On tap for this session is a time priority metcon, meaning that the time is the constant and the reps that you will complete are the variable. The goal for this workout is to keep moving for all of the 30 second “working” intervals. Don’t worry about your rep count or your spot on the whiteboard because this is primarily a working day. In fact, a large part of your training these days should be spent pushing further and further into the proverbial “suck.” The “suck” never goes away, but we do get better at dealing with it, and this is the goal of building work capacity: to be able to do more work than you could before, to train your body to continue to move properly and efficiently under stress.

On the other hand, building work capacity also necessitates test days. These are your benchmark workouts, the measuring sticks we use in our CrossFit community at large. You might think of working days like daily homework, and test days/benchmark days like standardized tests. Maybe it’s not a perfect analogy, but I think most people will see the relation.

The point of this ramble is to push you to push yourselves harder. Allow yourself to run up against, and through, that threshold. Choose the appropriate scale for the workout that will allow you to maintain good form for 90% of the metcon so that you can work when you’re tired and move when it hurts. A breakdown in form at some point during the metcon is to be expected, but it shouldn’t be right out of the gate. Play with this going forward, and choose your scale (up or down) based on this criteria. I want all of you to own your training and not need me, or anyone, to tell you how to work out. If you can figure out the best way to increase metabolic capacity for yourself and your own body, you’ll be miles ahead of the pack.

CrossFit Lowell – CrossFit

Warm-up

Hips and Ankles (No Measure)

30 second sampson stretch

10 dislocates

10 good mornings

10 overhead squats

30 seconds of foam on soleus (each side)

2 minutes banded hip distraction (each side, timed as a group)

2 minute paleo chair (timed as a group)

Strength

Chin-Ups (2 x chart)

Push-ups (2 x chart)

Strength

Shoulder Press (2×5, 1×5+)

plus 2.5

Back Squat (2×5, 1×5+)

plus 5

Strength

Chin-Ups (1 x chart)

Push-ups (1 x chart)

Metcon

Metcon (AMRAP – Reps)

double unders

dumbbell snatches (35/25)
30 seconds on, 20 seconds off for 10 rounds. Double unders on the odd rounds, db snatches on the even rounds.

Mobility and Recovery