Road to the 2027 Crossfit Games
You gotta have dreams, right?
Background:
I'm 28, 5'9, and 67kg. Around 5 years ago, I was 77kg and pretty fat with very little muscle. I then cut on and off for 2 years, making tons of mistakes along the way. I got down to around 59kg, and realized I was way too small and weak. I then did SS, got too fat (ate way too much), then cut again. I then did Madcow 5x5, got too fat, and cut again. Next came 5/3/1, fatness, and another cut. Along the way I plugged many leaks. One of them was that I would count my calories diligently until dinner, and then eat whatever for dinner without going overboard. Looking back, that was a really dumb move because I ended up eating way too much on both cuts and bulks. My cuts were really slow and I put on weight way too quickly when bulking.
Once I figured this out (duh), my previous cut was the best ever and I was pretty easily able to lose weight. Now, I plan on going on a long, slow, bulk (300 calories above maintenance).
That was the introduction to my previous log 3 years ago. I'm now 31, still 5'9, and around 71kg. I did a few bulking and cutting cycles, but it was becoming really monotonous and I was taking a lot of mini breaks. Enter crossfit. I stumbled onto the website of one, signed up for an induction class, and was hooked after day 1. I liked the structure and the competitive nature of it. I also liked how you had to be good at everything to be good at crossfit.
Crossfit Journey
I started in October 2016 and until around December 2017, just did crossfit. I stayed around the same bodyweight, my lifts went up, my endurance improved, my gymnastics got better, I learned the olympic lifts, and I finally didn't have to deal with feeling fat and skinny from all the bulking/cutting cycles. Having said that, I think I've reached the point where I need to do less crossfit to become better at it.
After a year and a half, I think I'm finally a pretty average crossfitter. Here are some of my numbers:
Squat: 127.5
Front Squat: 115
Deadlift: 145
Bench Press: 84 (estimated)
Overhead Press: 62.5
C&J: 77.5
Snatch: 52.5 (a bit old, should be closer to 60)
5k run: 24:37
1k row: 3:40
Jackie: 10:03
Fight Gone Bad: 225
Crossfit Open 2017: 28th percentile
Crossfit Open 2018: 45th percentile
Strict Pullups: 13
Muscle Ups: 1
Handstand Pushups: 14
What I'm doing now
My gymnastics is relatively stronger than my strength and endurance, and my weightlifting is pretty rubbish. Here is a rough weekly plan for the next couple of months.
5/3/1 - 2 sessions a week (combining BS and BP in one session, DL and OHP in the other)
Pete's plan beginner - 3 a week (it's a rowing program, to get a solid aerobic base)
Olympic lifting class - 1/2 a week
Crossfit class - 1/2 a week
Run - 1 a week (I wish I could run more, but it destroys my legs)
The End Goal
The goal is to just become as good at crossfit as I can and to keep getting better. I turn 40 in 2027 and there is a 40-45 division at the Crossfit Games, see you there.
Open Gym
Front Squat: 60x5, 70x5, 80x5x5
Bench Press: 55x5, 62.5x5, 70x5, 55x5x10
Ride Home: 20.64km, 57:30
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I cannot stress enough how great I feel on this new schedule of less hard days, more strength, and more easy cardio. My CNS feels good, no niggles, resting HR is down. All this has even motivated my weak food mind to eat well and I've been on a good run.
No dramas with squats, it was the light day in 5/3/1. The only lingering niggle I have is my tennis elbow which somewhat showed up in the heaviest bench set. It was the perfect weather for a longer ride home - 17 and cloudy/sunny. I really enjoyed it.
Weightlifting
A
3 Power Snatch + 3 Overhead Squat: 40
2 Power Snatch + 2 Overhead Squat: 45
1 Power Snatch + 1 Overhead Squat: 50
3 Power Snatch + 3 Overhead Squat: 45
2 Power Snatch + 2 Overhead Squat: 50
1 Power Snatch + 1 Overhead Squat: 55
3 Power Snatch + 3 Overhead Squat: 50
2 Power Snatch + 2 Overhead Squat: 55
1 Power Snatch + 1 Overhead Squat: 60
B
5 Push Press + 5 Push Jerk: 50
4 Push Press + 4 Push Jerk: 57.5
3 Push Press + 3 Push Jerk: 65
2 Push Press + 2 Push Jerk: 72.5
1 Push Press + 1 Push Jerk: 80
C
Run Home: 4.72km, 30 minutes
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Really, really fun. I am loving training. Body feels great.
I don't think I have ever had a bad power snatch day. That's a lesson I guess. I just need to extend completely like I do with power snatches. The one at 60 seemed pretty easy.
My push jerks got shorter and shorter as the weight got heavier. After the one at 80, I was a bit annoyed and dropped it to 60 and did a couple. And I think they are the best push jerks I have ever done. It's at the end of the video. I dipped more and that might be it. It is something to try.
Crossfit
Weightlifting
Power Clean + Front Squat + Push Jerk: 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 82.5, 85, 90 (every 90s)
Metcon
AMRAP 14:
7 Dumbbell Thrusters, 22.5kgs
7 Burpee Over Dumbbell
7 Toes to Bar
8 rounds - 15kg DBs
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Another really, really great day. My cue from last time for jerks worked wonders, which is just to have a larger dip. It is the best my jerks ever felt. I did an easy 90 at the end and my clean and jerk PR is 96. I smell 100 and might go for it this weekend. My phone ran out of space and stopped recording after 85 sadly.
I scaled the metcon perfectly as the aim was 8 rounds. Light DBs and kept moving. HR must have hit close to max because I was ruined. I paced it really well and didn't blow up for once. Round times were 1:25, 1:38, 1:47, 1:50, 1:50, 2:11, 1:46, 1:30. Toes to bar were all 4+3 except the last 2 rounds were unbroken!
Cardio is coming along, so is strength. I need to keep my diet in check as I went off the rails this weekend, after a good week.
Open Gym
Front Squat: 70x5, 80x5, 89x5x5
Bench Press: 60x5, 67.5x5, 74x5, 59x5x10
Ride Home: 20.66km, 58:38
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Phew, another 2 hour day done, but loving it. Today was the heaviest day of the first 5/3/1 cycle and it was mostly fine. I chose a sensible training max. They go up by 2.5kg for the next cycle. I might do 3 of these and then go for either rep PRs or PRs.
I have a bench video after ages. I try to be as tight as possible throughout my body, but idk if it's fine otherwise.
Adding cardio on my way home has been a game changer. I used to dread double sessions, but I really don't mind one long session.
Crossfit
Metcon
5 sets: (27 minute cap)
21 Calorie Row
15 Pull-ups
9 Strict Handstand Push Ups
-rest 1:1 between sets-
4+27 (capped)
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I did this 2 years ago in 28:10 and thought I may or may not beat it, because my gymnastics is not great at the moment due to being a bit heavier. The time cap was 27 minutes today, so I had no option but to go for it. Round times were 2:41, 2:52, 3:16, and 3:51. HSPU were fine, but my pull-ups were awful. I have never really been good at getting the rhythm for it. I think I've practiced bar muscle ups so much that my kipping rhythm just defaults to it.
I was quite frustrated after and started practicing them. It is probably a good kick up the butt to actually get better at a pretty basic movement. Video is my best set, but my timing still looks a bit off.
Crossfit
Strength
Deadlift: 90x4, 100x4, 110x4, 120x4, 125x4, 130x4 (every 1:45)
Metcon
For time: (16 minute cap)
40 Push Ups
80 Air Squats
20 Bench Press, 60kg
40 Wall Balls
20 Bench Press, 60kg
80 Air Squats
40 Push Ups
15:57 - 50kg
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Super fun day. Perfect RPE. Deadlifts were 6x4 at 75%, every 1:45! I quickly noped out of breaking my back and built up to a comfortable 130x4 (rep PR is 135x10). I just want to maintain my deadlift while bashing out the squat volume.
Scaled the metcon perfectly as well to squeeze in under the time cap. The second set of benches took forever. Push-ups in 1:28 and 2:24. Air squats in 2:11 and 2:24. Bench Presses in 1:48 and 3:29. Wall balls in 2:11.
I might have to pivot from weightlifting tomorrow and do long cardio, because the last 2 days were very upper body heavy.
need to relax your shoulder joints and push your chest through more at the bottom of the movement imo to make the movement less jerky. my kipping used to look a lot like yours because I could never loosen the shoulders properly, so I eventually changed totally and basically just went up and down with a knee/hip kick instead which was more efficient
your gymnastics are way better than mine ever were though, so I'm sure you're not nearly as un-co as I am, so I'm sure you could get the proper kip if you do the progression training
At Home
Back Squat: 80x5, 90x5, 100x5
Run: 5.05km, 34:14
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This is going to be one of my last workouts in this home gym as we are really, really close to exchanging contracts and making it official. The new house has a much nicer space, so I'm looking forward to actually making it a nice gym.
No dramas with squats, still super light and easing back into back squats. I might add more backoff volume next week. I like how I look in this angle.
I feel the need to emphasize that my runs and bikes are super super slow on purpose. I made it private on strava to hide the slow pace.
need to relax your shoulder joints and push your chest through more at the bottom of the movement imo to make the movement less jerky. my kipping used to look a lot like yours because I could never loosen the shoulders properly, so I eventually changed totally and basically just went up and down with a knee/hip kick instead which was more efficient
your gymnastics are way better than mine ever were though, so I'm sure you're not nearly as un-co as I am, so I'm sure you could get the proper kip if
I can't pretend to speak knowledgeably about this. What I do know is that my kip for muscle ups is good. I can link them without problem. My kip for pull-ups is just out of rhythm. Every now and then it falls into place and I feel like I can keep going. But I'm doing something that makes it off rhythm. So I think it is a slight timing issue. Idk, I could be wrong and it might be something fundamental like you said.
Weightlifting
Power Snatch + Snatch Balance + Overhead Squat: 45, 45, 45, 45, 45
Power Snatch: 50, 55, 55, 57.5, 60
Behind the Neck Split Jerk + Pause Split Jerk + Split Jerk: 50, 50, 55, 55, 60, 65, 70, 72.5
Run Home: 24:31
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Lots of work, fun. Snatches felt good, jerks felt good. 2 runs in 3 days! I am enjoying the slow running and might do it twice a week.
split jerk looks pretty good
Crossfit
Strength
Front Squat: 70x5, 80x5, 86x5x5
Metcon
10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1
Dumbbell Box Step Ups, 22.5s, 24"
8 Dumbbell Bench Press (22.5s) after each set
11:34 - 17.5s to 20" box, 22.5s floor press
1 on 1 coaching
30 minutes kipping practice
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Fun. Cycle 2, week 1 done of front squats. They felt strong with 2 minutes rest.
I volunteered to do floor presses because we don't have enough benches. It was a weird workout. After the first few minutes, the step ups become irrelevant and it's just pressing.
I used my free quarterly 1 on 1 to do kipping practice. I tightened up everything and it was helpful, but I still can't get into a good rhythm. Frustrating.
Crossfit
Weightlifting
10 Muscle Snatch + 5 Snatch Balance: 25
8 Muscle Snatch + 4 Snatch Balance: 25
6 Muscle Snatch + 3 Snatch Balance: 32.5
4 Muscle Snatch + 2 Snatch Balance: 40
2 Muscle Snatch + 1 Snatch Balance: 45
Metcon - Karen
For time:
150 Wall balls (9kg to 10 feet)
7:49 - (47 second PR!) to 9 feet because that's the height of our ceiling
Jan 2018 - 8:36
Jun 2018 - 8:44 (page 1 of the log!)
***Today - 7:49
Ride Home
16.19km, 49 minutes
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Really, really good day. I think I'm leaning back too much with my snatches and that's leaking some power because it should be more vertical. 45 felt easy enough though for 2.
All those Karen times are to our lower ceiling height. The snatches actually took a decent bit out of me because of those insanely high volume sets. I was still trying to be explosive while doing the 10 and 8 muscle snatches.
Anyway, I set out to just get under 8 minutes. My plan was 7/6/6 every 20 seconds. I stuck to that for 4 minutes, then went down to 6/6/6. I think that took me to 130, and then did 8/6/6. I overpaced it a bit and think 7:30 is pretty doable with 7/7/6. Maybe close to 7 minutes without the snatches before. I would say this is a test of 50% cardio and 50% muscular endurance.
Jackie on Monday, which I am excited for. I feel my cardio really improving.
imo, Karen is 100% HEART
Open Gym
Back Squat: 85x5, 95x5, 105x5, 82.5x5x5
Bench Press: 52.5x5, 60x5, 70x5, 52.5x5x10
Strict Pull-ups: 14x3
Isolated KB Farmer's Carry: 32kgx30mx4 (per arm)
Run Home: 24 minutes
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Grinding away
Crossfit
Weightlifting
5 Hang Squat Clean + 5 Push Press: 40
4 Hang Squat Clean + 4 Push Press: 50
3 Hang Squat Clean + 3 Push Press: 60
2 Hang Squat Clean + 2 Push Press: 70
1 Hang Squat Clean + 1 Push Press: 80
Metcon - Jackie
For time:
1000m Row
50 Thrusters, 20kg
30 Pull-ups
8:28 (9 second PR!)
Mar 2018 - 10:03
Sep 2018 - 9:19
Sep 2021 - 8:37
***Today - 8:28
Ride Home: 11:68km, 35:17
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Really, really good day. I didn't go nuts with the weightlifting. The rep at 80 was fairly comfortable. The push press flew up.
Jackie is a weird test for me. I could get a huge PR if I sort out my kipping. My pull-ups are worse than before, but I still set a PR. My cardio is the best it's ever been right now.
Last time I went 4:15/2:35/1:47. Today I went 4:06/2:32/1:50. I actually got to the pull-ups fairly comfortably. I rowed at 2:00, and then slowed down in the last 100m to go staight to the thrusters. Thrusters in 20/15/8/7 with very short breaks. Pull-ups were 5/5/3/2/2/2/2/2/2/2/1/1/1. In hindsight, I think I could have pushed the first bit more and then still flailed around on the pull-ups and could have shaved some time.
Crossfit
Strength
Deadlift: 100x5, 110x5, 120x5, 125x5, 130x5
Metcon
4 Sets: (1 set every 5 minutes)
10 Handstand Push Ups
10 Right Arm Hang Dumbbell Snatch, 22.5kg
25ft Right Arm Overhead Dumbbell Walking Lunge, 22.5kg
10 Left Arm Hang Dumbbell Snatch, 22.5kg
25ft Left Arm Overhead Dumbbell Walking Lunge, 22.5kg
6:40 - 1:40/1:34/1:40/1:46 - 17.5kg DB
Ride Home
16.03km, 47:00
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Deadlifts were 5x5 at 80%, but I just built up to a moderate 5. It was low RPE - I'm deadlifting every other week to hopefully maintain it.
I could have definitely done this metcon Rx, but it was quite fun with the 17.5. I had to do the 10 HSPU like a madman fast and then everything unbroken and fast. It makes it more interval style and sprinty, with less wear and tear on the body because of the lighter weight.
I'm in a proper training groove now. I'm doing nearly as much cardio as my Pete's plan days. When I hammered out cardio in the past, I either -
1. neglected strength (due to covid, entering a running race, etc)
2. did double sessions, which I HATED and wasn't sustainable
3. did the easy cardio indoors, which I HATED and wasn't sustainable.
I am really enjoying just adding on easy outdoor cardio after training. TBD if it is 1) sustainable and 2) if I can actually make strength and weightlifting gains on this as well
Weightlifting and Open Gym
Power Snatch (slow to mid-thigh) + Pause Snatch (slow to mid-thigh): 45, 45, 45, 45
Snatch: 55, 55, 55, 55, 57.5, 57.5, 60, 60 (every 90s)
Front Squat: 62.5x5, 72.5x5, 82.5x5x5
Run Home: 25 minutes
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That looks quite simple when I typed it out, but it was 2 hours with some faffing around. Loving training though.
Snatches have felt good for a while, with my only cue being to extend completely. It's nice to hit 60 twice at the end of a session.
I'm adding on easy cardio to nearly everyday. I am loving grinding it out.
Crossfit
Gymnastics
8 minute EMOM:
1 - 15 hollow rocks
2 - 5 bar muscle ups
Did 6 minutes, because there wasn't much rest to the metcon
Metcon
21-15-9: (10 minute cap)
Calorie Row
Power Snatches, 42.5kg
8:40
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We took a long time on the gymnastics, which was kind of nice. My muscle ups are feeling amazing. 3 sets of 5 was super super easy and I almost didn't have to dip even on the 5th rep.
I wanted to test myself on this metcon. The instructions were no more than 50% of your 1RM snatch. But 42.5 is a standard Open weight, and I knew I would finish under 10 minutes, so I went for it. I suffered though. Snatches were 8/4/3/3/3. Then I think 3/3/3/3/3. And 4/2/3f!!!/1. I rowed at 1100 for the first bit, then crawled (like 600-700). This would have been a LOT easier for me if I could drop the bar and if I used my WL shoes.
Open Gym
Back Squat: 75x5, 85x5, 96x5, 65x10x5
Bench Press: 60x5, 65x5, 72.5x5, 56x5x10
Strict Pull-ups: 5x4
Run Home: 5km, 32 minutes
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We bought a house! 4 rooms, a big garden, 3 floors. I feel quite grown up. The top floor is going to be my office and a gym, it's a pretty big room - cannot wait! The other half is very good at DIY and decorating, so I hope it looks really good in a few months.
I added on some extra volume to squats. I wanted to do 10x4 pull-ups, but it was just taking too long super-setting. My cardio is flying at the moment, and I hope I'm getting stronger. So that's what I need to keep doing and focusing on. And cut the extra fluff.
I've added on 4 bits of easy cardio a week. I've done 2 rides and 2 runs in the last couple of weeks, but I am going to change that to 3 rides and 1 run. Runs just take a lot longer for me to recover from, so I think they are less bang for the buck.
congrats on the house - where have you bought?
I'm selling mine right now - very stressful business.
also....top floor for gym seems irregular. what will you be able to do up there without noise/damaging floors?
congrats on the house - where have you bought?
I'm selling mine right now - very stressful business.
also....top floor for gym seems irregular. what will you be able to do up there without noise/damaging floors?
Thanks! Yeah, it was definitely stressful. Chains are a thing here, and we had a last minute addition to the top of the chain where the lady in a divorced couple selling their house, found a house to buy on her own.
It's in north west London, zone 2/3. It's ideal for me because it's a 2 minute walk from a really nice park (for dog walks), and a 4 minute walk to a tube. So I can get to central London (Tottenham Court Road) in 15 minutes door to door. It's also a 5 minute drive from her parents, a 5 minute drive from her brother, a 10 minute cycle to my crossfit gym, and a 10 minute cycle to my work.
I certainly won't be doing any weightlifting in the top floor. But standard powerlifting and rowing/biking should be fine.
Weightlifting
5 Power Snatch + 1 Pause Overhead Squat: 40
3 Power Snatch + 1 Pause Overhead Squat: 45
1 Power Snatch + 1 Pause Overhead Squat: 50
5 Power Snatch + 1 Pause Overhead Squat: 45
3 Power Snatch + 1 Pause Overhead Squat: 50
1 Power Snatch + 1 Pause Overhead Squat: 55
Split Jerk: 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95f, 95
Ride Home: 11.73km, 37:50
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Slightly annoying session. I was a little grumpy after failing a jerk at 95 (clean and jerk PR is 96). But then I realized that the second rep at 95 didn't look too hard and that is only 1kg off my PR. My jerk start position looks off when I take it from the rack. I think my elbows are too high.
Sounds like there’ll be room for a few babies?
