Month: January 2016

Strength

Front Squat

3-3-3-3-3

Today we’re working up to a strong effort 3 rep front squat.  With the front squat we want to focus on keeping the elbows up and point out and in turn the chest.  As with any kind of squatting you’ll want to practice keeping your knees out and tracking over your feet. Remember to release the grip on the bar a little bit in the front squat and load the bar onto your torso. That should help you keep your elbows and chest up. If you have a mobility problem holding you back from keeping your elbows up you can always try crossing your arms across the bar or modifying that in some way.

WOD

AMRAP in 10 Minutes

10 Front Rack Walking Lunge Steps 115/75 lb
20 Push-Ups
30 Sit-Ups

Workout notes: Today we have a time priority triplet where we are working on three movements for a set amount of time.  Each of these movements provides a slightly different stimulus so you may find that can settle into a pace and hold that for the entire workout. It’s not required that you perform the lunges unbroken but using weight where that is a possibility should give you an idea of what to use as a target weight for the workout.

EMOM for 10 Minutes
Straight set of Kipping Chest-to-bar Pull-ups

For this skill work you will be working on on maintaining a set of chest to bar pull-ups for 10 rounds(:30 seconds max).  Previously we have performed this skill with another movement on an alternating minute so essentially we’re doubling the number of rounds for the pull-ups and for that reason you will most likely want to perform a set size that is much smaller than what you would use if you were attempting this movement with another minute of rest.  If you are still working on building the strength to support kipping swings, work for about 30 seconds performing jumping pull-ups with a slow lower down.

WOD

AMRAP in 8 Minutes
3-6-9-12-15 …
Sumo Deadlift High Pull 95/65 lb
Burpee

Workout notes: This rep scheme of this workout is an ascending style ladder with the repetitions increasing by 3 reps each round. The first few rounds will be a low number of reps but they add up fast and by the time you reach the larger set sizes you most likely be fairly fatigued so for that reason pace yourself during those early rounds.  The sumo deadlift high pull weight should be fairly light.  You most likely won’t do the entire workout unbroken but choose weight that you could easily perform the first couple of rounds unbroken if you decide to.

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes

[Odd] Double Unders
[Even] :30 Seconds of Hollow Rocks

Complete as many double unders as possible during the odd minutes of our skill work today.  If you are still working on this movement practice completing unbroken sets or work on alternating between some single unders and double unders.  If you are brand new to jumping rope stick to single unders for now. Rest as much as you need to perform quality reps.  On the even minutes work perform hollow rocks. Scale these first by attempting decreasing the time you spend on the movement if you can hold the position.

WOD

EMOM for 10 Minutes
[odd] Thrusters 95/65 lbs
[even] Rest

Workout notes: This workout is an interval style workout where you will be working for an entire minute and resting an equal amount.  You will score this workout by your total reps completed across all 5 minutes of work.  The thruster takes a good deal of strength as well as conditioning and for that reason you most likely will not be able to hold the same set sizes as you get fatigued so for this workout make an attempt to get as man reps as you can in each round and break the work into smaller sets as you get fatigued.

WOD

“Helen”

3 rounds for time

400M Run
21 Kettlebell Swings 24/16kg
12 Pull-ups

Workout notes: This workout is a classic CrossFit.com benchmark workout.  One of our favorites and a great test of fitness. You’ll need to be quick on your feet, have good conditioning and have your pull-ups dialed in to move continuously through this workout. The total pull-up number might be small but they will be made very difficult with the preceding kettlebell swings.

Skill

1RM Clean & Jerk

Work up to a strong effort Clean & Jerk.  For most athletes catching the bar in a full squat and performing a split jerk will be the most efficiency way to move the most weight.  Start by performing several reps at a lighter weight and then increasing gradually to a strong effort lift.

WOD

AMRAP in 5 Minutes

2-4-6-8-10 …
Squat Cleans
Jerks

Workout notes: The recommend weight for this workout is about ~60% of your lift during the first part of the class.  That should make the load fairly manageable in a higher rep format.  Depending on your relative strength between your clean and your jerk you may be able to perform a push press or push jerk as this is essentially shoulder to overhead in this format.