Monday 12.19
Name game: Would you rather be a werewolf or a vampire?

Warm up: For 4 minutes complete rounds of 20 single or double unders, 10 pvc pass throughs, 2 wall walks

Skill: handstands/headstands

WOD: 15 minute AMRAP
50 double unders
7 devils press 50/35

Lifestyle: 1 minute to accumulate DUs/attempts, 25 single-single-double or 10/7 calorie bike; 40/25 DBs

Accessory (optional): 3-5 rounds of 10/10 DB or KB side bends, :30/:30 side plank hold

Objective: After some skill work with a focus on getting and staying inverted, we have a long couplet that pairs a complex and heavy dumbbell skill with double unders. That time on the jump rope is your chance to recover. Focus on relaxing your shoulders and making sure you’re breathing, and if needed take a quick break after 25-30 reps. Try to keep moving on the devils press and complete each set in under a minute. Aim for at least 6 rounds.

Score: rounds & reps

Tuesday 12.20
Name game: What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Warm up: For 5 minutes complete rounds of 30 seconds rowing, 10 pvc thrusters, 10 kip swings

WOD: “Jackie” *13 minute cap
For time:
1,000m row
50 thrusters 45/35
30 pull-ups
*if needed, do two heats or staggered starts so everyone can do the workout as written

Lifestyle: jumping pull-ups, banded pull-ups, or ring rows

Accessory: 3-5 rounds of:
10 dumbbell seesaw press
10 renegade rows
20 plank DB pull-throughs

Objective: It’s been exactly one year since we last tested this benchmark sprint chipper, and the strategy advice has not changed: don’t kill yourself on the row and try to stay as unbroken as possible on the thrusters and pull-ups. The thrusters are light, but this does not mean you should scale up — it means you should go faster. Average times for this are around 9 minutes for men and 10 for ladies; a time under 7/8 minutes is exceptional. See 12/20/21 in SugarWOD for past results.

Score: time to complete

Wednesday 12.21
Name game: Would you rather have to wrestle a hippo or a seal?

Warm up: coach-led track

WOD: With a partner, three 12-minute rounds for total calories:

Round 1:
100 burpee box jump overs 24/20
Max calorie bike

Round 2:
100 bar-facing burpees
Max calorie bike

Round 3:
100 burpees to 6″ target
Max calorie bike

*Rest 2 minutes between rounds

Lifestyle: straight-arm burpees and step-overs; reduce reps if needed to finish burpees in under 10 minutes

Objective: There are a lot of burpees today, but they get easier as you go! Transitions will be quick, so do small sets before trading off with your partner. Transitions are more costly on the bike, where you should try to hang on for slightly longer intervals.

Score: total calories in each interval

Thursday 12.22
Name game: How many days off from work do you have for the holidays?

Warm up: 2 minute bike/row then 2 rounds of 10m walking lunge with a twist, 10m spider walk, 10m duck walk

Strength: pause back squat 4×5 (3-second pause)
*Rx = use the same weight for all sets

WOD: For time *8 minute cap
20-16-12-8-4
Goblet lunges 32/24
5-4-3-2-1
Bar muscle-ups

Lifestyle: 24/16, 10-8-6-4-2 C2B or pull-ups

Objective: We’re dropping the volume on the pause squats, but this comes with a challenge: The purpose is not to find the heaviest possible set of 5 but to find a heavy weight you can do for all four sets. The reduced number of working sets means you should have plenty of time to warm up to a weight you can commit to for all four sets. If you did the 6×5 on December 6, try to exceed the weight you used then. The workout is a quick burner, so ideally you’re scaling the kettlebell and muscle-ups to something that is challenging but doable for unbroken sets.

Score: pause squat weights & time to complete

Friday 12.23
Name game: What is your favorite kind of cookie?

Warm up: 2 minute bike/row then coach-led barbell

Strength: 10 minute EMOM
1 three-position power snatch (high hang, hang, floor)

WOD: 5 rounds for max reps
1 minute calorie row
1 minute weighted sit-ups 25/15
1 minute hang power snatches 75/55
1 minute rest
*stagger start by 2 minutes so everyone can go in order and row

Lifestyle: 45/35, unweighted sit-ups

Objective: The strength work today is a chance to focus on hitting full extension every time you do a snatch. For the workout, two movements that will get you winded — the row and the hang snatches — are paired with a rest and weighted sit-up that will tax your core and shoulders but also give a chance to recover. Try to put in an equal effort on all three skills, and try to keep your reps consistent for all five rounds. If you’re feeling tired from the week, this is a great workout for finding a steady pace and simply moving through it as active recovery.

Score: max 3-position power snatch and total reps

Saturday 12.24
Name game: What is your favorite Christmas carol or other holiday song?

Warm up: review movements in WOD

WOD: 12 Days of Christmas *45 minute cap
For time, in the style of the song (1, then 2 and 1, then 3, 2, and 1, etc.):
1 muscle-up [ring or bar; scale to: C2B, pull-up, or bent-over barbell row]
2 push presses 95/65 [scale to: 75/55 or lighter]
3 front squats 95/65
4 front rack lunges 95/65
5 hang power cleans 95/65
6 deadlifts 95/65
7 burpees [scale to: straight-arm]
8 handstand push-ups [scale to: push-up or box push-up]
9 pull-ups [scale to: jumping pull-up or ring row]
10 toes to bar [scale to: K2E or knee raise]
11 wall balls 20/14 [scale to: 14/10]
12 calorie bike [row if no bikes available]

Note: This is a long workout, and each movement will be reviewed in class only briefly. Please try to familiarize yourself with the workout and scaling options BEFORE you come to class.

Objective: The movements vary from year to year, but the theme is the same: a long chipper done in the style of the song “The 12 Days of Christmas.” You’ll do 1 muscle-up, then 2 push presses and 1 muscle-up, then 3 front squats, 2 push presses, 1 muscle-up, etc. There are a total of 364 reps, and most of those reps will be the movements done in the rounds of 5-8. Pace yourself! The early rounds go by quickly, but the bulk of the work is concentrated in the last 2-3 rounds of the workout.

Score: time to complete

Sunday 12.25
Merry Christmas! The gym is closed today.