- 1-2 days of complete or active rest
This is a sustainable volume that allows adaptation without burnout.
2. Every session must have a precise purpose
Enough with random WODs. Every workout should have a clear objective:
- Strength day: build maximal strength
- Skill day: perfect a gymnastics skill
- MetCon day: develop aerobic or anaerobic capacity
- Hybrid day: balanced combination
If you don't know why you're doing a certain workout, you probably shouldn't be doing it.
3. Technique is NON-negotiable
Every rep of every exercise of every WOD must be executed with correct technique. If technique deteriorates:
- Reduce the load
- Slow down the pace
- Scale the movement
- Stop
One rep done well is worth more than 10 reps done poorly.
4. Warm-up and cool-down are sacred
- Warm-up: 15 minutes ALWAYS. Prepares the body, activates the nervous system, reduces injury risk
- Cool-down: 10 minutes of light aerobic work + stretching. Helps recovery, reduces DOMS
5. Prioritize recovery like training
Sleep:
- 7-9 hours per night, non-negotiable
- Sleep quality counts as much as quantity
Nutrition:
- Sufficient calories (under-eating + over-training = disaster)
- Adequate protein (1.6-2.2g/kg bodyweight)
- Timing: carbohydrates around workouts
Mobility and soft tissue work:
- 10-15 minutes per day
- Foam rolling, lacrosse ball, stretching
Stress management:
- Training is just one of the stressors
- Stressful work + intense training + poor sleep = guaranteed burnout
6. Listen to your body (really)
Learn to distinguish between:
- "I don't feel like it" (normal laziness) → Train
- "I'm tired but can manage" (normal fatigue) → Train, maybe reduce intensity
- "I'm completely drained" (overreaching) → Active or complete rest
- "I have acute/abnormal pain" (impending injury) → STOP immediately
Case study: two athletes, opposite approaches
Athlete A: "More is better"
- 6 high-intensity WODs/week
- Zero rest days
- Sleeps 6 hours per night
- Skips warm-up to "save time"
- Random WODs from the internet
Results after 6 months:
- PRs stuck for 4 months
- Chronic pain in shoulder and knee
- Declining motivation
- Considering quitting
Athlete B: "Quality over quantity"
- 4 structured sessions/week
- 2 days of active recovery (mobility, walk)
- Sleeps 8 hours per night
- 15 min warm-up + 10 min cool-down always
- Follows Virtuosity program
Results after 6 months:
- +15kg on back squat
- First strict pull-ups
- Sub-8:00 on Fran
- Zero injuries
- Enthusiasm through the roof
Guess which one will have a longer and more satisfying athletic career?
The Virtuosity approach
The Virtuosity program is built precisely on this principle: quality, not quantity.
- Optimal volume: Not too much, not too little. What's needed to progress without burning out
- Intelligent progression: Structured cycles alternating intensity and volume
- Technical focus: Every session starts with skill work or strength focusing on perfect form
- Periodization: Accumulation phases (more volume) alternating with intensification phases (less volume, more intensity)
- Deload weeks: Scheduled deload weeks every 4-6 weeks
- Individualization: Ability to adapt volume to your recovery capacity
When does more make sense?
There are situations where more volume is appropriate:
- Professional athletes: Training is their job, they can dedicate all day to training + recovery
- Pre-competition training camp: Short periods (2-4 weeks) of increased volume followed by taper
- Off-season with specific focus: Period dedicated to filling a specific gap (e.g., 6 weeks oly lifting focus)
BUT: Even in these cases, quality remains priority #1.
The challenge of doing less
Training less but better requires discipline. Not the discipline to drag yourself to the gym when you're destroyed (that's stupidity), but the discipline to:
- Resist the temptation to do "just one more WOD"
- Respect rest days even when you feel good
- Stop when technique deteriorates, even if "you could do a few more reps"
- Follow programming instead of jumping from one random WOD to another
- Invest in recovery tools instead of useless supplements
Next time you find yourself thinking "I should do more," stop and ask yourself: "Am I doing what I'm already doing well?" In most cases, the answer is: improving the quality of what you're already doing is more effective than adding more volume.
Remember: Virtuosity means executing common movements in an uncommon way. It doesn't mean doing more movements. It means doing the movements that matter, in the way that matters, with the consistency that matters.
Less is more. Quality over quantity. Always.