10 gym moves that will make you a better runner
10 gym moves that will make you a better runner
Whether you’re training for a marathon or just trying to improve your 5K time, strength training can help unlock your full running potential
CrossFit Just Announced Seven Benchmark “Girls” Workouts Ahead of the CrossFit Open 2021
It’s an interesting time to live in the ecosphere of CrossFit. After a tumultuous 2020, there’s a new CEO in the form of Eric Roza; the dominant five-time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser retired from the sport, leaving an enormous power vacuum and a subsequent scramble to the top; and the CrossFit Open — where […]
It’s an interesting time to live in the ecosphere of CrossFit. After a tumultuous 2020, there’s a new CEO in the form of Eric Roza; the dominant five-time CrossFit Games champion Mat Fraser retired from the sport, leaving an enormous power vacuum and a subsequent scramble to the top; and the CrossFit Open — where athletes, affiliates and amateurs worldwide battle tooth and nail for higher positions on the global leaderboard — is just around the corner.
Despite all of this change, there’s even more unfolding. Last week, CrossFit training announced seven new benchmark “Girl” workouts, adding to the iconic list of benchmark workouts that include ‘Chelsea’, ‘Fran’, ‘Isabel’, ‘Angie’, ‘Barbara’ and ‘Diane’.
A CrossFit spokesperson explained that each workout is “designed to have a similar look and feel to a benchmark while being uniquely different.” For true CrossFit zealots, the rep schemes below will feel familiar to other benchmark WODs such as Linda, with its descending rep scheme, and Angie, which packs 100 reps per exercise.
It’s also thought that the introduction of these new workouts could be indicative of what to expect at the CrossFit Open, which starts on March 11 2021. Below, Men’s Health fitness editor Andrew Tracey walks you through each workout’s scaling options if you’re raring to take it on yourself.
“Grettel”
10 Rounds for time:
3 clean-and-jerks, 61kg/43kg barbell
3 burpees over the barbell
Men’s Health says: This is essentially ‘Grace’ warmed up. Perfect if you have double dumbbells or a sandbag, at around half of your bodyweight. If you’re working with a single dumbbell or kettlebell, alternate sides each round to get the intended ‘all-out sprint’ effect.
“Ingrid”
10 Rounds for time:
3 snatches, 61kg/43kg barbell
3 burpees over the bar
Men’s Health says: Single dumbbell users should alternate sides each round and keep your foot on the gas throughout. Working with a sandbag? Try overhead throws in place of snatches to get the full explosive benefits.
“Barbara Ann”
5 rounds for time, 3-minute rest
20 handstand push-ups
30 deadlifts 61kg/43kg barbell
40 sit-ups
50 double-unders
Men’s Health says: The rest periods mean you can hit each round pretty hard, but don’t be deceived: pacing is still necessary to maintain good form and avoid blowing out too soon. If you’ve got two dumbbells, simply sub those in for the deadlifts. Single ‘bell users, try 15 single-arm deadlifts with your left arm, followed by 15 with the right. In lieu of a skipping rope, try 50 high knees or 50 lateral jumps over your dumbbell. Don’t be put off by the handstand push-ups, simply scale them to pike or hand-release push-ups and push hard on the rest.
“Lyla”
For time, 10-1:
Muscle-ups
Bodyweight clean-and-jerks
Men’s Health says: No bar? Use your dumbbells or a sandbag for your clean and jerks. If you haven’t got muscle-ups in the locker yet, sub in pull-ups and push-ups, working down the ladder in the same fashion. If you’ve got nowhere to do pull-ups try this 10-1: push-ups on dumbbells, dumbbell rows, dumbbell clean and jerks.
“Ellen”
3 Rounds for time:
20 burpees
21 dumbbell snatches 22/15kg, single dumbbell
12 dumbbell thrusters 22/15kg, dual dumbbells
Men’s Health says: Pace yourself through the burpees, breathe and use them as an opportunity to get your gas back before slamming the weights. If you’ve only got one dumbbell alternate arms on the thrusters each round, then after your final round, perform another set of the thrusters to balance you out from left to right.
“Andi”
For time:
100 hang power snatches 30/20kg pounds
100 push presses, 30/20kg
100 sumo deadlift high pulls,30/20kg
100 front squats, 30/20kg
Men’s Health says: Make sure you don’t go too hot out of the gates because those reps will catch up soon. Switch in dumbbells if you don’t have a bar, and split the reps of each movement 50/50 between left/right if you only have one. This is intended as a light and fast workout, so if 100 seems like a tall order for the weight you have, hold your single bell with both hands.
“Lane”
5 rounds for max reps, rest as needed between rounds:
¾ bodyweight hang power snatches
Handstand push-ups
Men’s Health says: You’re looking for your true max efforts here, so take your time and don’t be afraid to rest holding your weights (or in a headstand) to see if you can crank out a few more after a couple of breaths. In lieu of a bar, perform alternating dumbbell hang snatches, only stopping when you literally can’t hold your dumbbell anymore. As with ‘Barbara Ann’ scale to hand release push-ups to get the work done.
