Road to the 2027 Crossfit Games

Crossfit Linchpin - D45

Main
Run: 800m, 600m, 400m, 200m, 100m (rest 1:2 between efforts, work:rest)

7:59

800m - 3:22 (4:12 pace)
600m - 2:19 (3:51)
400m - 1:23 (3:32)
200m - 0:37 (3:08)
100m - 0:18 (3:04)

Accessory 1
Landmine Twist: 30x12x3

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Really fun. This was meant to be 50/40/30/20/10 cals on the bike with 1:2 rest, but have been biking so much to and from the gym that I thought running would be more beneficial to me. I overpaced the 800m and then sent it on the 600m. The 200 and 100 were just a question of how much I wanted to risk loosening my old man legs.

Snatches tomorrow! Murph on Monday! A C&J and Murph PR within 7 days would be amazing. Stronger and fitter.

These are my past Murph results. I am not going to do it unpartitioned like last year because 300 air squats into a mile run blew up my lower back. I think I am going to do 10 rounds of 10/20/30 and try and beat my time from 2022 when I did 20 rounds. That would be cool.

8:30 mile, 27 minutes, 8:30 mile would get it done with a minute for transitions. I would take sub 47 though.

Crossfit Linchpin - D46

Main - Part 1
Single Leg Box Jumps: 24 inches, 10 each leg (too easy, go up)

Main - Part 2
Every 2 minutes for 30 minutes: 1 Snatch + 1 Overhead Squat

50x2
52.5x3
55x5
57.5x4
60

Accessory 1
Fake Sotts Press: 15x8x4 (Strict Press in OHS position)

Accessory 2
DB Box Step Ups: Accumulate 50 reps, pick load, pick height

2x20kg DBs, 20 inches

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AMAZING day. I finally figured out how to replicate how good touch n go snatches felt. I warmed up with it and "felt" the start position and was able to get into it. Snatches felt really, really good. Hitting 60 in my FIFTEENTH set with relative ease was nice. No fails at all. I went pretty light with the accessories ahead of Murph. Bring it on.

The first few snatch reps were slow. I don't think I was warmed up enough. It got snappier and easier as the sets went on.

Crossfit

Metcon - Murph
For Time:
1 mile Run
100 Pull-Ups
200 Push-Ups
300 Air Squats
1 mile Run

Partition the Pull-Ups, Push-Ups, and Air Squats as needed

49:37 - 10 rounds of 10/20/30

1 mile run - 8:09
10 rounds - 31:29 - (2:23, 2:39, 2:43. 2:54, 3:08, 3:21, 3:45, 3:31, 3:38, 3:20)
1 mile run - 8:59
Transitions - 1 minute

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Well, ****. I'm a minute worse than 2 years ago. I'm not too bummed about it though. My push ups gave way a lot earlier. I am not sure why that is. Today was just a test of push ups for me, so it isn't such a big deal that I'm worse.

2 years ago, my split times were 8:16, 29:53, 9:28. So my running was a bit faster, and the middle section worse.

Pull-ups actually felt really easy. I started with 4/3/3 for a couple of rounds, but then did it all in 6/4 and nearly did the last set unbroken, but went 7/3. Push-ups were 5x4 for a few rounds, then 2s and 1s by round 5. I really wasn't expecting that.

I think it's a combination of getting older, being heavier, and not deloading for a while. I might just do it unpartioned next time.

Crossfit

Weightlifting
Snatch: 55, 55, 57.5, 57.5, 60, 60 (every 90s)

3x(1 Snatch DL+1 Snatch Pull): 60, 60, 60

Metcon
Every 4:00 (4 sets)
60 Double Unders
10 Burpee Box Get Overs, 30 inches
6 Power Snatches, 60kg

7:58 (1:51, 1:53, 1:57, 2:17) - 45 double unders, 47.5kg

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I enjoyed doing a class, but again not a fan of strength + metcon anymore with snatches. I felt like everything was rushed, no time to concentrate on anything, no time to even record anything. It was still nice to hit 2 at 60.

I scaled the metcon pretty well. All snatches unbroken. I tripped 5 times in the last set, hence way slower.

Crossfit Linchpin - D47

Main - Part 1
5 rounds for quality of:
10 Shoulder Press, pick load
1 Seated L-Sit Rope Climb, 15 ft

45kg OHP, 12 bent knee L-sit pull-ups (took 29:40)

Main - Part 2
Strict Ring Dips: 5 x max reps, rest as needed

36 - 10, 7, 7, 6, 6 (every 3 minutes)

Main - Part 3
3 rounds for time of:
12 burpees
12 calories assault bike

4:27

Accessory 1
DB Curls: 7.5sx15x5
DB Overhead Tricep Extension: 15x15x2, 15x12x3

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Phew, pretty great day with a lot of upper body work. I did the first and last (!!!) sets of OHP unbroken with the middle ones in 6/4. Pull-ups were all in sets of 4. My hamstring flexibility doesn't let me hold a proper L-sit on the pull up bar, but even doing it with bent knees makes it SO much harder. It is as strict as it gets. I didn't realise it would make a difference until I did it. 60 of them was a lot.

Dips were okay.

The metcon is somehow my best ever btwb percentile - 86th. Split times were 1:33, 1:31, and 1:21. I think I paced it perfectly - fast burpees and an uncomfortable pace on the bike and then just send the last 12 calories. I was pretty tired before starting it though. I wonder if I could go closer to 4 minutes fresh.

Crossfit Linchpin - D48

Main - Wildcard
Power Clean: 75x5x5 (every 3 minutes)
Front Squat: 85x5x5

Accessory 1
GHD Hip Extensions: 3x15 (fake GHD, with barbell)

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I woke up a bit under the weather, but I think it was just hayfever. The actual workout of the day was 5x5 squat cleans, but I chose the wild card option as it lets me lift more weight and it fits in nicely with the Community Cup workouts in 2 weeks. I did the cleans touch n go, for something different. It felt pretty good.

Crossfit Linchpin - D49

Main
For time (or not):
2 rounds of:
7 Bar Muscle-ups
35 GHD Sit-ups
Jump Rope, 2 mins

Rest 2 mins

2 rounds of:
7 Bar Muscle-ups
35 Hollow Rocks
Jump Rope, 2 mins

28:49 - not for time, but not super easy pace

Part 1- 13:30, V-ups instead of GHDs, crossovers - 61 and 75
Part 2 - 13:19, double unders - 85 and 85

Accessory 1
Weighted Strict Pull-up: 17x3, 25x2, 32

Accessory 2
Unilateral Farmers Carry: 32x60mx3 (per arm)

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Really fun day. I did the 7 BMU unbroken for 3 rounds!! And then 4+3 in the last. I still need to clean up my form and make it look pretty.

I added 2-3kg to all 3 sets of weighted pull-ups. 40kg is my max, so to hit 32 after all those muscle ups is nice.

Crossfit Linchpin - D50

Main
5 rounds for time of:
20 Wall Balls, 9kg
10 Hang Power Cleans, 70kg

12:41 - 57.5kg

Accessory 1
Front Squat: 90x5x3

Accessory 2
Strict Handstand Pushups: 4xmax reps, rest 2:00

22 - 7/5/5/5

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So fun again. I was looking forward to this workout for a while as a lot of the higher intensity workouts are non crossfitty rows/runs/bikes. This was crossfitty. I was going back and forth between 55 and 60kg and settled in the middle. The target time was 12 minutes or less, so I probably should have done 55. Wall balls in 12/8 and HPC in 6/4, with longer and longer staring at the bar times. Rounds in 1:47, 2:32, 2:33, 2:49, 2:58. This was very DT-like. I want to do a 60kg DT.

Crossfit

Metcon
Every 2 minutes for 20 minutes: 200m run

All between 33-40 seconds

Gymnastics
Weighted Pull-up: 1 rep max

30, 35, 40, 42.5f, 41 (1kg PR!)

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I made a last minute decision to do the class instead of Linchpin and don't regret it! The run was treacherous in pouring rain with a couple of corners, but still fun.

I am so happy with the pull-up PR after running! Linchpin has so much proper volume instead of junk volume in Mayhem and I attribute it to that. I've got to be close to 20 strict pull-ups now that I actually know how to grip the bar. Oh, but let's make fun of kipping pull-ups from people who can't do that many.

Crossfit Linchpin - D51

Main
Every 3 minutes for 30 minutes: 1 Clean and Jerk

85 throughout

Accessory 1
Deadlift: 120x5, 125x5, 127.5x5

Accessory 2
Single Arm DB Shoulder Press: 15x12, 17.5x12x2 (per arm)

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So fun and very pleased with today. The cleans were easy enough, but the jerks were just that bit hard where it made me use my legs more, or I would do a slight press out. It was good to feel what I needed to do.

Deadlifts were a bit too easy. The same weight is getting lighter and lighter as the days go by, without me doing anything heroic with deadlifts. I think I've been deadlifting once in 2-3 weeks on average and at a low-medium RPE.

I'm doing a parkrun tomorrow. It would be cool to go 30-60s faster at a non-all out pace again. Wednesday was meant to be a 30 minute run, so I juggled the days around because a parkrun is super fun.

It's the community cup next week! It's 3 workouts, with the highlight being workout 3 - 20 minutes to find a 1RM front squat and hang power clean. I'm going to use it as a deload and only do those 3 workouts.

Parkrun

5k, 25:49, ave HR 180, max 193

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SO fun. The 5k in Feb was RPE 8. I wanted to do the same today and get into the 26s. I drank last night, didn't sleep well, and didn't warm up, so I wasn't expecting much. But I got into the 25s at probably RPE 8.5!

My 10k PR of 47 minutes is a long way away. I was 7kg lighter then and running a decent amount more. It will be fun to chip away at this 5k though. Sub 25 in 3 months, with just following Linchpin would be cool.

Community Cup

Workout 1
20 minute AMRAP:
15 box jump-overs, 24"
10 dumbbell snatches, 22.5kg
5 hand-release push-ups

11+10

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So I ended up 65th percentile for the Open and 66-88 made it to advanced!! The only difference between intermediate and advanced was 5 handstand pushups for advanced.

Anyway, I blew up a little, and probably only had 95% heart. I didn't really, really go into a dark place when things got tough. I rested probably a bit more than I needed to. Snatches were all 5 left, then 5 right.

Round times were 1:25, 1:39, 1:42, 1:37, 1:41, 1:45, 1:47, 1:57, 1:58, 2:07. 1:53.

1:40 rounds got you 12 rounds, so I don't think I could have held that pace anyway. Around 85th percentile for this workout, which makes sense since I qualified the absolute top of intermediate.

Community Cup

Workout 2
Complete as many reps as possible following the interval of:
2 minutes of work,
1-minute rest
2 minutes of work,
1-minute rest
2 minutes of work,
1-minute rest
3 minutes of work

Rounds 1 and 2
10 toes-to-bars
10 overhead squats, 34kg
Max-calorie row

Rounds 3 and 4
10-calorie row
10 overhead squats, 34kg
Max pull-ups

166 - 25, 23, 14, 24

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Terrible coaching and organisation of a full class, but still really fun. The weights and reps for the first 2 rounds were joke light for me. I finished the 10 toes to bar and 10 OHS in 40 seconds and sort of paced the row. The rows in rounds 3 and 4 were very slow. I kind of fell apart in the pull-ups. In hindsight, I should have just gone ham in the first 2 rounds, used the 3rd round to recover, and then gone mad in the last round again since it is a longer round.

Community Cup

Workout 3
In 20 minutes, establish:
1-rep-max front squat
1-rep-max hang power clean

Hang Power Clean: 95, 100, 102.5, 104 (PR over squat clean by 1.5kg!!!!!)
Front Squat: 110, 120, 125, 128 (0.5kg PR!!!)

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Maybe the best day ever. My clean PR was a very tough 102.5 (I failed 103 a couple of months after that). I warmed up and it all felt a bit heavy. But the weights kept going up and my legs kept going wider and wider. But who really cares, it's a competition. And I'm able to drop under with a clean fine enough. I wanted to hit 100, so I was kind of surprised when I hit 104 and just called it there around 8 minutes in.

I was sweaty now and wasn't expecting much, but 120 went up easy enough and I hit a tiny PR with 128. I was a few kg heavier when I hit 127.5 and I always thought that was one of my PRs that would be hard to touch. But I can sense 130 now. Doing it in a competition in a full class where everyone was cheering definitely helped. There's less time to worry about things.

Just binged a bunch of this log since I haven' been around much. Really nice work overall.

Sounds like this 2027 crossfit games really could happen!

congrats on the PRs! Definitely more in the tank for front squats - did you not have time for another lift?

Yeah, I lurk this log, and it's impressive to see the progress. Are you still in London, or India at the moment?

Crossfit Linchpin - D52

Main
21-15-9
Thrusters, 43kg
Assault Bike Calories

8:09

Accessory 1
DB Front Rack Walking Lunge: 15sx16mx3

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It's a heat wave in the UK. I have a choice between going in the morning with hayfever, going in the afternoon when the heat is at it's worst, or going in the evening which I hate. I went in the afternoon and it was a shitshow. I felt lethargic, somehow did the workout, then felt faint. I now have a splitting headache. It's probably dehydration.

Anyway, thrusters were 15+6, 9+6, and 7+2!! I nearly didn't do accessories, but used super light weights for the lunges and will do the other accessory, which is a 30 minute run/row/bike another day. My ride home was utter misery.

Thanks melk! The 2027 games will never happen. I am firmly in the camp of being pretty good at any crossfit class I go to, but pretty mediocre amongst the frothers. What is more likely is making it to nationals in weightlifting once I hit 40 in 2 years.

Thanks! Yeah, the last front squat was with 30 seconds left. My lofty goal was 100/130 and when 100 went up easily, I took 2 more attempts and that gave me less time with the squats.

Thanks river! I am in London for the foreseeable future. I got engaged and bought a house, so my roots are set.

Crossfit Linchpin - D53 (Monthly Test)

Main - Part 1
AMRAP 10:
1-2-3-4...
Strict Pull-ups (unbroken)
Strict Ring Dips (unbroken)

7+3

Main - Part 2
Death by Burpees (1 burpee in minute 1, 2 in minute 2, etc until failure)

15+10 (rested 6 minutes before starting)

Accessory 1
DB Skull Crusher: 17.5x12, 15x12x2

Accessory 2
Zottman Curls: 10sx12x3

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Ring dips really slowed me down in the first part. The set of 6 was RPE 10, and then I had to rest so long before somehow doing the set of 7. Pull-ups were fine. It was a nice pump.

I didn't have much WIM going into part 2. I finished the round of 14 and mentally gave up and started the round of 15, 10 seconds late. But then I did them really fast and snuck the 15 in. It would be cool to get through the round of 8 and 16 in 6 months.

Run and Weightlifting/Open Gym

Morning - Run
4.66km, 30 minutes, easy pace, ave HR 157

Evening - Weightlifting/Open Gym
20 minute EMOM: 1 Snatch
[email protected]
[email protected]
5@55
[email protected]
1@60

DIY Back Extensions: BWx15x2, 5x15

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I made up the 30 minute easy run from Monday and the actual Linchpin workout was a 30 minute EMOM with 1 hang power clean. Having just done a 1RM hang power clean, I decided to snatch instead. Nothing like snatches to bring me down to earth. I haven't watched the videos back, but they felt meh. It's still nice to easily hit 60 though.

The run was HOT.

Crossfit Linchpin - D54

Main - Part 1
5 rounds for quality:
10 Overhead Press, pick load (47.5 for 3, 42.5 for 2)
10L,10R Kickstand Squats, pick load (2x20kg DBs)

Main - Part 2
30 rounds for time (or not):
100m run
1 Bar Muscle Up

25:58 - 250m C2 bike

Accessory 1
12 Tempo Push-ups: (5s down, 5s hold at bottom, 5s up, 5s hold at top)

3,2,2,2,2,1

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So fun and SO HOT. I had to reduce the weight on OHP as it was taking forever. I did the first set unbroken and then 2 sets throughout.

The metcon was amazing. I've never done a metcon where I could practice muscle ups, get in a lot of volume, and still get a sweat on. Just doing rep after rep made a few thinks click. Feet together, push down on the bar, sit up aggressively. Boom, they were so easy.

Most rounds were between 53 and 55s, and I sped up at the end. The last round was 43 seconds.

So lots of pushing, pulling, single leg squatting, easy cardio, technique work. Love it

Crossfit Linchpin - D55

Main
9-8-7-6-5 reps, for time of:
Deadlift, 65% 1RM (110kg)
Box Jump, 24 in
Toes-to-bar

7:29

Accessory from yesterday
Overhead Squat: 55x3, 62.5x2, 70x1

Accessory 1
L-Sit: Accumulate 2 minutes (4x30s, on rings)

Accessory 2
Glute Ham Raises: 3x15

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Another really good and fun day. I feel like everyday is so different, yet not random, and I'm hitting everything.

I made up a 1RM deadlift of 170. My actual PR is 162.5 from years ago and I would imagine it's closer to 180 now. My thinking was that 45 reps at 102.5 at a metcon is perfectly fine for my body and recovery. So 35 reps at 110 should be fine. And it was.

I did all deadlifts unbroken, except the 2nd set. Toes to bars were either unbroken or in 2 sets. I probably went at 85-90% here. It was just way too hot.

It was nice to hit 70 for an overhead squat. PR is 80, but this is after all that grippy work. And it was fairly comfortable.