Empower Weekly WOD: Week Beginning September 8th 2025

Monday, September 8th 2025

3 Rounds:
Strict HSPU
Strict Ring Dips
Strict Push Ups
Strict Pull Ups

HeeHee and I tag teamed this one, one partner working at a time, equitable work distribution and finished in just under 40 minutes. There were plenty of reps to go around. Especially those pull ups!

Tuesday, September 9th 2025

10 Round EMOM:
15 Sec Deadlift
45 Sec Rest

The idea here is to go heavy and see how many reps you can complete in 15 seconds every minute on the minute for 10 rounds. Your score will be the load you select multiplied by the lowest reps completed in any of the 10 rounds. I completed 3 reps every round at a weight of 275lbs for a score of 825 (3x275).

The scoring format is designed to encourage consistency across the 10 rounds instead of charging hard in round one only to see the wheels come off in round seven. You may only lift in the designated 15 second interval (if you rest longer than 45 seconds, it will cut into your work time).

Today, we will use the more stringent power lifting deadlift standard rather than the CrossFit standard. This means EVERY deadlift rep must be lowered to the floor in order for it to count. This is to maximize the training benefits of this moderately low volume workout. The eccentric (lowering) phase of the deadlift may produce a better strength and hypertrophy stimulus than the concentric (lifting) phase. It would be a shame to miss out on the physiological benefits.

Sharing barbells between two people who are within 20lbs of each other is a simple matter for this workout. Partner A lifts at the top of each minute while Partner B lifts at the 30 second mark. This will allow a 15 second window to slap on/remove 2.5, 5 or 10lb change plates (do not try to unload full size plates each round).

Pain in the deadlift? Check out some key tips to performing a pain-free deadlift:

Wednesday, September 10th 2025

15 min AMRAP
7 Push Press @135#
10 OHS @135#
15 GHD Sit Ups

Love it. A big gymnastics day followed by a short deadlift EMOM and then a short barbell biased AMRAP. Classic CrossFit programming at its best!

Use the same weight for the Push Press and OHS. The 10 OHS is likely the limiting factor. Choose a weight that you can complete 10 reps unbroken in round one.

Be prepared to lift on the platform. Max 6 barbells. For large classes, coaches are advised to run 2 heats. 15 mins of Rowling might be a fun activity for members who are waiting for/finished their heat. It will keep folks warm and entertained without fatiguing them.

In each heat it might be a good idea to have 3 people start on the GHD and the other 3 on the barbell.

Coach’s notes:

I completed 4 rounds of unbroken sets EMOM style as follows:

Min 1: Push Press
Min 2: OHS
Min 3: GHD Sit Ups
Min 4: Rest

This provided me a bit of rest between each set allowing me to really focus on good execution. Even with the minute break between rounds, this got challenging, giving me a good sweat and keeping my heart rate elevated for most of the 15 minutes. The minute rest between rounds 3 and 4 went by too quickly and I had to dig deep in round 4 to stay on pace.

Clearly, the EMOM approach is not the strategy to use if you want the best score but while I appreciate scoring workouts as a way to calculate work capacity and power output, in day-to-day training, my focus is much more on the quality of my reps. I was happy to complete each set unbroken with good mechanics and no joint pain. The last round of OHS got a bit wobbly, my core fatigued from the combination of OHS and GHD Sit Ups. I was also pleased to hit a good squat snatch every round. While I certainly could have squeezed out some more reps if I took fewer breaks, I am not sure it would have been a lot more and I am certain the quality of reps would have suffered exposing me to increased injury risk.

With no competitions coming up, at this stage of my fitness journey, it is all about staying strong, healthy and pain free. The goal of my training in the gym is to provide a foundation of fitness that allows me to play BJJ, Judo and kickboxing and generally enjoy an active lifestyle.

A little competition in the gym can be fun but don’t let it distract you from your life and fitness goals. CrossFit is a tool for supporting your health and well being, nothing more. Have fun. Stay healthy.

Thursday, September 11th 2025: Make Up Day

See previous three WODs

Friday, September 12th 2025

20 min E2MOM:
Odd minutes: 30 sec Burpees, 30 sec Rest
Even minutes: 30 sec DB Thrusters @30/45lbs, 30 sec Rest

Every day can’t be the best day. So what do you do when you wake up feeling groggy and knowing you haven’t yet recovered from your previous training? This was my fourteenth consecutive training day post surgery with no rest days. But here’s the problem with being the programmer, you have to stay ahead of the workouts. After a week-long surgeon-ordered post-surgery break from training and with a 15 day family vacation coming up (our first 2 week family vacation in over a decade), rest days aren’t an option if I’m to keep ahead of the group class workouts.

So, how to hit this WOD without putting myself in harm’s way? Instead of burpees, I performed full body rocks (3 per round) getting myself up and down off the ground in a slower, more restorative manner. A great way to loosen up all my joints and mobilize my body for the day without taxing my nervous system.

Instead of dumbbells, I performed 3 thrusters per round with the 25lb beer keg. It is light enough that it isn’t taxing on the joints but the awkwardness and instability of the sloshing water still challenges all the small, stabilizer muscles.

Make no mistake, performing the workout in this way did nothing to advance my strength and conditioning but, it did keep me moving and my body felt looser and fresher after completing it. There will be another workout tomorrow and the day after and the day after that. You don’t have to crush it every day. Some days, it is just about showing up and doing what you can. Just keep moving!

Saturday, September 13th 2025

Empower Team WOD

Sunday, September 14th 2025

5 Rounds:
10 Squat Cleans @65/95#
30 sec L-Sit Hold
10 Squat Cleans @65/95#
60 sec Bar Hang

10 Squat Cleans to start you off. The load is light enough that you can complete 10 unbroken (or it should be, scale accordingly) but large enough that doing so gasses you. Cruel CrossFit, so cruel! It may be a light weight but it is also the perfect opportunity to practice pulling yourself under the bar instead of riding it down. Instead of rushing through, try to use this light weight, high volume workout as an opportunity to master your squat clean mechanics.

L-Sits are my most dreaded thing in CrossFit. I did 3 sets of 10 seconds every round and it felt like eternity. Modify with a W-Sit if required or, if you lack the strength to hold yourself on the parallettes, do a seated L-Sit but keep your shoulders over your hips, don’t cheat by leaning back!

10 more Squat Cleans for good measure followed by the only rest in the workout: a 60 second bar hang. Enjoy your one minute of peace and tranquility before you dive into the next round. If you are not strong enough to hang for 20-30 seconds, consider doing this with your toes lightly resting on the floor. The bar hang is fantastic for your shoulder health so you really should work toward a one minute hang.