Hey guys,
Finally feeling like a fall Sunday here in Burlington, North Carolina and it’s time for the CrossFit Simplicity Weekly Rundown! It may be cooling off outside, but things are definitely heating up as we start our new NBD programming cycle. Could this be the best cycle yet? You’ll have to get to class and find out for yourself. We have a lot of information to go over today so if you are interested in learning what we will be doing and getting the most out of class be sure to take the time to read everything below. It is so important to understand why we do what we do in the gym. Remember that we don’t want to just practice CrossFit 24/7, we want to train to be better at CrossFit! Better, we understand the programming the more we will get out of it. The results truly speak for themselves. As some of you know, fittest of the coast just wrapped up its online qualifier, and NBD had some absolutely stand out performances, including our former coach, Hank, who qualified first in the individual pro male division. This stuff works! Check out what’s next for us….
Strength: Our strength programming this phase is organized around three distinct focuses across three days: strength on Mondays, reps on Wednesdays, and muscular endurance on Fridays. The core strength movements for this phase—Clean, Snatch, Jerk, Front Squat, Back Squat, and Deadlift—are grouped into pairs and will rotate through these focuses each week. While the movements will rotate, the emphasis will remain consistent: Mondays will always focus on strength, Wednesdays on reps, and Fridays on muscular endurance.
This approach allows us to break down barbell skills (like cycling), build raw strength, and improve barbell conditioning—key qualities that are often tested in the Open. By cycling through these different emphases, we better prepare for the wide range of barbell challenges we may face.
Mondays: Monday’s strength programming alternates between wave loading and heavy singles followed by EMOMs. Over the six-week cycle, each movement will rotate through both schemes. For example, in week 1, Snatch will follow a 5-3-1 wave loading format, while Front Squat will be a heavy single followed by a 5-minute EMOM. When these movements cycle back in week 4, Front Squat will switch to the 5-3-1 waves, and Snatch will shift to the heavy single into EMOM format.
After completing the strength work for the day, we will complete a weekly interval-based metcon. These interval metcons will include a work and rest component, such as resting for 1:1 after completing the prescribed work, performing the prescribed work followed by a designated rest period, or completing a set amount of work every few minutes. This structure will help improve endurance and recovery while keeping the workouts dynamic and challenging. That will conclude our in-class work for the day.
Wednesdays: Wednesdays will focus on interval-based touch-and-go (TnG) barbell cycling for Olympic movements and EMOM TnG reps for compound lifts.
- Olympic Movements: We will progress from 6×4 E2M (Every 2 Minutes) TnG to 7×3 E90s TnG. The goal is to load the bar as heavy as possible while maintaining unbroken, cycled reps to develop the ability to cycle a heavy barbell under increasing fatigue. We’ll build on this skill by introducing additional movement interference in the next block, so drilling the fundamentals here is crucial.
- Compound Lifts: These will progress from 5×8 EMOM (@40-50% max) to 6×8 EMOM (@40-50%). The goal is to accumulate volume (40-50 reps) quickly, enhancing movement capacity and muscular endurance. Similar to the Olympic lifts, we’ll introduce movement interference in the next block.
After the strength work, we will finish with our weekly Engine EMOM. This will remain a mix of strength, skill, and conditioning movements, with a different template each week.
Fridays: Friday’s strength will alternate between two key formats. We’ll start each session with a 6-minute technical EMOM, performing 1 rep every minute at 70-80% of the athlete’s 1RM. The purpose of these technical EMOMs is to refine technique under load—70-80% is heavy enough to require focus but not so heavy that it compromises form. The EMOM structure creates consistent intensity while allowing enough rest for athletes to focus on high-quality, explosive reps.
After the technical work, we will move into a weekly muscular endurance test. In this block, the test will be 15 reps at 80% of the athlete’s 1RM, with the goal of completing the reps in under 2 minutes (and a cap of 3 minutes). These tests will evolve in the next block with specific weight or time domain prescriptions to mimic Open or Quarterfinal standards.
Coaches should help athletes reflect on their performance after these tests by encouraging them to assess:
- How did the load feel?
- Did technique break down?
- Was the pace appropriate?
- Was the limiting factor strength or conditioning?
- How do these results compare to their performance in other movements?
After the strength work, class will finish with a weekly Open-style metcon. These metcons will be similar to what athletes can expect to find in the Open and will not feature a goal or Rx+ options – the tests are the same from affiliate to elite.
Conditioning: Aerobic Power/Capacity
Tuesdays: We will continue using Tuesdays as our aerobic power day, as high-output, fast-paced aerobic work is a fundamental part of CrossFit training and testing. Before the aerobic power workout, we will incorporate “Aerobic Prep” pieces. These prep pieces will now focus more on maximizing performance in the day’s metcon. During the offseason, our prep pieces emphasized building conditioning skills and ensuring consistent volume across different movements. In this prep phase, they will shift to metcon-specific warmups designed to optimize performance in the day’s workout.
The aerobic power workouts will remain the same: short, interval-based, high-power output sessions with long rest periods in between.
Thursdays: Thursdays will still be our aerobic capacity day, focused on longer, less intense pieces. Before the aerobic capacity workout, we will incorporate “Aerobic Prep” pieces. These prep pieces will now focus more on maximizing performance in the day’s metcon. During the offseason, our prep pieces emphasized building conditioning skills and ensuring consistent volume across different movements. In this prep phase, they will shift to metcon-specific warmups designed to optimize performance in the day’s workout.
The aerobic capacity workouts will remain the same: longer (20-40 minutes) pieces that prioritize sustainable effort and pacing.
Optional Work: Everyday after class there is optional work. This work and these progressions are very important to improving areas of weakness so please look at what you need and do your best to work it in!
Monday/Friday: We offer optional after-class accessory work every day during this phase. On Mondays, there are two options available:
Option 1: A progression for strict pull-ups and strict dips, programmed on Monday and Friday. On Monday, athletes will work on an accumulation progression for both the strict dip (parallel bars) and the strict pull-up. On Friday, each athlete will choose either the strict dip or the strict pull-up to follow a strength progression for that movement. Athletes should select the movement pattern they find more challenging—upper pulling or upper pressing. This option is intended for athletes who can perform more than 5 strict pull-ups and more than 5 strict handstand push-ups*. If an athlete does not meet these criteria, they should follow the track in Option 2.
*If an athlete can do one of these movements but not the other, they may follow the progression for one movement while also incorporating weakness work from Option 2. For example, an athlete who can complete 10 strict pull-ups but only 3 strict handstand push-ups can follow the strict pull-up progression from Option 1 and the strict handstand push-up progression from Option 2.
Option 2: A weakness work progression focused on either strict pull-ups or strict handstand push-ups. This weakness work progression is available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with each session building on the previous one. To see results, athletes need to commit to completing all three sessions each week for the full six-week duration.
It’s important for athletes to select one movement based on their individual needs. If an athlete is more biased toward pulling strength, they should focus on the strict handstand push-up work; conversely, those with a pressing bias should follow the strict pull-up progression.
While the pull-up progression emphasizes upper body pulling strength and the strict handstand push-up progression focuses on developing upper body pressing strength, both tracks incorporate core and antagonistic work (pressing in the pull-up progression and vice versa). Trying to improve all movements simultaneously can be counterproductive, so intentional focus is essential for effective progress.
Tuesdays/Thursdays/Saturdays: After class, we have a 12-week 2k Row PR progression. We encourage as many athletes as possible to follow this program. Rowing is not only a highly tested machine in the Open and other competitions, but it’s also an excellent overall fitness builder. To help athletes determine if they need to follow the rowing progression, ask them:
- Is your 2k row time under 7 minutes for males or 8 minutes for females? If not, follow the row progression.
- If your time is under these benchmarks, think of 10 CrossFit athletes you regularly compete against. Are you better at rowing than 9 of them? If not, follow the row progression.
The row progression will be done three times weekly (Tue/Thu/Sat) and should take no more than 25 minutes per session.
Wednesdays: Option 1: A weekly Bench and Lunge progression. While bench press is not a primary focus in CrossFit, it remains important for horizontal pressing strength, which is critical for movements like burpees and muscle-ups. The bench press progression from the offseason will continue here as optional work. The lunge work will maintain the development of single-leg strength and endurance, as done in the offseason. This is ideal for all athletes – those following the strict pullup/dip progression and those following the weakness work.
Option 2: Day 2 of the weakness progression, focused on strict pull-ups or strict handstand push-ups. This progression is available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, with each session building on the previous one. For best results, athletes must complete all three sessions each week for the full six-week duration.
That’s all we’ve got, and I know that’s a ton. But it’s so important to read and familiarize yourself with the programming and WHY we are doing WHAT we are doing so that you understand the methods we are using to become better athletes. Remember that we want to TRAIN to be better at CrossFit, not just “practice” CrossFit 24/7. That’s not how you improve and hone your skills. We are so blessed to have this programming and to have Nick and Nick pouring into it to make it the most effective programming out there. So look over and read so that you can get the most out of your class experience. Now enjoy what’s left of your weekend and get plenty of rest, relaxation, and recovery so we can hit it hard this week. See you all in class!
~Daniel
