If you’re a pretty experienced athlete—whether CrossFit, lifter, runner, rower, or multi-sport—then this should be the year you go from pretty fit to a workout-devouring monster.
To get there, you’ll need to punch your ticket to the Pain Cave a few times, but, if you’re willing to put in the work, our team of coaches is here to get you to the next level of training.
One last note: Even if you’re a grizzled veteran of your local CrossFit gym, “set realistic, yet challenging, expectations,” say Austin Malleolo and Denise Thomas, both trainers at Reebok CrossFit One and members of the CrossFit HQ Seminar Staff. That is to say, scale the weight if needed, but still push hard.
Here are five hardcore suggestions from top CrossFit coaches and athletes.
5 Hardcore CrossFit Workouts for Advanced Athletes
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“Jackie”
1000m Row 50 45-lb Thrusters (35-lb for women) 30 PullupsThis workout, recommended by Malleolo and Thomas, is fairly common, but the duo has specific targets for you to hit: “Aim to finish the row between 3:30-4:30, do the thrusters in two sets (or less), and try to finish the pullups in under 1:00.”
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The Sandbagger
3 rounds, as fast as possible, of:20 Stepups onto a 24” box with two 24-kg kettlebells in front rack 10 Sandbag clean (150lbs)There’s nothing elegant or complicated about this workout from Patrick Vellner, the bronze medalist at the 2017 CrossFit Games. A 150-lb sandbag is heavy and awkward. His only piece of advice: “Griiiiiiind.” If you don’t have a 150-lb sandbag lying around, feel free to use a barbell. Regular old barbells are certainly easier to maneuver than floppy sandbags, but 150lbs is still 150lbs.
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“Nicole”
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:400m Run Maximum Unbroken PullupsThis workout comes from Sam Orme, a former CrossFit Games competitor and the owner of CrossFit Virtuosity in Brooklyn. She recommends including this WOD as part of a larger program to improve your gymnastics.”Hit a few benchmark workouts that highlight your area of focus, and then repeat them every 3-4 months to gauge your progress,” Orme says.
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Edgar Artiga
“Kalsu”
As fast as possible, do 100 thrusters at 135lbs (95lbs for women). At the top of every minute, stop doing thrusters and do five burpees. The workout ends when you’ve completed all 100 thrusters.You really need to lean into the pain for this WOD, courtesy of CrossFit Virtuosity coach Ariel Fernandez. The thrusters are going to burn like hell, especially at 135lbs—but the more rest you take, the more burpees you’ll have to do, which will make the thrusters even harder.
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“Cream”
Part 1:Start with a 200m runDo 3 rounds of:30 Wallballs at 20lbs (14lbs for women) 15 BurpeesOnce you complete all 3 rounds, do another 200m run3-minute recovery on Assault BikePart 2:Start with a 200m run3 rounds of:21 Thrusters at 95lbs (65lbs for women) 15 Burpee Box Jumps at 24” (20” for women)Once you complete all 3 rounds, do another 200m run3 minute recovery on Assault BikePart 3;Start with a 200m run3 rounds of:25 Snatches at 75lbs (55lbs for women) 10 Clean and Jerk at 135lbs (95lbs for women)Once you complete all 3 rounds, do another 200m runNo one said this was going to be easy—especially not CrossFit Games competitor Brooke Ence. But it is doable. “Slowly start adding more volume into your training,” Ence says. “Do not just start doing double days and canceling rest days because that’s what you think all the top athletes are doing. Maintain at least one rest day a week. If you reach a point where your intensity and performance are low, pull back on the volume. ‘Quality over quantity’ is a great way to think about your training.”
1000m Row 50 45-lb Thrusters (35-lb for women) 30 Pullups
This workout, recommended by Malleolo and Thomas, is fairly common, but the duo has specific targets for you to hit: “Aim to finish the row between 3:30-4:30, do the thrusters in two sets (or less), and try to finish the pullups in under 1:00.”
The Sandbagger
3 rounds, as fast as possible, of:
20 Stepups onto a 24” box with two 24-kg kettlebells in front rack 10 Sandbag clean (150lbs)
There’s nothing elegant or complicated about this workout from Patrick Vellner, the bronze medalist at the 2017 CrossFit Games. A 150-lb sandbag is heavy and awkward. His only piece of advice: “Griiiiiiind.” If you don’t have a 150-lb sandbag lying around, feel free to use a barbell. Regular old barbells are certainly easier to maneuver than floppy sandbags, but 150lbs is still 150lbs.
"Nicole"
As many rounds as possible in 20 minutes:
400m Run Maximum Unbroken Pullups
This workout comes from Sam Orme, a former CrossFit Games competitor and the owner of CrossFit Virtuosity in Brooklyn. She recommends including this WOD as part of a larger program to improve your gymnastics.
“Hit a few benchmark workouts that highlight your area of focus, and then repeat them every 3-4 months to gauge your progress,” Orme says.
“Kalsu”
As fast as possible, do 100 thrusters at 135lbs (95lbs for women). At the top of every minute, stop doing thrusters and do five burpees. The workout ends when you’ve completed all 100 thrusters.
You really need to lean into the pain for this WOD, courtesy of CrossFit Virtuosity coach Ariel Fernandez. The thrusters are going to burn like hell, especially at 135lbs—but the more rest you take, the more burpees you’ll have to do, which will make the thrusters even harder.
"Cream"
Part 1:
Start with a 200m run
Do 3 rounds of:
30 Wallballs at 20lbs (14lbs for women) 15 Burpees
Once you complete all 3 rounds, do another 200m run
3-minute recovery on Assault Bike
Part 2:
Start with a 200m run
3 rounds of:
21 Thrusters at 95lbs (65lbs for women) 15 Burpee Box Jumps at 24” (20” for women)
Once you complete all 3 rounds, do another 200m run
3 minute recovery on Assault Bike
Part 3;
Start with a 200m run
3 rounds of:
25 Snatches at 75lbs (55lbs for women) 10 Clean and Jerk at 135lbs (95lbs for women)
Once you complete all 3 rounds, do another 200m run
No one said this was going to be easy—especially not CrossFit Games competitor Brooke Ence. But it is doable. “Slowly start adding more volume into your training,” Ence says. “Do not just start doing double days and canceling rest days because that’s what you think all the top athletes are doing. Maintain at least one rest day a week. If you reach a point where your intensity and performance are low, pull back on the volume. ‘Quality over quantity’ is a great way to think about your training.”
