Category: Workout of the Day

SKILL

Deadlift
1-1-1-1-1

Work up to a heavy single deadlift today.  This doesn’t necessarily mean you go up to max effort, 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 increase in weight.  Warm up with multiple reps as you build in weight and when the bar starts to feel heavy drop to singles until you’ve hit your max for the day

WOD

AMRAP in 10 Minutes
30 Double Unders
10 Dumbbell hang clean & jerks 50/35 lb

Workout notes

We have two movements in today’s workout.  Each round starts with a small set of double unders.  This workout is a great opportunity to work on the skill. If you are just getting started with double unders but aren’t sure how long thirty reps will take you decide on a number of reps you could complete in about thirty to forty-five seconds and scale the number in each round to that amount.  If you start failing reps give yourself a minute max and move on to the dumbbell.  Scaling double unders for single unders is a good option as well but make a double under attempt in every round.  Each round includes ten dumbbell hang clean and jerks.  Break up the set of ten in any way you see fit but do distribute the work evenly across both arms.  You can alternate every rep or do small sets on each arm.  Use a dumbbell weight light enough that you could perform all ten reps in a row when you are fresh.

SKILL

10×3
Strict Pull-Up with pause at top of pull-up

Spend some time today focusing on strict pull-up strength.  Hold your chin over the bar momentarily after you reach the top of your pull-up and then practice a controlled descent for every rep. Don’t worry about pausing for an extended amount of time but just make sure you get your chin over the bar without straining your neck and dropping off of the bar without control.   If you are using a band choose one that makes the three reps challenging and try to implement the pause at the top.  If you are doing ring rows, pause momentarily with the rings in contact with your chest for each rep and consider upping the rep count to 5 or 7.  If you can do strict pull-ups but three reps is too much of a challenge, choose a number that you can repeat for ten sets or around 20-30 total reps. If you are an expert at pull-ups add some weight or give the peg-board a try.

WOD

AMRAP in 20 Minutes

2 Front rack walking lunge steps 155/105 lb
4 Front squats 155/105 lb
8 Push-ups

Workout notes

This workout is a long duration triplet with low rep counts for each movement.  Considering the lower rep count the suggested load on the barbell steps is heavier than usual.  If you do choose to test a heavier weight than what you normally use be sure to use a load with which you can easily complete the lunges and squats in quick succession when fresh.  You don’t necessarily need to go “unbroken” during the workout but don’t use a weight that makes it impossible.  The highest volume movement will come in push-ups.  In a long workout like this your push-ups will inevitably fall off so plan on adding rest and breaking them up early and often if needed.  Choose a scaling option that you can maintain for all twenty minutes.  We’re probably looking at a fairly high round count for this workout so transition quickly between movements and aim to keep the intensity up for the entire workout.

SKILL

EMOM for 10 Minutes

Slow pull power clean + split jerk

Today’s workout has us practicing using some control in the first pull of the power clean as well as a little bit of split jerk technique.  Start by setting up for a clean and then pull the bar off of the floor in a controlled fashion.  Keep the bar moving slower than normal in the first part of the lift and remember to keep your hips down.  The best way to know if you are performing the lift properly is pay attention to your back angle.  The hips and shoulders should rise together until the bar passes your knees.  From that point you can aggressively open up the hips and receive the bar in a partial squat.   Reset your grip and stance to setup for the jerk if needed and start with a quick and explosive bend of the knees prior to driving your body under the bar. In the split jerk you should receive the bar in a deep lunge with your weight distributed evenly across both legs.  Recover by bringing the front foot back first and then the back foot forward second. With a heavy load overhead this will help lessen the distance you need to travel to finish the lift.

WOD

for time

1-10
Sumo deadlift high pull 95/65 lb
Burpee

Workout notes

Yesterday’s workout was in a longer time domain and today we are looking at a workout that lands in a shorter sprint style time domain. The sumo deadlift high pull should be light enough that you could complete each round in sets rather than singles.  In other words, if you’re breaking up the round of two, you went too heavy!  The rep scheme starts with one rep of each movement, then two, three, four and so on until you finish the round of ten.  There are a total of fifty-five reps of each movement in an ascending rep scheme which is a bit deceiving! You’re about halfway after you finish the round of seven with three rounds to go.  Pace yourself early on so you can keep the intensity high at the halfway point.

SKILL

EMOM for 10 Minutes

Straight set of Toe-to-bar

Use this time to practice your kipping swing and toe-to-bar with a kip. If you are new to the movement start by alternating between the hollow and arch position on the bar and follow that by pulling the knees in and up to the chest. Remember that this is skill practice and we have a high volume of shoulder work today so don’t start with a max set or use this to test your overall work capacity unless you are very familiar with this skill.  Start with small sustainable sets and try to maintain that effort across the entire 10 minutes.

WOD

4 Rounds with one minute on each station

Air assault bike for calories
Two arm dumbbell power cleans 50/35 lb
Sit-ups
Wall ball shots 20/14 lb 10/9′
Rest

Workout notes

Today’s workout is a four round interval workout with four stations and one minute rest between rounds.  You will have four opportunities to accumulate reps at each station.   Use a medicine ball and dumbbell weight that allows you to work continuously for most of sixty seconds and do your best to work for most of the minute while performing sit-ups.  Push the air assault bike to a strong level but moderate your pace somewhat so you are able to continue working when you transition off of the bike and onto the cleans. An all out bike sprint is exceptionally fatiguing so estimate a pace that you could maintain for a twenty minute workout and try to hold that number rather than going all out in the early rounds.

WOD

5 Rounds with one minute on each station

Row for calories
Rest
Sandbag squat clean over the shoulder 100/70 lb
Rest
Push-ups
Rest

Workout notes

We’ll have thirty minutes on the clock for today’s interval style workout.  You’ll have five opportunities to work at each of three stations for one minute with an equal amount of time to rest between stations.  We’re introducing a new variant on the sandbag clean.  For this workout pull the bag from the floor by opening the hips to drive it upward and drop under it to catch the bag in the bottom of your squat.  Stand up and toss the bag over your shoulder to finish the rep. This movement will be similar to a medicine ball cleans, only heavier and with a toss over the shoulder. The push-ups and rowing should be familiar to you.  With additional rest after every work period you can try to keep the intensity a little higher than in a workout when you did not have the recovery period so try stepping up your row pace or push-up standard if you are ready for a challenge and make sure to work all the way through each minute!

WOD

AMRAP in 20 Minutes

400M Run

then

4 rounds of
4 Strict pull-ups
8 Box Jumps 24/20 ”

Workout notes

We’ll have twenty minutes on the clock today for our workout.  The workout is scored by the total rounds and additional reps you complete just like any other AMRAP but the format for this workout is a little different.  You’ll start the workout with a 400M Run then return to the gym for four rounds of strict pull-ups and box jumps.  After you’ve finished your last set of box jumps head back outside for another 400M Run and start all over again. The idea behind this format is that it should allow you to keep the intensity high when you are working through the strict pull-ups and box jumps in order to accumulate volume with movements that would normally slow down quite a bit in large numbers.

Skill

Front Squat

3-3-3-3-3

Work up to a strong effort three rep front squat.  Start light and increase the weight for each set. The focus here should be keeping your torso upright and tracking your knees over your feet. Your elbows should be pointing outward with your chest up.  Actively push your knees out if you feel them caving in so you can reinforce good mechanics.

WOD

AMRAP in 10 minutes

1-2-3-4-5-6-7…
Front Squat 135/95 lb
2-4-6-8-10-12-14 …
Hang power clean 135/95 lb

Workout notes

Today we have a difficult barbell workout with two familiar movements. We’re using an ascending rep scheme so you’ll start with the “easier” low rep rounds but the volume will quickly accumulate.  Pace yourself early and plan on tackling those higher rep rounds under fatigue.  You’ll use the same weight for both movements but we’re doubling the reps on the hang power cleans. Test out both lifts and scale your weight based on which movement is more difficult.  We’ll score this workout by using the number of front squat reps in your last completed round plus any additional reps in your final incomplete round.  For example, if you finished the round of seven squats/fourteen cleans and then did eight front squats, your score would be 7+8.

Skill

Every 90s for 10 rounds

20 Double unders then 1 squat snatch

Today we have an alternate timing for our barbell work.  We’ll use a ninety second interval timer and you will have ten opportunities to work up to a strong effort squat snatch.  Start each round with an easy set of double unders.  If you are proficient at the movement complete twenty and then move to the barbell for one lift.  If you are still working on double unders scale the volume to a number you can complete in about twenty to thirty seconds.  If the movement is new to you complete twenty single unders but attempt at least one double under. Give your self a thirty second cap so you have plenty of time to attempt a snatch regardless of how the double unders go.

WOD

“Karen”

For time

150 Wall Ball Shots 20/14lbs 10/9′ target

WORKOUT NOTES

 A classic “Girls” workout from CrossFit.com.  150 reps is a lot! Starting with a large set is sometimes helpful mentally to get a chunk of the work out of the way.  When you start breaking up the reps stick to short rest and work through the remaining reps in whatever set sizes keeps you moving.  Don’t be afraid to scale the total volume if needed and drop the rep number down to somewhere between 75-120. Ideally you choose a wall ball weight and target height that could maintain moderate sized sets of at least ten to fifteen as you become fatigued.

SKILL

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

Hooray for handstand day!  Bodyweight skills are just as important as weightlifting if you are looking to be a well rounded CrossFitter.   If you are new to this skill start by gently kicking up to a wall or practice wall walks to build the upper body strength and midline positioning that this skill requires. If you are comfortable in a handstand start by gently rocking up onto your hands and increase the height of your legs with each attempt.  Save yourself from a crash and burn by being conservative and trying to find a vertical balance point before you start barreling across the gym.  You will need to be able to hang out upside down with locked out arms so make sure to have a bail out plan or partner assist in place if this is new to you.  If you are comfortable kicking in to a freestanding handstand on your own spend today practicing walking on your hands or try tackling an obstacle or two!

WOD

AMRAP in 20 Minutes

10 Burpees
10 Alternating dumbbell snatch 50/35 lb
10 One arm dumbbell overhead walking lunge steps 50/35 lb

Workout notes

Today’s workout is a long duration triplet with two weightlifting movements and a small set of burpees in every round. The burpee is a movement that takes a little longer than the other two movements so figure about half of your time will be spent on the burpees and the other half will be with the two dumbbell movements. Do your best to move at a quick but sustainable pace through each set of ten burpees and then recover prior to picking up the dumbbell.  You can break up the reps however you see fit but use a dumbbell weight that you could easily perform ten of each movement without resting while fresh.  With the one arm lunges you can switch arms at any point but do try to distribute the work evenly across both arms by switching mid round or by alternating arms every other round.

Skill

EMOM for 10 Minutes

1 Power Clean

We’re working on a simple weightlifting movement in today’s skill work.  You will have ten opportunities to work up to a strong effort power clean.  Start by pulling the bar off of the floor with the hips low and your chest up.  After the bar passes your knees aggressively open the hips to create vertical drive on the bar.  Quickly drop into a partial squat while you drive your elbows up to receive the bar at the shoulders prior to standing up.  Do your best to hit each position in the lift rather than yanking the bar off of the floor just to hit a heavy number.  If you are new to the lift keep the load in the light to moderate range rather than increasing to max effort.

WOD

3 Rounds for time

50 Sit-ups
400M Run
30 Kettlebell swings 32/24 kg

Workout notes

This workout is a three round task priority workout with high rep sets of sit-ups and kettlebell swings. Each round starts with a set of fifty sit-ups.  Work through the sit-ups at a quick but sustainable pace and do your best to keep the intensity high during the runs. A set of fifty sit-ups is on the larger side so you should be ready to run in round one and fairly recovered for round two and three.  Our kettlebell swings come in a large set as well.  Use a weight with which you can start each round with by knocking out most of the reps in one effort and then chip away with a couple of small sets to get through all thirty reps.  In the end your score will be the total time it takes for you to complete all three rounds. If the volume looks to be on the higher side for you, plan on cutting the reps to 35 and 20 rather than 50 and 30 for each round.