Linchpin Conversations

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 capacit...

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.