Month: May 2018

WOD

7 Rounds of 1 Minute on each station

Row for calories
Overhead squat 95/65 lb
Rest

Workout notes

Today’s workout is an interval style workout that will last a total of twenty minutes.  You’ll start each round on the rower to complete as many calories as possible prior to transitioning to the barbell for some overhead squats.  The suggested load is on the lighter side so use a weight you can complete a large number of reps in two to three sets within the minute.   Keep the load light and work to your full range of motion.  If overhead squats are not happening today sub them movement out for front squats!

SKILL

10×1 Lunge Kick to Freestanding handstand OR Handstand Walk practice

Now that we’ve seen handstand walking in The Open it’s time to become pros at being upside down! Make several attempts to kick into and hold a free standing handstand.  For beginners start by just gently rocking up into the upside down position and increase the height of your legs with each attempt.  Don’t go all out in the beginning and turn over too far.  Make sure to start with locked out arms and have a bail out plan or partner assist in place so you don’t come crashing down.  If you are new to this skill start against a wall with some handstand holds or wall walks if you are not quite ready to kick up yet.  If you are comfortable kicking in to a freestanding handstand on your own spend today’s skill work time practicing walking on your hands!

WOD

“The Chief”

Max rounds in 3 minutes of:

3 Power Cleans 135/95lbs
6 Push-ups
9 Squats

Rest 1 minute. Repeat for a total of 5 cycles

Workout notes

This workout is a classic CrossFit workout and a CFD favorite.  Score each cycle separately and don’t forget to pace yourself! It’s a good idea to treat this workout like you would a Tabata style workout trying to achieve the same score in each cycle.  You have 19 minute workout and a total of 15 minutes of work so plan for a longer workout!

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes
3 Power Snatch

Perform three power snatches every minute for a total of 10 rounds. You can choose to link your reps together or perform three singles, but make sure you’re able to get all 3 reps done within each minute.  The weight you choose should be in the  moderate effort range.  An appropriate weight would likely be 65-70% or less for newer lifters. Consider starting with a weight you are very familiar with and increasing by small increments if  the lifts are going well.  Even though we are not squatting in this version of the snatch, make sure to drop underneath the bar slightly as you catch it with your hips behind you.  If mobility is an issue for you, talk to your coach about practicing a split snatch!

WOD

3 Rounds for time

400M Run
30 Overhead walking lunge steps w/ plate 45/35 lb
20 Box jumps 24/20″

Workout notes

Today’s workout is a three round time priority triplet.  Take the first round at a strong but steady pace and try to increase intensity in rounds two and three.  Overhead walking lunges are a big challenge if you are working on your shoulder mobility. If you are unable to lock out the plate overhead with your elbows straight consider bodyweight lunges or holding the plate at your chest.  Do your best to keep your torso upright and make the lunges a leg movement rather than a lower back movement. Remember to give yourself a moment to compose yourself before that first box jump.  Box jumps will be tough after the lunges!

Skill

20 rounds of

10 seconds on 50 seconds off
Air assault for calories

Our skill work today is another round in our “intensity” progression.  You’ll have 20 attempts at 10 seconds to work on the air assault bike.  The intent of this skill work is to practice moving faster than you might normally when you see the bike in a typical workout.   You have a very large work to rest ratio so go hard enough that you need to utilize all of those 50 seconds of rest. Partner up with folks you can agree with on a height setting for the seat and use the clock to share the bike for all 20 rounds.

WOD

“Grace”

for time

30 Clean & Jerks 135/95 lb

Workout notes

“Grace” is a well known classic benchmark CrossFit workout.  In this workout we will be performing 30 repetitions of the clean and jerk.  Scale this movement by load.  Use a weight with which you can consistently perform the lift with good mechanics.  Plan on fast singles or small sets of 5 or less. For most people that will mean selecting a weight that is in the 60% or less range of your max.

Skill

5-5-5-5-5
Front Squat

Today we’re working up to a strong effort 5 rep front squat.  With the front squat we want to focus on keeping the elbows up and chest as upright as possible.  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 bit in the front squat and load the bar onto your torso which 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.  Feel free to choose one weight and work there for all sets rather than adding weight as you go.

WOD

AMRAP in 10 minutes

Wall ball shots 20/14 lb 10/9′ *

*  4 burpees EMOM

Workout notes

Today’s workout is a couplet but your score will be based on the total number of repetitions completed of a single element.  You’ll begin 4 burpees at the start of every minute and then complete as many reps as possible of the wall ball shots.  Choose a wall ball weight and target height that you can consistently hit even under fatigue. The challenge for this workout will most likely be maintaining a constant work rate in every minute.  It’s probably not a good strategy to go out for max sets in the first few minutes.  Coupled with the burpee buy in every 60 seconds that can be difficult to maintain.  Start with a sustainable number that gives you a few seconds rest and try to hold on to that rep count as you get fatigued.

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes

20 seconds of Kipping pull-ups then 20 seconds of double unders

We’re working on two difficult skills today.  You will have ten rounds to work on the kipping pull-up or kipping swing as well as  double unders.  Twenty seconds should give you you enough time to work on one strong set of kipping swings or pull-ups prior to knocking out some double unders.  Experienced athletes can work on getting larger sets of pull-ups. If you are new to the movement work on coordinating the kipping swing so you can repeat the movement for successive reps.

WOD

for time

50-35-20 *
Kettlebell swings 32/24 kg

* 200M Run after each round

Workout notes

Today’s workout is a couplet with a high priority on the kettlebell swing!  The workout has three rounds of high rep kettlebell swings.  Do your best to keep the intensity high during each round of swings knowing that you have a short run to let your arms recover.  If you are new to the kettlebell swing or you are using this workout to test out a heavier weight, scale the movement to russian style swings by getting the kettlebell to eye-level rather than going all the way overhead.

WOD

for time

75 alternating dumbbell snatch 50/35 lb
1 Mile run
75 alternating dumbbell snatch 50/35 lb

Workout notes

Today we have a difficult couplet that will fall into a longer time domain. We’ll start and finish the workout with two large sets of dumbbell snatches.  The benchmark load is on the lighter side so select a dumbbell with which you can perform most of each set at a high intensity.  You will want to be able to work continuously through each set of snatches. Try larger sets of touch and go reps or pacing the snatches by performing single reps and quickly switching hands while the dumbbell is on the floor.

WOD

8 rounds of 2 minutes on 1 minute off

[odd]
AMRAP of
20 Double unders
10 sit-ups

[even]
AMRAP of
10 Hang power clean 155/105 lb
5 Thrusters 155/105 lb

Workout notes

Today we have a longer workout time with several short AMRAP’s in an interval format.  We’ll alternate between a two minute bodyweight workout and a two minute weightlifting workout.  You will have four opportunities for reps at each station.  Start with the double under/sit-up combo and complete as many reps as possible in two minutes.  Take one minute rest and transition to the barbell where you will also work for two minutes.  Repeat three more times and try to use that rest interval to recover and maintain the same effort in each round.  You will have two scores for this workout, your total number of rounds and reps in the bodyweight workout, as well as your total reps in the weightlifting workout.

Skill

Deadlift
3-3-3-3-3

Work up to a strong effort set of 3 deadlifts.  This doesn’t necessarily mean you go up to max effort or a new 3RM, but work up in weight as you feel comfortable. Judge your effort by the strain it takes you to achieve each lift.  New lifters should keep the load light and work on proper body mechanics as they increase in weight.  Start with a light weight and make sure that you have established a straight back and an  appropriate setup as you address the bar.  Be sure to maintain your posture as you progress through each set and as you increase in weight.

WOD

for time

15-12-9-6-3
Deadlift 225/155 lb
Burpee Box Jump 24/20″

Workout notes

We’re also doing deadlifts in today’s metcon.  You should have a good idea what a heavy load would be for you after the skill work.  For the workout we want a weight that is somewhere in the 60% range of a max effort lift.  You will want to be able to complete each round in the smallest number of sets possible.  This workout is short and with only 90 reps total falls into the sprint category.  Do your best to keep moving quickly and perform those burpees as fast as possible.

Skill

Tabata Double unders

Today’s skill work is an opportunity to work on the difficult double under.  If you have the movement down but are still working on knocking out sustainable sets this will be a great time to build your stamina by finding a sustainable work level.   Stay relaxed in the shoulders and jump with as much efficiency as possible.  If you are new to the movement make 1-3 attempts during every work period. Start by performing single unders and introduce a double under attempt every 3-4 minutes. When you attempt your double unders perform the same jump as with your single unders but get more height with an explosive jump and speed up the turn on your rope.  If you’re expert level at double unders and certain you would go unbroken every round use this time to work on Triple Unders!

WOD

5 Rounds for time

30 Wall ball shots 20/14 lb 10/9 ‘
20 Alternating dumbbell clean 50/35 lb
100M Run

Workout notes

Our workout today is as three movement metcon for time! You’ll do 150 wall ball shots and 100 cleans during the course of this workout so right away you should know we’re working in a longer time domain.  Use a medicine ball weight and target height with which you can complete large set sizes during each round of 30.  Your clean weight should be light enough that you could complete the sets of 20 with just a quick reset while the dumbbell is on the floor or by completing all 20 reps as TnG.  Use that 100M run to recover and attack the following round with a high intensity level.  If you are new to CrossFit or this level of volume scale the workout to 3 or 4 rounds!