If you’re tired of the same old bench press routine, or simply looking for a new way to build your chest, back, shoulders, arms, and core, then these five WODs are exactly what you need.
5 rounds for max reps of:Bench press (use the same weight as your bodyweight)Pullups”This is a perfect push-pull couplet, and it can be varied with grip on bench press and style of pullup from strict to kipping,” says Ray Cooney, the head coach at Sopris CrossFit in Carbondale, CO. “‘Lynne’ serves as a way to not only build upper-body strength, but also test your current strength level and set a benchmark for future testing.”
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The Sager Special
Every minute on the minute, for 20 minutes, do:Minute 1: 5 muscle-upsMinute 2: 5 power cleans (135 lbs for men, 95lbs for women)Minute 3: 5 bench press (at bodyweight)Minute 4: 5 strict pullups“This workout is perfect for building that upper-body strength we all want,” says Cole Sager, a four-time CrossFit Games competitor. “It combines strength, power, and finesse together to give you a well-rounded upper-body workout.” If you can’t do a muscle-up, scale down to a pullup (or a suspended row), and definitely drop down the weight on the power cleans and bench press if you need to. In total, the workout is five rounds.
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A Man Out of You
As fast as possible, do 30 manmakers.”All you need is a pair of moderately heavy dumbbells,” says Ryan McCarthy, a rowing and CrossFit coach at Bowery CrossFit in New York City. “Each ‘rep’ is two pushups, a single-arm row on each side from high plank, a clean, and then a thruster (ninjas may add an overhead lunge on each leg).”Unless you’re in superhero shape, you will probably have to break those 30 reps into smaller chunks, so be strategic about how you do it. “The burn will be real,” McCarthy says. “Think about where you want to break up the reps ahead of time so that core and shoulder stability last through all 30 reps.”
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Pull, Pull, Pull
4 rounds, as fast as possible, of:5 strict wide-grip pullupsRest 10 secondsMax-effort strict pullups with 2 second eccentric phaseRest 10 secondsMax-effort ring dips (or stationary dips)Rest 3 minutes between rounds”The target of this workout is to build explosive pulling power and muscular endurance by targeting antagonist / agonist muscles,” say Dylan Petitt and Denise Thomas, both trainers at Reebok CrossFit One. If you need to, scale down to suspended rows or jumping pullups.
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The Mighty 55
10 reps of bench press (bodyweight)10 strict pullups9 reps of bench press (bodyweight)9 strict pullups8 reps of bench press (bodyweight)8 strict pullups7 reps of bench press (bodyweight)7 strict pullupsContinue the pattern until you do 1 rep of each—55 reps total.This workout comes from Ben Bergeron, who’s coached seven CrossFit Games champions. Feel free to scale down the weight (or switch to suspended rows). On the other hand: “If you can do this in under seven minutes, add 10 pounds to both movements the next time,” Bergeron says.
Bench press (use the same weight as your bodyweight)
Pullups
“This is a perfect push-pull couplet, and it can be varied with grip on bench press and style of pullup from strict to kipping,” says Ray Cooney, the head coach at Sopris CrossFit in Carbondale, CO. “‘Lynne’ serves as a way to not only build upper-body strength, but also test your current strength level and set a benchmark for future testing.”
The Sager Special
Every minute on the minute, for 20 minutes, do:
Minute 1: 5 muscle-ups
Minute 2: 5 power cleans (135 lbs for men, 95lbs for women)
Minute 3: 5 bench press (at bodyweight)
Minute 4: 5 strict pullups
“This workout is perfect for building that upper-body strength we all want,” says Cole Sager, a four-time CrossFit Games competitor. “It combines strength, power, and finesse together to give you a well-rounded upper-body workout.” If you can’t do a muscle-up, scale down to a pullup (or a suspended row), and definitely drop down the weight on the power cleans and bench press if you need to. In total, the workout is five rounds.
“All you need is a pair of moderately heavy dumbbells,” says Ryan McCarthy, a rowing and CrossFit coach at Bowery CrossFit in New York City. “Each ‘rep’ is two pushups, a single-arm row on each side from high plank, a clean, and then a thruster (ninjas may add an overhead lunge on each leg).”
Unless you’re in superhero shape, you will probably have to break those 30 reps into smaller chunks, so be strategic about how you do it. “The burn will be real,” McCarthy says. “Think about where you want to break up the reps ahead of time so that core and shoulder stability last through all 30 reps.”
Pull, Pull, Pull
4 rounds, as fast as possible, of:
5 strict wide-grip pullups
Rest 10 seconds
Max-effort strict pullups with 2 second eccentric phase
Rest 10 seconds
Max-effort ring dips (or stationary dips)
Rest 3 minutes between rounds
“The target of this workout is to build explosive pulling power and muscular endurance by targeting antagonist / agonist muscles,” say Dylan Petitt and Denise Thomas, both trainers at Reebok CrossFit One. If you need to, scale down to suspended rows or jumping pullups.
The Mighty 55
10 reps of bench press (bodyweight)
10 strict pullups
9 reps of bench press (bodyweight)
9 strict pullups
8 reps of bench press (bodyweight)
8 strict pullups
7 reps of bench press (bodyweight)
7 strict pullups
Continue the pattern until you do 1 rep of each—55 reps total.
This workout comes from Ben Bergeron, who’s coached seven CrossFit Games champions. Feel free to scale down the weight (or switch to suspended rows). On the other hand: “If you can do this in under seven minutes, add 10 pounds to both movements the next time,” Bergeron says.
