Upper East Side

Hi all! I hope everyone enjoyed the holidays because now it’s time to work! Our new cycle will be seven weeks and lead us right into the Crossfit Games Open. The Open is a chance for CrossFitters to test their fitness against everyone in their city, state, region, country, etc. and also to gauge their own individual improvement over many years of training. This cycle will focus on improving conditioning and developing the skills you’ll need for the Open, as well as maintaining the level of strength you’ve developed over the last year.

We’ll kick off the week with back squats, this time focusing on a 10-rep max. The cycle will be based on 65% of your 1-rep max and will consist of 3 sets of 10 that will build each week. It will start out feeling tough but doable, but make sure you bring your mental game as the weeks go on. Those numbers will start to feel a little daunting for sets of 10.

On Tuesdays, we’ll be working on clean and jerks. For the first three weeks, we’ll work on them separately, then put them together for the last three. Focus will be on building a solid foundation of technique while gradually adding weight as the weeks progress. Conditioning on Tuesdays will be fast — sub-8 minute workouts. This is your day to forget about pacing and see how hard you can push before you hit a wall. It might get ugly, but that’s how you learn!

Wednesday will be deadlifts, but not the heavy sets you’re used to. This cycle we’re focusing on high reps with light weight and improving our touch and go technique. Each week, the deadlifts will be paired with higher skill movements (i.e. double unders, handstand push ups, muscle ups), giving you the opportunity to work on your weaknesses and build on the skills you’ve developed by working on them under fatigue. Wednesdays will be all about interval — work/rest intervals, EMOMs, and a few “death bys.”

Fridays, get ready for snatch technique work. We’ll build on that overhead squat strength you developed last cycle as we focus on getting comfortable under the bar. Friday’s conditioning workouts will be a time for you to focus on pacing. The workouts will be longer and demand that you go in with a plan — great practice for the inevitable 15 to 20+ minute workout we’ll see in the Open.

Saturdays will continue to be partner workouts, and Sundays will be lightweight conditioning with some accessory work to finish.

I hope you guys have as much fun with this cycle as I had writing it! Can’t wait to jump into workouts and see you all beat the crap out of me. As always, email me at jenna@evfperformance.com with any questions. Have fun!