Monday

Intermediate Class

Workout:

7 minute AMRAP of:

15 push presses/jerks (115#/73# for women)

15 burpees

2 minutes rest

7 minute AMRAP of:

10 front squats (115#/73# for women)

10 hand release push-ups

2 minutes rest

7 minute AMRAP of:

5 power snatches (115#/73# for women)

5 chest to bar pull-ups

Score AMRAPs separately

All levels/Beginner Class

Workout:

7 minute AMRAP of:

15 dumbbell push presses (40#/25# for women)

15 burpees

2 minutes rest

7 minute AMRAP of:

10 dumbbell front squats (40#/25# for women)

10 hand release push-ups

2 minutes rest

7 minute AMRAP of:

5 dumbbell power snatches (40#/25# for women)

5 pull-ups

Score AMRAPs separately

A chipper is a piece of equipment that grinds down a tree branch into bits of mulch.  

In CrossFit, a chipper is a workout without repeating movements that you complete just once.  The idea is you start off whole, like the tree branch, and then the workout spits you out like mulch.  Given that analogy, you would think chippers are feared by all, but for some strange reason, people love doing CrossFit chippers.  Well, here’s your chance to do CrossFit’s most famous and loved chipper, the Filthy 50.

This is a classic WOD that is often used to test someone’s work capacity on long workouts with lightweight but for high reps.

Here are some top times from the world’s best:

Chris Spealler – 13:18

Annie Thorisdottir – 15:07

Jason Khalipa – 16:00

Julie Foucher – 17:18

Check out this video of an unbroken Filthy 50.  500 total reps unbroken.

Friday’s Workout:

Filthy 50

50 box jumps (24″/20 for women)

50 jumping pull-ups

50 kettlebell swings (35#/26# for women)

50 walking lunges

50 knees to elbows

50 push presses (45#/33# for women)

50 back extensions/supermans

50 wall ball shots (20#/14# for women)

50 burpees

50 double-unders

Or if you’re feeling saucy and want something a little harder…

Filthy 50 (version 2.0)

50 box jumps (24″/20″)

50 pull-ups

50 kettlebell swings (53#/35#)

50 walking lunges with a med ball overhead (20#/14#)

50 toes to bar

50 push presses (45#/33#)

50 good mornings (45#/33#)

50 wall ball shots (20#/14#)

50 burpees

50 double-unders

Congratulations are in order for our top 3 Whole Life Challenge finishers!  They were incredibly disciplined, showed perseverance, and just flat out put in the hard work to earn their tremendous results.  Stellar job and congratulations!

Finishing in third place was Delaney.  Delaney dropped 13 pounds, lost nearly 3 inches overall, improved her workout score by 19 percent, and had a perfect score on the daily check-in leaderboard.  Dang!  To top it all off, she was the top finisher for all women during the CrossFit Merge Open.  She definitely earned the $100 coming her way for taking 3rd place overall.

Second place goes to Jane!  She was third place during the first Whole Life Challenge and she managed to improve on that position by taking second place this time around.  Jane lost 4 inches, improved her workout score by 19 percent, and had an absolutely perfect score for the daily check-in portion, needing not 1 bonus point.  Jane always maintained a positive attitude during the challenge and is incredibly deserving of a very close second place.  Congrats, $175 is waiting for you.

It was a very close race, but coming out on top was Beth!  At one point during the challenge, Beth said was concerned as to why she wasn’t seeing PR’s like everyone else.  Well that week Beth set three PR’s and never looked back.  Beth also had a perfect score on the daily check-in leaderboard, she lost almost 4 inches overall, and improved her workout score by a whopping 20 percent!  This purple sporting, CrossFit warrior also cruised through  last week’s mud run, overcoming her doubts that she wasn’t in good enough shape to do it.  Fantastic job, and $250 ain’t bad either, right?

Wednesday

Intermediate Class

Skills: 

Deadlift

2 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 2

Muscle-up kipping practice in between sets

Workout:

3 rounds for time of:

Run 400 meters

12 toes to bar

21 kettlebell swings (70#/44# for women)

Power Hour

Deadlift Tower of Power

For max total points:

1 minute of deadlifts (185#/113# for women) 1 rep = 1 point

3 minutes of rest

1 minute of deadlifts (225#/153# for women) 1 rep = 3 points

3 minutes of rest

1 minute of deadlifts (275#/183# for women) 1 rep = 5 points

3 minutes of rest

1 minute of deadlifts (225#/153# for women) 1 rep = 3 points

3 minutes of rest

1 minute of deadlifts (185#/113# for women) 1 rep = 1 point

Beginner Class

Skill:

Deadlift

2 – 2 – 2 – 2 – 2

Workout

3 rounds for time of:

Run 400 meters

12 toes to bar

21 heavy kettlebell swings

This past weekend was almost too much fun, and one of the best in recent memory.

First, we wrapped up the The Whole Life Challenge by retesting the preliminary workout we did in February. There were some evident jitters right before the start of the workout, but the tough Mergers were not phased. Nearly everyone improved on their workout scores, and it was a terrific validation and reward of all the hard work and discipline put into the Challenge.

Then on Sunday, many intrepid Mergers took on The Down and Dirty Mud Run! It was all about running, climbing, sloshing through the mud, and just having some good old fashion fun. The pictures pretty much say it all.

Justin and Laura at the last muddy obstacle.

LC had her own strategy for the mud.

And your coaches had to represent the Merge tribe in the pull-up contest. Marianoel and I each placed second!

So proud of everyone.

Monday

Intermediate Class

Skill: Squat clean to thruster

1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Workout:

5 rounds for time of:

6 hang squat clean to thrusters (115/73 for women)
8 pull-ups
10 burpees

Beginner and All Levels Class

Skill: Thruster

2-2-2-2-2-2

Workout:

14 minute AMRAP of:

6 thrusters (75/53 for women)
8 jumping pull-ups
10 burpees

So many of you are absolutely ripping through this week’s repeat workouts.  You guys and gals are shaving minutes off of your workout times and look to be carrying this momentum right up to Saturday, when we will be retesting the Whole Life Challenge workout.  

Keep up the valiant effort and let’s finish this week off with even more personal records!

In fact, there have so many PR’s at the gym that Brian and I were inspired to jump in on the action.

Brian’s PR squat

Bryce’s PR squat

The morning gang just going with the swing of things.

Friday

Skill: Deadlift

3-3-3-3-3

Workout:

1000 meter row for time

Come in on Wednesday as we are testing out another WOD we did from just before the start of the Whole Life Challenge.  This workout was a scorcher, and I know many of you were chomping at the bit to do this one again.  So here you go.

Wednesday

Skill:  Weighted pull-ups

5-5-5-5

or strict pull-up practice with a band

Workout:

7 rounds for max reps:

1 minute of 20 Russian kettlebell swings (70#/44# for women)

Max box jumps (24″/20″ for women) in the remaining minute

1 minute rest between rounds

Score is total box jumps

And here are the scores from when we first did this Workout on January 23rd.

We are in the very last week of the Whole Life Challenge.  The retest of the WLC workout will be this Saturday, April 13th at 9am and 10am.  Also, we are going to retest other WODs we did right before the Whole Life Challenge to measure your progress during this challenge.  

And…great job on completing the CrossFit Games Open!  How brutal was that thruster and chest to bar pull-up workout?  Terrific job, everyone!

Monday Intermediate

Skill:

Power snatch

2-2-2-1-1-1

Workout:

For time:

Run 400 meters

Then 21-15-9 reps of:

Power snatches (75#/53# for women)

Lateral bar hop burpees

Then run 400 meters

Beginner and All Levels

Skill:

Push press

2-2-2-1-1-1

Workout:

For time:

Run 400 meters

Then 21-15-9 reps of:

Push presses (95#/63# for women)

Lateral bar hop burpees

Then run 400 meters 

13.5 is Friday!  A classic combination of movements, thrusters and pull-ups, a push and a pull movement, but with a very evil twist.  No avoiding it, just go forth and conquer!

And they said chivalry was dead.  Not so as Len and Vargas row hard for their team.

Friday

Skill: Thruster

2-2-2-2-2-2

Open WOD 13.5

4 minute AMRAP:

15 thrusters (100#/65# for women)

15 pull-ups

If you complete 90 reps in 4 minutes, the new time cap is 8 minutes.

Scaled version of 13.5

10 minute AMRAP:

15 thrusters

15 jumping chest to bar pull-ups

We are in the final week of the CrossFit Open!  That’s right.  Four weeks are in the book with one left.  What will come with WOD 13.5?  We’ve seen burpees and snatches, a triplet of push presses/jerks, box jumps, and deadlifts, lots of wall balls, as well as clean and jerks and toes to bar.  What’s left?  What sort of movements are we missing?

If you can correctly guess all the movements of WOD 13.5, then you get to program a workout we will do in class next week after the Open.  Here’s the fine print: you must guess the movements exactly.  Saying pull-ups and squats won’t count if the workout is chest to bar pull-ups and front squats, be specific here.  You must submit your answers to the comment section below by 4:00 pm PST.

Look back at the previous workouts from the Open and see if you can take an educated guess on what’s coming up for the Open WOD 13.5.

If 13.5 has handstand push-ups, Chevy, Ellen, and Luke aren’t too worried.

Wednesday

All Classes:

Skill: Low bar back squat

5 – 5 – 5 – 5 – 5

Workout:

21-15-9 reps for time of:

Dumbbell hang cleans, full squat (50#/30# for women)

Burpees

The level of athleticism in the CrossFit Games has come a long way in a short period of time.  The level of progression is probably most evident in the Olympic lifts.  It’s fun to look back and see the progression of the sport.  

Check out the top women in the 2009 CrossFit Games going for a max snatch.  But be warned, most of the technique here is pretty atrocious.

And now here are the top women from the 2012 CrossFit Games doing 30 snatches at 95# in less than 2 minutes.  Nuts!  (Skip to 14:15)

Anyone recognize the two athletes in both videos?  What a difference a little technique makes.

Monday

Intermediate Class

Skill: 3 power snatches + 3 push presses + 3 overhead squats

5 sets, increasing weight each set

Workout:

For max reps in 11 total minutes:

1 minute of max burpees

1 minute rest

7 minute AMRAP of:

15 wall ball shots (20#/14# for women)

5 power snatches (115#/73# for women)

1 minute rest

1 minute of max burpees

Score total burpees and couplet reps

All Levels and Beginner Class

Skill: Push press

5-5-3-3-2-2

Workout:

For max reps in 11 total minutes:

1 minute of max burpees

1 minute rest

7 minute AMRAP of:

10 wall ball shots 

7 dumbbell push presses (40#/25# for women)

1 minute rest

1 minute of max burpees

Score total burpees and couplet reps