Linchpin Conversations

1. Can you improve on a movement without doing it every week? 2. What if you don't have enough time to properly rest during intervals?

Addictive experiences can be "engineered". This is neither inherently good or bad. The critical factor is increasing your awareness about what makes certain behaviors addictive in a good way versus addictive in a bad way. We want YOU to be in control and that is only possible through information and education. A "fitness addiction" has the potential to become unhealthy if certain factors get out of control.

1. Writing a book 2. Scaling for various age groups 3. Estimating your 1RM without attempting a 1RM 4. Benefits of gymnastics 5. Get a 100 lb. weighted pull-up without training for it

The difficulty of the task/workout needs to be appropriately paired to the skill level of the individual athlete. If the task is well beyond the athlete's skill level it can lead to frustration, anxiety & failure. If the difficulty is too low the athlete grows bored & does not progress. Finding the sweet spot is critical.

1. Box Jumps vs. Box Step-ups, pros & cons. 2. Adding a weight vest to training 3. Linchpin meet-ups 4. What to do if you cannot maintain pace during intervals 5. Top 3 book recommendations

The purpose of general & specific warm-ups. A hybrid model is presented. Practice rounds are discussed. Examples are given for specific workouts.

1. What is my biggest source of inspiration when programming? 2. Daily rituals, time & task management tips/tricks 3. How to maintain intensity near the end of a workout And much more...

Can someone be fit & healthy without snatching? What movements do not get the respect they deserve?

1. Could Adrian Bozman come on the AMA? 2. Can Rest Days be shifted around? 3. Regular Oreos or double-stuffed? 4. Three items to have when the Zombies come. 5. Biggest obstacles I've had to overcome in CrossFit. 6. Topics for the Varied Not Random podcast. 7. Getting in a "pump session" after the workout. 8. Working on weakness.

Marcus owns CrossFit KH in Germany. He is a member of the CF Seminar Staff and is also the CrossFit Country Manager overseeing more than 500 affiliates in Germany, Austria & Switzerland. He shares his story as well as advice for gym owners & trainers.

1. In what area could CrossFit improve? 2. How do you know when to take an unscheduled Rest Day because your body needs it? 3. The benefits of a "Foundations" or "On-ramp" program. 4. How to use CrossFit workouts to compliment another activity like running or cycling.

CF Linchpin Test 5 For time: 20 Back Squats, 225/155 2 Mile Run 20 Back Squats, 225/155 The "Fitness Level" in the BTWB app is also discussed.

1. How to develop Chest-to-bar pull-up strength. 2. Using D-balls & Sandbags on Heavy Days. 3. Is Elite Gymnastics a broken sport? 4. How "over-involved" parents can make their kids hate sports. 5. Why do I prefer helping "normal" people instead of coaching elite CrossFit competitors? 6. How to employ Active Recovery.

Karl is a Level 4 CrossFit trainer who lives in Scotland. He has work at roughly 400 CrossFit seminars all around the globe. He is a wealth of knowledge and shares valuable insight on training and how to be a better coach.

1. Butterfly kip vs C-kip, which is safer/better? 2. A member asked how it is possible that his major lifts are improving even though we only go heavy once a week. His old gym lifted heavy every day. Now he goes heavy only once a week and lifts are going up. How is this possible? 3. Is "Rowing Murph" a good modification for people who cannot run? 4. Weight belts & knee sleeves...do they have utility?

Tips & tricks to successfully perform CrossFit workouts in a traditional gym environment.

1. How to stay healthy & sane in a global pandemic 2. Every training session should have a goal. 3. Targeting individual weaknesses. & much more...

Rod talks about community, coaching, helping people and why he chose to open a gym in the middle of the global COVID-19 pandemic.

1. Do I ever make Super Fitness Robot times that are unobtainable just to see if people can do it? 2. Pros & Cons of pursuing high skill movements like the snatch alone in your garage. 3. Dynamic stretching in warm-ups. 4. What are the benefits of "Rucking" & why do people seem to enjoy it so much?

How to modulate your intensity in order to have a long, happy, healthy & sustainable experience with CrossFit.

1. Why I should or should not go head-to-head against Emily Sherwood in the classic CrossFit workout "Nasty Girls". 2. How much do poor decisions outside the gym, such as nutrition, sleep, screen time, etc affect the results we hope to achieve inside the gym? 3. How to improve your burpee capacity. 4. What is my plan to maintain workouts once my new baby daughter is born?

A question about scaling is answered from an athlete who says they struggle with almost all aspects of any given workout. The "RX'd" loading, rep range, rounds, etc all seems out of reach. What is the proper course of action to keep them safe while improving their overall capacity?

Topics addressed were: 1. What do I take into account when including CrossFit benchmarks or Hero workouts into the Linchpin programming? 2. How does (or should) bodyweight be taken into consideration when choosing loading and/or making the decision whether or not to scale a workout?

CF Insanity has been an affiliate for over 10 years. They are one of the many gyms which choose to follow the CF Linchpin private track for their programming. Dave talks with me about what it takes to build a strong community, lessons learned over the years and how to become a better trainer.

My wife, Emily is 26 weeks pregnant with our 3rd child. She is a former D1 collegiate gymnast & two-time individual competitor at the CrossFit Games & joined me on this "Ask Me Anything". 1. Kettlebell snatch vs Dumbbell Snatch 2. Rings Rows vs Banded Pull-ups to develop pull-ups 3. Movements Emily has had to remove or modify due to being 26 weeks pregnant 4. How to improve burpee box jump capacity

If an invisible drone flew over us & recorded all of our choices & actions it would likely no longer be a mystery as to why we failed to achieve a certain goal. Only by being brutally honest with ourselves & taking personal responsibility will meaningful change be possible.

1. Training Senior Citizens 2. Top recommended specialty gear for garage gym 3. Discussion about EMOMs

Setting a goal of being able to do CrossFit benchmark workouts as RX'd is a lofty goal & a serious challenge for many people. This can be achieved through intelligent scaling, modifications and progressions. We explain how.

Topics covered... 1. Have I ever had to confront a gym owner or trainer for doing something dangerous? 2. Do the Super Fitness Robot times affect the programming? 3. Pause Squats...what they do and how to use them. And much more...

This is the headline from a CNN article published on March 2, 2021. We discuss the facts presented in this article and how CrossFit coaches and athletes are uniquely positioned to possibly help turn this situation around. Proper information is critical to helping people.

1. How & when I will give my thoughts regarding the 2021 CFG Open workouts. 2. Lessons learned from my time in the SEALs. 3. The Master's Age group (50-54) generally use the same loadings in the CFG Open as the 18-35 year olds. Is this appropriate? 4. How to properly assess body pain. 5. How to get back into working out after an extended break.

I've got 2 kids, a pregnant wife, 2 dogs & a busy job. Life is hectic. This means workouts are interrupted all the time. When life forces you to modify the workout it is important to know how to do it correctly to keep your body healthy & your mind happy. Real life examples are given.

1. Is it bad to always row or bike instead of run? 2. How often do new workouts get created? 3. How do I determine if a workout will be repeated? 4. Will some workouts not be repeated? 5. What are some programming considerations for the Monster Mash?

We talk through 50th percentile & 75th percentile scores/loads for Fran, 1RM Deadlift, Helen, 1RM Back Squat, Cindy, 1RM clean & Jerk, 5k Run, DT and an 800m run. Accessory work and BTWB specialty programs are discussed as ways to improve deficiencies.

Accumulating Good Days in the Gym leads to great things. We explain the steps to accomplish this.

Topics addressed were... 1. Why are walking lunges preferred over stationary lunges? 2. Book recommendations 3. Dissecting the 02.09.2021 Interval workout 4. Best workout to expose a friend to CrossFit 5. My most embarrassing CrossFit moment 6. Advice to someone starting a new CF affiliate 7. Creating & modifying warm-ups

Programmers need to give themselves creative leeway & space for experimentation & innovation. We discuss these topics in the real world context of the CrossFit Hero workout "Ryan", "Elizabeth" & others. Interval training is also discussed.

Topics covered were: 1. What do I think of Mat Fraser's retirement? 2. Steps to build a better engine. (metabolic conditioning) 3. Questions from an ultra-marathoner are addressed. 4. Favorite shoe for CrossFit? 5. The importance of Flexibility. And much more...

Imperfect workouts are important. Real life can disrupt our workout schedule more often than we would like. When this happens it is important to shift your mindset and goals. Fitness can still be achieved on a reduced timeline and under less than ideal conditions.

My wife, Emily Sherwood is 18 weeks pregnant. This is her 3rd pregnancy. She is a former D1 collegiate gymnast & two-time individual competitor at the CrossFit Games. She answers questions from the community related to doing CrossFit while pregnant.

How long should you Rest during Interval training? We discuss the article "Rest & Recovery in Interval-Based Exercise", which was written by Tony Leyland. The article was originally published in the CF Journal, Issue 56 in April of 2007.

Topics addressed were... 1. What factors affect the "intended stimulus" of a workout? 2. What does "training for longevity" really mean? 3. Should some people train more to have more "fitness reserves" for later in life? 4. What are the BTWB "Specialty Programs"? 5. Which BTWB Specialty program should I choose?

Do NOT try this at home! Stories about workouts gone bad. I share some blunders I've made over the years.

Questions/topics from the Linchpin community answered were: 1. Is it okay to drop a deadlift from the top? 2. Touch-n-Go Deadlifts vs Dead-Stop Deadlifts 3. Should you wear a weight belt? 4. DB Box Step-ups & Devil Press And much more...

Julie had a hip replacement. Should she squat? Her orthopedic surgeon says no. Her physical therapist says yes. She is stuck in the middle & not sure what to do.

Questions/topics from the Linchpin community answered were: 1. The worst time I tore my hands in a workout 2. When is the best time to do Accessory Work? 3. When to move from Scaled to RX'd? 4. Rowing vs Running vs Bike...is one the best? 5. Should some Accessory work be prioritized over other? And much more...

Joe Westerlin discusses the what, how & why of these various protocols. Joe is a Level 4 CrossFit Trainer and a Seminar staff Flowmaster. He also owned a CF affiliate for 10 years & has a background in collegiate strength & conditioning.

Questions/topics from the Linchpin community answered were: 1. Quick reflections on the year 2020 2. Tips for working out when motivation is low 3. Programming Phases, Structure & Cycles 4. Why do we do Handstand Walking if it does not happen in everyday life? And much more...

My real life story with body Image Issues. I know many people deal with similar issues. I hope sharing my story can help someone.

Questions/topics from the Linchpin community answered were: 1. Should scaling be based to meet the "Super Fitness Robot" time, the "More Likely" time or by another metric? 2. Daily routines & rituals 3. Dumbbells are amazing, but what is someone missing out on by not having a barbell? 4. Do I test the workouts? And much more...