Week 6, Mar 7-13

Halfway there! I knew Darcy would be a good week 6 workout donor, since she has a real talent for coming up with creative and challenging workouts.

Darcy is a CrossFitMN Trainer, an elite tri-athlete, and an all around good person. She also runs Fit Neighbor and a few blogs herself, including Late Bloomer (Time for an update, btw!).

Anyways, Darcy came up with this workout, she did it right after mailing it to me, and said it was a killer. So I'll include some scaling options at the bottom so nobody gets unintentionally killed by this workout.

The Bigger They Are, The Harder They Fall! (or, Are You As Strong As You Are Big?) (or, Man, Kevin Is Going To HATE This)


There is math involved. Get out your calculator and start strategerizing.

Body weight x 1.5 x 100 = Total weight to be lifted.
Add 3000 m in rowing.

Workout:
Total weight to be lifted/2 = total dead lift weight.
Total dead lift weight x .6 = total squat clean weight.
Total dead lift weight x .4 = total overhead press (strict/push/jerk/whatever) weight.
3000 m row

You can break the exercises up into rounds any way you want. See the example below.

Darcy did this:

I weigh 140

140 x 1.5 x 100 = 21000

DL: 10500 (85 reps at 125)
Clean: 6300 (97 reps at 65)
OH Press: 4200 (93 reps at 45)
Row 3000

Which equaled

10 rds
300 m row
7 dead lift at 150
10 squat cleans at 65
7 overhead press at 65

Mike's math looks like this:

185 lbs.

185*1.5 = 277.5*100 = 27750

Deadlift = 27750/2 = 13875
Squat Cleans = 13875*.6 = 8325
OH Presses = 13875*.4 = 5550

If I was going to do the 10 round model Darcy used, my loads and reps would be as follows:

10 Rds

7 DL at 200#
9 Squat Cleans at 95#
6 Presses at 95#
300m Row

There are MANY ways to approach this workout. You can go heavier loads and less reps, or go lighter weights and more reps. It really is up to you to feel it out and do what you're capable of.

Darcy said this was a "killer" when she did it, so if you want to scale it down because you aren't as familiar with the three exercises, just reduce the original multiplier from 1.5 to 1.25 or even 1.00. That will reduce the total weight lifted, making all three lifts easier.

Don't OVERDO it!!! If you feel out of control or like you're gonna die, just reduce the weight to where it needs to be. This should be challenging, but I don't want to see anyone get paralyzed because they lost sight of the goal, which is to challenge yourself while lifting properly and safely!

For Motivation, here's my favorite CF Video that I watch when I need a little boost:

"The Evolution" by CrossFit by Overload from CrossFit South Philly on Vimeo.

Good Luck!

P.S. It's all downhill from here!

Week 5, Feb 28-Mar 6

This week was Pat Rutledge's week for donation, but he didn't get back to me and left for vacation to some awesome Caribbean island for a couple of weeks, so I'll do this week in his spirit.

For those that don't know Pat, he's one of Damian's Jiu-Jitsu/Muy Thai students, and he didn't have the time or energy to complete this quarter's challenge (excuses, excuses). Plus I guess he sliced his foot open last week with his "knife embedded in cowboy boot" at work. Here is some actual footage of him hurting his foot:



Pat is in the one in the black shirt and white pants with the flowing locks. I'm not sure what Eric "Boondock" Nielson was doing there, but he's wearing the buttoned up denim shirt.

Anyways, good luck on the vacation and with the foot, Pat....here's your workout:

CF Coronadoh!

For those that are familiar with the CF Cornonado workout we do from time to time at the gym, this is a similar idea. This workout is untested, so it might be a huge pain, or it might be easier (I'm leaning towards "huge pain")

For this workout you need a constant clock or interval timer set to one minute.

The workout runs like this:

1 minute of 95#M75#F Sumo Deadlift High Pulls (SDHP)

After one minute, you do:

250m Row
10 Pull-Ups
10 Push-Ups
10 Box Jumps

As soon as the exercises are complete, begin the SDHP for 1 minute again. If you're working as a group, you start the SDHP minute when the last person finishes the other exercises. NO SANDBAGGING ON THE "OTHER" EXERCISES!!

The workout is complete when you have done 100 SDHP. Record the total number of rounds it took to complete.




Good luck!

Week 4, Feb 21-27

This week's workout is from Eric Nielson, "Boondock" from last time.

He based his workout on the "muscle group" type workouts that we used to do before our discovery of the total body assault CrossFit provides.

So without further ado:

The Globo-Gym

Round 1 (Back & Bi)
400m Row
30x Back Ext
30x Pull up
30x Renegade row (35#)
30x Ab-mat Sit up

Round 2 (Chest & Tri)
400m Row
30x Push up
30x Ring dips
30x Burpee
30x Flutter kicks (4 count = 1)

Round 3 (Legs & Shoulders)
400m Row
30x Wall Ball
30x Lunges
30x Box jump
30x GHD Sit up

Finish with:  30x Double unders

He also asked me to attach this video for motivation:

Week 3, Feb. 14-20

This week's workout is compliments of George Roscoe, who goes by the name "iheartherain".

He is an active ballroom dancer and does CrossFit to stay in shape for that.

After the first two workouts lasing longer than 20 minutes, at least this one will not last any longer than 20!

Squat, Press, Climb

AMRAP in 20 minutes of (Post rounds in comments):

10 Kettlebell/Dumbell Clean-Squat-Sots press-OHS (35/20#) each arm.
2 15' Rope climb (sub 10 towel pull-ups)
Row 400m or 10 Burpees

Here is a more detailed explanation of the compound KB motion "Clean-Squat-Sots press-OHS", it goes like this...
1) Clean Kettlebell from the ground
2) Lower into the first 1/2 of a Front Squat--stop at the bottom
3) Press the KB up to full extension--keep you eye on the prize
4) Then stand up, which is the second 1/2 of an Over Head Squat
5) Lower the weight and restart the the next rep from the ground.

I'll look for a video to explain the motion of the kettlebell, but it is very close to a thruster..except you focus on pressing the kettlebell in the squatting position.

Here's a video that is SIMILAR to George's movement. The only difference is that he has you PRESS the KB while still squatting. As an added bonus, this dude is so pumped up...WATCH OUT!!

Week 2, Feb 7 - 13

This is our first "donated" workout of the cycle, from none other than Damian Hirtz, the owner and principal masochist of CrossFit MN and Revolution Defense and Fitness.

he e-mailed me this and I replied "man, this looks tough"...His response, "Trust me, I am a professional." I said, "That is a quote from Logjammin', the porno in The Big Lebowski, and we all know how that worked out for Bunny Lebowski." He then said, "It also is the quote from the parking lot attendant from Ferris Bueller's Day Off before he takes Cameron's Dad's Ferrari."

So depending on your generation and personal preference, this workout should either make you feel like Bunny Lebowski or Cameron's Ferarri....

Pick Your Poison: Redux Courtesy of Damian Hirtz

20 Burpees

200 M RowOR 20 Double Unders

20 MB Clean Thrusters – OR 40 Wall Balls

20 Clapping Push-ups OR 50 Box Jumps

400 M rowOR 40 Double Unders

10 Bear Complex (Power Clean, Front Squat, Push Press/Jerk, Back Squat, Push Press/Jerk at 65# men/45# women)

5 Muscle ups OR 25 Pull ups and 25 Dips

600 M rowOR 60 Double Unders

15 HSPU OR 40 Push Press @ 50% Body Weight

20 Pistols (10 each leg) OR 30 Body Length Broad Jumps

600 M rowOR 60 Double Unders

30 Knees to Elbows OR 75 Sit ups

15 Clapping (aka flying) Pull ups OR 40 Kipping Pull ups

400 M rowOR 40 Double Unders

20 Burpees


So here's the deal. Every group that has an OR means you get to pick one or the other. The only exercise everyone gets to do is the burpees at the beginning and the end, and The Bear in the middle. NO SETTING THE BAR DOWN DURING THE COMPLEX...if you do, the rep doesn't count.

If you can't do Double Unders, 5 jump ropes=1 Double Under.

Sub anything else as needed. If you need a tip on any exercise or a substitution for something, just post in the comments below.

Good Luck!

Week 1 Feb. 1-Feb. 6

Ok, here we go again!

The rules are pretty simple. Each week I'll post a workout here, and we do them. You don't even have to do them in the week they post, just get them all done before April 30th!

This time each person who finished the Challenge last time will come up for a workout, so you can only blame me for a few of them!!!

If you don't have the equipment, or cannot do the exercises as posted, feel free to substitute as needed. I will make some recommendations at the end of the post for subs, do what you can and keep it challenging!

Week 1 - The Pyramid (Kevin says this isn't a "true" pyramid and should be renamed) The Trapezoid!

For Time:

Row 100M
10 Pull-Ups, 10 Push-Ups, 10 Squats
Row 200M
9 Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Squats
Row 300M
8 Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Squats
Row 400M
7 Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Squats
Row 500M
6 Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Squats
Row 500M
6 Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Squats
Row 400M
7 Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Squats
Row 300M
8 Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Squats
Row 200M
9 Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Squats
Row 100M
10 Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, Squats

If the Box doesn't have enough rowers, it's fine to start with the Pull-Ups and then row, to set up a rotation.

The substitutions this week are as follows:

No rower? Treadmill works good (1M Row=1M Run). No Treadmill? Jump Rope or Double Under(1 Jump=10M or 1 DU=25M). No Rope? Do Burpees you cheap ass (1 Burp=20M)!

If you don't have a pull-up bar, you'll just have to be creative with what you have around. Comment below and I can hook you up with ideas. If you can't do that many pull-ups, standard substitutions apply (jumping, bands, boxes, whatever you need).

Post times in the comments.

Good Luck!

What is the Pipe Hitters Union?

Simply put, the PHU is a twelve week workout challenge. Each week, a new workout will be posted to this site, and anyone who finishes all twelve before the end date will have completed the Quarterly Challenge! The workouts do not NEED to be finished the week they're posted, as long as they get done before the end of the challenge, but don't fall too far behind! In addition, the workout weights and exercises can be changed as skill and equipment mandate. Never work beyond your capabilities and risk injury!! If you finish the workout, it counts as a finished workout, even if you didn't do it exactly as prescribed.

The Twin Cities CrossFit community is growing rapidly, and this is a good chance for your Box to workout with other members from all the different CrossFit gyms in the Minneapolis area. This challenge isn't limited to people from the CrossFit gyms or even the Twin Cities area. If you know someone who wants to be up for the Challenge, anyone can participate!

This is no substitution for the programming that your current Box uses, but if the trainers at your gym incorporate these workouts into your weekly program, they can be a fun and unique way to get some different workouts ideas. Always trust your trainers with substitutions to Rx weights and any equipment substitutions.

This cycle, we will be getting the workouts from the twelve people who finished the last Challenge, so we will see what kind of fun they can come up this time. If you finish all twelve workouts before the end date (right now I''m looking at April 30), I will make up another unique t-shirt that anyone who completes the challenge can get (the last shirt is the logo at the top and bottom of this blog).

If you want to participate in this Challenge, just leave a reply to this post, with your name and a tiny bit about yourself, like name where you work out, etc...

See you in the gym!

Mike