Empower Weekly WOD: Week Beginning November 3rd 2025
Monday, November 3rd 2025
HeroWOD Hall
5 Rounds
3 Cleans @225lbs
200m Run
20 KB Snatch @1.5 pood
2 min Rest
Today’s is a fun, low volume, high intensity workout. Try to hit each round hard. Your score will be your average time across all 5 rounds.
The clean is prescribed heavy. No, I didn’t Rx it either because the goal is to perform 3 cleans in a row, not 3 singles. That said, challenge yourself and go heavy since there are only 3 reps per round. Aim for your heaviest set of 3. I used 205lbs but in round one missed the third clean and had to redo. Once I was warmed up I was able to get 3 in a row each round.
Can’t run? Substitute a brisk 100m walk instead.
The kettlebell snatches are the best kettlebell lift there is but, if you are new to this skill, it can really beat you up. Mark Wildman whose video demo I linked for the kb snatch has a great suggestion for learning progression:
1) If you’re a novice, a basic, two handed American KB Swing is your starting place.
2) Once you’ve mastered the swing, your next step is the KB Clean & Press with a snatch return.
3) For our advanced athletes, the KB Snatch is your goal. Here’s an unbroken 200 rep Kettlebell Sport snatch world record to inspire you.
Bonus: Overhead position in KB Snatch
Tuesday, November 4th 2025
Split Jerk
1-1-1-1-1-1-1
It is not your fault that you have yet to master the split jerk, it shows up so rarely in the programming and demands so much balance, coordination and accuracy that apart from Empower’s world class Weightlifting competitors and a small handful of athletes who train thai lift weekly, you and I do not yet possess the requisite skill to even worry about lifting heavy yet.
My focus was on sticking a solid landing with no wobble, no foot movement and a long, deep split. Instead of trying to lift heavy today, try to self assess your landing and focus on developing the coordination, accuracy, balance and overall body awareness that will carry over into other athletic skills.
Partly because there was a group class in session but also because it is good practice, I did this one in my back laneway with a 25lb beer keg. Though light, the sloshing water inside the keg required me to really stick that landing and work on ankle, core and shoulder stability. Not easy but valuable practice.
Wednesday, November 5th 2025
HeroWOD Servais
1.5 Mile Run
8 rounds of:
19 Pull Ups
19 Push Ups
19 Burpees
Then:
400m Heavy Sandbag Carry
1 Mile DB Farmer’s Carry @45lbs
This is a WOD best shared with a friend. Any way you cut it, this is a big day. Even in pairs, there is no guarantee you complete this within the 1 hour class time. Here is what I recommend:
1) Pick a friend who can share equipment with you then, take turns one partner working, one partner resting (think equitable rather than equal work distribution).
2) For the 1.5 mile run (2.4K) break it into 3x800m or 4x 600m or 6x400m or 12x 200m or swap in and out on an airbike or rower.
3) Tag team the 8 rounds of pull ups, push ups and burpees using the appropriate scaling for your fitness level. The group class coach may want to consider time capping this segment to make sure teams make it to the carries.
4) You could each carry a sandbag for 200m or, you could walk the full 400m route passing the sandbag back and forth between you as needed.
5) You can use a similar approach with the 1 mile farmer’s carry. You could do 16x 100m, 8x 200m, 4x400m or 2x800m but with the timer running low on remaining minutes, you are probably best to stick to the shorter distances realizing you will probably get time capped before you complete the full mile.
Thursday, November 6th 2025: Make Up Day
See previous workouts
Friday, November 7th 2025
3 Rounds
7 Bar Muscle Ups
7 Squat Clean & Jerks @205lbs
Another fun gymnastics-weightlifting couplet. Approach it as a skill-strength day.
If you are not yet ready for banded or Rx’d bar muscle ups, work on your most challenging pull up progression. The rep count is low so use this opportunity to develop your pull up strength.
Similarly, with the clean 7 jerk, you want to be loading close to 80% of your clean & jerk one rep max in order to get the strength development of this low volume workout.
Saturday, November 8th 2025: Team WOD
2000/1000/500m row
50/35/20 wb
Sunday, November 9th 2025
Shoulder Press 1-1-1-1-1-1-1
Weighted Pull Ups 1-1-1-1-1-1-1
Score = total volume shoulder press + total volume weighted pull up
The goal here is to go heavy. If you alternate between your shoulder press and your weighted pull up you should be able to use a 5 minute window per round and finish the WOD in less than 40 minutes.
For the shoulder press use a barbell, dumbbells or kettlebells as per your preference.
If you do not have unassisted pull ups, challenge yourself to use the least assistance possible for each single or, even better, practice one slow pull up negative each round.
For weighted pull ups you can use chains, weight vest, medballs, dumbbells, kettlebells, backpacks, plates or sandbags as you prefer.
