Linchpin Conversations

Depending upon the phase of life you are, there may be value in considering "starting fresh" and "forgetting" your previous personal bests. Of course the topic is nuanced & has many layers worth considering that will vary from individual to individual, but the general topic should help athletes set expectations and is a useful thought experiment.

 Do the Linchpin monthly test not "Respect the Heavy Days". | Favorite Heavy Days at a High Heart Rate | How to increase grip strength. | Shipping Linchpin merch overseas. | Will CrossFit build muscle? | The "Tempus" feature on the btwb app. | Scaling to increase intensity.

In this episode we walk through the Monthly Linchpin Fitness Tests which will happen beginning in May 2024. Below are the monthly tests, which will be labeled as "Checkpoints".

What counts as "Rx'd"? | Improving Engine & Pain Tolerance. | Heavy Day Rep Schemes. | Fran. | Deadlift form on Open workout 24.2. | Improving Running Technique. | Setting Fitness Goals. | Training High School Athletes. | Improving Olympic Lifts When Training Alone. | Tall Athletes & Body Positioning.

Actionable steps for new athletes looking to begin working out are presented.

Tips, tricks & recommendations are given to improve your chest-to-bar pull-up capacity.

How to fix achilles tendon pain. | When/If to add a VNR cycle. | Linchpin meet-ups. | Rope climbs vs Peg Boards. | Test Weeks. | Mixing the order of workouts. | Task vs Time Priority. | Working out on poor sleep. | Favorite Open workout. | Linchpin for Gym Owners. | Ascending vs Descending rep schemes. | How to time sprints when running. | Rogue Invitational in Scotland. | Preparing for the CF Lev...

A real world testimonial is read from someone who left Linchpin & then decided to comeback. She shares her experiences & the decisions that lead back to the Linchpin community.

What does it mean to be "Ferociously Fit"? | How to peak on a certain day. | Burgener warm-up with tight shoulders. | Weighted pull-ups...belt or vest? | The Jefferson Deadlift. | Is there a need for more than a 30" box jump? | A busy life leads to reduced workout time. | Introducing a new person to working out. | Overcoming a fear of box jumps. And much more!

Workouts can be done as For time, For time or not, Not for time, Kinda for time. What's the difference?

Can you be too strong? | Linear strength cycles. | Running in place vs actual running. | Cheat meals. | Stretching. | Modulating intensity. | Training at elevation. | Hot yoga. | Firefighter works 2 days on & 4 days off. 1| Calculating dumbbell reps & loads. | And much more…

Various strategies for working delicious treats into a healthy life are discussed. I talk through my lessons learned, failures & victories with sugar.

Training around an injury. | Time goals for low intensity training. | Preparing for a 10 mile trail run. | Trimming calluses & hand care. | What workouts have "interference"? | Meal prep. | Is Rucking good for you? | Pros & cons of intentional weight gain. | Supplements & Creatine. | Modulating Intensity. | Running with an artificial hip.

Recovery, cool downs, stretching, volume & intensity. How to find your sweet spot as an athlete.

Does each programming block have a focus? | Show me your garage/home gym! | Hip replacement rehab protocol. | Takeaways from the nutrition challenge. | Using the "tempo" feature on btwb. | Intentional interference. | 90's rap. | Impactful people in my life. | The future of Linchpin & CrossFit in general. | RMU vs BMU. | Modulating Intensity. | And more…

All about the Deadlift. Traditional vs Sumo vs Trap Bar deadlifts. Which one is right for you?

Programming workout options. | Learning new movements. | Do genetics limit your ability to "get big". | Modulating Intensity & Heavy Days. | Should I go "Rx'd" if I miss the goal time? | Short on time, how to train. | Struggling with overhead squats. | VNR & btwb. | On Heavy Days do you need to keep the same load across all reps & sets? | Designing an Open workout. | Weight belts, wraps & knee sle...

A Linchpin member has a full time in-office job & a toddler who does not sleep well. She is struggling to keep her health & fitness a priority. She reached out asking for helpful advice to navigate this difficult phase of life.

Heavy Rope Single-unders | My favorite shoe for CrossFit. | How is my diet? | Training 3x per week vs 5x. | Deload weeks. | Does the Abmat do anything?

Do you need a "Heavy" jump rope? Heavy rope single-unders vs light rope double-unders are discussed, as well as indoor running substitutions during bad weather.

Sleep or Working Out, which is more important? | Will more rucking be programmed? | A good warm-up when short on time. | How many women follow Linchpin? | Yokes, sleds & landmine twists. | Monthly nutrition challenge. | Why did I become a SEAL? | Functional Fitness vs HIT. | GHD vs weighted sit-ups. | Rope Climb substitutions. | How to bulk up. | Maintenance of gym equipment. | My favorite candy....

"Open Prep" is silly & unnecessary for most people. Let me explain...

Thoughts after my hip replacement. | Qualifying for the CF Games. | Nutrition goals for obese athletes. | Artificial intelligence. | Will CF Open workouts be programmed? | Dealing with chronic pain. | Back squat strategies. | Working out while sick. | 400m run modifications. | Working out for aesthetics. | Strengthening rotator cuffs. | Holiday themed workouts. | Overhead squat substitutions. | Re...

You should not live sore or in daily pain from working out. This episode discusses what I mean by that & how to avoid it. Pain free is the way to be.

How many cups of coffee do I drink? | What draws people to CrossFit? | Top 5 must read books. | New Year's Resolutions. | 400m run = how many burpees? | Moving days around. | Lifting % charts. | Reset the monitor or allow "roll over" calories? | Ring muscle-up substitutions. | 50m of walking lunges = how many lunges in place?