Monday 12.23
Name game: Would you rather have to cook the big holiday meal or have to clean up and do the dishes after?

Warm up: for 4 minutes, rounds of 20 jumping jacks, 10 pvc pass throughs, 5 wall slides

Strength: strict press 10-8-6-4-2

WOD: 4 rounds for time *12 minute cap
25 abmat sit-ups
10/10 single arm DB hang clean & jerk 50/35

How to scale: Use a dumbbell light enough to go unbroken on your weaker side, at least to start, bearing in mind that your shoulders will be fatigued from the strict press.

Objective: We followed the same rep scheme a few weeks ago with the bench press; the idea is the same today with the strict press: five heavy sets, building in weight as the sets get smaller. The workout is a quick couplet ahead of tomorrow’s long grind. Try to keep each skill unbroken.

Score: max press load & time to complete

Tuesday 12.24
Classes at 7 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., and noon.
Name game: If you had to listen to one Christmas carol on loop for this entire WOD, which would it be?

Warm up: coach-led

WOD: “12 Days of Christmas”
For time: [scaling options]
1 wall walk [partial wall walk/:10 plank]
2 burpee pull-ups [burpee jumping pull-up/burpee to target]
3 toes to bar [K2E/K2C/knee raises]
4 handstand push-ups [ab mat/pike push-ups/push-ups/box push-ups]
5 wall balls 20/14 10’/9’ [14/10 & lower]
6 medicine ball cleans 20/14 [14/10]
7 box jumps 24/20 [lower box/step up]
8 goblet lunges 24/16 [lighter]
9 goblet squats 24/16 [lighter]
10 American KB swings 24/16 [lighter]
11 burpees over KB [straight arm & step over]
12 muscle-ups [chest to bar/chin over bar/ring rows]
*Complete this workout like the song: 1, then 2 and 1, then 3, 2, and 1, etc. There are a total of 364 reps.

Objective: The movements change, but the “12 Days” workout is an annual tradition, done in the style of the Christmas carol. This year there are no barbells to be found but interference galore, with lower body movements and pressing movements both clustered together. Keep in mind total volume as you decide how to scale: total reps are 12-22-30-36-40-42-42-40-36-30-22-12.

Score: time to complete

Wednesday 12.25
Merry Christmas & Happy Hanukkah! The gym is closed today.

Thursday 12.26
No classes at 6 or 7:15 a.m. There will be a class at 9 a.m. followed by a regular schedule.
Name game: What’s the best gift you got this year?

Warm up: 2 minutes jump rope work then coach-led barbell

WOD: Five 3-minute AMRAPs
3 hang power snatches 135/95
6 hang power cleans 135/95
30 double unders
*Rest 1 minute between intervals; pick up where you leave off.

How to scale: Reduce the barbell load so that you can consistently do both skills unbroken. Spend no more than :30 per round on DU attempts or substitute 60 single unders.

Objective: Today’s WOD is intervals in the style of “The Chief,” mixing cardio on the jump rope with some low-rep barbell cycling. The key here is cycling: if you’re envisioning breaking these up or going to singles, lower the weight. Aim for at least 2-3 rounds in each interval.

Score: rounds & reps

Friday 12.27
Name game: What’s the best kind of Christmas cookie?

Warm up: for 6 minutes, rounds of 1 minute row, 5/5 air squats/jumping squats, 5/5/5/5 monster walks

Strength: 1 rep max back squat

WOD: 500m row time trial (multiple heats if needed)

Objective: We’ve been squatting every week since mid-September and it’s time to see if that hard work has paid off. Make sure you’re very warm before you start attempting near-max loads, building up through sets of 3-5 at lighter loads, then making smaller jumps and doing smaller sets as you approach your goal weight. The workout is a sprint effort on the row. Your legs will not be at their freshest, but that’s ok, and it will force you to prioritize good rowing technique to maximize efficiency.

Score: max squat & row time

Saturday 12.28
Name game: When is it time to take down the holiday decorations?

Warm up: coach-led funzies

WOD: With a partner, 30 minute AMRAP
40 chest-to-bar pull-ups
30 devils presses 50/35
20 shuttle runs (each)
*One partner works at a time on the C2B and devils press, switching as desired. Both partners complete 20 shuttle runs, working simultaneously. Solo: half reps on C2B and devils presses.

How to scale: Pick versions of the pull-ups and devils presses you can do for 5+ reps in a row.

Chest to bar: Do jumping chest-to-bar, kipping pull-ups, or challenging ring rows. No bands.

Devils presses: Use lighter dumbbells. Do straight-arm burpees if needed.

Shuttle runs: Reduce the reps if you cannot complete 20 without stopping.

Objective: Today’s partner WOD has two somewhat higher skill, somewhat grippy movements with the winter version of a partner run to give your arms and shoulders a break to ensure you’re able to keep the pace quick when you start the next round. Plan to switch with your partner every 4-8 reps on the chest-to-bar and devil presses, then recover on the shuttle runs without losing too much time there.

Score: rounds & reps

Sunday 12.29
Strength: bench press 6×4, strict press 6×4