Saturday 231216

Meet Guest Programmer – Michele Letendre: Dec. 4-17, 2023.

Chaos

As many rounds as possible in 7 minutes of:

10 thrusters

10 bar-facing burpees

♀ 65 lb

♂ 95 lb

Chaos is a Deka Comp benchmark consisting of two fundamental CrossFit movements. The level of intensity reached in this workout should send you to a “dark place.”

Move quickly, but understand that 7 minutes is a challenging time frame to sustain speed. Your reps should be unbroken and methodical.

Enough said.

Good luck!

Post results to comments.

Scaling:

Intermediate option:

As many rounds as possible in 7 minutes of:

10 thrusters

10 bar-facing burpees

♀ 55 lb

♂ 75 lb

Beginner option:

As many rounds as possible in 7 minutes of:

7 thrusters

7 up-down bar step-overs

♀ 35 lb

♂ 45 lb

Focus on hitting depth in the bottom of each thruster and achieving lockout at the top.

Resources:

The Thruster

Bar-facing Burpee Efficiency Tips

Find a gym near you:

View the CrossFit map

Featured photo:

Taken by wodphotography at CrossFit Antwerpen in Antwerp, Belgium.

Friday 231215

Meet Guest Programmer – Michele Letendre: Dec. 4-17, 2023.

3 rounds for time of:

Row 500 meters

15 ring dips

5 bar muscle-ups

Post time to comments.

Goal: Upper-body endurance. Aim to finish in 10-14 minutes.

If you are efficient at a high volume of unbroken ring dips and bar muscle-ups, this workout is going to be about the row. Other athletes will be limited by upper-body endurance. The row and the ring dips will compound, making the bar muscle-ups more difficult, so technique is key to staying efficient.

Aim for a hard effort on the row, finishing between 1:45 and 2:05. Aim for a consistent rep scheme on the ring dips whether that's unbroken, 10 and 5, or 3 sets of 5, and an unbroken effort on the bar muscle-ups.

Scaling:

Intermediate option:

3 rounds for time of:

Row 500 meters

10 band-assisted strict ring dips

5 jumping bar muscle-ups

Beginner option:

Row 350 meters

10 foot-assisted bar dips

5 jumping pull-ups

Beginner athletes may struggle on the dips. Scale the difficulty so you can complete sets of 5 at the start. Jumping pull-ups should be difficult enough that you feel yourself pull your chin over the bar rather than just jumping.

Resources:

Rowing Technique

The Ring Dip

The Bar Muscle-up

Jumping Bar Muscle-Up Progression

Jumping Bar Muscle-Ups for Intermediate Athletes

Find a gym near you:

View the CrossFit map

Featured photo:

Taken by The Michael Patrick Studio at CrossFit Cornerstone in West Chester Township, Ohio.

Wednesday 231213

Meet Guest Programmer – Michele Letendre: Dec. 4-17, 2023.

For load:

3-3-3-3-3-3

Deadlift

After each set complete:

5 broad jumps for max distance

Echo-bike calories as fast as possible

Rest 3 minutes between sets.

♀ 8-calorie bike

♂ 10-calorie bike

Goal: Power

Post heaviest deadlift, longest broad jump, and fastest Echo-bike time to comments.

Lift as heavy as possible while respecting the speed work. Add weight each round.

Can you lift heavy AND move fast? This is how we do it [cue Montell Jordan].

This type of workout is fun and very challenging in the best possible way. The goals are clear: Deadlift with maxi force and bike at max speed. The broad jump is a combination of force and speed.

Kevin Bowles, our head programmer at Deka Comp, loves these sessions because they put our strength work into practice and we can feel powerful without dying out.

Words of wisdom from Kevin:

If you struggle on a machine either because it's a weakness or because of your size, replace the number of calories by a 20-second max-effort window. This will allow you to focus on wattage or cadence in the desired time frame rather than an output. In other words, effort is more important than outcome for today.

Scaling:

Intermediate option:

Intermediate athletes may perform this workout as prescribed.

Beginner option:

For load:

3-3-3-3-3-3

Deadlift

After each set complete:

3 broad jumps for max distance

:20 max-effort Echo-bike calories

Resources:

What Is a Deadlift?

The Deadlift

Work, Power, and the Science of CrossFit

Find a gym near you:

View the CrossFit map

Featured Photo:

WIT London by RXdPhotography

Tuesday 231212

Meet Guest Programmer – Michele Letendre: Dec. 4-17, 2023.

For time:

12 wall walks

10 wall-ball shots

9 wall walks

10 wall-ball shots

6 wall walks

10 wall-ball shots

3 wall walks

10 wall-ball shots

♀ 14-lb ball to 10-ft target

♂ 20-lb ball to 12-ft target

Post time to comments.

Goal: Midline and upper-body endurance. Aim to finish in 10 minutes or less.

This workout will give us a dose of humble pie. The first set of wall walks is a high number and will keep us busy for upward of a minute to 1:30. In contrast, the wall-ball shots will likely take the same amount of time each round, which means the first 2 rounds of wall walks will compound quickly. The higher target for the wall-ball shots adds an element of difficulty that will increase the demand on the core, making the wall walks much more difficult. To make things even more challenging, the arms are overhead for a good portion of the workout.

If you can't throw higher, throw heavier.

Michelle Duke, one of our coaches, is the creator of this workout and has already tested it. She has offered us some words of wisdom:

– Warm up the wall ball to the 10-foot target because that first set can take you by surprise.

– The wall balls were enough to slow down my wall walks.

– The shoulders will fatigue but the demand on the core had my wall walks feeling really sloppy.

This means:

– Get a good warm-up.

– Focus on proper mechanics and positioning for the wall walks: Tight hollow body, neutral spine and short steps.

Scaling:

Intermediate option:

For time:

12 scaled wall walks

10 wall-ball shots

9 scaled wall walks

10 wall-ball shots

6 scaled wall walks

10 wall-ball shots

3 scaled wall walks

10 wall-ball shots

♀ 14-lb ball to 9-ft target

♂ 20-lb ball to 10-ft target

Intermediate athletes will use the standard loads and target heights for the wall-ball shots. Since athletes will not get fully inverted, they may find their cores to be even more challenged.

Beginner option:

For time:

12 inchworms

10 wall-ball shots

9 inchworms

10 wall-ball shots

6 inchworms

10 wall-ball shots

3 inchworms

10 wall-ball shots

♀ 8-lb ball to 8-ft target

♂ 10-lb ball to 9-ft target

This workout will challenge core endurance. For beginners, the inchworm requires flexibility, a tight core, and weight transfer in the shoulders. Athletes can perform the inchworms moving forward or inching out to the plank position and backward to a standing position. The first 12 inchworms should take 1:00-1:30. The wall-ball shots should be done with a comfortable weight and athletes should aim for 10 unbroken reps throughout.

Resources:

The Wall Walk

The Wall-Ball Shot

Find a gym near you:

View the CrossFit map

Monday 231211

Meet Guest Programmer – Michele Letendre: Dec. 4-17, 2023.

Run Ski Run

For time:

Run 1 mile

Ski 500 meters

Run 1 mile

Post time to comments.

Goal: 20 minutes of work.

Run Swim Run was a 2017 CrossFit Games event where athletes ran a course around the venue and swam in Lake Monona in Madison, Wisconsin. In today’s workout, we’re replacing the swim with the ski erg.

This workout is about aerobic capacity and technical endurance. The ski erg will feel like a nice break but be careful not to become complacent.

To improve your run pace, focus on posture. Imagine a string holding you up from the top of your head pulling your neck up and lifting your chin. In contrast, your shoulders should feel lower and your hands relaxed.

If you did the running intervals two weeks ago, you’ll have a good idea of your speed. A trick for this one could be to average your times on the 400-meter runs and add 10 seconds to your pace in order to sustain the effort for the next mile.

Scaling:

Intermediate option:

For time:

Run 1,000 meters

Ski 500 meters

Run 1,000 meters

Beginner option:

For time:

Run 800 meters

Ski 350 meters

Run 800 meters

To build cardiovascular endurance, adjust the distances to allow jogging, running, or walking within the time domain. The running should take no more than 16 minutes in total. Move continuously on the ski erg. Aim for no more than 4 minutes on the ski erg.

Resources:

Metabolic Conditioning

What Is Fitness? Part 2: Metabolic Pathways

CAP Tips: Running Position Drill

CAP Tips: Running Pulling in Place

CAP Tips: Running Falling Forward

CAP Tips: Running Change in Support Drill

Find a gym near you:

View the CrossFit map

Saturday 231209

Meet Guest Programmer – Michele Letendre: Dec. 4-17, 2023.

On a running clock:

0:00-10:00:

1 snatch high pull

1 hang power snatch

10:00-20:00:

Complete the following complex for max load:

1 power snatch

2 hang squat snatches

For Part 1: Start at 30% of your max snatch and work up to 50%.

For Part 2: Make as many attempts as desired within the 10-minute window.

Post load to comments.

Goal: Technical practice and application. Percentages are based on your best power snatch.

Focus on continuous leg drive and elevating the bar. If the second pull is not executed efficiently, you won’t be able to lift as much load.

When time starts, athletes begin with 30% of their best snatch, or what they consider to be a light weight, and work up in load using the complex of 1 snatch high pull + 1 hang power snatch until they hit about 50%.

At the 10-minute mark:

Athletes move on to their working window and hit the complex of 1 power snatch + 2 hang squat snatches as heavy as possible.

Athletes cannot drop the bar between their power snatch and hang squat snatch.

Scaling:

Intermediate option:

Intermediate athletes can perform this workout as prescribed.

Beginner option:

From 0:00-10:00:

Practice the following complex with an empty bar or a light weight:

1 hang snatch pull

1 hang power snatch

From 10:00-20:00:

Work up to a heavy set of:

3 hang power snatches

Resources:

The Hang Power Snatch

“What Is a Snatch?”

Find a gym near you:

View the CrossFit map

Friday 231208

Meet Guest Programmer – Michele Letendre: Dec. 4-17, 2023.

Every 6 minutes for 3 sets complete:
21-15-9 reps
Echo-bike calories

Kettlebell goblet squats

♀ 24 kg

♂ 32 kg

Post your total time of all 3 sets combined to comments.

Goal: Get comfortable with the burn and increase your threshold as a result. Aim for 4-5 minutes to complete each set.

To be successful in this workout, aim for high intensity with some level of consistency in all three intervals. This will be difficult but a little bit of discipline goes a long way.
High intensity is the goal but not maximal intensity. Keep some in the tank and give it everything you’ve got on the last one.

Equipment matters — the effort on the Assault or Echo bike will change the stimulus of this workout when compared to a bike erg.

More experienced athletes can work closer to their thresholds with less rest than beginner athletes. Beginner athletes should finish BEFORE advanced athletes without exceeding their capacities. This means a beginner athlete should have a LOWER RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) than an advanced athlete in the first intervals since beginners will not have their recovery capacities as high and trained as the more advanced athlete.

I tested this workout and found that it was possible to keep the pace up so long as I didn’t push the squats. I was using a bike erg and was faced with the realization that the 21 and 21 took almost half the time, but staying composed allowed me to hit the goal and finish as hard as I could on the last interval.

Scaling:

Intermediate option:

Every 6 minutes for 3 sets complete:

18-15-9 reps

Echo-bike calories

Kettlebell goblet squats

♀ 16 kg

♂ 24 kg

Aim to complete the work around the 4-minute mark to allow for enough rest to repeat the next interval at high intensity.

Beginner option:

Every 6 minutes for 3 sets complete:

12-9-6 reps

Echo-bike calories

Air squats

Beginners will be pushed out of their comfort zone with the level of intensity we want to achieve. Aim to complete the work in 4 minutes to get 2 minutes of rest.

Resources:

The Air Squat

Find a gym near you:

View the CrossFit map

Thursday 231207

Meet Guest Programmer – Michele Letendre: Dec. 4-17, 2023.

Rest day

Read: “A Deft Dose of Volume”

OR

Every 1:30 for 15 rounds, complete:

Swim 50-75 meters

Keep moving but stay within your comfort zone. You should get 30-40 seconds of consistent rest without over-exerting. Focus on your breathing rhythm — in swimming, the ease of breathing comes from good body rotation and not turning your head excessively to one side.

Scaling:

Intermediate option:

Every 1:30 for 15 rounds, complete:

Swim 25-50 meters

Beginner option:

Complete 10 rounds of:

Swim 25-50 meters

Rest as needed between rounds.

Find a gym near you:

View the CrossFit map

Wednesday 231206

Meet Guest Programmer – Michele Letendre: Dec. 4-17, 2023.

5 rounds for time of:

4 strict deficit handstand push-ups

8 kipping deficit handstand push-ups

16 dumbbell box step-overs

♀ 4-inch deficit, 20-inch box, 35-lb dumbbells

♂ 6-inch deficit, 24-inch box, 50-lb dumbbells

Hold two dumbbells in a farmers carry position for the step-overs.

Post your time to comments.

Goal: Upper-body pressing strength endurance + posterior-chain endurance. Aim to finish in 12-15 minutes.

Aim to move from the strict handstand push-ups (ideally unbroken) to the kipping without breaking and complete the kipping handstand push-ups in 1 to 2 sets. Break the step-overs as needed to achieve the goal.

The goal is to move unbroken from the strict to the kipping handstand push-ups. This adds an element of speed that can be surprising. Aim to complete the kipping handstand push-ups in 1-2 sets.

The training effect will be interesting because we don't get a break on the step-ups since they are loaded with dumbbells — your upper back and rear delts will be under tension the entire time. Break up the step-ups as needed to maintain the goal of the day.

Scaling:

Intermediate option:

5 rounds for time of:

4 strict handstand push-ups

8 kipping handstand push-ups

16 dumbbell box step-overs

♀ 20-inch box, 25-lb dumbbells

♂ 24-inch box, 35-lb dumbbells

For the handstand push-ups, you may reduce the reps to 3 and 6, respectively, so long as the strict handstand push-ups remain unbroken. If the volume of handstand push-ups is still too high, consider reducing the reps further or adding one or two AbMats under your head to reduce range of motion.

Beginner option:

5 rounds for time of:

4 strict dumbbell shoulder presses

8 dumbbell push presses

16 unweighted box step-overs

♀ 16-inch box

♂ 20-inch box

Use the heaviest pair of dumbbells that allows you to complete 4 strict shoulder presses and 8 push presses unbroken.

The main focus for beginners is pressing endurance with the strict and push press. This is a great opportunity to practice core-to-extremity movement patterns. Focus on keeping your weight in your heels for the entire workout.

Resources:

Handstand Push-Up Variations

HSPU and You: Master the Movement

Find a gym near you:

View the CrossFit map

Tuesday 231205

Meet Guest Programmer – Michele Letendre: Dec. 4-17, 2023.

Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:

20 single-under crossovers

10 burpee pull-ups

12 GHD sit-ups

Post rounds and reps to comments.

Goal: Conditioning + pulling endurance.

Notes From Michele:

This is our homage to the Open and Quarterfinals coming soon! It's a bodyweight workout that can make you dizzy!

Last year, we faced single-under crossovers and burpee pull-ups. Today, we're combining these two movements with one that will interfere by adding a large range of motion hip flexion. There is no rest unless you've practiced your single-under crossovers.

Slow and steady wins the race. These movements take various times and rushing, especially on the crossovers, can cause unnecessary mistakes. There's no real rhythm in this workout so you'll need to adapt to the speed of execution of each movement. The burpee pull-ups will eat up a lot of time, but if you move efficiently, creating the same steps for each rep, you will find the rhythm. The GHD sit-ups will feel the most chaotic since it's a high-velocity movement, but we can control that by taking a quick breath at the top of each rep and controlling our descent with the help of gravity. To help with proper mechanics and prevent dizziness, keep your gaze neutral and focus on a point far away from you such as where the wall meets the ceiling.

Scaling:

Intermediate option:

Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:

4 x [4 single-unders + 1 crossover]

10 burpee jumping pull-ups

12 GHD sit-ups to parallel

The biggest sticking point in this workout is the technical demand of the crossovers. This is why we've split the work into short sets with one crossover at the end. If this is not a challenge, reduce the number of single-unders completed between crossovers until 20 total jumps have been accumulated. The pull-up bar should sit 2-3 inches below the wrists for the jumping pull-ups.

Beginner option:

Complete as many rounds as possible in 20 minutes of:

20 single-unders

6 up-down jumping pull-ups

12 AbMat sit-ups

Beginner athletes should start at a conservative pace. Approach this workout as you would a 5K run: You wouldn’t begin at a 400-meter sprint pace. Aim to keep the single-unders as smooth as possible; that’s your recovery time.

Resources:

How to Count Crossovers

The Burpee Pull-Up With Greg Amundson

The GHD Sit-Up

Find a gym near you:

View the CrossFit map