I sat down with Adam Rogers, a coach who has worked with Games-level athletes, to talk about the question I get most from athletes who want to level up: what actually changes in the programming between a quarterfinal athlete, a semifinal athlete, and a Games athlete?
The short version: Quarterfinal athletes need to fix the one or two weaknesses that could end their season. Semifinal athletes are usually separated from the Games by gymnastics density and barbell strength. Games athletes can train more of everything at once because they have more time and better recovery.
| Level | What the scoring does to you | What to prioritize |
|---|---|---|
| Open / Quarterfinals | Points add up against a huge pool. One bad event can end your season. | Fix 1-2 weaknesses (about 80-85% of training time, per Adam) |
| Semifinals | Podium finishes can offset a bad event. | Gymnastics density and barbell strength |
| Games | Lower risk once you’re in. | Train everything together, with recovery to match |
Why does the scoring system decide how you train?
Adam started with the scoring, because it decides what’s worth your time.
At Open and Quarterfinals, your total points are what count. Win three events and finish 5,000th in the fourth, and none of it matters. At semifinals, four or five podium finishes (100, 95, 90 points) can absorb a last-place finish on an endurance or strength event.
So the cost of a weakness depends on the scoring and the size of the pool you’re compared against.
How should a quarterfinal athlete train?
Adam’s answer: find the thing that can take you out, and attack it. At this level it’s usually a complex gymnastics skill like ring muscle-ups, bar muscle-ups, handstand push-ups, or handstand walks. He puts about 80-85% of training time into one or two weaknesses.
Doubling down on strengths right now gives you less return.
When do you switch to training your strengths?
Once you’ve made it through the qualifier. After that, a weakness hurts less and a top-three finish is worth more, so it’s time to chase home runs.
The mistake Adam sees most is getting ahead of yourself. Athletes train for the flavor of the in-person event (Rogue, Wodapalooza, a local comp) before they’ve earned the spot, then take a hit in the qualifier and never get there.
His approach is to keep athletes patient on weaknesses until they’re in, then give them three or four weeks of the event-specific work they’re excited