tuesday, january 27
A.
5 sets: barbell seated press 3-3-2-2-2
4 sets: single arm bent over rows x 8-10 reps
B.
9 min amrap:
3-6-9-12-15-18… CTB pull-ups
3-6-9-12-15-18…. push jerk (135/95, Rx+ 155/105)
100m run after each round
monday, january 26
A.
back squat 32X13-3-3-2-2
B.
14 min amrap:
10 front rack lunge steps (135/95)
10 TTB
5 thrusters (135/95)
10 box jumps
why lifting and crossfit are so great for improving body composition and long term metabolic health
TL;DR
EPOC (“afterburn”) is the extra energy your body uses after training to repair muscle, restore oxygen, and rebalance hormones
CrossFit and heavy resistance training create the largest EPOC response and the biggest improvements in insulin sensitivity*
Steady state cardio supports heart health but has a smaller afterburn and less impact on muscle repair
Higher EPOC = better metabolic flexibility and fewer consequences from the occasional indulgences we all love, think mimosas or croissants
Exercise isn’t just about what happens during the workout. Many of the most important metabolic benefits occur after you’re done, when your body is repairing muscle and replenishing energy. This recovery phase is where insulin sensitivity improves and EPOC comes into play.
*Insulin sensitivity determines how efficiently your body deals with carbohydrate intake. When you’re insulin sensitive, glucose is quickly shuttled into muscle to be used or stored supporting energy, recovery, and stable blood sugar. When insulin sensitivity is poor, more insulin is required to manage the same amount of glucose. Over time, this leads to fat gain, energy crashes, and increased inflammation
What Is EPOC and Why You Want More of It
EPOC (Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption) refers to the elevated oxygen and energy your body uses after intense exercise to return to baseline.
During this window, your body is repairing muscle tissue, replenishing ATP and glycogen, and regulating hormones and body temperature
All of this requires energy, meaning your metabolism stays elevated for hours - and sometimes up to a full day after certain workouts. The greater the intensity and complexity of the exercise, the larger the EPOC effect.
Heavy Resistance Training & Barbell Lifting
Heavy resistance training is one of the best ways to improve insulin sensitivity. Muscle contractions increase glucose uptake during and after training, and increased lean muscle mass improves your ability to manage blood sugar. The mechanical stress of heavy lifting creates a strong muscle repair signal, which keeps energy demands elevated well after the workout.
EPOC: Moderate to high, especially with heavy compound lifts and shorter rest periods.
CrossFit & High-Intensity Functional Training
CrossFit blends heavy lifting with high-intensity conditioning, making it particularly powerful for metabolic health. Rapid glycogen depletion and full-body muscle recruitment dramatically improve post-workout glucose uptake. At the same time, the combination of mechanical and metabolic stress increases recovery demands across muscle, connective tissue, and the nervous system.
EPOC: High—often among the largest of any training style, with elevated metabolism lasting 12–24 hours.
Long Steady-State Cardio
Examples: Jogging, cycling, rowing at a consistent pace
Steady-state cardio improves insulin sensitivity primarily during and shortly after activity by enhancing mitochondrial efficiency and glucose use. However, these effects are often short-lived unless training volume is high. Muscle repair demands are relatively low, and EPOC is minimal—most energy is burned during the workout itself.
EPOC: Low
Why This Matters for Real Life, Including Food
Higher EPOC doesn’t mean you can eat without limits—but it does widen the margin for error.
When your body is in a prolonged recovery state, it is:
Actively refilling muscle glycogen
Shuttling glucose into muscle instead of fat
Burning more energy at rest
In practical terms, this means people who lift heavy or train intensely often tolerate carbohydrates and indulgences far better than those relying on cardio alone. It’s the difference between a mimosa and croissant being a metabolic setback or something your body can handle better.
Strong muscles + high recovery demand = metabolic flexibility.
The Bottom Line
If your goals include insulin sensitivity, body composition, and long-term metabolic health, resistance training should be the foundation. CrossFit and high-intensity functional training amplify these benefits through larger EPOC and greater muscle repair demands, while steady-state cardio plays a supportive role.
friday, january 23
A.
5-6 sets:
1 segmented clean deadlift + 1 hang clean pull + 1 hang power clean
B.
“14.4”/“23.1”
14 min amrap:
60 cal row
50 TTB
40 WBS
30 power cleans (135/95)
20 ring muscle-ups (scale = CTB or chin over bar pull-ups)
thursday, january 22
A.
6 sets:
split jerk
sets 1-3: 2 reps @ 75-80%
sets 4-6: 1 rep @ 80-85%
B.
for time:
1-3-6-9-12 wall walks
3-6-9-12-15 DB bench press (50/35)
300m after each round
16 min cap
wednesday, january 21
A.
5x5 deadlift (3131)
B.
12 min amrap:
12 alternating DB snatches (50/35)
6 alternating lunge steps with L arm overhead (50/35)
12 alternating DBS
6 alternating lunge steps with R arm overhead (50/35)
12 burpees over the DB
Tuesday, january 20
A.
superset
5 sets: barbell seated press 4-4-3-3-2
4 sets: single arm DB row 2112; 8-12/arm
B.
6 min amrap:
3 hang power cleans (155/105)
6 STO
36 DUs
12 pull-ups (Rx+ CTB)
monday, january 18
A.
back squat 32X1; 4-4-4-3-3
B.
4 sets:
2 min amrap:
15 WBS
6 bar facing burpees
max reps squat cleans (155/105*)
*not to exceed more than 70% of your 1RM clean for this
rest 2 mins between sets
score = total reps squat cleans
friday, january 16
A.
5-6 sets:
2 segmented clean deadlifts + 1 hang power clean
B.
for time:
15-12-9 power cleans*
24-18-12 TTB
15-12-9 burpee box jumps
*15 reps @ 155/105, Rx+ 205/145
12 reps @ 185/125, Rx+ 225/155
9 reps @ 205/145, Rx+ 245/175
thursday, january 15
A.
Split Jerk
6 sets
Sets 1-3: 2 reps @ ~75-80%
Sets 4-6: 1 rep @ ~80-85%
*pause for 2s in the dip and receiving position for all jerks during sets 1-3
B.
“15.5”
for time:
27-21-15-9
cal row
thrusters (95/65)
wednesday, january 14
A.
deadlift Work up to a top set of 2 reps @ RPE 9
B.
3-4 drop sets of 3 reps with -10% less
C.
for time:
18-15-12 deadlift (225/155)*
400m run after each round
*scale volume as needed
tuesday, january 13
A.
superset:
5 sets: barbell seated press 5-5-4-4-3
4 sets: single arm DB row (2112) 8-12/arm
B.
for time:
10-8-6-4-2
strict pull-ups (Rx+ weighted)
DB bench press (50/35, Rx+ heavier)
right into, 100 DUs
10-8-6-4-2
double DB push press
kipping pull-ups
right into, 100 DUs
10-8-6-4-2
SA DB hang C&J (50/35) (5R, 5L = 10)
kipping CTB pull-ups
then, 100 DUs
monday, january 12
A.
back squat (32X1) 5-5-4-4-3
B.
12 min amrap:
12 front rack lunges (95/65, Rx+ 115/75)
6 thrusters
12 front rack lunges
12 TTB
Why we love tempo training
We know that in CrossFit there’s a focus on load, intensity, and volume. But one of the most effective, and often overlooked, tools for getting stronger, moving better, and staying healthy is tempo training.
Tempo training refers to controlling the speed of each phase of a lift: the lowering portion, any pauses, the lift itself, and the finish. Here’s why we program tempo work and why it matters for your progress.
1. Better Movement Comes First
Quality movement has to come before going too heavy or too fast. Tempo prescriptions slow things down just enough to help athletes understand how they’re moving, not just whether they completed the rep.
When an athlete controls the speed of a lift, they gain awareness of:
Which muscles are working
Where their body is in space
How to maintain proper positions under tension
This is especially important for newer athletes and younger lifters. Many people can drop quickly into the bottom of a squat relying on momentum or flexibility, but that often comes with compromised positions (knees collapsing inward, chest falling forward, or the pelvis tucking under).
By prescribing a controlled tempo (for example, a slow descent into the squat), we give athletes the time they need to maintain good posture, keep their knees tracking properly, and hold a strong, neutral spine. If someone can’t control the movement at that speed, it’s a clear sign the weight is too heavy, and that’s valuable feedback.
For more advanced athletes, tempo becomes a precision tool. If you struggle in a specific position, like the bottom of an overhead squat or the power position of a clean, tempo work allows you to spend intentional time there to reinforce good mechanics.
2. Lower Injury Risk Without Slowing Progress
Slowing down the tempo of a lift reduces excessive stress on the joints and transfers more of the workload to the muscles. Muscles adapt relatively quickly; tendons and connective tissue take longer. Tempo training helps bridge that gap.
Another benefit? Tempo naturally keeps intensity in check. When a lift requires a slow, controlled descent and a pause, it removes the temptation to rely on momentum, bouncing, or going too heavy. You simply can’t lift the same weight with strict tempo as you can when rushing through reps, and that’s a good thing! The result is smarter loading, better positions, and a lower chance of overuse or acute injury, all while continuing to build strength.
3. Stronger Gains Over the Long Term
Flat out - tempo training makes you stronger. Here’s how:
More variety, more adaptation
Different tempos create new training stimuli, which helps prevent plateaus and keeps progress moving forward.
Stronger through weak points
Many athletes feel better on their second or third rep of a lift than the first because they’re benefiting from rebound or momentum. Tempo work removes that advantage, forcing you to generate strength from a dead stop or uncomfortable position exactly where true strength is built.
More time under tension, less nervous system fatigue
Controlled reps increase the amount of time your muscles are working without the same level of stress on your central nervous system. This is especially important in CrossFit, where athletes often balance heavy lifting with high-intensity conditioning.
Increased muscle fiber recruitment
Pauses, whether at the bottom of a squat or at the top of a bent over row, demand more muscle involvement. When you hold a position under load, your body has no choice but to recruit additional muscle fibers to maintain control. More recruitment equals more strength over time.
The Takeaway
Tempo training is about:
Moving better
Training smarter
Building strength that actually carries over
When you see tempo prescriptions in our programming, know that they’re there to help you lift with intention, stay healthy, and get stronger for the long haul. Trust the process. Control the movement. The results will follow.
friday, january 9
A.
6 sets:
1 segmented snatch deadlift + 1 snatch
B.
5 rounds for time:
5 power snatches (135/95)
10 WBS (Rx+ 15 WBS)
5 double DB devil press (45/25 or 30, Rx+ 50/35)
10 WBS (Rx+ 15 WBS)
thursday, january 8
A.
split jerk 3-3-2-2-2-1-1-1-1
B.
2 sets:
2 min amrap:
200m run + max reps push jerks in the remaining time (135/95, Rx+ 155/105)
rest 2 mins
2 min amrap:
200m run + max reps thrusters in the remaining time (135/95)
rest 2 mins
wednesday, january 7
30 min amrap:
2-4-6-8-10-12-14-16… power clean (185/125, Rx+205/145) or deadlift (225/155)
2-4-6-8-10-12-14-16… burpee box jumps
4-8-12-16-20-24-28-32....TTB
400m run after each round
increase barbell and BBJs by 2 reps every round, TTB by 4 reps every round until 30 mins is up
tuesday, january 6
A.
5 sets: barbell seated press 7-6-5-4-4
4 sets: single arm DB row; 8-12/arm
B.
5 sets, one set every 4 mins, each set for time:
9 CTB pull-ups or 3 MUs of choice
6 burpees over the erg
15/12 cal row
monday, january 5
A.
back squat (32X1) 6-6-5-5-4
B.
12 min amrap:
36 DUs
12 lunge steps (135/95)
18 Russian KBS (70/53)
12 lunge steps (135/95)
friday, january 2
A.
6 sets:
1 segmented snatch deadlift + 1 hang snatch
B.
for time:
100-80-60-40-20 DUs
20-16-12-8-4 alternating single arm devils press (50/35)