Do you remember before COVID when we used to be able to do partner WODs?

I think they are among my favourite things in CrossFit.  I have fond memories of competing on Team Super Hard with Hard Rock, Super Mario & HeeHee.  The following year Magnum & I teamed up to fulfill our destiny as Sandman’s Tears.  And the year after that I found myself paired with my arch nemesis on the team named after him: Sandman +1.

I remember glorious moments when I could help my team overcome a challenge and many more times when my teammates stepped up to help carry me through a tough spot that had me struggling.  That’s the fun of team events, we each bring our own strengths and weaknesses and therefore have opportunities to support one another. 

But my very favourite thing is just throwing down a partner WOD in the gym.  I love the sense of camaraderie, the push to work harder and the sense that my suffering is a shared experience.  By some mysterious alchemy, sharing transforms misery into fun.  I like to think of the gym as a big playground and playing is best enjoyed with friends! 

HeroWOD Martin invites us to team up and share the workload, COVID precautions suggest otherwise.  But while we may not be able to share equipment with non-household members, I do have a team proposition that may help fill that itch for camaraderie: spot a friend across the gym or on the zoom screen and invite them to team up with you from a distance then take on the full Martin, taking turns one partner working at a time.  Just because you cannot share the same workstation or equipment does not mean you cannot share the workload, the sweat and the suffering.

If you still insist on going solo or find yourself the odd person out, please halve the reps of everything!  We’re going to keep the warm up short to give you time to get after this one.  Arrive early so we have time to sort ourselves out.

Saturday WOD

Equipment: Barbell or alternative, medball or alternative, rower or alternative

Warm Up
500m Row
20 Romanian Deadlifts (empty barbell)
20 Thrusters (empty barbell)
15 Judo Push Up Rocks
15 Ring Rows

Tech
Row
Deadlift
Thruster
Hand-Release Push Up
Pull Up
Sit Up
Wall Ball

Hero WOD Martin (team version)
2000m Row
100 Deadlifts
50 Thrusters
1000m Row
100 Hand-Release Push Ups
50 Pull Ups
500m Row
100 Sit Ups
100 Wall Balls
(if solo do half of everything)

Cool Down
Slow Yoga Flow